Tuesday, September 20, 2011

A Shingled Cottage

Another weekend home which just happens to be a shingled cottage with a blue and white interior color scheme.

The homeowners are both designers - she is an interior designer and he designs for a furniture manufacturer.  With three children under the age of 6, they planned the open concept design with easy living and entertaining in mind.

Enjoy!



















All images via Traditional Home




Monday, September 19, 2011

Swedish Design in Florida Cottage

Some time ago, we perused designs originating from different countries.....today, I would like to feature Swedish design - American style.

This Florida vacation home is owned by Joanne Barwick, author of Scandinavian Country, interior designer, furniture designer and former editor-in-chief of House Beautiful.  

You will note throughout the cottage almost all of her wooden furniture is painted white or some shade of blue.  The blue and white palette is very Swedish and so is painted furniture.  She also uses comfortable and easy care textiles, such as linens and ticking, and textures from seagrass to wicker.  And finally, the Swedish look is topped off by the constant flood of light thoughout the open concept main floor.

Her accessories of art, hydrangeas, seashells, pillows and plants complete the look.

She and her husband were successful in achieving the look they desired when they built this cottage, as the "views, natural light and easy elegance" are perfectly defined.

What a lovely, relaxed, cool and charming summer home!



Living room

Living room

Seashell collection

Painted chest

Dining room with seashell
encrusted bust in background

Bedroom corner vignette

Bedroom

Bedroom corner vignette

Bednook the grandchildren
fought over - no wonder!

Gazebo dining

Gazebo relaxation


All images via Traditional Home



Friday, September 16, 2011

Home Libraries


Charlotte Moss's private library

Jeffrey Bilhuber design








Image 1 Elle Decor, Images 2 & 7 House Beautiful
Images 3 & 4 Traditional Home
Image 6 Decorating


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Wonderful White Kitchens















Image 1 Southern Living
Images 2 & 6 Traditional Home
Images 3, 4 & 5 House Beautiful
Image 7 Interiorholic

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Potting Rooms

I could use a room like this!  I wouldn't mind having a designated space for filling my vases and repotting plants.  It just makes life so much simpler when there is a place for everything.  It would be even nicer to have a spot to store my vases and containers. 

What about you?  Do you like any of these potting rooms?  Sometimes, these rooms are standalone or combined with a mud room or laundry room.  Such a simple concept, but I have only ever seen them in magazines.  They could so easily be incorporated in new homes. 

By the way, two of them are by Charlotte Moss.......can you guess which ones?












Images 1 & 2 Traditional Home
Image 3 Window and Wall
Images 4, 5 & 7 House Beautiful
Image 6 Pinterest





Monday, September 12, 2011

Charlotte Moss

Charlotte Moss........many superlatives would describe her designs, but I'll let you decide which ones to use....there are so many!

Charlotte is a New York based interior designer who has been in the business for twenty-five years.  I can't recall when I first saw her room designs......many years ago.  But, I have been a faithful follower ever since.  And when I see a Charlotte Moss room, I still stop in my tracks.

I own and have read several of her interior design books in which she often features her own homes.....summer, winter and permanent residences in the city and the country.  She is fearless when designing a room and while she does not hesitate to mix her fabrics, colors, carpets and furniture, it is her accessorizing that is so masterful.

While I love all of the above mixing and matching, her accessorizing is key.  She not only personalizes her spaces for her own homes, but manages to do the same for every room she completes, whether for a client or a showhome, and makes her spaces as welcoming as if the room had been there forever and is just waiting for someone to come in, sit down and have a cup of tea. 

And that must come from her southern upbringing in Virginia where she was so influenced by her grandmother......that welcoming hospitality just comes through in everything she does.  And it's all in the details. 

She achieves that by ensuring that the homeowners are surrounded by their collections of art, books, whatnots - things they love and appreciate and are sentimental about.......as she says, collections make a statement and are "as honest as a diary".

Enjoy!

Kips Bay Bedroom
Kips Bay Bedroom
Kips Bay Bedroom Bed
Look how she has pulled this room together - red patterned carpet, floral linens,
green and cream furniture and a geometric design on the drapes - gorgeous!

Charlotte's latest book with cover showing
bedroom shown in Images 1, 2 & 3

Foyer table

One of Charlotte's own beds
Gorgeous chair detail

Wallscape and tablescape
"One print is nice, but seven make a statement"
- Charlotte Moss

A Moss living room with chinoiserie panels

A Moss guest room

This has to be my all time favorite bedroom
Looking through the canopy to the fireplace
Tea table and comfortable chair by fireplace
Pastel blues, pink, green and white

Wouldn't you agree that her rooms are inviting?

All photos via Charlotte Moss and Traditional Home