Tom Scheerer is one of America's favorite designers. His design style always sides on classic arrangements that are upscale with a comfortable approach.   His work has appeared in the top design magazines such as Elle Décor, House & Garden, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, which includes him annually in its list of America's "Top 100" [...]]]>

Tom Scheerer is one of America's favorite designers. His design style always sides on classic arrangements that are upscale with a comfortable approach.   His work has appeared in the top design magazines such as Elle Décor, House & Garden, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, which includes him annually in its list of America's "Top 100" designers. After graduating with a degree in architecture, Scheerer formed a design partnership with now famous designer Jeffrey Bilhuber.  It was no surprise that their interiors landed in every national magazine in America.  Then in 1995, Scheerer formed his own Manhattan-based decorating firm, and since then has been tremendously successful.

He has always emphasized color and texture over purely decorative.  Fussy furniture isn't practical for anyone who wants to actually use their home. Choose furniture that has a combination of good looks with practical comfort.

Some of his best work in my opinion has been some of the large scale graphic wall prints and wallpapers which can be seen floating around the internet on every blog.   Hobe Sound by Scheerer for example is a very well known shot.  I believe people love the boldness of the wallpaper, and the antiques that he pairs them with are breath taking.  As you can see in some of his designs he works with darker wallpapers and brighter upholstery or wood furniture which complements each other nicely.  The Lyford Cay Club features a bold brown and white print with pastel tones in the furnishings.  Pink and orange pop against the dark wall prints.

Don't underestimate great furniture.  It can really transform a room like nothing else.  With great looking antiques, you can leave your walls bone white and still have a magazine worthy interior.  In the San Remo Apartment, white washed wood Louis XVI chairs look terrific against the washed wood flooring.  In another picture of this apartment, (what appears to be) a white washed console table looks amazing against lighter colored stone.  Orange leather, and clay pots bring color into this room, while at the same time looks natural with the scheme of this home.

Lyford Cay Club - Designer Tom Scheerer

Lyford Cay Club - Designer Tom Scheerer

Hobe Sound - Designer Tom Scheerer

San Remo Apartment - Designer Tom Scheerer

San Remo Apartment - Designer Tom Scheerer

Southwest Harbor, Maine - Designer Tom Scheerer

Southwest Harbor, Maine - Designer Tom Scheerer

The World of Interiors magazine featured the breathtaking Ven House in their October 2011 issue.  Jasper Conran has been working on the reformation of Ven House with the help of his great friend Edward Hurst.  The magazine featured a fourteen-page feature interview which captured Jasper's journey over the last four years.

"If we had wanted strictly 18th century,’  says [...]]]>

The World of Interiors magazine featured the breathtaking Ven House in their October 2011 issue.  Jasper Conran has been working on the reformation of Ven House with the help of his great friend Edward Hurst.  The magazine featured a fourteen-page feature interview which captured Jasper's journey over the last four years.

"If we had wanted strictly 18th century,’  says Jasper, ‘we would have ended up with a strange, uncomfortable building. I  wanted a country house that looked like it had been lived in - a home, but with  a quirky attitude to it.’

-Inside Jasper Conran's "Ven House": Magnificent 18th Century Stately Home Somerset, England

-Photo Feature - Set back from the busy A30 main road is Ven House, a Grade I Listed country house completed in c.1730 by Richard Grange for its owner James Medlycott. It was later altered and extended by Cubitt and Decimus Burton in 1836. Its present owner is the acclaimed British fashion designer Jasper Conran

-Ven House Garden, Look how the trees are curved in this wonderful photo of the garden.

-Read more about the house on Edward Hursts website.
-Slurry Pit Threatens Jasper Conran's £8.5m Country Retreat The Telegraph

The conservatory in Jasper Conran’s country estate, Ven House in Milborne Port, Somerset The World of Interiors - Photo Credit.

Jasper Conran’s country estate, Ven House in Milborne Port, Somerset

Jasper Conran’s country estate, Ven House in Milborne Port, Somerset The World of Interiors Photo Credit Princess Anne County Blog

Breathtaking Regency Interiors

Jamb has established a worldwide reputation for dealing in superior quality antique fireplaces and having one of the finest reproductions collections. Their reproduction chimneypieces are made by highly skilled craftsmen who use traditional 18th and 19th century techniques and use the finest marble and stone to produce a beautiful authentic appearances.

Jamb also produces a collection of reproduction [...]]]>

Jamb has established a worldwide reputation for dealing in superior quality antique fireplaces and having one of the finest reproductions collections. Their reproduction chimneypieces are made by highly skilled craftsmen who use traditional 18th and 19th century techniques and use the finest marble and stone to produce a beautiful authentic appearances.

Jamb also produces a collection of reproduction lighting, furniture and garden ornaments.

Here are just a few of their amazing reproduction furniture pieces:

A mahogany settee in the manner of George III, the Augusta sports an elegant, serpentine shaped upholstered back and over-scrolled arms. The exquisite padded, cushioned seat rests on an unusual frame configuration, which in turn rests on two pairs of square cut legs with shaped ear brackets, united by stretchers and raised on smart brass cap castors.

The Klismos chair, based on an ancient Greek model, is made from sustainable hardwood with woven leather seats.  The original Klismos chairs were created by the Greeks during the 6th Century BC and were the first chairs that allowed people to sit freely and in a relaxed, natural position.  More than two thousand years after it was devised, the Klismos chair was revived during the later 18th and early 19th Centuries.  The form was revived again in 1906 when architect Emmanuel Pontrenoli recreated them for Theodore Reinach at Villa Kerylos in Beaulieu-sur-Mer overlooking the Mediterranean.

The Cheere chimneypiece hand carved in statuary and Sienna marble

The Langley chimneypiece in Portland stone with the Millington fire grate

The Longbourn chimneypiece in statuary marble with the Cleveland register grate and a Rossmore fire iron

After one look at at Andrew Gn's Parisian apartment, it is hard to believe that the famous fashion designer at one time fell for the modern-minimal interior looks when his apartment invokes the best of the designs and objects that were found in the past 17th and 18th centuries.

His 2,000-square-foot flat is filled with endless color.  Every square [...]]]>

After one look at at Andrew Gn's Parisian apartment, it is hard to believe that the famous fashion designer at one time fell for the modern-minimal interior looks when his apartment invokes the best of the designs and objects that were found in the past 17th and 18th centuries.

His 2,000-square-foot flat is filled with endless color.  Every square inch of space is  special in its own right.  The house is adorned with endless ceramics and china, which he tells Elle Decor is a bit of an obsession.  His parents were once collectors and accumulated many objects, whom he credits for his passion for beautiful things at an early age.

In the first photo, shows the drawing room which Louis XV gilt armchairs surround a Régence table, and a pair of Louis XV armchairs flanks a marble mantel. In the second photo, a tufted sofa and Victorian chair sit in the smoking room. The French portraits truly stand out and steal the show in this room. In the third picture an antique rug is draped over a table showing off the incredible wood floor. Finally above, a console table in the drawing room are Louis XV. The elaborate porcelains are a mix of “Famille Rose” and 17th-century delft. Beautiful silk brocade draperies work perfectly with the wall color

Augustus, the king of Poland at the turn of the 18th century, amassed more than 24,000 pieces of china. Gn says he shares the same love.  He bought his first piece at age 16 and the endless fascination has never subdued. The walls in his home serve to display his vast [...]]]>

Augustus, the king of Poland at the turn of the 18th century, amassed more than 24,000 pieces of china. Gn says he shares the same love.  He bought his first piece at age 16 and the endless fascination has never subdued. The walls in his home serve to display his vast collection, although he admits that thousands more pieces are sitting in storage.

