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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Books for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just over a week away. Recently, LDV Contributor, shared some ideas for unique Mother’s Day gifts. However, if you happen to be a procrastinator and need something you can get in a pinch, there is always one of my favorite gifts to give and receive—beautiful books! These are a few of the titles that are currently topping my list.

book Linens

Jane Scott Hodges, founder of the incomparable Leontine Linens in New Orleans has penned her first tome on the subject of linens, of course! Linens is a treasure trove of inspiration and features everything you could ever want to know about linens from the history of the trousseau and certain design motifs, proper monogramming etiquette, and linens for entertaining. This is the ideal book for the mother who appreciates tradition, style, and an impeccable attention to detail

book one man's folly

One Man’s Folly: The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood is a feast for the eyes. Gatewood is an antiques expert living on a charming country estate in Americus, Georgia. A long-time associate of John Rosselli and a designer in his own right, Gatewood possesses an unparalleled eye with exquisite details showing up in every square inch of his magnificent homes. This is ideal for the mom who loves antiques with a side of eccentricity.

book beauty at home 

Aerin Lauder’s Beauty at Home has been out for a little while now, but it is one of my personal favorites in recent memory. Each of Aerin’s houses is so beautiful and inspiring and she really delves into her what inspires her. Family is a central theme in the book—from the love Aerin has for her two boys to her own childhood and of course, her legendary grandmother, Estee Lauder.

book collected cool

For the mom with slightly edgier style, San Francisco-based interior designer, Jay Jeffers’ first book, Collected Cool is filled with modern, sophisticated spaces with an irreverent edge and a playful sense of humor. Jeffers’ beautifully-designed rooms emanate a vivacious spirit that reminds us to take risks, go big or go home, and to never take oneself too seriously.

Have you read any of these inspiring books? Which one is your favorite?

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The Style Files: Timothy Corrigan

Timothy Corrigan

I first met Timothy Corrigan in November of 2011 at the opening gala for the Maison de Luxe showhouse at the storied Greystone Estate in Beverly Hills. I was immediately struck by Timothy’s warm demeanor and obvious talent as evidenced in the room he’d designed for the showhouse. Over the years, he has become a major inspiration. Not only has Timothy’s work been featured in some of the design world’s most important publications including Architectural Digest, ELLE DECOR, House Beautiful, Town & Country, but his clients include Hollywood celebrities and international royalty alike. Timothy has been hailed as “Today’s Tastemaker” by Architectural Digest, has been part of the AD Top 100 for the past nine years, and has been heralded as one of the World’s Top 40 Interior Designers by The Robb Report. All of these accolades and a super-exclusive roster of clients may sound a bit intimidating, but Timothy also happens to be one of the most down-to-earth and personable designers I have the pleasure of knowing.

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Prior to founding his eponymous design firm in 1998, Timothy had an accomplished career in advertising living in both New York and Paris. His life-long love of design was evident in his Parisian apartment when it was published and his career as a designer took off soon after. Timothy and I have spoken at a couple of the same design conferences and I find him to be one of the most engaging and inspiring speakers for designers and design lovers alike. His past career in advertising gives him such a unique perspective. His insight about marketing, branding, and business is nothing short of brilliant. I have learned a tremendous amount from Timothy all while admiring the beautiful spaces he designs. If you ever have the opportunity to hear him speak, you absolutely should! In fact, he will be delivering the morning keynote at the Houston Decorative Center’s Spring Market this Thursday, May 1st at 10:30 am. Recently, Timothy and I discussed the restoration of his beautiful chateau in France which is the topic of his first tome, An Invitation to Chateau du Grand Luce, his new line of fabrics and furniture with Schumacher along with rugs for Patterson Flynn Martin, as well as the source of his inspiration and some of his favorite things. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know Timothy Corrigan as much as I have!

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Paloma Contreras: How would you describe your style?
Timothy Corrigan: A magazine once described my style as “European elegance infused with California casual” and I really think that it is a great summation of what I try to achieve. I spend half of my time in Europe and the other half in California, so it really does fit my life as well as my design style. While I love so much of the European design aesthetic, there is something very special about the ease of life in California—so if you can have a blend of the tow, you have the best of both worlds!

