Fabulous Room Friday 06.29.12

{The exuberant, yet cozy dining room features hand-painted, silk de Gournay wallcovering, custom chairs in Moore & Giles leather, the Large Paris Fleamarket Chandelier by Visual Comfort & Co. available at Circa Lighting, and a show-stopping tablecloth made from B&J Fabrics Ikat.}

This week’s fabulous room is part of a glamorous New York apartment designed by Nick Olsen which is featured in a stunning spread in the July/August issue of Veranda. I waffled back and forth trying to decide on a room for this post as each space is more beautiful than the last. Seriously, if you haven’t read this month’s issue, this spread is motivation enough to do it. You won’t be disappointed. Nick is wise beyond his years—this young designer’s taste for classic elegance is matched by his love of bold statements, resulting in spaces that feel vibrant, young, and very glamorous.

I must admit, I was initially drawn into this beautiful room by the fabulous ikat tablecloth. Shortly thereafter, I fell in love with everything else! The room is polished and formal, anchored by a classic marble fireplace, traditional mouldings, and a Parisian-style chandelier. It really comes alive through Nick’s selections from the white leather upholstery on the chairs which adds a decidedly modern touch, to the whimsy of the lambrequins he had crafted for the windows. What is your favorite element in this room?

 

{Image via Veranda}

Do Tell: Old vs. New

Last week, while I was home resting after my surgery, I tortured myself by watching a few episodes of “Celebrity Ghost Stories” on the Bio channel. I am very intrigued by stories of hauntings and ghosts, but I am also a complete chicken, which is obviously a very bad combination! I haven’t watched a scary movie in ages and typically avoid shows about anything frightening because I’ll be up all night, trying to sleep with the lamp on in our bedroom. Anyhow, I love historic homes for the architecture, charm, and of course, history, but watching these shows really got me thinking-- If money were no object, what would my dream home consist of? I used to say that I’d love to have a grand old house from the 1930s and renovate it, keeping the original charm, but adding all of the comforts of modern living. After hearing all of these ghost stories, I am now thinking my dream home may be a brand new house built with some of the architectural details you’d find in a historic property. I know this is all pretty ridiculous, but it got me wondering whether you all have strong feelings on buying a newly built home versus an older home. If you live in an older home, does your house have an intriguing history? Do tell: would you prefer to purchase a brand new home or a historic home? Do things like possible hauntings factor into your search for a home? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!

 

{Image Source: Ferguson & Shamamian Architects}

La Dolce Vita Lust List: Summer Edition

Summer is in full swing and it seems my shopping list is, too! Head on over to my stylish pal, Erika’s blog, Small Shop Studio today where I am sharing my current obsessions. I’ll see you there!

Glamour Obsession: Chic Black Totes

{The always stylish Celine bag is a favorite of mine!  Seriously want to own this!}

Hi LDV Readers!  It's Vanessa Stern here from Vanessa and Valentine!  I'm just about 7 months pregnant now with my 2nd baby, and guess what?  I'm having a girl!!  I'm beyond thrilled to be having a girl, however, I've barely done anything to prepare for her arrival (I do have a name picked out, but that shall remain a secret)!  My 2nd pregnancy has been so different.  Since my son was born in 2010 I've been promoted twice at work and at times, life can be challenging trying to balance motherhood with managing a team.  It sure makes things exciting but also means I have to prioritize and keep myself even more organized.  So what better way to start than with a chic, stylish, functional, and totally practical classic black tote?

 

Here's what I've got my eye on these days....    

No one does a tote better than Celine, but the hefty price tag makes me want to fall over!  It is a classic, so why the heck not, I say!?

Ahhhhh Prada.....this one has me melting with it's supple leather and gold hardware.  I want this one badly, I just wish the handle was a little longer!

Gosh that looks great hanging on your arm!

This Tory Burch Robinson Tote is more my speed in terms of price!  I've always loved Tory's brand since I purchased my first pair of ballet flats with that iconic logo!  More and more, I adore her purses too, and I recently downloaded her free app to my ipad and I think you should too!  I love when a brand embraces technology and figures out a way to incorporate their message with their customer's lives.  It's beyond current in my opinion.  She blogs, has an app, is a business woman and working mom, girl after my own heart! 

...and finally I stumbled across this new Tory Burch style called the Edye Flap Satchel, but now it's totally sold out everywhere!!!  I love the style, it reminds me of the Celine bag at a lower price point, but just as stylish.  I also really love the long handle so it can be tossed over your shoulder, which for me, is essential.

Which one is your favorite??

See you next time and enjoy the Summer!

 

Xo,

Vanessa

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Design Under the Influence: The Peacock Chair

Brigitte Bardot

Hello it's Erika from small shop, with another "Design Under the Influence" -- topic: the peacock chair. Growing up in the 70's in Hawaii, I suppose it was only natural that my parents should own a rattan peacock chair — I didn't think much of it! Nowadays, they definitely represent a Bohemian Chic vibe a la Brigitte Bardot or Stevie Nicks (and I am totally digging that).

