Room Lust

I've Moved!

2011-09-27T16:02:00.001-05:00

Dear ones,

Please check out my new blog at http://roomlust.wordpress.com/.

Hope to see you!

Spring color inspiration: Benjamin Moore in CB2

2010-05-03T09:10:00.020-05:00

Walls are painted Yellow Finch by Benjamin Moore. Image from CB2.

Now I don't know how y'all spend your Sunday afternoons, but one of my favorite activities is hanging in the Ben Moore aisle at Ace Hardware, quietly pilfering swatch cards.

When I get home, I cut the swatches into little squares, glue them to heavy cardstock and make notes on each (e.g., "great color for kitchen cabinet interiors" or "nice beige—or too Band-Aid?") and file them away until the day when I, too, can paint my own space. I'm renting, you see. Renting.

Design inspiration can come from anywhere, though, not just the paint aisle. And one of my favorite resources for punchy, modern paint colors is the CB2 catalog, which shows up in my mailbox a few times per annum, just like magic.

Let's start with white. CB2's hue of choice is Decorator's White, a bright, clean white favored by Ken Fulk, Leslie Klotz, Carleton Varney, Eldon Wong and many other designers. (Image above from the CB2 spring catalog.)

Deep teal and sunshine certainly make transcribing interviews less dreary. Above, walls are painted Blue Zircon by Pratt & Lambert. Image from CB2.com.

The background above is painted Gray 2121-10 by Benjamin Moore. The bar? I'm betting it's Claret Rose (pg. 16, spring catalog).

Above, Bunny Gray by Benjamin Moore. ~~CB2 didn't provide information about the green cabinet~~, A commenter kindly pointed out that the cabinet above is CB2's Hyde Green wall mounted cabinet, but it's no longer available. To achieve a similar look, try painting a cabinet Pear Green, Grape Green, Dill Pickle or Oregano, all by Benjamin Moore.

Above, Golden Tan by Benjamin Moore. Sort of boring, but she certainly looks calm, doesn't she?

xo,
Javi

Really, Apartment Therapy?

2010-01-22T18:51:00.006-06:00

So disappointed by this.

Here's what I wrote in the comments forum:

"I'm disappointed with the photo choice for this post. I read Apartment Therapy to learn more about design and see what smart, creative people do with their living spaces. The photo above is distracting, alienating and insulting. Apartment Therapy isn't a beer company -- why is it using images of sexualized women to draw attention to its posts?

The bed should be the object -- not the woman. In the future, I hope Apartment Therapy will be more conscientious about the photos it chooses to accompany content."

What do you think? I'd be interested to know. Whether or not you share my views, I encourage you to add a comment to AT's original post.

C'mere, pumpkin.

2009-11-01T13:01:00.007-06:00

Orange is a color we have strong feelings about.

Maybe you love it. Maybe you hate it. Maybe you're on the fence.

Maybe you love it on other people, or on other people's houses.

After all, some people can pull it off.

Orange is exuberant. It's got nothing to prove.

But orange can be subtle, too. Orange is a status symbol, stacked smugly on a shelf.

Orange paint is one way to get your fix. Designers have their favorites.

Benjamin Moore has pumpkins of all stripes.

And if you can't commit to four walls, try one.

Or paint the inside (or outside) of your bookshelves.

Or there might be some orange upholstery in your future. Orange velvet, in the right space, is dreamy.

Orange toile is decidedly un-toile.

And your Seasonal Affective Disorder is no match for an orange-and-pink palette.

Orange artwork does the trick, too.

Or a throw or quilt.

And remember: those orange boxes don't need to be French.

Quelle horreur!

2009-10-24T14:54:00.011-05:00

Behold, the sheared rabbit ottoman.

So sad. And yet, so beautiful!

No, no. Sad.

I just hope that rabbit meat was put to good use, like in lapin a la cocotte.

Available here.

Do it your own damn self.

