lunes, 31 de mayo de 2010

DORMITORIOS DE UN DEPARTAMENTO

Este video nos muestra 2 dormitorios. El primero es un dormitorio principal en tonos claros y con una cabecera calada iluminada muy original que me encantó cuando la vi. Luego muestran un dormitorio juvenil para una chica que quería un dormitorio original pero de estilo clásico:







Estos originales y lindos diseños de Mayte Solari y Alicia Meza, fueron mostrados en el programa de arquitectura y decoración Proyecto Hogar,
Fuente: Dormitorios.

We Have A Winner!!

 

image Patricia Van Essche at her easel.

 

In one of my most popular giveaways yet, a custom portrait by PVE Design HERE, we now have a winner.  Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway.   And remember, if you really wanted a custom drawing by Patricia, her prices are very, very reasonable, so please consider commissioning her for birthday and  Christmas gifts. 

 

image The Winner’s Blog:  Loving Every Minute of It (I LOVE this picture – it’s so Texas Hill Country with its fossil laden paths!!)

 

Our winner is Ariel, who writes a Mommy blog called Loving Every Minute of It HERE.  I am so thrilled she won and couldn’t have picked a more deserving person – she even lives in the Texas Hill Country.   Ariel wants Patricia to draw the 100 year old cottage she lives in with her husband and three sons.    Hopefully, Patricia and Ariel will be willing to share the finished drawing with us!

Congratulations Ariel – and thank you so much Patricia for your generous giveaway.

 

COMING UP NEXT:   One of the BIGGEST giveaways ever!  I am soooo excited about this.  You will be too – I promise!!!  Details will be coming, very very soon.

sábado, 29 de mayo de 2010

DORMITORIO SEX ON THE CITY CARRIE BRADSHAW BEDROOM

Para las que nos gusta la serie Sexo en la ciudad o Sex on the City, aqui el dormitorio de Carrie Bradshaw. Den un mirada, hay muchas ideas como los cuadros en la cabecera de la cama:





Un dormitorio chic y glomoroso en azul, con lámparas y espejos.
Sex and the City Bedroom: The Movie. Carrie Bradshaw’s bedroom in the Sex and the City movie perfectly reflects the whimsical, quirky, romantic style the TV series was famous for. The bright blue walls, the bold patterned bedding, the mirrored vanity all exude Carrie’s confidence. Her art collection is a dramatic extension of her headboard and is a true nod to her personal style.
Imágenes y fuentes: static.guim.co.uk, gaitainteriors.com, elledecor.com via Dormitorios

viernes, 28 de mayo de 2010

No More Granny Wicker!

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It’s amazing how something as simple as a new finish can come along and make everything else look so dated and out of style.  Lately, this phenomenon has happened to wicker.  Suddenly, gray wicker – or a gray washed wicker - has exploded on the scene and all other wicker stains and finishes look so…. granny.   

No one loves wicker more than I do – especially dark, deep brown stained wicker.  But, that’s all over now.   The end of dark brown wicker came when I started noticing the gray wicker finish here and there.   I also used to love white wicker.   No more.   Does anyone out there want to buy some white and dark brown wicker?    I’ve got a few pieces for sale!

 

 

image My guest room – yep, there it is, hiding its ugly face in the corner!  A dark brown stained wicker chair, just waiting to be replaced.  It thinks if it keeps hiding it will go unnoticed. 

 

 

image And oh, I used to love white wicker.  No more.  Sold to the highest bidder!

 

 

image Ah…there she is.  The most gorgeous wicker chair in the world.  Gray wicker.  It’s color is subtle:  light brown with a hint of a whitish gray paint covering it.  This chair is perfect either inside or out.   I especially love it in a dining room paired with a limed wood table.

 

 

image Just like this!  Jill Brinson’s gorgeous dining room.   The chairs look especially good when placed near the gray faux finished cabinets.   PERFECTION!

 

 

image These gorgeous chairs were seen in the Kirby Mears designed house in Veranda.   They are sold at Thompson Hanson in Houston as “Belgian Wicker.” 

 

 

image Brooke Giannetti of Velvet and Linen pairs her gray wicker with grayish old shutters.   So beautiful!

 

 

image The same chairs then go outside on Brooke’s gravel courtyard.  

 

 

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Houston interior designer Sally Wheat used these gray wicker chairs in a breakfast room – paired with a Wisteria steel table. 

 

 

image In this house, Sally Wheat used the gray wicker with painted legs as bar stools.  

 

 

 

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For this client, Sally took a paint brush to white wicker, turning it luscious gray.  Hmm.   That’s not a bad idea!!!

