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Posts Tagged ‘arts’

This recently completed master bath renovation was in a newly built home. The owners were happy with the layout of the bathroom but, wanted to punch it up a bit! The master bathroom should be your sanctuary, as stylish as it is soothing. We wanted to turn the existing bath into something unique.

I’ve rounded up a stunning way to create the dream bath that they would love being in. This bathroom was to be transformed into a peaceful escape reserved for the masters of the house.  With stunning tile work, soft fabrics and a calming color palette blend to form a decadent space designed for relaxation.

I started wall a gorgeous tile, the moment I saw this glass tile I knew.. this was perfect. And I was right, the owners squealed with excitement when I presented my ideas and finishes.

We chose a white glass tile, Jeweled j-603 in diamond white: The combination of finishes on the sheet of tile are clear glass,  wavy glass, frosted glass and marble,  it is exquisite.Jewel tile

The countertop, I used is  Cambria: Berwyn, this silver flecked stone adds a soft yet glamorous touch to this master bath.

Cambria-Berwyn

The Delta Vero Lavatory Faucets with waterfall spout, gives the right touch of sophistication to this charming master bath without breaking the budget.

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I took the bathroom mirror and lighting under the microscope to show how this bath accessory can change the ambience of your bathroom. Remember the main task of lighting in the bath, both direct and indirect is to caress and compliment you.

What do you think about illuminated mirrors? I used the LED Strip lights to back light the mirrors in this design, providing illumination as well as visual style above the vanity’s white under-mount sinks and quartz countertops.

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Two glass jeweled pendants hang above the double vanity adding a bit more interest and an elegant look.  Its tailored, not to girly for a man, and has a upscale feel in a restrained way.

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The lighted mirrors are remote controlled to fade to different colors and also soften or brighten with a touch.  The darker wood cabinets provide a subtle contrast with the lighter tiled floor.

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“It is a very luxurious spa like experience in this bathroom” the homeowners said when the project was completed.

It’s the details that give this Master suite a luxurious touch. I was hoping to create the sense of a 5 star hotel, it’s very important I think, that is  the experience you have when you walk into this space. This space is serene and peaceful, you have the same experience in the master bedroom.


To visually connect the master suite each room plays off the colors and fabrics of the last space. Though they’re usually hidden behind closed doors, master bathrooms deserve to be as thoughtfully decorated as your home’s living spaces.

 

As always, stay tuned for more Adventures in Styleland!

 

XOXO

M

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In honour of mothers on their special day, I asked myself what decorating secrets did I learn from my Mom…

mom carol and I

She made our home beautiful, chic and inspiring while juggling both a full-time job and being a mother. I learned about fabrics and sewing from my mom. She was an extraordinary seamstress. When I was little, I loved going to the fabric store with her — it was a world of imagination and creativity. She taught me to appreciate quality, natural fibers like wools, silks and fine cotton. Now working with fabrics is one of my favorite parts of decorating.

Another important lesson she taught me,  never to buy what I don’t need: a bargain is only a bargain if it’s something important. I also learned all about color selection and furniture arranging from her. We lived in Brooklyn NY in a 6 room apartment, she always kept it fresh, ever changing.. and I firmly believe that had this wonderful woman been any less interested in our family home as I grew up, I might not be where I am today.

My mother taught me that it’s important to develop personal style,  buy the best quality you can afford and mix family pieces, antiques and comfortable upholstered furniture– eat in the dining room, use your china or better dishes on Sundays.. I learned to respect our home and everything within it, including my mother.

My mom used to rearrange the furniture a lot — it’s surprising how furnishings can look completely new when viewed from a different angle or in a different room. She also taught me that every window looks empty and cold unless softened by a window treatment, she changed hers often.

She was never afraid of bold patterns, I remember her sewing room or the SPARE ROOM, we had large orange and yellow wall paper, and smaller floral wall paper on the ceiling.. It was cutting edge at the time..

When I was little, my mother always dressed — she was glammed up even when cleaning the house. From her, I learned to dress and decorate with the intent to be gorgeous, having no fear of color.

I will end here with a couple of ideas for what to do for your mom..