2009-10-20T09:26:00.041-05:00

As much as I love me some Cole & Son or Tres Tintas Barcelona wallpaper, I realize that not everyone (uh, including me) can blow $150 per roll for a beguiling backdrop of knobby trees or a Cy Twombly-esque tangle of black wire chairs.

That's why I was particularly struck by Sean Scherer's Catskills, N.Y. farmhouse, which was featured a couple weeks ago in the New York Times.

DIY wallpaper is nothing new, of course, but Scherer, a painter and curiosity shop owner, lends it a certain mastery. For this avian-inspired vignette, above, he papered the walls with pages from a "Birds of New York" folio. The birdcage sculpture is by Brazilian artist Vik Muniz.

In the farmhouse guest bedroom, above, Scherer created a backdrop using blank sheets from an old ledger. The side tables are Art Deco; the botanical print is Czech.

The walls and ceiling of the master bathroom are papered with Soviet propaganda posters and newspaper pages, bought in Moscow in 1989. The painting over the bathtub, inspired by Kasimir Malevich, is by Scherer.

When it comes to wallpaper on the cheap, newsprint is a good place to start. And you'll be doing the industry a favor, since kidnappers and ransom-note writers are the only people buying newspapers these days. Above, a bedroom by Ligne Roset.

If you're using your old Merriam-Webster's as a doorstop, why not tear it up and slap it on the wall? DIY magazine has a nice tutorial on how to pull it off.

Lucky ladies visiting the powder room of the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, above, are treated to Jenny Holzer's photocopy wallpaper.

You can't really go wrong with maps, either. Above, a guest bathroom at the acutely-hip Ace Hotel in Portland, Oregon.

A South Hampton bedroom designed by Steven Gambrel.

Karen Breen-Bondie kitted out her son's bedroom, above, with a map mural from Environmental Graphics. The bed, duvet cover, and desk chair are from Ikea.

A home featured in the Denver Post.

Interstate wallpaper at the World's Largest Truckstop in Walcott, Iowa. I have driven by this institution many times.

If you just can't be bothered and don't mind sacrificing some DIY cred, there's always Ralph Lauren's Great Harbor wallpaper, above.

Vintage Campbell's soup ads might be just the thing in the kitchen.

Old letters and diary entries do the trick, too. The more scandalous, the better!

Photo credits: Sean Scherer's farmhouse, Tony Cenicola, the New York Times; newspaper room, Ligne Roset; dictionary wallpaper, DIY magazine; Jenny Holzer wallpaper, Kevin Cooley, the New York Times; Ace Hotel, Apartment Therapy; Steven Gambrel bedroom, from his website; world map bedroom, Karen Breen-Bodie; Ralph Lauren wallpaper, Coastal Living; Denver Post and truckstop wallpaper, Apartment Therapy; Campbell's soup ads, Etsy; letter wallpaper, zedomax.com.

Ideas for small spaces: Magnetic honeycomb spice rack

2009-08-27T17:24:00.012-05:00

We've all seen those wall-mounted spice racks. But none has ever tickled me like this one.

It's magnetic. It's hexagonal. It has distinctive Moroccan flare!

Just attach the jars to your fridge and arrange them to your liking. Ta-da! A beautiful honeycomb takes shape.

Strong neodymium magnets keep jars from sliding; gold plastisol lids form an airtight lock, so spices stay fresh. The lids are die-stamped, too, so you know exactly what you're sprinkling in your goulash.

Brooklyn-based GneissSpice will totally hook you up. Order the generic set (12 jars stamped with commonly-used spice names), or customize jars to your liking. Prices start at $27 (for twelve 1.5 oz. jars).

What would your jars say? Mine would be sumac, fenugreek, cardamom...

Bertoia? Eames? Panton? Let's drop some names.

2009-08-23T16:07:00.031-05:00

Say hello to my new dining table! I shall call him Arturo.

He's 48 inches round and a total sweetheart. While his original provenance is unknown (Eames for Herman Miller? A nice knockoff?), one thing is certain: Arturo needs some chairs.

Comfort comes first. In that realm, the Eames shell is divine. I'm thinking a white shell with an H base (see second photo).

