Meg Ryan In The Movies

In the movies Meg Ryan has wonderful sets designed for the characters she plays. In You've Got Mail Meg plays sweet, determined Kathleen. She lives in a charming NYC upper west side apartment. To reflect Kathleen it is decorated to be comfortable, stylish and feminine.

In Kate and Leopold her NYC apartment is designed to reflect her direct, straight forward, ambitious character. Not many frills but it functions well.

Annie's Baltimore home in Sleepless In Seattle is quaint and nostalgic. There are pink walls and vintage appliances. She's an old fashioned girl looking for an old fashioned life.

In her real life Meg has renovated and designed multiple homes for herself and her family.

Meg Ryan In Real Life

The current issue of Elle Decor features Meg's home on Martha's Vineyard. Meg did the majority of the design work herself. She created a home that is "understated, a mixture of industrial and vintage lighting, hand hewn wood furniture and sofas and armchairs slipcovered in pale linen." One of the smartest design elements in the house is the white paint used on the walls and ceilings. It unifies the beams, and angles in the house.

The kitchen's industrial tone is softened by a well worn wood table and a wide expanse of windows.

The white walls and fixtures of the master bath bring an openness and consistency to the various textures and surfaces in the space.

Meg has found a way to make her house feel expansive and cozy. The perfect refuge.

http://www.elledecor.com/

Sex And The City 2

The sets for Sex And The City 2 are amazing. Carrie and Big's apartment is sophisticated and comfortable.The sofa is from Montauk and is covered in a Donghia blue wool mohair. The chairs are vintage mid century.

The dining room features an oxidized metal chandelier over a 1940's mahogany table. The fabric on the chairs is from Lee Jofa. Too wonderful.

The tall gold finished lamps in the entry are gorgeous against the neutral patterned wallcovering.

And then there's the closet. A His and Hers dream come true. Production designer, Jeremy Conway and set designer, Lydia Marks are amazing. The movie is fun. I enjoyed it and will go back again to look at the details of the sets.

photos from http://www.elledecor.com/

A Beautiful Hallway Perfect Scale

I love the look of this hall/entry arrangement. The mix of patterns is perfect. The reason it is perfect is scale. The scale of the patterns used is in the correct proportion. The toile on the wall, the floral on the table and the stripe on the floor have a cohesiveness that makes the setting work. Another important aspect in scale is how color is used. The neutral background with the strong color in the foreground keeps the mix of patterns from being too busy. A beautiful hallway. What do you think? Is this your look?

photo from http://www.homesandgardens.com/

Bedrooms Sweet Repose

A bedroom is such a personal space. Whether you like bold colors, strong graphics, soft neutrals, patterns or a bit of shine these rooms will give you something to think about.

The large graphic painting of roses dominates this bedroom. I like the combination of soft grays and the strong red/ fuchsia tones.

This bedroom is beautiful. The combination of the rough beams and the crystal chandelier is wonderful. The collection of framed botanicals is amazing and the neutral palette is the perfect background.

photos from http://www.homesandgardens.com/

Bedrooms Sweet Repose

The beautiful curvaceous wallpaper pattern wraps around the room making a wonderful style statement.

The bold blue walls of this room are a vibrant contrast to the white fabrics, furniture and trim. The contrasting colors combine to make a peaceful setting.
The lively pink with orange makes a vivacious statement in the bedroom. The strong color against the white walls is dynamic and fun.
The neutrals of this bedroom are highlighted with bits of shine from chrome, glass and lucite. It adds glamour to the tranquil design.

photos from http://www.homesandgardens.com/

Designer Guild The Power of New Fabric

I found this chair at a vintage shop. It was a bit worn and the vinyl covering was, well, horrendous. I cleaned up the frame and covered the chair in a beautiful floral linen from Designer Guild. Now I love it.

A Girl's Bedroom

My client wanted her daughter to have a lively, updated bedroom. She also wanted to use traditional, heavily carved furniture that had been in her family for generations. To the traditional furniture I added clean, bright modern pieces, nightstands and a desk. The modern furniture has a silhouette that mirrors the overall silhouette of the traditional pieces. The different styles complement each other and work well together, bringing a unique design to the room. The color palette is young and fresh. The walls are a combination of turquoise and yellow, not too bright, not too soft. The modern furniture in glossy green or yellow is a vibrant contrast against the turquoise walls. The colors used in the fabrics are a spirited blend of pink, turquoise, green, yellow and a hint of blue. The design of the room creates a stylish haven for a young girl. It also found a new home for furniture that is part of family history.

Habitat For Humanity

The Habitat project has been completed. The bungalow style house that was built by Habitat For Humanity has been furnished. The house has become a home. Our team of designers gathered furniture, area rugs, fabrics, lighting and accessories. Window treatments and pillows were designed and made from the fabrics. The house was painted in neutral tones then heightened and brightened by areas of color. Painted graphics were added to the boys' bedrooms. The master bedroom has a comfortable color palette of ivory, lavender, purple and misty green with highlights of silver. The family is now happily settled into their new home.

Habitat For Humanity Bedrooms

Master bedroom

Boys' bedrooms.

The Habitat project will be featured in the Sept/Oct issue of St Louis At Home Magazine.

Elegant Dining Rooms

Dining rooms, under used? They don't have to be. Your dining room is good for much more than holiday dinners and a pretty room to walk by. The look, don't touch variety of dining room is out of date. Its your home, your room, use it.

Having an elegant room that is used a handful of times each year is an extravagance most of us can't afford. Who would want to anyway?

Have a dining room? Use it. Have lunch, have dinner, have breakfast. It doesn't have to be a special occasion or anytime can be special.

An elegant dining room can be traditional, eclectic, modern. It should be your style and a comfortable space you want to be in.

Dining Rooms Traditional Elegance

Dining Rooms Eclectic Elegance

Dining Rooms Modern Elegance

All dining room photos from House Beautiful.