katyelliott.com

Cotton Prints from V&A Quilt Show

Katy Elliott — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:27:36 +0000

Miss Chelsea over at {frolic!} tipped me off to this fabric. The fabric is part of a quilt show at the Victoria & Albert museum in London. The fabrics above were reprinted by Liberty from old quilts from the early 1800’s and can be purchased through their site.

My mom is making me a quilt using some of my favorite prints with a box of fabrics Greg’s mom gave me before she passed away a few years ago. I want the quilt to be a scrap style showcasing everyone of my favorite designs including some beautiful floral liberty prints. It’s going to be pricey to gather all the fabrics but I know it will be something I will treasure for the rest of my life. Below a few quilts featured in the show at the Victoria & Albert museum through July 4, 2010.

Ordering Sample Paint Pots

Katy Elliott — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:55:34 +0000

I ordered some sample paint pots from Farrow & Ball for my den this morning. Hopefully they will come by the end of the week and we can try them out on the walls. I am leaning towards painted the trim an creamy gray off-white. I really like the idea of green moulding but I’m feeling like I will regret it 10 years. I really don’t want to repaint moulding after we painstakingly stripped all the paint off. Walls I can deal with repainting.

Above a few of my selections. The images on my computer look nothing like the paint chips appear in real life. Color is so hard to depict accurately on a computer screen. Images get photo shopped and every computer screen shows colors differently. I advise ordering sample pots before choosing a color. Below a few of the color combos I picked paired with cream trim and my color card in the morning light.

Trim Options:
Off-White
Lime White
Joa’s White
Clunch

Wall Colors:
Theresa’s Green
Light Blue
Cooking Apple Green
Saxon Green
Green Ground
Vert De Terre
Breakfast Room Green (to try on moulding)

Ben Pentreath Ltd.

Katy Elliott — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:12:51 +0000

I came across Ben Pentreath’s flat in the book, Perfect English over the weekend. His style is what I aspire too. Layers of pattern, antiques, and art that is approachable but classic. The small chair in the upper right of the photo is upholstered in men’s suiting. I love the gray field with the red stripe—a color a combo I think would be perfect for my den.

Ben runs a great shop in London offering accessories, art, and furniture with a nod to classicism. The store is filled to the brims but finds flow through patterning and symmetry. For those of us unable to make the trip across the pond, Ben has a great online shop filled with all his favorite essentials.

Ben Pentreath Ltd.
17 Rugby St
Bloomsbury
WC1N 3QT
benpentreath.com

Rose Tarlow: Textiles & Wallpapers

Katy Elliott — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:04:19 +0000

Last week Jennifer shared with me some great tips for decorating my den. One of my favorite suggestions was upholstering the sofa in Avignon from Rose Tarlow (above upper right-hand corner). I’m in love with the fabric—feminine but not over the top.

When I clicked over to Tarlow’s website I found all kinds of great stripe fabric (above) and beautiful wall coverings (below). How did I not know of this gorgeousness? The fabric is to the trade which is a bummer but many design centers now offer design services. Check the list of showrooms for purchasing information. Above and below just a few of my favorites. I love ‘Bloomsbury‘ in Merlot (above lower right-hand corner). How beautiful would those flowers be as drapes?

Spring Comes To New England

Katy Elliott — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:47:49 +0000

I can’t believe my daffodils are coming up. Spring is around the corner—it’s just 15 days away according to our vernal equinox. I can’t wait for my town to explode into color. The magnolia trees that blossom in late April are my favorite. Wait? So we really have another 2 months of cold? That doesn’t seem right or fair. Happy Weekend!

Expert Design Advice: Jennifer Condon

Katy Elliott — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:15:34 +0000

Interior from David Oliver’s book Print & Paper

A few weeks ago Lizzie Bailey help me brainstorm ideas for my den. This week Jennifer Condon a NYC-based stylist and interior decorator shares her tips. I worked with Jennifer at House & Garden and domino. She blows me away every time with her list of resources—she’s an amazing market editor. Below her suggestions and links to amazing textile designers and products. Enjoy!