Panton chairs are also extremely comfortable. And cheaper than those shells.

But a Panton consumes a lot of visual space -- it's sexy but so opaque. That's why I'm also leaning toward a Bertoia side chair.

As Harry Bertoia said, "If you look at the chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes through them."

So true! Too bad money doesn't pass through me.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Which chair would look best: the Eames, the Bertoia, the Panton? Something else entirely?

xo,

Javi

P.S. T-minus 4 hours till Mad Men!

Frank Roop loves him some brown and blue.

2009-05-23T11:48:00.039-05:00

And really, who doesn't? They're the colors of earth and water, sand and sea, chocolate and blue curaçao.

I love Roop's use of color, but he also has a wonderful flair for mixing: he pairs mid-century furniture with his own designs, achieves harmonious palettes via repetitious blending, and grounds his modern interiors with rich fabrics (velvet, linen, and Edelman leathers) and wood and stone accent pieces.

His interiors are fundamentally neutral but enlivened with pops of lime green, chartreuse, jungle green and turquoise. He's a master at balancing color and textural contrast.

In the study of his 1865 Boston brownstone duplex (above), gray, blue, and taupe mingle beautifully. The sinuous chair, a vintage Austrian piece, is a wonderful counterpoint to the Jacques Adnet cocktail table and Jansen desk. The mercury-glass floor lamp and André Arbus light fixture date from the 1940s. The curtains are made from a Great Plains linen and a Travers velvet.

In his dining room (above), mid-century modern abounds: the T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings walnut table, Danish chairs upholstered in an Edelman leather, and Curtis Jeré metal wall sculpture are all vintage. Roop designed the floating bookshelves and travertine mantel, and the ceiling light fixture is by Fortuny.

Above, he paired a mid-century Eugène Printz desk with a stool he designed. The vintage resin lamp is by Marie-Claude de Fouquières; the curtains are made of Pollack’s Chambray Challis with a deep border of Edelman suede.

For the bay window alcove, above, Roop upholstered two 1960s Sergio Rodrigues chairs in a Great Plains linen velvet by Holly Hunt. The Danish sofa is covered in Flair linen by Dedar, and the floor lamp is vintage Arteluce.

Roop designed the bed in his master bedroom, above, and upholstered it in an Edelman suede; he also designed the light fixture; the shade is made of Donghia linen. The curtains are made of Montreaux velvet by Travers.

Above, in the sitting area of the bedroom, the Danish rosewood chair is from the 1960s, the metal sunburst is Curtis Jeré, and the Harvey Probber desk and Laverne Tulip chair are vintage. The oil is by Bernd Haussmann.

Roop's other projects showcase his design philosophy. In the TV room of a 2,400-square-foot Boston condo, above, he covered the raised floor in leather tiles from Edelman, and upholstered the sofa's frame, back cushions, seat cushions, and throw pillows in different velvet and linen fabrics.

He designed the headboard and steel wall sculpture in the condo's master bedroom. The bed platform is upholstered in his signature Edelman leather.

In the condo's kitchen, Roop created the horizontally striped accent wall in the dining area with hand-cut strips of paper-backed silk. He also designed the stools, which are upholstered with Liaigre leather from Holly Hunt.

A detailed view of the dining area, above.

Above, the living room of a Nantucket project. The coffee table is Jacques Adnet (Roop has a similar piece in his library), the bronzed garden seat is 1960s, and the opaline glass sconces are early 19th century. The sofa is covered in Larson's Uno in Eucalyptus; the floor cushions are Pierre Frey's Erevan in Café.

Below, in a guest bedroom, he added pops of yellow to his signature taupes, blues, and greens.

The chair fabric, above, is William by Anna French. The bed's blue throw pillow (in the first photo) is Victoria by Donghia.

The dreamy blue master bathroom of the Nantucket home. Roop painted the walls Borrowed Light by Farrow & Ball. He drew the mosaic tile floor on a computer with CAD software, and Tile Showcase manufactured it in one piece, like a carpet.

