SUNNY SIDE UP

Yellow and white and everything bright - these are the colors of the sun in a hazy sky, sand and frothy waves, daffodils and snowdrops, and banana milkshakes. The "Vitamin D" episode of Glee - the ultimate in sunny entertainment - featured an up-beat number with the gals clad in deviled egg hues.

   If it's that much fun to wear, imagine living in it? And how can you think of yellow and white rooms, and not immediately be reminded of Kelly Wearstler? My favorite decor-scapes by Wearstler are her hotels; they're more accessible, and more livable, ironically, than the grand, almost baroque, decadence of her homes. One of her loveliest is the Viceroy Hotel in Palm Beach, and her striking yellow, white, and black palette was featured on the cover of her first book, Modern Glamour.

The hotel bar, Citron, is a frothy white, punctuated with shots of yellow and the rigorous repetition of geometric forms.

The interior:  one of the villas, and the lobby. "The Magic Eye"pattern makes the entrance fun and sunny, rather than heavy and stark, in these warm shades.

A lovely interior view - the white floor reflects the furnishings.

The outdoor pool and its black-trimmed canopies, a fashionable setting for swimming - and photo shoots.

Inspiration for your own home:  parson's desk and lamps, West Elm. Trina Turk pillow, Neiman Marcus. Chaise and hexagon shelving, CB2.

Pieces has a stunning selection of yellow, white, and black - the chevron rug would bring cheer to any room.

Photos: Foyer: tobi farley. Model: industryfolio. Citron: highfashionhome. Doorway shot: Candaserose Blog. 

BANISH THE BEIGE!

It's been a long, monochromatic, monotonous winter:  grey and white and brown and black. In the darker months, nature's simple palette is austere, cool - and depressing. And I'm through! Time for blinding color, boggling patterns, drama, joie de vivre, Cali, Mexi, Medi, and anything bright! Substance and style - nothing urbane. Shrinking violets aren't our thing; peonies, roses, and sunflowers are. Statements are in. And of course, so is Kelly Wearstler. Show us how, Hollywood style!

Chrysanthemums:  bold color, edgy shape, and Asian influence.

A Parrot Tulip... delicate peaches and corals mingle with soft whites.

Bluebells, and cockleshells, and objets d'art all in a row!

Marigolds! Sunshine splashes in through the windows, and gilt glimmers from every surface.

Grass Green - fresh, cool, welcoming. Spring!

All images, Kelly Wearstler.com

HUE: Decorating With Color

In the design world, Kelly Wearstler is as divisive as Lady Gaga's costume choices are for the fashion set. So if you're a nay skip on down to the next post. If you're a yay, feast your eyes! Thanks to Amazon.com's nifty book preview gadget, here are excerpts from Wearstler's upcoming book, and Hue is certainly the obvious title for this tome. It could also be called brave: this woman is NOT afraid of color. She has cornered color, beat it up, and sentenced it to 20 years. Pattern will soon follow.

Kelly Wearstler is armed with Birds of Paradise, concrete shells, and peach sofas - and she is here to conquer.

Some of my favorite scenes from Wearstler's first book, Modern Glamor, are of her shopping in to the trade only stores. The goods are mouth-watering - just like these trims below.

Mellow yellow, canary yellow, sunny yellow, I love all yellow. Notice the interesting effect on the walls - can't tell from the pic, but it's obviously a wallpaper or leather. The bed is faintly chinoiserie, and the central light is faintly mushroom.

Kelly Wearstler is Palm Beach on speed.

Her influences are truly global (her second home, featured in Domicilium Decoratus, includes numerous exotic pieces from Eastern and Central Asia). Here the fabric is a lovely Indian ikat, and the teapot evokes India with a burnished glaze and lotus adornment. Lovely, soft shades.

And sometimes, you just wonder what's going on. Sitting in hands? My issue is with that cottage lattice window - it's fighting the room. If you're going to spend a billion dollars on antiques, get new windows! But maybe the windows go better with the outside of the house? Get a new house!! You have a billion dollars, after all.

On the other hand... (ha ha), this looks normal. As normal as Wearstler gets! Love the layering with different shades and textures in orange.

Hue is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

All images, Amazon.com.

Kelly Wearstler Wants to Dress YOU. And Your Napkins.

She designs! She decorates! She holds plates!

You knew it was coming!!! Wearstler wears couture, hosts on TV, and is a celebrity herself - time for a fashion line! A recent New Yorker article quoted KW announcing plans for a jewerly line with tassels and upholstry stud inspiration - and eventually, clothes. Now, I'm not a big one for celebrity collections, but this isn't exactly like Jessica Simpson thinking her inability to sing also guarantees an inability to design well. Oh wait - that's true. Anyway, Wearstler knows textiles, color, and form. We're predicting this will be worth watching (for entertainment value alone, if her Top Design costumes are any indicator).

While we wait for her line of beehive hats and crazy big ball gowns, we can feast our eyes on her napkin rings, which are INSPIRED by her jewelry. And speculate. Hmmm...

Look! Cuffs! On napkins!

Big earrings? Boleros? Unsure. But it does look like jewelry.

Or wire...

And here's some ideas for what her jewelry COULD look like. Tassel necklace from J.Crew.

Some style'n decorative upholstery nailheads - great jewelry inspiration. I really like number 3. Kelly, are you listening?

Or here's an idea: make FURNITURE inspired by jewelry. How about a piano with diamond studs? Too Liberace?

Ummm... no.

Will you be wearing Kelly green?

