Weekend!

I hope you all enjoy your snowy weekend!! It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas :-)
Image of Carnegie Mellon University campus

Vacation.....

I'm longing to get away; Are you too? The holidays, the election, the start of winter, it's all exhausting!! Tell me, where would you go? While a trip to Italy or Spain is out of the cards for me this year due to finances, I am going to Houston next month! Anyone ever been? Recommendations?
Photo of the Breakers, in Newport, RI.

Petit Trianon

The most popular blog post I ever wrote were my 2 postings on the Petit Trianon (see them here and here). While famous, very little information is out there about this little neoclassical gem which was the last haven of Marie Antoinette (a new photography book called Marie Antointte and the last garden of Versailles by Duvernois and Halard is out but I haven't seen it yet). I must get at least an email or two per week asking for scans of the floor plans and elevations from my rare book from 1913 which includes all the drawings imaginable and I am happy to share!

However, rarely do I hear back from these recipients. Last week I heard from Maria Vassiliou, Dan Smith, Isabelle Meadows and Gina Bayliss from Nottingham Trent University, UK who had constructed a fast model of the exterior of the Petit Trianon.

I was so happy to see the final product! They created a pretty detailed model of the small chateau out of Chipboard (oh the days of architecture school models...I remember them well!). One of the reasons I started blogging were these connections with other design-minded inviduals. I hope you all enjoy seeing their product as much as I do!

Bette Davis STAMPS!

Guess what I got at the post office today?? Bette Davis STAMPS!! What a great way to glamourize your mail! I believe this photograph they used is from 'All about Eve' -one of my favorite movies! Run out and buy yours today!

O at Home

The last issue of the now defunct 'O at Home' was probably the most enjoyable magazine I've read for quite awhile. I read it cover to cover, every article. Fascinating! Yet another amazing magazine to bite the dust :-( Why??????

Labeled the color issue, first up was a home that used color very effectively and judicially against a white background. This family weekend home in Massachusetts was TOO fantastic. I mean -just check out that welcoming entryway with the yellow shutters and antique chandelier (and gravel sidewalks, which I think are so charming AND green!). The living/dining room had such marvelous things! Cobalt patent leather french armchairs, antique rugs and marble rococo marble mirror against a modern backdrop? SIGN ME UP!! Don't you just die a little (as Rachael Zoe would say)?

This sunroom would be the perfect place to relax all day long catching up on magazines (with the exception of O at Home, Cottage Living and House & Garden :-( ). Now, you all know I don't like animal prints, but this Kelly green family room and modernized arm chair are too special to not post!
Next however was an apartment that had a more subtle and sophisticated palette by DC's own Darryl Carter. I could move in tomorrow. I don't even need to pack my bags! I'm a fan!

I love this minimal kitchen. It's NYC so it's not like a whole lot of cooking will be going on.

As it's an apartment with limited space, the foyer was repurposed as an office. I love that he thought of using a floor lamp for a desklight. One thing I hate: the barn sliding doors -REAL pocket doors would have been so much nicer and more minimal. These look like an afterthought. I totally approve of sliding doors into the kitchen though! Sometimes you just want to close off the mess!

This room is heaven. The dining room was repurposed as a dual library. The shelves line the windows acting as a screening device but allows in all the light: the shelves have glass inserts. What a great idea for a room without a great view! I could see this working for someone who has a large china collection as well : great display space. Lamps on the table: divine.

Here is another wall of the library/ dining room and a close up of one of the lamps. I love the white frames against the white walls: I think the most important thing to point out are the interestingly shaped and generous mattes.The bedroom has a desk as well -a tad confusing, no? I'll just assume this is an apartment for 2 busy professionals who need seperate work spaces. I think this bedroom's interesting mix of styles and furniture is very personal. You would almost think this was 'undecorated'.The bathroom is lovely but generic. I loved that Darryl decided to place a more traditional framed mirror against the plate glass wall: it adds so much more interest to the otherwise bland room.

Lastly, here is the suave Darryl seen in the library dining room. O at home, COME BACK!!

Domino book signing

I'm late to the game, I know, My Notting Hill and Homer's Odd isn't He have already talked about this better than I could. I'll put my own spin on the evening though! I went with a coworker and of course we first hit up the very well stocked bar; lots of munchies too! I got to meet the one author/editor of the book, Dara Caponigro who is an editor at domino and we talked for awhile as she signed my copy of the amazing book. She is the most gracious and friendly woman. Turns out her son and I share the same name! We had a nice talk for about 10 minutes before I went on to meet some blogger friends!

Here is the picture of me with Michele from My Notting Hill and Bob from Homer's Odd towards the end of the evening. It was so nice to meet some fellow local bloggers who appreciate DC and what it has to offer as much as I do :-)The gift bag was really generous! Not only did it include a copy of the magazine, but the host of the party, Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams, provided each guest with a piece of pottery! I got this beautiful green bowl. A friend of mine got a matching elaborate covered box. I was jealous but happy with my gift :-) The store was beautifully, but not over-the-top decorated for the season. My notting hill took a lot of great pictures of the store and what it had to offer.

I think the decorations weren't over the top and really showed off the pieces well. Purple and green is such a pretty combo, don't you think?

The flowers were beautiful! Lodadesigns (who got the covered box) really loved the flowers and blogged about them beautifully.

Towards the end of the party, it got a little less packed and I was able to get some pictures of the showroom and the crowd.

Everyone was having a GREAT time! Thanks again to Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams for a wonderful evening and gift bag!! Thanks also to Dara Caponigro for being such a pleasure to chat with!