interior paint colors: 2007-08-05

Can You Spell Chandelier?

While on the internet on one of my favorite sites, Houston Real Estate, I came across this lovely home for sale. It's in the Memorial area, one of the toniest neighborhoods in Houston, and as you can see, it's quite a huge house. It's for sale for close to 9 million, just in case you're interested in buying it. But, like they say, money can't buy you taste. I got the biggest case of giggles looking at the pictures of the interior, and I just had to share them with you. Enjoy!

So far, so good. It looks interesting, wood bordered limestone floor, Niermann Weeks sconces, french settee, not quite sure about the hall table, but ok. Personally, I wouldn't have put a skin like this on my stairs, but, that's what makes horse racing.

Master bedroom: Not bad. This kind of cove lighting drives me crazy and I don't really care for the large dark whatever-it-is kneeling in front of the mirror, but, all in all, it's nice. Except, wait, why do they have two duvets on the bed? Uh oh, shades of things to come??? Beware!

Living Room: Ok, we have two back to back sofas, good idea for a large room. But, does each sofa have to have a humongous chandelier over it? I'm not sure that even one of these behemoth's centered in the room would have been good. But two of these are two too much.

Another view of living room. Mucho animal skins. Here the chandeliers don't look so overwhelming. Maybe it's because the second one looks like a reflection of the first one? The Two Theme is really evident here. Two sets of two matching chairs. On the far left, you can see two matching settees side by side.

Two for dinner? This designer really likes the "two" theme. In the dining room, we have two matching tables, each with matching bowl, and of course, two matching chandeliers! I'm beginning to wonder if there was a 2 for 1 sale at the local lighting company? Oh and look, we have two matching Oriental horsemen on the mantle!!! I'm kind of sorry there aren't two fireplaces!

The Kitchen: Surely, gentle reader, you didn't think there would be ONE pendant light here, did you? No, I don't mean to disappoint, but there are, of course, TWO lights, yet again. And two dishwashers. At least we're consistent here.

TheGarden Room: Are there two chandeliers in the garden room, too? Yes, of course! It gets really dark in garden rooms, you know, so there has to be lots of lighting. One for the sofa, and one for the two matching side by side chaise lounges. Actually, behind the plant on the left, I'm pretty sure that's a matching sofa with a matching lamp. Of course.

And finally, the family room. Oh no, oh no!!!!! What happened to the Two for Two Theme? Well, it IS a large sectional and everyone needs their own light, I guess. And carrying the Three Theme further, note that the ottoman actually IS three sided, so that makes more sense. And if you look closely, it appears there are Three Sets of Three Decorative pillows on the sectional. Ok, I understand now, I think?

I'm wondering, do all the chandeliers stay with the house when it sells, or are the owners going to take them all with them? Hmmmmmm. I'll keep you posted!

Well, like the old saying goes: there's no place like home. After three wonderful weeks at the beach, we came home today to huge stacks of unopened mail, plants that desperately need to be cut back, a dog with a swollen eye (ouch!), hydrangeas dead from heat stroke, messy clutter left from leaving in a hurry three long weeks ago, a teenaged daughter who announced that she didn't really miss her old mom and dad (sniff), and still, we're glad to be home. I've been missing my stuff: my candles, my books, my antiques, my sheets, my sconces, my style!

I did have a few surprises waiting for me. Gorgeous wallpaper samples from Farrow and Ball. I'm thinking about wallpapering my bedroom in pink damask. What do you think?

The only problem is the pink in the Farrow and Ball sample is much more orange than in the picture. (Hi Sammi Jo, looking busy there!) So, I may have to start my search over again with something more like this:

And also waiting at home for me was this gorgeous huge cigar box full, I mean stuffed full of fabric samples from Raoul Textiles. Eat your heart out, designers! I am SO excited about this package. I have never before seen such gorgeous packaging from a fabric company. This beats Rose Tarlow's sample box by a mile. I was forced to order the Raoul samples because no one displays the fabrics in Houston. But, truly, the samples they sent are huge, so they are worth it. Here's the cigar box:

And while I was at the beach, I placed a few orders with Amazon. So, there were wonderful books waiting for me. Like this: Florence Broadhurst.

But, I'm afraid I won't get it finished in time to discuss it with the blogger's Book of the Month Club. Maybe next time. Also waiting at home was this book, recommended by Bibliostyle. It looks great:

But the crowning glory was this, recommended by Domino's guest designers' this month: The old Vogue's Book of Houses, Gardens and People. It cost a small fortune, but from the looks of it, it may be worth it. Gorgeous Horst photos of people like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, the Pucci Family, and other long ago socialites. Since the book is tres over priced, I'm willing to let anyone who wants to borrow it to do so. Just let me know and we'll trade addresses. Seriously. It's my gift to bloggers! I am going to try to scan some photos from it later. It looks like this book is a serious example, yet again, of how classic design does not date or go out of style.