It may not surprise you that Gn decorated the apartment himself without a designer. Every room is well thought out with precision.  Vermilion red is used in one room exclusively.  Shelves of blue-and-white chinoiserie contrasts against the red quite nicely. Vermilion red has been found in ancient China, Egypt, Greece, Peru, and other areas of the world. In the middle ages Vermilion was used to line early music staves.   Royal blue is and Veronese green are also found in his home in saturated tones on the walls, draperies and upholstery. The dining room is quite different than all the other areas of the home.  The walls are bare, and lighter colored china is hung on the walls.

Pink & Red Living Room -Miles Redd Architectural Digest

Almost every magazine has covered Miles Redd's Home and even though it has been several years, his color choices remain to inspire thousands of people. Lets face it, it takes a lot of guts to choose candy pink in the living room, but [...]]]>

Pink & Red Living Room -Miles Redd Architectural Digest

Almost every magazine has covered Miles Redd's Home and even though it has been several years, his color choices remain to inspire thousands of people. Lets face it, it takes a lot of guts to choose candy pink in the living room, but Redd shows us it can be done to a state of brilliance.

View Miles Redd Portfolio Online

How To Decorate Using Red and Pink

- Pink rooms are best when they are paired with red. Red is the primary color of pink and the two shades go hand in hand. Consider adding the color red in bright splashes seen in abstract art. Abstract art is easy to paint by yourself. Collect a number of ornate gold frames and glossy paint from online and do it yourself.

- Consider buying a few really nice prints that have the shade of pink or red color. If you have an oil portrait that you want to manipulate, consider taking it to a local artist to change the background.

- Velvets and silks contain the most saturated colors. Consider upholstering with both.

- Consider working with colors opposite of the color wheel. Shades of green, blue or yellow work wonderful combined with red.

- In this picture shades of red look with salmon are paired together.

-In this picture we see a striped dress in pink and black with accessories in beige and gold.

-Look how this image nicely coordinates darker tones of red with burnt orange. Instead of a playful appearance, we see more of a serious regal look.

-Consider spraying some of your furniture with a red or candy pink lacquer. This french chest looks grand in glossy red.

-This red sideboard looks terrific in red paint accented with brass hardware. The look is minimal yet very sophisticated.

Lavender Haze by Leftbank Art By High Fashion Home $ 269

Colorful Abstract Oil Painting, with Linen Liner Gold Wood Frame 30.5 x 42.5 $165

Two Girls Dancing in Brown Abstract Oil Painting, Gold Wood Frame $165

Rothko Paintings: Yellow, Red, Blue with Black $188

 Apple Tree with Mediterranean Gold Frame - $258

Klimt Apple Tree I Framed Oil on Canvas $248

The Harvest with Vienna Gold Leaf  - 15" X 17" $108

Langlois Bridge at Arles with Women Washing  Oil on Canvas $98

Yellow, Red and Green Abstract Frame $135

Abstract Waterfall Skyscapes Gold Wood Frame $138

Canvas Oil Painting, with Exquisite Wood Frame $132

Boats in Ocean with Red Backgound in Sunset Oil Painting,$166

Majestic II Oil Painting, $138

Two Red Flowers in a Light Blue Background $147

Pagoda Chair in Black $399 From Oriental Furniture

Boss Classic Traditional Button Tufted Sofa $599

Corner Cabinet in Bright Red $365

Bombe Chest in Red By AA Importing $614

AA Importing Three Drawer Cabinet in Red $635

AA Importing One Drawer Cabinet in Antique Red $424

HeatherBrooke Sherwood Antique Red Chest - $504 Distressed antique red finish with hand painted floral design Rasping marks with nicks and dents on the chest accentuate the antiqued design Solid wood case and legs 3 Drawers Wood on wood drawer guides Floral patterned detail on drawer pulls Timeless large bun feet MDF top, sides, and drawer fronts

HeatherBrooke Southwood Accent Console $500 The Southwood Accent Console is a part of the Heather Brookeæline, which offers a pleasing variety of unique styles of traditional and accent furniture. Hand-painted designs, unique stains and classic accents are all a part of the quality offered by Heather Brooke.

Duncan Chair, Deirdre Rust $699 The Duncan Chair delivers a lot of style with beautiful exposed wood and nailhead details

Plaid check Coral by Duralee Fabrics $38

Artificial Red Delicious Apple, Box of 12 $35

Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom $129

Keeping Room Cupboard Red Shade Simplistic Looks- $319

Core Bamboo Bucket Bowl Small in Strawberry $22

Schumacher Chinois - Coral Fabric $74

Wide Michael Miller Racer Stripe Coral Fabric By The Yard $9

AC Furniture 467 Bar Stool $235

Kingston Chair, Pink -$1029 A nice nail head trim dresses it up and gives the chair an elegant look

Add Brighter Color Tones In The Hallways - 17th Century Tuscan Home In Architectural Digest - See more pictures of this 17th century Tuscan home at The Paper Blog

If you are color shy, like most people......  consider venturing into color gradually by adding it in the most unexpected places.

1- Consider painting the ceiling a [...]]]>

Add Brighter Color Tones In The Hallways - 17th Century Tuscan Home In Architectural Digest - See more pictures of this 17th century Tuscan home at The Paper Blog

If you are color shy, like most people......  consider venturing into color gradually by adding it in the most unexpected places.

1- Consider painting the ceiling a bright color and the wall tones a very graduated lighter hue of the same color.  For example a light mint on the walls and an apple green on the ceiling.  Baseboards and trim can be in a slightly lighter or darker hue than the wall color.  Pair this with natural wood furniture and some accessories in coral.  Here we see this exact idea in tones of blue.

2- Consider painting the inside of your cabinets a bright shade.  If your cabinets are naturally a pecan wood shade, consider working with orange, coral, or a light tangerine.  It provides a bit of an unexpected surprise.

3-Accessories can play a big role in determining color.  Silk is an excellent choice to consider for drapery.  Often the most vibrant colors are seen in silk curtains, making it a great choice to combine with an electric wall color.  In this instance, a lighter pastel lilac tone for the walls is combined with a beautiful pink silk drapes.

4-I once ran across a lady who was selling her mothers antique dresser that was passed down through the family for years.  She told me that every year she painted the inside of the drawers a different color.  It was a joy to paint something bright and cheerful and not necessarily live with the color 24 hours a day.

5- Collect brighter shades of pottery and display it on sconces on the wall.  Mary McDonald wrote in one of her books that she fell in love with some fuschia colored china in one of the homes that was for sale at the time she was looking for a new house.  The china was put in the offer of sale as a condition of purchase.  Line up those brighter shades of raspberry or lime green on the walls against a similar or lighter hue.

6-Use brighter shades of textiles in your home.  Here we see a canary yellow throw in a room that is based around yellows.

