Darryl Carter's DC Home

I really enjoy getting my design magazine subscriptions in the mail... but sometimes I'm a little impatient and end up checking things out online beforehand, as was the case this month, I was blown away by Darryl Carter's DC home in Elle Decor.


An elegant limestone Beaux Arts building on Embassy Row dating from 1910 and once the chancery of the sultanate of Oman. The contents of its rooms have been cut nearly in half in the past several years, while the subtle textures the decorator has always employed have given way to an even more refined aesthetic. The bright colors he formerly embraced in his art collection—among the most notable was a dramatic lemon-yellow painting presiding over one wall of the dining room—are now replaced with muted shades that match the rest of the house’s palette, mainly biscuit, linen, and palest gray, all offset with dark accents and fields of chalk-white.

A wall relief by Margaret Boozer and a 19th-century grand piano in the living room:


Reclaimed Belgian shutters from Added Oomph! and an 18th-century Regency table in the living room; the polished-poured-cement cocktail tables are by Boozer, the circa-1920 sofa is upholstered in an Edelman leather, and the sisal is by Stark Carpet:


The library’s wing chair served as the inspiration for the Wesex wing chair by Darryl Carter for Thomasville; the Carlton House desk is antique:


An antique Italian étagère in the kitchen:

The dining room’s concrete table is by Bevara Design House; the gilt mirror is antique:

In the breakfast room the light fixture is 19th century, and the floor is French limestone:

Architectural fragments are displayed in front of a pair of bathtubs salvaged from the Russian embassy. The secretary is 18th century:

A porter chair and desk in the master bedroom; a bronze sculpture sits atop a vintage Parsons table, and the convex mirror is 19th century:

In the master bedroom, antique bordello doors behind the bed:

The vanity in the master bath was adapted from a 20th-century server:

In a guest room, a wing chair from Vilnis & Co. Antiques is upholstered in a Manuel Canovas fabric:

For more information go to:
http://www.pointclickhome.com

My very first painting!

Wow.... what a month! I have been very busy with lots of lovely clients (old and new ones). I love my job! I especially enjoy meeting new people and was totally blessed when James Bacchi and Annette Schutz appeared into my life, as if by magic, a couple of weeks ago! James had contacted me saying he had enjoyed my post on the Millennium Tower project on the 52nd Floor and told me that it was his and Annette's gallery, ArtHaus, who had provided the artwork there. He then extended an invitation to visit their gallery. What a gallery! If you are in San Francisco I highly recommend you take a look around.

So, as you can see by my photos.... I fell in love!! I just had to buy this painting. It's the first time I have purchased a painting of this size and it's stunning. It's called Sunshine and was painted by fellow interior designer Gioi Tran of Applegate Tran Interiors.

Do you love it too?

Haymarket Hotel, London

I think I'm coming to the end of telling you all about my trip to London. In the evening of the day I arrived (!) Libby decided to drag a somewhat jetlagged moi to have a cocktail (or was it two!) at the Haymarket Hotel - slap bang in the middle of Piccadilly. I was so pleased she did too! The decor was stunning.

Here's the Brumus Bar where we sat - the wallpaper is also on the ceiling too (which is great because I loathe those sprinklers and vents on show):


The Brumus restaurant:



Tim and Kit Kemp's company The Firmdale Group has no less than 6 hotels in London and they have just opened one in New York (another favourite city of mine!).

This is the reception area:


The pool and spa:


Private meeting/function room:


Afternoon tea (oh so English):

And finally, a selection of their rooms - all designed by Kit. I like that she's not afraid of colour and love how she upholsters the chairs with two fabrics:

By the way, I had a watermelon cocktail ;o)

For more details check out their website:
http://www.firmdale.com/

Millennium Towers (Part III)

Here are the last photos of my Millennium Towers post. I've merged together the final three apartments.

I love Shelby de Quesada's foyer in 52B. The art deco furniture, the subtle wall treatments and best of all the art work - it's like Napolean meets Vivienne Westwood. I remember the same art work used in the master bedroom at the Met House in Pacific Heights and loved them then too:

Kensington & Associate's library:

Joel Hendler's living room was rather grand and his use of wall colour amazing. I managed to chat to him on the day of my visit, he used the dark grey/blue wall colour to offset the bright lights from the gorgeous view both by day and night:

Nancy Van Natta Associate's dining room was very dramatic:

Owen Design Associate's master bedroom was dreamlike:

Jeff Ryan Interiors' amazing design in the guest bedroom:

Eden Wright Design's foyer in 52C:

Martha Angus' Barbie pink bedroom:

Ann Getty & Associates designed the foyer in 52D. I loved the Hermes orange pots:

The Charles de Lisle Workshop did a fabulous eclectic design in the living room:

For me, Martin-Richards Interiors did the best job. I really loved the oversized art work, the wall colour and the innovative rope lighting. It all seemed fresh and new and exciting:

Applegate Tran Interiors' master bedroom:

Finally, William Racke Studio Inc did a stunning design in the powder room: