How the Navy Introduced Me to Designer Lee Ann Thornton

While researching my last post, looking for images of Navy chairs, I discovered this kitchen nook designed by Greenwich Connecticut-based designer Lee Ann Thornton.

I also discovered that I love her aesthetic and affinity for mixing patterns, textures and styles. Check out the disparate pairings in this small corner alone: distressed table surrounded by mid-century chairs and a vintage-inspired bench dressed with a tailored, contrast piping cushion topped by crisp pillows in contemporary patterns and colors. Add one gorgeous pendant light, a modern botanical and the warm textures of a woven blind and wood flooring and yes, please, I'll move in right now.


And—what luck!—look at the kitchen that comes with the nook. The perfect mix of vintage and contemporary (pressed ceiling + modern stools), cool and warm (fresh green walls + deep brown floors), clean lines and textural details (crisp white cabinets and expanses of marble + woven blinds and baskets). And is that a mud room I spy through the door? If there is also a walk-in pantry somewhere nearby (there has to be, right?), then this is most definitely my idea of kitchen heaven.

More of the same heavenly mix in this seating area. Can you find all of the elements I've already mentioned in this single shot? They're all there.

In fact, it seems that every one of Lee Ann Thornton's designs incorporates the same elements even when the look is decidedly different. Here, a living room in soft blues, neutrals and bits of the sea and chinoiserie.

Another living space in periwinkle and white with hits of chocolate, a tropical touch of seagrass and bamboo, and an unexpected zebra or three.

And here, the boldest, brightest pattern-mixing-est room of them all: a casual family space in summery, sea-worthy blues and whites.

To see a bit more (honestly, I've stolen—um, borrowed—more of her images than I probably should have), visit Thornton Designs here. There is also a lovely interview with the designer here. I am so impressed with and inspired by the designs of Lee Ann Thornton... and so happy that the Navy sent me her way.

Seasons Change

While combing through tear sheet files in preparation for an upcoming post, I found an article pulled from a past issue of Country Living magazine. Titled "Get the Look Every Season", it's about transitioning your decor from spring/summer to fall/winter, or vice versa, using color, pattern and texture. I understand this colorful, traditional look might not be your particular style, but I assure you, these ideas can be applied to your home too. Imagine a softer pallette or more subdued patterns and solids, and you'll see.

Start with the basics. Good quality furniture in timeless styles, a neutral floor covering, and wall colors that work with both looks provide the backdrop on which to make changes. In this home, furnishings are a mix of new and antique pieces. Wood flooring throughout and a sisal carpet cut to fit the living room plus yellow walls in the living room and red in the dining room provide the basic foundation. Notice too that the bamboo blinds at the windows stay in place all year. Only the fabric curtain panels change with the seasons.

Find a good upholstery workroom. Or polish up your own home sewing skills. Slipcovers, pillow covers, tablecloths and curtain panels have the greatest impact when it's time to change seasons. Choose your fabrics wisely—mix patterns and colors to your liking or ask the advice of your upholsterer, the staff at a full service home decor fabric store (like Calico Corners) or consult with an interior decorator. Trims, buttons, fringe and other dressmaker details like piping, gathers and pleating, add to a custom look. And be sure to choose machine-washable, stain-resistant fabrics that will stand up to everyday wear and cleaning.

In the photo below, you'll see that white slipcovers are used on the sofa's seat cushion and the antique armchair. Checks and patterns inspired by the homeowner's collection of blue and white dinnerware and porcelain accessories, cover the rest of the sofa, ottoman, toss pillows and chairs that flank the fireplace. Similar red and white fabrics add to the mix livening the cool blues and complementing the yellow walls. At the top of this post and directly above, you see how the room has changed for fall. Slipcovers are removed to expose darker, richer fabrics and warmer textures on the upholstered pieces. Casual, summery tie-top window panels have been replaced by red, floral patterned ring-tops.


