All About Chinoiserie Screens From Gaita Interiors

Rarely do I find a blog with a post or two that I want to reprint. I recently found the blog Gaita Interiors, and it is very, very good.

Last year I posted about a Billy Baldwin inspiration by way of Mr. B's way of using a Chinese screen HERE.

Leona from From Gaita Interiors did a fabulous post on Chinoiserie screens that I want to share with you. I feel a terrific DIY project is about to happen!

The following is from Gaita Interiors:

"The folding Chinoiserie Screen has been a classic piece in interior design for centuries for several good reasons. First and foremost, they’re beautiful. They add an exotic Eastern flavor to any room. Lately I’ve noticed a trend among designers toward the use of this decorative staple, as part of an elegant yet unpretentious approach to the design of comfortable living spaces.

This beautiful room is by Alessandra Branca, via www.pointclickhome.com

The look is dramatic, and can serve as a focal point, setting the tone of the room. Serving as both furniture and art, a Chinoiserie screen works beautifully in a traditional or contemporary setting. The practical side of the folding screen is not to be overlooked. Interior designers and home owners have used them to define and divide spaces, and to hide an array of necessary evils, from an unfortunately placed powder room door, to a messy pile of toys, to an undesirable view. All while adding miles of style, pattern and color!

By Michael S. Smith

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From the June House Beautiful, by Meg Braff. This small set can serve as wall art, or be used on a table top.

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English leather screens, via Decorati

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By Michael S. Smith

s;dl;sldkf;sldkf;sldkf;sldfk Smith Room with Fireplace above lskdjfhlj

The home chef is given the option of privacy in an open kitchen, using a pair of decorative screens.

sdjlskdjflskdjflskdjlskdjlskdjflskdjlskdjf Kitchen above sdljflsdkjfslkdfjlskd

Decorative screens separated and installed as wall art.

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A great use of a Chinoiserie screen set in a beautiful room by Kim Alexandriuk

A matching pair of Chinoiserie sreens in a sitting room at the Kip's Bay Show House, design by Charlotte Moss.

DO-IT YOURSELF CHINOISERIE SCREEN PROJECT:

If you don’t have it in your budget to spend between $1,500.oo (for a new folding screen set from China) and… well the sky’s the limit for antique screens (depending on the age, condition and rarity) then you can do this project and get the Chinoise look, and practical function of a Chinoiserie folding screen set:

I would start by buying this unfinished screen set from ReadyToCover. They’ll make any size , shape and number of panels you desire. There are several top styles. I’m choosing the plain square top, to better mimic the look of an authentic Chinese screen.

Ready for paint and wallpaper, standing screens from ReadytoCover.com

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Then choose a gorgeous Chinoiserie wallpaper. I recommend painting the back and frame in a color that closely matches the background color of the wallpaper. Your paint store should be able to match the color very closely. Once you’ve wallpapered the main panels, add a coat of satin polyurethane for finish and protection.

Here are some of my favorite Chinoiserie wallpapers that would work very well for this, along with a few fabrics I picked to go with them:

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Wallpaper: (right )Thibaut, Meridian-red
Red satin: Robert Allen, Kazvin-scarlett
Stripe: Beacon Hill, Trilogy Stripe- capri
Skin print: Robert Allen, Baby Cheetah- mustard
Multi jacguard: Beacon Hill, Grainnes Charm- blue terra
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ldklskdjlskdjflsdkjfldkfjgldkfjgdlfgjujp Black wallpaper with co-ordinates oufoiuoiudfjgdlfgjdpfugdpofugdoifugdoifugoilkdlskdjflskdjlskdjflskdjflskdjflskdjflskdjflskdjflskdjflskdjflskdjflskdjlkjlkk
Wallpaper (right): Thibaut, Fishing Village-black
Rust textured wallpaper: Thibaut, Venetian Plaster, pumpkin
Green velvet: Kravet 23157-323
Black Leopard: Kravet 29437-616
Black damask: Beacon Hill, Jinan-noir

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Wallpaper (right): Thibaut, Cantonese-brown
Gold chennille: Kravet, 22404-16
Stripe: Beacon Hill, Coulthard-oro
Orange geometric: Highland Court, 180936H-35
Skin pattern:Beacon Hill, Cheetah Skin-praline

For pricing and availability on the various wallpapers and fabrics, call Gaita Interiors at (914)834-8282

AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING! Here are some authentic hand painted Chinese screens that are out there, new and antique.

Antique Fujin Screen Set from antiquesbyzaar.com , $2500.00

These two exquisite screen sets (above and below) are from Antiques by Zaar, an excellent dealer in Chinese antique decorative arts and furnishings. Their huge warehouse is in Highpoint, N.C., but the web site is wonderful too.

Antique Chinese Screens circa 1890 for antiquesbyzaar, $4675.00

Newly made hand painted from chinesefurnitureonline $1800.00"

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Upgrading InThe Bedroom - The Big Girl Drapes!