Images. Top image: blackwhitebliss.com. 1 and 2, www.kellywearstlerforsferra.com; 3, apartmenttherapy.com; 4, jcrew.com; 5, http://www.furniturerestorationtoolsandsupplies.com/decorative-nail-heads/view-all-products.html#decorativenailheads; 6, http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond-studs/diamond-studs.html; 7, http://www.inetours.com/Las_Vegas/Photos/Liberace-Piano.html; 8, http://www.casasugar.com/4773903.

Redesign: The Green and White Chinoiserie Desk

I have a quaint little fold-top desk that has been with me since childhood. A writer must have a desk, however small, and this one has followed me like a devoted little dog through a series of apartments and houses, frequently squeezed into awkward corners, dragged up stairs, or stuffed in the back of my SUV. My faithful desk needs a face lift, and I've decided to do it in green and white chinoiserie. 

It may look average now - but wait till we're through!

THE PROJECT

1. Replace the handles and knob with brushed brass bamboo hardware.

2. Decoupage the interior of the desktop in a green and white trellis paper.

3. Paint the foot and crown of the desk in a green matching the paper.

4. Fill it with beautiful things!

THE PIECES

A few favorite items I'd like to use in my re-design (clockwise):  

1. Thomas Paul crysanthymum pillow. 

2. Iomoi personalized paperweight. 

3. Brushed brass faux bamboo hardware. 

4. and 6. Iomoi pencils. 

5. Jasper Conran for Wedgwood china (for paper clips and odds and ends). 

6. Lucite green and white chinoiserie tray, by Iomoi. 

A Jonathan Adler chippendale style faux bamboo chair, accented with a Thomas Paul pillow. While I'm concentrating on renovating the desk right now, a new coordinating chair is in the future. I may get a green version instead of white - Adler makes both!

A bamboo trellis pattern wallpaper I'm planning to order for the interior decoupage. I'd love to do Wearstler's Imperial Trellis (see below), but it's a bit pricy for an amateur project. I need an affordable paper available in less than a single roll, in a green and white trellis pattern. Do you have a great suggestion? Send it on!!!

THE RESULTS...  stay tuned! 

In the meantime, here's a little of my inspiration. ANY mention of chinoiserie can't overlook the stunning blog Chinoiserie Chic, the authority for this subject in the blogosphere. Check out Beth's recent post on the Blanc de Chine Office, as well as a detailed how-to on chinoiserie decoupage, with stunning results like this:
Maybe I should do filing cabinets next?

And while we're at it, here's an example of Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis used in decoupage and the green Jonathan Adler chair. I'd already thought up this scheme when I stumbled on the picture, and it was nice to see how well it could come off. Here's hoping for a happy ending!

Movie Credits:  All "pieces" as listed above.  File Cabinet Photo, originally Domino via StyleCourt, via Chinoiserie Chic. Trellis Decoupage Cabinet Photo, an unknown, online find. If this is your picture, please email me so that I may give credit where credit is due!

Outdoor Inspiration: Kelly Wearstler

This outdoor room by Kelly Wearstler, featured in her book Modern Glamor, is one of my favorites.  The color and scale are marvelous - and if it weren't for the tree and shrubbery, this space could easily pass for any indoor (gifted interior designer decorated, of course) living room.  

I like this room so much, I decided to look around for some "inspired" pieces for my own space.

Paris Club Chair, $899. It's not a wing chair, but the lines are elegant and I love the black piping on the white cushions.

Iron and glass table, $198.

A grey ikat pillow adds texture to the mix. $19, West Elm.

Aren't these marvelous?  By Italian designer Paola Navone, maker Reichenback.  The name of the line is "Taste." These shapes are fantastic enough to be artwork - and perfect for hanging.

Thomas Paul melamine plates. To eat off of, or mix in with the Navone pieces.

I LOVE Zebra, and this outdoor rug is marvelous. 

What's your inspiration room?

Chair and table: www.outdoorgardenfurniture.net. Plates: splendidwillow.com. Melamine plates: thomaspaul.com. Zebra rug: apartmenttherapy.com. Pillow: westelm.com. 

Home Design Trends: The Boutique Hotel

Kelly Wearstler's work at the Viceroy Hotel, Miami. Blues are layered to oceanic depths.

Lately, as I've been plodding my way faithfully through HGTV's afternoon show round-up of real estate cum staging cum economic desperation, I've noticed a peculiar trend: the boutique hotel. In virtually every show, this phrase is ubiquitous. It costs $1,000, but it looks like a boutique hotel! We rented the furniture for this staging, and made it look like a boutique hotel! This strikes me as a rather odd choice of model. Most Americans have never stayed in anything like a real boutique hotel (this does not include bed and breakfasts, local hotels, quaint moldy inns, etc.). What most of us HAVE encountered is bland uniformity. I dearly love my Westin for its luxury bedding and faintly flowery scented soaps, but a paragon of originality it is not. I think what HGTV shows are really striving to convey to the unwashed masses is the sense of personalization, luxury, and SERVICE. Thus the hotel model. The newly decorated room (and accompanying plush-towel-scented-soap bathroom) are meant to give the impression of being cared for, ideally not by the owner. In an age without servants a hotel is really the last frontier of service without guilt. And gratified desire free of guilt really is the ultimate luxury.

Wearstler's work is true luxury; the attention to detail and complex palette are looks only a highly trained eye could create. Luckily, you don't need any special training to appreciate their beauty.

Form, color, pattern - nothing in this space is predictable. Yet, it's remarkably balanced. Spa interiors at the Viceroy by Philippe Starck.

A color saturated sitting area in a Wearstler room. 

So what do you think readers? What constitutes true luxury in your home?

All images, Kelly Wearstler and the Viceroy Hotel via the hotel and nytimes.com.