Color Texture Pattern: An Exotic Livingroom

home office/guest room from architectural digest india

This room is a dream, impressive in it's balance of elements which manage to be both eclectic and rich, colorful and serene, rustic and sharp. Everything is grounded on a brown/wooden base found in the architecture and case goods.

Color Texture Pattern: Jewel Tones

rich indian bedroom with boldly painted walls

I gravitate toward warmer colors in my home choices. Even my teals tend to have warmer undertones. But there's nothing like some jewel tones for luxurious intensity that doesn't burn your retinas.

Color Texture Pattern: Snooze-Worthy Style

house & home magazine; photo: angus fergusson

And so, autumn has come again. No doubt we're all snuggled under some mix of summer and winter bedding. I tossed a quilt and thermal blanket on top of my mix of sheer blankets and empty duvets. Not ready for dark colors yet, but a little weight is definitely in order. 

The example above has the best of both worlds: layers of light quilts in summery tones. All those lovely patterns, offset by the warm white and metallic blockprint, are icing on the cake!

Guest Post: Magical Moroccan Interiors

This week I'm turning it over to someone else to talk Color + Texture + Pattern:

Hello! I'm Jessica, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a wonderful online resource for affordable light fixtures. Every day I get to search for beautiful interior design inspirations and then share them on lovely blogs, like Lotus and Fig! I'm delighted to be here today because I'd like to share a particularly magical style of interior design. The rich textures, ornate patterns and brilliant colors of Moroccan interiors create a truly magical atmosphere that is at once electric and tranquil. I hope you enjoy!

 

Color Texture Pattern: New PJ's

tigerlily pajamas by alfani

The other night I bought these pajama bottoms while at Macy's to pick up some new stockings. (Knee-highs are so great in the summer.) These "tigerlily" pj's have caught my eye a few times. They're by Alfani, a great brand with cute styles at good prices, and they are modal, a super soft and cool fabric. Heaven against the skin, especially in warm weather. But what really drew me was the pattern. They are just so... pretty with the mix of animal print and colors on a warm tan background. 

A great buy.

Color Texture Pattern: A Room with a View

an attic guest room with global furnishings in shades of airy white [source: home beautiful australia]

With the warm seasons creeping up on us, I could really use a clean slate. Just some relief from all the cozy, layered cold weather furnishings and my own burrowing habits. I want to come home to an apartment that smells like fresh air and that is light and uncluttered and welcoming... Join me?

Color Texture Pattern: All in a Seat

an ideal seat for chilling out at home

Sometimes ads and editorial shots have the best interior styling. The room is not the focus of the ad, but it stands out more than the actual product/service. To me anyway, the holder of one B.A. of Advertising Arts... To whit, the awesome Roche Bobois-esque chair featured in this ad for an Italian bridal website. I'd happily throw out my tan sleeper sofa for this bad girl. Nubby acid green, red and pink stripe, spacious size. Color + Texture + Pattern!

Exotic Beds: Matthew Williamson's Butterfly Home

duvet sets, comforters, throw pillows and lanterns

Why is fate so cruel? Why does it deny me us simple things like access to Zara Home? Is it really fair that Matthew Williamson's decor line, Butterfly Home, is only available at Debenham's in the UK? Are we North Americans not fans? Do we not deserve bright, bold patterned bedding and accessories? 

Revel in the lushness:

Cozy Under Foot: Anthro + Argentina

huari: stunning. subtly pops a little earth tone in amongst the searing brights

By now, we've pretty much all seen "Man Shops Globe," right? The owner of Anthropologie travels to different countries to find new and interesting artisans and merchandise for his stores? Even after watching marathons of that show, I am still blown away by many of the home goods they offer. How do they do it?! Their new Argentinian rugs are...there are no words. I've fallen for their rugs before and it looks like I'm falling again: 

Color Texture Pattern: None of the Above

source: lonnymag.com   photo: patrick cline

Remember this fantastic lucite trunk in Lonny? Well, Anthropologie is offering a similar transparent lucite bench. Instead of the metal corner brackets, it has bronze accents on the rope handles. The bench is bottomless, so you can set it down over whatever you want to display 'inside' it. 

