I must post on the newly designed Lyford Cay Club by Tom Scheerer. Absolute perfection in chocolate browns, greens, shrimp, and pale pink! The living room is stunning. He used grasscloth painted it chocolate brown, and then painted 20′ tall palm/ coconut-esque trees. I am working on a project in Palm Beach and this has been a huge inspiration. Quadrille, Peter Dunham, sisal, antiqued mirror, pickled cyprus, tented rooms….sigh.
xo,
S
To me, summer is all about casual vibrant living. Weather that includes an exotic destination vacation, your weekend beach house, and just sipping lemonade in your backyard with friends. You can redo an entire room or beachy splashes of color or just change the throw pillows on your sofa. See below for ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Fabrics and Throw Pillows:
Quadrille: What is there not to love about Quadrille. You see their prints in magazines all the time and there is good reason! Chic and timeless with vibrant colors.
Potalla print shown above in both images as well as below
Saya Gata shown above and in image above
Ferns shown above and in image above
Cap Ferrat
Soho
Petite Zig Zag
http://quadrillefabrics.com/collections_alan.html
Aleta On Line Store:
http://aletaonline.infodine.com/index.php
Kathryn Ireland On Line Store: Her fabrics are divine and you can now purchase throw pillows:
http://kathrynirelandstore.bigcartel.com/category/kathryn-ireland-pillows
Rubie Green: Eco chic, Rubie Green’s fabric line and fun and you can sleep soundly knowing you have done your part for the environment.
http://rubiegreen.com/fabrics.html
Les Indiennes: Mary Mulachy developed linens that are fresh, simple, authentically indian, yet pleasing to the western eye.
These pillows are the perfect companions for a white chino slip covered sofa and a thickly woven jute rug.
http://www.lesindiennesshop.com/index.aspx
Carolina Irving: The vibrant colors printed on beautiful linen never fail to brighten my mood. I cannot choose a favorite.
http://carolinairvingtextiles.com/Fabric.html
Katie Ridder:
How much fun to make drapes in your summer house guest bedroom out of Katie Ridders fabrics.
Parlor Textiles: We are loving Anglea Clinton’s textiles! The patterns are beautiful and reflect her modern sensibility.
http://www.parlortextiles.com/index.html
Madeline Weinrib pillows- the perfect solution for a white sofa. Weather you choose a silk ikat, a block print, or an embroidered suzani you cannot go wrong. She also makes large floor pillows.
http://madelineweinrib.com/mw/ikat/index.html
Carpets:
Wisteria:
http://www.wisteria.com/Graphic-Flat-Weave-Rug-Blue/productinfo/W4045/
http://www.wisteria.com/Apple-Green-Striped-Dhurrie/productinfo/W4042/
William Sonoma Home:
http://www.wshome.com/products/p1195/index.cfm?pkey=crugs%2Dcrewels%2Dneedlepoints
** On sale!
http://www.wshome.com/products/p1196/index.cfm?pkey=crugs%2Dcrewels%2Dneedlepoints
** On Sale!
Madeline Weinrib carpets are a fun and inexpensive way to pack a punch.
http://madelineweinrib.com/carpetindex.html
Dash and Albert: We use these rugs all the time. The cotton weaves and indoor/ outdoor are ou favorite. You cannot beat the price point and they are very durable.
http://www.dashandalbert.com/
Furniture With Texture:
Opt for a textured bed or chair to bring the beach inside:
http://www.wshome.com/products/p1204/index.cfm?pkey=gthmbas
http://www.wshome.com/products/p1211/index.cfm?pkey=gthmbas
** we just used two of these in a show house- beautiful in person…and they are on sale now!
Ralph Lauren:
http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/products/Furniture/?haid=5
Shabby Chic: This brand is known for their laid back, deliciously squishy slip covered furniture.
http://www.mycremebrulee.com/furniture_page1_files/Beecroft_Sofa.html
Bed Linens:
Leontine Linens:
Classic New England prepster
Beautiful and understated celadon applique
Perfect for your little pirate!
http://www.leontinelinens.com/index.php/bed/
If custom linens are not in the beach house budget…
We love prints and the linens below can be the focal point of a bedroom.
Paint the walls a soft hydrangea lilac and white wooden shutters and you have a tranquil seaside retreat.
http://www.wshome.com/products/p9100/index.cfm?pkey=csheets%2Dbed%2Dsheet%2Dsets
Pair this coral with soft yellow or pale blue walls.
