Shutters or Walls?

From Things That Inspire

We were most amused today, when perusing the Atlanta based blog, Things That Inspire, click here ,to see our choice of Brandon Beige by Benjamin Moore, used for exterior shutters- when "we" had only recently selected the same colour for our interior walls!

Brandon Beige satin walls, DFID

As y'all may recall- :) we had originally chosen (selected) a very rich, custom, aubergine lacquer finish for our walls- however, due to a lower than desired ceiling, and the constraints of a budget, we went with a more conservative choice; Brandon Beige...in a tasteful satin finish.

No. 6, Saint Michael's Alley, Charleston, SC

This also reminded me of one of our pet projects in Charleston- with the "Sevres" green shutters and door- so adroitly chosen by our discerning, very well traveled clients.  We used many hundreds of yards of Scalamandre' silks and trims in this house, and one day, the Bitters (founders of Scalamandre') came by and wanted to rent the house!  I am so partial to this very French shade of turquoise....

The Pink Door, Greensboro, NC

Now, the last time I was in Greensboro, the walls of this section of The Pink Door Interiors were painted in a very similar shade of green...perhaps this image is just distorted in colour due to the photography?  It is fun to see how colours on the outside can also be seen on the inside.

Tom Britt, NYSD

We also adore the relationship between fashion and interiors- here, NY decorator (and a mentor of mine) Thomas Burgin Britt used a blue satin on his Billy Baldwin slipper chairs, one of my and our all time fave models.  How fabulous!  James Andrew, another dear friend, and former Hadley protege' is WEARING blue satin (below) !!!

   

Scott McBee, James Andrew, Bennett Weinstock, Jamie Drake, NYSD

If you follow design blogs, you may know that dear James has a fantastic one, What Is James Wearing, to view, click here .  James Andrew is most often seen in Tom Ford era Gucci...we love this highly decorative group shot of super powerful NY decorators!  Check out today's post on NYSD (New York Social Diary) for more.

From Michael Taylor Interior Design

Above, the 1973 room, which was in San Francisco, created by our fave decorator of the past, Michael Taylor.  Pink and green...who (whom?) does that bring to mind?  hmmm.... LILLY PULITZER !!!

The late, great, Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau 

So, I guess we all just know- these colour palettes have an endless, wonderful, inspiring way of being seen in dual relationships.  Very intriguing!  Food for thought, no doubt.  Enjoy!  Cheers!  DF ***** 

March Decorator Musings...

Jenny Garrigues for Red Cross Designer Show House 2014

We still love Scalamandre' - and any designer who helps to raise funds for worthy causes...this room setting by Jennifer Garrigues and associates shows a very "un-decorated" look.

This house is in Grey Oaks Country Club, Naples, where I seem to always have lots of work to do- one of the owners on this street moved to the south of France, and left her Rolls Royce behind.  The guest house (above) is not shown - which is off to the right.  Another lady in G.O.C.C. had a daughter, Heather, who once dated Prince Albert of Monaco.

  

I'm also consulting on a club house in Kensington Country Club, and thought how funny that my old Gucci loafers got caught in this shot.  The gentleman I'm working with there once represented Brioni, Pal Zileri, and Zegna (all super high-end mens clothing lines from Italy) in the U.S.

And finally, I couldn't resist posting about this fabulous vintage Chevy I came across yesterday.  I thought the color was spectacular, glistening away in the south Florida sunshine!  Enjoy! DF *****

Room of the Week: LeGare Street

The word is out- Charleston is HOT! Of course, we in the South have always known this, and are most proud of this elegant old grande dame...Apparently, Ms. Carolyne Roehm, the famous NY socialite-designer has now bought a place in Charleston.  The area known as SOB, or South of Broad, incorporating the famous Battery has become an ultra chic place to have a pied a terre, and you can even buy one from a descendant of one of the oldest families in town, Mr. Daniel Ravenel... known as The Sword Gate House, 32 Legare was built in the early 19th century for a Huguenot colonist. 


32 LeGare Street, Charleston

 I was checking out Charleston real estate listings, since my clients have their place there on the market (people flying in from all over the world to view it in person)  and found this elegant and stunning room located in a significant property located in their neighborhood at 32 LeGare Street...asking $23,000,000.00 -!  I still remember not too long ago, shopping with my client in the Gucci shop on King Street, and there was this absolutely gorgeous woman shopping there with her teen aged son...and she was dripping in Hermes' and was sporting a diamond ring that must have been a good twenty carats...


Beautiful Carolyne Roehm, NYT

 Which reminds me of a very charming story I read on the NYSD, attributed to Peter Evans;
"Christina Onassis once told me that she wore diamonds at breakfast, because (they look so pretty in the morning sun, you have no idea how erotic men find dew on the rocks) she smiled mischievously!  I just love that !  Very imaginative.  Interesting note- CR's New York drawing room has brown velvet walls, and so does this Charleston salon, and gauffraged to boot! 


Book by Carolyne Roehm

O.k., so I know I drop a LOT of names in this little old blog, but you know what, it's my blog, and if you don't like it you don't have to read it! LOL!  Here's a great book CR came out with, I highly suggest it as a fabulous decoration for one's own low table...ENJOY!  DF ***** 
PS: we were very saddened to hear of all the loss of human life under the fury of the storm called Sandy...
  
  

The Pink Elephant, Boca Grande

Exciting news! DFS is celebrating its third year of existence - tomorrow -! It's my blog, and I built it!  Labor Day weekend is just in time to tie in with this celebration, as well as a Saturday wedding on Marco Island...( a dear designer friend from Rumson, NJ)
Didn't you just LOVE seeing Beau Davidson tonight, on C-SPAN ?!?!?! What a great talent!  
Perhaps this weekend we'll take a trip up to the charming island of Gasparilla, aka Boca Grande.  I love the hotel, and its outpost, called "The Pink" (The Pink Elephant) casual dining restaurant, perfect for lunch.  Order the grouper sandwich and a bloody mary - or just some nice, cold iced tea.  Our wonderful client on BG loves to take us there, and she bought Carleton Varney's apartment in New York.  She also knows Dorrance "DoDo" Hamilton, the Campbell's Soup heiress- who owns many properties on the island.  
I have also had the pleasure of working with JoAnn Barwick, another celebrated BG winter resident, who was the fabulous editor of "House Beautiful" from 1978-1991.  She was then followed by Mr. Louis Gropp, and today, Mr. Newell Turner is the editor. 

I so look forward to our upcoming Winter Season, here in sunny Naples, it's time to rev up the old wardrobe, pull up our socks, and pick up those Gucci loafers!  (from the repair shop)  ENJOY! DF ***** 

Just for Kicks: Gucci Python Loafers

I found these GUCCI loafers, in riviera blue, made of python...how unusual! They are not allowed to be shipped to California... I wonder why? $980 may seem like a lot, but you certainly won't see yourself coming and going in these babies. These would be great to decorate the shoe section of your closet...just for fun. I don't think I'd actually wear them. Unless I had a fun gallery opening or something like that. But they are unique, and I do like them, even though they have a slightly sinister vibe, as we have thousands of pythons now in our Everglades National Park here in south Florida. These would look great with a pair of white jeans, a pink shirt, and a blue blazer. Just my sartorial thoughts... ENJOY! DF *****