I’m A Little Bit Country!

The ONLY thing about this house that doesn’t “work” for me is that it’s in Australia.  Wow, what a beautiful setting, house and  interiors…
I first saw this listing on fellow blogger Justine Taylor’s site  birch&lily and I am totally smitten. Here’s the link to all the great images of this pretty country house www.realestate.com.au  and the description provided by the real estate agent…

The house is called Glen Athan and it is in Berry, AU ( Kangaroo Valley – how cute is that? )

Regarded as one of the South Coast’s most stylish and authentic country properties, Glen Athan is a private 105-acre retreat with a recently completed and stunning family farmhouse, a world-class resort-style swimming pool and the most spectacular of views encompassing 180-degrees of the quiet and unspoilt Wattamolla Valley.

Blending the best of Australian heritage design and contemporary luxuries, the home features rustic wide-board flooring; timber-lined walls and ceilings; South Australian slate hearths; craftsman-built windows, doors and cabinetry; recycled timbers; and 150-year-old convict-hewn sandstone.

With four superbly-sized double bedrooms and three enormous bathrooms – all with underfloor heating – the home is perfect for families or entertaining large groups at weekends and holidays.

There is a grand central living area with open fire; a stylish bespoke kitchen featuring marble bench-tops and double butler’s sink; an impressive walk-in pantry; a scullery; and a convenient tiled laundry and mud-room.

Off the generous entrance foyer is an inviting library with custom joinery and fireplace. The master bedroom also benefits from its own open fire, en-suite bathroom and room-sized private robe. Additionally, there is a large open study area; separate and quiet home-office; as well as a walk-in linen room; ample ancillary storage; and built-in robes for all bedrooms.

On the over-sized sandstone entertaining terrace there is a large barbecue and shower area adjacent to the breath-taking wet-edge pool; which is conveniently gas-heated to extend swimming times throughout the year and late into the summer evenings. To the rear of the property is a private and protected flagstone courtyard and rose terrace with a slate-roofed bread and pizza oven and a convenient and fully-irrigated kitchen herb garden. The wide wrap-around verandahs provide yet another venue for outdoor dining.

Both discreet and highly private, Glen Athan is elevated from the world below and blessed with cooling summer breezes and ever-changing views of the escarpment and valley to be enjoyed from every room in the house.

Lance Wovens

“The idea behind Lance was the merging of two cultures,” said Stefano Bruni, an Italian native who started the furniture and accessories company with his American fiancée, Anne Arnold, earlier this year. “Americans have powerful symbols that Italians love, like a flannel shirt, a Hudson Bay blanket, a pair of jeans. These are age-old American traditions that inspired our line.”

The line of woven leather pillows, benches, rugs and tote bags, which fans of Bottega Veneta will undoubtedly covet, was introduced in August at the New York International Gift Fair.  One looks like woven denim, another has the colorful stripes of a Hudson Bay blanket, yet another is a plaid one might see on a flannel shirt. The complete line is on the company’s Web site, lancewovens.com. A selection of solid woven calfskin 21-inch-square pillows $595 each and woven calfskin plaids $725 each.   are at Kristin Paton Home – a friends chic new home store in the heart of Cambridge – hoping to bring them to the Tri-Town area for my customers, we will see.  In the meantime, if you’re not in New England Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf’s also carry the line.

Jeffrey Bilhuber – Summer Style

Leave it to Jeffrey Bilhuber to create the dream house of all summer houses.  He has always been an inspiration to me, his designs are typically layered perfectly to give depth and interest without overwhelming a space or room.  He does color well but excels in soft tonal rooms that celebrate form and shape.  This magical little house ladies and gentlemen is my dream house.  I keep looking at the photos looking for something that needs a tweak or fix to really make it as I would want it, and the only thing I can come up with is maybe roman shades vs the pinch pleat curtains he chose for the windows… but I get why he did them.  It’s so old school, so East Coast.

