Fabulous Room Friday 09.03.10

Can you believe it’s already September? I must admit, I am freaking out a little bit because I have been hard at work for the past few months on a new project that I hope to announce very, very soon (stay tuned!) and it seems like each month goes by more quickly than the last.

In the meantime, I haven’t been able to get David Kaihoi’s gorgeous, teeny-tiny apartment out of my mind since I first laid my eyes on it in the August issue of House Beautiful. I’m not usually a fan of purple, but it looks so regal and luxe in this space, doesn’t it? I think it comes from the addition of black in the room. The glamorous chandelier doesn’t hurt either.

{Kaihoi had a corner banquette custom-designed in order to maximize the space in his family’s living room. The walls are Purple Haze by Benjamin Moore}

{The same space doubles as the family’s dining room, which is accomplished through the addition of a table. The red Tripp Trapp high chair by Stokke looks fantastic in the setting. Though I must admit, I have no idea how a baby would sit in it. Is it safe?}

 

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

 

Image Credit: House Beautiful

The Style Files: Erika Powell of Urban Grace

{The Beautiful and Talented, Erika Powell}

When I discovered Erika’s blog, Urban Grace a couple of years ago, I couldn’t get enough. I immediately loved her taste and was so impressed by her talent. The homes she designs are classic and gorgeous. And as far as kitchen and bathroom design goes, it’s as if she crawled into my head and designed my dream rooms! Her talent and calculating eye for design are one thing, but Erika’s personality emanates through her blog making it and her even more likable. She is sweet, warm, and self-deprecating: qualities which make her so charming. Pair that with her extraordinary talent and you have someone to watch! It’s no wonder that she’s a favorite of countless bloggers and her work has been published in magazines like Coastal Living and Southern Living.

Name: Erika McPherson Powell

Occupation: Designer, Blogger, Momma, Wife, Twin Sister

Hometown: Hmmmm. Norfolk, VA, Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL, Louisville, KY... all of the above. The easy answer I usually give is Louisville, Kentucky.

Current City: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

LDV: What inspired you to begin your career in interior design?

EP: My parents. They used to drag us to antique shows, flea markets, and renovated every house we ever lived in. I despised it. Until I got to college and woke up one morning and realized the degree I was pursuing wasn't really what I wanted, so I transferred to Interior Design.

LDV: What do you love most about it? What is the most challenging aspect?

EP: I love change and transformation... I get to see it in action every single day. Most challenging... sometimes clients can't see the end product and require a lot of counseling along the way. It's hard enough to be creative and design a beautiful space but then when you add the psychology of having to talk the client into it and help then envision the end product is challenging at times.

LDV: Where do you find inspiration?

EP: Nature, books, magazines, traveling, art, the world wide web.

{A Home Designed by Steven Gambrel}

LDV: Who are some of your personal style icons?

EP: Thomas O'Brien, Steven Gambrel, and Victoria Hagan.

LDV: How would you describe your own style?

EP: Classic, yet casual and inviting.

LDV: What is the trait you most admire in a person?

EP: Sense of humor.

LDV: What is your principal weakness?

EP: Tardiness.

LDV: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

EP:  My friend Marla encouraged me to hire help. That was the best advice ever.

LDV: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

EP: I won the flexed arm hang contest during National Physical Fitness week in high school.

LDV: What is your idea of living “la dolce vita”?

EP: Life is pretty sweet at this moment, I have a job I love. A team of people who I also love. A supportive husband and a sweet, healthy daughter.

 

Bloom: Pink Giant Cactus Zinnias

Food: Pancakes, especially when served at dinner time.

Drink: Peach Fresca.

Thing to Wear: Jeans. I just bought some jeggings, which is a bit frightening, but true.

Destination: My parents farm in Southern Illinois.

Season: Fall and Spring.

Meal: Crab Cakes at The Red Bar

Musician: Gillian Welch

{Plates with artwork by Shelley Hesse, commissioned by Anthropologie}

Artist: this is always changing... just saw the work of Shelley Hesse in the last issue of Garden & Gun and am enamored.

Film: Best In Show

Television Show: I don't watch much tv... but when I do I watch weird shows like Obsessed, Intervention, and Breaking Bad.

