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Purple is supposed to be one of the hot colors of 2010 – and, as such, has been the center of some discussion in the blogosphere. It’s one of those colors that inspires strong feelings: people either love it or hate it. Personally, it’s one of my favorites. Whether aubergine, plum or lilac, I’m a huge fan. Unfortunately, I rather over-used purple in my student and rental days so have steered clear of it in interiors ever since. But this year’s resurgence of the color has me thinking again…
This French home, via Vintage + Chic, has contributed to my revived interest in purple in a major way. Against the backdrop of muted grays, this lilac tablecloth looks pretty but unpretentious. Photos are by Jordi Canosa.
The palest lavender and gray-toned purple create a restful, vintage feel.
Even the bathroom is all purple.
This next home uses purple to completely different effect. The combination of aubergine and gold is almost ecclesiastical, but the space still manages to be comfortable and eclectic. Via Automatism.
Used with pinks and reds, purple is also the perfect hue for giving your home that English country appeal. Via Peacock Feathers.
Or, mix it with metallics for the sugar plum fairy look. From Living Etc via Beauty Comma.
It even works with earth tones and natural textures like wood and hide rugs. Via Little Green Notebook.
This is one of my all-time favorite images, via Decor8, and shows how great pale lavender looks in a mostly white scheme.
More lilac and gray, this time combined with a sophisticated chinoiserie. If you’re going to indulge in a fanciful wallpaper like this, you may as well go the whole hog and choose an other-worldly purple for your colors. Via Simplified Bee, via Laura Casey Interiors.
Or, just to show that purple can be completely modern too, how about combining it with a fresh turquoise? Via My Scandinavian Retreat.
Still not sure about purple? Well consider some of its benefits: purple is meant to encourage creativity, flatter most skin tones and is also a perfect transitional color because it works in winter and summer. Or just take some inspiration from nature and see just how stunning and powerful purple can be…
Via this Flickr feed.
I find architects’ web sites to be a great form of escapism. Who wouldn’t appreciate the fabulous images of pristine homes, just ready for the owners to move in and make their mark? But, despite all the soaring ceilings and glossy kitchens, the images are often rather soulless. Just that little bit too perfect, perhaps. That’s why it’s such a delight to explore the portfolio of Feldman Architecture, a San Francisco-based firm which consistently delivers sustainable, beautiful, yet personal homes. Its pages are filled with images of furnished houses that display the interests and styles of their owners. At the moment, I’m particularly captivated by this gorgeous home in the hilly neighborhood of Bernal Heights.
The house was a dark, near-derelict 1860′s cottage. The challenge was to maintain the rustic charm, while opening up the space and injecting it with light.
I love the use of rough stone and wood, with more polished glass and metal – and those enormous sliding doors opening directly onto a deck.
The house is filled with quirky art and furnishings – those chairs are a surprising combination with the modern sofa.
The house seems to have two office spaces. This light-filled area would provide plenty of inspiration for working.
More skillful combinations of materials: rough-hewn wood, slate and lucite.
I love the red, gray and white of the master bedroom. The shelf above the bed is a really simple way to add interest – something I think I might do in our guest room. I must also make it a life mission to track down those lamps!
To my mind, this is the perfect chill-out bathroom.
The nursery is, as you’d expect, a departure from the rest of the house aesthetically-speaking. But it still has a cool vibe and clear sense of personality. Having nurseries on my mind, I’m appreciating the child-friendly storage ideas and the way the brown puts a grown-up twist on baby pink. Shame I’m having a boy, otherwise I’d pinch some of these ideas!
And just to prove this house has everything – a fabulous double-height library!
This home is a wonderful combination of old and new, inside and outside, cool and quirky. You can see more of Feldman Architecture’s work here.
There have been literally thousands of articles written about how to decorate with white. Given that it is the most frequently used – and often deemed safest – color for interiors, why is it so hard to get right? Perhaps it’s precisely because white is so ubiquitous that its risks are under-estimated.
I know that when I use white, it takes several attempts and a lot of tinkering before I’m truly happy with the effect. And yet, most of my favorite interior images are predominantly white. So I decided to tackle the problem head on and devise some easy-to-follow rules for using the interior decorator’s most faithful hue.
White on white
Via This is Glamorous.
I think this is the easiest way to use white – IF you follow the rule to the letter. To work, this look requires a strict palette of different whites (all cool or all warm) and, at most, neutrals like grays or beiges.
Via Peacock Feathers.
Via Decor8.
This look is fantastic with lots of natural textures like grainy woods, leather, stone, rough linens and soft wool.
Via Pure Style Home.
Painted surfaces can be chipped, scuffed or weathered for even more texture.
Via Remodelista.
Alternatively, you can go for high gloss white and glass, metallics and mirrors or sequins.
(Photo by Marc Gerritson via Desire to Inspire)
A combination of both rustic and sparkly looks great too. And don’t forget about shapes – using a combination of curvy, boxy and star-like pieces can keep the interest level up.
Via Bochenko Artdeco.
Photo by Anna Kern via Beauty Comma.
Via Decorology.
White with pastels
Via Peacock Feathers.
This is a really pretty, feminine look and a relatively easy way to use white. Combining white with one pastel, like rose pink or mint green is the safest option. I like to paint walls in a pastel and then use white for all the furniture, fabrics and flooring – again using a variety of textures and styles.
But you can also mix a few different pastels with white, providing they’re all of the same intensity.
Via Simplified Bee.
Or, ensuring that they all have the same amount of gray in them also helps.
Via Bochenko Artdeco.
For a more harmonious look, I would choose pastels that are closer together on the color wheel – blue, gray and green for example, or pink, peach and yellow.
White and one other color
Another good option is to use white with a single other color. Blue and white is a traditional example.
By Feldman Architecture via Houzz.
You can combine lots of different patterns small and large, if they stick to this same time-honored palette. Try to use similar blues, though, unless you are very confident in your color skills. Or, if you want variety, go with a very pale blue and a very dark blue like navy, along with the white. That will prevent conflict between the various shades.
Via Desire to Inspire.
Red and white is a good alternative to this recipe. Turquoise, emerald and orange also work well in isolation with white. Whichever you choose, though, try to use the colors in slightly different proportions: a room that has exactly the same quantities of red and white, say, just looks contrived. And you might want to throw in a few elements of black or dark brown to anchor the whole thing and stop it from looking to matchy-matchy.
White and black
Now established as a firm favorite for many of us, this bold combination would have required a bit of courage a couple of years back. That said, it’s relatively easy look to pull off. Again, think about proportion and try not to have each color in equal measure.
Via A Room Somewhere.
Think about texture, pattern and style and mix things up to keep the look interesting.
Via Slipcover Your Life.
Via Casapinka.
If you get the urge for a splash of color, temporary accents like flowers are the best bet or the whole effect will be diluted.
Via Desire to Inspire.
That said, I do like seeing the odd splash of yellow, pink or red in a black and white room – and gray-blue works well as a backdrop for spaces accessorized in only black and white.
White and brights
You’d think this would be easy – a safe white background should allow you to use whatever combination of brights you like, right? Wrong. Of course, you should do what you love and feel right living with. But my point is that it’s hard to feel comfortable with this look unless you get it right. In my experience, the use of several brights can just make the white elements look dull and boring – like a non-choice. The key is in the proportions. Either go for a predominantly white room with a few accents of brights (lime green pillows, a vase of pink peonies and a splash of yellow and turquoise art, for example).
Via Kika Reichart.
Via Coco + Kelley.
Via Ill Seen, Ill Said.
Or, really layer in the brights and use the white for negative space only (which means you probably don’t want any white next to white unless it’s a different texture.
Via Peacock Feathers.
