Maria Beatrice and Leonardo Ferragamo’s Villa Le Rose

Oh how I want to be Margaret Russell, the Editor of ELLE DECOR. In addition to her unparalleled editorial skills, she must have about 8,000 cocktail dresses that look fabulous on her. In the foreward to my new favorite book, So Chic: Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces, she defines what makes a space chic:

But what exactly is chic? Webster’s defines the word as “cleverly stylish; smart; a woman who adapts fashion to her own personality.” When it comes to interiors, chic is that and far more. A chic space can be razzle-dazzle glamorous or quietly unpretentious, seriously sophisticated or unapologetically bohemian. The unifying thread is indisutabley confidence, no doubt boosted by splashes of joie de vivre and flair.

Jaouad Kadiri’s Moroccan Country House

Kenneth Jay Lane’s Stanford White Designed Park Avenue Townhouse

This is a really good way to describe ELLE DECOR. They offer a wide range of styles in their spreads unlike any other magazine, from over-the-top opulence of say, Kenneth Jay Lane, to the lived-in rustic look of Ralph Lauren; from the eclectic vibe of Anh Duong to the elegant Grey Gardens-esque decay of John Derian; from the vintage but modernly crisp Thomas O’Brien to the exotic shapes and textures used by Jaouad Kadiri. This book culls the best examples from the magazine’s archives, and the range of styles is remarkable. The common thread is that they are all, undoubtedly chic due to the designers’ individual styles, whether they be influenced by the Ottoman empire, mid-century modern, vintage, Hollywood Regency, Morocco, the eclectic mix, et. al.

Ranjana & Naeem Khan’s SoHo Loft

For example, I took note of the different wallcoverings in the book. There were crisp white walls, classic murals, antique Chinese wallpapers, grasscloths, ethnic tiles, genius artwork arrangements, mirrors, bold stripes and luxurious printed fabrics.

Muriel Brandolini’s Upper East Side Townhouse

Tamara Mellon’s London Flat (O.K., I want to be her the most; she has every Jimmy Choo shoe in her closet!)

Sheila Bridges’ Harlem Apartment

Thomas O’Brien’s Wall of Inspiration

Delphine and Reed Krakoff’s Southampton Home

Anh Duong’s West Village Loft

Sarah Jessica Parker’s Hamptons Home

John Derian’s Lower East Side Pad

It was impossible to pick favorite photos from this book, but I thought these were some great examples. Here are the photo credits, in order, from the elite group that shoots for ELLE DECOR:

• Pieter Estersohn

• Henry Bourne

• Pieter Estersohn

• Simon Upton

• Pieter Estersohn

• Simon Upton

• William Waldron

• William Waldron

• Reed Krakoff

• Simon Upton

• William Waldron

• William Waldron

I've recently become enamored with a designer whose work is no longer featured on the pages of shelter magazines. I read or hear very little about him these days, which probably adds to the mystique. I'm sure many of you are familiar with this designer, although to me his work is quite new. (Back in his heyday in the 1980s and 90s, I was preoccupied with homework and school activities, preventing me from focusing too terribly much on the design world.) Of course, the fact that he died almost 13 years ago is part of the reason why this designer's work is no longer at the forefront of our design consciousness, and it's really a shame because this designer- Richard Lowell Neas- created rooms that were stylish, sophisticated, beautiful, elegant, and timeless.

I first became familiar with Neas' name when I found out that he was responsible for Brunschwig & Fils' "Bibliothèque" wallpaper- one of my all-time favorite wallpaper designs. As Neas was an accomplished muralist and trompe l'oeil artist, it's no surprise that he would design such a charming print. Then I learned that Neas gradually made his way into a career as a decorator. And what decorating he did!

I've tried to collect a few images of his work, and in some ways it surprises me that I'm so taken with these very traditional rooms. While I am a traditionalist at heart, I do like to mix in some modern pieces- it's a bit like a design checks and balances system. I think that what has drawn me to his work is the fact that Neas created rooms that were completely livable. His New York projects seem to capture the spark that is so evocative of that city: urbane, sophisticated, and cosmopolitan. Yet there's nothing cold or stiff about these rooms. Neas imbued his projects with a softness and warmth that was so inviting. Perhaps it was the collection of unique and striking furniture and objets. Or maybe it was the mix of prints and patterns that was so pleasing to the eye. I actually believe it was a combination of all of the above.

