If the point of upholstery is physical comfort then case goods (tables, chests, console…etc.) focus on our need to store, stack and organize.  And of course to do it with style!

Whether antique or newly manufactured, passed down from Granny or picked up at a tag sale the wood pieces of furniture we bring into our home are necessary for our home to function… Continue reading

Relationships are difficult at best and devastating at their worse.  Evidently the rewards are sufficient to keep us returning to the game, over and over again.  Bring it on!

In response to this mornings post I was asked a simple (ha) question; “What’s the most important rule to follow when arranging furniture?” My day has been a blur of “well, if…” and “but, then…” in an effort to reduce… Continue reading

“Wisdom is knowing what to do next, Skill is knowing how to do it and Virtue is doing it.” David Starr Jordan

Summer is a time for travel and whether you’re off to far flung destinations or remain close to home the process of getting from point A to point B is, to me, intriguing. City planning, whether in urban centers or far-flug hamlets, is a marvel whose brilliance

If god is in the details then to the details we must turn.  Upholstery is the focus of our attention today and I must address my greatest issue with “contemporary upholstery”.

Free from the constraints of tradition, the envelope of upholstery design has been expanded to include angles, radii and dramatically sculpted forms not previously associated with furniture and for good reason.  The art of fine upholstery, as mastered… Continue reading

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“A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.” Sir Barnett Cocks

Turns out even our closest friends can send us shrieking into the night when their furniture selections fly in the face of the principles we espouse.  Where does the inclination to make these purchased come from? In what magazine do pictures appear; seducing… Continue reading

A Legend of American Design: Juan Pablo Molyneux

Since opening my first issue of Architectural Digest as a high school freshman this gentleman’s work has been a source of inspiration and education.  A master of all things classical, his published work is a Masters Class in the design principles we speak of in these postings.  Admittedly opulent, his work demonstrates scale, proportion, harmony and variety in the most… Continue reading

“Success isn’t permanent and failure isn’t fatal.” Mike Ditka

Few things in life are as satisfying as completing a major design project.  After months or, in some cases, years of dreaming, planning and living with the undulating madness that construction and decoration bring to finally banish the last of the workmen, installers, artisans and designers is a cherished moment.  You are alone; walking through the rooms and halls of… Continue reading

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With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Ashleigh Brilliant exclaimed, “Take Courage! Whatever you decide to do, it will probably be the wrong thing.”  With all the good intentions, hard work and experience in the world sometimes we get things wrong.  Even the best make the occasional mistake though most are loath to admit it. The really smart ones… Continue reading

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It appears that a reoccurring theme fuels the fires beneath this afternoon’s addition to the pantheon of design and decorating clichés.  Our cultural obsession with wretched excess is as well documented.  Too much to eat!  Too many plastic surgeries! Too many extra curricular activities! There can be no real surprise when we discover entire collections of home furnishings dedicated to excessive amounts of overblown… Continue reading

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When considering the decoration of houses I am of the opinion that comfort is king.  Life was never promised to us in a neat, easy to swallow pill; the stress, chaos and general madness of our existence suggests to me that when we’re able to manage our environment we would do so with a thought towards an experience of great comfort… Continue reading

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I love books and add to my collection at every opportunity.  A recent book sale at a local village’s library brought considerable enjoyment and a number of gems; some serious literature and one little WC reader (you know….momentary entertainment for the guest bath) titled “Laughing Stock, A Cow’s Guide to Life” (because I’m just that silly).  This quote, pertinent in its… Continue reading

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“Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse.”

