A Question For You Stylists

You know a styling trend has arrived when it trickles down to New Orleans. Lately editors have been asking about styling that messy bed look for home decor stories and photo shoots.

The bohemian messy bed

It really is tricky to making an un-made bed bed look appealing and glamorous.

The modern messy bed

Do you start with the bed made up and then mess it up? Do you spray the sheets with water and crumple them by hand?

The romantic messy bed

Maybe you can get in the bed and kind off kick the covers around to achieve a natural look. You know if you fuss too much it will look stiff and fake, which is pretty funny when you think of it.



What does the messy bed say to the reader? Does it say something romantic?

The implied lifestyle messy bed

Does a messy bed imply a languid relaxed lifestyle that most of us crave?

All in the mix messy bed

Is there a devil-may-care off-hand attitude somewhere there in all the beautiful bed linens?

The boudoir messy bed

How would you style the messy bed look? Add some clothing? I think shots with a fancy pair of designer shoes and a Kelly bag/designer purse in it are so overused.

The Selby messy bed - Kate & Andy Spade at home

The Selby is a master of the messy look. He usually puts people in the messy beds.

The Selby - the reality of hip messy bed

There's kind of a swagger to it all. Some people hate it as being hipster and smug. Some people love it as being fresh and exciting, the antidote to all those perfectly made beds that have been in shelter magazines for years.

The Selby anti shelter magazine messy bed

Do photos of messy beds give us a voyeuristic sneak peek at the reality of the private life taking place in the home photographed?

The Selby

Would you allow your bed to photographed unmade? You've waited a long time to get a photo shoot of your project.

The Selby makes the stylist jump on the bed to get the perfect messy bed look

You've purchased new linens, and ironed them, You've fluffed and primped the pillows for hours to get just the perfect look, and the editor walks in and tells the stylist to mess it up. Could you handle it?


Is it easier on a fashion shoot then a home decor shoot? After all fashion editorial has been way ahead of the shelter magazines in presenting avant garde editorials.

Fashion model messy bed

I started looking at images of messy beds for inspiration. I love the ones with movie stars in messy beds.

Sophia Lauren and Carlo Ponti in their messy bed

Some of them are staged for movies, and publicity shots, and for magazine stories.

Sophia Loren alone in a messy bed
Love the whole styling job of this room

Since the movie stars are actors, they really know how to be comfortable in a messy bed. They know how to work it.

Marilyn - the master works the messy bed

No movie stars here at my photo shoot. Just an uptight home owner with a hurt puzzled look as I tear into her beautifully made up bed.

Marilyn

How do I explain that this is glamorous and au courant?

Catherine Deneuve - French style messy bed
The props inspire me!

Stylists! Tell me your tricks and secrets of how to make the messy bed fabulous!

Brigitte Bardot - French style messy bed 2

I practice every morning, by not making my bed. Alberto and I work all night to get just the right effect!

Audrey Hepburn - messy bed excellence
A sleep mask and a cat are so much better than a Kelly bag

Don't forget to watch stylist and blogger and Design Star winner Emily Henderson's new show Secrets From A Stylist which premiers on HGTV on this Saturday February 26, 9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central. Maybe she'll show us the secrets of styling the messy bed!

Emily Henderson secretly styles the messy bed

Front Page News ~ Your Blog Is Passed Its Expiration Date

This made the front page of The New York Times today HERE

Basically it reports that young people say blogs are out and pretty much useless. And we all seem to go the way of the younger regarding tech stuff.

Remember when we all felt so hip and happening when we figured out how to blog?

Your thoughts please.

Shiny Chic

Rock and roll patent leather

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved patent leather. Of course it started with those first pairs of Mary Jane shoes in white and black and once in red. As I got to be a bigger girl, I loved black patent leather pumps, red lipstick, and navy polka dot dresses. Then I segued into black patent leather rocker style. And now I love patent leather as upholstery.

white patent chair at perch.

I first saw a white patent leather chair at perch. nearly three years ago HERE
I was a "civilian" not yet working there. I borrowed a pair for a photo shoot. They were beyond my means, but I never forgot them.

