Antique Aviaries

Antique birdcages are great decorative accents- not only do they look fantastic, they are multi-purpose too. Of course, if you'd like to use them for their original purpose, by all means go ahead. But, if the idea of taking care of a pet bird is not your thing, then why not consider using a birdcage as a display case (as in the home above). What better way in which to display your cabinet of curiosities? Or, you could leave them empty, as in the photo below. Either way, these little architectural gems are sure to add a little whimsy to one's home.



French birdcage, 1950s, at Wilson Antiques


French metal birdcage, c. 1940-50, at Linda and Howard Stein


Wrought Iron Bird Cage, early 20th c., at Architectural Artifacts


Faux Bois Birdcage, French, 1920s, at Collins & McCullough


Antique birdcage in an Atlanta home designed by John Oetgen (House Beautiful, Aug '07)

(Image at top from Southern Accents)

Shiny Lighting

My latest addition to my design wish list? A brass lamp with a shiny brass shade. Of course the ultimate, at least to me, would be to own one by Maison Charles. While I'm waiting for that fantasy to be fulfilled, I might just purchase one from Gracious Home (seen below). I've been on a brass kick lately, but if you prefer a cooler metal, there are plenty of striking chrome lamps out there. And if the thought of all of this metal seems a little cold, just look at how well this type of lamp works in Kate Spade's apartment.


Maison Charles lamps at Maison Gerard


Nickel Drum Shade Lantern at Charles Edwards


Markel nickel lamp at Modernism Gallery


Maison Charles "Pomme de pin" lamp at Maison Gerard


Parzinger lamp at Dana John


Brass Table Lamp at Gracious Home

Hit Parade- Chinoiserie Prints

Have you had enough of me talking about Chinoiserie prints? I hope I don't sound like a broken record, but I truly don't think I could live without having something Chinoiserie in my home (how's that for drama!). Since I've never met a Asian print that I didn't like, it was hard for me to narrow my choices down, but here are a few that have struck my fancy.



"China Rose" chintz by Scalamandre


"Ping" linen by Scalamandre (this is my favorite- I have two armchairs upholstered in this print but in a glazed cotton.)


"Les Fetes d'Orient" by Clarence House


"Kings Dynasty" at Lewis & Sheron


"Masquerade" fabric by Thibaut


"Tea House" wallpaper by Thibaut


"Fishing Village" fabric by Thibaut


"Marco Polo" wallpaper by Thibaut

Photo at top: "Shanghai" fabric by Scalamandre

And Now For A Little Masculinity...

As much as I love femininity, I have a major weakness for masculine design too. To me, masculine rooms are like a palate cleanser- they kind of provide a little clarity at a time in which the yin seems to be more popular than the yang. When I see a room that is traditional and tailored with a masculine bent, I can totally envision myself living there. One of my favorite homes is the Manhattan apartment of Christopher Gardner and the late Ward Denton (Elle Decor Dec/Jan '02). It's slightly English, somewhat eccentric, and totally stylish. I adore the red living room (above). You get the vibrancy of the red, but it has been tempered by the black and white accessories and the sisal rug. Accessories are displayed in full force here; in fact, the owners say that objects are what give life to a home (how true!). And while the overall look is rather "old", it doesn't look musty. If anything, I think of this home as having a restrained exuberance.

(Denton and Gardner owned a shop in Bridgehampton that people used to rave about; does anyone know if it is still in business?)

It's All in the Details...

One mantra of design is that in order to create "good" design, you have to get the bones of the room right. I agree with this because if the architecture is all wrong, you've got an uphill battle ahead of you. After the bones of the room are in place, you have to make decisions on the major elements of the room: color, fabric, scale, furniture placement, and specific items of furniture. But once all of this "seriousness" has been decided, it's time for a little frivolity and fun. And that, for me, means choosing the little details that really make a room come to life. Finials, fringe, embroidery, and embellishment may seem a little mundane (or even tedious to some), but it's the little things like these that are the punctuation marks of decoration.

"Corail Embrasse" tieback by Clarence House


"Renaissance Baroque Door Handle" at E.R. Butler & Co.


Red serpent lamp finial


Single Cube Tassel from Haywoods Trimmings


Shell nailheads from M&J Trimming

Photo at top: Custom coral pull designed by Miles Redd; photo courtesy of New York Social Diary

Primary Colors

I was inspired to write this post after seeing this office designed by Albert Hadley. Normally, I would not care for a room decorated in such vivid, primary colors, yet there is something so dramatic and bold about the way in which Hadley used these colors. I set out to find chic items that combined red, yellow, and blue, and let me tell you, it was no easy feat- in the wrong hands, this color combo can look rather pre-schoolish. It is most effective, though, when used sparingly and crisply (as in the Kate Spade umbrella) or in a more exotic way, like the Madeline Weinrib pillow. There's nothing Crayola about these finds!


Clarence House "Chine Copte" fabric


Arredoluce Triennale Lamp, 1950s, at Mark Frisman


Madeline Weinrib "Cherry Jam Satin" pillow


"Imari" garden seat (at back) from Source Perrier


Red Blue Chair, c. 1923, designed by Gerrit Rietveld (image courtesy of moma.org)


"Copenhagen Classic Umbrella" by Kate Spade

New York Social Diary House- Jeffrey Bilhuber

A few months ago I posted about the Manhattan apartment of designer Jeffrey Bilhuber. If you would like to see additional views and photos of this apartment, you should visit New York Social Diary today as there is an interesting interview with Bilhuber (part of their 'House' series). I think the apartment is an unusual but striking mix of glam and country. (To read my post on Bilhuber, click here.)













(All photos courtesy of New York Social Diary)

A Designer After My Own Heart

Bamboo prints are one of my all-time favorites. Imagine my excitement when I was reading the August issue of House Beautiful and found this Atlanta home decorated by John Oetgen. The kitchen (shown above) has walls and ceiling papered in Cowtan & Tout's "Bamboo" wallpaper. You'll probably need to click on the picture to clearly see the print on the ceiling. (I'm also crazy for the custom zinc stove hood!) And then, on the screened pavilion at the back of the house, there is a great bamboo print by Kolo Collection on the wicker sofa. I know we've been having a "bamboo moment" for a while now, but I think that these prints are true classics!




Another image of "Bamboo" from the Cowtan & Tout website

Photos of the home from the August issue of House Beautiful

1st dibs: Picks of the Week

This week's new additions to 1st dibs are particularly good- thirteen pages filled with an array of treasures. As usual, I fancy a majority of the goods, but here are my favorites of the week. Which ones do you like?


Pair of George III Diminutive Painted Cabinets on Stand, c. 1780-90, available at Le Trianon


Firescreen by Rene Drouet, 1940s


Pair of Tortoise shell glass lamps, 1960s, at Prime Gallery LLC


Pair of Maison Bagues lamps, circa 1960s.


American Painted Dressing Table, c. 1820-35, at Kuttner Antiques


"Beach Chair", French, c. 1920, at Hollyhock


Pair of French Chairs, 20th c., at Downtown Joe Nye New York

Image at top: Pair of framed hand-painted leather panels from an 18th c. screen, at Hollyhock