 The bedrooms exposed framing and board walls are the perfect color, crisp whites mix with classic stained dressers – necessary storage, high style –  and the simple bedding keeps the room from looking over decorated.  Love the bench, love the garden stool, love the bed.

 I love the dark chocolate-brown walls of this living room…  perfect to put a big color in a small room.  White painted floors help the room not feel to dark and light upholstery and natural accents all create the perfect balance of light, medium and dark.  In this room the curtains – love the banded bottom – really work for me, the long narrow shape help celebrate one of the rooms strength, its height.

 OK, OK… one more tiny complaint. This room goes a bit Golden Girls for me, I’m not a fan of peach and tufted sofa and slipper chairs both look a bit “tight”.  I’d like a room that feels a bit more loose and easy… too fussy for me, but it’s still a very pretty room.  Walls, windows, accessories, flooring, lights… LOVE.

Painted Stair Runner & Stenciled Floors

I love just about everything in this image.  The old staircase painted out white mixed with a modern hall table is chic and fresh… A classic, updated.  I love the pops of orange, “the” color of the moment because it’s so cheery and adds energy to the space AND most of all I love the painted stair runner.  So, so, cool that is narrow, and i love the tipped detail in that much darker grey.  This treatment reminds me of a racing stripe, sleek and cool.

Danika over at Gorgeous Shiny Things did this floor! amazing right?  I love the mix of geometric, there is a depth to the stencils and the wood that makes this floor rich look.  It’s not sweet like your typical stenciled floor.  Job well done, gimmie some of that!

late this morning – it was a morning spent with the trainer – so that’s all for today folks.  Have a great day!

Glam-tasticly Tonal

Now this is my kind of room.  I so love this glam-tastic livingroom, and not just for its tonality and minimal use of color but because it exudes glamour!  The beachy Capiz shell chandelier looks great and sets a mood along with the giant clam shell but frankly you could buy the light at Cost Plus for 69.99.  And that’s not a bad thing – in fact I might pick up two – but for me it’s the scale of the room, the enormous carpet both sitting areas share, the formal layout of the room and of course the color story really cranks up the chic factor.   

This might be the Kitchen living room (or KLR as a client calls it) or the TV room for the same house.  On message with keeping things light, virtually free of pattern, and colors range from cream to tan, to oatmeal to toffee to chocolate, only a bit more toned down, casual, easy…  When can I move in?

Mens Summer Fashion

Old school is the new New School.   Madras, plaid, chambray, seersucker… it all coming at us in the next few weeks, next thing you know you’ll be pulling out your flip flops and looking for your white jeans.  Me?  I’m going to rock an oxford cloth suit at a party this coming weekend in RI to celebrate a friends birthday.  Can’t wait to see the beautifully redone Ocean House Hotel (of course pictures to come!).  Love an excuse to buy a few new items of clothing and I love knowing I’m packing a new outfit or two.  If you’re in the market for a suit, they are still wearing them snug, lapels are not too wide and jackets are still just a wee bit shorter than you might think it oughta be.  This one is by JCrew.

I expect that I’ll be able to break up the suit and wear the pants with a blue blazer for work, and mix the slacks with khaki pants or blue cotton trousers or jeans for that matter.  A suit is just a good investment, no matter how you wear it – unless of course you grow out of it or if styles change to drasticlly.  Me?  I like a short jacket that fits snug and a 3 button is better for my body type, so I usually go 3 button, but not always.  you can always button the middle button if you want a 2 button look… and you know what they say about buttons on an man’s jacket, don’t you?

TOP BUTTON: ALWAYS

MIDDLE BUTTON: SOMETIMES

BOTTOM BUTTON: NEVER

Guido Mocafio – Borrowed Blog

Guido Mocafico’s Magnificent Rectangular Serpents

As a person who collects art, respects the creativity of artists and a designer who appreciates beautiful works that can really make or break a home, the work of Guido Mocafico hits a home run with me.  Not only would I own one of these pieces – I love the black mysterious background he has chosen, further enhancing the already sinister mood of the images – I would hope to use one or several in a space for a client.  They are bold and graphic, the colors are amazing and like any good piece of art I could look at them over and over and over.  Something else I like is the unexpected rectangle, these animals typically so organic and coiled shown compartmentalized and color blocked, a unique juxtaposition.   

