Showing posts with label Jeffers Design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeffers Design. Show all posts

Thursday, 7 October 2010

Little Girls' Bedrooms


Of course the past few weeks I've been busy collecting inspiration photos of children's rooms. So I thought I might go ahead and post a round-up of some of my favorite rooms: first girls' and then boys' (which, I'll admit, where a lot harder to find!). [Aside: And no, I still don't know what I'm having, but I should when I go to the doctor next on the 20th!] This first room from Natasha Baradaran (whom I only recently discovered but very much love) is a great way to kick this post off. I love the melon and yellow color scheme -- and that butterfly fabric is pretty dynamite. Overall, this is a kid's room that doesn't feel particularly kiddish, but also doesn't feel too adult. It's that delicate balance that I think is so difficult...and that I'd argue all these rooms have in common.


Another Natasha Baradaran room, this time in a lovely lilac and sage. The palette is very soothing and feels a bit Provencal to me. I love how natural this room feels, too, with the nubby natural headboard and very clean and simply white fabric draped around the bed. 

Jeff Andrews

I just realized this is the only nursery I've featured on this roundup -- but frankly in many of these rooms you could just swap out a bed for a crib and pretty much be there, yes? In any case, I love how there are two gliders in this room. Perfect for your spouse or friend to keep you company while you nurse. I also love how the shaggy green rug looks almost like turf -- it brings a naturalness to the room that's a great counterpoint to all that pink and yellow. My only complaint? Those yellow sheers! They just look dirty to me.


I'll admit I'm a bit jealous of that girl -- her bedroom is pretty darn fabulous! The headboard is sophisticated and neutral, a piece that could easily see her well into her adult life. The large-scale square and circle print doesn't feel overwhelming thanks to heavy doses of white (and keeping the wallpaper to just one feature wall). Oh yeah, and at her age I would've killed to "play" on a pink guitar!


This room is a personal favorite of mine (in fact, I posted on it at length HERE). The colors, the prints, the furniture...it's just all so fun and funky! The wallpaper is particularly fabulous, especially with the pink ceiling and gold crown molding. Fit for a princess, indeed.


A second example of how to use this great, graphic print, this time used more sparingly in just the drapes. I think though my favorite element in here is the daybed-cum-hammock. What a great spot for daydreaming, reading and gossiping!


I include this room primarily because I am completely in love with that headboard. Note how the greek key motif is again picked up on the carpeting.


This room sure made the rounds in the design blogosphere a few months ago, but it's too great not to include in this roundup. I love how the bed/bookshelves combo are completely built-in. It's a tremendous use of a very small space. The pops of pink and turquoise make a big impact and I love the sophisticated use of a chinoiserie; it's pretty and feminine, but not babyish.


As a little girl I had a strong affinity for Impressionist art, especially anything by Claude Monet. And there's something about this room that reminds me of him. The soft colors and prints almost bleed into each other, creating a soothing, pretty picture. I also love the flatweave striped rug -- a brilliant choice in any kids' room for hiding all manner of sins.

Sally Markham via House Beautiful

As a woman who doesn't consider herself overtly girly, I can definitely appreciate a girl's room that doesn't have an ounce of pink in sight, but still strikes a decidedly feminine note. The turquoise, chocolate brown and white combination is exceedingly popular -- you need only look at PB Teen to see that, but I really love how Sally brought in hits of chartreuse to bring an extra dimension and real jolt of novelty to the space. Note how the spotted print on the floor cushion brings the entire color palette together. Sometimes an inspiration print doesn't have to be the dominant print to be the spring board for the entire look.

P.S. - Those bedlinens are purportedly by Kate Spade? When did Kate get into linens? Is she still doing them?


Did y'all catch the first season of Nine by Design on Bravo last winter? While I'm not wholly in love with most of the Sixx Design portfolio, after catching that show I am now very much in love with the darling family behind Sixx Design. Of the few rooms of theirs that I do love, their twin daughters' bedroom has to be near the top. Perhaps it's that dreamy antique bed or the giant art installation of fake flowers behind plexi-glass, but there's just something so joyous, feminine and yet very clear and modern about this space. It's a great dichotomy that makes for a very refreshing girl's bedroom.

And finally, what roundup of little girls' rooms would be complete without a collection of fantastic canopied daybeds?


