The New Shabby Chic

 

Just launched in the past week or so is Rachel Ashwell's fabulous revamped Shabby Chic web site.   If you left Shabby Chic behind years ago, you might want to take a peek at what the creator of the slipcover lifestyle has been up to lately.  Fresh from her successful partnership with Target, Ashwell has been quitely opening up Shabby Chic stores nationwide.  Fueled by the 20 year anniversary of her company, Rachel, the  quintessential English Rose, is setting her sights on a total of 80 new stores.  The main attraction, as always, is the slipcovered furniture and  nobody does slipcovers better than Rachel.  Her pieces are plump with down  feathers, cushy, soft,  and comfortable.  Usually, Rachel works with a strict pink, green and blue palette but lately gray has been popping up all over:   her new line of painted wood furniture is wonderful -  Gustavian in coloring, French in design.  The furniture prices are lower than what one is used to from her pricey slipcover line.  But even with the slipcovered pieces, the prices seem lower than what they were back in the days before Target and when Malibu was their headquarters.

Another staple available on the web site is her fabrics, the poplins and linens in the luscious, soft, muted colors that make up her bedding line.  The web site is a little hard to navigate and there's a lot that will be "coming soon" - but there is still some great eye candy here - lots of gorgeous Shabby Chic rooms with white linen and crystal chandeliers.  Be sure to take a glance at Rachel's Favorites and Our Heritage.   At the bottom of the page, the Gallery has even more pictures.   

On a personal note, I have a client who recently purchasd the gray desk (which is mysteriously missing from the revamped web site) and Devon, a French styled chest of drawers, both very well made AND incredibly affordable, especially when compared with other lines of similar gray painted furniture.   I'm just hoping that Rachel opens a branch here in Houston, right now Austin is the only  lucky city in Texas.

Enjoy!

 

Rachel's palette has moved from basic pink, green, and blue to include grays, khakis and whites.  Here, the ubiquitous crystal chandelier in an all white and khaki room.

 

Gustavian and Shabby Chic - the new combination. 

Tufting is something new for Rachel.  Here she mixes an antique dresser with chairs from her furniture collection.         

      

This charming, worn dining room table is $1250.  The Darcy chair, faithfully copied from an antique Rachel salvaged is available in a cream or gray finish, with slip skirt - $399.

       

A first for Rachel:  leather furniture!!!  She also is selling vintage rugs in the stores, along with new ones.   Here is Shabby Chic defined - overstuffed slipcovered sofa, touches of gold, touches of crystal and wispy, billowing curtains.  Rachel brings in her favorite pinks and green through the painted antique furniture.

My favorite piece:  Devon, a French styled chest in Gustavian gray.   Available in two sizes:  $925 or $1070.  This would be great for a pair of matching bedside tables.  Love, love, love this!!!!

This console is just $900.  Pillows in Rachel's dreamy fabrics are sold in the stores  and online too.  The bottom shelf would be a perfect place to store things in baskets.

Another favorite of mine:  the slipcovered chaise lounge.  No one does it better than Rachel - no one!

One more favorite:   Army cots for $100 make perfect extra beds for sleepovers and beach houses.   Rachel has used this item for years and sells bedding made just for it.

Baby furniture and bedding is a huge seller for Rachel.  The Rosalee chest to the left is a mere $850.

I adore the trendy brass  crown  and the crown hooks, sold under Accessories.  The lighting section is "coming soon."

And finally - all of  Rachel's books and CDs are available online.  This one is a particular "Guilty Pleasure" for me.  A fascinating tale that takes the reader through the renovation and furnishing of her Malibu home.  Though she has since moved at least two more times - it is still  one of my favorite houses of hers.

French Eye Candy For the Weekend

 

For your viewing pleasure this weekend:  a romantic house in the French countryside that is just a little bit quirky, but hey - it's in France and that's good enough for me.  I love this view of a healthy tree (unlike my dying one) seemingly growing inside a  porte cochere (which literally means "coach door" in French).

 

The living room:  j'adore the bois paneling and dueling settees.  The coffee tables look like matching park benches to me.  Note the two large urns standing guard between the salon and the entryway.  I wonder if a TV is hiding in the corner cabinet?

The entry hall:   this table base resembles my I-phone ear bobs that are always twisted up.  The translation of the caption claims the table is made from chestnut roots!

The kitchen's breakfast table.    J'adore the antique rattan chairs around the ancient wood table.   Also, I'm loving the Swedish Mora clock in the background.   Mora clocks have become my favorite accessory, a must-have for each household.  These clocks are very romantic partly because their shapes are so feminine.

The library:  Every library needs a crystal chandelier, no?  And, every library needs a huge, square skirted table!   But let's not start another debate on skirted tables right now.   The red and cream damask sofa is just the right amount of color pop against the pale blue silk draperies.  This a great color combination which I love but is rarely used:   light blue with pops of red.  This library is dreamy perfection.

The translation of this caption says:  "L' office contiguous to the living room."  Hmmmm.  Well, it looks like a butler's pantry to me.   J'adore the freestanding cabinet holding all the glass flasks and vases.

I don't need the translator for this:  Gustavian styled bedroom.  Look at the gorgeous linen canopy.  And don't miss the fireplace overmantel mirror with sconces.  So French!  And Gustavian at the same time!

The master bed chambre.  Only in France would there be a priceless, antique tapestry casually hanging over the bed!  More beautiful bois paneling here.  Note the bed lamps hanging from the ceiling.

A beautiful bathroom.  The toilette is  hidden behind the wooden screens.  This ceiling looks like a work of art.

This bathroom has a quirky chandelier with matching sconce. 