Color Texture Pattern: Bohemian Winter Retreat

Times like these, when the weather is bouncing between cold, crisp and bone-chilling, all my hopes and dreams are reduced to wishes for a warm shelter, hot food and bright colors to remind me there is a spring coming. I think my apartment does a fair job of providing all these things. But two things my little NYC breadbox lacks are space and natural light. 

So, I'll spend this weekend soaking up the scant five hours of morning sunshine that pools near my bay window while dreaming of this airy, snowbound Alpine sanctuary. 

The eclectic mix is pretty spirited: low couches, bright pillows in kantha and suzani prints, an antique oriental table, a bright blue midcentury chair, chinese lantern frames, sheepskins and rugs in wool and jute.

source: maison francaise;  all photos: frederic ducout

Single-Girl Style: Moody, Modern & Eclectic

Of the handful of things I wish I had studied in high school and college, Russian is not one of them. Which left me at a loss when I came across this gorgeous apartment profile. Such a bummer because this lady, whoever she is, has a really cool home. The contrast of the purple brocade wallpaper next to the brown bamboo wall sets the dark, moody tone of the space. The vivid grain in the dark wood floors stands out and contrasts beautifully with the smooth, shiny lacquer table. Not to mention the nubby, wool kilims and the modern leather chair. 

source: glamour russia  photos: will webster

But it doesn't stop there. 

Exotic Beds: Global Designs for Fall

The time to snuggle is now. The days are short, evenings are chilly, the heat won't be on for a month. Already I'm slipping into winter tendencies having grilled cheese sandwiches and cocoa for dinner. After which I want to retreat to my cushy, soft bed with a good book and nestle under piles of colorful blankets. And the fact that it's fall and jewel tones are in season does not alter my desire for brightly colored, well-patterned bedding. Thank heaven for brands like Echo who bring it like it's already been brung.

My favorite new collection, Mayan Geo, features my favorite colors, hot pink and orange, on an excellent tribal pattern. This looks like it would mix and match well with any John Robshaw you've got laying around.

all good things: echo brand mayan geo

Viva Print Media: This Probably Isn't Very Green

On occasion, I go too far. I'm one of those people with old magazines under the bed, on the bookshelf and just plain stacked along the edges of the living room. And sometimes I have been known to buy an entire magazine for one image. Over the past few years I have learned to cut back on that by looking for the image online first. But- sometimes they just aren't available. Such is the case with the latest issue of Glamour (which I no longer actually read). I was checking to see if they had done an interesting home profile in "How To Do Anything Better" when I saw these two lovely images:

source: glamour magazine   image credit: robert trachtenberg

Rooms on Film: The Guitar

Back in 2008, I was perusing the New York Times and saw a review for a movie called, The Guitar. The movie sounded like a real downer: Last Holiday, without the life savings and whirlwind travel spree. The accompanying photo seemed to confirm this as the doomed protagonist appeared pale and emaciated. Her environment however - financed by a credit card spending spree - was…to die for:

image credit: jo jo whilden/cold fusion media

 

Some time later, I stumbled on the image in my extensive "style tray" folder and started searching for screencaps. The internet turned up very little, but some of the images really looked promising in terms of the overall set. Then, lo and behold, one evening the movie  - which was a Sundance Festival entrant - turned up on Sundance Channel. Finally, a chance to see this delicious apartment in all its glory! It did not disappoint. This apartment is, to borrow from Pat Conroy, “a feast for the human eye.” The way it is decorated and lived in defines bohemian living. Facing her end, Melody Wilder revels in every reasonable sort of sensory and sensual indulgence. And. I. Mean. Every. She literally takes the time to delight in being able to smell, taste, touch, hear, and see. 

