I always seem to find myself inspired on vacation.  The change of scenery, regardless of where I am, provides me with a fresh design perspective and renewed inspiration at a minimum.  Great shopping cities are a treasure trove of inspirational vignettes, as are stylish hotels and restaurants. If the place where I am currently resting my head is beautifully scenic or richly historic, then my creative juices really start flowing.

I was in Los Angeles on family vacation a couple of weeks ago, and spent some time mentally rearranging my living room and bedroom.  I rearranged my living room my first day back and it is wonderfully transformed.  When I can, I will show you some pictures.   On my last full day there, I was able to steal away from the crew to spend a morning shopping.  My first stop was at Velvet & Linen’s Giannetti Home.  I had a chance to spend a few minutes with Brook, who is just delightful in person.  Her shop is truly lovely.  While she is always generous in showing images of her store, they somehow don’t do it justice.  I think it’s because you can’t capture on film that moment of walking into a place and having it sort of take your breath away.  And I am pretty confident that this is how most people feel when they walk into Giannetti home for the first time.  Brook recently did a post on some wonderful pillows that she has in the store, you should go and visit it here.  Since Brook is a wonderful blogger, photographer, and designer extraordinaire, I didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures of her shop.  She does such a lovely job of keeping her readers up to date on what’s new there.  So, for images of the store, visit her blog and feast your eyes.

My next destination was La Cienega Blvd, which is fabulous design district.  All of the names that you might be familiar with from the West Coast – Lee Stanton, Lucca Antiques, etc. are all there.  I only had an hour and so I was laser-like in my focus and desire to see Maison Au Naturel No. 819 which is where Dan Marty currently displays his wares.  I first became aware of Dan Marty when Megan from Beach Bungalow 8 wrote me that she thought I would love his shop.  I promptly did some research and fell in love with the images that I saw.  He recently relocated and I was anxious to see his things in person.  So that feeling I described having in Brook’s store was much in evidence when I walked into the shop.  Each vignette sort of unfolded upon the next and I loved walking that path of discovery between them and among them.  Even more fun is that I took lots of photos for you and here they are:

This is the first vignette that you see when you walk in the door.  It is so fresh and yet blue and white is a classic.  I think that the pillows made from vintage fabrics give this vignette a very of the moment feeling.  The store is full of vintage textiles, whether grain sacks, batik or ikat.  Heavenly, all of them.

More blue and white, displayed with great panache.   I really liked the trunk in the photo above,  which was covered in a great fabric stripe.

See how many vintage textiles they have?  You can buy them by the piece or roll, or better yet, get one of their pillows.

Like this one, or

one of these.  The painted doctor’s bag is a hoot.  They also have taken vintage look suitcases that are painted white.  I have no idea whether these are truly vintage and have been repurposed or are a new line, but they are fun.

But it’s the vignettes at the store that really make it magical.  Here are some that I think are just fantastic.

The placement of the pictures is just masterful, and you get to see more of those great pillows on the sofa.

A closer view.  That crane is fantastic.

This vignette really packs a visual punch.

I have never seen a chair back like this before.  What a contrast.  The whole scene works for me, though.

This is just wonderful.  I think that what makes these vignettes work is the element of fantasy.  This is a potting table as only a designer would have one!   If I could have just one thing from this store, it would be that crane.  Or maybe one of those wonderful pillows.  Although the trunk was pretty fantastic, too.  Hmmm.  Obviously, I am torn.  What would you get, and where would you put it?

More tomorrow.  Carpool calls…

Kristin

ps.  I don’t know why this site is garnering so much spam in the comments section.  I keep trying to adjust my settings more stringently to avoid it.  I know it’s irritating and I am so sorry.  I will keep working on it, though.

It’s the 20th or so straight day of 100 degree (or more!) days here in Dallas.  Grass is turning brown, flowers are drying on their stems, and leaves are getting brown-edged.  Walking from the grocery store to the car feels a bit as though one has entered a blast furnace.  It’s hot.  It is said that just looking at water can make one feel cooler.  I do not know whether this is scientifically true, but I definitely feel refreshed every time my eye catches this arrangement in my bathroom.  Yes, my bathroom.  Why not have an arrangement in a room where you will see it often and enjoy it always?  Two of these great glass containers were picked up at a local shop for a song, and the little one on the left was “upcycled” from its previous incarnation as a flavored oil container.  The greenery was cut from my potted plants and wisteria.  Best of all, this little trio has lasted over 6 weeks.  Such a deal, as we used to say in New Jersey.  And so very cool.

