Hi, it’s Gabrielle from Savvy Home here again! Easter has me thinking about the ultimate gathering space: the dining room. Maybe it’s the coming of Spring or Easter influences, but when I decided to share a dining room before this weekend’s celebrations this soft pink dining room by Celerie Kemble immediately came to mind.

A dining room should be inviting and comfortable. It should inspire conversation and exchange, and it should look just as great in the daytime (for brunches and lunches) and at night (for long dinners). I think this dining room achieves exactly that, and we can only assume that the room is equally beautiful and glamorous at night.

Dining rooms often look awkward because it’s the only room that consists of placing a bulky bundle of furniture smack in the middle of the room. But there are many ways to make the dining room more coherent and cozy. Let’s look at a few aspects of this room that make it a successful dining room, to help you achieve the same result in your own home.

1. The soft pink grasscloth wallpaper gives the room texture and makes it a happy and warm place.

2. The vintage murano chandelier makes a big statement with it’s edgy shape.

3. The neutral linen curtains help soften the pink walls and are sheer enough to let the light in.

4. Oversized art is a must in the dining room because the walls would be otherwise largely empty. Don’t be afraid to use lots of patterns and colors.

5. The buffet is low and wide, which fits well with the architecture and the shape of the room.

6. Fresh Flowers always brighten up a room. Use them on the buffet instead of the table for something new.

7. Dining room chairs must above all be comfortable, so they need a soft seat. These low back chairs also engage people by enticing them not to lean back.

8. For something different with your centrepiece, why not try whimsical pottery like these porcelain artichokes?

9. A large rug that takes up most of the floorspace is essential to making the room seem more inviting and anchored. Sisal rugs are great because they’re inexpensive and easy to clean. Calculate at least two feet of rug space around the dinner table.

10. Whether you want a round, oval or rectangular table, calculate a minimum of three feet around the table for circulation. This raw and massive wooden table counterbalance the feminine edge of the room.

What do you think of this room? Do you love it, hate it or somewhere in between?

See you next week!

Gabrielle | Savvy Home

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Hi, it’s Gabrielle from Savvy Home here again! You guys. Have you seen the latest issue of Matchbook? I’ve been a longtime fan of Bailey McCarthy of Peppermint Bliss (see her previous houses here and here), but her new house literally blew my mind. More specifically, her living room blew my mind.

This room may seem a little too quirky for some, but humor me: It’s warm, cozy and timeless but the quirky elements brings it back to the present and brings a smile to my face. It’s a great demonstration that design shouldn’t be taken too seriously. No one’s having the Queen of England over for dinner anytime soon. Are you?

1. The walls are warmed up with a perfect shade of camel.

2. The candles in the fireplace are cozy and much more convenient than an actual fire!

3. The Stark Antelope carpet is a splurge and a half, but what an impact!

4. The crisp white ottoman provides a rest for the eyes among all the colors and patterns.

5. Once again, the blue and white garden stool proves one more time that they really work everywhere.

6. Who could say no to a vintage LV trunk in lieu of a coffee table?

7. The green velvet sofa sofa. Need I say more?

8. The gallery wall is well composed and visually interesting.

9. Please. The sheep stool. A mid-century classic.

10. I always say: add one quirky element to a room that people will talk about. This room has at least 10, including the sheep, the dog, the walrus, the indian chef headpiece and the smoking cat.

What do you think of the quirky elements in this room? Yay or Nay?
 
Gabrielle | Savvy Home

 
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An iconic piece, the Pedro Friedeberg mahogany Hand Chair makes a statement in Kyle DeWoody's living room

“When it comes to dressing myself or my apartment, I’d say my objective is cohesion, comfort, and a bit of playfulness,” says Kyle DeWoody, the 27-year-old creative director and cofounder of the art-meets-design store Grey Area. Her colorful apartment, situated in New York’s Greenwich Village, boasts a mix of designer pieces and discount, flea-market finds with an emphasis on modern lines, metals, and art. “Every apartment I lived in has developed differently.”- Vogue 

I love every single item of this apartment; the vibrant colours and white walls, the vintage finds, the iconic pieces curated with flair and style, and the personal style of Kyle DeWoody herself in the apartment! I will let the pictures speak for themselves and share with you, at the same time, a few excerpts of the interview she gave to Vogue.

