{décor inspiration | interior designer : barrie benson}

. . . positively adore everything about this room -- the white walls and layered carpets, leaning artwork and velvet sofa, the soft coral settee and stunning floods of light, and most of all, the glittering flecks of gold . . .


{interior design by barrie benson; photography by chris edwards, charlotte home+garden via christine}

{hope you've had a beautiful weekend + a few lovely links}

. . . this weekend was a few luxurious moments to catch up on a little reading, afternoons in the warm late-winter sunshine and late lunches at old favourite places; there were also renovations—[contractors and things being built, a maddeningly fine dust falling over everything]—but also, the wonderful feeling of things accomplished and being steps closer to all the projects and plans that have begun some time ago; and there dinner at a new italian restaurant, glasses of montepulciano d'abruzzo and today, so much sunlight, it feels as if spring might arrive at any moment . . .

hope you've had [are having] a perfectly lovely [long] weekend, and that it's beautiful where you are, —roséline xo

[a few lovely links below] x

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{décor inspiration : relaxed & refined in normandy}

. . . first came across this centuries-old home in normandy last november, and immediately fell head over heels, and so, was utterly thrilled to happen across it again, in the current issue of veranda; and while one is impossibly drawn to the allure of the leopard silk velvet canapé, there are still a myriad of beautiful things to captivate -- the floors, [always, the floors], the gilded picture frames and cashmere throws, the antique bergères in stroheim suede, the grand chandeliers and palest shades of gray, and most of all, that perfect mix of relaxed & refined . . .

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{décor inspiration: the return of romance}

" I think sophistication and elegance always last. For me, if I go into a direction that feels sexy or more “trendy” I try and infuse a feeling of sophistication to ensure classic style. For me this achieved through rich fabrics (silk, velvet, cashmere, boucle) great art (usually figurative and abstract paintings) and sculpture."

~ ryan korban

. . . and on this bright and chilly mid-january day, hopelessly drawn to romance of layers upon layers of luxurious and warm textures -- silk canopies and corduroy bolsters and faux fur throws, and velvet sofas intermingled with soft light and chandelier crystals and, always, always, bits of gold . . .



{p.s.} more work by ryan korban : one // two // three



{images: interior design by ryan korban; images via traditonal home & decorati access}

{a new week & moments of repose}

. . . lounging about on a monday morning must certainly be one of the greatest luxuries, and that is how the day began, the sun streaming through the gauzy sheers, and after, the café and the shops, dinner, [all of us together again], a glass of proseco and conversations long into the night, and today, it's another dinner a little way out of town, and had nearly forgotten how wonderful it is to have these beautiful [nearly forgotten] moments of perfect repose . . .


{image: from White Christmas: Decorating and Entertaining for the Holiday Season by Tricia Foley via The Sweetest Occasion}

{so kiss me on this cold december night}

. . . and if you have been reading for a while, you may remember our stay at a log cabin in the mountains, and so, was understandably delighted to happen upon this similarly designed mountain retreat -- the beamed ceilings and warm, time-worn wood, the antique and patterned rugs and grand stone fire places, all intermingled alongside tartan and plaid and pooling drapes, soft, caramel-coloured leather and velvet the shade of overcast skies, and glittery glass chandeliers, creating a perfect juxtaposition of town & country, rustic & refined . . .



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{places: the greenbrier hotel, west virginia}

. . . and around here, a terrible weakness for perfectly decorated hotels, and the greenbrier most certainly fits into the category -- the intoxicating intermingling of vibrant colours and patterns, leaves and florals and elegant drapery, gilded flourishes and enchanting chandeliers are just the thing for these overcast autumn days . . .









{p.s.} more photos after the jump x

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{décor inspiration : a french château}

. . . chandeliers and leopard print, wood panelled walls and herringbone floors, and suddenly, there are dreams of spending the summers in a château in normandy . . .







{p.s.} another stunning french château


{château in normandy, interior design by charles spada, weranda via rdujour}

{favourite five: designer kelly wearstler}

I ask a lot of clients what their favorite colors are and they say, 'I don't know what I want to live in.' I say, 'Go in your closet and look at the majority of what color is in there; that's the color you're going to like living in.