7-Furniture can be painted in brighter hues without having to live with it on the walls.   Consider adding color to the inside of your furniture legs.   This fabulous chest from Christies is a perfect example of adding color to a chest.

Brooklyn Museum Featured in Architectural Digest

Additional Photos Of Inspiration:

- A pocket door painted in a bright tone of yellow.

- Here we see a vibrant shade of canary yellow in silk drapes.  French chairs are upholstered in a yellow and white stripe.

-Egg blue is used on the walls with over-sized picture frames.  One sure way of toning down a bold wall color is to layer lots of prints on the wall.   Consider pairing some gold ornate frames with abstract art in the same color tones.

-This room is an excellent example of adding texture to a wall without it becoming busy.  Here letters are painted the same shade as the wall.  What an interesting effect. Take this idea a step further with furniture and paint shelving on the walls with the same paint.  Ornate sconces can blend in a wall, and picture frames lined up in a symmetrical pattern can be painted the same color in areas of the room.

-In this room we see a blue toned gray on the walls.  The upholstered bed works within the same color tones, and the white chair works well at brightening up the room.

-The room features a ravishing teal on the walls.  Velvet drapes work perfectly with the paint tones.

-This interior artfully combines the color of purple on to the door following the lines of tile that are positioned half way up the wall.  What a dramatic use of color.

-This vivid room has various shades of green.  It almost appears as though the back wall is in a darker shade of green.  One of the most exciting interiors featuring color.

Luxe & Lucid posted a terrific picture from the December Art Basel & Design in Miami that was beyond interesting.  I am so glad they posted the picture in the original size, because I had to take a deeper look at the picture to see how they put this wall together.  It looks as if [...]]]>

Luxe & Lucid posted a terrific picture from the December Art Basel & Design in Miami that was beyond interesting.  I am so glad they posted the picture in the original size, because I had to take a deeper look at the picture to see how they put this wall together.  It looks as if they displayed plaster ornaments which were anchored to the wall, and leaves that were made from plaster or porcelain were connected together with wire then connected to the wall or the ornaments themselves.

Here we see a very high impact look that we can all borrow for our own homes.  You can create your own white leaves from clay or plaster which you can then spray paint and put together yourself.  This look can be created out a number of different patterns.  Instead of leaves, you can look at a floral pattern.  You can create this out of a symmetrical pattern of round rosette disks.  White is a color that works with any other color.  Have your back drop apple green, fuchsia, ocean blue or what ever color you desire and use white plaster molds for a strong contrast.

Rose Sconce Mold, Classic Sconce Mold , Make your own Shelves for pennies!

Creating molds from Plaster:

Plaster is so easy a baby can do it!  It is as easy as mixing plaster powder with water, pouring into into a mold and letting it set.

You want a consistency that this thick and not watered down, so the plaster design doesn't break in half.

For larger molds it is suggested you add sand, or a few twigs to give the support to the mold.  For smaller molds, it isn't necessary.

Actually creating plaster molds is one of the easiest crafts you will ever do that produces such a beautiful end result.

Tip- One really easy way to know when plaster is dry is that the mold itself will feel very light.   If it is heavy or has a dark gray appearance, it is still wet.  Dried plaster should be very white, and light to carry.

Creating molds from Clay:

Push molds on the other hand are great for very small detailed molds.  The molds are often purchased for jewelry making because they won't break as easily as plaster.  Plaster molds, on the other hand are great for architectural details that will end up on the wall.  Robert Adam is a perfect example of the beauty that can be brought to a room using plaster molds.

Push molds are made out of hard clay themselves.  The idea behind it is you use clay which you soften in your hands, and you press them into hard molds.  Plaster on the other hand is a lot easier.  You pour the contents of the liquid plaster and allow it to set over a couple of days.  The result isn't labour intensive, but on the other hand, you have to wait for your final plaster patterns to dry.

I have used push molds in the past to create key holes for my dressers, and different ornaments that I could hammer on to my furniture.  In this post I painted up a bombe chest, and copied the pattern of the hardware pull for a very prestigious effect.

Della Robbia Oven Bake Clay 4lb

If you go to Michael's crafts, you can buy the sculpey clay in a 2 ounce package for 2 dollars. Why not purchase it online in bulk....

Premo! Sculpey comes in a One Pound package in Black.

I have found black ideal for re-creating hardware pieces, although  can be purchased in a number of colors including white.

How bake-able clay works is you shape it into your desired form and bake according to package instruction (typically 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes for every 1/4 inch of thickness). Once cool it can be sanded drilled carved and painted.

The drawbacks to bakeable clay molds....

Some clay is harder than others.  I find sometimes the clay can be so hard to kneed that it can make your hands ache.  Once you have it softened up, it is quite easy to work with.

Ideally, you want the clay to be semi-hard so the overall pattern keeps it's shape when you are extracting the clay from the mold.  If the clay becomes too hard, it won't extract well at all, because it is too soft.

Bake-able clay allows you to form molds, and have them the very same night.  Bake-able clay molds allow you to hammer them on to wood, furniture, and remain durable for years. Plaster molds on the other hand are great to put in places where they will never get touched.  One bump or ding, and the pattern might be broken.  Never before could you create stunningly beautiful molds with very little effort like you can with plaster.

My suggestions for Push Molds For Creating A Wall Like The Picture Above:

Ivy Leaf Flexible Silicone Push Mold Polymer clay Resin Wax Fondant or Plaster

Large Carved Rose Flower Cameo Polymer Clay Push Mold

Peony Flower 1 1/2" Silicone Resin Clay Fondant Flexible Push Mold

Cherry Blossom Flower Clay Fondant Flexible Push Mold Large

My suggestions for Plaster Molds: 

3 Embellishment Molds Can be Used with Plaster Fimo Clay Wax

Stunningly Beautiful Oversized Flower Plaster, Concrete Mold

Decor accent Plastic Mold 7" x 1"

Romantic Round Plaster Mold,Concrete Mold,Clay

2 scroll Plastic Mold Decor, 2 Plaster,Concrete Molds

Lightweight Victorian Outlet Cover

Large Scale Fleur de lis Plastic Mold

If you love neo-classical style, then Passion For Interiors, and A Passion for Blue and White are books that need to be in your library.

I couldn't help but stumble across a negative review by Raewyn for Passion For Interiors.  She ends her review saying she borrowed the book from the library and she will be [...]]]>

If you love neo-classical style, then Passion For Interiors, and A Passion for Blue and White are books that need to be in your library.

I couldn't help but stumble across a negative review by Raewyn for Passion For Interiors.  She ends her review saying she borrowed the book from the library and she will be leaving it at the library, as the interiors appeared too perfect, and unrealistic for the average Joe.

Her review actually may encourage you to buy the book!  If  you are a lover of neo-classical interiors, Raewyn states the whole book is based around one particular style; Neo-classical style.

While some enjoy an eclectic range of styles, others like myself, prefer a designer who sticks to one style, and masters the colors, the furniture, and the overall vision of particular region in history.

"This is a designer's preference for classicism taken to extreme levels."Whilst the images are visually sumptuous, and the rooms depicted (mostly living,hall and bedroom spaces) have the initial wow factor, there is something missing. It took me about half an hour of flicking through this book, to realise that all the rooms depicted, had a museum like quality to them, reminiscent of the grand country houses of the UK."