Again, sticking to bright colors close to each other on the color wheel (pinks, purples, reds for example) helps pull it all together.
Via Beauty Comma.
What’s your experience of using white? Do you agree with these guidelines or do you have better suggestions? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ve made enough mistakes with white and know plenty of others who’ve done the same so some simple rules would save us all a lot of heartache!
(First image: source unknown)
It’s been a while since the first post in my house tour series, so it’s high time for another one. If you recall, my goal with this series was to show how real people live stylishly, and how different homes can really show the personalities of their owners. The home we’re touring today is no exception.
We’re visiting Sarah and Danny’s house in the East Bay, near San Francisco. Sarah and Danny’s story is a familiar one for many young families. Having spent years living in San Francisco itself, the time had come to escape the big smoke. As if having a two-year-old wasn’t enough reason to start looking for more space, the chaotic housing market in San Francisco made buying a first place in the city even more perilous. So Sarah and Danny headed for the hills – literally. They ended up buying a mid-century modern home high up in the El Cerrito hills, near Berkeley, with the most fabulous views over San Francisco Bay. In fact, it was the view that convinced them there was more to life than city-living.
Of course, the house itself played a big role in convincing them too. Sarah says they both instantly felt at home here. It’s easy to see why.
Sarah describes their style as ‘global modern’ and I couldn’t agree more. Hardly surprising when you consider what these two do for a living. Danny is a horticulturalist and Sarah works for a global non-profit, a job which requires traveling to Africa and Asia. The house is filled with the couple’s collections of exotic plants, orchids, fossils, stones and statues. Yet, it’s still a welcoming house, suitable for a toddler (and some chaotic, toddler-filled parties!)
At the heart of the home is a huge, open kitchen and dining room. The latter area is a perfect example of the couple’s style. But, although it looks like everything came from some far-flung place, in fact there are several canny local purchases here too. The vintage floor lamp was a gift, but the pendant shade was from Z Gallerie.
And this cute little guy was from World Market!
Most San Franciscans would kill for a kitchen like this. Sarah and Danny repainted all the cabinets, but the floor plan was in place when they moved in. I like the huge crystal – citrine quartz, from Living Green in San Francisco – and the way it glows like kryptonite under the lights. The art on the left (just seen) is actually a photo of graffiti in SF (a little reminder of urban life?) The orchids are all by Danny. If, like me, you can’t keep an orchid more than two weeks you’ll appreciate how handy it must be to have a horticulturalist around the place. (Email me if you have inquiries about the orchids).
I expect this kitchen made leaving San Francisco a lot easier. There’s even room for the couple’s little girl to have her own toddler kitchen in the corner.
The living room is very mid-century with those vast windows (overlooking the Bay). It’s truly a place to chill out and enjoy the view. Sarah says they often feel like they’re on vacation when relaxing in here. Like the dining room, this space uses a clever combination of finds and buys. The green glass lamp base was actually salvaged from a street corner.
The gray brick fireplace is original to the house. The orange dogs are from Pier One.
And the 50-year-old Buddha was a gift from a friend who bought it in Vietnam.
Here’s a closer look at the orange Staffordshire dog. Quite the cheeky pup, this one!
And here, posing for the camera, is the reason for the big move! Sarah and Danny’s daughter proudly shows off her bedroom, which is a treasure trove for little girls. I love those little suitcases – they’re from Noodle Soup in Corte Madera, just north of SF.
Sarah and Danny chose deep greens and oranges for their walls. The effect is restful in the master bedroom.
And welcoming in the entryway.
Outside, there’s a patio for BBQ-ing and a lawn for playing. Plus, there’s another benefit of moving out of the city: sunshine!
And so, back to that view. Quite apart from the space the new house provides – perfect for hide and seek, apparently – it’s easy to see why Sarah and Danny were able to move away from San Francisco. They may have left the city behind, but the view meant it was never out of sight.