He makes it look easy, which it isn't, of course -- but I find his interiors incredibly inspiring.

What can we all learn from Roop?

Use a mix of tactile fabrics
Focus on blending colors, tones and saturation levels rather than matching
Achieve pattern through texture
Use a diverse mix of geometry and scale
Warm up a modern, disciplined interior with natural elements, such as wood and stone
Invest in classic mid-century pieces
Seek inspiration from nature, art, travel and fashion (Roop began his career in men's fashion, and he's said that his interiors are greatly inspired by clothing).

Oh, and P.S.! One of his favorite paint colors is 'Soft Fern,' a chalky gray-green by Benjamin Moore, which he likens to "a cool breeze through pine trees." Mmmm.

Check out our Flickr photostream to see many more Frank Roop interiors.

xo,
Sarah

Photo credits: First photo, Eric Roth, Elle Decor; second photo, Frank Roop website; next 6 photos, Eric Roth, Elle Decor; condo: TV room, Bill Jacobson, bedroom, Eric Roth, kitchen, Bill Jacobson, all Metropolitan Home; detailed view of condo dining area, Frank Roop website; Nantucket living room and first bedroom photo, Francesco Lagnese, House Beautiful; second Nantucket bedroom photo, Frank Roop website; Nantucket bathroom photo, Francesco Lagnese, House Beautiful.

The [x] factor.

2009-05-23T00:00:00.007-05:00

One day, it occurs to you: "My life would be vastly improved if only I had a new [x]."

You do a little research. You learn the vocabulary of [x] -- who knew bulb wattage was so controversial? You start noticing [x]s everywhere. You begin judging character based on the [x]s your friends have in their homes. At a party, you're unable to maintain eye contact with the host because you're too busy staring at their [x]. "I'm in the market for a new one," you explain, fingering the shade. "Now, is this parchment?"

Pretty soon you're gagging on [x], so obsessed and overcome with choices and information that it seems highly unlikely--about as likely as you ever cleaning your microwave--that you'll actually select an [x], feel satisfied, and move on.

The lesson, of course, is that we can't rely on material objects to make us happy, and, despite how we delude ourselves, infinite choices (and deliberation) don't help ease a decision.

I know this. But that won't stop me from obsessing over lamps! Because I've decided a new one will make me happy, dear reader.

And while I'd love one from Objet Insolite, Barbara Barry's Baker collection, Oly Studio, or Max Ingrand (all above, respectively), I really shouldn't consider anything over $200.

The hunt has only begun -- but here are a few (well, 16) specimens that have caught my gimlet eye:

Barbara Barry's Bodice lamp, $336.

Anthropologie's green Yuan lamp, $200.

Circa Lighting's small gourd form lamp, $300.

Barbara Barry's Carousel lamp, $420.

Crate & Barrel's Perry lamp, $230.

Horchow's gourd lamp, $375.

Crate & Barrel's Asbury lamp, $230.

Garnet Hill's large gourd lamps, $240 each.

Horchow's crystal ball lamp, $155.

Jayson Home & Garden's milk glass Harriet lamp, $200.

Room & Board's Eva lamp (also available in white), $300.

Jayson Home & Garden's Genie lamp (also in white, black, and brown), $300.

Horchow's mini crystal lamp, $145.

Ballard Designs' Melesse lamp, $390.

Crate & Barrel's Ponzio lamp, $150.

What do you think? Also: what's your favorite source for affordable lighting?

xo,
Javi

And we're back!

2009-05-22T09:20:00.011-05:00

Oh my God! It's been so long. Where have I been?

Well, I went to Croatia.

I hiked around a few islands. Took in the flora, the fauna. The seaside mansions.

Enjoyed the glamorous local cuisine.

Watched the sun set and the moon rise.

But now I'm back! Feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to blog. About lamps. More on that soon.