A great modern approach with a sharply tailored canopy and graphic geometric print.


Ruthie Sommers goes the more traditional route with lots and LOTS of pink. The blue and white porcelain table lamp is a great touch and really helps to break up the monochromatic room.


Perhaps my favorite version of this look -- the floral print has a great color palette and a more graphic, whimsical touch. Love how the inside is lined in a solid -- it really helps break up all the pattern.


I love purple in a girls' room and the touch of zebra in the canopy lining brings a more grown-up look that's perfect for a preteen or teen.

Tuesday, 22 June 2010

Style Essential: Stripes

As most of you know, I'm a huge fan of using pattern in interior spaces and one of my favorite patterns to use are simple stripes. Sure, bold zig zags or suzanis are wonderful, but stripes are timeless, and a wonderful partner to florals, polka dots, ikats -- and yes, zig zags and suzanis, too. In addition to their ability to seamlessly work with almost any other pattern and in any decor style, stripes have that almost magical ability to create illusions of space (either vertical or horizontal) and architectural interest in even the plainest and boxiest of room.

What follows are a half dozen simple tricks and ideas for working stripes into your own home:

1. Use horizontal stripes to widen narrow rooms. While I try to avoid horizontal stripes in fashion, horizontal stripes on your walls are a wonderful way to make a narrow room like wider. Try this in a hallway, mudroom or in an awkward shot-gun style bedroom.

Amanda Nisbet

2. Use stripes of varying widths and colors for a fun, fresh accent wall. Three to five colors and widths seem to be the sweet spot for this project as too many colors/widths make it difficult to see any pattern and can create too much visual noise.

Mary McDonald

Frank Roop

Mary McDonald

3. Use vertical stripes to elongate a room visually. As with vertical stripes in fashion, vertical stripes on your walls emphasizes height rather than width. Use wherever you want to highlight high ceilings (or beautiful crown moldings) or to create the illusion of higher ceilings in low-slung rooms. If you want a more playful room, try wider stripes, which lend a more circus- or cabana-like feel to a space. If you'd rather go for a subtler, more sophisticated vibe, try narrower stripes.

John Oetgen

4. Carry the vertical stripes up the ceiling to create a tented room. A bolder statement to be sure, but this is a wonderful way to highlight slanted ceilings. By taking the stripes up and over the ceiling, you can also create a cozy, cocoon-like effect (even in rooms with higher ceilings). This look is particularly successful in powder rooms, children's rooms and dens, where the playful vibe is most at home.

Leslie Klotz

5. Striped, flatweave rugs add a touch of casual elegance to any space. I really love a flatweave cotton rug in the summertime (or, if you're like me and live in a warmer climate, yearound). There's just something so casual and fresh about them. This look is ideal in beach houses, cottages and coastal interiors, but it is also a wonderful way to make just about any space feel a bit more casual and dressed down. If you like the look of exposed floors, painted stripes like those in the breakfast nook by Tobi Fairley in the last photo below are a wonderful option as well.

Marshall Watson

6. Use bold stripes on upholstered pieces to make a big statement. While the general wisdom is to keep larger pieces of furniture pattern-free, stripes on smaller upholstered pieces like accent chairs, benches and settees are a wonderful way to bring in a good dose of pattern that can be easily mixed in with other fabrics on pillows, draperies or rugs.

Sally Steponkus

Steven Gambrel

Tuesday, 4 May 2010

Style Essential: Turquoise Lamps

I've expressed my love of turquoise on this blog before, but I think one of the easiest ways to bring this bright, fun (and admittedly a bit trendy) hue into your home is through lighting. Prior to becoming an interior design amateur, I readily admit that I frequently ignored lighting. It just didn't seem important. Now though, I'm starting to believe that it might be the single most important element in a room. From a practical standpoint, good light is essential to good (and functional) design. From an aesthetic perspective, lighting (much like jewelry) can take the ordinary and inexpensive and transform it into something glorious. And so, as with jewelry, I'm a big believer in splurging on good lighting for a space.

But is the splurge worth it for a pair of turquoise lamps? I'd argue yes. Turquoise is perhaps unique among bright hues in its ability to work with a variety of colors. When paired with neutrals, turquoise accents are really allowed to take center stage. When paired with other equally bright colors (like purple, orange or green), turquoise is strong enough to really hold its own. I've said it before and I'll say it again: you should think of turquoise as a neutral.

