interior design Archives - Page 13 of 20

Getting Sexy + Bold with Black and Gold : How to Infuse Some Glamour Into Your Interior

Confession time. I have found myself increasingly drawn to the bold and sexy palette of black and gold of late, and here’s my theory: Knowing that I am about to have a second boy and will thus be officially outnumbered for the rest of my life, I’ve been craving ways to infuse more femininity into our home. Not the typical pink and frills, though. No, the kind of femininity that is strong and sexy and holds its own when married with masculine details as well. The kind of feminine that makes both men and women feel strong and safe in its context. So, I thought I’d pull together a little inspiration board of a living room concept that has all the elements I’m looking for.

First, the art. Art does so much to set the stage. It is really the soul of the space in so many ways, and I’m in love with these pieces I found at Art Interiors, especially the dramatic flowers on the black canvas by Madeleine Lamont.

{Painting by Madeleine Lamont}

{Painting by Maya Foltyn}

{Painting by Lindsay Chambers}

There are so many amazing pieces in this inspiration board! Take for instance this stunning Matis armchair from Brabbu.

There are so many details about this piece that have me swooning – the curvaceous lines, the tufted outside back, the Macassar Ebony deck and legs, the dramatic reptile print velvet. To my eye it marries masculinity and femininity in one sexy statement piece. Spectacular!

I’m also completely head-over-heels in love with the organic yet utterly dramatic Sequoia Center Table, also from Brabbu. Like any strong woman, this piece is a force of nature and glamour.

Inspired by the largest and tallest tree in the world, the wood veneer top and brass “bark” are nothing short of drool-worthy.

Next, the Cobblehill Sofa from ABC Home – it is both soft and modern with its clean lines and decadent velvet upholstery and the soft gold offers the perfect feminine contrast to the dramatic black chairs.

Toss on a couple of black Mongolian lamb fur pillows, add a hit of studded leather for good measure and then create a custom cushion with this stunning Kelly Wearstler gold serpent linen from Groundworks to finish the bold and sexy look.

{Mark my words, I will be working this Kelly Wearstler print into my home in the coming days!}

For side tables, I love the bold yet simple Martini Side Table from West Elm…

…offset by the tribal Abaidoo Stool from Pfeiffer Studio.

Throw in a hit of animal magnetism with sexy legs with a pair of Neta Benches from Oly Studio:

Light it up with the organic, edgy and glamorous Linden Chandelier by Charles de Lisle {already on my wish list}…

…and a graphic Serge Mouille one arm floor lamp…

…and then ground it all with a classic Moroccan Ben Ourain rug…

…and I’d say you’ve got yourself a pretty darn sexy, feminine and fabulous space!

What do you think? Are you into the high-contrast and drama of a black and gold palette? What are your favourite ways to infuse femininity into your space without going all pink and frills?

Hope my musings have left you inspired and thinking about what it means to be a strong, sexy and feminine woman.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|October 15th, 2013|2 Comments

Design Find | New Ravenna Mosaics: Spectacular Designs + Innovative Techniques Mean The Sky Is The Limit!

Every once in awhile a new tile designer comes across my design desk whose product totally wows me, and Sara Baldwin and her company New Ravenna Mosaics has done just that. {I was going to say her designs “floor me,” but the pun was just too painful for such spectacular product.}

These decadent and luxurious mosaics are all created by hand by a team of 120 artisans and designers who work out of the New Ravenna Mosaics studio located in Exmore, Virginia, all under the direction of Founder and Creative Director Sara Baldwin. Using a mix of the traditional Italian hand-cut opus tessallatum technique and the modern day water jet technique, these spectacular patterns range from the lyrical to the geometric and from the graphic to the organic.

I confess that I have a secret Dream House that I am designing {emphasis on dream at the moment}, and I have been searching for quite some time for tile designs to use for a striking front entry – specifically, designs that would compliment the sophistication of a French white oak herringbone or chevron hardwood floor without competing too much. Let’s just say that several of these New Ravenna patterns will be going into my inspiration file for future use.

Working with materials ranging from natural stone and glass to bronze and gold accents, New Ravenna can completely customize any motif, even using the opus vermiculatum technique when necessary {water jet shapes outlined in hand cut pieces}.

Each mosaic is available made-to-measure for an individual installation according to the specifications of the designer or architect. Often, a design is interpreted into a custom colour palette and various materials, like mother of pearl, bronze, gold and glass are combined with marble and natural stone to create a truly bespoke tile application. Translation: The sky is the limit. A designer’s custom tile dreams come true!

If you find yourself thinking a true artist must be at the heart of the development of such a visual stunning line, you are most correct. It was while studying for her MFA in painting that Baldwin visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and fell in love with an ancient Roman mosaic pavement from the third century. Her fascination with the historic art of mosaics led Baldwin to learn for herself the centuries-old traditional mosaic techniques, and this led to the development of the spectacular line of New Ravenna Mosaics today.

How utterly femme-glam is the mirrored ikat mosaic above? {bites palm} Even the softer, ocean-toned ikat below is utterly sexy and glamorous.

Clearly, Sara Baldwin is a woman after my own heart with designs like this chevron pattern, below.

From traditional to modern, from graphic to painterly and even whimsical, Sara Baldwin and her team of artisans and designers at New Ravenna Mosaic have won me over.

Perhaps seeing the possibilities and these innovative designs from New Ravenna Mosaics will expand your imagination and leave you dreaming a little bigger? I know it has for me. In fact, I have no doubt I’ll be dreaming in tile and pattern tonight as I drift off.

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|October 8th, 2013|4 Comments

Design Find | Mural Wallpapers from A-New-Wall {anewall}

Given my passion for art, vintage etchings and wallpaper, today’s Design Find had me at hello. I love the idea of being able to craft an environment that feels like an utter escape into another world, another time. I particularly love doing so in powder rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms: Dining rooms, because they create a context for you and your guests to explore fascinating subject matter in a way that unleashes the imagination. Powder rooms because it is one of the few rooms in the house where you are left alone with your own thoughts, so what a perfect opportunity to dream of far away places for a few lovely moments? Bedrooms because they are the perfect place to create a sense of escape and sanctuary as the context for very sweet dreams.

The beauty of Anewall‘s products is that they offer total customization, so you can take the dimensions of your room, lay out where the doors and windows are located to ensure that the most interesting elements of your mural wallpaper get the best real estate, and then envelope your space in a scene that truly transports the imagination.

Images available range from historic paintings and etchings to more conceptual images, and Anewall will also work with your photographs and images to totally customize any wallpaper or mural your creative little heart could desire.

Stunning, right? The possibilities are truly endless. I so love stumbling upon product design innovators like this! Thank you to the brilliant design team at Anewall for stirring our imaginations into worlds of wonder. Now to find a project where I can use your beautiful product!

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|September 19th, 2013|1 Comment