AESTHETICALLY THINKING

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

2013-05-14T13:31:00.000-04:00

They say "the cobbler's children have no shoes" ... well in this instance this is certainly not the case! Ronda Rice Carman's new book Designers at Home, Personal Reflections on Stylish Living beautifully illustrates the intimate spaces of fifty leaders of design world. In my opinion, there is no space like that of your own home that says more about your personal style and aesthetic. That being said, we as designers, probably have a love/hate relationship with designing our own spaces. Our standards are exacting and sometimes (often) our taste preferences certainly exceed our pocketbooks (speaking for myself, of course). I remind my children frequently as they are complaining about my obsession with household details that I get paid good money to be OCD.

Our homes are our canvases on which we craft our art, so thank you Ronda for such a thoughtful glimpse into these extraordinarily talented designers' self-portraits!

Martyn Lawrence Bullard

Barry Dixon

Brad Ford

Steven Gambrel

India Hicks

Mary McDonald

Charlotte Moss

Christopher Spitzmiller

Vicente Wolf

THE WELCOMING HOUSE

2013-03-27T17:03:00.001-04:00

For years we have been shopping at Circa, the fabulous store owned and operated by Jane Schwab and Cindy Smith of Circa Interiors in Charlotte, North Carolina. Now just out, their new book depicting the classic Southern interiors they are so well known for, The Welcoming House, The Art of Living Graciously by Rizzoli is full of their trademark timeless rooms. Southern charm at its very best abounds- always welcoming, always warm, always inviting with stunning photography by one of my favorite people Laura Resen! Congratulations girls!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG....

2013-03-13T15:39:00.002-04:00

...or at least almost! The daffodils are up, the tulip trees are blooming and in Atlanta spring is truly the most spectacular time of the year. Carolyne Roehm's exquisite book Flowers encapsulates all the beauty the season has to offer in each and every sumptuous arrangement and vignette. There is nothing that transforms a room or a tabletop more than an elegant spray of flowers- c'est magnifique!

INSPIRED

2013-02-27T15:13:00.000-05:00

Mood boards or inspiration boards in our industry are indispensable. We are enlisted on a daily basis to create a visual dialogue with our clients and actually more to the point, with ourselves, in an effort to stimulate the creative juices within us or inspire the people we are having a dynamic aesthetic discussion with via imagery.

We all draw from visual stimulation in our respective worlds and I for one never know where that "aha" moment may stem from and move my soul. These "boards" are to the designer much like the drawing is to the artist...the purest expression of self.

Be inspired!

Alexa Hampton- The Language of Interior Design

Clarkson Potter Publishers

Photos: Scott Frances

David Scott- Outside The Box

Pointed Leaf Press

Photos: Antoine Bootz

Charlotte Moss Decorates

Rizzoli

Photos: Pieter Estersohn

Inspired Styles

Assouline

Photos: Barbel Miebach

Barbara Barry, Michael Berman, Eric Cohler, David Easton, Thomas O'Brien, Candice Olson, Suzanne Rheinstein, Windsor Smith, Kelly Wearstler, Michael Weiss, Vincent Wolf

PERFECTION IN PROVENCE

2013-02-21T13:53:00.003-05:00

The countdown has begun and I'm positively beside myself with anticipation! An invitation for a girl's trip to Provence in April? Mon Dieu- was this my lucky day or what??? Ginny Magher, designer extraordinaire, and her husband Craig, fell in love with a property in Paradou, Mas de Baraquet, tucked in the Alpilles near Saint-Remy. A labor of love ensued over the next two years to restore the bastide or country manor house with architect Bruno LaFourchade to its previous glory, while Bruno's wife Dominique redesigned the gardens. The end result is impeccable as both Ginny and Craig's love for this romantic farmhouse is apparent in each and every detail of this remarkable renovation! Ginny is the consummate hostess and as fun as she is beautiful....oh la la...joie de vivre!!!

Photography by Peter Vitale via The Houses of Veranda

LA BELLE EPOGUE

2013-01-28T12:24:00.000-05:00

Between Nice and Monaco on the Mediterranean coast, the Greek Villa Kerylos remains a standout as one of the most spectacular properties on earth! Built between 1902 and 1908, it is a stunning and faithful reconstruction of a luxurious Greek noble house from the 2nd century B.C.

