Tuesday, October 25, 2011

French Country Cottage Charm in California

I've loved this 1930s, 1600 sq. ft. Montecito cottage ever since I first laid eyes on it.

Homeowner, Lee Kirch, a Colorado resident, uses this cottage as her second home.

Lee has been an avid antique collector and French country enthusiast for many years.  It's clear she has given a lot of thought to her interior designs and picks up most of her antiques locally at Rue de Lillie in Summerland, which is owned by her good friend, Ruth Ann Risvold.  (Tomorrow, I will show you Ruth Ann's cottage).

This cottage may be small by some standards, but it packs a real whollop in the style department.

For instance, in the living room the walls, sofa and artwork are quite neutral, but Lee has personalized and added warmth with her mix of fabrics.....mostly reds....with a dash of yellow in one of the living room windows.  As Lee says, "Every room needs a touch of yellow" and I agree.  The chairs with the turquoise legs were found at Indigo Seas, Lynn von Kersting's shop.

The dining room has an eclectic choice of fabrics as well......with mix and match fabrics at the windows and on each of the chairs.....another way to keep the eye moving around the room and add interest.

And how can one go wrong with the toiles and quilts in the bedroom and seashells in the bath?  You can't!

Hope you enjoy this home as much as I do!
























All images via Country Living


Monday, October 24, 2011

Chaises for Comfort














Images 1 & 7 House Beautiful
Image 4 Elle Decor, Image 5 Weheartit
Images 2 & 6 Traditional Home



Friday, October 21, 2011

Loving the Art of Jeremiah Goodman

I discovered the art of Jeremiah Goodman some years ago in a Veranda magazine.  This was long before I had a blog, but I had the good sense to tear out the pages and save them for future reference.  I'm not sure what I planned to do with them at the time, other than be mesmerized by the wonder of his work.

As an interior decorator, it's true I am more than a little interested in 'interiors', but it wasn't just the subject of these watercolors that caught my attention, it was the creative expression Jeremiah was able to render on a piece of paper!

And to be so masterful with a paint brush!!  At the time of the article in the magazine, Veranda's Adam Lewis described this artist as 'America's Master Interiors Illustrator'.  Far be it for me to argue with that......because it's true.

Mr. Goodman was born in upstate New York in 1922 and is currently living in Manhattan, and still painting! He even has his own facebook page, which I just discovered today.  I also found out today that he offered a painting workshop at The Parsons School of Design, from which he graduated many years ago, in the not too distant past.

Kudos to Jeremiah Goodman for continuing to enjoy a most remarkable life interpreting the interiors of some of the world's most famous celebrities of his day.  And thank you for such a wonderful legacy of art you have bestowed upon us for future reference and inspiration!

This is a very small sampling of his portfolio and his signature is recognizable simply as 'Jeremiah'.  Also, his limited edition prints are available at http://www.deanrhysmorgan.com/

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

Elsa Peretti's bedroom in Spain

Elsa Peretti's living room in Spain

Famed celebrity photographer Cecil Beaton's
sun room, England, which inspired a scene
in the film My Fair Lady



Jeremiah's rendition of Veranda cover above


Jeremiah's rendition of Veranda cover above

Actress Greta Garbo's New York living room

Actor John Gielgud's English sitting room

Images 1 - 7 Veranda
Images 8 & 9 Dean Rhys Morgan






Thursday, October 20, 2011

Double Trouble













Images 1 & 2 House Beautiful
Images 3 & 6 Elle Decor
Images 4 & 5 Architectural Digest




Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Beautiful Banquettes

















Images 1, 4 & 6 Traditional Home, Images 2 & 3 BHG
  Images 5 Unknown
Image 7 Elle Decor, Image 8 House Beautiful



Monday, October 17, 2011

Dressing Rooms - Old and New


A Jamie Drake Dressing Room
Traditional Home
Pinterest

Mariah Carey's Dressing Room
by Mario Buatta
Architectural Digest

Jackie Kennedy's White House Dressing Room
Architectural Digest
Sister Parish was the White House designer during the JFK term.
Timeless!

2011 DC Design Showhouse

Pinterest

Nancy Reagan White House Dressing Room

Pinterest

Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Home and Designs of Christina Strutt

I can't resist the story of a woman who starts a cottage industry from her home.....working alone at her kitchen table.  The likes of Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, Jane Forman, Annie Selke, Lilly Pulitzer and many, many others come to mind.  But, today I would like to share the work of Christina Strutt, whose work I have been following for several years.

Today's post could have been titled 'The Books of Christina Strutt', 'The Textiles of Christina Strutt', 'The Vintage Chic of Christina Strutt', or an assortment of other titles, but I just happened to have a Country Home magazine that I was browsing through recently and came upon her home, so I will include her personal haven along with some of her creations.

As a stay at home mom with two young children, and a former Vogue stylist, living in a 600 year old, golden colored stone cottage outside of Bath, England, Christina avidly collected vintage fabrics and collectibles years ago.  What she couldn't find, she produced herself. 

However, she carried it further and began designing textiles at her kitchen table just over ten years ago.  Amazing what she has accomplished in that amount of time.  She is now the founder and owner of the British retailer, Cabbages and Roses,  has authored several books on vintage style, sewing and developing your own vintage, romantic look and continues to design.  Her products are sold within the Jigsaw stores in England and, of course, her books are sold everywhere.

Her combination of soft florals, checks, stripes and toiles is timeless and endlessly cosy and welcoming.  Her collection of reds only increases the warmth of the rooms.......in our long, cold east coast Canadian winters, springs and falls, I, too, have many shades of red in our rooms.....our climate demands it!

See her online shop at http://www.cabbagesandroses.com/

Enjoy!






Love this eat in kitchen!



Windowseat in upper left corner is in kitchen -
sage toile curtains





Christina at home







An image from one of her books

Images 1 - 6, Country Home
Image 7 Independent News, Image 8 The Foodie Bugle
Image 9 Shelterpop
Images 10 - 12, Amazon