House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year

Anytime I have friends over for dinner, I always cook something from one of Ina Garten's cookbooks. Her recipes always turn out well (or at least they have for me), and people think you've been slaving away for hours in the kitchen- but you haven't! The great thing about Ina is that her philosophy is about the basics- but basics that produce sophisticated results.

If given the opportunity to build a kitchen from scratch, I would love to consult Ina and have her guide me in creating the ultimate kitchen, but one that is truly functional. No kitchen building from scratch for me right now, but in the meantime I've been having fun looking at images of House Beautiful's Kitchen of the Year designed by Robert Stilin and Ina herself! I love that it's white (Van Day Truex said kitchens should always be white) without seeming sterile.

If you can't visit the kitchen in person, visit House Beautiful's website for a slide show. Also, make sure to check out the videos featuring Ina and Stephen Drucker discussing all aspects of kitchens- color, kitchen gadgets, and entertaining. Ina also gives you a tour of the kitchen on the video page as well.

Adventures with Carleton

I just returned from Tampa, and let me start by staying that I'm now completely smitten with Carleton Varney (that's him above on the HSN set). Any man who wears bold scarves in lieu of ties and who decorates with such flair is sure to be a colorful character. But what I didn't know was how friendly, personable, and down to earth he is. Of course the fact that he peppered his conversations with anecdotes about Dorothy Draper only endeared him to me more. I could have listened to him for days!



Carleton's new home accessories line for HSN bears the tagline "Live Vividly", something which suits Carleton to a tee. Vivid certainly described the set. One side featured Carleton's "work" area, replete with bold aqua and white striped walls and a replica of that famous Dorothy Draper door from the Camellia House restaurant, not to mention the black and white tiled floor laid on the bias. The armchairs are shown in Fudge Apron and Shannon Stripe with the matching ottoman. The Camelot rug is a reproduction of one from the Kennedy White House.


The other side of the set was more of the "selling" area (my term) where Carleton's line was displayed. It really is a reflection of his (and to an extent Draper's) aesthetic. Many of Varney and Draper's classic prints like "Fudge Apron", "Shannon Stripe", and "Versailles" figured prominently in the collection. There are duvets, shams, sheets, and pillows which bear these prints, not to mention headboards, chairs, ottomans, and poufs. If you're not a print person or are averse to floral chintz, the upholstered pieces also come in an array of solids, including everyone's favorite, black. Carleton relayed the story about how Draper used to enter the office and say "Show me no gravy", meaning "spare me the beige". Carleton's quip is that he only wants to see oatmeal for breakfast, not in a room. This may not convince you neutral devotees to come over to the side of color, but it's amusing nonetheless.

I ended up ordering a set of the Versailles sheets in pink because 1) Carleton inspired me to think beyond basic white and 2) "Versailles" is based on a swag print that covered the walls of the stairwell in Sybil Connolly's Merrion Square home, and I was a big fan of Connolly.

One thing that really impressed me was the quality of the line. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The upholstered pieces are made in the USA and are very sturdy and well-made. Carleton had me sit down in the boudoir chair, and I was amazed at how solid it seemed. And see those red socks that Carleton is wearing? He started doing so on the advice of the late actor Van Johnson.

Something else to mention about the quality- I got a tour of the Quality Assurance building. You can't believe the amount of testing that the items go through. Textiles are weighed, then washed numerous times, then weighed again to determine if there's any shrinkage. When an item is received from a vendor, there's a drop test where the box, still sealed, is dropped from a specific height on all sides and then opened to see if there is damage inside. It's a fascinating process.


Being behind the scenes of the show was truly amazing. Behind Carleton and me (he was explaining the concept of the line- live vividly and live happy) you'll see the Serious Skincare set. Well, during Carleton's show they would break away for a minute to give a sneak peek of the following show which happened to be Serious Skincare. The cameras would just flip around and film the other side of the set. It was fun to catch Jennifer Flavin Stallone on the set. She looks good in person; maybe I need to start using the Serious Skincare.

Carleton's next show will be in September with all new products, and I can't wait to see what he has up his sleeves. What I really wish is that you all could have joined me on set and behind the scenes at HSN. It was truly a fascinating experience to see what home shopping is really like!


What can I say? I'm star-struck. I admit it!

(Thanks to Steve Nesius for taking the photos.)

Attention All Christopher Spitzmiller Fans...