Although popular in the 1970's, the peacock chair arrived in the U.S. and England in the 19th-century with the introduction of rattan from China. Importers were bringing back these fanciful pieces as novelty items initially, but (I thought it was really interesting) a young American named Cyrus Wakefield found scraps of rattan used to tie cargo onto ships and wrapped a rocking chair with it...and so began the wicker industry. In 1855 he started a rattan company, later becoming one of the prime producers of wicker furniture in the U.S..

Today peacock chairs have made a comeback, and I especially love all of the brightly colored adaptations! They're not hard to find, and you could spray paint your own with some time and effort. What do you think, would you use a peacock chair in your home or on your patio?

Angie Hranowsky for Charleston Magazine

The Family Love Tree

Graham Atkins-Hughes via Desire to Inspire

The Family Love Tree

via The Decorista

Jamie Meares

Craig Wall for Vogue Living Australia

The Family Love Tree

The Family Love Tree

via The Decorista

Rhapsody Attic

Sienna Miller in British GQ

Are you feeling it too?

Green, Gold, Glam

{Hallway Designed by Kelly Wearstler}

I keep going back to this group of pictures on my Pinterest boards. Kelly Green is such a chic color and when you pair it with gold accents, it just takes things to a whole new level. How fabulous are these settings? I’m obsessed with the over the top, irreverent glamour of the hallway pictured above. Designed by Kelly Wearstler, it’s actually quite tame by KWID standards, though the space itself has amazing bones and doesn’t need much zhushing up. I love the graphic way in which she laid out the marble tile.

{via Style Me Pretty}

How glamorous is this scene? Dining in the moonlight beneath the glow of illuminated palm trees. I love it!

{Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat via Interiors Magazine}

The bar at the Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat is housed in a grand, historic space. I’ve seen these Chinese cabinets used in hotel bars before and I must say, I love the look. The cabinets, along with the modern, waterfall bar and clean-lined chairs look fantastic juxtaposed against the classic details of the room. Notice the green Murano chandeliers!

{Image via Pinterest}

No, there isn’t any need to adjust your monitors. There isn’t anything green in this image, but these Luctite barstools with white leather upholstery, and brass hardware are too delicious not to share. Does anyone know who makes these or where this image was taken?

Saatva Mattress Review

{Our New Saatva Mattress the Day it Arrived}

It’s hard to believe that Fabian and I will be celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary this Sunday! Time really flies. Right before getting married, we purchased a Sealy Posturepedic Ultra Plush mattress, which we had until the beginning of May. Late last year, we started talking about getting a new mattress, even though the universal recommendation seems to be to change out your mattress every eight years. After just over six years, our mattress had worn unevenly and was no longer very comfortable. Fabian especially had some sleepless nights on it and I often had lower back pain. Needless to say, we knew we’d be in the market for a new mattress in 2012.

{Saatva Mattresses feature beautiful stitching along with organic cotton covers and organic materials.}

About six weeks ago, I received an email from Saatva, introducing me to their line of luxury mattresses and asking if I would be interested in reviewing their product. Since we were in the market for a new mattress, I did some research on Saatva and after familiarizing myself with their high level of craftsmanship, their green initiative (Saatva Mattresses are organic), and learning that their mattresses are made in the United States, I jumped at the opportunity. I was immediately put in contact with the company’s gracious CEO, Ron Rudzin who sent us a king size “Luxury Firm” mattress. Luxury Firm is the company’s Flagship Level of comfort (Extra Firm and Plush Soft are also available).

{Saatva’s Luxury Firm is definitely the way to go—plush, but very supportive.}

Luxury Firm is described as “the "#1 comfort choice" in the ultra premium mattress classification. This is the standard comfort level used in the finest hotels in the world, where their goal is to ensure every guest gets a great night sleep. "Luxury Firm" offers the perfect balance of "cushion firm and contouring support". This is achieved by combining our ‘dual coil’ system which features individual pocketed coils that are designed to contour and respond perfectly to any body weight, shape or sleeping position. This assures proper spinal alignment with our premium foam cushion layers for the ultimate and most comfortable sleep experience.” Within one week, the mattress was sent via white glove delivery and we were ready to get a better night’s sleep. It took Fabian a night to really get used to the mattress, but I loved it right away. It really has the ideal amount of support and I haven’t had lower back pain since we received it. After the second night, Fabian was officially converted. We have both enjoyed the ultimate in comfort, resulting in deep, restful sleep. I’ve had to spend a lot of time in bed as I’ve recovered from surgery over the past ten days and I could not be more thankful for my fabulous new mattress.

