Showing posts with label Equestrian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Equestrian. Show all posts

Texas Beauty

These Texan saloon doors where so gorgeous, they deserved their own post. 


It's enough to make me want to move to the country and raise horses.
Breath taking...

{image via Pinterest}

Don't Mess With Texas

I am off for a week and headed to the Lonestar State to visit family, eat some Bar-B-Q, and play at a theme park or two.  Texas wouldn't be the first state I would think of as 'high style'  but they definitely have their own thing going.  Don't believe me? Take a look:














My goal is to bring back some vintage cowboy boots to pair with light ruffled sundresses.  
Keep your fingers crossed for me! San Antonio and Austin here I come!!!

{images via Pinterest, WeHeartIt & FGR}

Can This Be Made Into A Room? Elle France

As I've said before, I'm a boot-aholic.  Nothing is more stylish, flattering, and not to mention functional in these cold winter months.  When I came across this image from the December 2010 issue of Elle France, I knew I had to turn it into a room! 


I love the mix of the light and feminine against the rich and masculine materials.   The outfit has a Spanish flair to it, kind of like a modern-day flamenco dancer turned equestrian.  I started my room by pairing handsomely tailored Spanish Baroque-style leather wing chairs (vintage, 1stDibs) with a modern-day leather day bed (William-SonomaHome).  Aren't these pieces what you picture when you hear the word 'masculine'?  Just me? Maybe I'm the only one who thinks of the world in terms of furniture...

Anywho, here is the design tip of the day.  Always mix an unexpected element into a room.  An easy way to do this is to add a modern piece, like the daybed, into a traditional room and vise-versa. Now, this can be tricky.  At least once a week I see clients trying to mix modern and traditional together, but if it's not done the correct way, it just looks hodge-podge.  Make sure there is some consistency between the two styles, like the chocolate leather and clean silhouettes of both chairs and day bed.  By mixing periods, you get a more 'collected' look, rather than 'I-bought-the-vignette-off-the-showroom-floor' look.  Much more chic. 



To ground the room I would add a large Persian rug and make sure at least 6" of the chairs and daybed are either on or off the rug (I highly recommend on. Remember this tip?).  I would then dress all the windows in tapestry panels with solid almond-colored sheers, reminiscent of our model's brocade jacket over the lacy blouse.  Windows are always a great place to layer!  For a little more femininity, I would add bunches of down pillows with flamenco ruffles, paisley patterns, and accented in tassels.  Add an elegant Spanish side table from the 1920's (1stDibs) and accessorize it with a regal horse statue (RestorationHardware) for a little more Spanish charm. 

Doesn't it seem like there's a certain something missing?  If you were wondering where all the lighting went, you have a designer's eye!  I'd love to have your opinion on what style of general lighting you'd like to see in this room.  Here are three choices, so leave me a comment to let me know your favorite!

Option 1:

1920's Wrought Iron Spanish Chandelier via 1st Dibs

Option 2:
Classic 1920's Iron and Mica Pendant Fixture via 1st Dibs
(I would use either two side by side, or use three in a grouping all hung at different lengths.)


Option 3:

Foucault's Iron Orb Chandelier via Restoration Hardware

I can't wait to hear what you think! I'll announce the results on Monday, so stay tuned!!

Design Legend: Ralph Lauren

One of the greatest legends of design is Ralph Lauren.

No one designs inspiring spaces quite like Mr. Lauren. While most designers spend years, decades, and even an entire lifetime pursuing a signature "look," Ralph Lauren reinvents himself quite regularly.  Style genres he has visited include:

English Country

Equestrian

Hampton

Rocky Mountain Rustic

Tropical

Parisian
And my personal favorite, Chic Contemporary

Audrey Hepburn said "Ralph has given American design a distinctive point of view and dignity.  He has given us the romance of the West, the glamour of Hollywood, the adventure of a safari, the purity of New England, the ease of a modern beach house, the richness of an English manor, only better than we imagined them."

This is what I aspire to be as a designer.   With world full of diverse beauty, why stick with one aesthetic?  Now this doesn't mean I encourage one to have every room of their house a different style (this could get a little schizo), but one should try to find beauty where ever they are or whatever their personal style is.

What is your favorite Ralph Lauren look?