Charleston Eye Candy

As I'm prone to do on occasion, I spent just a little bit of time yesterday searching for beautiful Charleston homes. Here's my find this go around - hope you enjoy it. The period marble fireplace certainly catches my eye but I'm also drawn to the silhouettes surrounding it. Images via Carriage Properties here.



Back stairs have to be one of my favorite features in an older home. Check out the light fixture - isn't it amazing? It looks like it could have been made by repurposing something - does anyone have any ideas on what it is or is it a light fixture available for purchase?

Eye Candy with a Touch of Red

Can't go wrong with a round table, books and chic french chairs in a soft red velvet. Design by Luce Gayrard, House and Home Nov 2009, photography by Monic Richard.

Red, Purple & Orange All at Once

I'm sure there are more accurate names for the reds, purples and oranges appearing here but the combination of these three dominate colors caught my eye. By the way, what would you call the color of the velvet chair?

Images from the home of Laura Ponte via Nuevo Estilo here.

Nicky Haslam: EXTRAordinary

Nicky Haslam - taking it past design into the realm of creation. Be sure to visit his site - each next image will be your new favorite. These images are just from 1 of the 19 homes featured.




Hope you have a great weekend!

Eye Candy

Eye candy from the interiors of Ramon Garcia Jurado and Paco Pocovi as featured in Nuevo Estilo here. I think it's time I subscribe to this magazine.

Swoon-worthy Eye Candy

While making my dream list of new design books to purchase, I came across Scandinavian Design by Lars Bolander with Heather Smith MacIsaac. This is one of the most stunning book covers I've ever seen. Love the:

- vibrant green wall color

- juxtaposition of modern paintings and antique portraits

- the shared blue of the foot stool and lamp

- and of course, the furniture and the striped rug.

For more beautiful interiors, you can visit the designer's website here. (book photography by Ake Eson Lindman, Staffan Johanson, Lars Ranek)

Hope you had a great weekend. Back with a longer post tomorrow.

I LOVE this Bedroom

I picked up this month's Traditional Home and was completely taken in by this sumptuous and sophisticated yellow and gray bedroom designed by Betsy Berner and Tara Sutphin of Berner Sutphin Designs for the Stately Homes by the Sea showhouse. The fabric on the walls and portiere is by Fadini Borghi - what a beautiful pairing of fabrics! Under the windows, the insets have been painted gray (more noticeable in the last photo) and the planted urn adds another layer of patina to this space.
The sconce, the stools, the display cupboard - I could go on and on...Love it all!


There are so many more gorgeous pictures available on their web site here (click on Portfolio, then Sheep Run's House), including the sitting room and the bath with it's Pierre Frey fabric and Venetian plaster wall treatment. The photography is outstanding and the close-up vignettes are their own works of art.

Last image: source Traditional Home, photography by Elisabeth McKay and Robert McKay, McKay Imaging Photography

Other images: source Berner Sutphin site, McKay Imaging Photography

Waking Up to This View

Waking up to this view could transform any Monday morning, even if you still had to head into work. This beautiful room is from the CastaDiva Resort on Lake Como, Italy. Image found at Nuevo Estilo.
15+ more minutes of stunning eye candy at the CastaDiva site here.

Happy Monday. Hope you had a great weekend.

A Rosemary Beach House & More...

A recent commenter to my post on Dave Lennard's zinc-topped tables mentioned she used of one of his tables in a Rosemary Beach, FL project. Following that comment led me to the portfolio of Atlanta based designer, Sherry Hart, and a whole lot of design eye candy! Love the relaxed, comfortable styling and the infusion of accents that lend a put-together-over-time look to what I'm guessing was newer construction.
Great accents - can't imagine this room without the glass door screen & those blue jars, or the striped throw for that matter.
Here's a few more images from Sherry's portfolio:




Love the bold yellow in this bedroom and the creative barn door headboard with lighting. So glad I followed that comment to Sherry's site and also to her blog Design Indulgence.

Although it makes me wonder - - with limited time for blogging -- what else am I missing out on when I don't follow up on all the comments?

Round Hill

If you read my blog back in the summer of 2008, you may recognize part of this post. I will be gone for a few days, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy the new pics added to this old post. The first is still one of my all time favorites. (All images are from the hotel Round Hill in Jamaica)

Room Envy: Fuchsia

Love the repetition of fuchsia throughout this living room. Just noticed how the fuchsia stripes on the chairs are repeated in a fuchsia tone-on-tone stripe on the pillows. Beautiful and vibrant - caffeine not necessary in this room.

Home of Raquel Oliva, From Nuevo Estilo here.

TGIF: Summer Cottage Eye Candy

Woke up this morning to find the humidity had broken and there was a summer breeze blowing; I thought these images captured the mood. Just realized that since June 21st was the official start of summer, this is the first summer weekend of 2010. Hope you have a great one!

(first two images - interior design by Michelle Lloyd Bermann, photography by Stacey Brandford, Canadian House and Home July 07)

(designer not known, photography by Stacey Brandford, Canadian House and Home July 09)

My Friend's Home - Should have been in Domino!

Every time I visited Lori's house, I couldn't help but think it would have been a perfect feature for the "late" Domino magazine. Luckily I had a chance to capture some images before the move. When entering the room your eye is drawn to the center window with the elegant writing desk. Lori made the magnolia swag years ago and it still looks terrific. The color is a bit off in this first image as the Pottery Barn braided jute rug is much lighter in color. (which by the way looks so much like uber expensive apple matting)

The living room used to be painted in this warm golden yellow which now serves as a gorgeous backdrop to her collection of china and shells.

Looking around you will notice little touches here and there. This Indochine chair is dressed with a black satin ribbon.

Have leftover foreign currency? Display it like Lori does - love this.

A painting serves as the summer fireplace screen. Simple white branches accent the mantle.
A view from the front hall into the living room.
An accent chair covered in a Kelly Wearstler fabric.
Beautifully styled shelves in the breakfast room. Notice the flowers tucked in among the plates.

A bit of a peek into the family room with windows and french doors overlooking the garden. There's a great mix of contemporary and traditional pieces in the room. Very casual and relaxed but all done with a great flair. I can't wait to see what she does with her Georgetown home!

Update: To see her powder room, go here.