Book, Books and More Books!

While searching for a book on Amazon the other day, I came across a plethora of new books coming out this fall.  Good thing I just ordered more bookshelves.  It looks like I'm going to need them! 

The first is Live, Love & Decorate by interior designer Maryn Lawrence Bullard.  I think most people were introduced to Martyn on Million Dollar Decorators which I hope comes back for a second season.  I always appreciated it when he would explain his design process to his assistant and clients.  Some called him a "name dropper" but if my clients included Ellen Pompeo, Cher, Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne, and Tamara Mellon, I'd be dropping them too.  Modesty is nice and all but it doesn't pay the bills.  Oh, and Sir Elton John wrote the foreword. 

I love interior designer Katie Ridder's use of color and pattern and can't wait to own her book, Katie Ridder: Rooms.  That wall color on the cover already makes me want to repaint my entire apartment.

Interior designer Celerie Kemble also has a new book coming out November 1, 2011, Black and White (and a Bit in Between): Timeless Interiors, Dramatic Accents, and Stylish Collections.  I haven't seen it yet but the description sounds interesting.  In the book, Celerie "trades in her signature vivid palette for this iconic aesthetic, highlighting the black and white work of design stars and peers. With more than 350 gorgeous color photographs, this is a vividly photographed celebration of a timeless scheme, infused with inspirational tips, glimpses into showstopping homes, and proof that a limited palette is anything but." 

I'm also looking forward to David Kleinberg's upcoming book Traditional Now due out September 27, 2011. David worked for Parish-Hadley for sixteen years and I'm sure he's got some great design advice for us all.

Jeffrey Bilhuber also has a new book coming out on September 20, 2011, The Way Home: Reflections on American Beauty. He also has a wonderful color sense and I'm sure he will also make me want to repaint my rooms.

If you want to learn from the Grande Dame of Decorating, then I recommend ordering Sister Parish: American Style due out October 11, 2011.  Jacqueline Kennedy was a client and that says it all. 

Photographer Ellen Graham is one of the least known photographers of Hollywood but I hope that changes after Talking Pictures is released on October 16, 2011. She also happens to be the stepmother of one of my friends and I got to know her while working on his apartment.  She not takes amazing photos but has impeccable taste as you can see by her apartment that was featured on New York Social Diary.

Nostalgia in Vogue "celebrates the popular and poignant coming-of-age memoir columns that have been enchanting Vogue readers since 2000. This elegant volume collects a wonderful selection of Vogue’s famous Nostalgia columns and the stunning photographs that accompanied them." I look forward to adding this book to my collection of Vogue books when it's released on October 4, 2011.  

Everyone is dying to see what the former editor-in-chief of French Vogue, Carine Roitfeld, does next so I'm sure they will be excited to read her new book.  Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent is touted as an "elegant volume is a visual history of Roitfeld's fearless career" and with Cathy Horyn involved, I'm sure it will be amazing.

I've always loved model Marisa Berenson.  She seems like the only one who made it out of the 1970's and Studio 54 in one piece.  I can't wait to own her upcoming book Marisa Berenson: A Life in Pictures when it's released on October 11, 2011.

I probably should have listed Carleton Varney's new book Mr. Color above with the design books but I was amazed at how similar the cover is to another book below.  Carleton Varney is quite a character and definitely makes this world a more colorful place.  I can't wait to read "The Greenbrier and Other Decorating Adventures." I'm sure they will be hysterical!

On the heels of True Prep and Take Ivy comes Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style by Jeffrey Banks and Doria de la Chapelle. It is described as the "first definitive and in-depth volume on preppy fashion, exploring its evolution from its pragmatic origins and presence on elite Eastern campuses in America to its profound influence internationally and metamorphosis on the runway."

One of my most amazing moments in New York was walking up Fifth Avenue last May and catching Daphne Guinness coming home in a convertible after dressing for The Met Ball in the windows of Barneys.  Watching her walk into her apartment building was breathtaking. She is a person for whom getting dressed is an adventure in art and creativity as well as elegance. I can't wait to read more about her in Daphne Guinness co-authored with Valerie Steele.

Cecil Beaton was a wonderful arbiter of style who was an illustrator, costume and set designer, photographer, and more, as well as friend of some amazing people.  Cecil Beaton: The New York Years will focus obviously on the "legendary photographer's life in New York City, with many never-before-seen images and reminiscences by his closest friends and confidants" including the illusive Greta Garbo.   

I apologize for the postage stamp size photo of Slim Aarons: La Dolce Vita but it was the only one I could find.  I'm needless to say excited for another edition of this chic photographers work.  This one will include "memorable portraits, across a vast geography of resorts, estates, palaces, elegant apartments, mansions, castles, and other glamorous settings, Slim Aarons's photos define that legendary class known as the beautiful people."

Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse 2010: Welcome!