Jeffrey Bilhuber urges you to wear it tight

2009-01-24T13:45:00.009-06:00

"Please don't believe that slipcovers must be loose-fitting," Jeffrey Bilhuber writes in his first book, Jeffrey Bilhuber's Design Basics. "Tailor those babies like a fine suit. Nothing will depress you more than a room full of loose, drooping, baggy slipcovers. It has the allure of a pajama party in a nursing home."

He's a doll, he really is.

Design Basics is a charming blend of chummy snark and useful advice. Bilhuber offers tips on using color and pattern, choosing materials, measuring a room for an area rug, and dressing your mantle. He also lists his tenets for creating interesting rooms ("a polished dining room table demands painted chairs") and his favorite Benjamin Moore paint colors.

How helpful!

Top: Grant Beige, Alexandria Beige, Rainforest Dew, Java
Middle: Edgecomb Gray, Black Bean Soup, Grant Beige, Yellow Haze
Bottom: Moonlight, Gentleman's Gray, Harbor Fog, Mellow Yellow

Design Basics is full of luxe rooms brimming with neutrals and earth tones. My favorite photo is below. Bilhuber upholstered a sofa in lush linen velvet and paired it with a tortoise shell table and a satin-covered gilded chair. The dark blue floor is linoleum. Isn't it yummy?

Defining Luxury, Bilhuber's newest book, is a clean departure from these subdued interiors. Color and pattern dominate! Chintz! Checks! Fake cheetahs prowling the carpet!

Bilhuber loves his antlers, too. Why not surround your flatscreen with them?

(Psst: Thom Filicia, who worked at Bilhuber's firm in the '90s, copied this look, below, in his fisherman's cottage in Upstate New York.)

Photo credit: Jonny Valiant, Domino, Aug. 08.

A stuffed peacock in the living room never hurts, either.

While my definitions of luxury don't include taxidermy and chintz, I have to say the placement here is clever. A peacock must preen, after all.

And Defining Luxury does feature some lovely, tamer interiors I find inspirational.

I was surprised by how much I liked this room (below) -- I kept flipping back to it. There's something wonderfully cheerful and inviting about the pastel candy stripes, the pinks and greens, and the overstuffed upholstery.

Below, a neutral living room with touches of red and gold. The gorgeous ikat pillow pulls it all together.

Isn't this parlor beautiful? (Apologies for the poor scan.) I love the mix of pattern and scale. Antiques brush elbows with modern art, and the ceiling is painted a glossy chartreuse. (What's that newspaper sculpture doing by the fireplace, though?)

Hello, orange! Bilhuber pulls it off.

In this dark green living room, the artwork's sinuous lines echo the pattern on the antique Russian commode. Notice the repetition among the chairs, decorative accents, and roses.

This last photo isn't from Defining Luxury, but I had to include it. Gorgeous, right? Warren Platner table with modern klismos chairs. (Photo from House and Garden, Oct. 2005.)

Quieres mas? Read this interview between Jeffrey and New York Social Diarists Sian Ballen and Lesley Hauge.

Barack Obama's official paint colors

2009-01-22T23:18:00.008-06:00

From benjaminmoore.com:

Benjamin Moore Aura® paint was what the world saw president-elect Barack Obama using during his pre-inaugural "Day of Service" visit to the Sasha Bruce House, a shelter for teens, in D.C. With his sleeves rolled up, he helped other volunteers roll on Laguna Blue 2059-30 (below, right) and Yosemite Blue 2059-40 (below, left).

Hope, change, and wallpaper

2009-01-20T08:51:00.045-06:00

Happy inauguration day! To commemorate the occasion, perhaps we should stencil our walls?

Or, if spray paint isn't your thing, how about some lovely tree wallpaper? Ah, trees! Symbols of rebirth, renewal, wisdom, and strength. Givers of life and fruit. Harbingers of spring!

They're also just pretty.

Graham & Brown's 'Enchant' wallpaper (above, in Sunrise) is my favorite of all those hip tree papers you're seeing nowadays. It's also splendid in Golden Brown (below, left) and Blonde (below, right). Elegant and modern -- just like Michelle O.

More trees, you say?