Book: Too many to list.

{A Living Room featured in Coastal Living}

Magazines: Elle Decor, Lonny, Garden and Gun, Southern Living, Coastal Living, House Beautiful, Traditional Home... pretty much like them all!

Blogs:

Mrs.Blandings: http://mrsblandings.blogspot.com/

My twin sister's: http://www.flythroughourwindow.com/

Katy Elliott: http://www.katyelliott.com/blog/

Simple+Pretty: http://simple-pretty.com/

Cupcakes & Cashmere: http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/

Texture: soft quilts

Fabric or Pattern: Lately I have been enjoying Mally Skok's designs. They are classic with a twist and her combination of colors is fresh and exciting.

Color: Green

Scent: Bond No. 9 The Scent of Peace, Fresh's Hesperides, and Fresh's Citron de Vigne

Extravagance: bubble bath with glass of wine and a book or magazine.

Quote: I recently blogged about Sambo Mockbee. I was struck by a quote in a book on his Rural Studio that I read years ago and have always had taped to my bulletin board...
"Goodness is more important than greatness, and compassion more eventful than passion."

 

Images via Urban Grace unless otherwise noted.

LDV House Tour: Knight Moves

My sweet friend, Kyle writes the fabulous blog, Knight Moves. She started writing it after moving into her current house a little over a year ago. Since then, she has shared her decorating experiences with her readers. Ever since I started reading her blog, I have wanted to share her gorgeous place with La Dolce Vita and today, I’ll be doing just that. Kyle has such an amazing sense of style and if that weren’t enough, she knows how to spot a great deal. A lot of the items in her Dallas home are DIY projects or great bargains, though you never would have guessed it by the luxe look of the house. Thank you, Kyle for giving us a peek into your gorgeous, fabulously designed home!

{Kyle’s entry features an antique marble-topped commode and mirror, both of which are antiques. The ginger jar is from Williams Sonoma Home and the fabulous rug is from Frontgate.}

{View from Kyle’s Entry into the Dining Room: The scroll arm chair on the right is a family antique, the black rug is from One Kings Lane, and the orange rug is from a Persian dealer. The Linen setee on the right is from Wisteria.}

{This sofa, which looks similar to the one from Z Gallerie I posted about recently, is from Macy’s. The pillows are from Ballard Designs and West Elm. The ginger jar lamp is belonged to her grandparents, but Kyle painted it to go with the colors in this room. The bowl is from Jill Rosenwald and get this…she made the starburst mirror herself using a convex mirror from Target and a bunch of skinny dowels!}

{Doesn’t Kyle have great seating in her house? This sofa is from Calico Corners. I love the big nailheads! The pillows are from Williams Sonoma Home, the zig zag throw is from Nate Berkus’ HSN line, and the botanical prints are from Taschen’s Temple of Flora book.}

{The other side of the formal living area features a setee from Wisteria with a great assortment of pillows from Williams Sonoma Home and West Elm. The mirror is from Z Gallerie. The palm frond vessel is from Wisteria. Isn’t the fireplace screen fantastic? It’s from eBay and best of all, the campaign-style cocktail table was only $40 at Pier 1.}

{I love Kyle’s dining chairs, which came from Restoration Hardware and go so well with her custom-made table. The glamorous chandelier is from Z Gallerie and the lovely china cabinet is from Macy’s and is no longer available. The lamps and mirror over the console are both from Homegoods and the fabulous striped rugs is composed of FLOR tiles!}

{Kyle painted the inside of these shelves a beautiful peacock blue, which looks fantastic with the series of pitchers from Crate and Barrel.}

{The bright kitchen features classic white cabinetry and a metal drum shade lighting fixture from the Wisteria outlet.}

{Kyle seems to have accomplished the seemingly impossible: finding a stylish sectional! Hers came from Sherrill. I love the way she mixes different pillows. The Greek key pillow is from Ballard. The cocktail table is made from an antique cart and her pretty turquoise lamps are from Homegoods.}

{I love the pops of orange in this room, including the lovely cloisonné lamp by Jamie Young from Layla Grace.}