"Carolyn's designs seem to have the sole purpose of impressing the rabble with an opulent display of wealth, power and an overly defined sense of a particular style. This was particularly evident in her predilection for the double height, double cubedsalon or living space. I have no doubt that Carolyn Roehm has a good eye for antiques (or her antiques dealer has) and these rooms had examples of the best of everything, Hepplewaite, Sheraton, Ming porcelains, Chinnoiserie lacquered pieces, French baroque furniture etc. Unfortunately, there was a sterility inherent in the way the rooms were put together. They appeared as dioramas, undoubtedly interesting for what they contain, but they lack any sense that people could actually live in them. There was no feeling of a real person-inhabiting these spaces, no photos, no real books,(although plenty of examples of probably unread leather bound volumes bought by the metre for their tooled spines, no doubt) no quirky or unorthodox collections, no intimate amateur paintings, drawings, or sculpture of sentimental value interspersed with all the grand works of art. Despite the author's protestations that she doesn't like rooms to be museums, that is ironically, exactly what she has created, in both her New York apartment and her country house "Weatherstone". The most famous British stately homes are noted for the grand classical and baroque styles of their state rooms. In the instances where the families still live in these grand edifices, I'll bet their private apartments are somewhat more comfy and understated, in the cosy but elegantly tasteful English style that many of us appreciate. With, occasional skew whiff lampshades, dog chewed baskets and rugs and family momentos lying about the grander pieces. The Aspen House, Carolyn designed for her friend, was the only home depicted, that came close to resembling a home with some personal touches in it. Undoubtedly, because her friend wishes to live in a home and not a strictly stylised magazine piece. I borrowed this item from my public library, (I'm a try before you buy, kindagirl). However, no disrespect to Ms Roehm, this is not one that I will be adding as a keeper, to my personal design library"

One of the reasons why Carolyne Roehm's books stand out for me is because they feature the very best antiques, architecture and color schemes with some of the most prestigious period styles in history.

Many designers create a following for themselves by designing around THIER loves, and not around what the design world dictates, or what current trends tell them to do, but rather by their gut instinct and a good eye that has been trained by years of practice and research, and I believe that is what Carolyne Roehm does.

Read a personal interview of Roehm by The New York Social Diary.

 Even though many of the antiques featured in these homes may be out of reach for the common person with a limited budget, a person could take the ideas that inspire them and incorporate them into their home with their own tastes in mind.

A person doesn't need to copy Roehm's looks, but rather borrow what they love, and add in some of their own ideas by working with their existing furniture and home decor that has been collected over the years.

I think the majority of readers would agree that if we wanted to look at homes that were ordinary, we could walk into any of the homes across the US that are undecorated, and feature less then exciting furniture to gaze upon.

There is something captivating about looking at interiors that display tremendous wealth and being able to borrow the same ideas that all the money in the world can buy and execute them for ourselves with less money.

The french chairs with the striped fabrics above has given me new ideas for my own french chairs. I have painted many of my french chairs a Swedish gray, but after seeing the painted green frames that coordinate with the white based fabrics, I might look at my chairs a little different.

French chairs can really be customized for the interior that they are being placed in. As you can see, the chairs above are painted to coordinate with the green color in the striped fabric. Instead of the details being painted in gold, white is chosen given a lighter appearance often seen in Rococo furniture.

Other furniture With Similar Style

-In this interior designed by Suzanne Rheinstein, a console table is painted blue and highlighted in white. The overall effect using white is very appealing, and a little less formal than using gold.

-This directoire full size bed is upholstered in a pink neo-classical striped fabric that is customized with a white paint finish on the frame. As you can see the details are painted in pink to bring out the colors in the fabric.

-This vintage settee has a teal blue floral print on a white based fabric. The frame of the settee is painted white, and accented in teal to bring out the wonderful detail of color in the upholstery.

Neo-classical chairs which have been painted in white have a fresh appearance, and can be even more special when their frames are outlined in gold. Doesn't the detail in gold above draw your attention to the exquisite frame ?

-Look at these wonderful Niermann Weeks Painted Klismos Chairs which are outlined in gold. Such beautiful craftsmanship should be highlighted.

You don't need to buy a costly antiques to get this look. You can dress up your existing console tables or chairs with ormolu purchased separately to make them appear more valuable. Highlighting a furniture's carved details will give your furniture that art quality appearance which might otherwise go unnoticed.

In the above picture I was drawn to the french ottoman which is upholstered in rich green velvet. Look how the painted frame is customized to accentuate the green velvet nicely. The carved details of the frame are painted in gold, which is the right combination for such a dark color. White detailing around the carved details on this piece simply wouldn't look right.  Black and gray would blend in with the dark green paint color, so gold is the ideal choice.

This room is based around green, and I really appreciate that the overall fabric choices are limited to three basic designs. The rich velvet, the striped fabric and the white floral / leaf pattern.

Working with a floral pattern, consider pairing your fabrics with wither a solid velvet or a striped pattern. Both patterns art as neutrals and work nicely with all other patterns.  

Here are 40 Great Decorating Fabric Patterns to Consider When Decorating With Green.   

Green Based Fabrics

-54'' Wide Suburban Home Lotus Blossom Spring Green Fabric By The Yard $20.98

-Green Floral Brocade Fabric with Golden Thread Weave by Hand - Pure Silk (Sold by the yard) $85

-Pillow Decor - Rustic Floral Green 20x20 Throw Pillow $49

-Sandi Isle 5474312 Gorgeous Tapestry Upholstery Fabric $38.90

-58''Wide European Linen Fabric Elephant By The Yard $14.58

-58'' Wide European Linen Fabric Fig By The Yard $14.58

-45'' Wide Woven 1/4 Gingham Blue Fabric By The Yard $3.98

-54'' Wide Thomas Paul Aviary Moss Fabric By The Yard $31.98

-54''Wide Dupioni Silk Fabric Iridescent Teal Blue By The Yard $16.98

-54'' Wide Covington Musee Toile Blue Fabric By The Yard $14.98

-54'' Wide Duralee Rowena Aqua Fabric By The Yard $18.98

-60'' Wide Dior Flocked Damask Pashion Gold/Blue Fabric By The Yard $13.98

-Dena Designs Leanika DAMASK Blue DF50 Fabric Free Spirit By the Yard $8.49

-60'' Wide Sweetheart Satin Baby Blue Fabric By The Yard $5.48

-60'' Wide Minky Cuddle Dimple Dot Electric Blue Fabric By The Yard $12.98

-54'' Wide Swavelle/Mill Creek Hockley Nile Fabric By The Yard $8.98

-54'' Wide Swavelle/Mill Creek Oskar Sea Fabric By The Yard $8.98

-54'' Wide Swavelle/Mill Creek Faylinn Teal Fabric By The Yard $8.98

-54'' Wide Swavelle/Mill Creek Sakari Porcelain Blue Fabric By The Yard $17.98

-54'' Wide Swavelle/Mill Creek Giorgio Fresco Green Fabric By The Yard $17.98

-54'' Wide Suburban Embroidered Jungle Green Fabric By The Yard $20.98

-54'' Wide Swavelle/Mill Creek Baxley Oceana Blue Fabric By The Yard $17.98

-54'' Wide Swavelle Sakari Fresco Green Fabric By The Yard $17.98

-54'' Wide Duralee Dalesford Green Fabric By The Yard $20.98

-54'' Wide Duralee Dalesford Clay Fabric By The Yard $20.98

- Medallion Tile Mint 20934 405 by Duralee Fabrics $43.98

-Damask Sea 20925 381 by Duralee Fabrics $43.98

-Plaid Check Basil 31876 354 by Duralee Fabrics $36.98

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-Flutter Pillow, Comes in Brown, Green and Violet $19

-Off-White and Dark Pink Cherry Blossom Square Throw Pillow $47

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In A Passion For Interiors Carolyne Roehm takes you on a tour through three of her best design projects: her Georgian home in Connecticut, her New York apartment, and a ski lodge in Aspen.

