Hamptons Designer Showhouse: Keith Carroll

My favorite bedroom at the Hamptons Designer Showhouse was a 1st floor guest room that was just so charming I could have moved right in.Decorated by Keith Carroll, the room highlighted Scalamandre wallpaper with dogs in a yellow and gray colorway, which was then repeated through the colors found throughout the room. It certainly didn't hurt that the room was styled as if someone was living there, down to the NYtimes and oreos on the breakfast tray!

While small, the room still had space for a small seating area; always good for a guest so they can have somewhere to lounge privately other than in bed. The en-suite bathroom continued the yellow and gray theme but in a different wallpaper. Classic white bath fixtures finished off the space in a timeless manner.

As I said, the room was styled so well, down to the products; always my favorite part of any show house!

Hamptons Designer Showhouse: Raji RM & Associates

Another of my favorite rooms at the Hamptons Designer Showhouse, I'm proud to say, was done by a good friend of mine here in DC, Raji Radhakrishnan.

Raji, smiling here as always, composed a room very much in line with her work; Eclectic but edited, a fascinating collection of the most beautiful and interesting pieces which make the room feel to me as if an interesting person lived there rather than being 'decorated'. To my mind, isn't this the goal of high-style interior design?

Raji explained that the room she started with was basically bare bones, a staff bedroom on the lower level. The first task she assigned herself was to bring some architecture into the space through a painted wood chair rail and moldings. They MAKE the room. Raji interpreted the space as a ladies lounge for the mistress of the house. She wanted the room to tell the story of an accomplished woman who needed a stylish office to conduct her own business away from the family. Imaginary client: Hillary Clinton. The pieces throughout the space are all amazing -you could spend all day here just admiring each one. I loved these vintage pottery jugs.No inch of the room was forgotten with beautiful details throughout.Even the light fixture was incredible!I think we can all agree this is a room we would want to spend time in; especially this tufted leather chair!The most show-stopping item in the room is the glass rod encased cabinet in the corner. Created by a French artist that Raji and her husband discovered wandering around Paris, the borrowed piece has an asking price of over 50k! Look but don't touch!One of the most personal and asked-about spaces in the space, believe it or not, was the bathroom. Raji's talented daughter, Shruti Narasimhan spent countless hours painting a beautiful coral decoration on the walls with coordinating shower curtain. It's no surprise however that the apple didn't fall far from the tree; Shruti currently is studying interior design in NYC.For better pictures of the space than my own, go to My Notting Hill to see professional photographs.

Carpenter's Gothic

I'm back from a week in Provincetown, Mass. and while there on one of my many bike rides I came across a charming house. Designed in the vernacular "Carpenter's Gothic", part of the Gothic Revival Movement of the 19th century, the house and 2 side cottages have been little changed over the past century.

The influence is subtle but guides every footstep of this charming cottage perched on a hill overlooking the harbor. The steep gables, intricate woodwork mass-produced details and the arched windows on the side cottage all speak of the genre.

You can nearly see the couple from Grant Wood's American Gothic standing in front!

Hamptons Designer Showhouse: Tilton Fenwick

As I mentioned last week, my favorite rooms at the Hamptons Designer Showhouse were in the most unexpected places. One of these was the basement family room done by the noted interior decorators at Tilton Fenwick that have been in the press so much since opening shop in 2010.

While the layout of the room was a bit strange, set up for cocktail parties I presume, every object in it was so exquisite -something I would want for my own house.

The room lies at the rear of the house with the pool terrace above and unfortunately faces a gravel courtyard and tall stone wall. With a layered room this beautiful though, who needs to look out?

The first thing that struck my eye were these green velvet armless sofas -the most delectable pieces of furniture! I really wanted to sprawl out on one but it just didn't seem polite!

The turquoise opaline lamp in the corner livened up what would have otherwise been an awkward little alcove.

This horn covered chair was really striking, and the upholstery was really interesting - I think it might have been an outdoor fabric? It looks like mohair until you touched it. I loved the colorful collection of national geographics below the console.

This pretty corner bookcase brought a touch of whimsy to the space and I felt, connected it to the pool outside with the canopied top.

In the corner of the room was a simple bookcase piled high with drinks and snacks -perfect for a party, especially those salty pretzels!