In this tribute to Greek civilization, the owner Theodore Reinach, an archaeologist, and Emmanuel Potremoli, the architect, collaborated to create an original interpretation in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. I never tire of looking at the exquisite images rife with decadent, yet elegant details, epitomizing the best of La Belle Epogue.

http://www.villa-kerylos.com/en/home

Images via Pinterest

BOXWOOD HOUSE

2013-01-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

Two of the books that came my way during the holiday season were Miles Redd’s highly touted The Big Book of Chic and Danielle Rollins’ entertaining tome Soiree. Having been fortunate enough to see the before and after of the extraordinary renovation of Philip Trammell Schutze’s 1920 Boxwood House, it pleases me to no end to see it so beautifully depicted in not one but two books.

Truly a labor of love for Danielle along with the help of the superbly talented Miles, the house is a showstopper! I’ve loved seeing it evolve and what a stunning canvas it has been and will hopefully continue to be for many an elegant event! Enjoy!

Photography:

John Kernick

Quentin Bacon

Paul Costello

PURE & SIMPLE

2013-01-03T22:15:00.001-05:00

Barbara Barry's new book Barbara Barry: Around Beauty from Rizzoli was a gift for me from me this Christmas. Barbara has always been on my top ten list of all time favorite designers for very good reason and this long awaited book is precisely why! Forever elegant and edited, her aesthetic is near and dear to my heart. She sets the bar very high and remains an icon for me in my ongoing search for excellence.

This particular project in Jackson Hole is of particular significance in that it was a collaboration with someone else near and dear to my heart- my good friend and extraordinarily talented architect Peter Block. Together they made a formidable team and created a beautiful property nestled at the base of the Grand Tetons.

What could be more appropriate to start off 2013? Happy New Year everyone - may all our efforts in the coming months be this pure and simple! Cheers!

Credits

Peter Block Architects

http://peterblockarchitects.com/

Barbara Barry: Around Beauty

Rizzoli Publishing

Photographs by David Meredith

LET IT SNOW

2012-12-21T14:28:00.002-05:00

With the holidays upon us I, for one, am dreaming of a white Christmas! May the joy of the season be yours and best wishes for a happy and peaceful New Year!

All images via Pinterest

DECK THE HALLS

2012-12-19T15:53:00.000-05:00

...With boughs of holly. Fa la la la la la la la la!

All images via Pinterest

LET US GIVE THANKS

2012-11-20T13:44:00.000-05:00

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

G.K. Chesterton

via Martha Stewart

via Garden&Gun

ELWAY HALL

2012-11-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

GRACIOUS: "Marked by kindness and courtesy, characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, and the tasteful leisure of good breeding."

This definition embodies all that is my dear friend Barry Dixon and his home Elway Hall. I have had the great privilege of traveling well and yet have seldom experienced the gracious hospitality shown to us by our consummate hosts in Virginia. To say there was "no stone left unturned" is an extreme understatement-right down to the herd of deer appearing on the lawn precisely at dusk just as you were handed your signature cocktail by the fire.

The property is sprinkled with fairy dust-every moment more magical than the last- truly gracious living at its very best! Barry is the embodiment of gentility, and is my role model for all that is good, kind, and right with this world we live in. His Edwardian sensibilities are alive and well and I so hope someday we can all return to such a civilized way of life!

KYKUIT

2012-11-16T14:19:00.001-05:00

The last few weekends have been amazing from an aesthetic standpoint! I'm still reeling from sensory overload after spending three days in the Hudson Valley at the Rockefeller properties of Kykuit and Fieldwood Farms. Extraordinary in every way- our weekend started with dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. The barns were part of the Rockefeller estate and the property along with the stellar restaurant is dedicated to promoting sustainable agriculture and local food. We were hosted at Fieldwood Farms during our stay, the home built by John D. Rockefeller III and his wife Blanchette. In the wake of both Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent nor'easter, the wood burning fireplaces and an amazing collection of American art was food for the soul.

Saturday was spent on the grounds at Kykuit, the country home of John D. Rockefeller built between 1906 and 1913 by architects Delano and Aldrich and now part of the National Trust. We spent the morning wandering the Playhouse- the Tudor style mansion housing the indoor pool, tennis court and bowling alley. Our afternoon was spent touring the Big House with its interiors by Ogden Colman and meandering through the spectacular gardens designed by William Welles Bosworth.

A truly unforgettable weekend with equally extraordinary friends! Sometimes "life can be a dream!"

http://www.bluehillfarm.com/food/blue-hill-stone-barns/directions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kykuit

THERE'S A CHILL IN THE AIR

2012-10-18T13:39:00.001-04:00

"Listen! The wind is blowing and the air is wild with leaves. We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!"

