Wallpaper Week!

I need a rudder to steer me through the coming week of energetic Ike plus no school, no grandparents, and bedrest -- it's going to be a long one. What better distraction than wallpaper? And of course it doesn't hurt that I've become something of an amateur expert (not a pardox, I swear) on the subject via long hours of obsessively trolling the internet in search of "The One." We'll discuss that very important matter later on in Wallpaper Week, but for today let's talk House of Hackney.

They had me at the mirror image adverts, but I like the crazy romance of the patterns, too. Wild Card is a fabulous interpretation of Madame Castaing's famous leopard prints, Dalton Rose has an ombre bottom, and Empire is cheeky good fun.

Wild Card

Dalton Rose Ombre

Empire Stripe

Flights of Fancy

Queen Bee

I'm a little smitten with the Empire prints for a mini gentleman's room. I would probably only do it on on one wall and frame it out with molding, then paint coordinating color on the other walls -- because that's a lot of look.

Any favorites? That leopard print is sure to make an appearance in someone's powder room, right?

If it Weren't Friday I Might Murder Myself

After a relatively upbeat week I am heading into the weekend as a major grumpasaurus. Why, you ask? (Or maybe you didn't ask, but since I have control of this here convo I'ma gonna tell you.) It's because I went to the doctor yesterday expecting better news regarding my dumb pregnant problems, and instead they are worse. I am working really hard to be angry because anger trumps the wimpy weepies every day, and it is working. Sorry that you all should feel the flinty edge of my wrath -- you really don't deserve it. And we'd all been having so much fun lately.

So never mind bad things and let's take a quick look at entry hall ideas instead.

I could spend eternity attempting to transform our rather modest foyer into something as grandly delectable as this one, designed by Isabel Lopez Quesada. But good architecture is a lot like cheekbones: either you have it or you don't. And those of us that don't must resort to seedier means of coquetry, namely makeup.

In decorating terms we're talking wallpaper and paint and fabulous objects, and if anyone knows anything about dressing up a space, it's Tony Duquette's ex partner Hutton Wilkinson.

Our entry definitely falls into the "needs more makeup STAT" category. In the interest of moving that along, you may recall that I've been painstakingly collecting enough wallpaper samples to paper every house in the neighborhood, but I think I've finally narrowed my choices down significantly. I've yet to photograph the samples in situ, but here's a hint about one of them:

I called the nice folks at Twigs and they were kind enough to send me a sample in every colorway of their Pheasant wallpaper. It is bananas, people. INSANE. Maybe too insane. I don't know.

We'll talk about it next week. Until then, I hope you have a lovely weekend filled with donuts and down pillows... or whatever it is you're lusting after. Being pregnant does weird things to you.

I Went to the Danger Zone

After today's post you may doubt yesterday's words and fear that I am headed squarely into geriatric territory... hopefully not, but this morning I couldn't remember where the coffee cups were, so you never know. Anyhow, let's talk fringe -- you know, those strings that hang off stuff. We could also call it bullion if you want to get fancy. Whatever it is, I like it (as evidenced by a previous post I penned on the topic). Is fringe antithetical to all things clean and minimal? Uh, maybe. Will it confuse my Roomba as it attempts to vacuum under the couch? Probably. Let's see if obscuring form and laughing in the face of function is worth it, shall we?

Jeffrey Bilhuber pairs jewel tones with a fringed, skirted foyer table. I'm starting you fringe neophytes off easy.

ps: curtains!

Celerie Kemble loves hairy fringe, but you must check out the whole picture:

That amazing chandellier by Guglielmo Ulrich blows me away, but I like the fringe, too. The pink Dr. Doolittle settee scares me a little.

Richard Shapiro does (back to back) brown linen sofas with matching bullion for House of Veranda -- crisp and tailored. Again love the jewel tones. Someday when I buy a big girl couch I'm considering this color. It's warm but plays well with brights and neutrals.

Miles Redd goes grandma chic, but I would snatch that sofa out of this room and dress it down in a heartbeat.

And still my favorite, so I'm shamelessly reposting it: Pamplemousse does arty fringe. I want to have sex with that sofa. Or on it. Who cares? Sex... sofa.

Now I know my pal Christian is probably about to ban me from his contacts, because he hates the fringe so much. But I want to know what you think... are you crossing me off the awesome list, too?

I was already on it, right?

Just remember the immortal words of the great poet and sage Kenny Loggins (or whoever actually wrote the song):

Out along the edges Always where I burn to be The further on the edge The hotter the intensity

Highway to the danger zone Gonna take you Right into the danger zone

Go there.