I think Neas described the success of his rooms perfectly when he quoted his friend Annette de la Renta, "some of the most wonderful rooms are ones that seem as though all the objects were inherited from relatives with different styles and tastes- yet everything fits together magically." And this, to me, is the magic formula- and one that makes Neas' work so appealing.


An image of Neas' tiny Manhattan apartment. Note the trompe l'oeil swagged curtain at the top of the mirror. I just love this room.




Two photos of a Manhattan apartment that Neas designed around 1990.




I believe this dining room and bedroom were part of Neas' home in Charente, France. Neas certainly created environments that were appropriate for their surroundings.


A close-up shot of the "Bibliothèque" wallpaper.


Nina Campbell used "Bibliothèque" in her home.

Image at top: Richard Lowell Neas with a chicken at his home in France. (This image and those of his French home courtesy of House Beautiful, 2001. Images of the Manhattan project from HG, September 1990.)

Neas/de la Renta quote from the New York Times, "Home Design; Objects of Much Affection" by Carol Vogel, October 21, 1984.

I have a loft-like space (a large living/bedroom above the garage) near the Chesapeake Bay. The room has high vaulted ceilings (about 10 feet, though of course the peak is higher), lots of windows, and board and batten extending to 7 feet on the walls. The space has windows on all sides, so gets plenty of light. There is a desk/bookcase unit that divides the space into living and sleeping areas. The furnishings are going to be low and modern.

The space, under construction

In terms of color, I was thinking of a soft grey/blue for the 7ft board & batten section of the walls (something along the lines of Boothbay Gray from Benjamin Moore) and a deeper color above that extending up across the ceiling (perhaps Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy). The color would extend throughout the space (only the bathroom will be different). I will also need an accent color for the central bookcase/desk and the trim.

Alternatively, if we decide not to paint the ceiling, perhaps the Hale Navy for the central bookcase/desk. I would love some more color options for the walls, trim, and central architectural component.

Is this a workable scheme? Or would a dark ceiling feel too oppressive? Do you have any color suggestions? -Sarah

image source

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For a nautical theme that isn't too cheesy, she could pair blue gray walls with crisp white trim and cheery red accents.

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On my blog, it?s no secret that I?m a big fan of Kim Myles. Anyone who can resist her bubbly optimism and bold use of color might just be a stick in the mud, if you ask me. I asked Kim if she?d mind answering some couple-focused decorating questions, and she happily agreed. Check out her site for more information on her design work and design- and budget-savvy show Myles of Style, if you haven’t made her acquaintance yet!

Elka: Do you see any trends that follow gender lines (such as, men are more conservative with color; women are more daring with new trends)? Or is it a toss-up?

Kim: So far, it?s a toss up. The only thing that I?ve found to be almost universal is the fear of bold color. It?s funny, I live for color, and everyone I design for on ?Myles of Style? says they like color too, they?ve just been paralyzed by the thought of making the wrong choice?.it?s so fascinating to me! If I had one wish, it would be that we as people who live in a visual world would embrace brave color choices and combos, and just let go of the fear. It?s only color?if you hate it, it?s the easiest thing in the world to change.

E: How stressful is redecorating for a couple?

K: I don?t find it stressful at all; I think that my past life as a hairdresser trained my listening skills to the extreme. My job is to go in, meet the homeowners, and discuss what their dreams and hopes for the space are. Sometimes that includes reading between the lines, and hearing what isn?t being said out loud, and I think that?s one of my strengths.

E: How do you try to make differing design ideas between each person in the relationship sync up?