Alberto (the hubs) wants to know if I ever will be "done" with decorating our home, or rather will I ever be satisfied and just leave things alone. What do you think ?
You can click on images for larger unstyled snap shot style I'm in a hurry to show you this photos.


I am having my 60th birthday July 21. I tell you this so I can own it ha ha, and to let you know I have had a life long love affair with decorating each and every home I have ever inhabited. I have never had the luxury of a big budget. I am very resourceful and often make do and make it look fabulous too.



Working at Perch has afforded me the ability to get a couple of really nice things. Custom made drapes. Big Girl Drapes. No drop cloths drapes, no hand sewn pieces of fabric by me, no off-the- rack curtains masquerading as drapes, but really beautifully made drapes. The rooms that got the Big Girl Drapes are my office, our bedroom, and the guest bedroom for now.


My fabric of choice is Dupioni silk without a slub. The color is the same for both bedrooms, as is the size, to afford me the flexibility of using them as a pair in another room if I choose to do so sometime along the line. The color is called: Rain.
Jack Mayberry the head designer of Perch, and Eva Spencer our head seamstress advised me (and have been teaching me how to measure, order the fabric, and choose the finishes, etc. for our custom drapery clients).


I chose thermo suede lining, a heavy cotton lining encasing the thermo suede, and the finished silk top sewn with seven inch French pleats. There is a small puddle at the bottom. It's like getting luxury insulation for the house! Not a drop of air or light penetrates this beauty!


The rod is the return rod, meaning the ends return to the wall. Perch makes a hefty, made to measure return rod, with a custom hand painted finish that is gorgeous. A local artist who works in many mediums including metal, makes them. Even with an employee's benefits, this rod is a little pricey for me, and I wanted to have the flexibility of an adjustable rod, always keeping in mind how I move things around. I found the perfect rod at the perfect price from Country Curtains on line HERE.
Jack from Perch, painted the rings for me, in his signature color he always uses for Perch clients.

I also upgraded a couple of accessories in the bedroom. I love these metal antlers, which also look like a branch, placed on top of the old cabinet that houses the television. I like the simplicity of one unique object, as opposed to the fussy vignette I had before. The old wood lyre is a piece of found folk art.

The new metal antlers from Perch
I think it adds a "wow" factor to the old armoire

"Before" a sweet little vignette on the armoire that I found too fussy

I also painted the dark brown wood nightstands a pale turquoise (and added a cut-to-size piece of 1/4 inch thick mirror for the top). It's the same color I used to paint the accent wall in the kitchen. I like to carry at least one color from another room to the next. I also have been taking color cues from the painting over the bed. As always I combine antique, vintage, and contemporary things with touchstones of French furniture.


There's a different painting in a little nook by the door that combines the new and the old.


I also upgraded the lamps that are on the dressers. I use one lamp on each dresser. Two would be too much. I got these lamps on HSN (Home Shopping Network) HERE, from the Nate Berkus line there. They are mercury glass, and very good looking. They cost $129. each and came with the nice linen shade. I think they are great quality at any price.

Almost sold out at HSN! Go HERE to get yours now

While I'm at it I'm thinking of upgrading our bedspread. Right now it's all white with a deep 28 inch drop ruffle, and I love the look. This was another bargain basement make-do. I found two twin spreads on line at a pretty pedestrian site called Brylane Homes. I had my local seamstress sew them together to make a king size bedspread..
After a couple of washes, the cheap poly fill shifted and bunched up, so I slit a small but large enough opening in one end, and pulled all the stuffing out. Now the spread looks like it's made of vintage handkerchief fabric, and lays much better. The stitched trellis effect has grown on me, even though I prefer a plain and pattern free look.
All is well, except that there are a couple of ink blots (made by a black Sharpie) on the spread (hidden by toss pillows at the top), because my lovable school boy Alberto likes to do Sudoku in bed, and sometimes falls asleep with pen in hand. He promised me a new spread of my choice.

I like the deep drop ruffle ones from Horchow.


They are made of twill, a heavier fabric, and they look very nice. I like both colors, the white or the tan.


I also love these contemporary sets from Dwell Studio at Target.
This beige-y one is the most conservative one, and would pick up on the fabric covered wall behind the headboard, and play off the white accents throughout the room.

This shade of green is one of my favorite colors, and I use throughout the house as an accent color. If I got this spread, it would bring this color into our bedroom, thus fulfilling my philosophy of having a little color from another room travel into the next. Somehow this allows the eye to see the house as a total picture.

This turquoise blue bed covering would play back nicely to the colors in the painting over the bed.



So which do you like best? Remember I change out the bedding from summer to winter. I have a black and white contemporary duvet cover now that looks pretty good for winter.