Humbert Wolfe

"Morning in the Fall" by rclark

GIL SCHAFER AND THE GREAT AMERICAN HOUSE

2012-10-11T11:08:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of spending time with the very talented Gil Schafer the last two years at the Design Leadership Summit, so I was thrilled when I received an advance copy of his new book from Rizzoli, The Great American House: Tradition for the Way We Live Now. Not only is Gil one of AD's 100, but also a winner of Veranda's "Art of Design Award". In addition to being an amazing architect, Gil is also a very charming man with a fabulous sense of humor. The book is gorgeous, the photography luscious. It is positively inspiring down to the very last detail!

Gil will be speaking at ADAC on October 16th at 10 am and I, for one, cannot wait to grab a front row seat!

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

2012-10-02T14:05:00.001-04:00

I grew up in the South so needless to say, I'm no stranger to the art of taxidermy. Ours was a family of hunters - deer, duck, turkey, pheasant, quail and the large-mouth bass were the accessories of choice and to the men in the family, a cherished accessory at that.

In the world of interiors there has always seemed to be a fascination with bringing the outdoors in. Taxidermy, while controversial, clearly has a hold on design as aesthetically an animal is a work of art. I'd prefer it never be about the hunter preserving a trophy mount but created out of a desire to not waste.
"Let the wild rumpus start!"

For history of taxidermy see: www.ravishingbeasts.com

Hollister and Hovey

La Maison- Champs Elysees

Slim Aarons

Elle Decor

Eric Goode

Vogue Spain

Ernest Sewn

Jeffrey Bilhuber

Garden& Gun

Polly Wreford Photography

Chateaux Chenonceau

Marcus Peel Photography

French Interiors: The Art of Elegance

MA

2012-09-28T13:36:00.001-04:00

Michael and Alexandra Misczynski understand completely and viscerally what the Japanese call "Ma". The unseen energy surrounding objects, or rather the intrinsic importance of having open space in a house, as it is the void that is after all the beginning of everything.

Their new book Interiors/Atelier AM by Rizzoli is so nuanced and quietly eloquent. This quote from the book completely sums it up succinctly:

" A central tenet of their practice is the belief that architecture drives interior design, and that a house will never sing, regardless of the treasures it contains, if the architecture is compromised."

Well said and bravo!

ART & INTERIORS

2012-09-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

As an interior designer with a background in art history, the interior, as it is represented in fine art, has always intrigued me. There is a story within a story in every work- a sense of the space coupled with a reference to the that time and stylist sensibilities of that era. There is such a psychological element inherent in these pieces giving us a glimpse of what life was like at that particular moment- a brief look through the eyes of the artist into the soul of not only the interior but the people who inhabit them.

Vilhelm Hammershoi

Andrew Wyeth

Berthe Morisot

Childe Hassam

Claudio Bravo

Diego Velasquez

Edgar Degas

Edouard Manet

Edward Hopper

Giovanni Boldini

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Henri Matisse

James McNeill Whistler

Jan van Eyck

Jean Ingres

Jeremiah Goodman

Johannes Vermeer

John Singer Sargent

Julian Alden Weir

Mary Cassatt

Pierre Bonnard

Pieter de Hooch

Ramon Casas

Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema

William Merritt Chase

THE LAST HOORAH

2012-08-30T09:41:00.000-04:00

It's official - the last week of summer is here and fall is hopefully on its way. How very quickly time flies the older one gets and I don't know about you, but I didn't seem to get nearly enough time to enjoy the sea and the sun this year.

I scheduled two Christmas shoots today and am writing copy for a Holiday Showhouse, so please can I go to the beach just one last time......

via Pinterest

Cote Sud

Conde Nast

via Pinterest

Anders Schonnemann Photography

via Pinterest

Coastal Living

via Pinterest

Cote Sud

via Pinterest

Heather A. Wilson Architect

Cote Sud

Coastal Living

via Pinterest

Cote Sud

via Pinterest

Cote Sud

Johner Bildbyra

via Pinterest

Elle Decor

via Pinterest

Cote Sud

via Pinterest

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

2012-08-08T09:46:00.001-04:00

There are sometimes pictures that need no words......bring on the heat!

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR - ARIA VENTILATORI

2012-08-01T16:13:00.001-04:00

That cold winter's day in Florence many years ago feels a lifetime away-yet on that freezing cold day in the limonaia at the Giardino Torrigiani I looked up and saw it! The most beautiful ceiling fan in the world! That very day I became obsessed- was it antique? NO!! It's Italian! It was new! Where do I get one? How can I get it to America? We have to have it!

So here we are seven years later after three years getting it here, several "research and development" trips later (of course we HAVE to to to Capri to see it installed!), and a crash course in technical things I NEVER intended to learn EVER.....

There are now Aria Ventilatori fans installed in projects spanning the globe-una brezza bella italiana. Mille grazie to my dear friend Joanne Sims (the one REALLY responsible for all things Aria) for her diligence and never-ending attention to every detail and to all the fans of our fans everywhere!