Few have had a better seat for observing the arch of tradition in human development than Winston Churchill.  His observation invoking the energy of innovation seals, for me, his position as a wise man.  Nothing reeks of death so much as a stagnate idea.  Is it… Continue reading

Along with the use of glass block the pantheon of decorating and design clichés is populated with a wax-museum like gathering of the over-used and poorly understood.  Clichés exist for a reason; mindless repetition over long periods of time can morph even the most interesting idea into an oddly shaped, poorly executed version of the original.  Many, in this high-visibility group, have held their position as an over-used aspiration for… Continue reading

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“Too much of a good thing” is a concept that enters our conversation here, from time to time.  As we contemplate the “Decorating Time Machine” phenomenon and its tragic offspring we find a collection of design and decorating foibles that have garnered an almost cult standing. They’ve transcended mere professional mishandling and have spring fully… Continue reading

“101 Things I Hate About Your House”

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”

While we’re busy making our homes as beautiful as possible and then hurrying out to live our lives to the fullest (thank you Mr. Hadley for that reminder) fear can threaten our creative efforts.  By studying (yes, effort is required) the principles of good design (8 by my… Continue reading

“I deeply believe that a beautiful decor can have a beneficial influence on our lives.”

A Legend of American Design, Albert Hadley was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He attended Peabody College, Nashville, and is a graduate of and teacher at Parsons School of Design, New York City and Paris. He trained… Continue reading

“A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.”

While researching the LeBron James pictures, posted earlier this week, I came across a these pictures of another New York City home recently on the market (and reduced in price!).  Unlike the Billy Joel owned property which stirred such hope in this sport-novices heart (still hoping… Continue reading

101 Things I Hate About Your House™

Rarely do I shy away from trying something new and today is no exception.  A reader emailed me a suggestion which I find intriguing.  Here’s the concept:  We’ll call it “Top Five Fridays” and each Friday afternoon we’ll post a photograph of a room, sent to us by a reader.  With the post I will list my Top Five Fixes which, if… Continue reading

101 Things I Hate About Your House™

Okay, it’s not that I hate sports, I just lack a certain enthusiasm for most athletic endeavors. What I can muster an astounding degree of energy over is the endless droning associated with the career path of LeBron James. Enough already. That is until just moments ago when I came across images of a piece of real estate Mr. James has been

Today was ‘reader’ day for me; just filled with notes, emails and twits from the amazing people who follow my rants and raves.  I can’t thank you all enough.  So keep them coming.

In a note from a Twitter friend earlier today I was reminded how important contrast can be when clarifying a thought or an idea.  Yes, it is a principle for use in weaving together the remarkable… Continue reading

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”  Might this quote come from your personal diary (we can thank Albert Einstein)?  Might your interest in ideas, concepts and beauty fuel a monumental passion that drives your life?  I hope so.  In the absence of passion life would be just a bit dull.

We’re learning that decorating is not dull. It swirls with a heady mix of ideas… Continue reading

Since pendulums swing two directions and coins have two sides there must be a balancing extreme to the myopic obsession of the ‘Themed Interior’; and as it turns out, there is.  The ‘Eclectic Interior’ provides the whacked-out balance required to tell the other end of the story.  Where a ‘Themed Interior’ demands adherence to a specific visual reference; the loosey-goosey school of Eclectic Interiors sheds all references in favor of… Continue reading

101 Things I Hate About Your House™

The world of fashion has always intrigued me. The immediacy, urgency and bold statements seen in the haute couture collections fuels an industry and drives sales. It is pure theatre. What’s not to love? But theatre isn’t real life and I don’t want to live on a stage set. Turns out I’m just as captivated by the gracious nuances of lime-washed wood floor

101 Things I Hate About Your House™

“A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied with an excellency of heart.” Henry Fielding

Creating beauty in our home and lives is a full time occupation. When it comes from the heart even the small things matter. Which I why “I hate a room that lacks tables near chairs and sofas. Without this small convenience I’d rather not linger”.

As a kid we’d laugh that it was far better for an apple to have two holes than one.  The staccato track of laughter accompanying the quick apple inventory provided the back-beat for this often repeated schoolyard ritual.  Two holes; worm is gone.  One hole and you may very well have company.

To anyone who cares I’m raising the red flag of warning.  The… Continue reading