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House Dressing
I love Thanksgiving. It's a time for entertaining, celebrating and opening our homes to family and friends.
We all want our interiors to be at their best during the holidays. For me it's about creating an environment
that is beautiful, relaxed and welcoming for guests – whether it's in my own home or one of my client's.
Below are my iphone shots from a Huntley & Co. photoshoot this past Friday in Virginia. I am in love with
these images right now; they convey everything I love about decorating and setting a scene. Often the
best way to find ideas for your own space is to look at the examples of others. Hopefully you'll find some
inspiration for your own home and Thanksgiving table amongst the shots below. Happy holidays!
FORMAL DINING ROOM
LIVING ROOM
POWDER ROOM
(don't forget to style this space as well)
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Tip deLuxe
DIVERSIFY YOUR HUE
It's a common pitfall. You want a blue (or green or yellow or red) room and you think the answer is paint.
But alas, a room is not built on paint alone. A room with one color is like a song with one note – flat.
It takes layers of colors, textures, fabrics and finishes to really make a room "sing". The dining room
below from Bunny Williams is a beautiful example. The star of this room is a dramatic cerulean blue, but
it's the supporting shades of green, yellow, gold and cream that make it pop. Moreover, the designer
chose checked slipcovers, a large 18th century framed wallpaper panel and a collection of Chinese
porcelain to bring this shade of blue to life. So take Bunny's cue and diversify your hue!
photo courtesy of Ms. Williams' book "Point of View".
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District Design
New York, LA, Paris – Sure, everyone knows these cities are the “it” destinations for design and fashion.
But there are fabulous finds in any city if you’re a chic and savvy girl (or guy) who knows how and where to look.
“DISTRICT DESIGN” is a new, recurring feature from Luxe & Lucid that will be highlighting great shopping
around the US and beyond sourced by my most stylish friends and colleagues in-the-know.
District Design vol. 1
MICHIGAN
My sorority sister, Beth Warner, is one hip chic. In college, she radiated effortless cool while
the rest of us were still trying to find our groove. She moved back to Michigan after school and
opened the successful clothing boutique Les Femmes * in Bay Harbor. These days she’s a
private fashion consultant and mother to the cutest 5-year-old you’ve ever seen. She may not be
rocking the late night scene anymore, but I guarantee she’s the coolest mom in the carpool lane.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE HOME FURNISHINGS RESOURCE?
Huzza in Harbor Springs.
A store with the most amazing hand-picked furnishings from around the world. Laid-back luxe at its finest.
WHERE DO YOU BUY YOUR LINENS?
They carry linens from Matouk and have custom embroidery that resembles artwork.
(linen photos above courtesy of monograminc.com)
WHAT FASHION DESTINATION CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Linda Dresner in Birmingham, MI.
Simple, chic – Rick Owens, Balenciaga and Lanvin flats for picking up my son from school.
WHAT WAS YOUR LAST STELLAR FIND?
My Francesca Romana gold/emerald quartz cocktail ring.
WHAT'S THE BEST KEPT SHOPPING SECRET IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN?
B. May Bags in Petoskey.
The most exquisite handmade snakeskin, and croc-embossed handbags.
HOW DO YOU WORK YOUR FASHION LOOK INTO YOUR INTERIOR?
Kate Moss and Kelly Wearstler embody my ultimate fashion/design inspirations,
so I incorporate the 70’s glam and boho-chic look into my home …
… From my dressing room ottoman with its Lucite base
to the Lulu DK fabric on my breakfast room banquette.
(interior photos above courtesy of Traverse Magazine)
WHAT DINING SPOT DO YOU LOVE FOR BOTH ITS MENU AND ITS DECOR?
Chen Chow in Birmingham.
Kobe beef seared on 600 degree lava rock and sushi to die for. And great cucumber martinis too!
WHAT WAS THE LAST INSPIRING PLACE YOU VISITED IN MICHIGAN?
The Richard Avedon exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Such a big event and important part of fashion history.
THANK YOU TO BETH AND HER WONDERFUL SOURCES IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN!
Future District Design posts will feature Dallas, Barcelona/Madrid, Minneapolis and Birmingham, AL.
* Beth has since sold her business Les Femmes to a former employee.
The store is now located in Harbor Springs.
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Mirror Mirror on the Wall
“… Who's the fairest of them all?”
Snow White’s nasty stepmother definitely didn’t get the answer she wanted when she asked this question.
Maybe instead of looking for validation from a piece of glass, she should have consulted an interior designer.
In my decorator’s bag of tricks, mirror is often my go-to solution. It can make a space look bigger, improve
lighting and reflect the best assets of a room. It can even make the person looking into it appear to have a
smoother, rosier complexion. Too bad the evil Queen didn’t have my number ; )
A living room by Bunny Williams.
Mirror has been inserted into the paneling of this room for an elegant, formal look.
A Huntley & Co. client had a dark, constricted threshold in her DC apartment. I carved out an octagonal foyer and
added mirror to the walls to make the entrance of her home more spacious and more gracious.
Check out the “before” shot below.
Hard to believe it's the same space.
The mirrored ceiling at Sweetie Pie in New York adds to the magic of its delicious decor.
Doesn’t every woman dream of housing her wardrobe behind beautiful, mirrored doors?
Emma Jane Pilkington’s bedroom closet doors are absolute stunners.
I imagine the fashions within are pretty spectacular too.
This Kevin Haley vignette from House & Garden illustrates two of my favorite techniques
when applying mirror to walls: (1) Antique the glass and (2) Layer the surface with art or objects.
I love to hang an antique mirror on top of a mirrored wall at a bathroom’s vanity. It's a Huntley & Co. signature.
Adding a special piece – like this Venetian mirror – creates ambience without sacrificing functionality.
The mirrored stairhall of Coco Chanel's famous Paris apartment. Who knows better than Mme. Chanel?
And I couldn’t very well post a blog about mirrored walls without including Miles Redd’s
famous NYC bathroom. He just went for it and mirrored the s—t out of this room.
Glamorous, fun and over-the-top like the designer himself.
* Professional Huntley & Co. photos by Kevin Allen Photography *
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