DECORATING WITH... SCARVES

Aside from the odd scarf tied to a handbag, I don't wear them much. After all, I don't drive a convertible, I don't wear a lot of suits, and I'm too young to go the cravat 'n pearls route. BUT... I own a lot of scarves anyway. Vintage (a rare White House design, silks inherited from my grandmothers), designer (Fendi, Hermes) and a sentimental polyester number I bought off the street in Rome. Rather than keep these beauties stashed in the back of my closet, awaiting a dream car purchase or the onset of my golden years, I decided to bring them out in the open, and into my decor. Here are a few inspirations for the home, starting with the king of scarves, Hermes.

STUFF YOUR HERMES - PILLOWS

Aren't these colors fantastic? It's actually a very neutral room, but the feeling is sophisticated and lively. There are only four (count 'em) uses of color - and the Hermes scarf pillow (backed in mocha satin) sets the palette for the room. Design by Robert Brown Interior Designs. 

Some lovely Hermes pillow options available from Decorati.

A very adult, masculine palette isn't put off by a little scarf scrollwork.

Very elaborate, and traditional, patterns available from Vivre - similar to the one in the picture above.

More gorgeous pillows available from Decorati. I'm head-over for the pink and red combo with tassels!!!

Hermes on Housewives, of all places. Kelly Bensimone, of the Real Housewives of New York City, has two hot pink couches in her living room, chocked full of Hermes pillows. The pillows are completely fabulous, and I'm so sad I couldn't find more pictures to show you. However, you can watch the video of her house tour (including a giant horse, her washer and dryer, and more pillows) HERE.

Here's a mid-century modern mix with Hermes. Although the scarf is elaborate, the color scheme does match the chair. A little - not totally sold on this one!

Large Hermes cushions - you'll need at least three scarves, one for the front, one for the back, and another for the sides (just be emotionally prepared to cut it up!). The look is stupendous. Not sure about the rest of this room. Are zebra bridles really a great use for your Twillys?

HANG YOUR HERMES

I love the idea of framing and hanging scarves. They often make beautiful, abstract patterns, and you can indulge in color combinations and designs you wouldn't necessarily want to wear. Here, an art deco inspired framed Hermes scarf gives a jolt of color to a quiet living room. This image is, of course, from Domino.

And don't make the scarf shine alone - I love this whimsical, lime green chinoiserie frame, done by Dose of Design!

An Hermes scarf in a traditional frame. Notice how the scarf border creates an instant mat.

A beautiful use of a framed Hermes scarf in Ivanka Trump's New York apartment (from Blue Hydrangea). The various blues and greens in the room all come together in that scarf.

       OTHER DESIGNERS

      Graphic prints with Louis Vuitton...

A bright Vera scarf, courtesy Little Green Notebook.

Pucci patterns are fantastic in a room - here are some options in pillows and as wall art. 

The famous vintage store Decades, located in Melrose Heights, L.A., decorated their walls with Pucci scarves.

Try Ouno Design for pillows made from vintage scarves (including the recent olympics, Japanese fabrics, and Peter Perritt).

SOURCES:  all images, as linked above.

The White House Diplomatic Reception Room

A recent post on The Peak of Chic about gorgeous scenic wallpaper reminded me of a collection of photographs I have of the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House. This is one of my all time favorite rooms - I would steal every stick of it if I could! I've been lucky enough to spend time there and study the design, and there's just not a thing I would change.

The "look" - yellow silk damask and the famous Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington. The room is a perfect Oval (as you'll see below) and opens directly onto the South Lawn. At formal State Arrival Ceremonies, a limoisine bearing the visiting head of state comes up the circular South drive, where he or she is greeted by the President and First Lady. After the ceremony, they proceed directly into this room, hence the name. The fireplace you see is where FDR had those "fireside chats." 

Detail of more yellow damask and the intricate wallpaper, which is divided into 32 panels (this one displays the Natural Bridge, of Virginia). The door to the left opens into the lower cross hall, the main thoroughfare through the State Floor. The door to the right opens into the China Room, named for the beautiful displays of historic Presidential china. The photos don't do this space justice - the colors are so rich and vibrant in real life.

