Four Walls and a Roof

The Aptly-Named Horchow Now

lucymclintic — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:00:43 +0000

Have you seen the new Horchow Now collection? I have to admit I was blown away by the variety and ingenuity of this latest offering from a design stalwart. Aimed at younger buyers, first-time homeowners and the like, the collection includes several Horchow classics but also some brand news pieces that are pretty exciting.

There are, of course, traces of the Horchow we all know and expect. Some grand elegance with a little whimsy thrown in.

So far, so good. But then there are several more rustic pieces, with a masculine vibe. They wouldn’t be out of place in a Southwestern ranch, but each features a little twist. The chair has nailhead trim but only down the sides and with atypically wide spacing. The leather sofa has a quilted texture while the traditional X-bench is treated to a layer of what looks like reclaimed wood.

Then there’s something completely unexpected. Horchow Now includes a range of brightly-colored accessories that sport the traditional shapes you’d expect from Horchow but in surprisingly bold primary greens, reds, yellows and blues.

The result is a collection so varied that it’s almost impossible to create a ‘catalog’ look even if you decorated with nothing but Horchow. And I guess that’s the whole idea. This isn’t a collection defined by age or income of its customers. This is a collection for collectors. There is even the Maryon side table with its glass top drawer for displaying curios and treasures. Horchow has recognized that people want the ease of purchasing from a single retailer, but the effect of a home assembled over time.

What do you think?

Mid-Century Modern Meets Chinoiserie Chic

lucymclintic — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:10:52 +0000

I’m excited to share some photos of my latest design project: furnishing an open plan living and dining area of an apartment in San Francisco.

My good friend Cynthia wanted to turn her place into a sophisticated refuge from her busy job running her own daycare. The space needed to be restful, pretty and most of all, completely grown up.

We settled on a transitional, eclectic style combining Asian pieces and Chinoiserie with a splash of mid-century modern. The palette was gold and blue, with strong contrasting backdrops in black and white.

The centerpiece of the design is this Chinese screen, found at Alameda antique market. We had planned to use a gold chinoiserie decal, but when we spotted this we just had to use it. The black walls set off the screen and a brass Sputnik chandelier ties it all together. I used a table found on Craig’s List and white Eames-style chairs.

The plan was for the living room to be more quiet and airy than the dining room, so we chose white walls and added coziness with gray linen curtains.

We kept the gold and brass tones in the drapery rods and, most importantly, in the Chinese drum stools which act as a coffee table, side table or extra seating depending on the occasion.

Mixing styles and periods was an important part of the scheme. So the tufted chair from Overstock is inspired by English wing chairs, while the curved wood chair is an original American mid-century piece. The round table is vintage Lane, while the ottoman was a Gilt find, and much-loved for its chinoiserie design.

The room features a corner fireplace, which can be tricky for furniture arrangements. But we decided to make a feature of it by painting the entire wall and mantelpiece in Pavilion Gray by Farrow and Ball. A mix of mid-century and handmade accents, such as the gold and black bowls from Etsy, made the fireplace look more welcoming.

Cynthia is a collector of Cucaro paintings. Cucaro was active from the 1960s through to the early 2000s so his work is a perfect fit for the mid-century pieces in this apartment. We used paintings with blues and greens to create a cohesive yet entirely personal scheme.

Dark-Walled Rooms Bridge Winter and Spring

lucymclintic — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 15:49:27 +0000

How do the winter months influence your design aesthetic? I find that, in the weeks before the holidays, I’m coveting dark, cozy spaces with layer upon layer of texture. As soon as the New Year arrives, I start looking ahead to spring, with fresh greens, plenty of light and splashes of color. Some rooms seem to bridge the two moods just perfectly – which is just as well because January 1 is no time to redecorate on a whim!

The Grand Hotel in Stockholm manages to be cozy with its tone-on-tone velvet tufted sofa and taupe wainscoting. But the shades are light enough to brighten those dark Nordic winter days.

Deep charcol walls balanced with white furnishings and teal accents encapsulate this winter-to-spring look perfectly.

The office of lighting designer Michelle James, as featured in Est Magazine, features a mid-gray wall and fluffy chairs, but the metallic accents and tall windows are would make it bright on sunnier days.

More wainscoting, this time in dark-as-night black. This image is a lesson in comfort: layers of texture, natural fibers and wood, and a a splash of sunny yellow.

A wall of gold frames seems to glow when juxtaposed with a black wall.

Mixed frames also work well, preventing a dark wall from looking too sombre.

A room with lots of windows is the ideal space for dark walls. The walls recede, allowing you to enjoy the view all the more. This image also shows the impact vintage pieces can have against a dark backdrop: the integrity of this vintage-looking wood desk prevents the space from becoming too stark.

That said, there’s always a place for dramatic metallic pieces such as this stunning mirror, which is brought into splendid relief against the black walls.

This room seems bright and airy, despite the black accent wall. It’s graphic and visually exciting, helped along by furniture items from multiple periods and cultures.

Of course, dark walls don’t have to be black. I am dying to try these deep blue color in our office. The framed blueprint is a fantastic addition.

At first when I saw this photo, I didn’t really notice the dark walls. I just liked the balance of coziness with elegance and polish: a combination that is rarer than you might think. But the deep taupe, combined with custom wood panelling and cabinetry, makes a warm backdrop for zingy yellow.

Break up dark walls with pattern. This traditional room would be a delight to sit in in winter, but the mix of patterns, from paisley to stripes, would add vibrancy for spring.

Photo sources:

1: Via Nordic Design; 2: Elle Decor Modern Concept Life House; 3: Est Magazine; 4: Via Red Glasses Blog; 5: Via Apartment Therapy; 6 and 7: Via Simplified; 8: Via Luxury Interior Design Journal; 9: Lonny Magazine; 10: Houzz; 11: Matthew Millman Photography; 12: Living Etc.