K: When people don?t see eye to eye on their space, it?s all about finding the common ground first. Baby steps like, ?Ok, you both agree that you hate the current wall color, right??, gets them on the same page and on the same team. Once we?ve established that, we can delve into the ?why?s? of their dislike of the color, and I find that once people start talking about why they like or dislike something (vs. just making a general blanket judgment), all the walls start to come down. As people, I think we?re all striving to understand each other, so my goal in a situation like that is to be the facilitator.

E: What?s your best piece of advice for couples who are butting heads on decorating schemes?

K: Find one piece that you both love. It can be small; a color, an accessory, etc. Once you find that, you?ve found your bridge, and created the beginnings of a ?map,? so to speak.

E: Is there anything that couples should do for bedrooms to keep them, um, couple-friendly?

K: Yes!!!!!! I am so opposed to TV?s in the bedroom!!!! I?ve heard every reason and justification, but I still believe that the bedroom is where you should be focusing on your partner, rest, and sanctuary. Make sure the lighting is warm, inviting and calm, and treat the bedroom like your own private getaway.

E: What if one half of the couple refuses to give up tacky memorabilia, such as high school football trophies/etc.? How can you work around this obstacle?

K: I think that we all have sentimental items that our partners would rather not be confronted with everyday. It?s all about mutual respect, and a willingness to create a space that works for both of you, so be willing to edit/store/relocate those trophies (or stuffed animals), and start with a clean slate.

I consider myself fortunate to have so many close friends. These three women have been my close friends since the eighties (Gail on the left), since the seventies (Sandy on the right), and Marsha in the middle since first grade. That's me in the yellow coat.

The four of us have been in a book club for too many years and recently, Gail moved to Boise. Do we replace her? We decided no, we will just all fly to Boise once a quarter and have our meeting there.

It's not all work. Here, we visited a winery and posed in the sun.

The book club has been wonderful. We've each read books we might not ever picked up, both fiction and non-fiction, our friendship has deepened, and we are the richer for it.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

As much as I love the look of wallpaper, I haven’t been able to make the leap from admiring wallpapered rooms in Domino to actually papering a room in my own house. There’s something so adult, so permanent, and, yes, so expensive about the whole process that I haven’t been able to bite the bullet quite yet. Still, if I were to paper, I’d want to do it with a bang — I mean, why go to all that trouble if you’re not going to make a statement? Isn’t drama the whole point of wallpaper? I have a fantasy of papering a dining room with something wacky and fun like this Woodson & Rummerfield green birdcage wallpaper, which is made with recycled paper and vegetable dyes ($55 at Green With Glamour). What do you guys think — is wallpapering worth the trouble and expense? –Meg D.

Read more of Meg’s tips for stylish, green living at her blog, Style Saves the World.

it’s been a busy week here at d*s and today ac and i are heading off to savannah for a much needed break and a little wedding-location scouting. i’ll be blogging from savannah on monday and tuesday so stay tuned for some photos of the places we’re checking out while down in georgia. in the meantime, i’ll be posting a link to the good morning america segment i filmed as soon as it’s up, along with the date and time it will air on tv! i better run and finish packing so i’ll see you all on monday from sunny savannah. until then, here’s a summary of this week’s highlights. [image above: graham and brown wallpaper: $60 per roll at design public]

• thank you to TIME magazine for including d*s in their “the design 100″ list for design!
• d*s under $100 roundups at domino: decorating essentials and eco-friendly home products
• this weekend: the first ever brooklyn flea and the d*s collective
• 2008 d*s reader survey and alena hennessy print prizes!
• new york magazine shop-a-matic: design*sponge 100-product roundup
• new sneak peek: skinny laminx
• new before and afters: chair love (6 chair makeovers), natalie’s lamp, joanna and marc-peter’s amsterdam home
• new diy projects: subscription card art, bridget’s wood veneer lamp, kate’s leaning shelf
• new city guide: dublin design guide
• new in the kitchen with: mod green pod beet risotto
• new d*s guest blog: elka from popsugar
• interior inspiration: wonderful white
• interior inspiration: alma and nancy’s joshua tree home
• new: porcelain paper plates by virginia sin
• new: orla kiely stationery
• new: cave dwellers print by rachell sumpter
• new: textiles from anna drastik
• new: karen karlstrom pillows
• packaging by palatal collective
• wedding invites: white lettering on dark brown
• eco-friendly: bedding from plover organic

Trish Beaudet - Owner and Designer of Finishing Touches Interiors by Design, Inc.