The other side of the room had a lovely cabinet in the most beautiful wood tones.

They not only took on the family room, but also the adjacent powder room. What could have easily become a throw away space (in terms of design) took center stage with a beautiful patterned wallpaper with contrasting red mirror. Hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more from this talented duo!

Hamptons Designer Showhouse: Rosemarie Petruzzellis

Two weekends ago I had the pleasure of being invited to attend the grand opening party of the Hamptons Designer showhouse. I jumped at the chance to see the house but also to tour that area of Long Island as I hadn't visited before.

Some amazing decorators were invited to work on the project, as we have all seen many places online, but I thought in the next few posts I'd show some of my favorite areas and details that I happened to notice while there.

Strangely enough, but as is often the case, my favorite rooms weren't the grand spaces on the main ground floor done by the big names, but rather the smaller rooms located on the 2nd floor and the lower level (where the best of the best work had been done in my opinion).

Two of the first smaller rooms which blew me away were the 'his' and 'hers' dressing rooms (closets really) which had been taken on by the decorative artist Rosemarie Petruzzellis of The Paint Palette.

I believe I may have actually seen Rosemarie at the opening party over drinks on the pool deck as I saw someone in eye-catching pants painted EXACTLY like the bright green Lady's dressing room, but I was distracted by seeing my friend Emily Eerdmans whom I spent the majority of the evening talking with because as we all know, she is so unbelievably interesting and distracting!

If one can't have fun in their private closet at their beach house, where can you really let loose? I love this wild abandon on the walls both in the 'his' and the 'her' dressing areas.

The rooms were decorated as if in use, with clothes tossed around (much like my own closet!), you half expected the bathing suit and towels strewn about to be wet. I imagine she raided her own closet as well as her husband's in furnishing the clothing!

The bright orange wall color in 'his' closet is grounded against a dark ground with a green stripe (much like faux panels) which would really help to cheerfully wake you up while dressing in the morning -I love painted 'architecture' like this.

No detail was left untouched, even the door stop to the 'his' closet is a cute cast iron dog. Who wouldn't love a dressing area like either of these!

Rosemarie can be reached via facebook under the name of 'the-paint-palette' or at paintpalette2k @ yahoo . com

Sag Harbor shopping

While in the Hamptons, my favorite town was probably Sag Harbor. As my favorite activities are house stalking and furniture shopping, it was a natural fit!

The first stop for anyone visiting should be JED for classic glamorous style at 27 Washington Street. They also have a 1st dibs website here, definitely check it out.

Also be sure to check out Ruby Beets next door with a mix of vintage and new homegoods at 25 Washington Street. My friend Heather at Habitually Chic had recommended these stores to me and has covered them on her blog (see links) and they did not disappoint!

After all of this shopping, you're sure to work up an appetite so stop across Main Street at LT burger, where all of the local celebrities hang out for burgers and shakes (try the delicious turkey burger; Christie Brinkley's favorite, a local regular, and mine as well!).

Like the rest of the town, the restaurant has an updated vintage feeling to it: laid back, unpretentious and delicous!

Across from the harbor at 34 Harbor Street is La Maisonette -an eclectic and edited mix of mainly French antiques. I saw so many unusual quirky items here I really wanted to bring home with me!

However, my favorite shop of all (and a real treat) is the Christy's Building Art Center at 3 Madison Street.

Housing an amazing collection of art, salvaged architectural pieces and amazing antique furniture from all styles - every piece is a show stopper.

Rather than a shop, it felt more like the apartment of some incredibly stylish person with a highly edited but eclectic mix of offerings.

These built-in mahogany book cases are really gorgeous -I wonder where they came from? (and how I get my hands on them!).

My take-home piece though would have to be this painted screen showing the Place Vendome in Paris. I was too in awe to even inquire the price (i'd be willing to risk my retirement on this piece!). So while in the Hamptons, be sure to leave the allure of East Hampton to spend some time in nearby Sag Harbor!

My apologies for the poor photo quality. My camera seems to have developed a case of the 'blues'.

Looking up

While I work on a few in-depth posts from recent travels, I wanted to leave you with some window boxes I noticed the other day here in DC. Who says an apartment without a garden space needs to be banal; this is amazing! I only wish my thumb were half as green. Also notice the great brick details along the cornice.