Opposite Attraction

I enjoy vibrant colors. They bring warmth and fun to interiors. Sometimes you walk into a house and just know you're going to have a good time.
Savory
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Two rooms with very different personalities share the stage in this Louisville, Kentucky, home.

Made for Each Other
Decorating is not like doing the laundry. Lights and darks go together just fine. In fact, they’re made for each other in this living and dining room connected by a large cased opening. Resisting the traditional tendency to match the color scheme of the two rooms, designer Lee W. Robinson created two sovereign spaces linked by understated touches. See how uncommonly good common ground can look.
Laurey W. Glenn , Todd Childs

Sweet-and-Sour Shades
Lee wanted to remain true to the early-20th-century style of the home without ignoring the modern tastes of the homeowner. He swathed the dining room in a rich horizontal-striped wallpaper from Osborne & Little. Set against the citrusy yellow of the living room, the combo calls to mind chocolate and fruit. The difference in tones gives the eye a break from room to room.


Rich Accents
Consequently, the fabric choices vary as well. A dark red, which Lee describes as “tomato-soupy,” is used for the modern Chinese Chippendale-influenced dining chairs. Next door, a rich blue sofa anchors the living room with the large patterned chairs and recamiers. Throw pillows pull the chair fabric onto the solid-colored sofa.

Unify spaces with architecture.
A Neoclassical mantel found in the dining room was replicated in the living room. The stark white of both mantels against the colors of the respective rooms ensures each feature maintains its importance.


See and read more at Southern Living.

Connecticut Farmhouse

Get all the details on this 1740s Connecticut farmhouse at Country Living.

Swedish Home Décor

I've always loved color - big, bold color! I've splashed it from one end of my house to the other without a single regret. I find its warmth and personality comforting and stimulating all at once.


So why am I loving Swedish design lately? Isn't it the polar opposite of rich, deep colors, accessories scattered about, bold art displayed on every wall, and curtains on every window? You get the idea.


There is definitely something that appeals to me in Swedish design, though. I love the wood floors, area rugs, furniture with legs so you can see underneath, neutral colors everywhere, the clean, open feel of the simple lines and light colors, and then there's the light. Oh, yes! Light that seems to stream in from every window. Notice how the subtle design elements rely on texture, shape and style rather than color.


If rich, bold colors offer comfort, the airy atmosphere of Swedish design frees and lightens the spirit. Enjoy these photos that I found at Country Home.

Bring In The Light

My brother just finished a family room addition on his house. Large windows on three of the walls are a defining characteristic of the room. As in the following rooms, he has chosen to minimize window treatments, allowing nature to become a part of the space.
Savory
Photographer: Bruce Buck

Logan designed wide, low windows for the living-dining room to capture expansive views of the prairie and foothills. Deep profiles created by the house's 32-inch-thick exterior adobe walls allow for window seats throughout the space.

All the furnishings were selected with purpose. The heavily corded natural-fiber rug from the Philippines refers to the texture of bark; the light and dark themes invoke the play of sunlight on the ancient tree limbs.
Photographer: Grey Crawford
Source: pointclickhome

Photos of White House Interiors

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Influenced by history, the times in which she lives, and her own personal style, each First Lady leaves her mark on the White House. Jacqueline Kennedy convinced Congress to pass legislation that designated the White House a museum, but it is still a home , and the First Family lives, works and plays there.

I'm happy with the recent deluge of "insider" photos and information regarding the interiors of the White House. I hope you enjoy the following photos taken during the years of former First Families.
Savory
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Following Photos: The White House Master Bedroom

Eisenhower 1953-1961

Kennedy 1961-1963

Ford 1974-1977
Reagan 1981-1989

Following Photos: The White House West Sitting Hall.

Eisenhower 1953-1961

Kennedy 1961-1963

Carter 1977-1981
Reagan 1981-1989

George H.W. Bush 1989-1 993

Of Interest
Editor-in-chief Deborah Needleman has written an article that makes observations about Jacqueline Kennedy's design legacy. You can find it in The New York Times. Decorative arts historian R. Louis Bofferding gives away the secrets about how Jackie got her way.

Source: domino

Renovating This Old House

An 1884 House in Chicago gets a Second Lease on LifeI found this house renovation in Architectural Digest. We've had old houses, and made many improvements to them over the years, but never have we embarked upon the extensive renovation that a couple in Chicago did to this old house. Renovating a house from by gone days used to be a dream of mine, but at some point the reality became, well, too real. Circumstances stepped in, and eventually the moment passed us by. Still, I love to read about and look at the photos of a well done renovation.

The idea of taking something that was once beautiful and useful and bringing it back to life is very alluring. The difference is that I only look at great renovations from afar, but I always walk away with ideas that I can apply to my own house. Take a look at this beauty in Chicago.
Savory
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Click on photos to enlarge.

A mixed-media work by Linda Mieko Allen is in the living area.

Besides being unstable, the stair adjacent to the living area “didn’t allow the layout the clients wanted,” recalls the architect. “So we moved it toward the center.” More windows were installed to brighten the room. Glant sofa fabric. Chair fabric, Brunschwig & Fils.

“The furnishings were chosen for their interesting profiles and eclectic style—and to suit a family that enjoys entertaining,” says Gomez. Part of the first floor was reconfigured to create the dining and living areas. Baker dining chairs. Drapery sheer, Rogers & Goffigon.

