Hi all,
Thought I would pass this gem of a website on to you. Taigan is a newly launched site that offers the best of the best. You would have to travel far and wide to collect all of the goodies you will find on their site. They have it all – home goods, childrens, gourmet foods and wines, health and beauty, jewelry…. (you get the picture). Happy Shopping!
Visit the shop: http://www.taigan.com/
xo,
S
Thank you TradHome and Lonny for including us in your list of Top 20 designers to watch. I am flattered and thrilled! Be sure to vote for SGI in the Duralee contest on-line and you will be entered to win $1,000.00!
To vote please visit: http://www.traditionalhome.com/design_decorating/howwelive/youngdesigners-sara-gilbane.html
The shoot with Lonny Mag’s Patrick and Michelle was as fun and laid back as you would expect something from Lonny to be. This project was definately one of my favorite I have worked on. The loft space is amazing and the client’s were a dream – great taste and excited about the design process. It was wonderful working on this project and therefore very fulfilling to share this with Lonny, TradHome, and all of their readers. A few more shots below:
If you haven’t read the article you can find it here: http://www.lonnymag.com/issues/19-trad-home/pages/1#p97
To see more images from the apartment please visit my website and view the TOWN section in my portfolio: https://saragilbaneinteriors.com/
xo,
S
While reading the New York Times this morning I came across an article written by Penelope Green in the Sunday Styles section. As a designer it hit home with me as I am on a constant quest for beautiful books to fill clients custom libraries and bookshelves. We spend so much time creating these beautiful spaces with endless shelving finished in high gloss paint, wallpapered backs, french oak, brass or nickle and we are then left to fill the spaces to create a cozy, well read library.
Many clients have their own books which end up looking sloppy or sad in the newly finished shelving. We hunt down books by the yard to fill their shelves and the end result is beautiful. The Strand book store in Union Square NYC has a fabulous selection but hearing about Juniper Books is a godsend. Thatcher Wine will wrap your books or you can select from a vast collection of his.
A few of my favorite’s below:
Above: Custom Blues
Above: Kids Collection
Above: Da Vinci
Above: Fabric wrapped books in linen- how perfect would these be in a beach house?
Above: Pattern wrapped books
Visit Juniper Books: http://juniperbooks.com/
xo,
S
There are several books that have just come out or are about to come out that are a “Must Buy”. I mentioned Bunny Williams’ Scrapbook For Living in an earlier post and these few books fall into the same category:
Out now:
At Home With Town & Country: This is the first book that Town & Country Magazine has come out with. All the homes I have drooled over the past years are included in this beautiful book. The book is full of inspiration and advice for creating stylish spaces. It is fun to take a peek into some of the most fabulous homes in the country!
Purchase At Home With Town & Country through my amazon store:
http://astore.amazon.com/trafordes-20/detail/158816697X
Coming out October 5th:
Mary McDonald’s first design book, The Allure of Style, is chock full of her amazing designs. She is a master at mixing traditional and whimsical styles creating unforgettable spaces. The book showcases more than 250 captivating photographs of lush interior design, complemented by witty passages.
Purchase Mary McDonald’s The Allure of Style through my amazon store:
http://astore.amazon.com/trafordes-20/detail/0847833933
Alexa Hampton, daughter of famed designer Mark Hampton, gives you a very personal insight into her aesthetic and how it has been used to satisfy her clients wishes in her new book, The Language of Interior Design. Alexa provides a tour of stunning residences from her own portfolio. Eighteen classic spaces illustrate in rich detail the elements that govern cultivated design—contrast, proportion, color, and balance. Among the residences are a landmark 1912 McKim, Mead & White restoration on Fifth Avenue in New York City; an eclectic house by the sea layered in textures, patterns, and colors; a contemporary apartment distinguished by simple geometry and clean lines; and Hampton’s own apartment, filled with an exquisite collection of architectural elements.
Purchase Alex Hampton’s The Language of Interiors through my amazon store:
http://astore.amazon.com/trafordes-20/detail/0307460533
Coming out october 19th:
As the best-selling author of 16 decoration and lifestyle books, the host of her own – and one of the first – television shows on HGTV for eight seasons, the creator of home fashion products that have generated close to two billion dollars in sales, and the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of her multi-million dollar empire, Chris Madden is an iconic name in the world of design. Widely known as the powerhouse who made “personal space” and “haven” household words through her ground-breaking books and products, Chris will now, for the first time, accompany her readers in THE SOUL OF A HOUSE through her own unique homes, showcasing her signature personal style that resonates throughout each room and share the basic steps and thought-processes that can easily turn any space, large or small, into a comfortable and stylish residence. Each room—from the entry foyer, master bedroom and living room to the mud room and greenhouse — will be explored with rich photography by Nancy Hill along with Chris’ styling tips as she chronicles the transformation of both her husband’s and her 100-year-old carriage house on three rambling acres outside of New York City and their mid-century modern getaway tucked in a bucolic apple orchard between the Green and Taconic Mountain ranges in Vermont.