I’d love to hear what keeps you cool in the dog days of summer…

Kristin

My love affair with Mecox began fifteen years ago when I was touring the Hamptons.  I had the privelege of going with a dear friend on a trip organized by Sotheby’s of the gardens and estates of the Hamptons.  It was an amazing trip with stops at Martha Stewart’s gardens, the studios of wonderful artists, and a trip to Mecox Gardens in Southhampton.  At the time, I think that this was their only location.  I was enthralled with the plant selection and styling.  There were wonderful garden vignettes everywhere, with fountains and arbors and garden urns and statues that were sublime.  In the middle of all this garden splendor sat a small and unassuming building.  I wandered in,  and my jaw dropped.  Instead of a slightly musty display of seed packets and pesticides, there was a wonderland of home accessories and furnishings.  It was heaven.  Unfortunately, we had to leave before I could purchase anything, but the impression was indelible.

Fast forward to 2006 and the construction and design of my home.  I was working with a bit of a handicap as some of my things were still in storage, some were being refinished and refurbished, and the house was still unfinished.  I was not very keen on ordering furniture for the house – barely sheetrocked at this point- as I hadn’t laid eyes on some of my furniture in literally years, so I wasn’t sure of proportions and shapes.  I was so excited to hear that Mecox was here in Dallas, but I had no idea what to expect when I walked in the door for the first time.  What I found was a group of the most lovely salesmen, although to call them that seems off, somehow.  They were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to please.  Did I like that chair?  Yes, but I needed 10.  And maybe in a different color?  Done.  Can I try it in the room?  Certainly.  Take it to the construction site?  We will clean it up when you get it back to us.  No request was too inconvenient and every transaction was truly a joy.  Now the store manager, David Lee was a sea of calm and zen as we were in the throes of finishing the house, trying to stay on budget, and get moved in.  Don Hicks and Jeffery Bell were always on hand to sherpa things back and forth from my Expedition to the store and had great design sense to boot.  It is sort of amazing to me that I have not done a post about Mecox, as so many of my favorite pieces were sourced here.  A partial list:  table and chairs in the loggia, dining room chairs, breakfast room cabinet, living room bench, garden stools, and harp chairs, entryway dressers, and more accessories than I can count.  You get the idea.

So once I realized my omission, I hopped on down to Mecox to take some pictures of the store and wouldn’t you know it, left my memory card back home.  Rain check.  In just one week, the store looked completely different, which is one of the reasons that Mecox does so well.  You always have a sense of discovery when you walk in.  So, what is new at the Dallas Mecox?  First, and unmistakeably, is color.  While neutral pieces will always be a backbone for Mecox, the Dallas store has amped up the color with accessories, art, pillows, and occasional chairs.

They are displaying artwork by some local Dallas artists, and I am a huge fan.  The look is fabulous and the pricing is reasonable.  This is a new direction for Mecox and I really am a fan.  They are doing a lot of custom work with area artisans, and picking up great vintage pieces and “upcycling” them.  The look is very hip and yet very classic and the same time.  You may not see some of these pieces on the Mecox website as a result, but I am giving you e-mails and phone numbers to contact the Dallas Mecox directly.

These are very fresh and appealing, no?  They are painted on translucent glass and can be painted on any color backdrop and at any size.  These were each $525, which I think is a great bargain for an original piece of art.

Here is a more neutral palette.  I really love the organic feel of these pieces.

Funny story about these acupuncture sculptures.  I saw human size versions of these at another haunt, the White Elephant, and they were vintage.  I loved the look of them but thought they were a bit overbearing.  Some enterprising Dallas-based manufacturer must have thought the same, as here are these!  Again, notice the use of color.  It is here and there, but very powerful.