I had the pleasure of attending the press preview for the 38th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House and I can tell you that it's going to knock your socks off!  Located at 106 East 71st Street, the house is smaller than last year but good things come in small packages.  I won't dwell on why it was delayed from the spring to this fall (you can read the full story in the New York Times) but I will focus on the great design talent.  Some of this year's group said their rooms were inspired by their current clients and others just had fun creating the ultimate interior.  All in all, it's a spectacular house for a wonderful cause and I hope everyone will buy a ticket! 

Katie Ridder welcomes you into the Kips Bay Decorator Show House this year with her wonderfully wallpapered entry.  The paper is part of her collection that can be found at Holland & Sherry.  I forgot to ask the color of the paint but it's a very cheerful coral/red that starts the house off on the right foot. The house will be open until November 11, 2010 but for those of you who can't make it, I will posting many of the rooms.

 

Interior designer Katie Ridder in her pretty entry.

Photos 1 and 3 by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

Photo 2 by Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

Hamptons Designer Showhouse: Rooms by Katie Ridder

Sometimes it is the smallest rooms in a showhouse that make the biggest impact and that is definitely the case with designer Katie Ridder's butler pantry and bathroom in the Hampton Designer Showhouse this year. She is lucky that she had her own great line of wallpapers to choose from but how many people would really wallpaper a butler's pantry in real life? Usually they are such a small room that they get overlooked in the design process but with this bright cheerful paper, it becomes a jewel box.

One of the other designers in the house mentioned that she at first felt sorry that Katie Ridder got such small rooms but clearly she managed to do a lot with the wallpaper and accessories.

When you walk down the hall, the room makes you smile as you walk past it.

It's hard to photograph powder rooms well but you can get a sense of how cute the sailboat paper looks in a house by the beach! Small rooms are great places to make a big impact with wallpaper and take chances with pattern because there is less of a chance of a homeowner getting tired of the design since they see it in small doses.

Photos by Heather Clawson

Gentleman Architect Peter Pennoyer

It's one thing to chat via email with a fabulous designer or just post images of their work that you love but it's quite another to get invited to their office to speak with them in person! When architect Peter Pennoyer did just that recently, I jumped at the chance! Peter is known for his classic style but when you really delve into it and learn more, you realize that it's actually quite inventive.

Peter studied at Columbia and Columbia Graduate School and while there worked for Robert A.M. Stern but established his own firm in 1984 after graduation. He showed me one of his first projects and it was much more modern than his current designs but every designers eventually finds their way.

Peter not only practices architecture but writes books, gives lectures, champions preservation and reads a lot! It's always a pleasure to meet anyone in the creative world who is passionate about their chosen path and it is clear just from the bookshelves of the office that he is just that.

One of the things I found interesting is that not only does the firm embrace hand rendering and still create watercolor drawings but they also embrace technology. One of their programs for computer rendering is the same that Pixar uses! The three dimensional images were so real looking that I thought they were a photograph at first. It is certainly easier to fine tune a design before the construction begins and the advancements are amazing!

Another interesting fact I learned was that the firm creates many of it's own designs for mouldings and other architectural details. They may look to the past for inspiration but they are creating the future and also in the way that certain architectural elements are manufactured such as stair rails and grates. I really hope I have the chance to attend one of Peter's lectures because I know they must be fascinating!

I don't know if everyone knows that Peter Pennoyer and interior designer Katie Ridder are married and actually share office space on the same floor. There can sometimes be issues and friction between architects and interior designers when they work on projects together and Peter and Katie are lucky that they can seek advice from the other when they face these kinds of situations. They also have been lucky to be able to work with each other on some very beautiful projects.

You can always get a sense of a designer or architect's style from their work place and Peter's office is as you would expect, very well designed and full of wonderful details. I loved all the hand drawn renderings, watercolors and models that lined the back walls.

It was clear from meeting Peter that he has a profound respect for the history of architecture and design.

One thing that I thought was so interesting is that Peter sometimes makes up stories about a certain buildings that he designs that create a reason as to why the design might have elements from different periods, such as someone built the home in one style and then a subsequent owner added onto it later in a different style.

One of my favorite quotes from his website is the following, "We don't practice architecture by the book. We know the book. We know, say moldings and cornices so well that we can hold the pattern book stage, which is what frees us to be imaginative in our responses."

I wish I could have stayed all day and looked through the vast library of architecture and design books! I'm sure there are some amazing treasures along those walls!

What stuck me as interesting is that the bookshelves that Peter designed were very modern and simple didn't have any details.

Wouldn't you just love to sit in that chair and pull a book out and read. In the background is Peter's office that he shares with his partner.

I loved that the red leather chairs in the conference room related back to the red in the library when you opened the door.

There were beautiful details around every corner and in this little niche. It was truly a pleasure to meet Peter Pennoyer in person and talk about design and I really appreciate the time he took out of his busy day to meet with me. I hope you will check out more of his work online. I know once you do, you will be even more impressed and inspired!

On my way out, I was able to pop into Katie Ridder's office and say hello to Laurie Reynolds. My favorite color is orange so I loved the pops of orange throughout the small office.

Anyone who has worked in an interior design office knows that fabric samples are the bane of the existence of anyone who has to keep them organized so I was very impressed by this wall, and not at all surprised that Laurie is the one that keeps it looking so good!