{I love the masculine leather chair in the background. Kyle found it at the Wisteria outlet. The grey throw is Hermes and the cute lucite table tray next to the chair is from Zara Home. I wish we had those in the states!}

{I love the look of this guest bedroom! The fabulous suzani rug is from the Wisteria outlet. I must go there ASAP! It seems like they have great things, judging from Kyle’s home. The orange pillow is from Z Gallerie and the crewel chams are from Pottery Barn. The tole chandelier is from Kyle’s grandmother’s house, but she painted it glossy black to update it.}

{The second guest room is also beautiful and has a very boutique hotel vibe. The campaign bedside table is from Pier 1 and the chandelier was what the previous owners of the house had in the dining room. I like it so much better in here!}

{The classic, monogrammed linens look fantastic with the black and white euro shams from Ikea. The bedside lamps is from the Arteriors warehouse sale and the antiqued mirrors above the bed are from Crate and Barrel.}

{The last guest bedroom is the smallest of the three. Kyle recently gave it a makeover by adding a combination of orange and peacock blue elements. The reversible lattice bedding and curtains are from a $25 duvet set from Wal-Mart! Kyle simply used curtain rings to hang the duvets as curtains. I told you she had amazing ideas!}

{Kyle’s study features a fabulous Greek key rug from Frontgate and sawhorse desks from Ikea. She had glass cut to cover the desks’ stainless steel tops. The chairs are from Restoration Hardware and match the ones she has in the dining room. Finally, the Sputnik chandelier is from Z Gallerie.}

{Kyle and her husband have a collection of Arts and Architecture magazines from the 1940s-1960s hung in their study. It would be so fun to flip through them!}

{The elegant master bedroom features a sumptuous bed from Z Gallerie, a rug by Jonathan Adler, striped bench from Ballard, and linens and crystal lamps from Restoration Hardware.}

{I love the inlaid bone mirror from Wisteria and the antique nailhead stool that Kyle bought at Round Top.}

{Kyle completed her patio project this summer. The sofa is from CB2, while the black cushions are from Ballard Designs. The pretty, graphic pillows are from Williams Sonoma Home and the Sunbrella curtains are from Pottery Barn. We get so much direct sun on our patio, that I would love to emulate what Kyle has done with the curtains on her patio.}

 

To see more of Kyle’s home and follow her adventures in decorating, visit her blog, Knight Moves and follow her on Twitter @KnightMovesBlog.

Could you use Kevin Sharkey’s help in designing your home?

Kevin Sharkey, the Senior Vice President and Executive Editorial Director of Decorating for Martha Stewart Living and Executive Creative Director, Merchandising for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia recently revealed his fabulous, newly-decorated apartment in the magazine. (See it here) His harmonious home features beautiful furnishings and a lovely color palette that is ideal for showcasing his collection of abstract art.

Kevin recently discussed his design influences for the apartment with AOL’s ShelterPop. Among them are bento boxes, Karl Lagerfeld, and his magnificent views of Manhattan. The best part is, he also teamed up with them to give one lucky reader a personalized color consultation along with free paint from Martha Stewart’s line for Home Depot. How amazing would it be to tell people that Kevin Sharkey picked out the paint in your home?For more details and to enter the contest, visit ShelterPop.

 

Image Credit: Martha Stewart Living

Love it or Leave it: Whimsical Bedrooms

{This gorgeous bedroom by David Kaihoi marries the classic and whimsical looks beautifully. It was recently featured in House Beautiful.}

When it comes to bedroom, what look do you typically gravitate towards: whimsical or classic? I usually favor classic, tailored rooms with a few glamorous details. However, I think there is something to be said about whimsical rooms with yards and yards of printed fabrics. Do you thrive in this type of space or are you a little more Type A, like myself? The dilemma for me is that while I love the fun, whimsical look of rooms like these, I don’t think I could fully relax in such a space. So, when it comes to whimsical bedrooms, do you love the look or would you rather leave it?

{Image Source}

{Bedroom by Elaine Griffin}

  {Miles Redd via Domino}

{Gene Meyer and Frank de Biasi via House Beautiful}

{Kathryn Ireland via House Beautiful}