Every home should have: A beautiful hallway

Above, Jean Louis Denoit's hallway featuring a modern photograph and a brass bench.

Hallways are sadly and commonly overooked.  People walk by without even realizing that this long and sometimes narrow space is a branch of their homes therefore it's part of what encompasses your mood, daily.  Obviously not all hallways are like these ones featured here which have floor to ceiling windows or glass exit door with natural light exposure.  As dark as the hallways may be, the most important thing to tackle is lighting and in this particular area of the house overhead lighting illuminates better.  Simple steps such as painting the walls in an interesting color or maybe even stripes, hanging art or mirrors on the walls, put an area rug ( just remember to apply double sided tape underneath for security) can make a big difference to a space we use so often.  Enjoy!

Another view of Jean Louis Denoit hallway where on top of the credenza is a Hervé Van der Straeten mirror. 

One of my favorite homes of all time, the house of Marie Chantal Miller.  I posted about it a while ago here.

Reed Krakoff gorgeous and eclectic home.  Love it!

A rustic chic hallway with lined-up antlers high enough so they don't hurt anyone.  Love the contrast of wood tone and white and the architectural details of the exposed columns.

Not sure what the french sconce is doing on the floor, but let's ignore that detail and focus on the beautiful built-in bookcases with movable ladder and swing arm brass sconces.  Let's also take a look at the brilliant antique map which happens to be covered with glass and reflects the beauty in front.  Oh, hello Herringbone floors!

A bit dramatic and uber glamy is this hallway by Todd Alexander Romano.  Blue lacquered walls with a lot of white background art on the walls. 

The simplicity of this black and white hallway is amazing because it has at the same time so much architectural strength.  I love!

Ghrislaine Vinas Design

Kelly Wearstler.

The eye has to travel

Diana Vreeland said "The eye has to travel." Either we take these wise words literally and start traveling the world appreciating the different cultures and architecture or we decide to take her advice in a more comfortable yet intellectual way and start reading and searching in whatever it is we are interested in, we should all be prepared for something Diana did not warn us.  Disappointment and board.  You see I have discovered that I love to shop.  Who can't live without shopping?  If not for pleasure then for the need of replacing something, but there is always something to buy.  But, I get bored to death when I go into a store and all I find is the same things.  When I look at the racks and all I see are the same shapes I've seen all my life.  Nothing stands out in form, shape or fabric!   The thing is that I don't have thousands of Dollards to spend on a Lanvin top or on a Balenciaga revolutionary piece of clothing.  So I'm left with what I can afford like the rest of the world.  Living here in SP doesn't make things any easier, we don't have Marshall's, Century 21 or famous warehouse sales.  We can't even shop online internationally unless you are willing to spend the same amount twice for shipping.  I'm not kidding!   So I've been asking myself, is it really that hard to make a sleeve a bit more puffy, grander?  Is it really that hard to add some geometry to a uninteresting piece of garment.  Since I don't know anything about fashion patterns I couldn't answer myself until I saw this house designed by Kelly Wearstler and then I thought is it easy to pull this off?  Not quite! It takes years of experience and knowledge to be able to trust your mind that everything you are putting on paper and in your thoughts is going to work successfully on practice.  I know many people would not like this style but this home to me looks a lot like the clothes I would like to wear.  It's a perfection in modernism and geometry.  Every piece of furniture is sculptural yet they look livable and comfortable.  It's a home that for sure no one else would have.  So, is it easy to be successfully innovative, no it isn't!  Enjoy!

I adore the ceiling fixtures Kelly used throughout the house.  The floors, some painted others inlaid, are amazing. 

In love with this bathroom. 

In the living room, there is a harmonious color palette.

This is my favorite room.  The pyramid-paneled walls are to die for and this is what I meant when I said that all the furniture are very sculptural but they all look very comfortable.

The fabric that Kelly chose for the Paul Evans chairs make them look as if they were meant to be together. 

Oh... and what girl wouldn't want this as her office.  I'll take it!

The kitchen floor is beautiful and there is so much modern symmetry in this room it's ridiculous.  Again comfort!

Can you believe this is a pool pavilion?  I can have this entire assemblage in my living room right now.

Everything I love in here, especially the ceiling.

This daughter's bedroom is another eye catching with that amazing wall treatment.  Wallpaper?

I know that there is no other tone that makes people look prettier than gold.  So this dressing room got me sold!

Perfect geometry again. 

All images via Architectural Digest.

Food for Thought

"Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." Steve Jobs

Room by Kelly Wearstler.