Category: Trends & Tips

Must-Have Books

Any bookstore or website you visit is sure to have an overwhelming number of design books to choose from, but which ones are worth your time and money?

Books about interior design are definitely not hard to find.  Any bookstore or website you visit is sure to have an overwhelming number of design books to choose from, but which ones are worth your time and money?

I’d suggest you start with the designers you love.  Whose work speaks to you and reflects your own style best?  If he or she has a book, it will probably be a good investment.  You can also check out your favorite design magazines for book suggestions and reviews to get an idea where to start.  Finally, following interior design blogs or websites will introduce you to books others have found inspiring and useful.

On that note, I’d like to share some of my favorite books by incredible designers.  These invaluable resources contain so much creativity and inspiration, from the overall themes down to the smallest details.

Katie Ridder Rooms by Heather Smith McIsaac, photographs by Eric Piasecki.
Jeffrey Bilhuber: Defining Luxury: The Qualities of Life at Home
Traditional Now: Interiors by David Kleinberg
Hue by By Kelly Wearstler
Mary McDonald: Interiors: The Allure of Style
Dealer’s Choice: At Home with Purveyors of Antique and Vintage Furnishings

 

Menswear Fabrics

Conveying a sense of luxury and a gentleman’s lifestyle of elegance and leisure, this “old is new again” trend has plenty of appeal.

Holland & Sherry Fabrics

Perhaps inspired by the popularity of television shows like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire, the use of traditional menswear fabrics on furnishings has become an extremely popular idea.  Conveying a sense of luxury and a gentleman’s lifestyle of elegance and leisure, this “old is new again” trend has plenty of appeal.  Drawing on classic film icons and fine clothiers like Holland & Sherry, we can see why this timeless look has such appeal.

Armani Suit
Fred Astaire

Interior design with a Savile Row flair imparts a room with a sense of permanence.  Pinstripes, leathers, tweed, flannels, houndstooth checks, and colors such as camel and cigar brown all evoke the image of a stylish, well-dressed, confident man from romantic days-gone-by.

Handsomely Structured - David Kleinberg
Great combination using Holland & Sherry
Courtesy of blog 2Modern
Hudson Street Lounge by Ralph Lauren
The warmth of wool suit! by David Kleinburg

cover image via Vogue UK and Holland & Sherry

 

 

Farmhouses and Barns

I started looking at other examples of farmhouses and converted barns and found amazing examples of both. This style is at once welcoming and luxurious.

I recently saw a piece in Veranda about an incredible farmhouse in Wyoming.   The work of designer Barbara Barry and architect Peter Block, this home showcases the best of the farmhouse style.

Farmhouse in Jackson Hole Valley

It certainly meets the designer’s vision for “a pure and simple country home.”  Every line of the exterior is perfectly suited to the farmhouse look, including the appearance of an attached barn.

Inside the home, Barry worked with natural light and a palette taken from the great outdoors to create a comfortable atmosphere.  Traditional elements throughout the interior are consistent with the farmhouse concept but are well balanced by modern touches.

Kitchen with fireplace.
Dining room.

I started looking at other examples of farmhouses and converted barns and found amazing examples of both.  This style is at once welcoming and luxurious.

Converted barn in Roxbury, CT
Sheffield, MA converted barn from old mill

 

Modern Barn, photographer Simon Upton for Elle Decor
Modern barn interior designed by Russel Groves
Barn with conservatory
from Archtectural Digest
Beautiful converted barn by David Kleinberg

One site I love for referencing barns is Heritage Restorations.  Very cool photos and ideas!

Interesting Hardware

There’s no need to go with plain, basic hardware when the right piece could be the ideal finishing touch for furniture or a room.

Whether on a wall, door, or dresser, hardware can be very boring and generic.  There’s no need to go with plain, basic hardware when the right piece could be the ideal finishing touch for furniture or a room.  Think big, think creative, and you’ll find ways to personalize and accent a space through unique hardware choices.  For example, the hardware in the above mud room photo playfully resembles sticks and tree stumps and yet doesn’t detract at all from the simple beauty of this small space.

Take a look at these examples of different styles of hardware:

Large-scaled hardware adds interest to this serpentine chest.
Hardware from The Nanz Company
All time favorite cabinet pull from Carl Martinez - think about the ends powder coated in black.
Knob by Baldwin Hardware - very chic!
Another favorite from Nanz

 

How can your home benefit from updated, unique hardware?

 

Greek Keys

Simple and versatile, the Greek key as a design element can be implemented in any color or scale

Also known as meanders, what we today call the Greek key design appeared in ancient friezes and on pottery from Greece’s Geometric Period onward.  Most likely a symbol of eternity and unity, Greek keys are an easily recognizable pattern.