Hang a grasscloth on the walls and ceilings and paint the moldings a crisp white.
http://www.luludkmatouk.com/patterns/index.html
OR…. Keep it classic with rope embroidered bedding. Choose a spicy fabric for your drapes and a grasscloth on the walls.
http://www.wshome.com/products/p4001/index.cfm?pkey=csheets%2Dbed%2Dsheet%2Dsets
The Table:
We love a classic greek key pattern and Pomegranate Inc. has nailed it:
Below is one of their embroidered place mats:
Their chunky straw place mat with a shell is a nice touch:
http://www.pomegranateinc.com/store.htm
Les Indiennes:
You can use as a table cloth or a spread on the beach for a picnic.
http://www.lesindiennesshop.com/index.aspx
Roberta Roller Rabbit: Fun prints on cotton- a great gift for your hostess:
http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/robertarollerrabbit/the-Home/Categories
Ralph Lauren: Classic all american summer.
http://www.ralphlauren.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=4006050&cp=1760785&ab=int_060210_HOMELP_LAPLAGE_SHOPNOW
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
This streak of gorgeous weathers feels more like August than the middle of May…but I will take it. We are heading up to Rhode Island for the weekend to get in on this summer fun.
Does summer bring out your arsenal of brightly colored clothing? Does it remind you of popsicles, beach balls, sun tan lotion, and wild fun? The below rooms are packed with color, whimsy, and do not take themselves to seriously, just like you!
Do you like your white linen dress to be crisp, not a wrinkle in your slacks, navy and white stripped bow tie to sit just so? These cool clean rooms may be a great jumping off point for you:
Is summer your time to kick back, relax, and let the sand fall where it may? If so, the rooms below are for you with their sparse furniture plans, slip covers, and sisal carpets.
Happy Friday!!
xo,
S
One King’s Lane is featuring sales from Stark today! I turn to stark when I need a special fabric, wall covering, or carpet. They are a high quality vendor with gorgeous merchandise. Don’t miss the sale….
Fabrics designed by Oscar De La Renta, Missoni, Old World Weavers, Fonthill, and more. Whether you’re looking to re-cover a pillow, the sofa, or create brand-new ceiling-to-floor drapes to add drama and height to a room, you’ll find the fabric of your dreams here! Come get inspired by a sensational selection of cottons, silks, damasks, jacquards, multidimensional modern blends, traditional toiles and more, sold in two-yard increments for all your do-it-yourself projects!
Paint: 57 beautiful shades of Colours by David Oliver—an exciting, eco-friendly new paint line created for Stark by David Oliver, design director of London’s noted Paint & Paper Library Each is available in your choice of Velvet Emulsion, Porcelain Shell and Lacquer Gloss finish.
Wall Coverings: Traditional and contemporary, solid and patterned, in a range of textures, colors and finishes.
Sisal Carpets: Flat-woven from tough natural fibers like sisal and seagrass, these rugs are a perfect choice if you’re looking for elegant, low-maintenance floor covering for almost any room in your home. More durable than many synthetic carpets, these flatweave rugs are inherently stain-resistant, static-free, and require less vacuuming than both wool and synthetic fiber rugs. Stark offers an assortment, in chic textures from diamond-check to herringbone to chic neutrals. We use sisal all the time. It helps make a more formal room approachable and when used wall to wall can make your small soace feel bigger. Layer carpets on top for a relaxed feel.
The sale starts at 11 am today: http://www.onekingslane.com/Events.aspx
Happy Shopping!
xo,
S
What’s Hot: D. Porthault has introduced a new pattern and I love it! My grandmother had D. Porthault linens all over her Rhode Island summer home and i have loved them since I was a little girl. They can be fresh and modern depending on the rest of the room. The patterns below are from the Delices Indiens collection. Both patterns are from archived 1970s designs with a palette inspired by the colors and spices of India.
“Team Players” – by Nate Berkus and Anne Coyle. I love the library. The clustered art work creates a cozy vibe in the library. Dark blue (Farrow and Ball’s Off Black) glossy paint always sets art off nicely. This room does it for me- comfortable and elegant. Ticking stripe on the settee, a simple tufted arm chair on wheels, the brass tables, lamp, and ceiling fixture, ikat throw pillow, all resting on a sisal rug. Perfection. The huge arrangements of peonies is also stunning. Great propping!
“Classic Training” New York City Apartment. The family room carpet is beautiful. Made by Shyam Ahuja, you can customize the colors. The bold graphic pattern is so sharp and clean with an element of fun. I go long on fun and am all for this carpet! Perfect for a new client of mine. The 19th century Russian chandelier, chocolate brown glazed Christopher Spitzmiller lamps, and Warhol make this a warm and inviting room.
xo,
S