Accessorize for the season. It's likely that your spring/summer look will be lighter and brighter in both feel and color than your fall/winter room. Your accessories should be too. In these photos, below, you'll see that the dining room chandelier shades are changed from summery blue and white checks to black for fall and winter. Likewise, the plants and florals that were springy and fresh, have been swapped out for dried varieties and seasonal fruits. Branches full of fall leaves and piles of pinecones or seed pods would work just as well. In the living room, in addition to the changes you've already seen, an area rug in rich, warm colors is layered on top of the sisal that was left bare for summer. A few more pillows and a plaid throw cozy up the look even more.

We've been reading everywhere that changing our mantelscapes is a quick and easy way to update our decor to reflect the season. This room is no exception and you can see in the photos below how simple a change like this can be. The mirror, wooden box, hurricane and candlesticks holding white pillars remain exactly the same. Only the florals are different: a potted orchid and cut flowers from the garden have made way for a bright red seasonal bouquet and rosemary topiary. Look a little further and you'll see that the sunflowers that filled the firebox and books stacked on the hearth in summer have also been replaced. Fall brings out the firewood, tools and screen that make it possible to light a warm, welcoming fire.

Convenient storage makes it easy. At the end of the season, when it's time for a transition, this homeowner finds most of the pieces she needs right here in the room. A skirted round table hides a storage cart, see below, that holds all of the fabric items: slipcovers, pillow covers, tablecloths and curtains. For summer, the area rug is rolled up and stored under the sofa. And the article doesn't say so, but it's entirely possible the the chandelier shades not in use are stored right there in the dining room's corner cupboard.

Details you may have missed: Most of the art used here is black and white photography, all framed in black for a consistent, season-spanning look. Black ladder back chairs in the dining room are given off-white slipcovers to cool and brighten the look for summer. Warm yellows and reds are predominate in both rooms all year round while the cool blues used in spring and summer virtually disappear for fall and winter. The tray on the ottoman appears to hold the same stacks of books and magazines and the same silver dish in both seasons. What changes is the textile under the dish—lacey and white in summer, dark and homespun in fall—and the contents—fresh green limes change to golden apples. So easy.

Every time I see this article in my files, I think about whether or not I'd be willing to go to such lengths to change my decor for the seasons. I always buy a new pillow or change a couple of covers when the season changes. I've even been known to switch a blue and white throw for a solid white or warm gold. And of course I change certain accessories: seashells get put away for fall, plants and florals follow the seasons and books piled on the coffee table feature appropriate themes and subjects. But change the upholstery? The rug? The curtains? Sure, why not! I never seem to find the time though to do more than think about it.

What changes with the seasons in your home? Major pieces like upholstery and rugs or accessories only? What do you think about changing your entire look the way this homeowner has done? Easy and practical or too much trouble? I'd love to hear from you.

Country Living article written by Anna Kasabian. Photos by Keith Scott Morton. Interior design by Matthew Patrick Smyth.

Coffee Table: A Love Story

Allow me to introduce the Bailey Coffee Table. I have never loved a coffee table like I love this coffee table. But until quite recently, I've expressed my love from afar. At first glance—as seen in a Pottery Barn catalog two years ago? a year and a half?—I was drawn to its warm color and those pretty curves. I could see immediately that it was the perfect size and shape to replace the table I'd tired of—a relic from my husband's oak-dominated past. A perfectly serviceable table to be sure, but not nearly as special as Bailey. I've gazed longingly at Bailey both online and in many subsequent catalogs. Sadly, the original price prevented me from acting on that love. So I avoided looking for Bailey during outings to the PB store. I tried to pretend I'd never noticed it in the first place. That strategy almost worked.

If you've read my blog for more than five minutes, it's pretty easy to tell that I. Love. Color. Lots of color. Pattern too. One of my favorite rooms ever is this one, above, by L.A.-based designer Lynn von Kersting. Here, she mixes my favorite primary colors with vintage finds, Asian, European and otherwise exotic accessories and textiles, warm woods and worn painted finishes, all in a way that makes this room irresistible to me. Just look at all the patterns on those toss pillows on top of a patterned sofa! A green shade on a blue and white porcelain lamp? Yes please. Books and artifacts strewn about. Paintings hung like they've been collected over time. I could live here quite happily without changing one single thing. (Ok, I'd have to change out those white lilies for something else. Roses maybe. Lilies make me sneeze.)

