Steven Shell Furniture

Thanks to AO reader Gray, of Posh fame, I discovered the brightly painted furniture pieces of Steven Shell. Incredibly fun, I think one single piece in an otherwise traditional or neutral interior would be a big hit.

Gray brought this line to my attention because they carry pieces based on Paule Marrot's work. Like these:

The site is positively brimming over with pieces - these are but a mere few that caught my eye.  I don't know pricing info, but if you are interested, contact Gray - I'm sure she can help you out.

 

Beach Finds

I am just back from a glorious week at the beach with my in-laws and it was wonderful. We had a bit of rain, but it still made for a relaxing vacation. And what is the best thing to do when it rains? Shop, obvi.

Although I only picked up a small $6 urn (and a copy of The Great Gatsby for $1), many things caught my attention. And lots of Chinoiserie!

An adorable two-headed lamp. I would replace the shades and spraypaint it. This item was heavily considered.

Mr. and Mrs. Chinoiserie figurines. Also heavily considered. (Wait, why didn't I buy these?)

The picture does not do this tea set justice. The light jade green of the porcelain with an awesome pink dragon was quite the combo.

Brass koi candlesticks.

So, I called this (in my head) the Nefertiti print. No idea if this is Nefertiti (doubtful) but how awesome would this look on a wall (in my house)? Ugghhh, so cool. Loved it. 

A pair of cool palm lamps. Shade replacement advised. 

This rug was pink and blue and awesome all over. I wanted it so badly. But it was a tweener size, and thus I had no good spot for it.

 Adorable elephant plate. 

 This guy.

Those were my thrift finds, but I also saw some snazzy high-end items.

A Wedgewood-esque garden stool. 

And this picture also does not do this piece justice, but it was orange and it had the most beautiful Chinoiserie motif and details. I left my heart with it.

If only I had endless funds and a truck to haul all of this loot back with me. But it was fun to look.

 

Friday Crush

Wrapping up this week of wallpaper crushing with one of the most brilliant uses of Thibaut's Fishbowl I've ever seen, from Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things.

Hope you had a fab week! See you Monday!

 

Wallpaper Crush: Sheffield

I have been drooling over this paper for a LONG time - Sheffield by Thibaut in orange. And it's so good, I found it worthy of showcasing all colorways:

As an ode to my Alma Mater, I would paper a library or a study with this gem. Or perhaps a foyer that has some oversized ginger jars on a console table. So many possibilities...

Wallpaper Crush: Chinoise Exotique

Chinoise Exotique by Scalamandre in Mustard. If I had an expansive kitchen with dark cabinetry, this is the wallpaper that would grace its walls. Along with a settee upholstered in this fabric.

 

Wallpaper Crush: Blair House Palm

Welcome to another crush week. This time I'm posting some of my favorite wallpapers. I've been dreaming of wallpapering so many space in my house...a crush week is the next best thing.

First up, the classic Blair House Palm from Schumacher in Tropical. This leafy palm would be perfection for a little girl's room or a really fun dining room with pink silk chairs. I'd pair it with a stripe fabric in whichever of the paper's hues that strike your fancy. Upscale preppy at its finest.

 

Friday Crush

Photo by Roger Davies via elledecor.com

Crushing on this bedroom courtesy of Alex Papachristidis - what a fun hodge podge of accessories, colors and shapes. Though the wee chair is...interesting. I think my favorites are the decorative pillows on the bed - they make the room harmonize. Also of note is the way the bed is made - I firmly believe in white linens and I love the tucked-in coverlet with the simply laid head pillows and folded blanket. No need for a bed to be fussy to look fantastic.

Have a glorious (HOT) weekend. See you Monday!

 

Peach

Photo by Laurey W. Glenn via Southern Living, Design by Annie Werden*

Peach is one of those colors, along with maroon and hunter green, that has not seen its heyday since 1983. Or is that too harsh an assessment? I know I tend to stay away from it. But then I saw this image, with all its freshness and whatnot, and started to see the merits of this apricot hue.

I absolutely LOVE that piece of art against the white wall and fireplace. Peach + white + taupe is quite the chic combination. And with brass accessories (and a shout-out to those urns in the windows), well, it's good. Really good.

I shouldn't be surprised that I'm coming around to the virtue of peach - it is, after all, what you get when you mix Orange and Pink.

*UPDATE: Reader Kristin let me know that the pic is from Baltimore designer Annie Werden's home, as seen in the March 2011 Southern Living (how on earth did I miss it when I looked at the issue??) And the painting is "The Cotton Candy Machine" by her aunt Martha Dodd. Thanks Kristin!