I’ve always had a ‘thing’ for chandeliers. I mean the great big, jaw-dropping, sparkly, bejewelled variety. The type that, even if you could afford them, you’re unlikely to have the kind of house that would suit them. I spent the first two years of living in this house planning to get one for our dining room, only to settle on the much simpler (and cheaper!) Nelson saucer bubble lamp from Room and Board. So, for now, my dreams of owning one are on hold.
But I can still appreciate the sheer romance of a truly breath-taking chandelier. Take a look at these beauties which, I think, show that an over-the-top chandelier can still be stylish, elegant and modern. The first two are both from SmartAlec.
Aaah, a chandelier in the bathroom. Is there any greater sign of luxury? I’m not one for baths with views, but even I could handle this room! Via Lolla Loves.
This turquoise chandelier hangs in the office of San Francisco designers Masucco Warner Miller. Quite frankly, I don’t think you need any more decor in a room that has this hanging from the ceiling, but to see what the rest of the space looks like, check out their fabulous portfolio here. Via Chinoiserie Chic.
This room is a magnet for magpies. Practically everything sparkles. Despite the fact that it could resemble the frosting on a little girl’s birthday cake, I love it. I think the symmetry prevents it from looking too sweet. Via Decorpad.
This dining room shows how you can take a traditional crystal chandelier and make it super clean-lined and modern. I love this sheer black shade: it looks as though it’s modestly covering up the ‘naked’ chandelier while still leaving a hint of what’s beneath. By Graham Atkins Hughes, Era Management, via Desire to Inspire.
This yellow and turquoise chandelier is just so cute. Shows that not all chandeliers have to be serious. Source unknown I’m afraid.
This style of chandelier just evokes bygone eras. To work, it has to be a little tarnished though, like this one here. Via This is Glamorous.
And finally, the chandelier I covet the most, a Swarovski blossom chandelier. This one’s from Gwyneth Paltrow’s house. Via Habitually Chic.
I’m still happy with my Nelson lamp. But, one day, there will be a glamorous chandelier, dripping with crystals, hanging over my dining table…
The portfolio of Australian interiors photographer, Sharyn Cairns, is a study in contrasts. Charcoal against white. Juicy red against deep blue. Fresh flowers against dilapidated walls. The result is quite stunning.
The first few shots below are a little moodier. I’ve never seen red, white and blue look quite so un-4th of July! That’s because the blue is more gray. I’d like to try this combination somewhere in the house but am not sure I could live with it every day.
The next few images are much brighter and lighter. I’d definitely find this much easier to live with. Just look at these cathedral ceilings with the chandelier.
I absolutely love this bedroom. That bedside cabinet is so stunning…
There’s nothing better than a chunky, grainy wooden dining table with white Eames chairs. The next dining room we have – this is what it should look like.
Check out Sharyn‘s portfolio for more.
Since I started blogging, I’ve gained an appreciation for the importance of personal style in interior design. Even the most flawlessly-executed design is incomplete without the owner’s unique mark. There has to be a sense of history, a character, a feeling that life is lived within those four walls.
So today I’m starting a new series that peeks into the real life homes of our friends and family and appreciates not only some wonderful design choices, but also their highly individual styles. When you ask people about their homes, you find that there are stories behind almost every item. It makes you realize just how valuable our homes are to us – and not only in financial terms. Something worth remembering, especially in times like these…and especially for those of us obsessed with interior design and all the materialism that goes with it.
Anyway, enough of the philosophy and onto the houses. In this first post, I was lucky enough to be allowed to take photos of a fabulous San Francisco house that combines great taste with a highly personal twist.
The house belongs to friends of ours, Alison and Eric and their two kids. It is an Edwardian home built in 1917, not dissimilar to ours in layout. It survived the 1989 earthquake intact so has nearly all its original moldings and rooms. This is the living room. The bookshelves were installed a few years back, replacing some very 90s granite, to cope with the family’s growing collection of books, games, art supplies etc. A wood fireplace surround was removed at the same time and the simple stucco one put in its place. This is pretty much the only significant remodeling that was done – and although it’s clean-lined and modern, it works because it still keys with the style of the house.