Here is my breakfast cabinet’s twin, styled with great bursts of color.  Aren’t those orange chinoiserie pillows fun?

Here they are in chocolate and tangerine.  Again, they make such a statement against the neutral sofa.  If you have bought a neutral sofa and have painted your walls in one of the new neutrals and are now longing for some color, take note.  Pillows and accessories can add so much drama and color to a room, as long as they are boldly sized.  If the pillows are too small or the object too diminutive, then the color looks haphazard and half-hearted.  If you are nervous, just try out a few different combinations before you decide which one works best in your room.

Here is another view of the first vignette in the post.  I just think this is dynamite.  The leather chairs are slipcovered!  And the steel gray pillows, with the stripes railroaded, soften their vibrancy and relate so well to the zinc coffee table.  And of course, the painting is masterful and brings the whole look together.

Here is another look at how a smallish piece of artwork, supplemented by some large and colorful accessories can transform a space.

This sofa is actually a lovely pale blue.  Here they have it dressed in a beautiful bitter chocolate, but it would be equally lovely with some bright colors on this, too.  Look just behind the sofa at the aquamarine Windsor chairs.  I love that unexpected twist.

An entirely neutral palette has not gone away.  Here is a serene bedroom vignette.  It is very similar in feeling to my bedroom, which is why I like it so.  I have so enjoyed my neutral, nature inspired bedroom as it is serene and restful.  This has a more sophisticated feeling than my bedroom and I really love it.

Here is another vignette that I really liked.  The artwork gives things a pop, but with more mellow color and I have always loved how Mecox displays their mirrors, layered one on top of the other.

These lamps are really fun, flanking the great artwork and turquoise shell obelisks.  Cote de Texas posted that gray might be the new turquoise, but at this store, turquoise is the new turquoise.

These vintage chairs, newly recovered, were featured in D Home magazine, which is also starting to show more color.  This could just be a local trend, but the new House Beautiful issue showed a lot of color, too.  We’ll see what happens.

These ethereal porcelain fruits and gourds are the steal of the year.  The most expensive piece is $75 and the smaller ones start at $40, if I remember correctly.  This is another part of the evolution at the Dallas Mecox, which is to offer more variety in pricing.  Yeah!

If you have questions or a sudden insatiable desire to purchase any of these things, e-mail David Lee or Don Hicks.  Or you can give them a call at (214) 580-3800.  They would love to hear from you, and I know that they are wonderful to all their clients.  I have a reader who sent me the most heartwarming e-mail about how lovely they were to work with in trying to get a table to her in Canada.

Enough vicarious shopping for me, I am off to back to school activities for the boys.  Although those porcelain figs and pears are dancing in my head….

Kristin

PS No, I don’t get anything from Mecox for mentioning them on my blog, except for lots of hugs and as much Diet Coke as I can chug down while I am there.  But they do that for everybody…..

Hi!

I am in southern California now with John and the boys.  I promised my sister that I would only intermittently check my e-mail, and I have been keeping my promise.  I think only 5 times a day is intermittent, don’t you?  Of course, it’s spectacularly lovely here, the weather is cool in the mornings and evenings and the daytime is stunning so it’s not like I am bored and NEED to check the e-mail.  I just, you know, hear my little phone trill and then I wonder if it’s a super important e-mail that I am willfully ignoring.  After a while of studiously ignoring it, I pick up my phone and just glance at my e-mails.  Just a quick glance, I promise.  And I do NOT have a problem…..Anyway, I am glad that I did check because the lovely folks at Mecox sent me an e-mail that a post that I wrote for them a while ago is going up soon.

Yeah!!  I was so excited to be able to write the post.  And I did not know for the longest time that Mecox had a blog, but they do, and it’s really lovely.  Check it out here.  My guys at the Dallas Mecox are amazing and the manager, David Lee is simply the finest human being – ever.  I never know what treasure I will find when I wander in.  I went to the store before vacation to take some shots to show you and managed to leave the memory card at home.  Soon, I promise.  In the meantime, enjoy this wonderful vignette from the Dallas store from a few months back.