Pinched from the pages of the Colossal Art & Design blog…

Generally when you encounter a photograph of a snake it’s coiled up in a circle, a clump, or perhaps dangling from a limb, twisted into a naturally organic shape. Y’know, it’s snakelike. Photographer Guido Mocafico has taken a decidedly different approach with his Serpens series (Part 1, Part 2), choosing instead to place the snakes into rectangular boxes, snapping each photo from above at a precisely balanced moment, turning chaotic figures into something distinctly geometric. From Mocafico’s selection of different species to their gorgeous coloration and almost zen-like positioning, I’ve never seen anything like these. For more serpentine photography don’t miss the work of Mark Laita who travels everywhere to photograph the world’s deadliest snakes. (via supersonic electronic)

Painted Floors & Four Poster Beds

Painted floors and a white four poster bed = perfection.  Unadorned and left plain this beautiful room is tranquil and serene thanks in large part to its simple furnishings and tonal palette.  The horizontal board walls and ceiling add just enough visual interest and texture.  No window treatments, fussy bedding or busy upholstery to draw the eye, just a sophisticated and fresh look perfect to restore ones outlook and a pretty place to wake up.

love…  and should mention: Photography by Don Freeman for House Beautiful found on Birch & Lily.

and if you can’t imagine the kitchen that goes along with this look, here is what it may look like…

The PERFECT House…

…isn’t so perfect.  It is actually so imperfect that one need not worry about what hand towels look right with the back-splash, the counter tops are not stripped bare with the exception of the trophy toaster – although it’s still there – in fact the only extravagance is the Aga stove… and it’s perfect.  This really is the look and feel I find comfort in.  Easy euro-chic styling in a white kitchen with open shelves.  Sometimes being really honest with yourself (or your decorator) can really pay off, by picking things that you find comfort with or just plain love vs what you’ve been told you should have.     

For me, I react to this warm neutral palette, and I don’t miss patterns or strong colors at all.  In fact I find these rooms restful and relaxing because they are so neutral, but I think they are far from boring.  there are plenty of textures, variations on shade and tone in the existing colors and wonderful forms in the furniture, architecture and accessories.  Follow your heart, not the trends and you’ll always love the space you call home.  Have a happy Thursday everyone!

I should Have Bought it (them)

My favorite home store in New York is (wait for it)…  Nest at 172 9th Street.  They carry Ryan Studio, Dransfield and Ross Oly, Bungalow 5 and many other great vendors.  But the shop is more than a bunch of great vendors, it’s edited down to the esential oil of the puryever, the shop has a clear identity.  I could shop with my eyes closed and walk out of there so happy, its really all that good!  These candlesticks were on their wall last time I was in, they are vintage and only now that I’m home from New York, I’m wishing I had bought them.  Next timer you are in NYC, check them out.

For Sale – Deja vous!

A reader (thx SB) brought to my attention what had become of a house in Los Angeles that I had blogged about back in July here’s the link:

 http://billbarr.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/for-sale-575000-00

I can’t say I’m surprised, it really was a diamond in the rough.  But WOW.  Looks like they did it right and took special care to preserve the building’s history and style.  I personally love the Spanish influence, thick walls, tile floors, beamed ceilings and this house has that in spades plus the distinct narrow and tall great-room at the front of the house.

Now this is a room I would like to decorate.  No offence, but it doesn’t look like the furnishings were really all that thought out.  The rug is small, the chairs are mis-matched and the floor plan is really not celebrating the volume of the room.  I’d lighten it all up too with furniture covered in creams, tans and taupes.I like the kitchen, and I think I’m relieved that they didn’t build in a kitchen that looks like it belongs in a Spanish castle.  The color is interesting, the wall of subway tile is a good vintage nod and I love that they left a wall without upper cabinets.  But can I get a shelf? another window? something on that blank wall…

Click on the link below to see more pictures and information on the sale.  list price: $1,995,000.00

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Los-Angeles/2311-Richland-Ave-90027/home/7136275

Not Quite White

but I love it… How could you not love this masterpiece?!  Want to hire them to design my dream home, think they would take a job in Provincetown, MA?  This project looks flawless to me, just perfect… and who doesn’t love a subzero in the pantry?