If you've seen The Guitar, you know it does get a little steamy in the middle. And the musical score rocks. And it is a bit unbelievable. But...this sort of urban fairy tale of how it takes a terminal cancer diagnosis to help broken note, Melody Wilder, rediscover her harmony is really pretty fun and uplifting. The environment, moving from a dark, cramped basement apartment, to a sunny penthouse loft on the Hudson River, is as responsible for Melody's reawakening as anything else. 

Witness the transformation: 

Color Texture Pattern: My Fantasy Made Real

So, I was flipping through a magazine called Living, which I think is published in Uruguay, when I discovered that my dream home already exists. In fact, someone else built it and has been living in it, beautifully, for some time now. This is what happens when you don't open the mail every day. 

The homeowner's name is Nuria Cobeaga and she designs wonderful South American blouses and bags like these. Her (my) home is a crystal-clear translation of that same style. It combines a mix of rich colors, folksy patterns, handmade textiles, and aged surfaces into a showstopping family home. Were I the boss of this casa, no one would ever cross the threshold. Probably wouldn't even let you sit in any of the wonderful outdoor rooms either. Sorry.

Let the pictures speak for themselves...

color play: reds, oranges, blues, aged wood and patchwork pillow

Color Texture Pattern: Soothing Blues

So, apparently it is now mid-August and a lot of us are wondering where the summer went. Consensus is that the various heatwaves drove us all indoors seeking air-conditioned relief. While we were burrowing, June and July slipped away. All I know is that I want my 39th summer back! 

Since it is unlikely summers will get milder in the years to come, here's to homes that are built for this sort of thing. Where you can linger indoors and enjoy the feel of cool tiles, in soothing shades of green and blue, arranged in orderly patterns of squares and rectangles. Calm, soothing relief...

timeless kitchen in brussels: high ceilings, shimmering tile, sconces that fade into the walls, rustic wood floors and the slate blue ceiling and chimney wall
source: maison francaise  photo: francis amiand

Dream Palace: Time Enough at Last

One of the key reasons I decided to move from Flickr to a proper blog is that I got a little tired of seeing the same rooms come around time and again. Don't misunderstand, a lot of those rooms from domino, Livingetc, Better Homes & Gardens, etc are my faves too. But they've been circulating and recycling for several years and a new room is more of a surprise now. 

So I started fishing around for other publications we don't normally see in North America. Bless the internet for closing the divide between hither and yon. Not only can you grab a look at mags from almost every continent, I now subscribe to House & Leisure South Africa! (And uh, they seem to be livin' pretty swell down there.)

So, you will be seeing some gorgeous, familiar rooms, but also you will be seeing some new stuff (depending on where you live) like this room. The homeowner's name is Mario Fortunato and he's a writer of many sorts. This house is his retreat and this room is his...office. Everything I can dream of to be happy writing is in this room (except maybe a jar of homemade sour cream cookies). Daylight, a fantastic view of lush greenery + open sky, books books books, huge work surface, cushy furniture, bright accessories and a stereo system within arm's reach. 

What is not to love? I ask you!

writing retreat of mario fortunato (pictured)

Source: Io Donna magazine  Photo: Barbara Corsica

Exotic Beds: Light, Bright & Darn-Near White

White bedding is not my friend. Historically, it has leeched color from colorfast blankets, the mattress and drawn the ink from uncapped pens with the gravitational pull of a black hole. But most annoyingly, my white bedding tends to get dingy. What in the world causes white cotton to take on a grayish cast? My incredibly handy mother suggests simply using something called "blueing" to put an end to this nonsense. 

Maybe when I'm 40 I will have finally matured enough to simply take Mom's advice without question. She is always right... Until then, here's to airy, exotic, white bedrooms...(with a pop of color).

embroidered paisley overhead, that gorgeous carved headboard and the cool, silky silver-gray quilt

Color Texture Pattern: Eastern Influence

How can you say no to rooms like this? Dark woods, rich shades of berry, bright woven silks, nubby rugs and glossy finishes? Turn them into outfits that wow at every turn, combining brights, darks, silks, jute, velvet, chinoiserie, animal prints and timeless metallics. 

If you had to choose: would it be the rooms or the outfits?

Photo Credit: Tom Leighton for Livingetc