Another designer whose colorful works I admire is Linda Applewhite who currently divides her time working for clients in both the Bay Area of Northern California and Santa Fe, New Mexico. These two living areas, above and below, make me so happy. Again, look at all that color! I love the way she combines contemporary fabrics and patterns with antique furnishings and found objects with lots of authentic patina. Her rooms are often whimsical and a little over the top—even for me!—but I really appreciate her process. While they might appear to be mixed and matched with abandon, her interiors are very well-planned, well-balanced and super functional.


In my attempts to achieve a similar look for my own home, I've borrowed ideas from both von Kersting and Applewhite, while striving to stay true to the objects and shapes and colors and patterns I am naturally drawn to. Trying to do what's best for this particular house. And without tossing everything I've had and enjoyed for many years. I'll admit the idea of trashing it all and starting over from scratch has crossed my mind. But my practical side would never allow it. I also try not to have anything in my home just because I think it "should" be there according to the latest trends or design standards. And I want the things in my home to have value beyond their worth in dollars. Whether there's a sentimental attachment or just because it makes me smile, every object should have function or beauty—or both—in a way that appeals to the people who live here. (Lucky for me, my husband likes lots of color too, though he has occasionally expressed a fear of living in what he calls a "clown house"—too much of all the aforementioned pattern and color and exuberance. I tell him not to worry, but I can see that he sometimes still does. Not that I blame him... but I digress.)


A handful of detail photos, above and below, give you a peek into my living room. Above: lots of mixed up pillows on an off-white sectional that more or less matches the cottage white walls; the patterned shade of the floor lamp that sits next to my red arm chair; golden checked curtains that give the room a beautiful glow at certain times of the day; a wool area rug that pulls together all the colors of the room. Below: my freshly painted green chair sits next to an antique oak secretary; vintage art and imported plates hang over the sofa; an antique oak table with pretty turned legs and carvings holds a few pieces of blue and white porcelain; the view over my current coffee table ends with the entertainment armoire across the room.


Easy to imagine—isn't it?—that a green coffee table would fit right in. And still, I couldn't justify the purchase. Several months ago, Bailey appeared in the back of the catalog with the clearance items. At exactly a time when I should not be considering new furniture (bad economy=fewer discretionary dollars, especially when you already have a coffee table). So I forgot about it. It obviously wasn't meant to be. And then. . . last weekend. . . I walked into the nearby Pottery Barn Outlet store. Right there, smack in the middle of the store. Bailey.


Priced to sell at $249. And I can tell you, one would have sold right that instant and driven home with me if it weren't for this: all outlet furniture sales are final. OH. NO. What do I do now? I thought Bailey was out of my life. I was prepared to live with old oak for the indeterminable future. So I did all that I could do. I looked. And touched. I may have even hugged it. I whipped my fabric swatches out of my purse to see if they liked Bailey too. They did. I snapped a couple of pics with my phone. Measured. Paced. And left the store. At home, I paced some more. Uploaded the photos. Looked at my room from every angle. Talked myself out of it. Then back in.

Here's a sketch of my living room. All of the case goods, with the exception of that green chair that might end up in the kitchen, are brown. Oak, walnut, other woods I can't identify. Do I want to bring a green-painted coffee table into the middle? Will it stand out too much? Or will it blend nicely into the mix? It would sit on top of the red area rug, so the contrast there is low with regard to shade, but high with regard to hue—red and green being complimentary as they are.


To make it even more confusing, check out this photo, below. See the beautiful finish and how it's distressed and chippy? See the brown that shows through? Does that help it to coordinate? Or make it stand out in a way that's not good? What would Lynn and Linda do? Why is this so hard??!! Because I want it so much? Or because it's all wrong?