I absolutely adore how Ondine paired these deep turquoise lamps with orange and that gorgeous suzani coverlet. The disparate color palette works because the walls are left neutral and all of the accent colors are equally saturated.

This room deservedly made the cover of House Beautiful a few months ago. The pops of soft blue work beautifully with the beige, but I think my favorite element in this space is the pairing of the striped wallpaper with the chinoiserie print (Lyford background by China Seas) and just that ever so subtle hit of zebra print on the throw pillows. It's a veritable master class in how to mix patterns.

I love how the lamp is the only bright color in this vignette. The peacock blue also picks up on the blue undertones of the wall paint.

In this room, turquoise is the primary accent color as its picked up in the majority of the soft furnishings, the lamps and in the artwork. I think turquoise is a great color choice for a master bedroom, as I think it appeals to both masculine and feminine sensibilities, especially when its paired with clean lines and little pattern as its done here.

I've waxed on about my love for this room in the past, but suffice it to say here that I'm still completely in love with these soft turquoise glass lamps, especially against the rich chocolate brown grass cloth on the walls.

Aside from the brilliant red of the roses, the pair of lamps on the buffet are the sole source of color in this room.

I love the height of this lamp, which really helps bridge the gap between the low furniture and the ceiling. The bright, citrus yellow of the walls can be tough to work with, but in the hands of Jamie Drake, the room feels sophisticated and grown-up, largely thanks to neutral furnishings, accented only by a few pops of turquoise in the lamp and throw pillows. The art work above the sofa ties the entire color palette together.

In this bedroom, I love how the bold turquoise of the lamp is picked up on the peacock-inspired throw pillow on the bed. By repeating this strong hue, the choice appears deliberate rather than accidental.

Melissa Warner of Massucco Warner Miller

This vignette, featured in the most recent issue of House Beautiful, is truly stunning. Not only do I adore the simple ceramic gourd lamp from Restoration Hardware, but just about every other element in here as well. I love how the detail in the cabinet doors is picked out in the soft blue and how the colors are picked up on the art work, which appears heavily influenced by the work of Rene Magritte, one of my favorite artists.

You can't get much prettier than this vintage Murano glass lamp. The blues in this bedroom are all very different, yet they work together beautifully. Don't be afraid to mix and match shades of the same color. The effect is eclectic, without being cacophonous.

The sea glass look of this large gourd lamp is the perfect -- and subtle -- beachy accent for this bedroom. Take a cue from Mrs. Howard and avoid filling this type of glass lamp with tchotchkes. I don't know why retailers are always encouraging this as I find the look to be entirely too cluttered (and the likely filler here, sand and shells, would take this room into theme territory).

If you're looking to bring a little turquoise light into your life, here are my top ten favorite that are currently available at retail:

Source List (from top left): 1. Art Glaze Floral Relief Lamp (Shades of Light; $299). A great way to bring some more texture into a room. 2. Paulette Lamp (Avid-Home; $337.50). A stylish shape that works equally well in traditional or modern interiors -- and the lucite base is fabulous. 3. Cane Turquoise Table Lamp (Clayton Gray Home; $290). Cane + turquoise = perfectly Palm Beach. 4. Capri Bottle Lamp (Jonathan Adler; $275). You can't get much more classic than this. 5. Stacked Ball Murano Lamps (Swank Lighting; $3000/pair). Jaw-droppingly beautiful (and if you're looking for vintage Murano lamps, Swank should be your first stop). 6. Blakely Glass Lamp (Avid-Home; $375). The neutral shade and more muted hue of this lamp means it will work seamlessly in more neutral rooms. 7. Jamie Young Co. Deauville Table Lamp, Sea Glass (Candelabra; $629). Delicate and oh-so-pretty, this one reminds me of the lamp in Jeffers' room above. 8. Peacock Lamp (Plantation; $365). Absolutely adore the color of this ceramic lamp. 9. Carnaby Hazard Lamp (Jonathan Adler; $225). A simple cylindrical shape is made interesting with a fun, retro pattern. 10. Pagoda Table Lamp (Clayton Gray Home; $350). The scale and shape of this pagoda lamp makes it perfect for a console table.