The winter look of the bedroom with the black and white duvet
So much has changed!
The stripe rugs are gone replaced by mountain grass (a beautiful cousin of sea grass)
The nightstands have been painted
The pink lamps are now faux finished to look like alabaster

PS Stay tuned for photos of the Big Girl Drapes in guest bedroom and my office, and the kitchen where other small upgrades have happened.

Happy Fourth Of July Weekend!

This looks like fun! We can stay late and watch the fireworks on the levee! Algiers Point is a very old neighborhood across the river from The French Quarter. It has the same vintage and pedigree of architecture and jazz as The French Quarter. If you're in New Orleans check this out. Yum! BBQ Oysters, Jazz, and Fireworks!

Marlon Jordan: Cooking-n-Jazz Algiers Old Point Bar Saturday, July 4th in this issue Marlon Jordan The Old Point Bar in Algiers Talk of the Nation Twins Jazz: Review by Michael J. West THE 2009 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL WELCOMES J. PIERRE Marlon Jordan "Marlon's trumpeting, chameleon-like, assumes the colors of the music he plays ..." "Marlon, the daring and dashing trumpeter of the group, was the star of the show, peppering each tune with the brash and braying, Buddy Bolden trumpet sounds ..." "Marlon starred in George Wein's brilliantly- conceived supergroup of "Young Lions," which included Roy Hargrove and Mark Whitfield..." "Marlon, one of the world's top trumpeters ..." "Marlon Jordan is a young Big Easy native who is quickly making a name for himself with his energized take on the classic Miles Davis Quintet sound. His style is less introspective than his hero's allowing his vitality to grab hold immediately..." "Marlon Jordan Quartet gave a rousing concert at Berlin City Hall in gratitude to the German people for assisting Katrina victims in New Orleans..." MarlonJordan.com Summer Vibes In Colorado Live Concert Online Click to listen NPR's JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater WWNO 89.9 FM New Orleans Click to Listen Glenwood Springs Summer of Jazz 2008 Video and Photography by J.R. Thomason Please join us! Marlon Jordan: "Cooking-n-Jazz" Old Point Bar Saturday, July 4, 2009 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Just added: The Artwork of J. Pierre The Old Point Bar in Algiers The Old Point Bar is very excited to have Marlon Jordan entertain our patrons on Saturday, July 4th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Join Marlon as he serves Hot Jazz as well as a sizzling dish of Shrimp Creole made in the tradition of his family through several generations. Located at 545 Patterson, The Old Point Bar is located in historic Algiers Point, New Orleans just minutes from the French Quarter by ferry. Call 504-364-0950 for details See you on the 4th of July! Barbecued Oysters Jordan's Grilled Fish www.oldpointbar.com Talk of the Nation Marlon Jordan was one of the "Young Jazz Lions" who were signed, recorded and promoted on major record labels in the 1980s. He recorded three impressive LPs for Columbia from 1988 to 1992, For You Only, Learson's Return, and The Undaunted, and one for the Arabesque label entitled Marlon's Mode in 1997. His latest album, Marlon Jordan featuring Stephanie Jordan; You Don't Know What Love Is announced the return of an exceptional trumpeter . . . "Marlon's trumpeting, chameleon-like, assumes the colors of the music he plays ..." Jordan has toured with the JVC Jazz Festival, opening for Miles Davis. After the label pulled back, Marlon kept moving. He worked with "Jambalaying in Rio," a music festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil that celebrated the kinship between Rio and New Orleans. Then on August 29, 2005, Marlon was in New Orleans and it almost cost him his life. Later, he told his story to NPR's Talk of the Nation. Marlon looks to his music for a sense of normalcy after nearly losing his life to hurricane Katrina. Trapped on his roof for five days, a long-line helicopter rescue mission pulled Marlon and his girlfriend to safety. But not before he himself rescued two neighbors who were trapped in a burning house, fracturing both his ankles in the process. His current project, 3 Faces of Marlon Jordan allows him to transverse along an uncharted path; classical, jazz, and hip hop music all in a three CD compilation. Scheduled for a 2009 Fall release, the classical wing of the of the album will include recordings with the Czech Film Orchestra which boast of the best European musicians, including principle players from the Czech Philharmonic, The Czech National Theatre Orchestra, The Czech Radio Orchestra and others while the Hip Hop version will include cuts from Marlon's daughter Lori Jordan whose stage name is Honey Chyl. The Marlon Jordan Quartet brings Marlon's clean, boppish lines laced with power, and an encyclopedic knowledge of the entire jazz trumpet tradition . . . Permission to re-print is granted Twins Jazz: Review by Michael J. West June 13, 2009 - The son of New Orleans jazz polymath Kidd, trumpeter Marlon Jordan works largely in mainstream post-bop - a glut of which has been heard by this second weekend of the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. But Jordan rescued it from ennui at Twins Jazz Friday night with some of the most distinctive stylings the fest has had so far. Armed with pianist Allyn Johnson, drummer Aaron Walker, and a bassist whose name even Jordan couldn't tell me (it was their first time playing together, he apologized), the trumpeter began inauspiciously enough with a program of jazz standards. But by the beginning of his second tune, Ellington and Juan Tizol's "Caravan," Jordan had well established his arsenal of high-pitched, triple-tongued squeals that weren't just for accent or surprise: he'd make long phrases and even full choruses out of them. But he'd also balance them out with aggressive low-reaching growls that called to mind Bubber Miley in the early Ellington orchestra. These sounds continued through a full set of classics from "What Is This Thing Called Love" to Coltrane's "Impressions" to a slam-dunk reading of "Cherokee," with Jordan also running sonically everywhere in between. Literally everywhere: his horn style was manic, busy, and intense; Jordan himself often looked like he was fighting the trumpet off him, jerking it in wide arcs in front of him and raising it to the ceiling for his high squeals. The quartet was an incredible asset, too. Johnson, brilliant and flashy as always, worked glorious block chords and runaway right-hand melodies, also pulling a neat new trick in having the left hand doubling the right about three octaves down on "What Is This Thing Called Love." Walker was a spectacular time keeper with great force on the rides and singular grasp of percussive color: he even played hand-drum on the snare during "Caravan." It's hard to know what to make of the bassist, though; his buzzy, clipped sound wasn't quite the finesse that one expects in jazz, but he more than made up for it with his ear for chords and his melodic sense on solos. The indisputable highlight was a slow, subtle take on Wayne Shorter's classic "Footprints," about two-thirds of the way through the set; for once Jordan kept great space in his solo phrases, and concentrated on thoughtful lyricism only occasionally punctuated by bursts of adrenaline. Johnson and Walker did their best work here, too, Johnson with a rolling, pacific piano line that Walker supported with atmospheric cymbal work, and the bassist supplied an impressive solo that was slow and plodding, but also surefooted and clever . . . Twins remains one of the best jazz clubs in DC, but their audiences aren't winning any awards. Marlon Jordan Photo Gallery THE 2009 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL WELCOMES J. PIERRE JULY 3, 2009 - J. Pierre will be showcased at the 2009 Essence Music Festival Friday, July 3rd through Sunday, July 5th. He will be signing prints throughout the weekend at his booth in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center at the Essence Marketplace & Art Expo. J. Pierre is a New Orleans native who incorporates the spirit of the City of Jazz in each of his vibrant paintings. The expressive reflection of New Orleans culture in his work led to the opportunity to exhibit and sell his art in international and national galleries and museums. J. Pierre was commissioned to create the exclusive 2007 Essence Festival official poster and one of the 40 Fleur De Lis displayed in the New Orleans Central Business District. His paintings have been exhibited at the Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Mississippi River Festival and shipped worldwide through J. Pierre's Fine Art Gallery. His fans laud his unwavering dedication to the preservation of New Orleans' music and culture within fine art. J. Pierre will have his artwok on display during Marlon Jordan's July 4th performance at The Old Point Bar in Algiers. See You There! Click to view the Art of J. Pierre Email Address:: vincent@sylvainsolutions.com Website Address:: http://www.marlonjordan.com