Pictures from the chapter on the Pucci Family.

Chapter about Cy Twombly.

I'm sooo glad it's the weekend! This week has been crazy! I originally started my blog because I was a bit bored at work but now things are picking up and I'm swamped! But it's all good. Actually, it would be better if I sat at the desk above and had a view of the park! How fabulously chic is that?! It was featured in the June 2007 issue of House and Garden and was part of a feature on the firm Janson Goldstein photographed by Nikolas Koenig. While the rest of the apartment is a bit too white and modern for me, I'm loving the study and that desk!

Right now, I'm off to meet with a photographer who is going to be shooting some of our finally finished projects for a walkthrough of an apartment in the Time Warner Building. And next week, I have some fun and exciting surprises in store for you! Until then, bon weekend!

Philip Gorrivan was recently touted by House and Garden as one of The New Tastemakers and I'm loving his living room pictured above. I think yellow and turquoise is my new favorite color combination. But the more I looked at his designs, the more I kept thinking about David Hicks, whose work is pictured in the next photo. If you look really closely, there are David Hicks design books in Philip's apartment so obviously he's read his books and studied his work.

I think it's the patterned walls and carpets that Philip has used in his home and designs below that is the obvious similarity but it's also the use of eye popping color combinations.

If you want to look anywhere for design inspiration, you might as well look to the master. David Hicks' designs still translate and look modern to this day.

I love the soothing and serene palette in the master bedroom above that is accurately described as a cool mix of glamour and comfort.

It's in his work for a client's home pictured in the photo above and below that the references to Hicks really stand out. And since Hicks is no longer around, why not call upon Philip Gorrivan. He might just be the new David Hicks. What do you think?

Photos by Simon Upton and from David Hicks archive

Don't you just hate it when you think you have a great idea for a post and someone beats you to it! I've been meaning to write about Yves Klein for awhile now and this morning, who do I see profiled by Nick Olsen over at Domino, but Yves Klein! So, I decided if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em.

The photo above is a project my firm did for a client whose homes are among my favorites and below is the New York apartment of interior designer David Netto that was profiled in Vogue many years ago. I LOVE David Netto! I'm definitely going to have to profile him again later.

Anyway, I think they both show how something as modern as an Yves Klein table can look so at home next to an ancient Roman sculpture and surrounded antique furniture. If you design with what you love, you can never go wrong and what could be chicer than that?!

Photos by Bruce Buck and Francois Halard

My post about the Plaza yesterday reminded me that it will be the first American home of the famous Parisian bakery Laduree. If you've ever had a Laduree macaroon, you'll know why I'm not sure if this is a such good thing. I have a feeling I'm going to log more hours at the gym soon after they open. But not only are the macaroons delicious but they are inspiring, or at least their pretty little green tins are. Glen Senk and Keith Johnson of Anthropologie painted their kitchen the exact same shade of green. Now that's chic!

Photo by James Merrell

It was raining cats and dogs this morning in New York. So much so, that the subway and train tunnels were flooded and stopped running stranding morning commuters. This does not affect me however, since I walk to work but then I also have no excuse for being late to work, which stinks.

And on my walk to work everyday, I pass by the interesting townhouse pictured above. I always wondered about it and was then very surprised and excited when I opened the February 2006 issue of House & Garden and saw it staring out at me.

The man in the photo is Hicks Stone, the son of the architect of the house, Edward Durell Stone. Hicks helped the couple who bought the home update and restore it using original pieces they found stored in the basement! I hope I buy a house that has fun stuff in the basement!

Edward Durell Stone included Japanese elements in his work, like the shoji-style doors separating the kitchen and dining room above. Sometimes after work, I can see the family cooking in the kitchen since it faces the street. It's cute.

I love how the Nakashima walnut table plays off the geometric wallpaper from David Hicks and the huge Thomas Struth photograph in the dining room above. The chairs are by Jacques Adnet.

The townhouse was originally built in the 1890's while the front facade of cast concrete grillage was added in 1956. It's in the living room where the original bones of the home are most evident with the ebonized millwork. While the second floor patio is brightened by a roof of translucent panels below.

Love it or hate it, this townhouse certainly is original and interesting. It pushes the boundaries of architecture and design while referencing the past and it certainly brightens up my walk to work everyday!