Get a preview of what to expect of two of these homes in this previous post, showing a picture of the house she [...]]]>

In A Passion For Interiors Carolyne Roehm takes you on a tour through three of her best design projects: her Georgian home in Connecticut, her New York apartment,
and a ski lodge in Aspen.

Get a preview of what to expect of two of these homes in this previous post, showing a picture of the house she designed in Aspen for her beau Simon Pinniger, and a picture of her Georgian home located in Sharon, Connecticut.

If you adore painted furniture, and interiors based around white, The Aspen home will blow you away.  You will love the distressed looks of limed wood, and polished brass and silver, and the textiles based around the color blue.  The Gustavian Swedish looks of the 18th century are beyond stunning to live with, and in this Aspen home, Roehm nails down the look.  While Gustavian decorating can play off really rustic interiors, such as overly distressed furniture, wood walls, and country decorating, there is also a side to Gustavian decorating that is grand.  Regal interiors showing off lots of polished metals, ornate gilt wood carved Louis XVI chairs and the very best that the 17th and 18th centuries have to offer.

Roehm's 1765 Georgian home was designed to resemble a British estate. Her famous blue and white bedroom was re-decorated and her grand English bed is what she based her room around. The Georgian bed was reproduction from a London antiques shop.  In one of her guest rooms, a Chinese look is presented decorated in a remarkable yellow print with stripes and leopard spots accented with upscale black chinoiserie furniture.

Roehm's New York City home features a double-height ceilings, eighteenth and
nineteenth century art and furniture, and walls upholstered with chocolate brown
velveteen.  The home has a taste for classical furnishings and decor.  The very best antiques are featured in her home. This book shows so many great examples of classical decorating such as columns, pillars, chinoiserie, gilt wood mirrors, chandeliers, sconces, libraries, blue & white china, vibrant colors, leopard prints, classical artwork and first-class English, French and Scandinavian period style furniture.

Other articles to view......

Visit 1st Dibs For An Great Article of Roehm's beginings

Bart Boehlert Takes You On A Tour of Roehm's New York Home.

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Hutton Wilkinson's new house is featured in the March issue of Harper's Bazaar.  The house is decorated in vibrant hues of jewel tones with an eclectic mix of patterns. French furniture is painted and ornate architectural elements add depth to the exotic interior.

Hutton Wilkinson is a designer of interiors, and and one-of-a-kind jewelry [...]]]>

Hutton Wilkinson's new house is featured in the March issue of Harper's Bazaar.  The house is decorated in vibrant hues of jewel tones with an eclectic mix of patterns. French furniture is painted and ornate architectural elements add depth to the exotic interior.

Hutton Wilkinson is a designer of interiors, and and one-of-a-kind jewelry sold at Bergdorf's, Saks and Istdibs. He is also the creative director and  president of Tony Duquette, Inc., president of The Anthony and Elizabeth Duquette Foundation for the Living Arts as well as The Elsie de Wolfe Foundation.  Author of Tony Duquette, co-written with Wendy Goodman in 2007, is now  in its fifth printing, and his More Is More.

Hutton Wilkinson  Distinction Magazine October 2005, Below: Hutton Wilkinson Distinction Magazine October 2003

A brilliant expanse of peacock blue cozies up to an Italian beechwood frame with
a dark cherry finish. USA made of leather by Old Hickory Tannery . 28.5"W x
35.5"D x 37.5"T. Old Hickory Tannery Leather Chair $1459 Sold Through Horchow

A preview of the style contained in Tony Duquette:

Tony Duquette Studio Pictures

Tony Duquette's Dawnridge Pictures

Tony Duquette's Commercial Interior Design

Tony Duquette's Residential Interior Design

LE FIGARO- December 1985

Vogue Casa October 91

Vogue Italy Reviews

Tony Duquette Architectural Digest December 2002

Painted Chippendale Furniture Rococo California Homes Magazine

Hutton Wilkinson  Distinction Magazine October 2005

Elle Decor 2004 French Neoclassical Chairs

Inside the Hilltop Estate (The famous Cover of Tony Duquette) Connoisseur Magazine

Inside the Hilltop Estate (The famous Cover of Tony Duquette) Hauser Magazine

Inside the Hilltop Estate (The famous Cover of Tony Duquette) House & Garden Magazine

Movie Reel Metal Glass Table

Must Haves With Hollywood Regency Decorating:

1. Lacquer Furniture

Hollywood Regency focuses on glamour, shine and glitz. Lacquer everything from furniture frames to accesssories. Hollywood Regency style used a lot of glossy colors on furniture.

Buy super glossy spray paint and do it yourself.  Paint your dining chairs, and upholster the seat cushions in [...]]]>

Movie Reel Metal Glass Table

Must Haves With Hollywood Regency Decorating:

1. Lacquer Furniture

Hollywood Regency focuses on glamour, shine and glitz. Lacquer everything from furniture frames to accesssories. Hollywood Regency style used a lot of glossy colors on furniture.

Buy super glossy spray paint and do it yourself.  Paint your dining chairs, and upholster the seat cushions in a fabric that coordinates with the color.

Consider first picking out the right fabric and matching the paint up perfectly in a gloss finish.

Glossy paint doesn't cover well when it comes to hand painting.  Don't make the same mistake I did, using 12 coats of paint to cover your walls. Consider painting your walls in a flat paint for a base, and use the exact same color in an ultra shine for your top coat. This trick applies to anything that needs paint. Flat paint also can be used as a primer in some (not all) instances.

Spray paint, on the other hand is much different.  Spray paint is perfect for furniture because it proves an even finish within minutes.  The paint is often saturated and typically a piece of furniture needs just two coats of spray paint.

Here are some hot colors for a high impact room:

Montana Mint Green MTN Hardcore Spray Paint, Gloss

Montana Turquoise Blue MTN Hardcore Spray Paint,Gloss

Montana Pastel Turquoise MTN Hardcore Spray Paint, Gloss

Montana Solar Orange MTN Hardcore Spray Paint, Gloss

Montana Venice Blue MTN Hardcore Spray Paint, Gloss

Montana Pistachio Green MTN Hardcore Spray Paint,  Gloss

Montana Valley Green MTN Hardcore Spray Paint, Gloss

Montana Caramel MTN Hardcore Spray Paint, Gloss

Montana Caribean Blue MTN Hardcore Spray Paint,Gloss

Montana Artic Blue MTN Hardcore Spray Paint, Gloss

Montana Pale Green MTN Hardcore Spray Paint,Gloss

Boudreaux Console Table which could be spray painted a brightly polished white or black.