I am off to a morning walk along the beach.  I know, I know, but someone has to do it.  I will be back in a few days with tons of photos from here, ideas for new posts, and of course, the post on the new look in the Dallas store.  I really think you will like it.

Kristin

I got several e-mails about my kitchen chairs from my post on my kitchen, here.  A lot of you wanted to know where I got my kitchen chairs.  I tried to get back to as many of you as I could, but I thought I’d quickly do this post for those of you that I might have missed.  (Sorry!).  I bought my chairs at the Dallas Mecox.  So many of my favorite things in my  home have come from Mecox, and these chairs are no exception.  Here is the photo from the Mecox website.

These are the Prague chairs, and they retail for $295.  For more information, go here.  I can’t tell you how versatile these chairs are.  Without their cushions, I have sprinkled them throughout the house for various photos.  They are small enough to sit happily in any tight corner or spot, but they are large enough to be comfortable.  I have even used one of mine as a temporary bedside table.  But here is how they looked when I picked them up from the workroom.

The cushion is high enough to make these work for my breakfast counter, which is high, so we needed to add some extra height for comfortable seating.

While I do think that $295 for these chairs is a great price, for some of you that still may be too steep.  So I want you to see an even less expensive option.  This chair is called the Eco Bistro Chair and it is available on the Viva Terra website.  It retails for $145, so it’s a great deal.

These chairs ( on the right ) have a different shape than the Prague, but they share that same perforated seat.  It’s a charming design affectation for these chairs, as I don’t think either one would be happy in the rain, which is why the drainage holes exist in the original designs.  If you are interested in more information on the Eco, here is where you need to go.

Sorry for the short post, lots going on here.  I’ll be back soon.

Kristin

If my house weren’t furnished already, then I would not be writing this post.  Because, you see, this table would already be reposing in my home, getting to know the other tables, having an adult beverage with some accent chairs, and yucking it up with the accessories that it would be wearing.  It would be blanching every time a boy walked by with a lacrosse stick in his hand or Rocket the wonder dog went galloping by.  It would feel really special as Darcy went by, giving its surface a quick stroke with her hand, or as I fiddled and futzed with just the right vignette to place upon it.  But the sad fact is that there is no room for this beautiful piece in my home.  And the equally sad fact is that its current owner does not have the perfect spot in her home for it now, either.

We had high hopes for this piece, its owner and I.  We were going to use it to anchor an upholstered headboard and bedside tables in her bedroom.  But in the end, she did not love the way that it looked, and although I did, in the end the client is always right.  So, here we are with a table with great pedigree that needs a new home. Here is a photo, apologies for the poor lighting and styling – we had the room pulled completely apart and this was the best we could do in two minutes.

It has gorgeous clean lines and a wonderful patina.  I do think it is one of those rare pieces that would be happy in either a traditional or contemporary space.  It’s- shrug,eye roll- transitional. ( To get this inside joke, go here for my take on “transitional” It is a Ming console, purchased from Mecox Gardens, so you can trust its provenance and the fact that it’s gorgeous, as these folks don’t know how do do it any other way.  Here are another two shots, taken in a hallway.

A full view.

Great detail of the leg.

It is almost 120 inches long and almost 16 inches deep.  If you have a home for it, or think that you might, e-mail me and we can talk more.  I have to go, as my other furniture is getting upset over all the attention this one’s getting….

Kristin

PS This is not going to be a regular feature, dear reader.  This was a special case for a good friend – the client, not the table! Although I am awfully fond of it…

Hello!

I did NOT drop off of a cliff while out of town on a wonderful adventure.  My wonderful adventure consisted of two back to back lacrosse tournaments and the pleasure of watching both my sons play fine lacrosse in blazing heat and humidity.  I stayed at only the finest Motel 6 style accommodations and shared a bathroom with each boy.  Oh the joys of sharing bathing and grooming space with an adolescent! We dined at only the best pizza and burger restaurants, with one notable exception being a wonderful evening with old friends in Maryland.  However, I did manage to have a great time at each tournament, as I was surrounded by some seriously fun parents at one of them, and was in the shopping capital of the world at the other – Baltimore.  I know that the Baltimore-shopping-capital-of-the-world thing has been kept under wraps for a long time, but I am blowing the lid off of that, baby!  Actually, well, no, it isn’t the shopping capital of the world, or probably not even the state, except that a visit to Gore Dean in Baltimore makes you feel like it’s so.