Also included will be a sampling of those historic spaces that have served as an inspiration to Chris— from the early works of the legendary Billy Baldwin, Elsie de Wolfe, Nancy Lancaster, John Fowler and Thomas Jefferson – through lessons gleaned in the great rooms of designer showcase houses (including those of Mario Buatta, Mark Hampton, and Albert Hadley) and her travels to such architectural treasures as the summer dacha of Czar Nicholas II in Russia, Coco Chanel’s Paris apartment and Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Washington home and museum, Hillcrest, to her hands-on design work at the homes and offices of Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric and Toni Morrison.
Purchase Chris Madden’s The Soul of a House through my amazon store:
http://astore.amazon.com/trafordes-20/detail/0847833704
Owner of Hollyhock, Los Angeles’s renowned antiques and decorative arts mecca, Suzanne Rheinstein is known for her relaxed, elegant style. Style maker and interior designer Suzanne Rheinstein has a keen appreciation for special luxuries. She is a master at taking an eclectic mix of furnishings from the past and arranging them in a fresh, inspiring way. Elegant simplicity and attention to detail are the hallmarks of her look. A timeless quality pervades every room she designs. Rheinstein feels that how you live your life every day is much more important than getting your house together for a special occasion. Beautifully photographed, this inspiring volume shows examples of her work, ranging from a brick farmhouse in the Virginia countryside and a sophisticated rustic getaway overlooking the Big Wood River in Sun Valley to a year-round shingled residence on the beach in Newport Bay, as well as her own homes—a gracious Georgian Revival in Los Angeles and a New York City prewar pied-à-terre. They exemplify her talent for creating attractive homes that make living and entertaining extremely pleasurable.
Purchase Suzanne Rheinstein’s At Home through my amazon store:
http://astore.amazon.com/trafordes-20/detail/0847834093
xo,
S
In Bunny Williams’ third book you are lead room by room through homes she has designed and along the way she gives tips on ways to organize and personalize your home. All of her suggestions are timeless, classic ways to make your home welcoming. For those of you who are not familiar with Bunny Williams, she is a master of detail and comfortable living. In her book she dissects the design process and enables readers to take on the various rooms in their homes: dining rooms, lighting, entertaining, bedrooms, and furniture layouts are all discussed. I just received my copy and it is one of those books I will turn to time and time again for advice.
Visit my amazon store to pick up your copy: http://astore.amazon.com/trafordes-20/detail/1584798599
xo,
S
We have recently added a shop to our website. You will find a variety of items we have purchased on our travels ( antiques, accessories, wallpapers, fabrics, pillows, art, etc). New additions are added frequently so check back often. A few of the items are listed below:
Visit the store to shop: http://saragilbaneinteriors.bigcartel.com/
xo,
S
Yellow- Saffron, butter, dandelion, daffodil, gold, corn, buttercup, sunshine, canary, citrine, grapefruit, maize, taxi cab. Yellow conjurs up a positive sunny feeling. I have come to love yellow more and more and tend to mix traditional with modern for a youthful feel. As I stated in a previous post regarding yellow two of the most celebrated rooms in 20th century interior design had bold lacquered yellow walls: Nancy Lancaster’s legendary London sitting room/office (shown below) and Babe and Bill Paley’s Fifth Avenue drawing room, decorated by Albert Hadley and Sister Parish. Let’s dive into some fabulously chic autumn yellow rooms.
The traditional approach:
We will start of with Nancy Lancaster’s famed yellow drawing room above. This room was done by John Fowler in 1957 and would be just as stunning if done today. Fowler applied numerous layers of glaze over a butter yellow paint.
Andrew Virtue drew his inspiration from Nancy Lancaster’s yellow room and created his own writing room ( on a smaller scale) at the Greystone Estate show house. This deep vibrant yellow works so well with burnt crsipy browns, greens, and plums.
A sitting room designed by yours truly. When the sun sets in the afternoon the pale gold walls glisten ( custom paint color by Rollinson Hues). A soft pale yellow is a great neutral backdrop for most colors. We wanted to enhance the sunset so the reds, corals, pinks, oranges, and golds were introduced. The simple sisal rug keeps the room grounded and approachable while the scattered throw rugs add warmth underfoot.