Visual Vamp dance studio with white patent leather bench

I recently covered a bench with white patent leather. It was a bargain bench, Chris Madden HERE and very cute as it was. But I just thought it would be great in white patent in our newly refreshed dance studio. The patent leather is actually vinyl that I got at Fabric.com HERE
I painted the legs white.

French form chairs look great in patent leather

So in honor of patent leather, I give you the ultimate patent leather furniture round up!

Traditional setting with patent leather chairs

Patent leather seems to work in both traditional and modern settings. Really.

Jonathan Adler ottoman in patent leather used as a coffee table

Patent leather is comfortable to sit on, though I wouldn't sit on it with a bare bottom ha ha, or even in shorts or a short skirt (with bare legs). The new vinyl products available today are so soft, and easy to work with.



Clean up is a snap, just wipe it off with a damp cloth. If you have ever dreamed of having white furniture, patent or faux leather is the way to go. I did my vintage camel back couch in a soft faux
white pebble grain leather three years ago, and I am still loving it. It is soft and comfortable, and still looks white and clean, and Cholo and I lay on it all the time! I also did my breakfast room chairs int he same fabric, and again, not a spill has blemished them one little bit.

Cute white parsons chairs at Overstock HERE

Do any of you use patent leather? Other than in a cute purse or pair of shoes?

Patent leather daybed

There are some very cute child size pieces in patent leather, and I would think that patent would be a great fabric choice for kids. What do you say Moms?

Child size pink patent leather chairs at Overstock HERE

So what do you think? Is this patent leather round up getting you in the mood to try it?

LOVE this green patent leather headboard

A classic French style kitchen with patent leather stools

Patent as we often think of it - retro and fun!

A little trashy but fun - Nicky Hilton's bedroom circa 2008

Vintage chairs redone with patent leather seats - Just fabulous!

White patent leather wing chairs - GLAM!

Baroque furniture wears patent leather very well

Your Tango Shoes Under My Bench

Pink monogram plate: V & A
Caroline gave me these for my birthday HERE

When Alberto and I met, it was through the tango. I was a new dancer, and he was quite a few steps ahead of me. We met in July and we were a couple by October. I left my home in New York to move in with Alberto in California. I left behind an apartment, a beach house, a design business, and many, many friends.

I was sick at the time, wrung out and damaged. The tango gave me solace and strength, and Alberto gave me back my life.

To this day we are part of an urban myth in the tango world, the fancy New York woman getting the prize of the Argentine tango man. Many said it would not stand the test of time, that I would have my little tango fling, and get back to New York and my "real" life.

Sixteen years later I am deep into my life with Alberto. I never looked back, but always looked ahead to what we have between us, and what we continue to build upon.




Ours is not a romance of youth, but one started in middle age, and growing into our golden age.
Much comes with the territory that you never think about when you are younger. You never think you'll make it to be the age of grandparents, much less have the romance of your lifetime happening.



Alberto is a romantic. And so this morning he sweetly and shyly asked me to be his Valentine ~ again. And I accepted ~ again. He said I saved his heart, so he he is giving it to me.

Our long time friend Michael Pelkey sent this perfect Valentine

The tango is the back drop to the love affair of Alberto and me. Sharing our dance with one another is still thrilling, and touching, and magical.

Recently I have been updating our at home dance studio HERE
My friend Jack made a gift of the same green silk drapes I have in the living room. We both did out drapes at the same time two years ago, and he is changing his and passed them onto me. This prompted me to spruce things up. I painted some mirrors white, re-hung some art, re-purposed our old dining room chandelier and painted it orange, and added some seating HERE

White patent leather chair at perch.

The last piece for the studio is a bench I covered in white patent leather. I was inspired by the white patent leather chairs at perch. I saw over three years ago. I borrowed a pair for a photo shoot then, but never purchased them HERE


Wishing all of you love and Valentines, today and everyday.

The tango shoes of Alberto Paz and Valorie Hart

Guest Blogger Jamie Herzlinger

Of course it's already yesterdays news that another online magazine is coming via the brains behind Lonny HERE

Trad Home - not your G-Mom's traditional

Apparently Trad Home is geared to all the trad decor (traditional) girls and guys out there, though it's not your granny's trad so to speak. The lines have been blurred by the blending of antique, vintage, and contemporary elements that all combine into the new traditional decor.
Touchstones of elegance and comfort with a nod to icons of the past are key ingredients.