This wonderful shop is located in a former mill.  It sits along a stream and is part of a complex of reclaimed industrial buildings.  It is an incredibly charming setting, although one that Deborah Gore Dean would find fateful.  Deborah opened her original store in Georgetown and it was a shopping mecca for DC’s interior designers and their clients.  She branched out to Baltimore.  Life was good.  Then she made a decision that a lot of us can relate to, she moved her family to Baltimore so that her daughter could attend a school that would further her athletic talents.  Again, life was good.  The the bucolic and extremely innocent looking stream that burbles behind her Baltimore store became a torrent, then a flood and then disaster.  The entire store was eventually a loss, although Deborah and her husband didn’t realize it at the time.  Painstakingly, they rebuilt the inventory and have consolidated all of their treasures into this one amazing store.   While this shop does not have a tony Georgetown address, the character and charm of the building is irresistable. Take a walk with me.

I have a hard time describing Deborah’s store, because she has curated a wonderful selection of so many things.  Beautiful china, crystal and flatware?  Check.  Gorgeous linens for the table and bed? Check.  Garden accessories and pots? Check.  Candles and home fragrance? Check.  Antiques and art?  Double check.  It sounds like it should be a veritable hodgepodge, but it is not.  Deborah is a wonderful stylist and all her merchandise flows from one vignette to the next.  She was apologizing to me for the disorder of the shop as she had hosted a book signing with Barry Dixon the night before.  To my eye, all looked lovely, but nevertheless as we chatted Deborah strolled and fluffed.  To say that she is a charming person and incredibly knowledgeable is an understatement.

Deborah is a shopkeeper after my own heart.  She does not have an inventory that is trend obsessed.  She buys what she loves and she hopes that you will, too.  So she has a delightful mix of high and low, European and Asian, rustic and refined objects on display.  It is possible to buy ready made curtains here of the highest quality while at the same time considering the purchase of an antique crystal chandelier.  I love that.

Here some vintage garden statues perch atop Asian inspired tables with a wonderfully crusty cabinet in the foreground.  Yes, that is screen mesh on the doors.

Old Chinese doors frame a vignette of Staffordshire and pottery.

Wonderful vintage table is for potting, I seem to remember.  It is festooned with an array of old wooden tools and that incredible root.

This table housed molds for candlemaking.  Just so full of character and charm.

I am stealing this idea.  This pretty Swedish style chair is covered not in linen, as we are seeing everywhere these days, but in a scrumptiously colored and buttery leather.  It is utterly lovely.

This quirky chair caught my eye.  How could it not?  Wonderful for a study or library, obviously, but it could also look fantastic in an entry hall with an umbrella stand (filled with walking sticks, naturally!).

This Moroccan lantern has been turned into a light fixture and I love how she has paired its bulbous shape with the topiaries.  Look at the wonderful walls in the background.  The whole store is just so evocative and it is a wonderful backdrop for Deborah’s selections.

The selection of pillows at this store is just fantastic.  They are perched everywhere and then still line shelves.

Just fantastic, aren’t they?  So, why am I showing you all this truly covetable (pun intended) merchandise when you don’t live in Baltimore, won’t have the pleasure of going soon, or frankly can’t imagine setting foot there?  Well, because Deborah has painstakingly added every single item in the store to her website, here.  So if you see it and love it, hop on over to the website and check it out.  Plus there are so many things on the website that are not on the floor of the store.  You could spend hours on this site, my friends, I promise you.  Deborah also writes a blog, which veers from incredibly informative pieces on antiques to quick descriptions of one of her evenings.  She is also working on a website strictly for the trade.  Deborah, I wish I had your energy.

I had the most wonderful time in the store, chatting with Deborah, getting some scoop on Barry Dixon, (Did you know that he is designing a new line for Fortuny?  Think all their traditional designs, but with some twists like trapunto stitching), looking at things for clients, taking all the above photos, and in general losing complete track of time.  I spent TWO HOURS there!  Which really takes me out of the running for mother of the year as my 10 year old son was with me the whole time, patiently waiting to go to the Inner Harbor.  However, he never once complained, as this was his pose for the entire time.