How cute is the Mid-century Brass Lobster sitting pretty on the coffee table?

An avid art collector, DeWoody is also keen on mixing thrifty finds with contemporary designer pieces. “I like to mix modern and vintage throughout my apartment,” she says. “In this room, Donna Wilson pillows from The Future Perfect sit on a 1950s sofa.”

Tom Dixon copper shade pendant light, $610 at ABC Home in NYC

DeWoody found the 1970's bar cart in a vintage shop for 75$!

I love the Nos Da pillow cushions on the bed ($118 each)

“My passion for art, objects, and interesting pieces is why I do the work I do, so it wouldn’t make sense for me not to express that in my apartment.”

source: Vogue photographed by Claiborne Swanson Frank, Interiors Stylist by Chiara de Rege

They called them the Hollywood Golden stars of the silver screen. Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, Joan Crawford, & Wiliam Haines (remember that name.. he’s important in the story) lit the screen in lavish Art Deco sets outfitted in gold accents and mirrored vanities and consoles. It was all  about the glamour!

A bit of history…

William Haines, the first openly gay Hollywood actor, saw his career abruptly come to an end in a dispute with MGM’s Louis B. Mayer who ripped his contract in 1936. Prior to receiving he boot, Haines & his life partner had opened an antique store in 1930 and went on dedicating their lives to design after Haines’ movie career came to an end. Early clients included Joan Crawford & Carole Lombard who propelled him to designer stardom and made him largely responsible for what we call today the “Hollywood Regency Style”. Years later, he went on to create his own line of furniture, further refined his signature style and all that jazz…

After meeting the “father” of this style let me introduce it’s mother (which need no introduction you will agree): Dorothy Draper. “Dorothy Draper was the first to “professionalize” the interior design industry by establishing, in 1923, the first interior design company in the United States, something that until then was unheard of, and also at a time when it was considered daring for a woman to go into business for herself.” – Dorothy Draper.com

She had a flair for the dramatic and theatrical and was instrumental in what became known as Hollywood Regency. While William Haines worked on a small scale, Dorothy Draper became well known for her over scaled and brightly colored versions of classic traditional rooms, her love for checkered floors, intricate mirrors, and lacquered doors.

Far from being extinct, this over-the-top style has seen modern day a revival with designers such as Kelly Wearstler (also Jonathan Adler). Bold, graphic, colourful, and detail oriented, the designer embodies to the “T” the era and its decadent glamour.

The practical approach…

Design history is fine and dandy, but how can one get the same look in their own humble abode?

Here are my 5 tips on bringing some glamour into your own home… whether you are a millionaire (maybe) or not (most likely).

1) Scaled down: In the age of the ginormous sectional sofa, the Hollywood Regency style is a bit of an exercise. Think of smaller pieces, arranged in groupings favouring conversation.

2) Go bold or go home: In terms of colour, don’t be shy, the more the merrier. Rich reds, yellows, greens & purples all give out a regal effect and are very well suited in luxurious textures such as velvet and plush area rugs.

3) Lustrous lacquer: Think “lipgloss” effect on all the furniture & architectural elements such as doors & mouldings.

4) Go for timeless pieces: if money is no object, invest in Dorothy Draper or William Haines pieces. They are true collectables and will only see their value increase over the next few decades. If you want a more affordable splurge, find a vintage Chippendale-inspired chair to put at a small desk (paint it in a glossy colour for extra points), a Chinoiserie mirror, an ornate brass chandelier, or some oversize porcelain animals just for show.

5) Hollywood or bust: finally, I have to keep my last tip for the one that will make the look: GLAMOUR! Mirrored surfaced, gilded accents, bold wallpaper with matching drapes, it is all about the luxe feeling. A note of caution though, I use the word luxe here as including the luxury of comfort. Hollywood Regency is all about conversation and meets & greets, and your guests will not want to sit around and lounge in a decor that looks like a curated room in a museum.

source: Kelly Weartsler