Do You Still Picnic?

Ah the Fourth of July! When we were kids my parents would pack a basket and a cooler and a few blankets, and we would head to the park for a picnic during the day, and staying into the night for fireworks.



I still carry those old time images in my head, kind of like the 1956 William Holden movie Picnic HERE


But who am I kidding here in hot New Orleans! I think the chances are better of us having a picnic in the living room.



But I love the idea of elegant hampers with real silverware and china. Beaux Monde Designs has a great posting on them HERE



Romantic images of elegant picnic parties in Central Park really did happen to me! I would pack up china and silverware, and even a candelabra for nights the opera or symphony played in the park.


I would love to shop Fortnum and Mason style for the provisions.


But most of all I love to make fried chicken . Paula Deen has a great recipe HERE. Her secret is to fry it once and then fry it again for extra crispy chicken.


My favorite chicken in New Orleans comes from a French Quarter dive called Fiorella's. My 90 year old friend Miss Anne and I used to meet there once a week for lunch. Popeye's is also great chicken if you don't want to cook, and the new grilled chicken form KFC is really good too. There's just something about picnics and chicken being the perfect thing to have.



When I was young thing dating about town, I loved to make a picnic for the first date, and head off to Central Park, or even Prospect Park in Brooklyn.


It was also great to meet friends in the park for a picnic for the many concerts in the city parks.


You don't have to sit on the grass to have a picnic. You can set a table. It should be in the open, and not on the patio, or in some uber outdoor "room" all the houses seem to have nowadays.



Being under the trees, with grass under your feet is picnic.


Okay maybe a porch picnic is still old fashion enough to qualify as a picnic.


And why not style up the old picnic table with cute cushions on the benches, and a cute table setting.


Nothing wrong with paper plates either. I love the stone used on top of the napkin to keep it from blowing away.


