Reader House Tour: Therese Long

Therese Long and I were cut from the same cloth. Like so many of us, she’s an antiques scavenger who loves the thrill of the hunt. She left a comment on eye spy, we began emailing, I read her blog, I visited her etsy shop, one thing lead to another… And now I have a bad case of fireplace envy. I think you will too. Here is Therese’s beautiful San Francisco home followed by a selection of her fabulous finds.

{ All images from Therese Long } 

Oh and did I mention that Therese has a real thing for dolphins? Therese Long is LaDolfina! 

Therese, tell us about these pillows! They look like Missoni, but crazy better. Who, what, where?

And now for a bit of shameless promotion: I had the honor and great fun of designing Therese’s logo, blog banner, and etsy banner. Thank you Therese!

Reader House Tour: Sally Wheat

As I was writing yesterday’s post on playfulness, I kept thinking of Sally Wheat and her spectacular Houston home. Like many of you, I saw Sally Wheat’s house tours on Cote de Texas’ funny Stalking the Wheats. Wow. Sally had me at ‘gray Fieldstone by Benjamin Moore’ kitchen. And every other corner of her home. As soon as I saw it, I quickly downloaded each photo into my inspiration file. Then one day a “Sally Wheat” emailed me in response to some little eye spy post. Are you the Sally Wheat from Houston? Joni’s Sally Wheat? My Sally Wheat? I know I actually squealed! 

The Wheat house was exquisite. A wonderful example of French/Belgium-style filled with fine European antiques, pretty furnishings, a restrained palette. Perfect even. But, this past summer, her redecorated interior was unveiled on Cote de Texas. Now her house shines with its resident’s vibrant personality. Sally injected classic modern pieces, interesting art, bold patterned fabrics, and furniture of her own design. The result is spectacular.

{ Images from Sally Wheat, Cote de Texas, and Houston House & Home } 

Sally recently finished decorating her son’s room. Design must be in the kids’ genes too — her son’s favorite colors are chic black and gray.

 

Look at the handsome antiques, textiles, and vintage finds available at Sally’s coop at Antiques & Interiors on Dunlavy. What a keen eye! I love the moc croc on the vintage stool. And how about the ‘after’ blue velvet modern arm chairs? 

Be sure to pop in tomorrow. I want to introduce you to reader Therese Long, her blog, and her etsy shop. You’ll love touring her San Francisco home and accompanying her on scavenging adventures up and down the California coast. 

And if I haven’t told you enough… I love my blogging friends. I love reading your blogs. And I love reading your emails and comments and learning of your adventures in decorating. Thank you for each and every comment and, please, keep them coming!

Update on Thursday, November 19, 2009 by susieq

Another tour!

Today’s post at Design Crisis — yes, I’m a devoted reader — is all about Erin’s dining room makeover. Go here to see photos of her beautifully inviting, very personal, very playful dining room.

Loosen up + get playful

I love Kelly Wearstler’s Hollywood home. Her curated, one-of-the-best-of-each-genre style makes this house a sophisticated  ‘specimen garden’ of interiors. It’s fabulously statement-making, over-the-top bold. But, what captures my eye is Wearstler’s crazy playfulness and the interior’s unique personality.

I’m bothered by the perfectness of so many interiors. If a room is too sterile or too over-arranged, I want to mess something up. And I’m bored by interiors that too narrowly conform to a particular style. It’s the idiosyncratic that gives a place its personality.

So here are some interiors that offer amusing or weird or interesting elements that shake things up. What do you think? Are these rooms appealing to you?

{ All images are from OWI // Office for Word and Image, unless otherwise noted }

Art that makes you smile

 

Art should not match the sofa { but that yellow Beatles poster over that yellow sofa is to die for!} . FROM TOP: Retrouvius; OWI; Katie Lydon; Pierce Allen 

Collections that reveal your inner weird 

 

Discards that somehow look just right

 

Unusual furnishings

TOP, Pedro Friedeberg hand chair, Jamie Drake

Bright spots   

 

CENTER: Toy Soldiers lamp, Ryan McElhinney; Rabbit Lamp, Moooi

An interesting object

CENTER IMAGE: Miguel Flores-Vianna

Wordsmithing

CENTER, Deborah Berke & Partners; BOTTOM, Domestica Architecture

I'll always put in one controversial item, it makes people talk.

DOROTHY DRAPER

Art inspired colorway | Sarah Hinckley

I was roaming around the Emily Amy Gallery website when I happened upon the beautiful work of Brooklyn-based Sarah Hinckley. The Cape Cod of Hinckley’s childhood — with its strata of earth, water, sky — informs the rich bands of color in her paintings. She is a masterful colorist. Select almost any painting from her Color Logic series and you’ve got a sophisticated interiors palette. I was most attracted to her gray, taupe, green, dull brown, and peachy rust combination. Here are a few interiors to see how the combination plays out.

TOP, Sarah Hinckley’s Strange Days; CENTER, source unknown; BOTTOM, Jonn Coolidge Photography

 

More from Sarah Hinckley:  West Wind Moves 2 + Depending On How You See A Thing 2

Isn’t Hinkley’s work mesmerizing? Both simple and complex, so much to see.

 

 TOP, Jonn Coolidge Photography; CENTER, Mali Azima; BOTTOM, Ngoc Min Hngo, photographer

Update on Monday, November 16, 2009 by susieq

I just popped over to one of my favorite blogs, Delight by Design. Blair has a keen eye for color and a mad talent for pairing fashions with interiors. I swear, she does a better job of it than Domino used to! Today, her post is on color referenced from candy and baked goods. Look at this photo! It seems to mesh well with the greens, grays, and terra cotta inspired by Sarah Hinckley’s work.

Be sure to visit Delight by Design.

Monday Mash-up: Black + Tan

I’m not much for pale ale or dark beer or layering of either, but I find a black and tan interior to be quite tasty. Especially if within that color palette, the furnishings and decor are a nice mix of periods and types. 

 

Stylists for Domino: PHOTOS 1, 3, 4, Kim Ficaro; PHOTOS 2, 5, Lili Diallo

Don’t get me wrong. I love a cold beer. But, my tastes never matured from an icy-cold, almost watery American brew. Which I like to layer with salt and vinegar potato chips.