The Windsor Smith Home Collection

Windsor Smith, a young interior designer from California, is hot, hot, hot right now. Today, she expands her dominance as she officially launches her own furniture line, the eponymous Windsor Smith Home Collection. This launching is just the beginning for Windsor as more pieces will be added in a timely manner. Additionally, Kravet will be rolling out Windsor's own fabric designs in 2008. It doesn't get an hotter than this in the design business. Windsor's furniture collection is fun and youthful, yet it takes a cue from classic designs. She credits her love of color from growing up colorlessly in Kansas and describes her furniture as "a new spin on elegant classics."

In this except from Elle Decor magazine, Windsor talks of her inspirations: "I like to create libraries where men with names like Howard, Bing and Spencer sat in cashmere sweaters and contemplated the 13th hole on the Bel-air golf course. I am drawn to a simple but elegant time when the women were so legendary that surnames weren't necessary.... Slim, Babe, Coco...", Smith says as she twists a sterling pen on the palest aqua velvet ribbon that once belonged to the Duchess of Windsor.

The fabric options for her furniture include linens in fun colors like lavender. Domino readers will be familiar with many of the pieces in the collection as they were shown in her own Californian home featured in the August issue. Below are a few of my favorite pieces from the new collection. Note: while I find the pieces very accessible for a vibrant, busy house with lots of children and dogs, be sure to include a major breadwinner in this picture. These pieces do not come cheap!

The Brittany Secretary, $12,000.

Chloe Sofa, while shown in this vibrant pink, the website says it is not available in this fabric. Strange.



Slipcovered wing chair with monogram.


Morrocan inspired ottoman.
Gwen curved arm sofa.
Medici arm chair.

Directoire chair shown in leather.

In Windsor's own home, you can see the Directoire chair, two benches from her line, and the large Brittany secretary.

Another picture from Windsor's house, shows the large double sided slipcovered sofas from her collection. In front is the Moroccan upholstered ottoman.

In a client's beach house, Windsor uses her slipcovered sofa. I love the detail pleating on the edge.


In the kitchen, a gorgeous aqua floor.

Casual living room with gorgeous hand painted wallpaper pieces. Windsor uses the same hand painted wallpaper in her own dining room. Note the painted wood floor, perfect for a beach house.

Dressier living room, with light pink sofas, square, tufted pillows and large, silver mirror.This room shows the collection's curved arm sofa and Medici chair.

Another beach house view, with clever use of striped fabric on ottoman. The pink color pops on the green stripes.

Can You Spell Chandelier?

While on the internet on one of my favorite sites, Houston Real Estate, I came across this lovely home for sale. It's in the Memorial area, one of the toniest neighborhoods in Houston, and as you can see, it's quite a huge house. It's for sale for close to 9 million, just in case you're interested in buying it. But, like they say, money can't buy you taste. I got the biggest case of giggles looking at the pictures of the interior, and I just had to share them with you. Enjoy!


So far, so good. It looks interesting, wood bordered limestone floor, Niermann Weeks sconces, french settee, not quite sure about the hall table, but ok. Personally, I wouldn't have put a skin like this on my stairs, but, that's what makes horse racing.


Master bedroom: Not bad. This kind of cove lighting drives me crazy and I don't really care for the large dark whatever-it-is kneeling in front of the mirror, but, all in all, it's nice. Except, wait, why do they have two duvets on the bed? Uh oh, shades of things to come??? Beware!


Living Room: Ok, we have two back to back sofas, good idea for a large room. But, does each sofa have to have a humongous chandelier over it? I'm not sure that even one of these behemoth's centered in the room would have been good. But two of these are two too much.


Another view of living room. Mucho animal skins. Here the chandeliers don't look so overwhelming. Maybe it's because the second one looks like a reflection of the first one? The Two Theme is really evident here. Two sets of two matching chairs. On the far left, you can see two matching settees side by side.

Two for dinner? This designer really likes the "two" theme. In the dining room, we have two matching tables, each with matching bowl, and of course, two matching chandeliers! I'm beginning to wonder if there was a 2 for 1 sale at the local lighting company? Oh and look, we have two matching Oriental horsemen on the mantle!!! I'm kind of sorry there aren't two fireplaces!

The Kitchen: Surely, gentle reader, you didn't think there would be ONE pendant light here, did you? No, I don't mean to disappoint, but there are, of course, TWO lights, yet again. And two dishwashers. At least we're consistent here.

TheGarden Room: Are there two chandeliers in the garden room, too? Yes, of course! It gets really dark in garden rooms, you know, so there has to be lots of lighting. One for the sofa, and one for the two matching side by side chaise lounges. Actually, behind the plant on the left, I'm pretty sure that's a matching sofa with a matching lamp. Of course.

And finally, the family room. Oh no, oh no!!!!! What happened to the Two for Two Theme? Well, it IS a large sectional and everyone needs their own light, I guess. And carrying the Three Theme further, note that the ottoman actually IS three sided, so that makes more sense. And if you look closely, it appears there are Three Sets of Three Decorative pillows on the sectional. Ok, I understand now, I think?

I'm wondering, do all the chandeliers stay with the house when it sells, or are the owners going to take them all with them? Hmmmmmm. I'll keep you posted!