You can tell this is a creative, sociable family that loves art, music and travel (if you’re on their holiday card list you’re left in no doubt about the creative part!) The print above the fireplace is from a Louise Nevelson show that Alison’s father curated about 35 years ago – and it’s signed by the artist. I love it because it echoes the bookshelves perfectly.
The chairs either side of the fireplace are a stroke of genius. The red one is from IKEA. But the yellow one is actually a piece of art acquired in Germany over a generation ago. It’s made of an industrial spring and apparently is wonderful for lulling babies to sleep (as several babies in the family have discovered over the years). All I know is that these chairs are not good for the later stages of a party: after a few drinks the red one is impossible to get out of and the yellow one is impossible to stay in!
The painting over the sofa was another one from a show curated by Alison’s father more than three decades ago.
Here’s the dining room. This is a real lesson in color. The walls are a beautiful, vibrant green. The color has been continued onto the ceiling to show off the moldings, wainscoting and coved ceiling. You find these in a lot of the Edwardian houses in the area, although this is a particularly good example. The two Asian posters were from a flea market in San Francisco and are reproductions of pre-Mao Chinese advertisements, while the Air France one is from Paris. I asked about the tablecloth too and apparently it’s from Cost Plus!
The stunning lamp was made by Alison’s step mother, Dez Ryan. You can see more of her lighting designs here. There are some real stand-out pieces – check out the Mint Condition collection. I like the way this particular one looks so perfect alongside the Nelson Saucer Bubble Lamp over the table. Here’s a closer look.
Like our place, this home has a sunroom at the back of the house. Here the space has been painted this glorious sky blue. My photography really doesn’t do it justice (I’ve said before that these rooms are impossible to photograph). But you can get a hint of the architectural detail in these pictures below. There’s beautiful wainscoting all round the room. Often, homes in the area have this left as dark gumwood, but I think the white is much nicer.
Many of the photographs here were taken by Alison’s sister during her travels in India.
The stove and cabinets have all been left as they were when the family moved in. But the cabinet doors were all refaced by KitchenWorks. I love all the pots hanging down – I’ve only ever seen this done in enormous country kitchens with a central island but it works here.
From the kitchen you get a good view of the stained glass above the door. Again, this is original to the house. You can’t see it all but it depicts a windmill and hillsides. Apparently there are very few in the city that had this type of bucolic scene.
Lots of the houses around here have these carved details in the stair railings. Ours has heart shaped cut-outs (Pennsylvanian apparently)! I’m guessing they’re influenced by the Arts and Crafts style that was popular at the time, even for Edwardian style homes.
So, that’s the end of the tour. Hope you enjoyed it. I think this house just has so much personality. You can see how it would work for kids as well as entertaining (and, having experienced both, simultaneously, here, I can vouch for that!) This is not a place to tiptoe about and whisper in shushed tones. It’s a place to yell for more gravy on the table, thump out a few tunes on the piano (visitors that is, I believe this family is actually quite talented in the music department) or to help yourselves to cocktails. And here’s to that kind of interior design!
And, speaking of entertaining, I’m off to Julia‘s blog party again to see what everyone else has been up to this week.
There’s something magical about the combination of white, silver, wood and glass in an interior. The effect is both ethereal and grounded. I think it’s one of my favorite looks. So I was excited to discover British photographer Mark Scott‘s portfolio online, which captures this mix beautifully.
I also love his lifestyle photos, which have a very different vibe. They include some gorgeous outdoor dining tables (and you know I’m partial to garden dining rooms!), fit for an idyllic summer party.
All photos via Mark Scott’s web site.