Who’s responsible for this beautiful kitchen and pantry?  Schwartz and architecture in San Francisco.  Click here: www.schwartzandarchitecture.com to the rest of this beautiful home and other amazing projects they have worked on.  Amazingly cool, refreshing and not the same ol, same ol.

ooops, turns out these are two different kitchens… look there’s more great kitchen to love…

Schwartz and Architecture
860 Rhode Island St
San Francisco, CA 94107tel
415 550.0430fax
415 550.0431info@schwartzandarchitecture.com

Osborne & Little – Nina Campbell

A little more from Nina Campbell…

Blown away by this beautiful paper!  Glowing horizontal stripes of the grandest scale with a delicate strié make this wall covering by Nina Campbell for Osborne & Little a must have for the chic and glamorous set.  This paper is named Cremona after a town in the Po Valley in Lombardy, Northern Italy.  I’d love it in an alcove behind a bed, or a small bar or powder room  would be the perfect place for this special paper.  The only problem: Choosing my favorite color-way.

 NCW4012-01NCW4012-02NCW4012-03NCW4012-04NCW4012-05NCW4012-06

Vintage 200 Series

I won’t drone on about what I want, love, love, love, blah blah blah and all that.  Let me just say these cars are the epitome of class, they are as beautiful today as they were the day they rolled off the production line and no one does it quite like Mercedes.  Can I get an Amen?!?

Dream House

Maybe I’ve been on the East Coast to long, and maybe I’ve just been on the East Coast long enough – Enough to know they don’t get much sweeter than this little gem. Love the old stone curbing and the white-painted fence. A good start! With a formal hedge providing some privacy to the front of the house. The gate would keep the dogs in and let visitors know right where the entrance is to the old clapboard house’s yard. I love the multi-paned, double hung windows and the dormer windows too. The house is just big enough to entertain in I think and you could squeeze in the occasional guest,just long enough, but no more… and that’s a good thing.

This is the look for my room, bright light and tonal. Pretty drapes on simple iron rods, doors that open onto a lush private patio and pile on the down comforters! Sea grass on top of wide plank wood floorswould feel and look good and I’d keep the art black and white to maintain a quiet vibe in the space. The trim and walls being painted the same color reduces the amount of visual commotion.

And while I may need a few more places for friends to sit I liked to over-all aesthetic of this back yard hideout. A good place for an after dinner _________ (fill in your vice of choice), I like the overall palette remaining consistent with the furnishings found inside the house. Now if this were the pool cabana, that would be even sweeter.

I’m NOT a stalker…

…But I was in the airport the other day and this fashionable young man’s clothing happened to catch my eye.  I really liked his overall style and thought he was dressed in a very current “look” …It’s what I call Shrunken Preppy or Shrunken Lumberjack.  It is sort of a throw back to a “village” look and it’s definitely that New York guy thing especially with the hair cut du jour… short cut sides and a longer top.  Get the look with a fitted plaid shirt (this one by Wallace and Barnes) just a little bit too small, untucked of course, and add -most importantly DARK denim - yes it still reins supreme, you’ll see the trend towards lighter for spring/summer, with… Wait for it… Work boots!  Yes guys they are trendy in a big way.  White rubber sloes are preferred but any light sole or heavy work boot will take you from construction site to cocktails if you live in NYC, Boston, SF or any other urban area where men care about fashion.  Red Wing boots are a very popular brand right now, I’m pretty sure this young man was wearing Head to Toe J.Crew, boots and shirt available there, jeans-Levis, always acceptable especially if they are selvage edge dark rinse jeans with a cuffed hem.  