The picnic on the beach is another fun thing to do, though my beach going days are not what they used to be.

So do you still picnic? I hope so!!!

PS Please check out the Perch blog HERE to see this week's Tablescape Thursday. Jack made another delish lunch for us!

Would You Put Fake Grass In Your Yard Or Garden?

My yard is a big hot mess. There's a beat up gravel driveway that leads to a patch of sandy crab grass.

This is not my ghetto grass yard, though the crab grass is just like mine

I'm ready for a change. Nothing will grow in the crab grass patch, except, uh crab grass. I have some beds on the sides with some stone gravel. The bedding plants are pretty good: Banana trees, Night Blooming Jasmine, bougainvillea, a palm tree, and a huge tree like lantana.
The current (August 2009) Veranda has a story called Botanical Hues Nuances From Nature. Memo to Veranda, please put more photos from the magazine on your web site.



There's a double spread centerfold (page 69) that is just perfect. Instead of the pool pavilion, we have a garage that is never used for cars, so I want to do a center piece of lawn surrounded by gravel paths in front of it.


I saw this HGTV show where the garden makeover was very Frenchy. There were gravel paths around a nice grass lawn in one section, and beautiful stone patios in another section. This is what I have been thinking of doing!



The part with the patch of grass was under some trees, and it was deemed too shady for a good lawn to grow.



So the landscape designer suggested fake grass! Like most of us I associate fake grass with Astro Turf in a stadium, or that bright green indoor outdoor carpet used lovingly by the great old guard suburban housewife, or by a mini golf course owner. Uh, like kind of tacky.


Moi use fake grass when my visions of lavender lined pathways in France or Italy fueled my homegrown garden desires?


And yet the HGTV finished product was so good looking and so charming. And the owner's dogs loved it. So I did some research, and apparently you can just hose off dog pee.



It's pricey though. About $2700. for a 600 square foot patch (which is about what I need).



My yard guy is going to give me a quote on digging up the crab grass, making the gravel edges, and planting a new lawn. He's got a driveway guy too, who is going to give me a price on doing a concrete (or cement - seeeement - as they say here in the South) driveway. I asked for the concrete to have a larger than usual ratio of small rocks mixed in, to sort mimic my dream gravel (or shell) driveway.

Happy Weekend! And Check Out A Web Site Reaching Out To Old Fans Of Domino

See more fab photos of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward HERE

We're off to teach tango this weekend in Florida.

The above image came from the Architectural Design web site, which is getting to be pretty darn good!

Ever since Domino folded, Conde Nast has honored Domino subscriptions with the only home decor magazine they have left in their once mighty stable. It's AD, which at first seemed like a slap in the face to most Domino readers.

The current issue of AD is pretty good. They seem to be hipping it up a bit, with features like $100 and under, and a little less stiff in the editorials.

Great Design $100 and under HERE

So check it out.
If you go to the web site enter the readers non professional living room photo thingee. You send one photo of your living room to them, by June 30, and they'll post ones they like the best on July 7, for readers to vote on. Kind of reminds me of the Domino Decorating Contest.

Go HERE to enter

One of my favorite features on the AD web site is the section called Hollywood At Home. Their archive of photos is incredible, as you can see by the two I used (Paul and Joanne, and Judy Garland).


You can also get a tote bag if you subscribe. Though not as cute as the Domino tote, it's a start from AD to reach out to all the hip, color loving, Ruthie Sommers fans, the self decoraters on a real budget, the Domino girls and boys.

Two Hundred

So many words are bandied about on the subject of why we blog.
Whether it's because we like the sound of our own voice, we're bored, we're inspired, we want to make friends, we want to make business connections, we like to do something fun and creative, well, we all have our reasons.
Among those reasons, are the readers of the blogs. Without them the sound of one hand clapping would be all the fun we would have.
Visual Vamp had a milestone of sorts today. A tiny one, but an important one to me. My followers list hit 200! Now I see other blogs that have 900, 1000, 5000, a zillion followers, and I think that's incredible. For me, a little guy just blogging for all of the above reasons, it means a great deal to me, and touches me, to have people identify themselves as regular readers.
I have clicked onto many of the links of the fab followers, and there is a great cross section of you.
I'm posting all of my fab followers so everyone can find you, and you can find each other, and to salute you all, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your intrepid reading.