Photos by Thomas Loof

In case you didn't know, or have been hiding under a rock, I've been on vacation for the past few weeks in South Padre Island, a little bitty island at the tip of Texas right across from the border of Mexico. You can't get any further south and still be in America than here. Being the dutiful blogger, I wrote a few posts about the island and showed off the beach here on Blogger. Imagine my delight (and surprise) when I received an email from a stranger who reads my blog, Cote de Texas, but has never left a comment. Her name is Teri and she told me that she lives in Harlingen, a small city 30 minutes away from South Padre Island, and she, also, has a family bay home on the island. She was flabbergasted to read that I was here visiting. Would we want to meet for a drink or dinner? Now, I don't know about you, but meeting a stranger over the internet is not my idea of a good time, but somehow, knowing that Teri was reading my blog seemed to make it all ok. Well, almost ok. I still hesitated to say "yes."

It's a small world out there people, beware!

I have good friends from Harlingen and, in fact, one of those friends is down here with me now. Her name is Julie and we vacation together every summer in South Padre Island. Julie was born in Harlingen but moved to Dallas when she married. Is it possible, I ask my new blogger friend, does she know Julie? Well...she not only knows Julie, but grew up right next door to her, AND had just been with her at a party on the island last Saturday night (while I spent that night alone!) There were many twists and turns and coincidences to this story, too many to get into here, but suddenly drinks and dinner with a perfect stranger didn't seem dangerous at all, in fact, it sounded fun.

The three new friends at dinner: Julie, MOI, and Teri

So tonight, Julie, my new blogger friend Teri, and I had dinner together and talked about blogging, and decorating, and French design, and furniture, and interior decorating and all those good things that decorating bloggers like to talk about. Julie was a little bored with all the design talk, but she was a trooper! Thanks, Jules! Tonight Teri explained to me how she discovered my blog to begin with. She was reading Absolutely Beautiful Things, a delicious blog from Australia and ABT had my blog, Cote de Texas, listed under favorite reads. Of course the word Texas attracted Teri, being from Texas and all, so she clicked right over to my blog. Little did she know that when she first clicked onto my blog, she would be making a new friend. And so, what is the best part about meeting a new blogger friend, besides promising to get together every summer for dinner down at South Padre Island???? Teri brought me the new Elle Decor AND Veranda magazines !!!!! Yes!!!! You can't get those magazines on the island and I've been DYING to read them. Thank you Teri!!!

S0 Bloggers, have YOU ever met someone in real life who reads your blog? Or have you been too afraid to do so? Tell us YOUR story!

The two new blogger buddies: Moi and Teri

The two old Harlingen buddies: Julie and Teri

Having a great time at dinner ON THE BEACH: Julie, Moi, and Teri

Besides being interesting and adorable and having great taste in magazines, Teri is also very chic. She drove up in her new car, a Mini Cooper. To die for! This has to be the cutest car in all the world:

Even cuter is the dashboard. Check out the speedometer, it's the size of a basketball! Too cute:

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about lamps outside a house but I love this photo! There is something so surreal about it. Sometimes, you don't have to love a design to appreciate it or the photographer who took a great photo.

This photo by Matthew Hranek is of the Hamptons house of interior designer Kelly Behun of Behun / Ziff and is part of the Break the Rules September issue of House & Garden. I would think using living room style floor lamps outside would definitely be considered breaking the rules. I wonder how many people do a double-take when they drive by!

Kelly got her start working for Ian Schrager's design team and I can see how that would influence her designs. There was a profile of her apartment in New York Magazine a few years back that's definitely worth checking out. Who knew breaking the rules could be so chic!

While I would never consider myself a Versace kind of girl, I have to admit that I'm loving their interior design and furnishings from the Versace Home Collection in the model apartment at the Plaza in New York. I had only seen a tiny little photo in a magazine so I was excited to see House & Garden give it a spread in the September issue.

Interior architect on the project, Gal Nauer, called the collection of black, white and sleek silver "modern yet timeless" and I agree. I'm a sucker for classic details like mouldings mixed with modern furnishings. Apparently the artwork was chosen from ArtLink.

And if I ever become rich and famous enough to own a private jet, I will definitely call on Versace's aircraft interior design service to decorate it. Because it would be fabulously chic darling!

Photos by Francois Dischinger

interior paint colors

Laman

Can You Spell Chandelier?

There's No Place Like Home

Orange You Glad it's the Weekend?!

Is Philip Gorrivan the New David Hicks?

Yves Klein Part Deux

Too Chic to Eat!

Apres le Deluge

Bloggers Make the Best Friends

Breaking the Rules is Chic!

Fabulously Chic Darling!

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Arsip Blog

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