Inspiration: Tom Scheerer Decorates

I recently returned from vacation and a copy of Tom Sheerer Decorates was waiting for me at home: a great way to get inspired and back to work!

Scheerer's stunning work should be no stranger to anyone as it has been widely published since the late 90s. I think I'm particularly drawn to it as he has an architect's eye (trained as an architect at prestigious Cooper Union) but a love for good living and pretty things.

The art of fine living is at the basis of all of Sheerer's projects whether they be private clubs (the Lyford Clay Club seen above), private homes (the basis of his work), or his own homes (seen below is his Charleston home published in House & Garden January 1997).

Sheerer describes his work as 'no nonsense' and 'cheerful' and one can easily see why. The book is full of diverse projects but this crisp, relaxed simplicity is their unifying thread.

Oddly enough I had just been admiring a project of his located in Sag Harbor, NY,  in a summer 2013 issue of Martha Stewart Living and it was featured prominently in this book with loads of more detail and photographs (living room above).

Whats not to love about his undecorated work; Scheerer combines classic decorating with modernist touches which is how we all really live today. Get the extremely well-written book today! I'll be posting more book reviews this week as it's a way we can all be inspired.

Images courtesy of The Vendome Press by Francesco Lagnese and text by Mimi Read. 

Hotel Lambert: the aftermath

Everyone must know by now that the Hotel Lambert (that storied Hotel Particulier at the tip of the Ile St Louis in Paris) was heavily damaged by fire on July 10th, 2013.

I had just left a month previously, having stayed a block away as usual on the Ile St Louis, but friends were staying in another apartment nearby and happened to be there for the dreaded fire. They sent me these images of the excitement and devastation shown here.

The fire started at the very end of a long renovation in the roof above the storied Galerie d'Hercule, seen above.

Crews battled the fire for days; sometimes these heroes do more damage than good but the fire had to be fought!

The Ile St Louis was overrun by hundreds of firefighters and trucks; this may not sound like much but the Island is tiny and could easily fit into a modern American city block.

Confused and dismayed tourists still roamed the island amid all of the excitement. Notice the trucks and ladders at the end of the street above.

The true aftermath and damage of the fire hasn't been shared publicly yet but these images are disturbing to say the least.  Fingers crossed and hopefully we all will know soon enough the fate of the Hotel Lambert.

New York City dreams

As a blogger one receives a lot of PR emails and every once in awhile something catches your eye. Such was the case when an apartment in the famed El Dorado building on Central Park West decorated by Alexander Doherty was sent to me last week.

The building is an icon seen from central park and has been home to many big names for decades.

The homeowners own and run Blithfield & Co, a line of luxury textiles, and evidence of this is seen throughout the personal abode. I love this living room and those old steel casement windows!

 Design Development NYC was brought on board to do the extensive gut renovation and created all of the custom millwork and mouldings seen in the apartment which give it an art deco / old New York character.

 I love their idea of floating a fuzzy white rug over a heavily patterned antique.

 Some of the gorgeous fabrics from the owner's company used throughout the apartment are seen above.

 Notice the antique brass hardware on the jib door above -such a great little detail that's so important to get right.

 Books are to be found throughout the apartment even on either side of the guestroom bed; no wonder I like it so much!

 More space for cookbooks in the beautiful kitchen.

 I think this may be my dream kitchen. I love a galley kitchen as they're so efficient especially with tons of counterspace and natural light. You can keep your islands!

I love the mixture of wood floors, painted cabinets (a custom Farrow & Ball color), wood and marble countertops with a marble slab backsplash (so clean and easy!).

 After the kitchen, the cozy library has to be my favorite space. Can't you see yourself living in here?

Tons of books, a large tv for movies, and a comfy couch to curl up with a book or favorite magazine seem like heaven to me. I love the addition of a glass desk which doesn't block light from the windows.

Also notice those herringbone floors in the library. The floors are bleached oak to best reflect the light; always important in an apartment!

The master bathroom is a refuge of gleaming nickel and soft white marble off the white and bright master bedroom.

 I love a bed like this; lots of pillows, a fluffy down duvet, and all white - no fuss no muss!

I hope you enjoyed this tour as much as I did!
Photographs courtesy of Trevor Tondro.

Louvre staircases: It's a factor of scale

The Louvre is totally overwhelming; Not just the collections which are astounding but the sheer scale of the building.

The entry under the I.M.Pei pyramid is probably the most stressful place in all of Paris. Not just because of the crowds but the pickpocket warning signs posted EVERYWHERE are rather disconcerting.

Once you enter the museum itself you can find pockets of calm, such as in the Marly Courtyard above.

The most amazing thing in the building to my eye are the numerous staircases.  Even the smallest of these, such as the Lafuel staircase, are on an enormous scale.

Here you can take a deep breath away from the crowds and just enjoy the beautiful building.

Because you step out of the stairways and even on a weekday this is what you encounter; hoards of people RUSHING towards you!

The Daru staircase is also of an immense public scale. It reminds me of a drawing by M.C. Escher.

And of course the tourists with their cameras (who cannot look at an artwork EXCEPT through the eye of their camera lens for whatever reason) are continually falling down the stair or else stepping on you.

The vantage points through these spaces are amazing.

I think much of this architectural detailing is overlooked in favor of the amazing collection of artwork. Save a day for art and a day for architectural looking perhaps?

The LaFuel courtyard is unfortunately not open to the public although visible from the galleries inside. Wouldn't this make a great cafe?

Loved the columns on the porte cochere above.

Speaking of cafes this staircase had a lovely cafe ringing its upper level.

Wouldn't you love to have a meal here? It must be one of the prettiest cafes in all of Paris (and thats saying something).

The ceiling decorations throughout are amazing.

And all of the abundance of natural light keeps the museum from feeling too cold.

What have your impressions of the Louvre been on your visits? Are there certains days to go which are better than others?

Additions to my apartment or estate sale treasures

Summertime is always slow for blogging; lower readership, less to read, and so much going on that there just isn't time in the day. However it's a great time for fun little posts sharing whats going on in one's life!

 I was thrilled last weekend to find an interesting antique cabinet at a Georgetown estate sale for only $60.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The previous owners had taken an antique sideboard (mid 19th century) and gutted it to hold their stereo and record player. It was looking a little worn but the lines were great as was the price.

The cabinet measures in at a hefty 6' long, 2' deep and 36" high. Originally I thought it would make a great vanity for a project I'm working on.  As it had already been altered I didn't mind further mutilating it but it proved to be 6" too long for that task.  However it fits nicely in this corner of my living room and holds all sorts of entertainment glassware, board games, etc, with room to spare!

As you can see it was a little rough when I got it home (the top still hinges up but no more record player inside!). Some wood glue to re-affix the broken veneer (seen in the center), a light cleaning and then a heavy polishing was all it took to shine! You never know what you'll find at an estate sale. Have you found any treasures lately?