{The 14.5” Saatva Mattress Shown with the 8” Foundation"}

The only hiccup we’ve had along the way was selecting the foundation for the mattress. In addition to offering a 14.5” or 11.5” mattress option, Saatva offers an 8” Standard Foundation or a 4” Low Profile Foundation. I opted for the 8” since our previous bed was already pretty high, but had second thoughts after sleeping on it a couple of nights. Our bed frame is high and combined with a tall mattress, and 8” foundation, our duvet was no longer long enough and my 6’2” husband was having to hop in and out of bed.

{The 11.5” Saatva Mattress Shown with the 4” Low Profile Foundation}

I called Saatva and they were extremely accommodating, sending me the 4” Low Profile Foundation right away. Everyone that we have dealt with at Saatva has been so pleasant to work with and they’ve bent over backwards for us. We love our mattress and could not be more thrilled with the level of service we’ve received. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, I would highly urge you to consider Saatva. It may seem daunting to purchase a mattress over the internet, but I can honestly say I’ve been getting the best sleep on this bed. The Saatva website is very informative, allowing you to compare the various Saatva mattresses to those of competitors. Plus, they allow a 30 day in home trial with no restocking fee if you are not satisfied. That’s how confident they are that you will love this extraordinary product. Thank you, Saatva for our fabulous new bed. We love it!

Modern New England Style by Tiffany Eastman

{Classic Details meet Modern Touches in this Vignette by Tiffany Eastman Interiors}

It’s no secret that decorating styles can be regional. While it’s possible to find a California Modern or Spanish-inspired home in New England, and a French/Southern-infused home on the West Coast, there are certainly trends and looks that tend to “stick” in some regions over others. One of my favorite styles is that perfect breed of Modern-meets-Traditional style that New England designers like Steven Gambrel, Philip Gorrivan, and Christina Murphy have mastered so brilliantly.

I recently came across Stamford, Connecticut designer, Tiffany Eastman’s work through a blog post on House of Turquoise which made me want to see more of her portfolio right away. What I found were homes whose design is rooted in classic silhouettes, met with a healthy dose of modern touches like Lucite furniture, graphic rugs and fabrics, modern seating, and exuberant details. This house, the Darien Residence, particularly caught my attention. Eastman did a spectacular job decorating this home. It feels polished and pedigreed, yet it has a vibrant, modern, sophisticated, young energy that I absolutely love.

{In the living room, a French settee upholstered in color-blocked fabric comingles with a fabulous, oversized Lucite cocktail table and velvet couch with nailhead detail.}

{Lovely Details Atop the Cocktail Table}

{This was the photo that piqued my interest on House of Turquoise. Have you seen a more fabulous breakfast room? Chippendale chairs, turquoise velvet upholstery, a tufted sofa, and a Tulip table with a hammered chrome base? Yes, yes, and yes!}

{The kitchen has all of the classic elements we have come to expect from a home of this caliber: custom white cabinetry, classic hardware and lighting, a farm sink, bridge faucet, and loads of carrara marble. The python-covered stool add a fun and unexpected touch.}

{It looks like this is the family room just off of the kitchen and breakfast room. Eastman has continued the chocolate and turquoise palette into this space, making for a cohesive look. Remember when this color combination was EVERYWHERE about six years ago? Well, this room makes me happy to see it again and dare I say, I’ve never seen it look this good.}

{I’m in love with this powder room. Eastman opted for a classic wash basin and plumbing fixtures along with a Chinoiserie-inspired mirror, but added modern touches through the graphic tile work, light fixture, and wallpaper. The result has such strong visual impact.}

{The dining room feels modern and sophisticated and how could it not with such gorgeous silver leaf adorning the ceiling and the painterly rug underfoot?}

{The study takes a decidedly more masculine turn with deep wood tones and a handsome, tufted leather sofa. I think it’s great that Eastman managed to sneak a little python and zebra into the gentleman of the house’s study!}

{I love this chair and the lamp. I am inclined to think this chair may be Ralph Lauren. We have some very similar Ralph Lauren chairs at work, in saddle leather upholstery.}

{Things take on a very soothing and feminine look in the master bedroom. It is a beautiful respite. I love the metallic pillows on the bed.}

{In the dressing room, Eastman pairs a vanity by Barbara Barry with a decidedly modern chair and abstract painting. Very glamorous!}

{A Classic Bathtub meets a Modern Mohair Stool in the Master Bath}

{Like in the kitchen, Eastman and her clients opted for classic fixtures and materials in the master bath, pairing them with modern items like the mohair stool, Lucite chair, and Imperial Trellis wallpaper for a fun twist.}

{Isn’t this a stylish kid’s bedroom? Take away the bookshelf lined with toys and this could easily be an adult’s room. I love the bed.}

{The little girl of the home must have inherited her mother’s penchant for glamour judging by the beautiful bedroom Eastman created for her!}

 

{Image Source: Tiffany Eastman Interiors}

This Week’s Quote

{Images via Pinterest}