I hope you enjoyed this profile and tour as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you!

Chic and Small

It's inspirational, if not aspirational, to look at the multi-million dollar projects of the top interior designers but sometimes it's fun to see how real people live. I mentioned that I was going to be featuring more original interiors and what better place to start than with some of the young designers behind the top designers. They manage to turn small spaces into chic and stylish homes without spending a lot of money. Something that many people are trying to do these days and the home of Laurie Reynolds, design assistant at Kate Ridder is chock full of great ideas!

Laurie grew up in Chicago ans studied Art History and Studio Art at Georgetown after which is earned an associates degree in interior design from Parsons in 2008. She started at Katie Ridder in August 2008 and while there was asked if she could draw and since she could, she was put to work on helping with the wallpaper line in addition to assisting with design projects. She said that, "seeing how Katie combines unexpected elements and colors has really taught me a lot about pushing through the boundaries of predictable design."

In the photo above, Laure created a dramatic grid of butterfly prints that were actually taken from a calendar bought for half off last year and hung in frames bought on sale for a steal at A.I. Friedman. We've seen this done before with plates taken from the Cabinet of Natural Curiosities but it could be achieved just inexpensively with a book found at a flea market or even photographs.

Her bedroom is proof positive that recent graduates don't have to sleep on a futon and live with milk crates. The room is completely pulled together and well thought out. Her window treatments consist of not only bamboo blinds but curtains as well. Pear River Mart in New York is a great source for many different styles of inexpensive blinds that look great. The paintings were from her senior project in college and rival those of many New York artists! You could also create your own paintings or stretch your favorite fabric over a canvas and hang it as well.

The filing cabinets were painted bright turquoise and remind me of a Katie Ridder color. She then topped them with a piece of MDF that she had cut at Home Depot and painted high gloss black. You can't make it out in the photo but the edges are painted gold. You could achieve a similar look by painting an old wooden desk a bright color and having a piece of glass cut to fit the top. The desk chair was bought on sale at TJ Maxx but was an unfortunate cherry wood color so she painted that black too.

She even dressed up the dresser from Ikea with new knobs from Lowes. Before working at Katie Ridder, Laurie was an intern at Fawn Galli Interiors, in the West Village and also for a florist every summer during college. "We did a lot of big parties, setting up large rooms for events, and I had a really amazing boss there that very much inspired my design sensibility," she says.

Laurie says she loved interior design since she was a kid. "I used to draw floor plans of my future dream houses and spend hours rearranging the furniture in my doll house. I think what I love most about interior design is how you can influence the way a space makes you feel."

"My advice for someone that wants to go into design is to first work hard and get all the basics down. You have to know how to exactly order a pillow and where a curtain rod should be placed on a wall in order to simply function in the industry. And of course, most importantly, trust your instincts. If you think it looks good, it looks good."

I think Laurie's apartment looks better than good! It really is a great example of how great style can be achieved without spending a lot of money. I would remember the name Laurie Reynolds because she's definitely got what it takes to have her own fabulous design firm someday!

Habitually Chic Designer: Katie Ridder

Patience can be a virtue in the design world. Clients need patience to wait for furniture that takes months to complete and sometimes designers need patience to see the fruition of all their hard work. Such is the case with the new wallpaper line from Katie Ridder. She started the project two years ago as a summer project with her children and now her new baby, the wallpaper line is available through Holland & Sherry.

I'm lucky to know Laurie Reynolds who works for Katie and I was very excited when she mentioned the new line a few months ago. She helped to work on the project along with Robin Goldman to whom Katie would bring back her ideas every September. The line consists of 7 patterns and an array of colorways that resulted in 40 different wallpapers.

Laurie was sweet enough to facilitate a phone interview between me and Katie and she couldn't have been nicer. I was wondering why she started with wallpaper and not fabric and I think she was much too modest when she answered that with so many different fabrics available on the market she didn't think she couldn't compete. But her love of stencils led her to wallpaper when developing a line of stencils proved too difficult.

Katie and I can both remember our mothers tackling do it yourself wallpaper projects growing up but for a while wallpaper fell out of favor so it's nice to see that it is definitely making a comeback. It may not be as easy as painting as Katie pointed out but it really does make a great impact.

Since I am in the midst of going out on my own, I was anxious to hear how Katie started her own firm. She doesn't have a design degree either but she did say that she got the best training possible when she worked for House & Garden and House Beautiful. It took a lot of work and skill to take an empty house and create a story for a magazine. She then opened a store on the Upper East Side which led to customers asking her to help them out with their homes. And the rest as they say, is history!

When I was looking through Katie's portfolio online, I noticed some new projects and some of the best designs I've seen in a while in the design world. I love her use of color and that her style is not cookie cutter. It really looks like she tailors the decor to the client and the space which lots of interesting details and patterns. I've posted many of my favorites here and I hope you enjoy them as much I did. I also want to thank Katie for taking time out of her busy day to inspire me! Hopefully with a little patience, I will have a portfolio like hers someday!