Subdued Style Key West

We're currently working on a proposal for a lovely space with a subdued color palette.


A quick peek at the furniture...

This table...


...with these chairs:


(sorry for the tiny picture - but I only had a thumbnail)

And this coffee table for the living room:


Did you recognize that zebra print fabric? It's one of our favorite neutrals from Jackie VonTobel.

We can't include all details now - but if things work out, we may eventually be able to post pictures of the finished product.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cottage Chinoiserie?

I've always been drawn to Chinoiserie in design. Both in my home and in my work. Such as in my collection of Chinese rose famille porcelains and several Chinese tables. For clients I often used black lacquer Chinoiserie tables and furniture, and screens with fretwork designs.

All that stopped when we came to the tropics because it seemed out of place. But inspired by Anne Harwell's designs, I searched and found these rattan Chinoiserie chairs which I love.



The rattan makes them tropical and yet they give the oriental flavor. We also like the fretwork design of the fabric.

Oh - and those pretty flowers?


My mothers day gift from Kate. Hope you're having a lovely week.

Seaside Inspiration

(We picked a winner for the birthday giveaway this weekend. Congratulations Averill!)

I was browsing through the Thibaut Wallpaper and Fabrics website this weekend and found many designs with sea inspiration:

Okay - those last two weren't particularly aquatic - but I just thought they were cute.

I really love textile design (another one for the list of parallel life careers - fabric designer!) and how better to view the various lines than in a beautifully styled room set?

Thibaut offers a great photo gallery for design inspiration. Or at least just a little eye candy - which is never a bad thing on a Monday morning.

Have a great week!

A Tale of Two Bedrooms

We recently completed two bedrooms in a Key West home, and couldn't be happier with the results.

The client wanted something feminine for a second bedroom, but needed to achieve a stronger, more man-friendly statement for the master bedroom.

As you can see, we went with a feminine, French style in this guest bedroom:

Those dark walls needed a little contrast and the upholstered and painted furniture did this nicely. Subtle colors and traditional prints along with some warm yellow accents pulled everything together.

Then in the master bedroom, we left "cozy" behind.


When you admire pretty spaces, but share a bedroom with a man who needs large, sturdy furniture suited to broad shoulders and long legs, you may assume that you need to choose between the two. But this is far from the truth. While ruffles and floral prints may not be appropriate, strong furniture statements with a pretty wall color and coordinating textiles makes for a very satisfying compromise. This elegant four poster bed appealed to both husband and wife, and the chocolate stripe in the Pine Cone Hill bedding tied in nicely with the dark wood. A simple love seat with delicate pillows softened the room without taking away from the clean lines.

It's always a challenge to design personal spaces for couples, but this came together beautifully. And knowing that your clients are equally thrilled with their room is doubly rewarding.

Hats, Horses and Cancer Research

Saturday night's Derby Gala in Key West was a huge success!

The Style Key West crew had a great time as you can see in these pictures:

Terry in his Kentucky Colonel suit

Jo in her Southern Belle finery

Jo and Caroline in the hats they made for the occasion

The Gang of Three in front of The Horse, a life size prop (too bad the photographer cut most of him out of the picture).

The evening was great fun with lots of raffles, betting, auctions both silent and live. Most importantly thousands of dollars were made for cancer research - a cause very dear to my heart.

Outdoor Spaces (and a giveaway announcement)

First - I just wanted to announce that the giveaway (see HERE for details) for pajamas or throw pillows will be open a bit longer. Due to some computer issues - I will most likely be offline for the week. Hopefully, the repairs will be minimal - but I'm planning for a full five business days of computer exile.

But before I go...here are some lovely outdoor living spaces - an important part of Key West culture:

I love the coral pillows here:


These companion shots look so wonderfully unstudied. I could easily see a lunch of bread and cheese with wine and then a snooze on a chaise happening here:



A bit more grand...but I can still see some great gatherings taking place here. I would pick a corner spot on the couch and tuck my feet under me. All alone? Curling up with a book sounds pretty good too - especially if there is a nice breeze:


Not exactly my style - but I love all of the color. I'd call it casual glamour:


The symmetry of this space is really appealing to me. And I LOVE those chairs in the foreground - but I don't know if they look very outdoor-friendly... Maybe they only come outside for guests and room stylists:


This one is CLASSIC Key West. That painted porch ceiling? Love it!


Hmmm. Not a fan of the uncomfortable looking chairs in this one... But I'm crazy about that iron and tile table, and the blue and yellow display is charming:


These last two could fit very well in Key West homes. Light and airy and somewhat eclectic. And COMFORTABLE!



Okay - wish me luck with my computer. And have a great week!





Images from House Beautiful, DecorPad and Coastal Living.

My Old Kentucky Home

Several months ago the American Cancer Society here in Key West asked me to volunteer on their gala committee because it was going to be on May 1st...Derby Day! I'm always ready for a celebration on Derby Day, so I agreed. Key Westers know how to party, but nothing compares to Derby Day in the Bluegrass State.

The Derby Festival actually begins several weeks ahead of The Derby, and includes balloon races, deafening fireworks displays, steamboat races and the chow wagon (don't ask..it's just what it sounds like, funnel cakes and all). But on the first Saturday in May, Kentuckians travel back to a gentler time to celebrate the most exciting two minutes in sports in much the same way as they have for 136 years.

The day begins with a Derby Breakfast at the Governor's Mansion and on the grounds of the State Capitol in Frankfort (my hometown).



The breakfast is free--the governor's gift to the citizens--and artisans display their wares while girls dressed in belle gowns stroll the grounds. The race is called the Run for the Roses, but on the capitol grounds it's all about the tulips and our famous floral clock.


While the citizens are enjoying the breakfast at the Capitol, the Governor's Derby Train is on the tracks in downtown Frankfort in front of the Old Capitol waiting to carry the governor and his guests to Louisville to The Derby.




On occasion I've met folks who assume that since I'm from Kentucky then I must be a hillbilly. I sweetly inform them that where I'm from, the horse barns are more elegant than than some homes where they may be from.


This is actually a horse stall that my former associates and I decorated at a horse farm for a fundraiser.


But back to the Derby...Probably the most well known symbol of the The Derby is the Mint Julep.


It is quite tasty--it's a Mojito with Bourbon instead of rum, and the official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby is Woodford Reserve.


The Woodford Reserve Distillery is absolutely beautiful, as are all the distilleries in Kentucky, with the exception of some moonshine operations in the mountains. If you ever find yourself in Kentucky, a distillery tour is a worthwhile adventure.

So, even though I have a Derby Party to attend, I am a little homesick for country ham and biscuits, an icy cold mint julep, and of course, the stars of the day...



Happy Derby Day, Y'all!