Followers (200)

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• Forførende Farger
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• KjjK3E0wj_z972VgZ0iFolLLxejxAJiNDQ--
• 
• Kryssy Bloch
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• Katie Ambrose
• 
• twoclippedwings
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• x
• 
• jgurlvance
• 
• poetrycherie
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• Jon
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• JeanMarie
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• Sandy
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• SARAH Hill
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• Mitch Gips
• 
• chattersley
• 
• Jessica Hack
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• Tracy Barr
• 
• Meg Lonergan
• 
• glamoursmith
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• sharinna
• 
• patricia
  
• 
• Antonio Arch
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• FOR THE SAKE OF TIME
• 
• Shami
• 
• Swank Lighting
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• Julia @ Hooked on Houses
• 
• Cindy J.
• 
• Renee Finberg
• 
• Clint and Jenn
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• DolceDreams
• 
• Nancy
• 
• BLACK ROOSTER DECOR
• 
• Mary Kay
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• Heidi Lee
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• Angela Henrie
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• The Paris Apartment
• 
• Jan
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• Chari
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• Kathleen Ellis
• 
• ashleen
• 
• The Changing Look of Friends
• 
• Carey
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• laurie @ bargain hunting
• 
• KT
• 
• Julio
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• randomblink
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• Sara R F
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• TxBrendArt
• 
• Bonnie
• 
• Jennifer
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• niartist
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• Blushing hostess
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• Janet Baker
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• eve bennett
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• sarah.cohen
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• marysverandah
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• dime_diana
  
• 
• Cássio Fritas
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• Bellaliam Boutique
• 
• Kari
• 
• E
• 
• Dirty Dolly Design
• 
• tinkalicious
• 
• RecreationalArt
• 
• Libby Murphy
• 
• Dawn
• 
• design de interior e exterior
• 
• Kwana
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• Titiça Neder
• 
• beachbungalow8
• 
• Kadepp
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• Carla Fox
• 
• Monica
• 
• {galsintheknow.com}
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• The Old Oaken Bucket
• 
• Mo
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• Maria Killam
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• Awesome Sara
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• Linda/ "Mom..."
• 
• chris
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• Amy
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• Jan's Art
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• wav-e-walls
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• Gonçalo Beja da Costa
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• Tomarie
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• ann
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• sarahfburns
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• SERENDIPITY
• 
• angelo
• 
• Dumbwit Tellher ♥
• 
• Callie Grayson
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• Mrs. G
  
• Meade Design Group
• 
• KJC82
• 
• Nancy @ La Chambre Rose
• 
• Jennifer Ramos
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• Snytjie
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• the crazy suburban mom
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• Nina
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• Lorna
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• foobella
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• Laurie
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• Ashley @ The Happy Little Home
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• melissa
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• Retromodgirl
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• Irina
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• L O L I T A
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• Lou Cinda
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• KaReN EiLeeN
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• Live In Full Color
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• Gina Carrigan
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• Kerry Flanagan
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CUE Magazine July 2009 - Baby Boon

Here are the photos and text (lovingly retyped!) of the fabulous article about Caroline in the July 2009 issue of CUE. It is such a thrill to see the personal style of the guiding hand and heart of the interior design shop Perch in New Orleans recognized.
You can see the photos I took HERE. Make sure to click on them for a larger view to see all the details.






Text by Lee Cutrone
Photos by Eugenia Hall
Styled by Jack Mayberry, Valorie Hart, and Caroline Robert
Editor Kara Nelson

Caroline Robert finds inspiration and fulfillment in lots of things. She loves good food, music, and design as well as being around her dogs and loved ones. She enjoys traveling, the outdoors, estate sales, yoga, painting, and gardening.
Originally from Texas, Robert attended LSU and moved to New Orleans nine years ago. She married Andre Robert, a stockbroker, became a step mother to Andre’s children Remy, 18, and Raphe, 13, then opened Perch, a Magazine Street store, where she and staff members Jack Mayberry and Valorie Hart bring together a fresh blend of antique and new designs for the home. Life was good.

Nothing prepared her for the life-changing experience of having a baby. Now, she says, life is even better.
“I could never leave the house and be totally happy playing with him all day,” says Caroline, whose sweet, soft spoken voice is still tinged with her seventh generation Texas roots. “I talk to him all day, and he gives me this look like he’s saying, ‘I understand.’ He’s so expressive. I’m certain he’s a genius.”

Caroline jokes that since her son ELi was born in April, she’s made a divot in the sofa, one of her favorite places to sit and enjoy the latest addition to the family. But it’s not likely she’ll sit still forever. She’s already introduced Eli to her business, bringing him to work and rocking him to sleep in a cozy space, which she’s dubbed “the butter-churning room.” Though thoroughly renovated by the Roberts, the 1860’s cottage that houses Perch still retains plenty of 19th-century charm, and tourists frequently comment that the shop offers an interesting window into the grand past of New Orleans homes.

Built in 1906, the Robert’s Uptown home is a wonderful piece of history as well. Designed by the architectural firm of Debuys and Levy, it features a deep porch supported by colossal white columns, high ceilings with ornamental plaster work, leaded glass windows that glisten like cut crystal, and plenty of green space for a child to roam. Caroline has touched both the house and her store with a light and airy hand that incorporates her trademark elements: natural motifs like nests and branches, touches of robin’s eggs blue (“I call it Perch blue,”she says of the hue used on her store’s logo), distressed antiques, sleek modernist pieces, custom curtains, fanciful lighting and a mix of antique and contemporary art.

