Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A Beautiful Classic Baratta Home

Here's another beautiful Baratta home........this one is very traditional and classic in design, as you will see.

The last time I posted a Baratta home (here), it was a classic coastal home, but this home is designed for a large family of three generations and lots of pets who love to gather at this home on a bay just a half hour from Manhattan.

With a mix of toiles, ginghams, chintz, ticking, needlepoint rugs, wicker and beadboard, and the usual attention to detail that Diamond and Baratta subscribe to, the home is a wonderful haven that anyone would be proud to call home.

Enjoy!


Look at the backyard overlooking the bay.

Covered veranda

Papier mache table and toile walls.

The pink toile upholstery is a beautiful complement to the panelled walls.

Love pretty rooms!

Custom needlepoint carpet.

Casual dining.

Formal dining.

Master bedroom sitting area.

View from the master bedroom.

Master bedroom sitting room.

And a flower arranging room - so cheerful and bright - absolutely divine!




Veranda




Monday, August 12, 2013

A Girl's Best Friend

Whoever said "diamonds are a girl's best friend" obviously didn't own a dog!

And wasn't it President Truman who said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog!"  So true!

If you want a friend anywhere, get a dog!

Look at some of these beauties and best friends!


Audrey Hepburn and friends.

Candace Bergen and friends.

CZ Guest and friend in Palm Beach

Pinterest

Doris Day with two of her many friends.

Dovima and friend.

Edith Sitwell by Cecil Beaton

Elizabeth Taylor had dogs all her life.

Minnie Montagu and her five favorite friends.

A Parisian regular

Princess Elizabeth

Vintage Vogue

Vogue Italia

Vogue Italia

Joan Rivers and some of her many beloved rescues.

Michelle and Bo

Barbra Streisand

Barbara Taylor Bradford

Lee Radziwill - who has never been without a dog.

Martha Stewart and her champion dog, Genghis Khan, at the Plaza!
Love this picture!

Oprah and Sophie - one of her many beloved dogs.



All images via Pinterest

Friday, August 09, 2013

Friday's Featured Friend - At the Beach

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend..........can't believe it's Friday already!

This little guy is enjoying the windswept dunes............hope we can all do something as relaxing this weekend.....

Have a great one!




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Wednesday, August 07, 2013

A Sarah Richardson Country House - Before and After

Hi Everyone!

I'm back!  Had a great month off (a bit longer than I had planned), but it flew by so fast I can hardly believe it!

I'm sure you all remember my past posts here and here on Sarah Richardson, one of Canada's foremost designers.....I haven't seen much of her work lately, but thought I would check out her latest projects and came upon this makeover.

This was an 80s bungalow badly in need of a makeover........she enlarged the typically small bungalow windows, upgraded the trim and baseboards and of course, added her own unique touches using flea market finds, painted antiques and fresh colors and fabrics to bring the house back to life.  See the 'befores' here.

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer, too!  Have a great day!

Enjoy!

What a serene room......love the ceiling and note the antique corbels on the fireplace, the wainscoting, large baseboards, soft colors and large windows...........transforming details.



Beautiful vignette.











Great gingerbread trim around the vanity.

Love the mix and match of the floor tiles and the shower tile detail.

Just lovely!

More mixed and matched floor tiles......it's all in the details!




The bucket pulley is a cute idea for a top bunk.



Sarah Richardson Designs




Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Villa Contenta

Hi Everyone!

Almost back from vacation.........still have some company, but I thought I would squeeze this post in this evening while they are out for a few hours.

I fell in love with this villa when I happened upon it..........imagine finding an old, decaying house in Lyford Cay (a gated community in the Bahamas considered to be one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world!) and discovering the house is the former home of Laura Ashley.......yes, that Laura Ashley.

Then, imagine having the good fortune to hire a decorator to add the finishing touches after all the necessary repairs have been completed.  And it seems designer Andrew Raquet was just the man for the job.  With "windows that wouldn't open and doors that wouldn't close", he had his work cut out for him.

However, his persistence paid off and the end result is an absolutely beautiful home with a mix of old (some of Laura Ashley's furnishings came with the house) and new furniture, neutral color schemes, some island touches and just enough chintz to give a nod to it's former owner.

Enjoy!

 Scraping through the layers of exterior paint, this lime green shade was discovered and refurbished.

Traditional and island charm in the foyer.

The neutral living room tones calm this room and the chintz fabric adds an English feel.

Canvas wall murals with the sea and palm trees, coral fabric covered chairs and jute area rug add an island feel in the dining room.

Antique maps line a wall in the library.

The solarium with a mirrored trellised walls.
  
Corner banquette and garden stools in the solarium.  

Bedroom detail............such soothing colors.

So serene.........

Love the idea of upholstered bathroom seating.

How beautiful and inviting is this?

Perfection!






Veranda





Monday, July 01, 2013

Happy Canada Day!

Have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

I am off on vacation now for a couple of weeks...........see you later in the month!

Regards,

Kay