Every once in a while you find a place that somehow restores your spirits. Of course, if you’re lucky, your home has that effect too. But I’m talking about finding another place, perhaps a B&B you escaped to one weekend or the home of a friend who hosted a weekend wedding party. Somewhere that still evokes happy memories many years later. Well, I have a feeling the house in which we stayed in the Hamptons this month is such a place.
Perhaps it was because we were so exhausted when we arrived. Or maybe it was because this was the first time our whole extended family had been together for over a year (and the first time ever since my nephew was born). But a big factor in our enjoyment was certainly the house itself. Now that I’ve finally downloaded all the photos, I thought I’d share a few. I hope you can see what I mean when I say this was an unforgettable vacation…
Well, that’s it there. Beautiful isn’t it? The house was actually built in three separate phases, spanning centuries. The original structure is on the far right. The central and left portions were added later by subsequent owners (and, in some cases, descendants of the original owners). Part of the building was even shipped from Pennsylvania. It also reminded me of the houses you see scattered around the English countryside.
This is the entry hall. You can see straightaway that this is first and foremost a home. Yes, it’s a big house and the exterior is stunning. But the interior is not at all ‘grand’. It’s sweet, charming and comfortable – although, admittedly, every room does also have enviable proportions and light. The style is slightly Gustavian – the whitewashed floors, striped walls, lots of pale painted furniture. But it’s also uniquely personal. This is a home occupied by artists and you can see evidence of that in every room.
We were in the house over July 4, so these little figures on the hallway mantelpiece were quite fitting!
This is the dining room. It’s the heart of the house physically and metaphorically. It’s supremely practical (you can walk over those white painted floors in your bare feet straight from the garden and the table will stand up to a child’s idea of table manners – and then some). But it’s also really pretty. I love that wallpaper and the chandelier.
This little bar area in the dining room is so cute. Brilliant use of colors – and yet it doesn’t look at all contrived.
Yet another dining room detail. I love the way this painting is propped up casually on a child’s chair.
We didn’t spend much time in the living room (couldn’t move off the patio or out of the dining room!). But this is probably the perfect beach house blue.
We did, on the other hand, spend a lot of time in the sunroom. This covered porch is a later addition to the house but it’s perfect for cooling off when the sunbathing gets too much (!).
More Swedish style in evidence. And those lamp bases that look like milk pails are a stroke of genius.
The oldest part of the house includes a library. I can imagine this would be a great snug for winter. I’m partial to walls of books, so here’s a little hint of the room for those who, like me, hanker after floor-to-ceiling reading material.
The master bedroom is also in the oldest part of the house. The windows are the best vantage point in the house for spotting deer in the garden!
I love this wallpaper in one of the bathrooms. With the dark blue tiles, it looks sharp, not chintzy.
I hope I’ve done the place justice. I’m no photographer. And you can’t capture all the details that make a house so welcoming: the paintings with personal notes from the artist, the collection of old copper kettles in the hallway. But, at least you can see how the owners have eschewed the showiness of much of the Hamptons and instead created a stylish home that makes you want to kick off your shoes and settle down to a great book. Now that’s a restorative vacation…
If you’re interested in renting this house for a vacation, you can do so through CyberRentals. I guarantee you’ll return home a new person.
The design blogs are choc-full of inspiring interiors this week. Here’s a selection of the ones that I lingered over the most (and a bit of link love for good measure!).
First is this wonderful post from Style Carrot (an absolutely amazing blog, packed full of images) about Frank Roop‘s house in Nantucket.
Automatism is always a source of inspiration and this week Lori posted some of Domino’s prettiest floral rooms.
If you’d told me six months ago that I’d be yearning for a yellow front door, I’d have thought you were mad. But I can’t get over how great this door looks. Yet another find from Decorology.
The Style Files has images of this eclectic Copenhagen home.
I love the freshness of this room from Marie Claire Maison, via Peacock Feathers.
This image on Danish Dessert is so simple and summery.
Together, these images resemble the inside of a candy store – every shade of sherbet! No wonder I’m so tempted by them all.
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