Friday, June 03, 2016

A Room of Her Own - Charlotte Moss' Sleeping Porch/Study

I thought you might like to see where Charlotte does her collage art that I posted about earlier this week.

As you can see, she has all her magazines and collage supplies nicely tucked away in the bookshelves behind her bed.  There's a divan under the window with lots of light for browsing through her magazines for ideas.  An antique  daybed to stretch out on for a power nap, or as Charlotte says, "a perch for Oscar and Daisy while I work". An architect's desk where she cuts and pastes her collages. And a writing desk.




Charlotte's architect's desk



This is what the sleeping porch looked like before Charlotte re-decorated as seen in the first three images.  Notice the painted floor is the same in all images.

Charlotte Moss' Sleeping Porch
East Hampton Home

To see more of Charlotte's East Hampton home, please click here.



Thursday, June 02, 2016

Console Vignettes

Have you ever wondered how designers make such attractive tabletop vignettes with so little effort?  There are just a few things to remember when styling console tables, chests, end tables, etc.

First of all, using an uneven number of items is very appealing to the eye and depending on the size of the tabletop, it could be 1, 3, 5, 7 or more items.

Secondly, if using 3 items or more, make sure they are different heights - short, medium and tall so that your eye goes up and down as you look back and forth at the different items.

Thirdly, I find a symmetrical arrangement is easy on the eyes and I tend to use that......that's why I almost always buy two of everything when shopping for accessories.......lamps, vases, florals, etc. for tabletops.

Some people prefer an asymmetrical look and that's popular, as well - the important thing is to be happy with your final results as you are the one who will be enjoying the effects!

Carolyne Roehm
5 items - perfect symmetry
1 tall topiary, 2 medium height plants and 2 short candles

Carolyne Roehm
7 items - asymmetrical
Notice how your eye flows from low to medium to high and back
Gorgeous arrangement!

Anthony Michael Designs
3 items, symmetrical - 1 low and 2 high

Traditional Home
3 items - 1 low and 2 tall

Architectural Digest
7 items and totally symmetrical
2 lamps, 2 identical plants, 2 same height candles and 1 tea tray

Barclay Butera
7 items and symmetrical
2 lamps, 2 ginger jars, 2 small seashells and 1 large candle holder in the centre

Bunny Wlliams bedroom
7 items - asymmetrical but looks symmetrical at first glance
2 large plants, 1 medium floral arrangement, 1 porcelain figurine, 1 jar, 1 jar top, 1 candy box

Traditonal Home
3 items - low, medium and high
Asymmetrical

Verandah House
7 items assymmetrical
1 lamp, 1group of 3 books, 1 piece of coral, 1 lidded box
2 plants and 1 open book



Wednesday, June 01, 2016

Loving the Collage Art of Charlotte Moss

Hi Everyone!

I haven't done any book or art posts for awhile so I thought I would share both with you today in the form of Charlotte Moss' book "A Visual Life" and share some of her collage art with you.

I have totally enjoyed this book and peruse it often when I want to relax and be inspired......what she has done with her old magazines is truly worth seeing......she does the most beautiful collages as mementos of trips she's taken or other memorable events, and sometimes they're done by color for rooms or homes she's designing or perhaps simply because she loves the color......beautiful and memorable gardens, architecture, design and decor!

If you're not already doing collage and need a hobby (or another hobby), these images may inspire you and her book most certainly will......she has a way with words and if you don't have a collection of ephemera to work with at home, you may want to look around at what you do have or start gathering now!

Enjoy!

Charlotte's beautiful book.

Villa Feltrinelli

Green Leaf and Butter

Villa d'Este

Rome

Magenta, mauve, lavender, amethyst

Malmaison



Garden Collage

Magenta, rose, fuscia, pink 

Basalt, black, gray

Blue and white

Charlotte Moss





Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Indiana Beauty on Lake Maxinkuckee

This Lake Maxinkuckee, Indiana, summer home designed by architect Gary Nance, is a wonderful summer home for this family of four.

The homeowners bought a smaller summer home on this lot in the late 80s, but as their two boys grew older and the extended family became larger, they decided to build a new larger residence, but wanted it to look as if it had been there for years.  So, in 2006, Gary Nance and a friend of the homeowners, Suzanne Kasler (yes that Suzanne Kasler! - the well-known and very talented interior designer), came together and collaborated on the design and interiors.

With a large and beautiful collection of quilts, weathervanes and blue and white china, it was important to have a background that would accommodate it all with some kind of order.

So, the house was designed with planked walls (vertical and horizontal), dark walnut floors, beadboard ceilings, sloped ceilings, shelves, nooks and crannies, all white walls and different trim throughout the house to make it look as if it had been added onto over the years - as cottages often are.  And the all-white walls were a perfect backdrop for the colorful quilts and collections.

The result is a wonderful mix of old and new for this large extended family to enjoy.





A colorful quilt hanging in the stairwell.

Love the mixed spindles and, of course, the quilts add the perfect jolt of color.

Notice the blue ceiling.







Lovely master bedroom and bath below.



These wicker chairs are from the estate of the late Bette Davis!
Love the yellow chintz with the blue chairs and area rug.
The walls in this room look like board and batten.
The transom windows are not only pretty but allow that extra amount of light into the room.
Beautiful guest room!

The wall nook is a perfect addition to this space.

A mural of Lake Maxinkuckee in the mudroom.

Looks like the owners enjoy dining on the boat dock!


Architect Gary Nance
Interior Design Suzanne Kasler
Traditional Home




Monday, May 30, 2016

Moodboard Monday - Sky Blue

Good morning everyone!  Hope you had a nice weekend and are ready for the busy week ahead.

I have a gorgeous color for you to enjoy today - sky blue.  The moodboard is from the current issue of House Beautiful magazine which just seems to get better each month!  Gorgeous ideas there!

Hope these pretty pics and soft sky blue colors put you in the mood for relaxation today.......and will help you to 'keep calm and carry on'!  After all, that's what soft blue does......has that calming effect.......!

Enjoy!

House Beautiful



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Daisy Bracelet
Asprey

Urban Electric Co.

Vintage Blue Dauphine Wallpaper
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John Stefanidis

Leta Austin Foster



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Chinoiserie Chic

Tory Burch

Teresa Moolman Tumblr

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Sence of Style

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Timothy Corrigan

A Girl and Her Pearls 
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Lazy Bones USA

Berthe Morisot

Walter Ernest Webster

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