~ Kelly Wearstler

Whether she is dressing interiors or dressing models, interior and fashion designer Kelly Wearstler is taking the world of high-style by storm -- a very chic storm.




Since she started her own interior design firm in 1995, Kelly has taken lessons from celebrated decorators such as Dorothy Draper and William Haines, applying the modern sensible style of a strict color palette and clean, graphic lines to the chic, plush and swanky glamour of old Hollywood . . .

[click below to read more]



from the fall 2011 ready-to-wear collection
{p.s.} as always, so much more after the jump x

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{new york 1: 797 madison avenue}

. . . last week's very quick trip to nyc was filled with lunch dates and shows, events and soirées, and with a million photographs and so much to tell you, perhaps best to break things up into a few posts so as not to overwhelm . . . first stop was very early last monday morning: mimosas to celebrate the opening of the new flagship tory burch boutique on 797 madison avenue . . .



. . . and there were beautiful brass staircases against rich hardwood floors, floral wallpaper and patterned carpets . . .



. . . and after many emails, skype chats, and nearly a year of her writing for {this is glamorous}, it was wonderful to finally meet laily, in person, and on snow leopard patterned floor coverings . . .

{p.s.} so much more after the jump xo


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{favourite five: designer nina freudenberger}

There is no doubt that city living is eternally cosmopolitan and exquisitely chic, with energizing inspiration at every turn, and whether through the real-life catwalk on the sidewalks, the refined architecture, the flowing colors in paintings on the walls of art galleries or the sights and sounds of majestic opera houses, dreams of bringing the beauty and class of this world into one’s living space are only natural. Bustling cities mean small cozy quarters, and modern fashionistas often struggle with making the most of limited space in their urban settings.



New York-based architect and interior designer Nina Freudenberger knows that when it comes to urban dwellings, space is sparse, but that doesn’t mean that style should be compromised. Nina attended the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Architecture.



Shortly after, she moved to Manhattan to accept a position at the prestigious interior design firm, Kondylis Design, where she worked for four years as a senior designer, before leaving to begin her own company, Haus Interior. A stylish boutique shop and interior design service located in the trendy Nolita neighborhood, the company is a favourite home design destination of many, including fashion designer Zac Posen.





Nina’s talent for putting a modern spin on traditional spaces has won her the praise of industry experts, features in the glossy pages of every major design magazine from Elle Decor to House Beautiful, and the IFDA’s Rising Star award; she is also listed as one of Trad Home's 20 "New Traditional" designers.



Born in Munich, Nina loves sourcing pieces for her boutique from abroad, and finding young international designers to support. This week, she shares with us her:

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{top five favourite pieces of decor from around the world}

1. Giarimi Design, Sweden – love their beautiful etched glassware.

2. Nouvel Studio – speaking of glassware, we love carrying this collection from Mexico.

3. Brushes – the Institute for the Blind in Berlin employs 15 blind artisans to create these absolutely stunning, all natural brushes.

4. Airedelsur – from Argentina, their beautiful pieces are truly works of art.

5. Scent & Feel – physically located in Miami but made in Tunisia, these fouta "Turkish hammam" style towels are absolutely stunning, they feel great and look wonderful in the bathroom or on the beach.

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{p.s.} previous favourite fives:
* actress & writer: shiva rose
* jeweler: camille eddera
* artist: kimia kline
* actress & fashion muse: chloë sevigny
* floral stylist: denise porcaro
* fashion photographer & illustrator: garance doré
* entrepreneurs: rent the runway
* designer: rachel ashwell
* interior designer: tricia foley
* photographer: romina shama
* food editor & author: donna hay

~ laily


{images: trad home; headshot of nina freudenberger from the designer}

{diy: wallpapered cabinets}

. . . have been a little obsessed with wallpapered cabinets for as long as can remember {recently here & here}, and even came across an extensive china cabinet that was papered and cleverly reconfigured as a display case for shoes, and ever since, have fallen more in love, and so, utterly delighted to come across interior designer amy, from the blog maison decor's, beautiful makeover of a french provincial china cabinet . . .



{p.s.} didn't it turn out beautifully? and also: a secretary repainted in paris grey


{images: all photography by amy at maison decor}