He wanted one of these basket chairs for his room.  I half wanted to buy it for him as a thank you to him and to Deborah!!  And here is the generous, warm and lovely Deborah Gore Dean.

She looks crisp and amazing, after being up until late the night before.  Somehow I think that this is the way she always looks.  However she is the friendliest person on the planet, so if you hop to the website, again here, and have any questions, don’t hesitate to call her or e-mail her.  She is a gem.

I will be back soon with another shopping opportunity.

Kristin

I promised in the last post on my garden that I would show you what the newly planted pots looked like. Of course, it’s taken me forever and a day to do so, but here are my pots in all their newfound glory. Here is Daniel’s car chock a block full of flowers. How in the world could so many flowers be needed? I dunno – I think pots eat flowers.

And that’s not all. Here’s his trunk.

There is something that I just love about flowers before they find their homes. They seem to have endless possibilities, like a brand new box of crayons. So, let’s see what Daniel pulled together with these lovelies.

Here are the before and afters of the pots on my loggia.

Before – a bit sad, isn’t it?

Better, no?

Did someone buy a few too many begonias?

I am crazy about horsetail ferns…..

How pathetic is that little wisp of a plant?

The Jerusalem artichoke in the small pot was oh so lovely above, but it is now on its last legs. Maybe it’s an unlucky pot….

Now we come to my favorite photos. These wire baskets are really not meant to be containers, but I decided to use them as such and I am entranced by the result. The large round basket is vintage, and French and purchased from one of my favorite vendors, Janet Wiebe. In the wintertime, it holds kindling for the fireplace. The small wire basket is an old locker basket, so popular right now. My chaise lounges have had a major facelift, too. They are Restoration Hardware, and while I love the lines of them, the aluminium frames for the canopies have been done in by the Texas winds. I had my blacksmith make new canopies, but it meant I could no longer attach the awnings to the canopy in the way in which they had been made. I love the solution that my workroom came up with.

The finish on this basket is really wonderful. It’s crusty without being too primitive.

The Spanish moss dripping over the sides just makes this work. The froth of the feather grass is lovely, too.

I look at this view daily from my makeshift desk in the family room and I just adore it. The ties were left long so that I could cut them to the length I needed, but I decided to tie them ballerina style for more strength. It is a very charming piece of luck.

Here is my wire locker basket.

I had intended for the basket to stay on the table, but I couldn’t find a solution for keeping water off of it. This finish is not happy with persistent damp….

Here is is, planted with airy ferns.

Now this is my favorite bit of creativity. I found an odd piece at the White Elephant here in Dallas. It’s a very tall rectangle of screening, with an opening at the bottom and top. I originally wanted Daniel to give it the same treatment that we gave the round basket, but he pondered and thought, and decided that it would be best used as a sort of cloche for a planted pot. After some work on it with a paintbrush, a search for the perfect pot, then a search for the right flowers, here is the finished product.

The pot is planted with salvia and miniature papyrus. Wasn’t Daniel’s idea great??

It all feels very French to me. When we visited friends there, I noticed that the French have a great way of re-imagining humble objects. It is probably because they have not had the same economic fortune that we Americans have had, so they have needed to be willing to work with what they had on hand. In any case, I do find that streak an enchanting one, and one that I shamelessly emulated.

Now I just need to find the time to relax out on this…..

Kristin

Hello All,

Happy Bastille Day!  This is such an ironic post for me to write, as I have to confess that before I moved to London, I was not such a fan of very many things French.  I loved visiting Paris, but did not embrace the Pierre Deux “country french”  look that was/is?  popular.  I prefer my chicken on my plate, rather than festooning my walls.  But that is just me.  I also don’t love the gilded Louis the umpteenth furniture.  It is too too for my taste.  And again, that’s just me.  Or as Seinfeld would say “Not that there’s anything wrong with it….”