I love this room and the amazing moulding that you have preserved. With such gorgeous details, I would definitely support your idea of painting the mouldings and trim dark with lighter walls. David Oliver’s Paint Library has gorgeous shades of green—I love the bluish Quench the Gloom and Sobek shades for the trim with a soft yellowish shade like Fennel done at 50% for the walls. The image above is from Oliver’s book Print & Paper featuring gray-green trim with yellow wall. A color combination like this should add warmth when there’s little light in the summer as well as seem bright and cozy reflecting the sun in the winter.

Fennel is shown at 100% (below). It would be a lot lighter at 50%.

I don’t think you need curtains if you don’t want them for privacy or light control. I agree they could look awkward with that strong crown moulding, and frankly think the room will seem cozy enough without them. If you want to incorporate your love for florals and stripes throughout the room, why not put bookcases on the two interior walls (the ones without the fireplace and windows) and line those with the fabric?

Beautiful English garden florals applied against the shelving walls would be super chic and unexpected. I love this image of classic English chintz (from an article by Thomas Jayne on Interior Design’s website). When done well, these bold florals make a room so engaging with their movement and colors. John Colefax, Rose Cummings, and Dorothy Draper are some of my favorite designers for strong sophisticated chintz patterns. I also love Isaac Mizrahi’s recent Mega Chintz for S Harris. I think mixing up the scale in an area like this would be fantastic. I’d also reserve a few yards of your favorite(s) to make throw pillows for the sofa or chairs.

I would recommend building and installing your own shelves and cabinets with that handy man of yours, then hanging your favorites patterns throughout the sections. (I just saw this done beautifully somewhere and now can’t find the image!) Mixing smaller lots allows you to use more patterns (great if you can’t narrow down favorites as well as being more cost effective if you can buy large samples and scraps.) If you don’t want to DIY, I recommend the Billy bookcase from IKEA for the classic design, unbeatable price, and color options. I would also recommend choosing a model with lockable doors on the bottom for keeping more valuable books and decorative objects away from little hands to pick up and throw.

If you envision the space as a run-around for kids, I would definitely have a large rug on the floor. Woven cotton or acrylic rugs are great for crawlers, walkers, and all sorts of inevitable bangs. The washable ones are great for little feet, hosing down spills, and dragging around. Dash & Albert has the best striped and plaid options for the money. I also love adding a little bohemian flair into a traditional space and would recommend the acrylic Tibetan inspired Lhasa from Fab Habitat. The graphic lines of these patterns will also help balance the softness of the florals.

In a room like this you want to feel like you can curl up and get cozy. I would try and find a balance between traditional reading chairs and low, modern pieces with clean lines. This keeps the space balanced, as well as providing easy to use, easy to transition pieces. Low, comfy pieces are easiest for lounging and playing, while a proper arm chairs give you a place to sit and read or drink wine in front of the fire.

For the former, I love EVERYTHING that Caravane does for a space like this—her pieces are beautiful, luxurious and relaxing without being bulky or seeming too casual. The Canape lit Babu is great for its small proportions and the fact that it is also a pull-out sofa for extra guests. I also love the super sexy Pancha Divan How much fun would it be to gather on this (alone or with children) with a stack of books or magazines in front of the fire or on a lazy summer day? Covered in a beautiful pale nubby linen, or soft floral stripe like Avignon from Rose Tarlow, it would look fantastic piled with cozy tartan throws in the winter and crisp linen pillows in the summer. Anta makes the best cushions and throws for this. Below a few cozy wool cushions for winter and crisp linen ones for summer.

For armchairs, I love the Standard Arm and Dahl chairs by George Smith. If you’d rather not spend 4 (or 5!) figures on your chairs, the Colefax arm chair from Ballard Designs is a nice substitute. I would recommend a soft small scale floral or stripe for the chairs. Cecil Beaton did a number of prints that would work great, such as Ashcombe stripe White on linen, Beaton rose Mink, or Pelham Check White. Then adding throw pillows of your bolder florals to tie it all together. I also love the non-floral needlepoints from Chelsea Textiles and the cushion covers from Aleta as additional options.