2. Consider Velvet Drapes For A Rich Effect

Consider buying vibrant Velvet drapes, and match the color of the drapes with your wall paint.  Again, match up the color of the drapes with the paint.  Paint can be matched perfectly at any paint store, so it makes sense to shop for your upholstery, or fabric first.

Curtain Rings With Clips (set Of 7) Gold Curtain Rod Rings

Deep Blue Mediterranean Faux Solid Taffeta Drapes

Deep Blue Velvet Drapes

Navy Textured Dupioni Silk Curtains & Drapes

Navy Blue - Tab Top Velvet Curtain Drape Panel

Rust Velvet Curtains Drape Panels

Yellow Velvet Curtain Drapes Panels

Tommy Smythe- HGTV star, Sarah's House co-host and Toronto has made over his historic home into a residence with glitz and glamour.  Hollywood Regency has been known to combine the high end elements such as polished marble, glossed walls, classic panelled cabinets, crown moulding and tufted furniture gussied up with  accents of brass silver and gold.  Geometrical patterns are very popular [...]]]>

Tommy Smythe- HGTV star, Sarah's House co-host and Toronto has made over his historic home into a residence with glitz and glamour.  Hollywood Regency has been known to combine the high end elements such as polished marble, glossed walls, classic panelled cabinets, crown moulding and tufted furniture gussied up with  accents of brass silver and gold.  Geometrical patterns are very popular in this style, and commonly implemented with stone floors, patterned rugs, painted or stone walls, tile and art work.

Borrow a Few Ideas From Smythe:

1 -In the few pictures of his home, you can see the house is not cluttered, which is a key to any design.  You can see he only features the very best in his house, which means he donated the rest of his junk that doesn't pertain to his style, and so should we.

2 -Incorporate a great geometrical pattern in your room.  Having a good rug with a strong pattern can go a long way.  Zebra rugs are very popular and add a graphic print to the room in a very glamorous way.

-3 Hang a handmade over-sized graphic oil painting with lots of color on the wall, and spend your money on great furniture.  Color isn't necessary, but having a pop of color can go a long way with this style.  You don't even have to spend lots of money doing this.

Shop around for a over-sized frame from your local thrift store, or second hand store.  If you have the money find a high quality frame and make the artwork yourself.  Once you have the room together, over time, you can exchange out the graphic print with another print online at a later date.

If the frame has a canvas print inside already you can paint over the existing picture.  If not, take a piece of thin wood purchased at your local hardware store, and cover it with canvas and staple it into the frame.  Home Depot allows you to buy sample paint sold for a couple dollars each, which you can paint your own geometrical pattern on to.  Pick out your favorite colors or leave the paintings to the end of the project and choose colors that will tie your design together.  All you need is tape, paint, and a good looking gilt wood frame.

4 - Spend your money on high end furniture.  Look at  Smythe's home.  You can carefully tell he really put a lot of thought into his furnishings.  Ebay is the perfect place to buy Klismos chairs, and other high end Regency pieces.  They are so hard to find, but such a great investment.  Good looking furniture captures the attention, and KEEPS the attention over the years.

5 -Keep your eyes open for a dining room set of chairs in the Hollywood Regency style.  A set of chairs can be broken up in a living room, and lined against the wall or accenting a sofa.   A room that has common elements which group together nicely presents better than a bunch of miss-matched furniture.

6 - Brass always adds a high end look.  Consider a coffee table with polished brass.  Adding brass hardware to your furniture to dress it up will go a long way in your home.

7 - Gloss walls are a signature style of Hollywood Regency.  You can see Smythe painted one of his rooms in a high gloss black.  Black or any dark color for that matter can bring a very very dark appearance to a room.  One time, we painted our living room in a really dark navy.  The room had two windows, and it felt like a dungeon.  When working with dark paint colors, consider if you have enough light coming into the room naturally to pull it off, otherwise count on a high electricity bill from all the lighting you have to install.  One way to get around this is to purchase a set of over-sized matching mirrors that you can hang on the walls.  Adding a number of WHITE hand drawn prints on a light yellow or white background will produce a layered effect.  Painting your walls a dark color can be very RICH and captivating.  To pull it off you need to bring in the light by layering the walls in lighter frames, mirrors, or art work.

8 - Don't skip on quality.  Look at Smythe's dining room, and you will understand that less is MORE, and Quality is MORE!  His cabinetry is painted in white, and the walls are tiled in a white subway tile.  The window frames are painted white, giving attention to the amazing tiled floor.  Again here we see a geometrical pattern, and it is well done!

For additional Flooring inspiration see these posts:

Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti's Empire Decorated Home

Empire Decorating: Geometric Painted Flooring

9 - My last tip is to not forget about natural wood finishes.  They ground the outrageous looks of the Hollywood Regency style.  Sometimes the flamboyant nature of the glamorous style of Hollywood Regency needs a foot in reality.  Natural wood chairs, with earthy leather really ground this style well.  You can see this element in action in one of Smythe's rooms.  Amongst black walls, wild zebra patterns, gold and lots of pattern, the wood furniture provides a breath of fresh air and balance to the room.

See more of his Smythe's home see  House & Home Magazine

Clarence House is located in London in the city of Westminster. For over 50 years it was the residence of the Queen Mother and was also the official residence of H.R.H. Prince Charles and Camilla until 2009. The house was commissioned by William IV and built between 1825~ 1827 by John Nash

The north [...]]]>

Clarence House is located in London in the city of Westminster. For over 50 years it was the residence of the Queen Mother and was also the official residence of H.R.H. Prince Charles and Camilla until 2009. The house was commissioned by William IV and built between 1825~ 1827 by John Nash

The north wing (facing the north private garden and Green Park beyond) contains the apartments used by the Queen and Prince Phillip.  The Queen uses the "Queen's Apartment" - which runs from the northwest corner to about the middle of that wing.  In addition to the Queen's Bedroom, Dressing Room, Bathroom, and Sitting Room, is an AnteRoom (just outside the Queen's Bedroom), a private Dining Room (adjoining the Sitting Room), and a few smaller rooms near the NW corner.  At that point her private suite connects to the Queen's Audience Chamber (facing the west gardens), then another good size room (name unknown), then finally the Royal Closet.  Beyond the Royal Closet is the White Drawing Room, the first of the proper State Apartments on the west front.

Prince Phillip's suite is what was known as the "King's Apartments" in past reigns.  In Victoria's time it was occupied by her mother the Duchess of Kent.  Starting in the middle of the wing (where the Queen's Apartment leaves off) and headed toward the Mall is the King's Dressing Room (and bath), the King's Bedroom, Sitting Room, and Study.  (Note:  The names of these rooms have changed over time).  Beyond the Study are two smaller rooms- the Indian Room and the Chinese Room, and the wing completes at the Chinese Dining Room which is at the northeast corner.

A wide corridor extends the full length of these apartments facing the Quadrangle, and on the Quadrangle side in the middle is the Queen's Staircase, flanked by two small rooms which I've been alternatively told were small libraries, or rooms for attendants.