Source and pay for a house cleaning service for a few months. A house cleaning every two weeks, I’m sure all moms would appreciate the break. That being said, do not buy her a vacuum, cleaning supplies, or tools unless she specifically asks for them. I’m looking at you Dad.

Brunch was always a favorite of mine.. I loved to go to a special Italian place locally that served cured meats..fresh fruits..baked delights and my family would all laugh and enjoy the meal together…

table scape

Spend time, yes…time… take the day and pull out pictures, family vacations reminisce with her, make cookies sit and have a cup of coffee.. Love her and let her know that she is the most important women in your life.

Mom and Dad

 

Miss you Mother Theresa…All my love

 

XOXO

 

M

 

 

 

 

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habitat Post-and-Beam-Waterfront-Home

What makes the Post and Beam homes so alluring? Is it the massive strength of the post and beam frame and the enduring stability of the homes, or is it the unmatched calm and comfort of the homes  style, in stark contrast to life itself? These beautiful post and beam designs are made to have engineering strengths that allow for long, unobstructed spans, open floor plans, and walls of glass. The result is a signature: a mix of casual elegance and livability that never goes out of style.

habitat Post-and-Beam-Waterfront-Home 1

There is a network of Post and Beam Designers (also known as Timber Frame Homes)  nationwide and internationally, do your research. Post and Beam homes are a legacy that can be passed down for generations, those who inhabit it can enjoy these benefits for decades… or even centuries.

Habitat comtemporary Post and Beam

Habitat post and beam interior by hearthstone

Post and beam homes are true works of art. And just like art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, whether your contemporary, traditional, classic or rustic, the timeless beauty and ambiance of a Post and Beam home results in a warm and inviting space in which to live. .

Habitat post and beam interior kitchen

Stay tuned.. Spring is in the air.. what will we discover on our adventures in Styleland….?

XOXO

M

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skyview landscapes. bunny mellon photo

Garden designer, stylesetter, and philanthropist Rachel “Bunny” Mellon She designed and planted a number of significant gardens, including the White House Rose Garden, and assembled one of the largest collections of rare horticultural books.

In Winter when all the flowering plants have collapsed, I feel this is the time to go outside and look at the structure of your garden. I love walking through the garden on these frigid days. It helps me anticipate the return of spring and what it will bring. I believe that weather is one of the most critical design issues for a garden. I think good design features the many faces of the weather. I feel that you have to establish some structure- some good bones.  Good bones can be built upon, or stand on their own.  Structure in the landscape in our zone has to take the winter season into account.

skyview landscapes Boxwoods

In Vanity Fair some years ago this, below, stopped me.  A kindred spirit.  Who exactly is Bunny Mellon?  In the fullness of time, may she keep returning to your radar, as she does mine.

skyview landscapes. bunny melonMellon was born into a pharmaceutical fortune in 1910 (her grandfather Jordan W. Lambert manufactured Listerine) and married into a banking one in 1948, when she wed Paul Mellon, her second husband. Mellon’s greatest acclaim came not from her masterpiece acquisitions, however, but from her self-taught skill at sculpting the natural world.

skyview landscapes architectrual digest

Garden designer Lanning Roper, called her “the leading landscape genius in America.” Far less known are the remarkable interiors  she created in the dozen-plus residences that Mellon and her family occupied in the U.S., France, and the Caribbean.

skyview Bunny Mellon design

Relatively small, intimate houses were Mellon’s preference, livably elegant and skirting clear of pretension. “Make it look like we just brought it down from the attic,” Mellon told Bruce Budd, one of the decorators she worked with (the roster also included English master John Fowler and American tastemaker Billy Baldwin).

skyview Bunny Mellon design Oyster Harbor yard

In every room in every house, Mellon placed what she called “standing herb trees,” which she developed in 1952 while recovering from tuberculosis, having been inspired by topiaries seen in the medieval manuscripts and early garden manuals.

skyview Bunny Mellon standing herb trees

A bird painting by Balthus hangs in Bunny Mellon’s bedroom in her villa at Antigua’s Mill Reef Club, where decorative artist Paul Leonard created Swedish-style painted floors that mimic stone paving; as Mellon once said, “I liked the way marble floors reflect light, but these are warmer and quieter.”

skyview landscapes. bunny melon Antiqua Residence

November 24, 2014 I read an article that saddened me, it said:

Southerby’s Auction house says its multi-day sales of Racel Bunny Mellon’s  furnishings art, jewelry, and other objects totaled $218 Million.

