A Girl's Best Friend

Whoever said "diamonds are a girl's best friend" obviously didn't own a dog!

And wasn't it President Truman who said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog!"  So true!

If you want a friend anywhere, get a dog!

Look at some of these beauties and best friends!

Audrey Hepburn and friends.

Candace Bergen and friends.

CZ Guest and friend in Palm Beach

Pinterest

Doris Day with two of her many friends.

Dovima and friend.

Edith Sitwell by Cecil Beaton

Elizabeth Taylor had dogs all her life.

Minnie Montagu and her five favorite friends.

A Parisian regular

Princess Elizabeth

Vintage Vogue

Vogue Italia

Vogue Italia

Joan Rivers and some of her many beloved rescues.

Michelle and Bo

Barbra Streisand

Barbara Taylor Bradford

Lee Radziwill - who has never been without a dog.

Martha Stewart and her champion dog, Genghis Khan, at the Plaza!

Love this picture!

Oprah and Sophie - one of her many beloved dogs.

All images via Pinterest

Friday's Featured Friend - At the Beach

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend..........can't believe it's Friday already!

This little guy is enjoying the windswept dunes............hope we can all do something as relaxing this weekend.....

Have a great one!

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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

Villa Contenta

Hi Everyone!

Almost back from vacation.........still have some company, but I thought I would squeeze this post in this evening while they are out for a few hours.

I fell in love with this villa when I happened upon it..........imagine finding an old, decaying house in Lyford Cay (a gated community in the Bahamas considered to be one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world!) and discovering the house is the former home of Laura Ashley.......yes, that Laura Ashley.

Then, imagine having the good fortune to hire a decorator to add the finishing touches after all the necessary repairs have been completed.  And it seems designer Andrew Raquet was just the man for the job.  With "windows that wouldn't open and doors that wouldn't close", he had his work cut out for him.

However, his persistence paid off and the end result is an absolutely beautiful home with a mix of old (some of Laura Ashley's furnishings came with the house) and new furniture, neutral color schemes, some island touches and just enough chintz to give a nod to it's former owner.

Enjoy!

 Scraping through the layers of exterior paint, this lime green shade was discovered and refurbished.

Traditional and island charm in the foyer.

The neutral living room tones calm this room and the chintz fabric adds an English feel.

Canvas wall murals with the sea and palm trees, coral fabric covered chairs and jute area rug add an island feel in the dining room.

Antique maps line a wall in the library.

The solarium with a mirrored trellised walls.

  

Corner banquette and garden stools in the solarium.  

Bedroom detail............such soothing colors.

So serene.........

Love the idea of upholstered bathroom seating.

How beautiful and inviting is this?

Perfection!

Veranda

Happy Canada Day!

Have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

I am off on vacation now for a couple of weeks...........see you later in the month!

Regards,

Kay

Mario Buatta in Southampton

Finally!

I've been dying to share the latest Mario Buatta update on the Southampton home of Hilary and Wilbur Ross that I mentioned to you earlier this month.

I've already shared the Ross' New York apartment and their Florida guest house, Wind Song Too........now you can feast your eyes on their summer estate in Southampton.

The images speak for themselves............another Buatta masterpiece.

Enjoy!

Blue ceiling, pink chinoiserie walls, green accents

Grandchildren's playroom.

Topiary Promenade with sheep.

Architectural Digest

Royal Baby Nursery Designs

For those of you who may be interested in the upcoming birth of the new royal baby, there has been lots of discussion about what the nursery will be like.

Here are a few ideas I came upon recently.

The first image by Goy Goodfellow Ltd. depicts what a classic palace nursery might look like.

I like the large windows, wall murals, large armoire, rocking horse and tent...........I would remove the piano (!) (a piano in the nursery?).......replace the crib with something more traditional, remove the large table and 4 chairs in the corner and replace them with a comfy settee.  The nursing chair and the child's table and would be more traditional, as well............similar to the nursing chair, ottoman and child's table and chairs in my own Pink Nursery Moodboard from back in March.

Classic Nursery Style

Goy Goodfellow Ltd.

Image 2 by Christopher Chanond is the same room with the 3 large windows, as above.

I like the air balloon lights for a child's room, but not necessarily for a palace nursery.  The balloon chair would work as a nursing chair, but perhaps not the most comfortable.  And a nursing chair really should have an ottoman, don't you think?  And the rocking horse would work.

While these ideas are simply what a royal nursery might look like, I really can't imagine Kate and William with such contemporary chairs, wooden coffee table and glass play castle.......

I'm not sure what the large item on the left is......an armoire?

Contemporary Nursery Style

Christopher Chanond

The following sketches by Oliver Burns Interiors are very interesting and look more regal for a palace nursery..........very traditional, English country ideas and much more suitable for a British royal nursery.

In image 1, I like the large, gorgeous chandelier, the fireplace and mirror, the Beatrix Potter art, the canopied crib and light sconces, the area rug under the crib, the striped wall inserts, the toile wallpaper and the rich, detailed architectural details.

The rocking horse is a must in royal nurseries and that tradition goes way back.

In image 2 looking on from the other side of the room, you can see the nursing corner with comfortable chairs, ottoman, reading light and a plush toy on the floor........perfect for a new mother and baby!

Image 3 shows the nursing corner face on and shows a rogues gallery of family photos to personalize the room.......a perfect royal nursery in soft, pastel colors for a serene environment!

Oliver Burns Designs