A scene from Boston Harbor. We owe these beautiful walls to Jackie Kennedy (as well as most of the other historic pieces in the State Rooms today). The print is by Jean Zuber, of Cie in Rixheim, Alsace, and is called "Views of North America." It dates to 1834, and scenes include Niagara Falls, West Point, Boston Harbor, and the Natural Bridge. The rare paper was discovered rolled up in a farmhouse attic in New England and Jackie immediately snatched it up for this room, installing it in 1961.

The room is decorated in the Federal Period, and most of the beautiful pieces are by New York or New England cabinetmakers. 

A wide view of half the room, facing the South Lawn Vestibule. There are three floors of oval rooms in the White House residence. The Yellow Oval on the top, family, floor; the Blue Room on the main State Floor, where most receiving lines occur; and the Diplomatic Reception Room. Over a century after the White House was built, the West Wing was added, and efforts were made to keep it uniform with the older residence it adjoined. One result was the decision to continue the idea of an oval shaped room into the West Wing. That's the reason we have today's Oval Office.

The vestibule opening onto the South Lawn (as above), seen from the Diplomatic Reception Room. Notice that the intricate wallpaper continues even into this space. The canopy you can just make out through those doors is the famous entrance you'll frequently see pictures of Presidents walking to and from.

A stunning mahagony desk by John Shaw, made in 1797, highlights this side of the room. The rug incorporates emblems from all 50 States. In this view, you can easily see the State symbols woven into the rug border. 

A panel depicting Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls was one of the most interest-exciting natural wonders on both sides of the Atlantic in earlier days. Today it's seen more as a cheesy tourist destination than a stunning natural wonder, but in the 1800s it was considered one of the seminal representations of the New World's landscape, rather how we view the Grand Canyon today.

A close-up shot of the falls. Note the picturesque little steamboat at the bottom.

Last look: A rather bare Diplomatic Reception Room prior to Jackie Kennedy's restoration (courtesy of whitehousemuseum.org).

All images, my own. Please email me for permission to use them. Thanks!

Shopping with Eddie Ross, Part II

So here's Part II of fabulous shopping fun! Top Design Contestant/Bravo TV, Martha Stewart editor, and designer Eddie Ross led a group of design aficionados through Atlanta's Scott's Antique Market last Saturday. Southern Accents magazine also showed up to document the fun - here's hoping that story makes it into an issue soon!

Jaithan, me, and Eddie are all smiles at the end of a profitable adventure - there was so much to see (and buy)!

Fabrics:  one of the biggest surprises (for me) at Scott's was the large quantity of beautiful fabrics in full bolts.  I'm used to seeing scraps for sale here and there, but this is enough to do large pieces of furniture.  

Some of the finds were real shockers - including a bolt of deeply discounted Kelly Wearstler fabric!!! 

Talk about a steal. Isn't this beautiful?

Eddie fell in love with this colorful crewelwork with touches of melon and celery shades. If you follow Eddie's blog at all, you know what a fan he is of crewel - and how good he is at making this style look fresh and new.

Prints:  another of my favorite finds was this booth of prints and old maps from Prints Charming Soho (recently featured in Martha Stewart Living). Framing is an obvious choice, of course, but obvious isn't Eddie!  Here, he suggests blowing up this wonderful pattern and transferring it to stencils for pattern on a floor cloth, wall, or fabric.

Another great idea?  Decoupage - and rather than damaging a beautiful sheet from, say, the 1830s, buy a few favorites, copy them, and then decoupage those copies onto a piece of furniture or decorative box.  Hang the originals nearby for a great coordinated look. There were plenty of beautiful options to chose from at Scott's!

P.S. When framing small natural prints like these, blow up and copy the tiny Latin print at the bottom - and add it to the matting when framing for an art gallery look.

Or, you could go completely insane and decoupage a patterned paper (or wallpaper scraps) onto an entire bureau. Eddie really liked this plaid example. It would be stunning in a gentleman's bedroom - just steer clear of bathrooms and other damp spaces unless you like the look of peeling paper. Butcher's wax is a great way to protect a decoupage surface and keep it gleaming.

Glass:  Eddie used to run a catering company, and as a result, he knows (and loves) his glassware. After we all pawed through piles of gorgeous silver, crystal, and plates and stood around pondering what would be "practical" to buy, Eddie made my favorite comment of the day: "Do I need this? Can I live without it? NO! You can't!"

A lovely pitcher in hobnail glass.