Three works — two paintings by Mark Rothko and a fancy vivid blue diamond — fetched over $30 million.The 9.75-carat pear shaped gem set an auction record for any blue diamond.

The benefits went to The Gerard B. Lambert Foundation. It supports The Oak Spring Garden Library in Upperville, Virginia, which houses Mellon’s collection of works related to landscape design, horticulture and natural history.

Bunny pasted away at the age of 103, in March of 2014. This lost was felt through out the design world. Rachel Bunny Mellon had her first garden epiphany as a young girl she wrote “This towering forest of scent and white flowers was the beginning of ceaseless interest, passion and pleasure in gardens and books,” she wrote. “Like a magic carpet it has carried me through life’s experiences, discoveries, joys and sorrows. In sadness especially, it has been a hiding-place until my heart mended.”

Thanks for letting me share some of my favorite gardens with you! Stay tuned…

XOXO

M

 

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Quatrefoil in design is basically a four-lobed shape and is usually a symmetrical pattern that repeats itself. It is classic with religious and architectural history.   My wonderful daughter Rosaria is just smitten with this design, our next project for her room will have to start shortly (she is still dealing with Aqua and Brown Damask, soooo done with that!!) so we are looking for a design we like. I thought I would do the quatrefoil on her ceiling in metallic silver over a  pale gray?? That’s were we are starting, she also would like to incorporate some purple in to this design.

So starting with inspiration…This great wall covering I found at our local Lowes I am so excited!!!! I would like to do the larger damask on her ceiling and maybe the back of her book shelf in the smaller pattern!!!

Of course I love this ceiling!!! this architectural product is purchased in tiles and installed as ceiling tiles. This product is on  Jay Haon Art and Design website.

This master sweet uses a strong yellow to balance out the grey. The quatrefoil mirror is one of my favorites, used with this wall paper and layering the quatrefoil design in this space, creates a great mix of patterns.

                                                                                               This Seabrook Wallcovering used here gives depth and color to this wall.                         Grey is one of the colors that we have worked with recently, in feng shui this color represents the metal element which brings sharpness, precision, clarity and efficiency!This armoire is so pretty, and with the mercury glass doors it adds that touch of WOW to any space! Quatrefoil is so prevalent in furniture design, from wood to fabric this timeless design is sure to stay!

Stay tuned…….

XOXO

M

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Hey friends, just a quick post to tell you how impressed I am with the talented people who share their passion for Lighting design with the world around them. I have always loved the way it creates our surroundings, lighting is an intricate part of design.

Illumination is the ephemeral partner of architecture. Light is invisible until it strikes an object or surface. And it is controlling this difficult, transitory medium that gives the lighting “artist” the ability to create hierarchies, dynamics and mood. Lighting design has become a creative extension of architectural design, improving visibility and complementing form, program and color.

Niskayuna New York, which is where I live has GE Research and Development and RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)  close by, they are two of the leading Lighting research and development centers in the World!

Cylinder shades are still the rage this year and metallic finishes, mercury glass, brushed nickel, acrylic and glass are so prevalent, here are some of my favorites.

Linda Allen Design

 

Linda Allen sees an electric future for wireless lighting. A future where stylish, battery-powered lamps can be moved wherever they’re needed, whether from room to room or out of doors. A future where practical, solar-powered lamps bring artificial light to parts of the globe where it’s never been available before.

 

 

Here is another design from Linda, this room not only had great lighting but superb design, the use of color and pattern in this room shows how talented this designer is.

 

One last lovely lighting design that I wanted to share with you, the exterior of this building is so beautiful, I know that this will enlighten you as to the importance of lighting in your design.

 

As always stay tuned…

XOXO

 

M

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