One of my favorite rooms in a house by Architect Gil Schafer. They used a slightly bolder yellow than I did and kept the furniture simply upholstered. The antiques steal the show ( all brown wood always looks great against yellow). Beautiful! On a side note, Veranda and their new editor in chief Dara Caponigro selected and recently announced the winners of their second annual Art of Design Awards. Honoring design industry trailblazers whose work is both “innovative and timeless”. Gil Schafer won the award in the architecture category. Congrats!
The bedroom above by Jeffrey Bilhuber introduces a strong yellow as drapes for the bed. How lovely to be cocooned in a yellow tent! I love the pale lilac paired with it.
Christopher Spitzmiller’s apartment is shown above as seen in Elle Decor. Yellows, browns, and teal blues keep the room fresh and modern.
One final Bilhuber creation. The slightly more modern tufting on the chairs (loosely tufted rather than deep) and the yellow sign in this room off of the dark wood walls.
The modern approach:
Tone on tone yellows paired with black and white by Jamie Drake make for an exciting bedroom. I love that the base of this bed is upholstered in zebra. Very chic.
Kelly Wearstler created this yellow and black library for the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica. Again we see tone on tone yellow paired with black, white, and mirror. The bookshelves turned on diagonal and books stacked in opposite directions adds whimsy and a focal point when you walk into the room.
Another room done by your truly. We needed to bring some life to this manhattan loft space. With pale seafoam on the walls and grey suede sofa we brought in a strong yellow Oushak carpet and pops of yellow ( throw pillows and accessories) for life.
This room could be filed under pink, red, or orange. I love the high gloss pink fireplace and I die over the silk ikat upholstered walls. The yellow linen roman shades with crisp brown ribbon tape inset keep the room feeling clean rather than chaotic.
Yellow paint picks:
1. Donald Kaufman Collection #30
2. Ralph Lauren Goldfinch
3. Benjamin Moore Showtime
4. Farrow and Ball Babouche
Traditional yellow wallcovering picks:
1. Farrow and Ball BP 1928
2. Farrow and Ball BP 1632
3. Farrow and Ball BP 572
Traditional yellow fabrics:
1. Lee Jofa Oak Leaves in yellow BFC 3514-14
2. F. Schumacher Seneca Cotton Stripe 62982
3. Lee Jofa Hisari ikat in plum 2008136_909
4. Quadrille Simba beige on gold
Traditional yellow accessories:
1. Antique spool stool with Robert Kime fabric through John Rosselli Antiques
2. Antique Samarkand rug through Doris Leslie Blau
http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=448340
3. Christopher Spitzmiller Happy lamps in Butter with 23k gold water gilt base
http://christopherspitzmiller.com/lampdetail.asp?LAMPID=112
4. William Sonoma Home cashmere yellow throw in lemon drop
http://www.wshome.com/products/p126/index.cfm?pkey=ccashmere%2Dfaux%2Dfur%2Dthrow
5. Sharyn Blond table linens in Jardin pattern
http://sharynblondlinens.com/hand_table.html#2
6. Bee Line Home throw pillows through John Rosselli Antiques NYC
Modern yellow wallcovering picks:
1. China Seas Balinese Batik in inca/ gold
2. F. Schumacher Imperial Trellis in citrine
3. Manuel Canovas Trellis in citrine
4. Cole and Son palm leaves in yellow
Modern yellow fabric picks:
1. Lee Jofa Tulip in white/ yellow GWF-2622-140
2. F. Schumacher Katsugi in gold and mushroom 2620934
3. Lee Jofa Facet in Saffrom SC10049-1612
4. Ruby Green Mary in yellow
5. Ruby Green Marilyn
Modern yellow accessories picks:
1. Lippa armchair in yellow through Tonic Home:
http://www.tonichome.com/catalog.php?item=1511
2. Yellow geometric pillow through Pieces Inc.
http://piecesinc.com/yellow-geometric-pillow
3. Pink Jacket on Yellow 50″ x 50″ gloss on aluminum by Natasha Law through Voltz Clarke Gallery
http://voltzclarke.com/law/1.html
4. Yellow garden stool through Tonic Home
http://www.tonichome.com/catalog.php?item=1419
5. Jonathan Adler Carnaby Lamp:
http://www.jonathanadler.com/Carnaby-Hollywood-Lamp/?cat=0&initial=
6. West Elm Parsons desk in tumeric:
7. Yellow vases set of 6
http://www.mermaidhut.com/Prod-18-1-2604-30/Yellow_Vases_Assorted_Set_of_Six.htm
8. The Rug Company Sellarsbrook rug by Suzanne Sharpe ( The Rug Company also won in it’s category for the Second Annual Art of Design Awards by Veranda.
http://www.therugcompany.info/contemporary-collection/suzanne-sharp/sellarsbrook-yellow.htm
9. Vanderhurd Kafir throw pillow colorway 4
http://www.vanderhurd.com/hand_crafted.php?t=cushions&p=1&id=358
xo,
S
One of my favorite designers is holding a tag sale this Saturday on One Kings Lane- Bunny Williams! You will have special access to Bunny’s hand-picked treasures at up to 70% off retail.