TC LivRm-1 {Neoclassical Elegance}

PC: Has splitting your time between your home in Los Angeles and your chateau in France influenced the way you decorate?

TC: I first moved to Paris more than 25 years ago and have pretty much kept a place in France ever since. While I feel so blessed to be an American and Californian, I often feel more at home in France. I love the way that in America you can make just about anything happen, but there is something about the French respect for culture, history, and tradition that really resonates with me. For me, California is all about comfort, casual living, and open self-expression and I try to bring those elements to all of our design projects, whether they are in New York City, London, or the Middle East.

TC GL-Air-View2  {An Aerial View of Timothy’s Stunning Chateau du Grand-Luce}

PC: What do you love most about being an interior designer?

TC: Whether we are working on a hotel lobby, a restaurant, a small beach house, or a 35-room villa, the most enjoyable part of my job is figuring out how that space can be designed for maximum livability and use. I hate walking into a space in which people look as if they are stiff and uncomfortable. You have to get so many aspects right: the flow, lighting, furniture, colors, details… all of those elements combine to create a space that people WANT to spend time in!

TC BedRm-1 {A Chic and Masculine Bedroom}

PC: Where do you turn for inspiration?

TC: The most important thing is to keep exposing yourself to new ideas, new styles, new places. One of the things that I particularly value about being in other cultures is that you start to realize that there is no “right” or “wrong” way of doing most everything. There are just different ways of seeing things. It is so easy to let yourself get into an “auto-pilot” way of living, and when you do that, you stagnate. It’s good to put yourself in situations where you feel a bit unfamiliar, because, in doing so, you stretch as a person. I constantly keep pushing myself to grow, experience, and learn new things.

TC mandeville-dinedetailw {A Lovely Vignette of Blue, White, and Green}

PC: What is your guilty pleasure?

TC: Taking a Saturday or Sunday without working!

TC Cliffwoodpool {An Inviting Los Angeles Backyard Designed by Timothy Corrigan}

PC: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

TC: Never get so big or busy with your career that you don’t stay directly involved on every project that you or your firm is handling. As a designer, your “fingerprint” should be everywhere on the project. Too many designers get big and busy and they don’t have time to have that kind of involvement on each project. When you lose touch with that, both you and the job suffer!

Corrigan_Schumacher-wide-fb {Furniture and Fabrics from Timothy Corrigan’s New Collection for Schumacher}

PC: Finish this sentence. Before I die, I’d like to…

TC: … help people understand the direct correlation between one’s surrounding and their well-being. Our homes and places of work should be designed to allow us to be our very best selves.

TC mandeville-entryw{An Elegant Entry}

PC: Who has been your greatest professional influence?

TC: Jean-Charles Moreux who lived in Paris from 1889 to 1956 did it all. He was an architect, he designed interiors, he created furniture and he did landscape design. In short, he was a true renaissance man. He believed, as I do, in the importance of creating a fully integrated environment. Moreux’s furniture took classical forms as their basis and then shifted them to make them feel more contemporary, provocative, fresh, and alive. He mixed wood finishes and materials in unexpected ways. I have tried to do the same thing with my new furniture collection for Schumacher: the Saltworks chair is directly inspired by the 18th century Royal Saltworks buildings in Arc-et-Senans, France. While it has a distinctly contemporary feeling, the design of the chair is based on the columns from these iconic buildings. I was recently in a Schumacher showroom and people were looking at the chair as if it were a beautiful piece of sculpture. How wonderful that a piece of furniture can be beautiful, comfortable, and practical—all at the same time.

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{The Chic Saltworks Chair Designed by Timothy Corrigan}

PC: What is your idea of living “la dolce vita”?

TC: Without a doubt, the time I spend at my home in the French countryside, the Chateau du Grand-Luce, is when I feel that I am truly living “la dolce vita;” for me, things don’t get any sweeter than that! Surrounded by family and friends, we take long walks in the woods, playing card and board games, taking naps, and sitting for hours in front of the fire—having the kinds of conversations that people don’t make time for anymore. It’s almost like going back in time to when life was all much slower and people really had the time to be with each other. This is the place where I find the true sweetness of life. When I am there, I continually give thanks that I have been so lucky in my life.