She’s found her métier. Only now she looks at it through a slightly different lens - that of a mom. And her timing is right on the mark.

“I always think about a person’s lifestyle when helping with their home,” says Caroline, referring to the durability of things like washable slipcovers. “I want to make sure that whatever we do works for the way a person lives. But it’s interesting --all the things that are going on with designers and the children’s market. Almost every company is coming out with a line of baby stuff. I guess, as a result. I’m a little more drawn to to the whimsical.”

The whimsical is, in fact, where she started when designing her own nursery. The large room was already wired for two chandeliers, and Caroline began looking for two that would spark wide-eyed interest in a child. She settled instead instead for a crown like architectural remnant from a Catholic confessional from Bush Antiques, and a modernist chrome fixture she calls the asteroid fixture -- two completely different looks that typify her love for mixing periods. Caroline also included a Belgian carousel horse, a praying mantis rocker and a zinc-covered sideboard (used as a changing table), all from Perch, as well as the rocking chair her mother-in-law used with every one of her nine children, a photograph of her grandfather as a baby in 1910 and antique toys found by her mother, who passed on her love of antiques to Caroline.

Other aspects of the room are designed to extend beyond babyhood. Pale blue-and-white linen curtains are simple enough for any age, the sunny sitting room now uses as a space for mother and child to spend time eventually will become a playroom.

“I think it is very important for every home to have an area that is devoted to quiet time for mom and dad to bond with their child,” Caroline says. “For us that space is the sun room, which is part of the nursery. It has windows that overlook the branches of an ever-changing Japanese magnolia and an old live oak. I love that our little boy will grow up in a room that feels like a tree house.”

Nature is a recurrent motif in Caroline’s life. A self-described nature girl, she loves the outdoors and is pleased with the new pool she and Andre recently integrated into the existing landscape, which includes traditional New Orleans greenery like gardenias, crape myrtles, roses, hydrangeas, and sago palms. “I love the fact that the pool sits in front of our rose garden,” she says. “Now the terrace and the pool are just extensions of our home. We spend time there every day.”

In fact, there are few spaces in the house where the family does not spend time on a regular basis. Though grand in scale and history, the home is filled with things that are casual, comfortable, and approachable. The same goes for her wardrobe. On a typical day, she reaches for jeans and flip-flops, mixed with chunky necklaces and rings and Chanel No. 22 perfume, the same fragrance her grandmother wore.

“I suppose my style is about taking something simple and classic and making it fresh and unique,” says the new mom, who now more than ever values the extra moments that an easy approach allows. “Having a child gives you a new, clearer perspective on life. Everything that might have seemed important before gets put into its place. If I have an extra two minutes to spare, I’d rather spend it it rocking him to sleep for a nap than worrying about how perfect my house is or if my makeup is just right.”

PS If you liked this story in CUE please check out my story published last October HERE.

Jonathan Adler Goes To The Dogs

Cute dogs and cute shoes.


This is the concept for these portraits.


Kind of a cool idea. No worry about age, or being pretty or not - that is, no worry for the humans ha ha.

It helps if you have good legs and cute shoes. The dogs don't have have a thing to worry about.

For Immediate Release from the Jonathan Adler store in New York:

"We’re thrilled to introduce Charity de Meer’s “Pet Project” portrait photography.

The style: Art interpreted through the filter of Charity de Meer’s brilliant lenses. Your favorite shoes and your favorite pet photographed from the waist down.

The one-of-a-kindness: It doesn’t get more personal than a portrait of your faithful companion and you.

The availability: Featured photographs are available for purchase at Jonathan Adler New York City and Miami retail locations: http://www.jonathanadler.com/ for store information. For inquiries about commissioned portraits, please contact 877-287-1910. "

VV Here: I hate to be snarky, but I think you could do this type of cute photo yourself. Get a cute pair of shoes, grab the pooch, and get a friend to snap the photo.

Shop Keepers Homes 4 - Caroline Robert Owner of Perch New Orleans

This edition of Shopkeepers Homes is my favorite, because it is the home of Caroline Robert the owner of Perch in New Orleans, the shop in which I lovingly work.


Her home is a grand old dame, a classic Uptown New Orleans beauty.
The house is filled with old and new things, very much in the way Caroline stocks the shop with beautiful wares. It is a family home, for the Roberts, with three children, and three dogs. It is home well lived in.


The hall table is antique, the painting vintage, the accessories of an ancient angel wing and a bowl of fresh picked apples is lovely.


To one side of the front door is the study. The house is well over 100 years old, and has some of the most beautiful original plaster work, which is offset by Caroline's signature color: Blue.


There ae a couple of grand old gilded mirrors around the house.


Off to one side in the study is this little antique settee under the striking portrait, flanked by the sumptuous blue silk drapes made in the workroom of Perch. And look at that plaster work! It looks like a wedding cake!