La Minervetta

Capri Palace

Beth Webb Interiors AH&L

Westbrook Interiors

Capri Palace

Summerour & Associates

Beth Webb Interiors AH&L

Capri Palace

Beth Webb Interiors AH&L

William B. Litchfield Designs

Harrison Design Associates

Villa Tre Ville

Womack Interiors

___

THE BEAUTIFUL MICHELE BONAN

2012-07-16T14:21:00.001-04:00

The first time I walked into JK Place in Florence in 2003 I was smitten! They had just opened and I fell madly in love with every single detail on that exquisite property-the architecture and interiors done by Florence based Michele Bonan. A few years later I was in Capri and at the very top of my list of "must sees" was the new JK Place Capri, again by Michele. I was over the edge! To be a guest at either property is much akin to a weekend in a dear friend's country house. They are just that intimate and no detail has been overlooked. In my opinion, they set the bar, and a very high bar at that.
Michele Bonan is brilliant-a tour de force behind some very special properties, two others being the Heidelberg Suites and the Palazzo Tornabuoni. Timeless, classic and utterly elegant- I never tire of looking at his work!

JK Place Florence

Photos from Lonny Magazine

JK Place Capri

Heidelberg Suites

Photos from Elle Decor

Palazzo Tornabuoni

2012-06-29T13:55:00.000-04:00

VIRTUAL VACATION

It is supposed to be 105° today in Atlanta, it was 86° by ten this morning on a photo shoot - which was OUTSIDE by the way! So with two more meeting to go this afternoon, I needed a virtual vacation! Enjoy everyone and have a wonderful weekend!!

Mario Ciampi

Mario Ciampo

Mario Ciampi

Fritz von der Schulenberg

Louise Dahl-Wolfe

Toni Frissell

Arthur Elgort

Herman Landshoff

Norman Parkinson

John Rawlings

Sources : En Passant par la Demeure / By The Light of the Sea by Jean-Loup Daraux

An Island Sanctuary / A House in Greece by John Stefanidis

Resort Fashion by Caroline Rennolds Milbank

2012-06-26T16:35:00.001-04:00

ILLUMINATE ME PLEASE

I've been traveling a lot lately and there appears to be a frightening trend in commercial bathroom design. Consider this a formal complaint in fact, directed at the hospitality design industry. Don't get me wrong, as I am all about the "design aesthetic", but I am a woman and as said woman, there is that whole hair and makeup thing at least once and often twice a day! Who is responsible for the lighting going into hotel bathrooms of late? I'm talking about some five-star hotels here! How does one ever get dressed with fluorescent bulbs? It's hard enough for one to look good at a certain age and stage of life in the warm glow of incandescent - but fluorescent - no way (not even at twenty years old). In the ghoulish green glare of a fluorescent, no one looks good! Also, did you know you need twice as much light to see at fifty-five as you did at twenty ???

So, to be most effective begin the bathroom lighting at the vanity with the lights that do the most work. These lights must be bright enough so you can see to shave or apply makeup, but soft enough to compliment facial features. Fixtures located on the side of the mirror really should be at eye level to be most effective.When selecting a fixture style, choose one that has a translucent lens to avoid glare.

Bulb selection is as important as the fixture. Try colored or frosted bulbs designed to enhance the skin tones. A halogen light above the vanity provides cross illumination when used in conjunction with wall sconces. You want to avoid using recessed alone, as the shadows can be horrendous!

Layers in the final end are always the key to success when it comes to lighting. So here is my plea to all those sitting at the drafting table - just remember there are people staying in those luxury properties who are just a little ways past twenty-two!

to go further : http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,403815,00.html

via Pinterest

Michael S. Smith

Miles Redd

Phoebe Howard

Gary Spain

via Pinterest

Cococozy

Steven R. Gambrel

Steven R. Grambel

Steven R. Gambrel

David Scott

via Pursley Architecture

via Pinterest

Celerie Kemble

2012-06-21T12:54:00.000-04:00

SHOE FETISH

Absolutely everything about the shoe designer William Frawley's Soho loft sends me! Precocious as a child, Frawley was obsessed with drawing anatomically correct figures as early as three years of age. He later went to Parson's and over the last three decades amassed a "jaw-dropping" collection of nude studies and sketches mostly done between 1898 and 1907. We share the same passion for figurative works which is why I'm so drawn to this cabinet of curiosities.

Did I mention that in addition to the fabulous art and the myriad objects, Frawley also has a massive collection of vintage shoes and handbags-about 3400 to be exact. I'm certain I could move right in!

Photographer : LAURA RESEN for ELLE DECOR