TC GLbedpapillonw {One of the Many Beautiful Bedrooms at the Chateau du Grand-Luce}

PC: What can we look forward to next from you?

TC: The first introduction of my china collection for Royal Limoges is debuting this spring, and next I will be designing a collection of bathroom fixtures for the amazing French plumbing company, THG. My head is brimming with ideas because it will be the first time that I am designing detailed metalworks. They are truly the Rolls-Royce of plumbing and their products are like jewelry for the home. Developing collections for Schumacher, Patterson Flynn Martin, Royal Limoges, and now THG has been one of the true highlights of my career: how lucky to get to work with the best in their respective fields of product.

SH8001_PFM51986w {Furniture and Fabrics from Timothy Corrigan’s Line for Schumacher Comingle with a Stylish Rug from his Line for Patterson Flynn Martin}

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Flower: Anemone, Star of Bethlehem, and Hyacinth

Color I Never Tire Of: Blue

Indispensible Design Element: Practical Fabrics and Finishes

Fabric/Textile: “Cap Ferrat” from my Collection for Schumacher

Hostess Gift: Timothy Corrigam Home candle—my personal favorite is “Maison en Ville”.

Favorite Meal: Dessert

3 Things I Love About My Cities: Los Angeles: The light, the mountains, and the sense that anything is possible. Paris: The museums, the culture, and the passion for quality

Hotel: Four Seasons in Florence

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Museum: The Nissim-Camondo in Paris—a recreation of 18th century life in France

Artist: Walter Gay, John Singer Sargent, Jacques-Louis David, Carolus-Duran, Veronese

Actress: Meryl Streep

Risk Worth Taking: Following your passion… life is too precious to spend a moment doing anything less!

Greatest Extravagance: My house in the Loire Valley in France

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{Images Courtesy of Timothy Corrigan}

Monday, April 28, 2014

Color Crush: White Out

{A Classic White House by Andrew Skurman}

As much as I adore color, I find contrast to be of equal if not greater importance in both design and fashion. Lately, I have been all about paring things down, doing away with the fuss, and keeping things as classic and chic as possible. What better way is there to achieve this than with the purest of hues, especially with summer just around the corner. My current color crush is white! I am all about a total white out in interiors and fashion. While I don't think I would ever want to design a home completely void of color, there are ways to make the look completely warm and inviting as opposed to cold and sterile. 



{Kelly Wearstler's Beverly Hills Home as featured in Lonny}
{A Modern Colonial Home by James Schettino Architects}

{A Stunning White Fireplace via House Beautiful}

{Luis Bustamante's Uber-Chic, White Apartment in Madrid via ELLE DECOR}

{A Gilded Frame and White Upholstery Create a Striking Contrast on this Louis XVI Chair}

{I love the idea of high-gloss white floors and millwork for a cottage or beach house.}

{David Jimenez's Crisp, All-White Bathroom}

{A Chic White Kitchen with a Coastal Vibe by Mona Hajj}

{I adore this glamorous, all-white bathroom by Timothy Whealon.}

{A Chic, Warm White Living Room by Victoria Hagan}

{The contrast between the white subway tile backsplash and carrara marble slab above the range in this kitchen is fantastic. Love it!}

{A Great-Fitting White Blazer from a Past Emerson Fry Collection}

{I love this perfect white dress from Emerson Fry's current collection.}

{Every girl needs a great white tee and slim-fitting white pant for summer.}

{I love this sweet eyelet dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge during her visit to Australia. | Image via InStyle}

{The beautiful Jean Shrimpton in an all-white outfit that was just as chic in the 1960s as it is today.}

{Filmmaker Maggie Betts in an Uber-Stylish White Dress via ELLE}

{Julia Roberts-- Beautiful in White from Head to Toe via WSJ.com}


{Blogger Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller in a Crisp White Shirtdress}


{Blogger Tuula Vintage in a Pretty, White Lace Skirt via OOTD Magazine}

{White MiH Flare Leg Jeans with an Oversized White Blouse}


{A Darling White Summer Dress}











This Week’s Quote

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{Image Source: A Beach Cottage}