There's a handsome white ceramic dog too, unlike any I've ever seen.


Across the hall is the living room. Don't you love the ceiling! I spy a pair of vintage Murano lamps that Ed from Swank Lighting would die for!


Here's another view of the living room. The juxtaposition of the transitional sofa with the antique settee, and modern coffee table with a very cool vase holding yellow tulips, is so typical of the way Caroline designs interiors.


Nestled in a corner is a sophisticated contemporay chair, and in the background you can see a classic French antique table. And the bouquet of coral roses is just the perfect grace note. Do you notice the very pale antique Oriental carpet? As much as I love sea grass, it just wouldn't work in this room.


The original marble mantle looks great with a piece of modern art flanked by antique torcheres.


To one side of the mantle is an antique English campaign chest, and the dark wood tone is a great contrast to the lighter pieces in the room. The painting is done by the head designer and manager of Perch, Jack Mayberry.


I love the stack of books with the ancient Roman foot resting on them. And check out the detail of the frame of the painting, how Jack incorporates the frame making it an important element of the painting.


Now we're moving into the expansive dining room, a place the Roberts gather in regularly for huge dinner parties with friends and family. The breakfront looks original to the house, but it's really a more recent piece Caroline acquired from Tara Shaw. And note the uber dental molding!


The French antique chandelier spoils you - no reproduction can truly capture this kind of beauty!


Across the hall is a room for the man of the house, a classic billiards room, done in a dark and sexy palette reminiscent of an English gentleman's club.


Moving down the hall is the kitchen. Painted cabinets, soapstone counters, and brick floors are a nice departure from the cookie cutter SGG kitchen. I spy some nice oyster plates hanging on the wall.



The modern paper mache artichoke lamp looks great in the kitchen.


Old kitchen windows, overlooking the garden.


Across the kitchen is the breakfast room. More drop dead gorgeous drapes, a French wood turned chandelier, and a zinc clad dining table all add up to a welcoming spot. I love baby Eli's little cradle in this room!


Here's a better look at the precious cradle, and you can also see the fantastic brick floor that runs throughout the kitchen, breakfast room, and family room.


And here's a little peek of the family room: White slips on the sofa, great art work including a lamp by the artist Viorel.


Off the kitchen are doors leading to the garden. Of course there's a classic New Orleans courtyard with a beautiful fountain!


The patio is set up for lounging. I love this tropical print on the furniture.


And this super rustic table is the spot to be for alfresco dining.


There's a yard big enough for the dogs and kids.


And a guest house over the garage too.


And a lovely swimming pool that is well used by this family during the long months of hot weather in New Orleans.


We've seen most of the first floor. There are three floors of the house. I did not photograph the guest room (it was occupied) or the older kids rooms.
We're moving to the second floor. Don't you love the old leaded glass windows and this window seat on the stair landing! Caroline likes to read here.


The master bedroom has a magical and romantic bed. Simple elegant bed coverings with luxe monogrammed pillows are so pretty.


But the real star of the second floor is baby Eli's new nursery. The painting above the crib was done by Caroline for her new son.


The room is very large, and there's a queen size bed in there, ready for Eli to grow into. The canopy above was suggested to Caroline by Jack. It's an antique piece from an old church. I spy some very cute owl lamps. Doesn't baby Eli look darling on his big boy bed!


The linen drapes are from Perch, as are the zinc clad dresser (used as a changing table) and the zinc clad frame. The soft gray tones of the weathered zinc work so well with Caroline's signature palette of blue. And the grasshopper rocking toy is a fabulous folk art accent.


The vignette with white peonies is understated and so pretty.


There's a little round turret off the main room of the nursery, just large enough for mommy's chair to rock baby in. The lamp is Kartell. The Roman shades are made from the same linen as the draperies.


There's a great bookcase in the nursery, filled with more animals. The animal theme sort of evolved with a collection of things Caroline had: an antique carousel horse, a paper mache snail, butterfly prints, and one special yellow toy on the left side of the shelf which was a gift to Eli from Jack. It was Jack's baby toy! And I spy the baby Philippe Starck Lou Lou Ghost Chair!


There are many wonderful paintings in the house, and I love this portrait of Caroline. She had it done as wedding present for her husband Andre, telling him "what you see is what you get."


And here's Caroline! She arranged the luscious bouquet of peonies in the breakfast room.


And here's her mom Mrs. Elaine Smith, or Miss Lainie as we call her, with baby Eli in the living room.


Here's handsome Mike, Caroline's dad in the kitchen. Happy Fathers Day to Mike and all the dads out there!


And here I am with Caroline, my boss, my mentor, and my friend.
I was at her house taking snap shots while her home was being photographed for CUE Magazine coming out on the newsstands, Sunday June 21. I will be posting this editorial next week on the Perch blog, and I'm sure you'll see better pictures, and read a wonderful story too.