Of the Young and the Restless- Part 2

I just received my fabric samples from Of the Young and the Restless the other day, and I must say that I was quite pleased. The linen and linen/cotton blend fabrics have been rendered in such vibrant hues: chartreuse, mauve, peach, and blue. And the prints are charming too. I think my favorite combination is "Birdhouse" and "Saffron"- they're gorgeous when placed together. But then again, the "Houndstooth" is nice as well. If you're one who changes out duvet covers, slip covers, and pillows each season, then you really might want to consider this line with Spring and Summer approaching.

I dealt with one of the company's owners when I ordered my samples, and she was a joy to work with. Bottom line- if you're a fan of prints from lines like Lulu DK and Quadrille, then I think you'll really like Y&R fabric.


From top to bottom: "Birdhouse" in Colonial; "Saffron"; and "Thorny Rose" in Honeymoon




Clockwise from top left: "Jellyfish"; "Houndstooth" in Mauve; "Woodgrain" in Old Money"; and "Woodgrain" in New Money

Penchant for Prints- Vol. 1

Here are my top five print picks for this week:


"Bokhara" fabric in red and cream, by John Stefanidis


"Kipling" by Nobilis


"Lambeth Saracen" wallpaper by Hamilton Weston


"Windfall" fabric by Borderline


"Lindenzweig" wallpaper in Toffee, by Studio Printworks

Think Prints!

For all of you print lovers out there, I think you'll be pleased with many of the Resort/Spring 2008 lines (clothing that is!). There are prints to please everyone- florals, graphics, ikats. And if you'd prefer to keep your prints on your furniture and walls, well then that's fine too.

Oscar de la Renta, long known for exploring the exotic with his designs, has used ikats on dresses, coats, and shoes. I know we've seen ikats in interior design for some time now, but I still think de la Renta's ikat shoes would be perfect for kicking around the design center. Carolina Herrera, no stranger to prints herself, used sweet florals, humorous chair prints, and cherry prints- a little frippery for Spring and Summer. And let's not forget Tuleh, a line which always, in my opinion, uses some of the best prints. This year Bryan Bradley has used a fabulous grisaille fabric for a coat (check Bergdorf's site to see it) as well as a fun, but not at all cutesy, umbrella print for another coat.

It just goes to show that fashion and interior design really aren't all that far apart. Now if someone would just create a clothing line that embodies the style of Billy Baldwin, I would be a very happy woman.


Violet print dress by Carolina Herrera


"Viola d'amore" by Avigdor through Classic Revivals


Ikat dress by Oscar de la Renta (Resort 2008 Collection)


"Black Luce" ikat print by Madeline Weinrib



Chair print dress by Carolina Herrera


Chair print by Kravet


Umbrella print coat by Tuleh


Umbrella print by Kravet


Poppy print press by D&G Dolce & Gabbana


"Unikko" by Marimekko

Image at top: Embroidered ikat flat by Oscar de la Renta

Call of the Wild

The blogosphere has been atwitter over the fabulous leopard print-clad room designed by Mary McDonald (in the Feb. issue of Domino)- and understandably so. This homage to Madeleine Castaing is stylish and fun. And while McDonald used the same leopard print for the walls, curtains, sofa, and armchairs, it's not animal overload. Fortunately, McDonald has not abused the leopard print, something which some people so cruelly do in the name of style (and if you need proof of this, then read my book review of "Dictator Style" for some truly terrible examples of animal prints gone bad). But I digress.

If you want to dip your toe into the sea of animal prints, you could add some leopard or tiger print pillows. Elsie de Wolfe did so at Villa Trianon, and they look quite smart against the caramel colored velvet sofas. Nan Kempner obviously thought so too.


Villa Trianon, Elsie de Wolfe's home



If you're feeling confident and want to mix your prints, you should see the apartment of writer and stylist Julie Fowler. I had to take photos from the TV as this apartment was featured in an old episode of Sheila Bridges show, so forgive the quality. Anyway, Fowler has a very small apartment, and she chose to incorporate various animal prints (something which she has always been drawn to) mixed with shots of bold color. I especially like how she has draped the ottoman with the leopard fabric. (If any of you readers know Julie Fowler, have her email me because I'd love to have photos of her apartment to show you. I think many of you will really like her home.)


Living room of writer Julie Fowler


A vignette from Fowler's home

Or, you could throw restraint out the window (like Mary McDonald), and embrace the animal print. Betty Sherrill of McMillen did, and how chic is this dining room?


(Photo courtesy of New York Social Diary)

Of The Young and the Restless

Yesterday's Home & Garden section of the New York Times introduced me to a new fabric line- Of the Young and the Restless. (OK, so the name is what first caught my eye. After all, "The Young and the Restless" was my soap of choice as a teen- the Sturm und Drang in Genoa City was just too good to ignore.)

Designed by friends Pearce Williams and Courtney Loadholt of Charleston, the hand-printed line is comprised of a range of designs, some of which are subtle ("Woodgrain"), edgy ("Thorny Rose"), or graphic ("Houndstooth"). I've ordered some samples, so I'll report back to you when I receive them. And for the record- the line was conceived during a period in the friends' lives when they were young and restless, hence the name.

"Nesting Shells" in Coral


"Woodgrain" in New Money


"Birdhouse" in Floridian


"Houndstooth" in Black


"Thorny Rose" in Holiday

Image at top: "Thorny Rose" in Honeymoon

Paisley with some Punch

Here's an early Valentine's present: red and white paisley. I'm seeing it everywhere, and it's not hard to understand why. When rendered in red and white, paisley becomes clean, crisp, and graphic. Alessandra Branca has used it in her office (above), and it's the perfect backdrop for black and solid red accessories. And designer Kim Zimmerman used only red and white prints (including a paisley) from Les Indiennes in this Atlanta living room below. Bottom line- it's a great way to add some zip to one's room.



Design by Kim Zimmerman (photo from Cottage Living, Jan/Feb 08; photographer Jeremy Samuelson)


"Paisley Linen" in Brick, Suzanne Rheinstein for Lee Jofa


Paisley Print from Les Indiennes


"Paisley Park" in Garnet from Lewis and Sheron


"Spiral- Lipstick & White" from Buy Fabric

Image at top from Traditional Home, Dec 07.

Kazumi Yoshida

Clarence House has long been known for its gorgeous fabric and wallcovering, but some of the line's most inventive prints over the past twenty years have been designed by Kazumi Yoshida. A renowned textile designer and multimedia artist, Yoshida also serves as design director for this venerable textile firm. Yoshida's prints, most of which incorporate bold and unusual colors, have a charming, painterly quality to them. And while many of the prints are quite contemporary, some of them have an Art Deco feel to them. Yoshida is also the mastermind behind the print "Flowering Quince", a much loved print that has been a hit in the blogosphere.

If you're an avid Kazumi Yoshida fan, you might be interested to know that he has designed a limited edition bottle for Estee Lauder Pleasures which will be available in January 2008.


"Flowering Quince"


"Las Palmas"


"Pot de Fleurs"

"Japonerie"


"Kourin"


"Anouk"


"Balthazar"


"Cry of Love"


"Java Beige"


"Diaghilev"


Limited edition bottle designed by Yoshida

Fabric at top: "Jembala"