Kuboaa's Ginko in Licorice (above, left), and Wellington Sequoia in Overcast Blue (above, right).

Osborne and Little's Mandara (above, left), and Ferm Living's Family Tree in Silver (above, right).

Kuboaa's Bonsai in Tan (above, left) and Wistaria in Lint (above, right). ('Wistaria' is intentionally misspelled. What fun for their publicist!)

Where there are trees, there are birds...

Above, left to right: Garden Birds and Pavilion Birds, both by Louise Body; Grove Garden, by Osborne and Little.

And birds fly through clouds...

The sky is clearing! A new day has come! (Clouds wallpaper by Saint Honoré.)

Okay, the hyper-extended metaphor stops there. I'll stop trying to heap historical significance on my wallpaper lust and celebrate these prints for their charm alone:

Nina Campbell's Delphine (left) and Kuboaa's Lucien Damask in Duck Egg (right). Blue leaves and blue velvet -- what fun! The photo styling is très Domino, too, don't you think?

Finally, I give you Graham & Brown's Phantom (in Bronze). In a sea of modern kitsch, it's just sexy.

Metallic chocolate! Yow.

Is manzanita the new coral?

2009-01-18T17:22:00.012-06:00

One guess where these charming bibelots are from.

Pottery Barn! Of course. But they're not available on the PB website. They were sold on eBay ($64.95, plus shipping).

People: Pottery Barn is currently not selling any coral. Is it because it's January? Or is it because the coral trend is finally, miraculously dying?

Alas, no. A quick Froogle search reveals that coral is alive and well. Neiman Marcus is hawking this enchanting set of bathroom accessories for $120.

And there's this mirror, over at Decorati. (Price available upon request.)

Regrettably, gaudy coral decor is here to stay. Unless something takes its place. Which brings me to my question. Is manzanita the new coral?

They are both gnarled.

They both make excellent candelabras.

Also tables.

And lamps.

Chandeliers? Yes.

And jewelry stands.

Don't forget about sconces.

And, finally, fabric.

Actually, I think the Joel Dewberry manzanita branch print (above) is charming, and an excellent replacement for those tired old tubers.

What do you think? Will the coral deco trend ever die?

Darryl Carter wants to swaddle you in beige

2009-01-15T13:34:00.064-06:00

Darryl Carter! Look how adorably coy.

The lawyer-cum-decorator is known for his calm, cerebral aesthetic and penchant for white paint, Belgian linen, gleaming wood and the occasional animal skull.

He's a self-styled new traditionalist and loves mixing modern furniture with antiques—something nearly everyone is doing these days. Perhaps we have Darryl to thank for it?

His work has been featured in the Post and all the top shelter mags: Elle Décor, Metropolitan Home, House Beautiful, Traditional Home. He's the darling of Washington! Frankly, I was a bit surprised Obama didn't pick him as First Decorator over Michael S. Smith.

I love this room (above), particularly the interplay between the pedestal table and woven leather chair. (So Bottega meets Knoll, don't you think?) And that blue lamp in the background! Gorge.

In his book The New Traditional, Darryl discusses 'redefining space' (versus ditching your digs for a larger house). If we re-imagine how we exist in our rooms, he says, we may realize we "don't need more space, but rather a greater sense of space."

That's a polite way of saying get rid of your crap, people.

Or hide it behind a screen.

Or in many, many tiny drawers.

Carter's neutral palette extends to children's rooms, too.

Yikes! Can you imagine growing up in this room? "Here, Billy. Let's play with this linen-covered foam cube."

Come to think of it, I'm not surprised the Obamas didn't pick Carter for their re-do. I can't quite imagine Barry and Michelle hanging in these rooms.

They're beautiful but austere. The Obamas' energy is so palpable, if you put them in one of Darryl's wing chairs, it just might implode, you know?

What do you think of the Darryl Carter look?

P.S. My friend Rae says the term 'shelter magazines' makes her think of dug-outs and caves and cardboard huts. Hee!

All interior photos by Gordon Beall.