Watery Blues

Two years (and change) into owning our home, we are now contemplating the renovation of our basement. Our basement is a little gold mine of space - three rooms, a laundry area, and a full bath. And it's half finished, so we have a good starting point.

Our house desperately needs a "comfy" den - somewhere to relax on a big couch and watch TV. We currently house our TV in our living room, but it's not the most comfortable place to stretch out and relax. So the plan is to turn the largest of the three rooms in the basement into this space.

I'd love for it to look something like this:

Design by Anne Hepfer, Photo by Virginia Macdonald, via houseandhome.com

Remember I said it is a basement den, so forget the natural light. That won't be happening. But I love the lighter, watery tones of the room, as well as the deep brown wood. Aqua blues, sandy taupes, brass accents.

Carter is terrified that I'm going to put foo dogs in every corner of the basement den, which he has claimed as his territory. Though I am not allowing use of the term "man cave," I do agree that it will be a space for him to work (we'll likely move his desk there) and relax. So, the design of the space needs to suit big C, which isn't a huge challenge because the man has good taste.

The brainstorming has officially begun...I'm hoping we tackle the space this fall. I'm really looking forward to this (future) project - should be a fun room to put together!

 

Dressing Room Design

I came across this wallpaper and thought it would be absolutely lovely in a dressing room:

Leopard Blossom Wallpaper

Let's pair it with a set of these lamps on either side of the dressing table:

Zinnia Lamp

And we'll sit in this big chair while doing our makeup and hair:

Thurston Wing Chair

And we will obvi need a mirror to check out our good work:

Bamboo Mirror

Then we'll slip into these before heading out the door:

Shoes

Nice work, team.

 

Paule Marrot

The latest issue of Lonny did a wee spread on Natural Curiosities and the print "Feathers" by Paule Marrot demanded my attention. And once I viewed the rest of the collection from this new-to-me French textile designer, I was completely hooked. What GORGEOUS works of art.

From Natural Curiosities:

"Natural Curiosities recently acquired the beautiful textile archives of French engraver, painter, and textile artist Paule Marrot (1902-1987). Early in her career, Marrot shifted her emphasis from painting to textiles to create expressive patterns from the 1920s through the 1950s. Marrot’s bold use of flowers, color and patterns reflect a compositionally modernist style classically associated with the Art Deco movement. Marrot’s artistic influences include the expressive writings of Marcel Proust, as evident in her work Du coté de chez Swann, based on Proust’s book In Search of Lost Time."

The offerings from NC appear to be prints of her textile work and while not inexpensive (Lonny quotes "Feathers" at around $2,500), they are certainly things of beauty.

Have you come across these prints before or seen Marrot's work elsewhere? I'd be interested to hear...

 

Friday Crush

Head over to My Little Happy Place to read about a Friday Crush from my own house.

Have a lovely weekend and see you Monday!

 

Impulse Buy

I couldn't resist.

Guest bedroom #2 (which doubles as my office, sometimes) needed this pillow. The room is suffering from a bit of an identity crisis, so I'm just stuffing it with all sorts of things that I like. And this pillow was too awesome to pass up.

I got it on Etsy from seller leahduncan - seems she has another one up for grabs too!

 

Ken Malson Art

The Domicile Interior Design tag sale happening on One Kings Lane right now is fantastic...chock full of Chinoiserie. Many of the items are right up my alley but my favorite pieces are these incredible paintings by Ken Malson:

LOVE. The first one would look slammin' in my house. And I adore the hues and Georgia O'Keeffe vibe of the third and fourth ones (from a series called "Last Seen Out West"). The colors of these canvases would provide amazing palettes for a space.

Some of the paintings have sold, but there are still a good number available, and even more that I haven't pictured. You have to be an OKL member to access the sale, but let's be honest, you probably are.

Rustic Color from Jeffers Design Group

I am starting to have a serious obsession with the work of San Francisco-based Jeffers Design Group. Ever since this bathroom caught my eye, I've been interested in the spaces created by this group of talented designers.

My recent review of their portfolio just has me spellbound. In particular, this project:

All images via jeffersdesigngroup.com

I am not one for rustic spaces. And let's be honest, this home isn't exactly "rustic" - but the woodwork throughout (ceiling beams, doors) and earthy walls and flooring do give it that vibe. So I LOVE the mix of modern art and vibrant furniture with an otherwise "natural" space. Can't say I've seen this done too often.

If I lived on a California ranch, this is what my ideal home would look like. What talent, this JDG. There is nothing better than being completely inspired.