A few of my favorite rooms designed by Bunny are below:
Visit the sale on Saturday: http://www.onekingslane.com/Events.aspx
Happy Shopping!
xo,
S
I loved the June 2010 House Beautiful. Below are my two favorite homes and a page with great valance examples.
Relaxed beach house designed by James Howard
The shape of the bottom of the roman shade is great. A fabric roman shade is a great way to warm up an otherwise sterile kitchen and the shape at the bottom follows the pattern – showing you put some thought into the details.
I am a huge fan of tortoise shell blinds – a chic way to add privacy to a room while letting in sunlight. The wicker sofa and club chair are in two different stains. A white painted bobble chair and two different side tables added to the mix show how a room can feel pulled together without being matchy-matchy. The pair of glass lamps unifies the space. The green and white stripe on the sofa and club chair are a great summery touch.
The above image is a close up of the wave molding and the upholstered linen walls in the dining room. I adore upholstered walls and done in this neutral linen adds texture and softness to a room without feeling fussy.
To create symmetry in the room they made an arched bookshelf to mirror the arch of the door. Thus creating a space where two side chairs feel comfortable. Again we see the white painted bobble chair and a pretty rope backed Orkney chair. The walls are painted in a pale but strong blue.
I have always loved Oscar de la Renta’s 4 poster bed with the crenallated canopy. The canopy adds a sense of whimsy and security when you are snuggled up for the night. The bench has a fun base shape and the soft blue gray walls create a tranquil yet happy guest bedroom. I love the turquoise gourd lamp from Mrs. Howard- what a great pop of color.
The page above included a variety of valance styles. All beautiful and with distinctively different feels.
Another favorite was the Historic New York House With Color by Jeffrey Bilhuber.
I love Jeffrey Bilhuber’s designs so I was thrilled to see his Locust Valley, New York country home “Hay Fever” that dates back to 1668. I think he definitely succeeded in keeping the “soul” in this house. Nothing feels precious but the colors are magical- just what you want in a summer home.
The black painted pine floor ( look at those floor boards!) lets the sisal carpet and soft blues and yellows float off the floor. You can paint a floor black and still have a light airy feeling room. I love how he threw in a punch of purple on the sofa. The above room was originally an entrance hall but he made it much more welcoming by adding the large round table, a sofa, and chairs.
The library floor is painted a lacquered green ( an idea borrowed from Monticello). The baby blue fabric on the chairs and the red lamp shades makes for an interesting room. The acid green walls in the next room pack a happy summer punch.
Finally the shot of the acid green room (Benjamin Moore’s chic lime) in all of it’s splendor. The large sisal ( from Beauvais) dresses down the more formal valances and fun chinoiserie fabric. Notice all the different shaped chairs ( most of which are slip covered). Red and white ticking stripe, wicker, soft blue, varying lamp heights, mirrored door surrounds ( a nod to Nancy Lancaster) , and texture make this room memorable. The room is exciting yet comfortable mixing humble and high.
xo,
S
Sorry to be M.I.A.- we have been out in “the field” shooting a completed project in East Hampton, installing clients on the Upper East Side and Tribeca, and scheming up a storm for an upcoming show house! No time to update the blog. In all of this madness we found the time to join a fabulous new website called Decorator Tag Sale ( www.decoratortagsale.com )
Finding the perfect piece of designer furniture for your home has never been easier! Decorator Tag Sale brings buyers and sellers from all across the world together on one site to view home furnishings chosen by famous designers.
From modern furniture designs to vintage antiques, designer furniture to collectibles, Decorator Tag Sale offers the consumer an opportunity to visit a decorator’s warehouse online and purchase their high-end furniture at discounted prices.
There are many fabulous designers who joined and have posted pieces they selected now on sale to the general public. Among them are Amanda Nisbet, Christopher Coleman, John Loecke, and….us!
The site was written up in the New york Times on Thursday and has been getting lots of visitors. Some of the items you will find include:
Click on the following link for a one way ticket to accessorizing your home: http://decoratortagsale.com/designer-view/?d=273&page=1
Happy Shopping!
xo,
S