Thursday, October 20, 2011

Double Trouble













Images 1 & 2 House Beautiful
Images 3 & 6 Elle Decor
Images 4 & 5 Architectural Digest




Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Beautiful Banquettes

















Images 1, 4 & 6 Traditional Home, Images 2 & 3 BHG
  Images 5 Unknown
Image 7 Elle Decor, Image 8 House Beautiful



Monday, October 17, 2011

Dressing Rooms - Old and New


A Jamie Drake Dressing Room
Traditional Home
Pinterest

Mariah Carey's Dressing Room
by Mario Buatta
Architectural Digest

Jackie Kennedy's White House Dressing Room
Architectural Digest
Sister Parish was the White House designer during the JFK term.
Timeless!

2011 DC Design Showhouse

Pinterest

Nancy Reagan White House Dressing Room

Pinterest

Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Home and Designs of Christina Strutt

I can't resist the story of a woman who starts a cottage industry from her home.....working alone at her kitchen table.  The likes of Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, Jane Forman, Annie Selke, Lilly Pulitzer and many, many others come to mind.  But, today I would like to share the work of Christina Strutt, whose work I have been following for several years.

Today's post could have been titled 'The Books of Christina Strutt', 'The Textiles of Christina Strutt', 'The Vintage Chic of Christina Strutt', or an assortment of other titles, but I just happened to have a Country Home magazine that I was browsing through recently and came upon her home, so I will include her personal haven along with some of her creations.

As a stay at home mom with two young children, and a former Vogue stylist, living in a 600 year old, golden colored stone cottage outside of Bath, England, Christina avidly collected vintage fabrics and collectibles years ago.  What she couldn't find, she produced herself. 

However, she carried it further and began designing textiles at her kitchen table just over ten years ago.  Amazing what she has accomplished in that amount of time.  She is now the founder and owner of the British retailer, Cabbages and Roses,  has authored several books on vintage style, sewing and developing your own vintage, romantic look and continues to design.  Her products are sold within the Jigsaw stores in England and, of course, her books are sold everywhere.

Her combination of soft florals, checks, stripes and toiles is timeless and endlessly cosy and welcoming.  Her collection of reds only increases the warmth of the rooms.......in our long, cold east coast Canadian winters, springs and falls, I, too, have many shades of red in our rooms.....our climate demands it!

See her online shop at http://www.cabbagesandroses.com/

Enjoy!






Love this eat in kitchen!



Windowseat in upper left corner is in kitchen -
sage toile curtains





Christina at home







An image from one of her books

Images 1 - 6, Country Home
Image 7 Independent News, Image 8 The Foodie Bugle
Image 9 Shelterpop
Images 10 - 12, Amazon










Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Eat In Kitchens

















Images 1, 6 & 7 House Beautiful
Image 2 Pinterest, Images 3 & 8 Southern Accents
Image 4 BHG, Image 5 Alkemie


Monday, October 03, 2011

Colorful Tuscan Villa

We've all heard of Pratesi linens.....right? 

Beautiful.....sumptuous....dreamy.....

Well, this is the 17th century Tuscan villa of the family matriarch, Dede Pratesi.  As you will see, it is furnished very eclectically with furniture from different centuries, as well as different countries.  And it is all tied together with her bold paint colors and beautiful fabrics!  And don't forget to notice the Pratesi linens in the bedrooms and bath.

Enjoy!




















All images via Architectural Digest