Informati0n and Pictures gathered at Alexander Palace Forums.

Abbey Antiques is selling a sensational burl walnut George III / George IV / Regency design games roulette table. The table stands on a very attractive burl walnut and carved gilt paw and wing foot tripod base with the paws with decorative Eros wings rising back from the feet. Each foot has a different figure [...]]]>

Abbey Antiques is selling a sensational burl walnut George III / George IV / Regency design games roulette table. The table stands on a very attractive burl walnut and carved gilt paw and wing foot tripod base with the paws with decorative Eros wings rising back from the feet. Each foot has a different figure or mask featuring a theatrical mask, a sitting frog and a lion. Rising over this are the splay burl walnut veneered legs and solid mahogany column with a faux burl walnut painted finish with a standard solid mahogany block. Rising over this is the circular drum table with six flush fit and push open and close drawers, each draw fitted with a different architect's style lecturn which folds up to store playing cards.

Abbey Antiques is selling this fabulous table for only $1,641 US Dollars.

Either side there are chip stores, each place marked by a diamond in different colours, matching or near matching the leather inlays on the lecturns. To the centre is a very decorative 'lazy susan' style spinning centre, the top cover having radial burl walnut veneers which match the panels to the top. On the reverse side is a green baize for card playing, the underside having an inset black, almost velcro covered centre piece and a third layer forming a mahogany polished layer. The table comes complete with chips and a roulette wheel!

A very nice quality and most unusual games table having excellent quality burl walnut veneers which would be very expensive, having a rich walnut colour. The roulette table is Italian made by "Treviso - Made in Italia" "Dal negro" and in solid mahogany with a chromium plated wheel to the centre.

We are familiar with the interiors and furniture of Thomas Hope chiefly through his 1807 book, Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, and its exquisitely restrained plates composed of thin black outlines on white grounds, free of all shading, shadow, or color. And so, faced here with more than 400 color illustrations of the [...]]]>

We are familiar with the interiors and furniture of Thomas Hope chiefly through his 1807 book, Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, and its exquisitely restrained plates composed of thin black outlines on white grounds, free of all shading, shadow, or color. And so, faced here with more than 400 color illustrations of the real spaces and objects, we are dazzled by their vigor and presence. The images are just as elegant as the ones in his book but, with their outlines filled in, even more impressive.

Thomas Hope was the eldest son of John Hope, a Dutch merchant of Scottish extraction and a member of a very wealthy and powerful family of merchants and bankers who had settled, four generations earlier, in Holland.

By the early 1780s the merchant bank of Hope & Co were in the business of raising large sums for kings and governments throughout Europe and in the United States of America, and were recognised as one of Europe’s greatest banking dyna­sties.

After the death of his father in 1784, Thomas shared his father’s fortune with his two brothers but appears never to have been active in the management of the lucrative family business, which remained the source of his considerable wealth.  The fortune allowed him to devote fill time energy to the arts.

Hope's extensive travels in Europe, Greece, Turkey and Egypt inspired his interest in antiquities as a source of designs for Regency interiors, furniture and metalwork.

Above Pictures: Regency Egyptian Revival Style Armchairs By Thomas Hope, Grand Thomas Hope Chair

After years of travel, Hope, at the age of twenty six, returned to acquire an Adam House in Duchess Street, Portland Place, London.  This city was none other than the very city his family had fled to during 1794 in anticipation of the French invasion of Holland. The house was designed by Robert Adam, which he remodelled with a series of themed interiors. The colourful interiors of Duchess Street and of Hope's country house, Deepdene in Surrey, played a unique role in the history of collecting, interior design and display.

Both were open to select visitors, but his furniture reached an even wider public through his book, Household Furniture and Interior Decoration. Published in 1807, this book introduced the term 'interior decoration' into the English language.

Hope established himself in London as a scholarly collector of art, an interior designer and a patron of artists and craftsmen.

Records show how Hope’s considerable wealth enabled him to collect many paintings, sculptures, antique objects and books, which were displayed in the Duchess Street mansion and at the Deepdene, his country house in Surrey.

Thomas's  brother shared his passion with collecting, and became  influential in many London societies connected with the arts.

In 1804 Hope opened exhibition galleries, after having had the Duchess Street house extended by one of the foremost architects and designers of the period, Charles Heathcote Tatham, where visitors paid for admission by ticket. The popular view of Hope was as ‘the Furniture Man’.  There he was met with compliments and enthusiastic supporters; but also hostile critics.  Hope’s ambitions pressed on regardless of criticism as he sketched designs for furniture, room interiors which he included in books Household Furniture and Interior Decoration (1807); Costumes of the Ancients (1809); Designs of Modern Costumes (1812); and posthumously An Historical Essay on Architecture, with the illustrations based on early Hope drawings (1835).

Hope's influence continued long after his death, partly because of his book. His designs appeared in trade journals and books on interior design, and though the Duchess Street house was demolished in 1851.  In 1917 his collection was dispersed in a great sale at The Deepdene. This led to a renewed interest in Hope's vision for objects designed by him.  Collections were displayed in  Europe and the USA, reaching a wider public view.

Hope's style influenced the Regency Revival of the 1920s and '30s, and even Art Deco design.

Buscot Park Hall- Pair of Ebonised Gilt chairs From The Thomas Hope Suite

Buscot Park is a glorious example of the Regency style. The estate was built by Edward Loveden Loveden between 1779 and 1783 for Edward Loveden Loveden. The house was inspired by the architecture of the great Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio.  Most [...]]]>

Buscot Park Hall- Pair of Ebonised Gilt chairs From The Thomas Hope Suite

Buscot Park is a glorious example of the Regency style. The estate was built by Edward Loveden Loveden between 1779 and 1783 for Edward Loveden Loveden. The house was inspired by the architecture of the great Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio.  Most of the furniture here is of the Regency period, and reflects the revival of interest in that style in the inter-war years.

The entrance hall's gilt-metal chandelier from Barnsley Park

The large ebonised and gilt couch, and the pair of chairs standing in front of the scagliola pillars, are in the Egyptian taste that became fashionable after the battle of the Nile (1798).  They, together with the ebonised and gilt torchères, were made for Thomas Hope, the pioneer of Regency furniture design, and are illustrated in his Household Furniture and Interior Decoration (1807) as part of the furnishing of the ‘Egyptian Room’ at Duchess Street, his London residence off Portland Place.

The tripod-stand behind the couch, ebonised and gilt, with lion monopodia supports, is in the manner of George Smith, the cabinet-maker whose pattern book of 1808 (A Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration) did much to popularise the Regency style.

At the far end of the Hall is a pair of ormolu-mounted French Empire side-tables in mahogany with marble tops.  The tables carry Empire figures of kneeling cupids in ormolu, and Sèvres bleu celeste shell-shaped dishes of 1756, which were originally simply painted with flowers, but when mounted in ormolu,
the turquoise grounds and bird paintings were added (perhaps by Edward Holmes-Buldock c.1830).

The pair of amboyna and giltwood tables, with pineapple motif stems,supporting seventeenth-century panels of Genoese marquetry, reflect the antiquarian taste that became fashionable under the Prince Regent's influence, and were bought at the Hartwell House sale in the 1930s.   The ormolu candelabra on the mantelpiece, their four-branched lights supported by winged figures, are
French of the Empire period, in the manner of Thomire.  Either side of the chimney-piece are two eighteenth-century gout stools.