More beautiful crystal. One of the wonderful things about this booth? Each piece is priced for separate purchase. If you collect a classic pattern, you can always replace those inevitable crack-ups later with a trip to the local antique mall or flea market. As Eddie pointed out, "why have it if you don't use it?"

Keep scrolling to see Part I, and more of Eddie's fabulous ideas!

Shopping with Eddie Ross, Part I

I'm back! Thanks to everyone who offered such sweet well-wishes for my trip. After a fabulous week touring around Georgia, visiting antebellum mansions, antiquing, and hanging out at Flannery O'Conner's home, I am blogging again, loaded with memories and marvelous pictures (you'll see all in good time). 

However, the FIRST thing I have to share with you is a wonderful trip to Atlanta's Scott's Antique Market yesterday with former Martha Stewart designer, House Beautiful editor, Top Design contestant, and all around fabulous guy Eddie Ross. Eddie and his partner in crime, Jaithan, led myself and some other very lucky ladies on a treasure-hunt through the market. What fun! While we ooohed and awed over finds, Eddie dispensed practical tips and inspiring ideas for designers-in-training.  

First lesson: looking beyond the surface (of mustard horror). Eddie demonstrates how to find a piece of furniture with good lines and turn it into something special. This chaise would suit a smaller room, and as Eddie pointed out, it had lovely wooden legs (a good reason to nix the skirt when reupholstering).  P.S. Be sure to save any nailheads when you reupholster - new ones won't have that lovely patina.

Eddie called mantel accessories "fireplace jewelry." There's certainly plenty of bling to choose from here!  I asked Eddie about other uses for fireplace accoutrements in the South (while we like our fireplaces, we don't really need them) and he suggested using fireboxes as planters.  The firebox in the lower RH corner would be charming lined with moss and planted in bright daffodils to contrast with the dark metal. 
I also had fun meeting blogger Susannah (blue dress), and her sister. Susannah is starting her own customized jewelry line, Goods To Adorn.  Also joining was fellow blogger of the Blue Hydrangea who came all the way from NC to be part of the fun. The members of the tour were as inspiring as the market!

One of my favorite stops was at a vintage clothing booth, loaded with Lilly Pulitzer, saris, and bright baubles. Here, Eddie shows how to evaluate fabrics for use as one-of-a-kind decorative pillows around the home. 

He pointed out that with unique fabric and some light beading (costume jewelry!) you could come up with a completely unique look - and avoid big cost on a small item. Said Eddie of the high cost of accessory pillows: "it's offensive - it's called a throw pillow!" I would have to agree.
I asked Eddie to pause for a pink and pink picture - but he advises reupholstering that headboard!

A booth full of beautiful linens. There are so many uses for textiles - window hangings, table decoration, throw pillows, cut and hemmed into napkins, etc. And, they make wonderful presents!

Jaithan peaks over the edge of the narrow textile stall to keep an eye on the action.

A lovely group of monogramed hand towels. It's all but impossible to find a monogram that matches your own, but Eddie suggested collecting sets of three towels, one with each of your letters, and hanging them in order in your bathroom. A great way to make a unique piece work for you. 

Atlanta designer Sarah Youngblood (standing closest to Eddie in a French antiques booth) and I tried this idea out on a pre-monogramed tote bag later in the day - but decided to have the letters stand for a funny favorite title or motto. It turned out that the ALM monogram on her zebra patterned-bag stood for "A Moxie Lady." As Eddie said, "make it your own!"
P.S. Don't you LOVE the gray and cream chest of drawers in the center of this picture? Beautiful. This dealer dealt exclusively in French pieces, most of them painted in soft grays and creams. She also had shelves stocked with uncut 19th century French books.

As you can see, it was a great day, loaded with inspiration. Stop by tomorrow for a few more of Eddie's hints and tips - including glassware, using printed fabric, and framing! 

Horsley Antiques

Linda Horsley is renowned for her fine antiques - not just in Atlanta, but across the country. She specializes in 17th - 19th century furniture and accessories, and it's easy to see from the pictures below that her taste is impeccable! I'm head over heels in love with this 19th century swedish secretary with orange interior. All it needs are a few Hermes boxes for pencils and paper and wah-la -  the most divine office imaginable.  Keep scrolling for more wonders.






All images, http://www.horsleyantiques.com.