Of course, after we visited lots of different regions in France and many different homes there, I really fell in love with French style.  I appreciate their eye and aesthetic.  And I realized that the idea of French style that had made it here to America was not really the way that the French decorate their own homes.  Thankfully, in no small part to the internet, we are able to see a more authentic French style, and it is this style that I find so appealing.

I found some great blogs that are influenced by the French, or whose authors have spent a lot of time in France, or that actually originate in France.  Here are links to just a few:

http://chicprovence.blogspot.com/ Chic provence is a blog written by a San Fransiscan (?) who is inspired by the art, the fabric, the style of Provence.  I can practically smell the lavendar….

http://thefrencheye.blogspot.com/ Through the French eye is a blog written by a French stylist who has also lived in the United States and Africa.  Her eye for fashion, style and interiors is very sophisticated, very French.

http://parishotelboutique.blogspot.com/ Paris Hotel Boutique Journal is a blog written by the owner of Paris Hotel Boutique, a great online store for vintage French finds, especially hotel silver and china, naturellement.

http://parisapartment.wordpress.com/ The Paris Apartment is the blog by the owner of the eponymous shop in New York City.  She has written a book, works on interior design projects and is designing a furniture line, but other than that, she really isn’t up to much at all!!

http://www.enseignedegersaint.typepad.fr/ Le Petit Cabinet of Curiosities is a French blog, but the author writes in English.  She owns a wonderful shop in France and has a wonderful eye for style and design.  I find something wonderful every time I click over.

ttp://bcommebon.canalblog.com/ B comme bon is another French blog, this time written in French.  No matter, the images of French life are so evocative and beautiful that you don’t need to understand what is written to appreciate the blog.

Above and below is one of my favorite books, The New French Decor by Michele Lalande.  I apologize for the pics, but I am pressed for time and didn’t edit or do much more than snap and go.  I can’t count the whys, but I heartily recommend that you get your hands on this book.  Trust me, it’s a wonderful resource even if you do not care for French style, as it could be a stylist’s encyclopedia and dictionary all in one.

I am off to parts unknown for a week.  I always have great intentions of writing posts while I am gone, or doing a few before I leave to post while I am gone.  It sort of never happens.  I know, I know, I disappoint myself.

Have a great week ahead.  I plan on it!

Kristin

PS  I am thinking about doing a post like this more often, where I aggregate blogs and posts that I am reading and enjoying.  I know that other blogs have a program where you can see that someone has just posted and a bit about what the post might be, but I thought I might try saving you a step and let you know which posts are especially enjoyable.  I also will link to previous posts on a certain topic.  What do you think?  Sound good to you?

First, let me thank all of you who have been so kind in your comments about my kitchen.  I read every reader comment and I get tickled pink every time!  And, of course, if you read this blog regularly, you know that I owe it all to Joni from Cote De Texas who must be tired of me thanking her, but I still feel I need to.  Since I recently did a facelift of my bedroom, I have been scouring tearsheets and inspiration images to get me inspired.   I am seeing so many wonderful treatments of upholstered headboards, and for that matter, entire beds, that I decided to post about it.  As an avid reader in bed, I am a big fan of upholstered headboards, although it also is great for TV watchers, too.  I love to fluff my pillows against the headboard and sink back into the softness….Another thing that I really like about upholstering beds is the fact that you can entirely change the look of your bed with a few yards of fabric.  And this is a look that lends itself to contemporary, traditional and, I hate this word, transitional design.

WARNING: A quick non sequitor is in the offing. If you don’t want to read about why, skip the section below until you get to the eye candy.  I hate the word transitional because it was THE design word when I was first married and decorating our first apartment.  It really applied more to color and graphic design use than furnishing choices, but it’s the banner under which such delightful color schemes as wedgewood blue and peach or teal and dusty rose were foisted upon unsuspecting young women who had no better sense than to run right out and buy a matching “transitional” dusty rose sofa and loveseat, and….well, the less said about that, the better.

Besides, what are we transitioning to or from? All design trends are a transition.  I know it’s being used to define pieces that can be used in either a traditional interior or a contemporary one.  It’s also being used to define a style that mixes elements of both traditional and contemporary design.  Both of these design ideas are brilliant, so I hate the dated and imprecise terminology.

