Well Dressed Home No. 39 - Release the Hounds!

So I have already confessed on this blog that I bet on horses based on the jockey's silks.  Here's another confession, I have a fascination for fox hunts because of the riders' attire and the horses' leather saddles. When I met a rider whom participated in fox hunts and shared with me photos of their experiences, I caught myself gawking and daydreaming.  So I do what all dreamers do, I translated my dream into something real. Enjoy this translation of the Well Dressed Home inspired by the fox hunt and all I love about this sport.

An amazing collage of menswear fabrics, handsome!

Nothing a little houndstooth and tufted leather can't cure.

Good morning!

Just the right amount of sunlit shadows.

Dramatic entrance indeed.

One would call this, quite simply, a boot perch.

Release the hounds!

Image Sources:  Elle Decor, Pretty Little Things for Home, Design Chic, Diamond Barretta Design, Home Bunch, Apartment F5, Paper Blog, Pinterest, Traditional Home

Rooms I Love No. 10 - I Have a Crush on You Because

I have a crush on you....

because of the bobbin chair, painted black cabinet, comfy conversation areas.

This is No. 10 in the series Rooms I Love, and it is hard to imagine that if I laid all the images featured in these installments that I would be able to list 5 design elements that are most important to me for a room.  As a designer, when you give a client the assignment of pulling pages from magazines of rooms they like it really does tell us all the things they might not have been able to articulate with words.  

So whether your favorite room images are torn pages tucked in a file marked "Dream Rooms", or pinned to a bulletin board marked "Room Crush" as mine are,  review them and finish the following sentence, "I have a crush on you because (fill in the blank)."  I think your list of design elements can be narrowed down to a few as well.

because of the painted black cocktail, the impromptu library, the chandeliers, 

the demand for conversation at a slow pace, and the fireplace.

because of the clever chalkboard wall, the hide rug,

 the open hand that holds the chalk inviting words be

"spoken", the unique chandelier.

because of the black painted window frame, the story on the wall, the easel, 

and the surface to be creative and spark conversation.

because of the overflowing library, the zebra print, the comfy

corner, the transparent intention of the space, and the artwork.

because of the juxtaposition of rustic and formal, the 

objects de' art, the relaxed conversation  that

is invited whether coming or leaving.

because of the cozy nook, the mix of casual and formal,

the pillows, and all the memories that are 

evident will happen here.

Image Sources:  Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Zsa Zsa Bellagio, Asmari, The Colonies, Eco Luxe Studio, Elle Decor

Be Inspired No. 13.1 - The Coolness of Zinc Part II

Last year at this time I wrote a blog entry about the coolness of zinc.  (Be Inspired No. 13 - The Coolness of Zinc)  Let me introduce to you The Coolness of Zinc No. 13.1 because it is still cool!

I am inspired by the faux paint technique that keeps the zinc's coolness.  Though I love the real thing, but the faux is so good that sometimes you have to tap it to see if it is real or faux, it's that good.

This faux zinc wall is kick butt!

Love the nod to feminine!

Dining with books, zinc, and crystals!

How soothing a color palette that gives tribute to the hues of zinc can be.  What a soft way to introduce the coolness of zinc to a room.  

The coolness of zinc using paint and fabric.

Again, zinc-inspired color palette, lovely!

Image Sources:  Chem4Kids, Porter Paints, Architectural Digest, Restoration Hardware, Houzz, Decor Pad, Cote de Texas, Driven by Design, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Simplicity in the South, Benjamin Moore, Artic Design UK, Cafe Press

Be Inspired No. 56 - Selvedge Denim

Select your denim fabric of choice, define your style, and have a pair of jeans that fit you like a glove tailored just for your body.

Like most, I have a wardrobe staple that includes denim, my denim jacket(s).  I have one that is so worn it feels like butter!  While bespoke and Selvedge Denim have become a fixture in high fashion, the use of denim inspiration in our homes is a classic that trends and fades into the shadows and then trends again.

But we don't concern ourselves with trends, we concentrate on what we love for our home. So trickle in or trickle out, enjoy this fabric in your room, because denim is here to stay.

A denim Chesterfield - a great nod to classic style and comfort.

And there is not a thing wrong with denim and a crystal chandelier, not a thing.

Leather and denim = a perfect combination.

Love a classic frame wearing a classic fabric!

Denim with blue and white porcelain, delightful!

This distressed wool rug is gorgeous.

Wonderful faux paint treatment.

Mixing colors and washes so well.

This cork wallpaper is a fantastic partner to denim inspiration.

Image Resources:  Restoration Hardware, York Wall, Ralph Lauren, Kravet, Rue, LA Confidential Magazine, Houzz, Hype Beast, Decor Pad, Anthropologie, House Beautiful, New England Home, Pinterest