The first issue of Trad Home is coming this Spring, and the buzz is the Top 20 designers they name as bringing the best of the new traditional. You can see them all named HERE at So Haute.

A week ago I didn't know a thing about all of this until one of the Top 20, Jamie Herzlinger – Jamie Herzlinger Interiors, dropped me a very sweet note saying she's a fan of the Vamp, and asked if I'd like her to do a guest post sometime. I love having people do guest posts, so before I even knew a thing about Trad Home, I said sure, send it along. Jamie has her own blog HERE and could have easily posted this piece there. But I am thrilled she asked to do it for us here.

The stylish and Top 20 Trad Home designer Jamie Herzlinger
(and our new BFF - Blog Friend Forever!)

So read along and enjoy the images she chose for us too.


The Hidden Trend: Orientalism Meets Boho Chic
by Jamie Herzlinger for Visual Vamp

Jamie says Alberto Pinto epitomizes modern Orientalism

Jamie writes ~ I am so excited and flattered to be doing a guest post for Valorie today. Everyone at the office reads her blog daily so it is a huge honor for me to be able to post a few words of my own.

Everyone at the office of Jamie Herzlinger reads Visual Vamp

Today I am going to be writing about a particular trend that has recently piqued my interest and it is, Orientalism. It seems to be a designer secret and yet only the best are using it. I have done a little research of my own and come up with the roots behind Orientalism and why it is such an exciting trend right now.

Juan Pablo Molyneux ~ New trad Orientalism

Orientalism or interest in the Orient soared in popularity in Europe and the United States when the East India Trading Company was established in the mid-18th century. It was the first time the exotic nature of eastern design could be explored by those in the west. With this discovery came sumptuous materials and luxurious motifs that were both simple and complex. Westerners became obsessed with silk, embroidery and porcelain that was only available from these faraway lands.

Jamie Agnes Emery Orientalist tile

In the West, there has been no decline in interest in exoticism and foreign countries. However, the word “oriental” is often understood to refer to the Far East instead of the places to true Orientalism such as India and Morocco. While many aspects of Chinese and Japanese culture have been adapted as a part of American culture, the traditional nature of true Orientalism has received little modification.

Molyneux uses exotic influences

Since Orientalism of the Mediterranean has not been as popularized as that of far east, it far less widely understood, but if you look closely, you will see that the best current designers are taking time to understand the style and use it in subtle ways.

Alberto Pinto uses trad Orientalist elements

However, this style no longer being called Orientalism in the world of interiors or fashion. The current trend interpretation of traditional oriental is now referred to as Boho – Bohemian Chic.

Marc Jacobs does Boho Chic

(Vamp says: I spy a floppy hat I have from the 1970's)

The style is very recognizable with its unique materiality and nature inspired motifs. Boho chic is all about extravagance and over the top color and texture. Attention to detail is a key characteristic that is often accentuated by a handcrafted touch seen in much of the tile and woodwork.

Gorgeou luxiurious rug by Jamie Agnes Emery

This style is so luxurious because of the combination of natural materials like iron and wood with lavish materials like sumptuous textiles and precious stones like mother of pearl. This style is all about creating an experience that engages all senses.

Sumptuous Muriel Brandolini

These characteristics can be taken in contemporary design and implemented strategically to create a historic contrast. There are many masters of modern Orientalism including Alberto Pinto, Catherine Ferrier, Germain Boffrand, Muriel Brandolini, and Juan Pablo Molyneux.

Boho Chic for Spring 2011 via Polyvore

The sophistication of Boho Chic won’t be a secret much longer after seeing the various spring collections in fashion. You can start by adding a little Boho to your wardrobe, and even though oriental furnishings are more difficult to find, you only need a few key pieces to make a statement. I hope you are inspired by the photos I chose, and start observing the exotic oriental characteristics that surround you that you may not have noticed before. Thanks for letting me share today. ~



Vamp Here ~ Well I loved what guest blogger Jamie brought to us today and I thank her very much! What about you?!