A cut glass chandelier in George III style In The Dutch Room

The Dutch Room was created out of two smaller rooms in the 1930s, during the 2nd Lord Faringdon’s extensive alterations to the house.  The Dutch Room has a plasterwork ceiling and frieze made at that date in the Adam style.  In this room exist a set of six single chairs, two stools and settee, is of the Chippendale
period.  relief.  Two satinwood commodes with concave fronts, inlaid with paterae, are closely related to Chippendale’s work in the neo-classical style of about 1775.

Between the windows is an unusual pair of side-tables of the Sheraton period, completely veneered with tortoiseshell, stained green and red.  The oval mirrors above are giltwood frames with festoons of husks, paterae and ribbons which are supreme examples of the Adam style. At the far end of the room are a pair of fine inlaid cabinets.   The highly elaborate tops of the cabinets,decorated with red-stained tortoiseshell and engraved bone, date from the mid-seventeenth century.

Regency Style Decorating -Buscot Park Sitting Room

The Sitting Room date from the 1930s, when the 2nd Lord Faringdon made extensive alterations to Buscot, intending to return the house to its original eighteenth-century appearance.

As in the Hall beyond, most of the furniture here is of the Regency period. This style can be seen in the rosewood sofa table at the western end of the room, and the pair of rosewood card tables, with elegant lyre-shaped supports, made by the leading cabinet-makers of the day, Gillows of Lancaster.  In the room eight single chairs with sabre legs, grained to simulate rosewood, exemplify a type of painted decoration characteristic of the period.  The pair of Regency mahogany bergere chairs are a recent acquisition.  The chandelier is a good example of a Regency glass ‘lustre’, and the gilt pelmet boards, with elaborate scrolls are of the same period, moved here from the Drawing Room at Barnsley Park, when Nash carried out his alterations there between 1807 and 1809.

Often times when people think about decorating with a particular color, they automatically gravitate by painting the walls that hue and accessorizing with coordinating furniture.  There certainly isn't anything wrong with that approach, although for many people who adore bold pops of color they tend to be at a loss because [...]]]> Picture Credit The Enchanted House Blog

Often times when people think about decorating with a particular color, they automatically gravitate by painting the walls that hue and accessorizing with coordinating furniture.  There certainly isn't anything wrong with that approach, although for many people who adore bold pops of color they tend to be at a loss because they don't want it splashed on their walls. 

 Here is a room that shows us how to use color in a very sophisticated approach.  They have done everything right!   Some of the nicest designed interiors base their homes around high end architectural materials, and well chosen antiques that reflect the owners style.  Many times these homes let the architecture speak for itself, and the furniture is often carefully chosen pieces of art themselves.  A kitchen which has beautiful cabinetry doesn't need a dozen accessories, but rather one masterpiece bowl sitting on the counter is enough to say, "look at me, but REALLY look at the cabinetry"  A minimal approach to decorating works.  Approaching decorating this way, a person doesn't need a wide range of accessories, but nicer furniture that can hold a persons intrigue for a longer period of time.

Regency and Empire furniture does just that.  Empire furniture is known for the outstanding mahogany veneer wood that appear so intricate in its natural design that a person is drawn in to take a closer look at the details of such a luxurious example of wood.  Layer on top of the wood a few well chosen decorative ormolu accents, and you will have a piece of furniture that will stop you in your tracks several times a day.

In this space you can see that the architect looked at the space and figured out the design based on the architecture of the room.  You can see their initial approach with how the floor is laid out.  In this room you see the floors feature a checkerboard marble pattern in both black and white carrara marble.  The pattern on the floor was brilliantly laid in such a way to distinguish two different areas.  One which features one half of the room with a round table, and the other which highlights some antique chairs.  You can see the oval or round table is an exceptional antique, either gold leafed or brass and has nothing on top of the table.  This table most likely features a gorgeous marble pattern which speaks for itself, and doesn't need anything in addition.

The walls were painted in a simple gray beige, and glossy black doors with heavy hardware provide a rich yet simple look.  The chairs seem to be the most brilliant feature of this room.  Long hallways that connected one room to another has been seen in the most premier castles around the world.  Here you see the opportunity for that design to be showcased here.

For the longest time, I gravitated away from white paint on furniture, because I have seen too many times how horrible "shabby" white furniture looks from amature painters.  I think where many people go wrong with painting furniture is they don't determine the appropriate color for the style and age of furniture.

Would you ever paint an arts and crafts mission style chair a bright white?

Excellent Examples of ANTIQUE White Looking Furniture - French Directoire Console Table and Side Tables

White furniture looks very appropriate on Modern Regency styled pieces.  If you think of designers such as Draper, Wearstler, and Adler, they have often used high gloss lacquer in their approach to white furniture.  It would be a terrific sight to see a bombe chest in a high white gloss.  A piece such as this gives off such a brilliant shine as if it was waxed for hours.

White also looks sensational on primitive furniture in a white that has beige or yellow undertones.  I remember the first time I tried spray painting a piece of furniture in Heirloom white, I was amazed at how nice my piece of furniture looked in WHITE!

Swedish furniture is often painted, but never a stark white, rather with gray undertones.  Many times the piece of furniture is distressed so heavily that the wood and the paint combination create a beautiful intrigue.

Too many people make the mistake of painting their furniture a color that belongs on the ceiling.  They forget about distressing and glazing which gives it an antique appearance.

BRILLIANT White Empire Furniture by William Hodgins

White in my opinion has never looked better in my opinion on on Empire furniture.  The additional furniture mounts or carved details are accented in brass or gold leafed makes the white paint even more special to look at.

In this photo by William Hodgins you can see two terrific chairs, which I think are actually gray painted but in the picture they show as white.  The one chair is upholstered in a animal print where as the other chair is upholstered in a blue silk dot on white fabric.  Both chairs are terrific examples of how a piece of furniture can be the focal point of a room. 

A Close up of the Chair

A Close up of the Second Chair

A Close up of the Yellow Chair

Again here is the original yellow chair.  The frame is painted in an off white and they chose a butter yellow upholstery fabric for the seats and the back rest.  The brass furniture mounts add an extravagant touch which really makes this chair appear high end.  Yellow can be extremely vibrant and a brilliant choice to base an interior around.  Not only is it bright but very striking to look at.

Patterned fabric paired with  a Regency or Empire chair can look very rich.  Choosing something as basic as a white and yellow, or a yellow and gray, or a yellow and black pattern can make a chair look like a piece of art.  Adding carved wood appliques which are spray painted in gold and finished off with gold leaf is a sure way of adding extra dimension to your antique chairs.

Here are my top three fabric choices for decorating with yellow against a white frame:

54 Wide Duralee Dalesford Yellow Fabric By The Yard

54 Wide Duralee Dalesford Yellow Fabric By The Yard

54 Wide Ticking Stripe Gold Ivory Fabric By The Yard

54 Wide Ticking Stripe Gold Ivory Fabric By The Yard

54' Wide Premier Prints Chipper Slub Corn Yellow Fabric By The Yard

54' Wide Premier Prints Chipper Slub Corn Yellow Fabric By The Yard