Chris Spitzmiller is currently having a Seconds Sale that runs through next Tuesday, July 21. Lamps with slight ceramic imperfections will be offered at up to 55% off list price. Once you choose your form, you'll be able to select from mahogany, 23K gold water gilt, or 9K white gold water gilt bases. Lead time for custom fitting is 3-6 weeks. This is a great opportunity to buy one of Chris' gorgeous lamps at a discounted price. In fact, I've already decided which lamp I'll be buying!

For more information, contact 212-563-1144.

Lulu DK for Matouk

Lulu DK has just introduced a new line of decorative pillows for Matouk. Available in four color groups- Chocolate, Ocean, Honeydew, and Sky- and in prints that include Chant, Tulah, Bloomsbury, Color Wheel, and River, the line also includes crewelwork and appliqued designs. What a great way to add a little Lulu DK to your home without having to go to the expense and trouble of having pillows custom made. (Oh, I almost forgot, Lulu has also added throws to the collection too.)

Visit Lulu DK Matouk for additional information.

Top to bottom: Chant Reverse Honeydew, Tulah Chocolate, Chant Reverse Chocolate


Color Wheel Ocean on ottoman; on sofa, Chant Reverse Navy, Paradiso Navy, Tulah Sky, Lulu's own yellow pillow, Bloomsbury Ocean


Bloomsbury Sky and Tulah Sky

Image at top: Lulu with her twin baby boys, Matteo and Francesco (too cute!). All photographs by Paul Costello

Carleton Varney and HSN

I'm off to Tampa today to be a fly on the wall. Carleton Varney will be making his debut on HSN tomorrow, where he will be introducing his new line of home accessories. I'm going to head down there to meet Carleton and see what goes on behind the scenes at HSN . The only time I've ever been on the set of a television show was as an audience member on Jeopardy!, so I'm anxious to witness a design legend selling his collection on live TV!

Be sure to tune in to HSN tomorrow at 8am EST and 8pm-10pm EST to see Carleton's show. I'll report back on Monday, hopefully with lots of photos.

(Image at top from HSN.com)

Way to Go Joe!

No photos in this post, other than the cute picture above, because I don't want to spoil the surprise, but check out Joe Nye's Beverly Hills apartment in the August issue of House Beautiful. It's a great example of how to fit a lot of beautiful "stuff" into a small space.

My sister and I were lucky enough to visit Joe's apartment a few years ago, and it's just as charming in person as it is in the magazine. I couldn't hold a conversation with Joe because all I wanted to do was look around his place, study it, and take it all in. He has a great book collection. (When you see the photos, note how he has numerous copies of the same book; Joe likes multiples so that he can take one to the office or a job site. Very clever.) He's got furniture by Frances Elkins, Syrie Maugham, and Billy Haines. And accessories like you can't believe. That man could set ten different types of table settings- and that would only cover half of what he has!

Anyway, enough babbling, but I do think it's a home that you'll pore over, just as I did!

A Rare Opportunity

Frederick P. Victoria & Son is having its first warehouse sale, but don't think for a minute that the wares being offered are less than stellar. Most of the sale is made up of F.P. Victoria's models that remain from their former 55th St. location. These are models with pedigrees....


The Paley night table


A folding table that F.P. Victoria made for Jansen


The Mellon book table




A rope chair that was a favorite of both Michael Taylor and Robert Metzger.

Even better, you don't have to be in New York to take advantage of the sale. To see the sale inventory, visit their website.

(Image at top is a reproduction of an 18th c. Venetian armchair)

Count The Colors

To me, rooms bathed in a riot of color require closer inspection. Why? Because I admire the designer or homeowner who adroitly mixes four, five, and six colors in one room. And I'm not talking quiet, subdued colors but rather bold, gutsy shades. I can handle two or three strong colors in my rooms, but I'm not skilled enough to go beyond that. I'm afraid that the effect would be quite comical.

In the right hands, though, an array of color can be a symphony rather than a cacophony.

(That image at the top is a color palette recommended by Color Hunter; it matches the colors in the room photo that I uploaded to the site.)


Let's see... we've got blues, browns, oranges, and fuchsia in this room by Jonathan Berger. Oh, and touches of green too.


Pinks, blues, orange, reds, greens in the Newport home of Tracey Roberts and Paul Haigney.


Red! Yellow! Green and Lilac! The exclamation points are necessary in describing a room like this one in Paris. Not for me, but fitting for someone with a colorful personality.


