Friday, September 17th, 2010
Inspiration, round 2. I find it fascinating that someone I know thought this was the best issue of Elle Decor they’d seen in a while. But when I scanned through it to find my top pictures, I was underwhelmed. Maybe it’s more of a slow burn issue: I’ll get into reading all the articles in depth and suddenly get new appreciation for the designs. Or not.
Case in point: this is one of my favorite images – and it’s an ad. Granted, I’ve had favorites that I wanted to share in previous magazines that were ads, but there was always too much good editorial content to waste a spot on an ad. But this kitchen is beautiful in it’s own right, plus it’s well staged, well lit, and the copy tells a story. Doesn’t that stroller throw it off from expectation just right? It’s showing the viewer that this kitchen is not only beautiful but it’s functional for real life. There’s food in the cupboards that requires real cooking. Those copper pots aren’t just a collection for display, they get used. And you thought it was just a cabinetry ad.
How lovely is this Alpine retreat? I’m not a hunter, so as much as I appreciate the beauty of animal hides, I’m not always completely comfortable around them. But this room pushes the limit. The pillows and stools covered in springbok pelts are still beautiful in all their natural coloration. But I’d feel odd leaning against those pillows, I can’t lie. Nonetheless, there is something so chic and clean about this room. The Serge Mouille floor lamp and navy sectional against the rough hewn wood walls, antlers and stacks of firewood framed in white is a beautiful balance. The bleached floors keep the room from feeling too dark.
I’m not normally a purple girl. But this room has a sofa warm quality thanks to those gray couches and amazing window treatments. The flounces on the valances remind me of a wedding dress, in the best way possible.
This is a punchy living room with a great mix of styles. Bold contemporary art influences the color palette, but the furniture pulls from diverse periods. A 1940s sofa, a contemporary faceted coffee table in three laquered finishes, a traditional table lamp from the 1950s, and an 18th century chair. A difficult mix to achieve without it feeling choppy and disjointed, but when it’s done right, it works. What’s interesting is that this is just one side of a double sided living room. There are two sofas back to back across from this sofa, and there are chairs upholstered in orange velvet on the other side of the room, to tie in with the oriental rug.
Tags: antlers, art, Elle Decor, gray, hides, Kitchen, living room, October, purple, sectional, Serge Mouille, sofa, window treatments, Wood
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Thursday, September 16th, 2010
I can’t believe how quickly a month passes when you’re busy! I just got hit with a fresh wave of inspiration in my mailbox: House Beautiful AND Elle Decor! What’s a girl to do? Why share with you, of course!
You know fall is just around the corner when you start seeing pumpkin recipes. This pumpkin cupcake with maple frosting and toffee topping was too luscious to resist sharing. Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) always offers up such tempting recipes.
I love this feature: same desk, four different designers’ take on furniture and accessories. Just goes to show how diverse my style is: I like all 4, depending on context. Which would you pick?
This room grabbed my attention immediately. The drape of the linen at the end of the sofa that puddles on the floor so nonchalantly. That blue grasscloth wallcovering. The vintage screen hung on the wall to bring in pattern. The way the PK22 chair in wicker with steel legs references the texture of the sisal floor covering and the tripod floor lamp. And then the animal hide layered over the sisal under a dark coffee table. Such a well layered space. Love it.
I love the way they showed this airy bedroom in a triptych layout (though it’s a bit difficult to capture with a seam in the middle of the magazine). The finishes are all ethereal feeling, especially with those curtains on the desk wall framing a piece of art like a view out a window. Plus it’s fun to learn more about the designer, rather than just the clients (at least from my perspective). I think the client and their needs and personal style are so vital to the final product, but the designer always influences the outcome, no matter what.
And if we’re going to talk about designers with personality, it’s so appropriate to transition to this kitchen, by none other than Jeff Lewis, the star of Bravo TV’s “Flipping Out.” They time these things perfectly across multiple media platforms because I was able to watch the episode of “Flipping Out” where Jeff met with the House Beautiful team and all the sponsors to lay out his concept for the kitchen while I held this article in my hands. They approved it on the spot, which I could tell just by looking. I think he did a really nice job, and it’s interesting how he incorporated rooms around the perimeter of the kitchen. Be sure to check out this article if you can’t make it to Rockefeller Center to see it in person (anyone want to sponsor a trip to NYC for yours truly to see it? Worth a try.)
There were lots of interesting photos in this magazine I scanned right away, but I’m trying to keep myself to a limit on these, so you’ll have to pick up the magazine to discover them for yourself!
Tags: bedroom, cupcake, desk, Flipping Out, grass cloth, House Beautiful, Jeff Lewis, Kitchen, linen, October, PK22, pumpkin, sisal, tripod lamp
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Colleen Fox Slack | email: colleen@colleenfoxinteriors.com | phone: 612.868.0348
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