The kitchen was transformed into a room for serious cooks, complete with a center island and a pizza oven. BDDW stools. Pendant lights, Urban Archaeology. Kallista faucet.

In the library, the team preserved an original stained-glass window. Its hues complement those of the carpet and stand out against the room’s new chestnut paneling. The painting is by Hung Liu. Wool drapery sheer, Rogers & Goffigon. Lamps from Yale R. Burge.

Renovation Architecture by William Massey, AIA/Interior Design by Mariette Himes Gomez, ASID
Text by Amanda Vaill/After Photography by Tony Soluri
Published February 2009
Continue...

Change Is Coming...

Nov. 10, 2008. White House photo by Eric Draper

... and I'm not talking about policy. Each president puts his individual stamp on the Oval Office. President Obama will be no different in this respect. He will be given the opportunity to design the much talked about Oval Office rug. A new color scheme will evolve, and a new era of style in the White House will have been born.

I hope you enjoy these photos of the Oval Office from previous administrations.

The Clinton Oval Office, circa 1996 (Clinton Library)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1992 (White House Historical Association)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1992 (Bush Library)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1990 (NARA - Bush Library)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1990 (NARA - Bush Library)

Ronald Reagan wraps up some business on his last day office in 1989 (Reagan Library)

Replica of the Reagan Oval Office in the Reagan Library

The Reagan Oval Office in 1981 (using the Ford-Carter decor) (Reagan Library)

Jimmy Carter meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in 1977 (NARA - Carter Library)

The Carter Oval Office in 1977 (Carter used Ford's final decor) (NARA - Carter Library)

Reproduction of the Ford Oval Office in the Ford Library

Gerald Ford in the Oval Office, circa 1974 (still using Nixon's decor) (Ford Library)

Richard Nixon with comedian and golf-enthusiast Bob Hope in 1973 (NARA)

Richard Nixon talking with the Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969 (NARA)

The Oval Office in 1969, with Johnson's decor and Nixon's desk (White House Historical Association)

LBJ and his staff monitor television coverage of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Johnson Library)

Replica of the Johnson Oval Office, circa 1966, in the Johnson Library (Daniel Stout)

The Johnson Oval Office in 1964, still using the red Kennedy rug (Johnson Library)

The Johnson Oval Office in 1964, temporarily using the final Kennedy rug and curtains but with
LBJ's desk—built for him by the Senate cabinet shop (White House Historical Society)

The new Kennedy Oval Office in 1963, completed while the first couple was visiting Dallas
and dismantled after the assassination, before Mrs. Kennedy returned (Kennedy Library)

The new Kennedy Oval Office in 1963; note JFK's footrest to ease his back pain (Kennedy Library)

The Oval Office in 1962, with Truman's decor and the Resolute desk (White House Historical Association)

John Kennedy in a rocking chair, around 1962 (Life)

John Kennedy in the Oval Office, 1961 (still using the Truman/Eisenhower decor) (NARA - Kennedy Library)

John Kennedy around 1961 (Life)

The Eisenhower Oval Office in 1960 (National Geographic)

The Eisenhower Oval Office, circa 1956 (Eisenhower Library)

The Eisenhower Oval Office, circa 1956 (Eisenhower Library)

The Eisenhower Oval Office, circa 1956 (Eisenhower Library)

The east doors to the Rose Garden, circa 1950 (Truman Library - Abbie Rowe)

The modern Oval Office in 1947, famous for Truman's "The Buck Stops Here" sign (Truman Library)

A recreation of Truman's Oval Office at the Truman Library (Truman Library)

Truman Oval Office in 1946, with Roosevelt decor (NARA)

Truman Oval Office in 1945, with portraits of FDR, Simón Bolívar, and George Washington (Truman Library)

Close-up of the Roosevelt valance, same as presidents before him, back to Taft (NARA)

Franklin Roosevelt's first modern Oval Office, circa 1936 (Library of Congress - Theodor Horydczak)

Franklin Roosevelt with secretary Missy Le Hand, circa 1935 (White House [Roosevelt Library])

Replica of FDR's Oval Office in the Roosevelt Library (Roosevelt Library)

FDR's Oval Office in 1945 (Life)

Herbert Hoover in the rebuilt Oval Office in 1932 (NARA)

Aftermath of the Christmas Eve fire in the old West Wing, 1929 (Library of Congress)

The Oval Office around 1925

Calvin Coolidge in 1923 (Library of Congress)

The original Oval Office in 1923 (the black crepe memorializes President Harding) (Library of Congress)

The original Oval Office circa 1923 (probably taken at the same time as the one above) (Library of Congress)

The original Oval Office circa 1921

Woodrow Wilson signs the Army & Navy bill in 1918

Woodrow Wilson at his desk, circa 1917

Hand-tinted photo of the William Howard Taft's original Oval Office
in the center of the West Wing, circa 1909 (White House Historical Association)

The original Oval Office, circa 1909

Hand-tinted photo of Theodore Roosevelt's original West Wing office in 1904 (now the Roosevelt Room),
directly adjoining his Cabinet Room



The new Oval Office flooring, 2005 (Rode Bros. Flooring)
Source: The White House Museum


1962: John F Kennedy's children visit the Oval Office
Source: guardian.co.uk