 

 

 

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Heaven on earth!  I ordered three sets of three wicker baskets – all heavenly gray. 

 

 

 image The smallest sized basket sits on my kitchen counter – filled with take out menus.

 

 

image  The medium sized basket on my bakers rack holds Elisabeth’s school books.

 

 

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My Albans client is borrowing a set of the baskets until she finds a Mora clock for that wall. 

 

 

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Noir Furniture LA is a great wholesale company for this chair.   Doxa Home HERE carries this chair for retail clients.

 

 

 

 

 

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Of course Restoration Hardware is all over the gray wicker.  They call it their Provence Collection.  And of course the French would want credit for this gorgeous wicker. 

 

 

image  Restoration Hardware:  It is a pretty collection.  Not as fluid or sensual as the chairs with curved lines though.

 

 

image Restoration Hardware:  These make great chairs for the inside dining room.

 

 

 

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OKA – the best catalogue in the world.  They get it.   HERE.

 

 

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Pottery Barn – you need to wise up.  These two shades are out, finished, over, done-with, out of style.   Get with the program, Pottery Barn!

 

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While I am dying to get with the program myself – and change out all my wicker to the new gray - for the moment, I am going small.  I recently bought two tiny gray wicker baskets with filled with succulents at Thompson Hanson (of course!)    For now, I will be happy with my small nod to the new gray wicker.   Ben is hoping this will get me through the trend.   Somehow, I doubt it.   But – we’ll see!!!  It might!

 

 

image For now, I will be happy with my small nod to the new gray wicker.   Ben is hoping this will get me through the trend.   Somehow, I doubt it.   But – we’ll see!!!  It might!

 

 

REMEMBER:   PVE Design give away ends on Saturday -  hurry and sign up!!!!

miércoles, 26 de mayo de 2010

A Wonderful Custom Giveaway!!!!!

 

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Above - The country house of the famous French chef Michel Guerard and his wife Christine was featured in a foreign design magazine some time ago.  The couple own a Relais and Chateau hotel, Les Prés d’Eugénie, whose rooms are located in over five separate and beautiful dwellings.  For more information on their hotel, see HERE.   Besides wonderful meals, the hotel offers cooking lessons and has a highly touted spa.  

Note:  I love the gravel driveway that so many French country houses have – so much better looking than the drab concrete drives we Americans cling to!!!  And I love the simple landscaping – using just boxwoods – especially around the house itself.  

 

 

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The bedroom at the Guerards mas with traditional terra cotta tiles and French antique furniture.  I love the antique Swedish stove, pictured on the left!

 

image Of course the Guerards would have a fully functional kitchen – that stove – to DIE for!!!!!

 

 

 

 

image Same room, different view:  – I love how the inside of the armoire is painted.  Makes me want to run home and paint the inside of my armoires.  But, Ben would probably have me committed. 

 

 

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Close up of the house, an inspiration for PVE Design.

 

Because the article is written in French, it was hard for me to completely understand the story.   But the pictures were enough to capture the eye and imagination of Patricia van Essche, the author of the blog PVE Design and a long time email friend of mine.  Patricia is a noted artist who specializes in hand drawing charming illustrations for her clients – many whom place orders for greeting cards, notecards, or branding logos.   Patricia emailed me to say that she had seen a house I would love – and just a few weeks later - I received this article of the Guerards mas, along with an original illustration of the house, framed!!!

 

 

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Close up of Patricia’s original illustration of the Guerards house, taken from the magazine article.  I love how Patricia perfectly captured the landscaping with the sculpted box.

 

 

image Here’s a picture of Patricia’s illustration of the Guerards house – showing where I hung it in front of my bookcases.  Unfortunately the glass picks up the glare in the photographs!!!    I was so excited to get such a wonderful gift from Patricia!    And, this wasn’t even the first time Patricia had been so generous to me.  A few years ago, she created an illustration celebrating my birthday – AND she then made the illustration into notecards which I loved using!!!

 

 

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Here’s a close up of her charming birthday greeting!!  Patricia added so many personal details – the Texas and French flags, the design books, my two dogs, my zebra pillows, sea shells, the Texas armadillo!! – even my flower urn.  She has such a great eye for detail.    

 

 

imageThe beautiful and elegant Patricia van Essche at work.    I love this photograph!  It looks like a painting itself.

The Giveaway:

Today, we are having a giveaway – generously donated by Patricia, pictured above at her easel.  The giveaway will be one of Patricia’s custom illustrations – based on either the winner’s house or pet!!!  That’s right – the winner will receive a personal, custom illustration!  And the winner picks the subject matter!!!