If you just cant do the work boot look, get some Chukka Boots, dessert boots or a low rubber soled boot. They too are trending big time for guys.  I have been lusting after a pair from Mr. Porter and was lucky enough to receive them as a gift for very special clients in San Francisco.  I love my Mark McNairy boots, thank you!  Planning on wearing these boots through the winter and spring and right into early summer with khakis, or maybe even shorts!  Check them out here: billbarr.wordpress.com-the-list-marc-mcnairy  or here: www.mrporter.com-304072

And… if you really care about the now watch, belt, shoe or bag, here is the bag for Spring…

Want one?  Get them while they last at J.Crew… limited edition so you’d better click over now!  Put an extra one in your shopping cart for me why don’tcha?

Black Houses

So I’m not going to lie.  I was looking to see what links had referred readers to my blog yesterday – because I’m courious how  so many people know about it and how people find it – and saw Pinterest had sent a few readers my way so I clicked over to see a blog friend – Uncle Beefy – had pinned a image I had used in a blog.  From that, people were clicking over to see my blog… Thanks Beefy!  Once there (www.pintrest.com) you can imagine how design drunk I quicky became.  Well, I have finally pulled myself away from Pinterest and here is just a tid-bit of what I saw there, one subject of many…

Black houses, every where I looked!  It’s definately a trend folks.  More and more Modern homeowners are going black, and look how good it looks.  It suits a traditional structure, sure, but it will take it to a modern aesthetic for sure.  This first structure is like a mini highrise.  I think the vertical trunks of the dark trees and the white of the snow make the perfect setting for this glass and black banded tower.  I am a bit surprised how much I like this one.  Here is a link to more images and the original post.

This home A-frame home was attributed to the website  www.homedit.com via Pinterest and here is an example of how dramatic a paint job – black that is – can be.  The A frame is a classic mid-century form and the monolithic black seems to really suit the form.

Go ahead and giggle that I included a chicken coop in this blog post and then closely at the attention to detail and the good design of this mini house for egg laying companions.  It’s really very pretty.  I have wanted chickens for sometime, this of course makes me want them even more!  The original post was found here www.theartofdoingstuff.com/the-coop there your find more images, of the coop and the builder/blogger/writers beautiful birds.

I didn’t notice the secondary theme in these  images until I had them all on one page… they all have white interiors!  that is because it’s modern, it looks great with black supporting the highest contrast possible.  This last one is quite simple but I love the oversized window, it’s whimsical and fun.  Now go paint your house black!

Wish List (last one)

Dark brown leather boots from Belstaff with a shearling lining, buckled bridge and cuffs, pull-on tabs and lightweight Vibram rubber soles. These boots were made for off-duty looks on cold winter days, their sturdy soles and cosy lining will see you from the country to the city in style. Shown here with an Ami jacket, J.Crew shirt, James Perse T-shirt and Levi’s Vintage Clothing jeans. All of the above available at MrPorter.com

Wish List (continued)

WANT! this light weight cotton blend biker jacket from – who else – Gucci.  Yeah, it’s more than I would typically spend on a jacket but this time of year always seems to get my fashion bug all stirred up.  I’m thinking resort wear… I’d like to pack all of this – including the jacket for cooler nights – in my over-sized tote and head to someplace warm!

 

All found on Mr. Porter just incase you’re shopping for me or a special man in your life.  Hurry with express shipping you might be able to get it under the tree in time!

Wish List

Just incase any of you are still shopping ( for me ) I love this watch.  Years ago I was ahead of the trend in clear acrylic diving watches.  I worked it for a few years before it was stolen.  Along came the white time piece, and for some reason I didn’t jump right on board…. Then Gold came back in vogue, I couldn’t resist and got a “fun” gold-tone watch – the coveted gold Rolex with an oyster band still eludes me – but I’m now back to thinking the clear was so great for hot sunny beach weather, and maybe just maybe I could really find my groove with this white watch from Nixon.

Shop Nixon here: http://www.nixonnow.com/mens-watches