You get the picture.  I have a personal grudge against the term.  However, it is being thrown around a lot these days, so until I can think of a better term to use myself, just consider that every time you read that word in my blog posts, I am shrugging and rolling my eyes as I type it.  End of rant.

I am starting with a bed that I saw in the June/July issue of Traditional Home, by Benjamin Bradley and David Thiergartner from the 2009 Hamptons Showhouse.  I am a little bit obsessed with this, I have to say.  It’s such a clever riff on mattress ticking and coupled with the Knole sofa reference at the headboard, and the tufting and nailheads on the platform, it is truly brilliant.  Of course, the sophisticated bedding carries the theme.  This would really not be my cup of tea with lots of sweet prints and stripes.

I also love everything about this room, except for maybe the 70’s shag bathmat masquerading as upholstery on the chair.  But hey, it’s a showhouse, so it’s great to take chances.

Here is another astonishingly lovely bed.  The upholstered headboard is part of the canopy bed.  I do not know the designer, just that it’s an image from House Beautiful.  I think this bed and its grainsack pillow were instrumental in introducing the whole grainsack phenomenon.  I do love the sheer linen hangings and the unfussy twine ties.  It’s a great counterpoint to the carved chest and sidetable.  Just lovely.

What makes this upholstered headboard so interesting is the use of the wrought iron frame as a sort of rustic corona.  It ties in with the rusticated elegance of the room with the inclusion of the starburst mirror.  Simple forms and lovely textures make this work so well.  From the late, great Southern Accents, I believe.  Note to aspiring bloggers – resist the temptation to tear pages from magazines as it makes crediting the designers, photographer and magazine a bit of a challenge.

This bedroom was designed by Steven Gambrel and Eric Piasecki, Elle Decor.  The tufted headboard is constrained by a wonderfully shaped wooden frame.  The upholstery also extends to the platform of the bed which is a nice detail. I really like this room and I think that this is a very successful blend of contemporary and traditional furnishings, umm, yes, transitional style.

Michael Smith, via Elle Decor uses an Indian gilded wooden canopy frame with great success juxtaposed with the white upholstered headboard.  The shape is whimsical and of course, marries well with the canopy bed.  I do love the undecorated feeling of this room. Although undecorated is the term I would use rather than understated, as that it is most certainly not.

This bed is designed by Courtnay Haden and featured in Elle Decor.   The curvy shape of the headboard effectively anchors the room.  Upholstered headboards can be made in a variety of wonderful shapes which is one of the reasons that designers like to use them.

This shape is very whimsical and lends great style to a staid stripe.

Here is another example of an upholstered headboard that is incorporated within a bed frame.  This one has great lines, which are punctuated by a dark welt.  The color scheme is very simplistic and soothing.  I do love crisp white linens on a bed – I have them myself after years of lots of pattern and color on my bed.

Vicente Wolf upholsters both the head and footboards of his bed in creamy linen and floats it diagonally in his bedroom.  This room is ethereal, isn’t it?

Shannon Bowers uses a similar shape in her head and footboards upholstered in white linen.  Similar shape, similar idea, but what wildly different bedrooms.  I am curious, which one do you prefer? Leave your opinion in the comments section, I’d love to know what you think.

Another trend that I am seeing is a headboard that extends the length of the bedwall.  This is an intriguing application that has many possibilities for many different styles.

Here you see the same style again, but in a completely different environment.

Here is a similar idea, but shorter.  I like the idea of this, but I wonder how this would look with a higher headboard?  It might be utterly divine.

This simple rectangular headboard wrapped in the same bold pattern as the walls and windows is seamless.  Another application would not have been so successful in the room this size.

This is one of my favorite inspiration images for a headboard.  Which is funny, as I don’t like the bed linens at all.  The photography is lovely so that has something to do with it.  But what really inspires me are the panels of linen that spill over the headboard.  This would work with so many different styles and patterns.  I think it’s wonderful.

So, which bedroom did you prefer Wolfe or Bowers?  One last look, below.

Bowers

Wolfe

Let me know….

Kristin