This Week’s Quote

 

{Photo by Mario Testino via Pinterest}

An Oasis in the City for Bravo TV

{Chic Items for an Eclectic Terrace in the City: Casamidy Almidi Star Table, Kristen Buckingham Laurent Wingback Chair, Liora Manne Outdoor Suzani Rug, Casamidy Varenne Sofa, Casamidy Symi Lanterns, White Chippendale Planters, Fiddleleaf Fig Trees, Wisteria Interlocking Rings Garden Stool}

I was recently asked by Bravo to create an outdoor space in celebration of their new hit show, Million Dollar Decorators. I become more addicted to the show with each episode, so I was excited for the challenge! I was sent the space in the photo below to use as my canvas. It needed some help, to say the least! The first thing I noticed was the complete lack of color aside from the trees. I chose to go with a fresh palette with various hues of blue and clean white. I also wanted the space to feel like an oasis in the middle of the city, so I combined a few classic elements like the Chippendale planters and wingback chairs with some more exotic pieces like the star coffee table and suzani rug. The result is chic with an eclectic twist!

{The original inspiration space that Bravo sent me. I would leave the wood floors as is, but I would tear out the benches that appear to be covered in leopard print and would remove all of the furniture and plants.}

{My graphic design skills are limited to say the least, so this board that I put together shows not only the layout in relation to the photo of the original space, but my lack of graphic design prowess. Hopefully, it will at least give you an idea of where everything would go on the terrace.}

 

A big thanks to my girls, Dabney and Lauren for helping me with the pretty graphic at the beginning of the post and to Bravo for inviting me to participate in this fun exercise!

Fabulous Room Friday 06.24.11

This week’s fabulous room is a stunning, feminine kitchen. The femininity mainly comes from the lighting and flowers in the space, so it really is a blank slate for many different styles. While I tend to veer towards a “modern traditional” sensibility, I am loving the sleek, mod cabinetry and the amazing marble waterfall island which steals the show!

I found this room via Mr. Goodwill Hunting’s Pinterest, so I don’t know the original source or designer for the space. However, there are so many great elements in this kitchen. The modern style of the cabinetry and appliances is balanced by the warm, wood floors and the traditional mouldings and architectural features. I would probably switch out the two chandeliers over the island for something more classic, though. While I love a touch of glamour in a room, these seem too girly and trendy for me.

{The View Towards the Breakfast Room—I’d love to see the rest of this lovely home!}

{I love the beautiful fireplace in the breakfast room as well as the mouldings on the wall. Choosing white really allows the beautiful architecture to shine. I’d love to get my hands on this space and decorate it myself!}

 

Is there anything you’d change about this room or would you leave it as is? Happy Friday!

I love this guy!

I adore Travelers Insurance’s latest commercials with the adorable and super smart pooch who guards his bone with his life. Remember the first one with the Ray Lamontagne song? I saw the latest version this week and was instantly smitten. The pup is just too cute! He might be my next favorite dog after my own sweet Tate. How adorable is that face of his? Does anyone know what type of dog he is? Is he a terrier mix or does he look like a specific breed of terrier?

Love it or Leave it: All Over Print

{Tory Burch’s Quadrille-Covered Breakfast Room}

The photo of Tory Burch’s breakfast room in my Quadrille post from yesterday got me thinking. I love bold, graphic patterns, but tend to use them as accents against a more subdued background. As much as I am inclined to say that Tory’s breakfast room looks fabulous, I think there might be days in which I would wake up and find that having the same fabric on my walls, drapes and furniture was a bit nauseating. Designers had a tendency to use the same fabric all over back in the 1950s and 1960s and to make matters worse, a lot of times, the fabrics were chintz, which make my skin crawl.

Am I missing something? I find the look to be too much for my taste. It’s sort of like having a burger, fries and milkshake. You can have one, maybe two, but all three at once is just too much! And yet, plenty of talented designers and stylish people have no qualms with all-over prints. Is this a look that you like? Is there something that makes it fabulous that I just don’t understand?

{Mary McDonald}

{Bunny Williams}

{Sister Parish}