 

 

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Here is a Christmas card that Patricia did for a family – featuring six of her drawings.

 

 

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Here’s another custom watercolor of an estate.

 

Now, in order to win this giveaway – you only need to visit Patricia’s web site and decide if you would choose either a watercolor of your house or your pet – something else.  Look around at all her examples she has created for other clients to get ideas.  To visit her web site, click HERE.   Then, return here to my blog and leave me a comment telling me which subject you choose!   If you are an anonymous poster – be sure you add your email address in case you win!!!  Drawing closes this Saturday – so *hurry up!!!!!

 

As always - GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DORMITORIO MARRON Y AZUL DE CANDICE OLSON DISEÑO DIVINO

Elegante dormitorio matrimonial, para quienes gustan de habitaciones en colores oscuros.



Un bellísimo dormitorio matrimonial diseñado por Candice Olson en el programa Diseño Divino. En esta oportunidad usa colores oscuros como marrón y azul.
Con diferentes texturas y detalles como lámparas incrustadas en una alta cabecera acolchada, cortinas brillantes y espejos en las mesas de noche, logra crear ese ambiente mágico que siempre logra en sus programas de decoración.
Pronto, los videos de Diseño Divino.
Fuente: Dormitorios

lunes, 24 de mayo de 2010

DORMITORIO PARA NIÑAS EN COLORES BLANCO FUCSIA NEGRO CON MURAL ADHESIVO

Un bello dormitorio para niñas en 3d, en colores blanco, fucsia, rosa, negro y amarillo, donde resalta el mural adhesivo con la foto de las niñas.




Cuenta con un escritorio en la esquina de la habitación y luces indirectas que salen tras los círculos decorativos.

Otro diseño de la Arquitecta Carla Cruz de doblecestudio.com.
Fuente: Dormitorios

domingo, 23 de mayo de 2010

The Lady In Yellow

 

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If you are like me, this cover of Veranda is instantly recognizable as an interior done by Mary Douglas Drysdale, the iconic interior designer from Virginia.  In the 90s, Mary was featured on this cover of Veranda and for several years, this color combination became her trademark.  Who could forget those gorgeous silk plaid curtains?  I never did.  In fact one of my earlier jobs had curtains exactly like this in a shameless attempt at copying her! 

 

 

imageMary is known for using classic antiques mixed with contemporary art work.  Her interiors aren’t exactly minimalist, but clutter is banished in favor of over scaled accessories:  a large rooster, a sunburst mirror (before they were “in”),  and wind vanes – all favorites of Mary’s.  

 

 

imageHere, the yellow had become deeper – more vibrant, leaning toward orange.   During her career – Mary has been on over 60 covers!  An amazing achievement for someone with a small overhead - her staff numbers only four.  

 

 

 

image Yet, as often as Mary uses classic architecture and furniture, she also is comfortable designing using Americana motifs such as quilts and wind vanes.   She is as competent designing a large mansion as she is a centuries old stone farmhouse.  This  yellow and white bedroom shows the quilts Mary is known for, along with her famous plaid curtains and the large sunburst mirror. 

 

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Beautiful period antiques mixed in with contemporary art – a trademark.   Mary’s interiors often have classical architectural elements – elegant moldings and columns.  Mary does it all – she is actively involved in the plans from the ground up.  

 

 

 

imageModern art work mixes with  traditional furniture.  Mary loves to paint floors.   Rarely is a floor finished with just a plain wood stain.  Here the plaid curtains have become stripes.

 

 

image Gorgeous architectural elements - something Mary likes in her interiors.  She studied in Paris for three years before she opened her interior design business.  Notice the gorgeous gilt wind vane!  

 

 

imageAt her centuries old stone farmhouse, Mary was inspired by her neighbor’s pumpkins for her kitchen palette. 

 

 

image Yellow becomes orange!  Mary admits she loves white backgrounds with bright pops of color. 

 

 

 

A recent Veranda cover story showed this guest room in soothing greens with pops of pink.

 

 

 

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Mary says that many fabrics she uses are actually put together by herself using several different pieces sewn together.  In this recent project, the grand entrance hall is white with small pops of soft yellow and black accents.

 

 

 

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In the same house, the formal living room is all creams and ivories.  Notice the beautiful painted floor! 

 

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Mary Douglas Drysdale – a legend of our times, highly intelligent, hugely talented, and wonderfully talkative - visits the Skirted Roundtable this week.  Be sure to listen – you’ll be as enthralled as Linda, Megan and I were.  As always, your support and comments are most appreciated!!

 

 

To listen to Mary Douglas Drysdale on The Skirted Roundtable go HERE.