I like to use Greek keys as trim.  It brings a touch of classicism to a room whether the pattern is part of a window treatment or piece of furniture.  Simple and versatile, the Greek key as a design element can be implemented in any color or scale.  It can be paired with other patterns or used alone for maximum impact.  With so many possibilities, it’s no wonder the Greek key has endured for millennia.

When you start to look for it, you find Greek keys in all kinds of places.  It’s amazing to think how long this element has been part of architecture and design!

Intaglios

Authentic antiques or modern reproductions, intaglios have so much to offer.

Intaglios are made by carving a design into stone or some other type of hard material.  While the art of creating intaglios is an ancient one that encompasses everything from jewelry to sculpture, what I want to show you today is a specific type of intaglio.  In the 17th and 18th centuries, wealthy young Europeans taking a Grand Tour often bought intaglios as souvenirs, mainly in Italy.  These exquisite examples of antique intaglios are still available today.

Antique World Tour Italian Intaglios

 

Antique French Intaglios

Authentic antiques or modern reproductions, intaglios have so much to offer.  When framed in groups or individually, these small works of art become striking wall art for your home.  In a neutral space, they provide texture.  In any room, they provide interest and variation.  I like how the arrangement and grouping of the intaglios cant take many forms.  One intaglio per frame or several, a couple of frames or many, on one wall or covering an entire room.  This kind of versatility in design is part of what makes intaglios so interesting.

Seashell intaglio by Karen Robertson Collection
Framed intaglio by Swedish Dekor
Intaglios fro Quatrefoil Design
Framed Intaglios: Tiberian Design Framed Intaglios
Designer Betty Burgess covered dining room walls with intaglios

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The Versatile Lamp

A well-placed lamp gives a room a splash of color, a functional sculpture, or an interesting accent piece.

Lamps do a lot more for a room than simply provide a light source.  Light is important, but so is color and style!  A well-placed lamp gives a room a splash of color, a functional sculpture, or an interesting accent piece.

These next two lamps illustrate how a unique piece and a custom shade become a work of art.

I love the lamp below.  It’s more like a glowing sculpture, unexpected and whimsical!

 

Details: Nail Head Trim

Typically seen on leather upholstered furniture, nail head trim imparts a look of finished sophistication and style.

Nail head trim dates back to the advent of French Country Style in the 16th century.  Typically seen on leather upholstered furniture, nail head trim imparts a look of finished sophistication and style.  Nail heads come in a variety of shapes and finishes for a custom look that’s traditional and modern at the same time.  Whether their use is decorative or strictly functional, nail heads are like subtle jewelry for your home.

Ottoman with nail head trim
Gorgeous library chair from Mecox Gardens
Bedroom furniture with nail head accents

Why limit such a fantastic look to furniture?  Nail head trim makes a wonderful accent for other pieces in the home.  Inspired by fabulous designer Miles Redd, I’ve used nail heads in unexpected places with beautiful results.

A Miles Redd project that inspired me
Detail of leather door for my client

 

Nail head cornice

Try experimenting with different shapes and finishes of nail heads as well as various fabrics, colors, and textures.  Nail head trim isn’t only for leather furniture, or even just furniture for that matter.

 

Tortoise Shell Boxes

I love tortoise shell boxes. When placed around a room, these beautiful accessories add warmth and richness to the environment.

I love tortoise shell boxes.  When placed around a room, these beautiful accessories add warmth and richness to the environment.  They seem to absorb light and exude their own golden glow.  Tortoise shell boxes come in many shapes and sizes and may have elaborate ivory, silvery or gold decorations.

I’d suggest looking for these pieces with your favorite antique dealer.  True tortoise shell was primarily produced from the shell of the hawksbill turtle.  Prized for it’s beauty and durability, this material hasn’t legally been available since the 1970’s when worldwide trade of tortoise shell was banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.  Real shell is naturally able to command a higher price than imitation shell, but both can give a space the same look.

Tortoise shell, ivory, and mother of pearl

 

Set of nesting tortoise shell boxes
Carved bone and tortoise shell box
Indo-Portuguese tortoise shell and ebony table box

 

Mah Jong tile storage box

 

The Sofa, Reimagined

One surprising design trick I really love is mixing fabrics on a sofa.

Some of the best ideas in interior design are things that catch people off guard and challenge their ideas of the way things are “supposed to” look.  One surprising design trick I really love is mixing fabrics on a sofa.  It’s not something you typically see, but it adds true visual interest and contrast.

Brompton Sofa by Ralph Lauren
Central Park by Duralee Furniture

Perhaps the ideal way to find your perfect sofa is to have it custom-upholstered.  You start with the style of sofa you prefer and use it as your blank canvas.   What do you imagine for this sofa?

Custom upholstery by Luther Quintana

Another detail I love:  a mattress cushion on a sofa!

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