Two from Texas

Interior designers from Houston have gotten quite the national press this year. House Beautiful had a cover story of Carol Glasser's design of my friend's Swedish home in River Oaks. Elle Decor did a cover of another Houston designer, Randy Powers. Veranda this month featured Houstonian Renea Abbott's work on its cover. But none of these veteran designers had quite as much press as Joe Shaffer. Joe's client, an owner of a real estate company, has two homes - both of which he designed, and both of which were featured this year. The Houston home is shown in Veranda and the country home is in Elle Decor. It's fascinating to look at how one woman, one designer, and two homes are either alike or different. The Houston home is a vision in soft celadon. The color weaves its way throughout the home tying the upstairs with the downstairs. The Houston home features predominantly French antiques juxtaposed with contemporary art work. The country home outside of Fredricksburg is also filled with French antiques, but some are of the more provincial kind. Again, there is a continuity of color, but this time it's creamy and gray tones. Both homes feature patternless, neutral fabrics and both homes share an air of sophisticated intelligence. Which home would you prefer to own, given the choice?

A tablescape sets the mood of the city house, contemporary art work mixes with sophisticated antiques.

One end of the living room with a French antique sofa, French chairs, a whimsical collection of antique suitcases, and an antique carpet.

A larger view of the living room showing antique Fortuny draperies, antique barometer, and important contemporary art.

The dining room takes on a relaxed atmosphere with a short, flirty skirt over a curvy iron table. I adore this room.

The sitting area of the master bedroom. Note the striped blue and white dhurri and blue and white garden seat set underneath the tea table. I love the symmetry of the mirrors and lamps on the commode between the two windows framed further out by the striped pillows.

The other side of the bedroom showing the gorgeous bed.

Country Home:

Texas limestone house with original tin roof set in the Hill Country. This type of architecture was popular with the German settlers who populated this part of Texas. The Hill Country is Texas' Provence.

Limestone walls in the kitchen, chandelier dresses up the rustic antiques.

Pale neutrals set a quiet tone in the living area. These antiques would work in the city house too. The lack of drapes in the country home gives a sparser look as compared to the cosier Houston home.

Another view of the living room. Striped pillows are the only patterned fabric. Linen fabric dresses down the French settee.

Another living area matches the mood of the other room. Love the architectural piece over the door.

French provincial commode with gold mirror. The owner had been accumulating antiques she bought in France for years in anticipation of owning a country home.

Crystal sconces are an unexpected touch in this rustic bathroom.

Gorgeous, curvy iron bed in guest room.

Louis XVI adds elegance to the attic styled bedroom. The owner, a single woman, hired a local landscape architect to help with the project. Apparently, he now lives in the house with her - according to Star, I mean Elle Decor magazine.

As for me, I'm unable to choose which house I prefer - I like them both too much!

Check Mate!

One of my favorite fabric houses these days is Chelsea Editions or Chelsea Textiles, depending upon which side of the pond you are located. Chelsea specializes in hand embroidered fabrics made in India. Besides selling fabric, they also sell reproduction furniture based on Swedish antiques. Though Chelsea is famous for their embroidered fabrics, it's their check fabrics that speak to me. Chelsea sells checks in every colorway, but, apparently, they must not be very proud of them because the checks are absent from their web site! Despite their second class status, I've become check crazy. I recently came to this conclusion looking around my house and going over projects I've worked on lately. I just can't get enough of checks. Here's what I mean. This is my sitting room with it's checked daybed and checked french chair:

And here's my unfinished bedroom with it's Chelsea checked headboard and drapes:

And here's a client's Swedish sofa that I covered in a Chelsea check:

And here's a pink Chelsea check:

Oh, look, here's a taupe check:

And here's another Chelsea check on the bench and a Chelsea embroidered duvet.

I'm not the only designer who loves checks. Mario Buatta has a thing for them too. Here he uses a check on the settee:

And here in a Houston home, Buatta uses a red check for the draperies:

Buatta must like big scaled checks, he uses a yellow one for these draperies:

Mariette Himes Gomez uses checks in the traditional way, on the back of a French fauteuil:

Someone who loves checks more than me, New York designer Jeffrey Bilhuber surprised people with his excessive use of checks in his new apartment:

Bilhuber's dining room:

Houston's Michael Siller also covered an entire room in his house with checks. Do you think he inspired Bilhuber?

Dallas designer Cathy Kincaid uses checks to line the bed's canopy.