This home in Athens is an enfilade of pure, deep color.

So why have I been thinking of bold color today? I'm captivated by this watercolor which captured the flamboyance of Thomas Hope's boudoir at Deepdene.


According to Country Life, there were four different shades of red and a green marble fireplace with columns capped by gilt-bronze capitals. Don't you wonder what it must have been like to have seen this room in person?

(Berger photo from House Beautiful, July 09, Francesco Lagnese photographer. Newport home featured in Weekend Retreats by Susanna Salk. Paris and Athens homes photographed by Massimo Listri. Hope drawing featured in Nov 07 issue of Country Life.)

Harrison Howard Has Been Hard at Work

My favorite painter of Chinoiserie scenes, Harrison Howard, has just updated his site with new works including one of my favorites, "The Architect", which is seen above. Harrison's paintings and prints are like instant mood lifters to me. How can one not be charmed by scenes with books, curtains, trellis, pagodas, butterflies, and coral? Not to mention those hard working figures who are busy painting, arranging curtains, and crab baiting. And I thought blogging kept me busy!

I've included a sampling of Harrison's work, but do visit his website to see more Chinoiserie scenes.


"The Two Gardeners"


"Bibliophile"


"The Dowry"


"Crab Baiting"


"Arranging Drapery"

Return of the Brass Bed?

Over the weekend, I found a January 1954 House Beautiful article that touted the "Return of the Brass Bed". The first thing that came to my mind were those shiny brass Victorian beds. But then the article showed a few examples that made me realize that brass beds can actually be quite fetching. Personally, I prefer brass that's hand rubbed rather than polished. And clean lines appeal to me more than curves and swirls. Maybe it is time for the return of the brass bed. Although, if all brass beds were as good looking as these, then there would be no "return" per se because they wouldn't have gone out of style in the first place.

(Bed at top was designed by Paul McCobb, while the brass campaign bed was Baker)


Baker Brass Headboard from Pamela Lerner Antiques (looks similar to that featured in House Beautiful)


Jacques Adnet bed. Leather and brass over steel frame. Available from Pascal Boyer Gallery. For those who can only handle a touch of brass.


Nickel and brass campaign bed by Maison Jansen, available through Wright Now


Acid Etched Brass Headboard by Mastercraft, from Assemblage Ltd.

The Man Who Launched A Thousand Floors

Perhaps not a thousand, but many floors have been inspired by David Adler. The late architect treated the ground with just as much care and attention as he did the walls, ceilings, and exteriors. Most of Adler's projects included floors adorned with a star motif, one of Adler's favorites, but harlequin patterns and metal inlay also figured prominently in his work. Seventy some odd years later and Adler's floors still capture our imagination.


Adler often incorporated five, six, and eight point stars into his floors. The living room of the Winslow house, Pebble Beach, CA, featured a pine floor with a walnut star inlay.


Most of Adler's stars were more stylized like this one in marble, which was inlaid into the terrazzo floor of the Clow residence, Lake Forest, IL.


Miles Redd painted an eight-point star on his kitchen floor, an homage to the late, great Adler. (Image courtesy of New York Social Diary)


A harlequin patterned marble floor in the gallery of the Clark house, Hillsborough, CA.


The master bathroom in the Atlanta home of Chad Holman and Keith Traxler features a harlequin patterned marble floor. Holman had been inspired by a similar floor that he saw in an Adler designed house in Chicago. (Photo courtesy of David Christensen photographer/Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, October 2008)


A metal inlaid, ebonized floor in the Adler designed home of Mrs. Kersey Coates Reed.


Mrs. Kersey Coates Reed's house was certainly not lacking in glamour. The women's dressing room featured yet another metal inlaid floor.


The floor in Miles Redd's living room is reminiscent of that in the Reed house. (Photo from New York Social Diary)

Image at top: The porch of the Furness house, Middleburg, VA, featured a stenciled floor. Someone should be daring enough and replicate this floor in their home.

(All Adler images from David Adler, Architect: The Elements of Style)

Tête à Tête with Charlotte Moss

I'd like to thank Charlotte Moss for including The Peak of Chic in her July 4th edition of Tête à Tête. Joni, Ronda, and I all shared our thoughts on summer reading, summer style, and summer entertaining. As I won't be taking a summer vacation this year, I'll just have to live vicariously through Ronda and Joni.

And little Alfie was even featured, which certainly makes his mama proud.

To read Charlotte's feature, click here.