Accent pieces are the perfect way to incorporate something from a disparate culture. Since you are using predominantly English and American fabrics and furniture, I would throw in something Asian, African or Scandinavian. I love this coffee table with the pieces from Caravane. Or if you would prefer to have an open space with small side tables, I recommend this lattice option. Both are beautiful Moroccan design without being too loud.

Chelsea Textiles also does fabulous small tables and accent pieces. I love their new line of mid-century inspired pieces. The clean shapes, soft colors, and elegance would look great with your colors and architecture. I would top it off with this woven lamp from Mainly Baskets which complements both the modern lightness of the furniture and organic strength of the fabrics.

This has been so much fun! Thanks for distracting me from less fun projects. Did I give you enough specifics? There are so many details left to discuss! Let me know if you need any help actualizing this. I love a paint roller and a glue gun.

Thanks Jennifer that was A-mazing! Jennifer can be reached for design consultations at jenniferjcondon@yahoo.com.

Porthole Mirror

Katy Elliott — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:39:14 +0000

Image from Authentic Models

I have a thing for portholes. When I did a search on Amazon this afternoon I found all kinds of different versions from nickel, brass and bronze plated. So cool. I love the idea of putting a few in secret spots throughout the house. Prices range from $34-$300 each depending on size.

Bronze porthole mirror $212.

Nickel porthole mirror $255

Recipe: Brioche

Katy Elliott — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:51:42 +0000

After making brioche I gave myself a pat on the back. If I can make brioche I can do anything, right? Probably not anything but conquering a recipe that is known for a high failure rate is a huge ego boost. I kept saying to my boyfriend, “I made this. Amazing, right?” Hopefully the rush I feel from conquering brioche will extend to other parts of my life like getting my butt back to yoga.

The brioche “tastes like heaven” according to my boyfriend. It’s insanely buttery, silky, crusty good. Pretty close to perfection in a breakfast treat. The recipe I used called for three sticks of butter which makes it pretty rich. I’ve had a belly ache after every piece, which really hasn’t stopped me from eating more, but I thought I should put it out there as a warning.

The recipe I used is from Dorie Greenspan’s book, Baking: From My Home To Yours. The cinnamon swirl bread I made a few weeks ago is from the same book. If you don’t know Dorie she writes a great blog, has written countless cookbooks, and also writes a column for Bon Appetit. Instead of me typing out the entire recipe I am going to send you to over to a piece Dorie did for Bon Appetit called, Brioche Made Easy. The recipe is slightly different then version featured in her book but I am sure it’s a winner too. The article includes great tips and a recipe. Above and below photos from my brioche that I choose to make into a loaf. So delicious. Enjoy!

p.s. I turned the other half of the dough into Honey Pecan Sticky Buns for Friday morning breakfast. See photos below.

Striped Sofa in Green Room

Katy Elliott — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:30:05 +0000

I’ve had this photo on my desktop for a few days. I of course love the green walls. But how great is the blue toned stripe sofa? The colors vibrate off the green walls. Stripes never photograph well but I bet in real life it’s stunning. From the portfolio of Katrine Martensen-Larsen discovered last week.

Chelsea Papers From Farrow & Ball

Katy Elliott — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:11:00 +0000

Farrow & Ball’s wallpaper has an amazing tactile quality that is achieved by block printing the designs in traditional techniques. A flat computer generated image just doesn’t do them justice. Order a few samples through their website and you’ll see what I mean. I’ve had my eye on a few prints for my bathroom and entryway if I ever get my renovation done.

Farrow & Ball just launched their newest collection, Chelsea Papers. The prints are inspired by original 19th century, pure silk woven jacquards. The papers are available in a number of different colorways. I’m attracted to pinks, greens, blues, and neutral tones. Above and below the papers featured in the new collection Peony, Wisteria (love!), and Petal Stripe. Find out more at farrow-ball.com.