Thank you House Beautiful! Images yet to be seen

 A beautiful and cozy room designed by Kevin Isbell in the December/January issue

I'm happy to have been contacted by House Beautiful to write a post on Grass Cloth a week ago and very honored for the mention and link that will appear in the December/January issue.  If you have an iPhone you'll be able to link to Belle Vivir through the HB Connect app.  (correction Android phone users can download an free app called Digimarc Discover).  It's amazing how dynamic and personal magazines have become.
House Beautiful was kind enough to send me the article so I can see it and new watermarked images that will appear in the December/January issue.
Kevin Isbell knew how to make this1930's center-hall colonial home current by injecting warm and intrinsic details such as geometric trims to floral curtains, gross-grain ribbon tape to a plain white sofa and visually connecting two separate rooms by custom painting grass cloth walls the same color as the ceiling.  "Grass cloth has a warmth that paint does not, and darker colors are more cocoon-like" Kevin Isbell.  

I absolutely adore the contrast between the modern looking cocktail table and the wicker basket in the family room.  Notice the detail of the tape on the sofa.  It's all in the small details that slowly reveal themselves to you.  In this room the grass cloth used is a bit more textured than the one used in the bedroom above.  A very applicable difference, I think.

You know how I feel about any klismos and klismos influenced chairs, right?  It's forever my favorite chair.  And the contrast here between the lilac slipcovered chair and the leather brown on the klismos chair is the perfect union of masculine and feminine.  I didn't want to spoil the article so I'm only posting the three images above, the two below are from Isbell's website.  As they prove, he really knows how to cozy things up.  Enjoy!

 Top three watermarked images exclusive from House Beautiful, last two from Kevin Isbell website.

Our powder room transformed with wallpaper remnants

Our powder room was the only bathroom that didn't get gutted and redone.  It would've been a lot of fun.  This is usually the place where designers choose to go wildest.  Maybe in the future we'll do.  Let's be real here, that's far from happening.  The only thing that came down was a ridiculous vanity cabinet,  who has a cabinet in a powder room and why?  To our timing all this bathroom needed was wallpaper, in this case the remnants from Lucas's bedroom.  Didn't I get lazy here?  That's the beauty about seagrass wallpaper; it is highly forgiving due to lack of a pattern, and the natural texture of the grains fit flawlessly together.  I hired a professional to do this, even when he was dealing with remnants- which is exactly the reason why I did it.  The wallpaper was installed in thee of the walls and the one across from the mirror and toilet has a gallery wall from floor to ceiling.   The result is totally flawless, even I can't tell where the seams are.  Go ahead don't throw away those remnants! 

This is the after shot.  The mirror is from Anthropologie and the towel is Pratesi, bought at a sale.

Chic Small Spaces

Taking a break from the Christmas decor, I wanted to post today about these chic small spaces and how much easier it is to make small compact spaces comfortable and chic, compared to big open spaces. Contrary to popular belief, over sized furniture in small spaces make them look bigger as long as you opt for rounded edges.  Covering the walls in fabric or natural texture wallpaper like seagrass or grasscloth makes the room feel swaddled.  Big art work or mirrors bring excitement and reflection to small spaces.  Sconces, sconces sconces, I love sconces small, big, shiny or matte, they bring functionality but also interest and add an extra layer of fun. 

The banquette enclosed between these two columns gives a cacoonish feeling to this space.  I love how they kept the furniture low.

Again in this room, the walls are covered in seagrass wallpaper.  The desk that is kept light and skinny and the Bibendum chairs by Eileen Gray keep the space open.

The Guest room designed by Thomas O'Brien for Hearts Designer Visions this year was a very suitable small space with great scaled furniture.  Thin but tall canopy bed bring your eyes up letting you appreciate the beautiful fabric on the walls.


2nd by Antoine Bootz last via High End Weekly.