Michael Smith is known for using this blue and white check in his designs. It shows up again and again:

Kathryn Ireland uses checks alot, also. Here she uses a dark blue check to contrast with the all white French styled bedroom:

In this vintage photograph, socialite Gloria Vanderbilt sits under one of the collages that she was famous for making. The check in the collage matches the fabric on the couch. The two matching Venetian mirrors are drop dead gorgeous! Playing next to her are her two sons. One is the famous CNN reporter: Anderson Cooper. Are you aware of what happened to the other son?

In France, checks are frequently used as a secondary fabric to toile:

John Stefinidis, interior designer extraordinaire, likes to use checks:

New Orleans' Gerrie Bremermann uses checks often. Here one shows up on the duvet:

Houston Designer Ginger Barber uses a check as the only pattern in an otherwise neutral room:

Despite the luxurious fabrics used in this room, a simple check shows up on the pillows:

Interior Designer Diane Burns uses silk checks in her French styled bedroom:

A checked fabric livens up a bedside bench:

Victoria Hagan puts the check on the floor with an Elizabeth Eakin rug:

Here, Ikea gets in on the check act with it's slipcovered sofa:

And finally, here on Chelsea Edition furniture, is, of course, Chelsea Edition checks!

Southern Accents

There's nothing more exciting to me than going to the store and seeing a new issue of a magazine I love. And I do love Southern Accents. The new issue is not to be missed. It's the 30th Anniversary issue with loads of old photos and commentary by people such as Bunny Williams, Julia Reed, Jackye Lanham and others. There's even a book review of Bunny's not yet published new one, along with a review of Axel's not yet released book. Page after page is wonderful, eye candy every one. The featured homes don't disappoint either. First is one designed by Beverly Jacomoni, a Houston favorite. This house was featured in the very under-appreciated book by Mary Emmerling, Romantic Country (a personal favorite). Also featured is Suzanne Rheinstein's home outfitted with all new fabrics from her just released Lee Jofa fabric line. Her interview is interesting and thoughtful. A third showcased home is a Dallas mansion designed by Cathy Kincaid. I know a lot of people consider Southern Accents a "regional" magazine, and it is, to the degree in that Southern designers are featured, but these southern designs should not be missed by those in other parts of the country. If you don't read the magazine, this issue may be just the one to change your mind.

Pictures from Mary Emmerling's book, Romantic Country, that show the house featured in Southern Accents. These photos aren't included in the magazine, so I add them for your viewing pleasure. This is the outside of the gorgeous New Mexico home with interiors by Beverly Jacomini. It's a single story home, originally built for an artist. I love the landscaping with the purple perennials.

Here is a shot of the living room showing the slipcovered antique settee, window seats, French furniture and antique tapestry.

A picture of the master bedroom. In the magazine, the Bennison bedspread has been replaced. I suppose it's to present a newer version of the decor, but I much prefer this spread to the new one. I love the Fortuny drapes that divide the bedroom from the sitting room. The headboard is to die for!

Here's a peek at Suzanne Rheinstein's breakfast room. The chair is slipcovered in her toile that is the highlight of her new Lee Jofa collection. In the magazine, Suzanne describes exactly how this toile came to be in her line. It's interesting, because she admits she didn't exactly design it! I love this toile and I'm on the hunt for a client willing to use it. Takers, anyone?

Shutters Hotel on the Beach

If you plan to visit Los Angeles and want to spend the night enveloped in esteemed interior designer Michael Smith luxury, Shutters Hotel on the Beach will fit the bill. Recently, Mr. Smith spearheaded a total redesign of the charming Cape Cod styled hotel, and it shows: Smith's touches are everywhere, from the checked and striped fabrics, to the luxurious bathroom fixtures to the beachfront restaurant - it's Michael, all the way. Shutters is located in Santa Monica and as it says, it's smack on the beach. The hotel takes its name from the multitude of shutters that cover the rooms' windows. If you go, be sure to visit the hotel's store. Among available items you can buy is the bedspread, made from a beautiful John Robshaw fabric! Enjoy!

Does it get anymore Michael Smith than this? A checked chair in every room. Notice the fashionable Oriental garden seat and wood floors.

The rooms feature two flat screen tvs, one in the bedroom, the other in the bathroom. I could be very happy in this bedroom.

Smith is famous for four poster beds and he doesn't disappoint here. Cute guy is available from room service.

Close up of Tibetan rug. It's available for sale in the hotel store.

The striped fabric headboard appears to me to be Rogers and Goffigon Cyclades.

Close up of the John Robshaw fabric bedspread available for sale in the hotel store.

Gorgeous Smith bathroom with spa tub. Notice the window from the tub to the bedroom.

Smith redesigned the hotel spa with rain shower fixtures.

Beach front restaurant with typical Smith stripes, wicker, and wood.

Smith uses casual white denim slipcovers on the wicker dining room chairs.

The redesigned lobby.