TBT - A Romantic Retreat

I'm thinking I may start a regular post on Throwback Thursday (TBT).

About 20 years ago, I started my 'tearout' phase where I would tearout of my own magazines anything that 'caught my attention', such as the romantic bedroom shown below.  I figure I have enough material to keep me going for awhile.  Who knows, I may even have Fallback Friday - and they could be wordless or very wordy.......depending on how my week is going.

I hope you enjoy these pleasures from the past.........if nothing else, they will be fun to look at.

This particular room was the fourth floor of a Manhattan townhouse decorated by Judy Mashburn of Laura Ashley with Laura Ashley's 'Winter Lily' fabrics.

It's as timeless today as it was then in 1994.  Simply stunning.

I just noticed the 'table for two' at the foot of the bed which Mashburn imagined 'as the perfect spot for sharing an intimate en suite supper with someone special'.  How perfect!

I went to Judy Mashburn's site to get these two clearer pictures.

Coordinating ensuite bath.

The Monteceito Home of Designer Lee Kirch

Last year, I posted (here) a Monteceito cottage owned by designer Lee Kirch - an antique dealer who was (at the time of this article) part owner of an antique shop, Rue de Lillie, in Summerland, California, as well as a shop owner in Vail, Colorado.

As a French country enthusiast, she travels regularly to France to collect antiques.  She completely revamped this house and her passions are evident in every room.

Enjoy!

Lee Kirch Designs

Meredith Specials

A Children's Shop

Since I started this week posting about kids' rooms, I thought I would carry on with the theme.

I love the possibilities of what a child's room can be..........always have.  After our only child, a daughter, was born I spent the next several years ensuring she had her own 'little haven'..........and with a husband in the banking business during the '70s and 80s, it involved many, many moves and many, many bedrooms across Canada.  I honed my decorating skills during those moves and cemented my love of design.

In August 1999, when our first grandchild was born, I was at home, retired and looking for inspiration........albeit in another new home for us.  While we were going through several renovations ourselves at that time, everything that had to be done soon took a backseat to our new little granddaughter and I very quickly discovered a whole new world of nursery design...........the baby nursery was no longer just a room with a crib, a rocking chair, a change table and a hamper........it had now become a little world of it's own.

I'm sure I bought every magazine I could get my hands on with a child's room in it and I began tearing out the pages for future reference.  

When I came upon the following images in a House & Garden, September 1999, issue, I was mesmerized.........I had never seen anything like this and being a long time lover of English country, chintz, antiques, canopied beds.......these were dream ideas.  

This is Susie Hilfiger's former shop, Best & Co., which was situated in Greenwich, Connecticut at the time.  She had just bought it from a previous owner and planned to expand the whole idea of high end, traditional decorating of nurseries and kids' rooms.  The showroom, as you can see, was designed as a total living space, but also included every accessory imaginable for a small child - including Tommy Hilfiger clothes in the armoire.

Best & Co. became the only American source for Dragon's of Walton Street, London, handpainted furniture, antique high chairs, early 19th century floral prints, needlepoint samplers - and commissioned furniture.  Later this store expanded to Nantucket.

Alas, it didn't survive and the stores closed in 2007.  But, I'm glad I kept these pictures of another time and another place.      

Enjoy!

Susie Hilfiger in her Greenwich shop, Best & Co.

Pure English country.

The wall opposite the canopied twin beds.

What little girl would not want a canopy bed?

Beatrix Potter bedding from Dragon's of Walton Street, London

(The designers of Prince George's nursery, Kensington Palace)

House & Garden

September 1999

A Sarah Richardson Country House - Before and After

Hi Everyone!

I'm back!  Had a great month off (a bit longer than I had planned), but it flew by so fast I can hardly believe it!

I'm sure you all remember my past posts here and here on Sarah Richardson, one of Canada's foremost designers.....I haven't seen much of her work lately, but thought I would check out her latest projects and came upon this makeover.

This was an 80s bungalow badly in need of a makeover........she enlarged the typically small bungalow windows, upgraded the trim and baseboards and of course, added her own unique touches using flea market finds, painted antiques and fresh colors and fabrics to bring the house back to life.  See the 'befores' here.

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer, too!  Have a great day!

Enjoy!

What a serene room......love the ceiling and note the antique corbels on the fireplace, the wainscoting, large baseboards, soft colors and large windows...........transforming details.

Beautiful vignette.

Great gingerbread trim around the vanity.

Love the mix and match of the floor tiles and the shower tile detail.

Just lovely!

More mixed and matched floor tiles......it's all in the details!

The bucket pulley is a cute idea for a top bunk.

Sarah Richardson Designs

A One of a Kind Hamptons Retreat

Looking at this house, you would never know it's in the Hamptons near the beach - most beach houses are decorated with the colors of sand and sea.  But, this homeowner wanted to bring in the greenery of her beautiful gardens.

Collaborating with interior designer, Jack Fhilips, produced this wonderful year round getaway for family and friends.

Working with the homeowner's collections of landscape oil paintings and antique furniture, adding crisp white woodwork and accenting with green and ivory toile throughout, makes this home not only comforting and inviting, it is simply beautiful to look at. The high contrast of the stark white against this gorgeous green is striking on its own, but it's the details that speak for themselves.

And whether you are looking out the windows onto the beautiful green gardens, or in the windows at the beautiful shades of green, you are surrounded by the serenity only green can provide.

Enjoy!

2-Storey Living Room

Living Room

Needlepoint Rug

Dining Room

Breakfast Room

Hallway

Panelled Den

Secretary/writing desk

Hallway

Dining Room Vignette

Back Staircase

Second Floor Landing

Master Bedroom

Guest Room - floral linen upholstered walls

Back Patio

Sunroom leading to another patio

Pool House

Traditional Home