East Meets West in Long Island Home

This large and very beautiful Georgian-style Long Island home was designed by Christopher Maya for a Chinese family moving to America for the first time.

And what a welcome they would receive when stepping into this glorious chinoiserie foyer!  It's breathtakingly pretty with the fresh green of de Gournay papered walls.  I wouldn't want to leave the foyer!

The gallery.

I love the honeycomb design on the painted floor of the breakfast room.

Upstairs landing with the chinoiserie wallpaper from the foyer is the perfect spot to 

stop and take a breath and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings.

The trellis overlays are painted in Benjamin Moore's 'Summer Shower'

and the ceiling is done in Benjamin Moore's 'Lookout Point'.

The master bedroom was designed for the couple to enjoy music, fireplace, reading spaces and relaxing.

The daughter's room done in beautiful shades of blue.

Interior Design - Christopher Maya

House Beautiful

Southern Charm

Hi there!

Another beautiful sunny day here in Charlottetown.........maybe I'll get three walks in today with our little dog, Ruby.......she's always ready for another adventure around town.

But first, I must share this southern mansion with you.  It was featured on the decorating show "Southern Charm" last year in the U.S., but unfortunately we don't get that show.  I have only heard about it.  Thank heavens Architectural Digest had the good sense to publish the article - how else would we get to see such spectacular homes if not for the plethora of design magazines out there?

You know there are some interior designers whose work is so spectacular it actually makes my heart palpitate.  Mario Buatta does it to me every time.  His designs never fail to get my heart pounding. While I love everything he does, it seems to me it's his bedrooms that are so outstanding.

This Charleston home he designed for Patricia Altschul is perfection throughout.......from the entrance hall to the kitchen.  Not a thing I would change if I were to move in there tomorrow!

However, my personal favorite rooms in this house are the two bedrooms and the master bathroom with the toilet in the chinoiserie cabinet......leave it to Mario to come up with that detail!

Absolute perfection, as always!

Enjoy!

To start with, the exterior of this house is soft pink with green shutters.  My favorite color combination!

Patricia Altschul

Mario had this floor hand painted over the original wood floor.  Notice the silhouettes up the stairwell.

Entrance hall with another hand painted floor.

Double living room with Mario's signature chintz fabrics, beautiful colors and English country coziness.

Wall murals and round table - the best.

I even love that the kitchen floor was left in a rustic state.....

Smoochie and Monty oversee the work in the kitchen.

Sitting/morning room with dog art.

How inviting is this cherry red library?

Masterpiece - what more can I say?

And another masterpiece - Patricia's master bedroom.

And finally, the piece de resistance - the master bathroom complete with large screen tv, soaking tub, easy chairs, painted floor and dressing table - with the toilet concealed in the chinoiserie cabinet.

Architectural Digest

Boca Grande Villa

This Boca Grande, Florida, home owned by interior designer Nancy Morton and her husband, Bill, is a real charmer...........and I love everything about it.

Nancy, president of Ginger Lily Interior Designs, and her husband inherited this four-bedroom villa and she has been lightening and brightening it ever since.......as she says, "it's a bit of an obsession now" and the changes are ongoing.

Looks perfect to me just as it is...........

Enjoy!

(To read more about this home, go to Architectural Digest.)

Ranch style home........one storey living!

Plunge pool in courtyard.......what a great idea.....a pool just big enough to wade in and cool off!

Nancy at home

Living room detail

Pecky cypress panelling in living room

Master bedroom with trompe l'oeil border on wall

Cypress beamed loggia - gorgeous!  All the trompe l'oeil art by Bob Christian.

Dining room walls with trompe l'oeil chinoiserie

Chinoiserie detail in dining room

Guest room perfection

More guest room perfection!

Architectural Digest

English Country Beach Cottage

This charming cottage is a total reflection of the homeowner, designer Podge Bune (love that name!).

Podge has lovingly collected and curated her belongings over her lifetime and lives with not only her beautiful collections, but her most meaningful.

To see more of this shingled home at the beach and to read an interview with Podge, check out Housebeautiful.com

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

All images via House Beautiful