D. Paul DeRouen - Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Profession: Architectural Designer

Matt Locke - Bachelor's degree in history from Princeton. Current Job: Designer

Michael Stribling - Interior design major from Wade College. Current Job: Interior Designer/Business Owner

Jennifer Bertrand - Bachelor of Arts in education with an emphasis in ceramics; master's degree in teaching and leadership from University of Kansas. Current Job: Interior Decorator/Owner of Bertrand Designs

Tracee Dore - Bachelor of Arts in interior design from the University of Kentucky. Current Job: Residential and Commercial Interior Designer and Builder/Renovator, Tracee Dore and Company

Jerome Scottie Miller - Master of Science in civil engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. Current Job: Regional Property Manager at Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Schools.

Mikey Verdugo - High school diploma from Hialeah High School. Current Job: Police Officer

Bright ideas we gathered from your comments.

1) Microfiber is a good choice for people with cats. Pencils let us know that while her Sleepytime Rocker is a big hit with the cat, cleaning it isn’t a big issue: “Can?t wait to rock a baby in it, but so far the cat really is enjoying it — and her abundant Maine Coon fur doesn?t stick to the microfiber upholstery.” See where else we clicked last week.

2) You can find toothbrushes that not only are colorful and recycled, they look like they’ll fit in most holders! Inez weighed in on the toothbrush storage post with a link to these toothbrushes by Alan Stuart. Too cool.

3) We’re not the only ones who can’t leave Target with just one thing. Okay — we pretty much knew that already, but we did recognize ourselves in Becky’s comment: “I?m off to Target with the intention of spending $10, but I know I won?t leave until my cart is full. I?ll wind up with an array of unrelated items, like milk, a Jovavitch-Hawk skirt that makes me look really fat, a ‘fiendish’ platinum soduku book, some slutty looking shoes I?ll never end up wearing, some men?s pajama pants, a funny garden gnome, cat litter, a Victoria Hagan mirror, a Converse shirt I am way too old to get away with, a DVD, toilet paper, and a pink garden hose!” Thank you, readers, for always making us laugh. And check out that $10 hot pink garden hose here.

4) There are a lot of earth-friendly cat litters out there. (That sometimes dogs love a little too much, too). Susan Y says, “I used World?s Best, Swheat Scoop, Feline Pine, and right now I?m testing the litter called ‘Space’ which they sell at Trader Joe?s. World?s Best and Swheat Scoop were good, but I have a dog that LOVED to eat the litter. I?m still unsure about Space because they are made of full silica pellets, so they don?t have dust, but I?m not sure how biodegradable they are. Anyone have info?” See the Feline Fresh post here.

5) Some husbands have really interesting hobbies. Quite a few readers were excited by Angela’s family foray into beekeeping, and some of you have wanted to try it out yourselves. But only mod*mom had this to say: “I would freak out with all those bees. My husband is a falconer + it took a long time for me to like having a bird on my glove. I’m not as relaxed as he is.” Click to learn more about Angela and Chad’s new beekeeping venture.

Chic cushion
Woven of natural abaca, the Aqua Bead Circle pillow from Palecek showcases an embroidered bead design ($138).

GOBLET-SHAPED VASE
with Brushed Silver Trumpet-Style Base and Turquoise, Beige and Chocolate Finish, 5.5"D x 11.25"H, For Decorative Purposes Only, Glass, Brass, BB, Cs pk/4, ©2008, CBK Exclusive SUG. RETAIL $60.00.

WAVE-SHAPED TRAYS
with Light Blue and Light Green Reactive Glaze Finish, Set of 2, Lg: 20.75"L x 4.75"W x 4"H, Sm: 12"L x 3"W x 3"H, Ceramic, BB, Cs pk/4 sets, ©2008, CBK Exclusive SUG. RETAIL $34.50/ea. tray.