HAMPTON DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE DIARY

 photo by Eric Stiffler

I'm so excited to share with you all my room for this year's Hamptons Designer Showhouse sponsored by Traditional Home. It's such an honor to be chosen to participate and I was thrilled to be asked to design the dining room for the house.

Color inspiration for the room came from the Atlantic ocean and bucolic farmland that surrounds the Hamptons. I chose various shades of ocean blue punctuated by green as the color scheme for the room.  

When it comes to designing a room for a showhouse, it really does "take a village" and I was privileged to work with some fabulous partners. Beacon Hill provided me with fabric for the room and their glamorous Sakura stripe in Neptune was the starting point for my design. I love this print! The awning stripe, a summer classic, is elevated in glamorous silk with shades of ocean blues and white.  

I covered a lucite bench in Robert Allen's Perfect Wave in Calypso blue-- a whimsical print with the perfect beachy vibe.  

The room, shown below in a "before" photo has a large bay window and a pretty coffered ceiling but it needed some color!

Phillip Jeffries Juicy Jute in Tantalizing Teal had just the right pop of color for the walls. 

 The textured grasscloth has a beautiful sheen that reflects the rooms natural light and adds depth and texture.

 Pratt and Lambert's November, a subtle blue-gray paint color with a slight glaze added dimension to the coffered ceilings. 

There's so much more to go over! Next post will feature furnishings, lighting and art-

  

TRENDING-- WALLPAPERED CEILINGS ON THE RISE

Lacquered, wainscotted and stenciled, ceilings have gone from flat to fabulous bringing the eyes upward making "the fifth wall" decors latest star. Kelly Wearstler kick started the trend by featuring her bold and graphic designs on top. Her graphic stripes, bold geometric designs and whimsical spatter's have graced the ceilings of stars like Cameron Diaz bringing an added layer of energy and artistic elegance to the room. 

Wearstler's mod and playful girl's bedroom

Love the horizontal lines juxtaposed with swirled granite

Cameron Diaz's muted bedroom gets a boost from gold caned wallpaper

Malachite on the ceiling? Yes! Shelly Johnstone Pashke has embraced the trend with gorgeous results.

Muted wallpaper balances the rich lacquered walls.

Cole & Sons Hicks wallpaper looks gorgeous paired with blue kitchen cabinets

I'm ready to jump on the trend. My latest design project includes a sitting room layered with texture in soothing shades of cream and white. The element of surprise? A wallpapered ceiling-bold and graphic or subtle and sophisticated?  I'll keep you posted...

E. BRAUN LINENS-SHOWHOUSE LUXURY

I am beyond thrilled to be working with the venerable fine linen firm E. Braun on a set of custom linens for my Hampton Designer Showhouse bedroom. Founded in Vienna in 1893, the firm is still heavily rooted in elegant, old world styles, but they have become equally versed in beautiful, contemporary designs. The shops Manhattan location on Park Avenue is an elegant oasis of exquisite bed and table linen-the perfect spot to be inspired and creative!

My room inspiration-- Check out the chunky blanket!

Owners Stephanie and Rick Barbatelli spent the morning with me reviewing my Showhouse color palette, room concept and fabric selection and helped to create a truly one of a kind bed linen set for my Showhouse room. 

Our first step was design-we looked at dozens of pillow cases with delicate custom embroidery and finally narrowed it down to just one (this part was nearly impossible!).  I chose classic white linens with a modern embroidery design in green and grey to compliment the room decor. Then we added a delicious chunky crochet blanket for the end of the bed for texture-perfect for cuddling! 

A sneak peak at my linens!

It felt like my birthday yesterday when I picked up the linens. There were armloads of beautiful white boxes bursting with coverlets and custom sheets. 

Choosing linen for your bedroom is a wonderful, very personal experience-a luxury for a lifetime! 

HEIRLOOM MODERN BOOK REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY!

I wanted to share with you all my book review on Heirloom Modern, the newly published book by sister's Hollister and Porter Hovey which is featured in this months Flea Market Decor Magazine. The book is a must read for those with a penchant for design and an eye for collecting and decorating your home.

You will absolutely be smitten by this book! 

To enter the giveaway you must be a reader of Hampton Hostess.

-Simply Leave a comment below to enter.

-For additional entries "Like" Hampton Hostess on Facebook, "Follow" Hampton Hostess or Tweet about the giveaway. 

A winner will be chosen on Friday, May 3rd.

Good Luck!

A BRIGHT SPOT ON THE DUMBO SCENE

 Interior design darlings Anne Maxwell Foster and Suysel dePedro Cunningham of Tilton Fenwick have once again worked their design magic; this time, the lucky recipient of the duo's masterful mix of color and comfort is Foster herself. Today's New York Times features Foster's new apartment in the fashionable DUMBO section of Brooklyn. The chic abode features layers of sophisticated hues and textures, a bright and upbeat twist on tradition that has become a signature style of the firm.

 The burnished gold Oscar de la Renta cocktail table anchors the Kravet sofa  and two striking black lacquered armchairs

Pattern play-A Bunny Williams striped table lamp plays beautifully off the bright yellow headboard and Farrow and Ball's elegant wallpaper.

Love, love, love  the baby nursery! 

Ready the story here.

Photos courtesy of Trevor Tondro for the New York Times

SNOWY OUTSIDE SCHEMING INSIDE

With a monster of a snow storm bearing down on the city today I've spent the morning inside going through fabric samples for a client's playroom. We long ago settled on China Sea's Aquarius in a bold turquoise/brown combination for the drapes and loved the print so much that we added it to the bookcases. The bright color and rich graphics add a playful punch to the room and lightens up the sofa, which is covered in a rich chocolate chenille. We still needed something to tie the room together; a fun vertical print for sofa pillows and two small stools.  I wanted to try to match the turquoise but that proved nearly impossible until I found Allegra Hicks Kali-Groundworks at Lee Jofa yesterday. The prints are perfect together sharing the same quirky blue hue and fun, whimsical vibe. Mission accomplished!

FIREPLACE CHIC-JOHN LYLE

During my jaunts to the Holly Hunt NY showroom, I frequently find myself sidetracked--drawn to a softly lit side wall that displays the beautiful, sculptural fireplace andirons by designer John Lyle. The stunning andirons captivate with their glamorous and modern style, each created from hand-cast bronze and steel. My personal favorite is Lyle's Starburst fireplace screen--so chic and dramatic, its all a fireplace really needs!

 Gates

 Alexandra

 Bulldog

 Douglas

Anchor 

 Luxe

 Whitney

 Star

 James

 Zig Zag

 Tree

 Starburst

 Crackle

 Vestal

 Titan

Danna

all images courtesy of John Lyle