Gorgeous linen curtains line the enfilade of French windows.  In front, an even more gorgeous chair.  The candelabra sets a dreamy mood.  I'd be quite happy having tea right here (well, I'd be more happy with Starbucks!)

The formal dining room:  you can just make out a pale mural painted to the right of the fireplace.  I don't care for these chairs - if you look at them long enough - they start to look like alien faces!!!   But I do adore the fireplace and mirror.  And,  I love a dining room with a fireplace - there's nothing more romantic than dining by firelight AND candlelight.  The dining room fireplace is something that you don't find too often in the modern day home.

And last, the stair landing with a modern light fixture.

 

Hope you enjoyed this French country chateau!  Have a great weekend - I intend to myself.

OKA Direct

One of my favorite pastimes is perusing catalogues.  Wisteria, based out of Dallas Texas, is owned by a young power couple Shannon and Andrew Newsom.  Andrew is the son of Veranda magazine's founder and editor, Lisa Newsom, and Shannon is the daughter of fabulous Houston interior designer  Jane Moore.  It's no wonder that Wisteria is filled with wonderful things for the home.    It is probably my top  decor catalogue right now.  But, there is another one that I adore equally:  OKA Direct.  The problem is that OKA Direct  is based out of England and, well, shipping can be a problem with larger items.    I have purchased from them before, quite easily in fact - so it definitely can be done.  Which is great news if you like their merchandise as much as I do.  OKA Direct was started in 1999 by three woman, one of whom is the titled, Annabel Astor, Viscountess Astor, mother-in-law to Britain's Conservative Party leader David Cameron.  So, with a Viscountess as its CEO, is it any wonder that OKA Direct is not just some mediocre, fly by night catalogue company?  The three woman design and commission each item they sell.  The quality is high, the prices are low.  I adore the pictures in the catalogue - some of which are taken in the homes of the owners.    The web site is equally pleasing to look at, but a word of warning - the pages load so slowly, I've given up on copying the images a few times!

OKA Direct has about nine retail stores around Great Britain and over the years I often thought - what a great company to bring to America!  OK, I'm not up to that formidable task, but someone should make it happen!  Here are some of my favorite shots from the catalogue:

 

 

Yes, this is a catalogue and everything here is for sale.  I love the black chair and desk and the hanging tapestry, which is actually a piece of fabric.

 

Here is their large slipcovered sectional sofa.  All of their sofas are slipcovered.   Great coffee table.  But the hanging prints make this picture, and no, the prints are not for sale!

 

Here is a French inspired oak dining room table.  In the back are fabulous, huge blue and white oriental pieces.

 

I love the nude oil painting in a catalogue picture.  Pottery Barn would never do this!!!  Note the icy blue pillows mixed with the bright colored "cushions" as the English call their pillows.   Love the black, oriental trunk used as a coffee table.

 

Here, red and blue ticking striped pillows steal the show.  Love the red table to the left.

 

Typically English - textiles used as bedspread.  Note the seashell candlelit sconces.  The lattice lamps are bestsellers of OKA Direct.

 

Gustavian styled dining room furniture.  I adore the cabinet in the back with its chicken wire doors.  Why can't we get inexpensive gray painted furniture like this in America?  Someone could make a killing manufacturing this here.

 

So English:  oriental rug layered over seagrass.  Paisley textile layered on the sofa.  Jammed bookcases.  Black painted furniture.   Garden seat and red oriental trunk.   The accessories on top of the bookcase are for sale.    Love this room!

 

Matching pillows and curtains for sale.  The red lampshades pop the room's already bright colors.

 

OKA Direct sells this indianne styled fabric in yards and bedding.  Note the French chair and ottoman.  Again - why can't we get great, French-styled furniture on the cheap here? 

 

Slipcovered furniture with wonderful, huge matching ottoman. 

 

 

French styled dining room table and chairs with slipcovers that turn ordinary seats into something special.  Red and white dhurri rug also comes in blue and white. 

 

Matching headboard and drapes and bedding available. 

 

I adore this piece of furniture.  The price is so low - you can buy two, one for each side of the fireplace.

 

Hanging textile - Tree of Life pattern.  Love this!  When have you ever seen something like this for sale in America?

 

Book cases for sale  - I adore the way OKA Direct styled this with books covered in manilla paper.  This is a great way to unify desperate books in a decorative way.   I have never found the willing client to do this though!  Notice the large concrete balls used as book holders.

 

I love the detailed button closure on these slipcovers.  Great painted china cupboard in the back.

 

Another inexpensive chinoiserie styled cabinet.  Again - a lot of look for not much cash.  A great way to get this look until you can afford the "real" thing.

 

Gustavian styled console and mirror.  So pretty.

 

Love this!!!!  A corner of a room showing  chinoiserie pieces by OKA Direct. 

 

Only the English know what to do with a paisley throw.  Here it is used as a bedspread.  Notice the french styled chaise lounge on the left - this is another great piece by OKA Direct.

Oriental dinnerware.   These  fabulous plates are available along with salad, soup bowls, etc.  from OKA Direct.

 

This is a picture of Californian interior designer Michael S. Smith's own breakfast room.   He uses the OKA Direct oriental plates for everyday dishes and claims the dishes are some of his favorite styling pieces.

 

 Cote de Texas' dining room - on the right on the floor is one of a pair of OKA Direct large blue and white oriental jars.  I ordered these and they were delivered about a month later.  It was almost as easy as ordering stateside.  The only difference was after the order was place, I had to confirm it several days later before it was shipped out. 

 

What is your favorite catalogue?  Do you know any that are relatively unknown that you would like to share?