When I called this post "a love story", I didn't say there would be a happy ending. I can't tell you yet where it's going to go. But I may not have much time. There were only three (or four?) on the floor so I need to decide soon. $249 is not a lot of money for a great piece of furniture, but it's too much money to waste on a coffee table that doesn't love me (I mean, my house) as much as I love it. And I need to get my life back and quit obsessing over this table! I do have other things to think about. Really. So I'm asking all of you. Bailey or no Bailey? Be honest. But not brutal. Remember, I'm in love. If it's not going to work, please let me down easy. Here. Have one last good look and let me know what you think. Thanks.

EDITED TO ADD: Check out my next post to read how this story ends. . .

In My Dreams

While I've been blabbering on in my last two posts about my de-cluttered chair, I've also been reviewing my collection of images intended to inspire the long overdue makeover of the rest of my master bedroom. So today, instead of so much talk about clutter, it's all about the pretty! These are the choices I've narrowed my big fat file down to, and with each I'll tell you what about it speaks to me.

At the top of the post is a bedroom by a favorite California designer, Lynn von Kersting. If my room and windows were a bit more grand, I might be able to pull this off. The colors and patterns and mix of florals and stripes will inform my choices, I'm sure.

These next four are favorites I could move into as is... especially if the rest of the house they're a part of comes with them!

Above and below, are both halves of the master bedroom in a Malibu beach house designed by Michael S. Smith. This room is probably close to ten years old, but the antiques, vintage and classic elements make it timeless. I'm also very attracted to the triad color scheme of red, yellow and blue. But as I really do want the bedroom to be quieter than the rest of my house, I'll probably not use such large doses of red and blue and focus more on the yellows and golds.

The bedroom below in the old apartment of former Country Living magazine Editor-in-Chief Nancy Soriano, has long been a favorite space. I like the painted furniture, the wall color, the trim detail on the curtains and the vintage elements and patterns.

The next bedroom is from a house completely redesigned both architecturally and decoratively by designer Linda Applewhite. Here, I love her use of warm, sun-drenched colors and found objects as wall art. The exposed ceiling is beautiful, but, sadly, not an option in my home.

Writer, designer and former Country Living editor-at-large Nina Williams features her own bedroom in her book "The Illustrated Cottage". I love the mix of patterns, the soft blues and reds used together, the plates over the headboard and the details on the mixed but matching window treatments.

Next, a beautiful French-inspired bedroom by an unknown designer pulled from an unknown source. Many of the tear sheets in my ideas files were put there long before I started this blog, so my apologies to any source that I am unable to identify and to any reader who wishes I could. By now it should be obvious that it's the color and pattern I love here.

This photo is from a Meredith Specials publication called Country French Decorating. You'll see them on newsstands with the magazines a couple of times a year. This image is from their Fall/Winter 2007 issue and it stops me every time I see it. The timeless combination of yellow and blue is one I have loved since childhood. Add in French antiques, blue and white checks, vintage florals and beautiful art, and I'll take it!

This room with its small size and window at the head of the bed is the most like my own, structurally speaking. And while I like the idea of a canopy or poster bed, I'm afraid I would tire of it. And I do like the headboard I have. The quiet colors here with just a touch of pattern in the needlepoint pillows appeal to me and make me think that I might, maybe, be happy with less pattern.

This room is just so cheery, I had to include it. I also like the juxtaposition of black lamp shade and dark windows with the white walls.

Phoebe Howard is one of my favorite designers and I love her use of soft, muted colors in rooms like this bedroom, below. I get my blues and yellows but in pale, creamy shades instead of the more vibrant tones in the pics above. Further inspiration for me to "tone it down" a bit.

But if I took the Phoebe Howard room and added a few more patterns and just a pop of brighter colors, like in the art and center pillow in the room below, I think I'd be happier. I also like the modern lamps in combination with the largely traditional elements in this room.

This beautiful blue room I love for its use of mixed patterns in a quiet color scheme. What I like most though is the burlap bedskirt!

I've included the photo below because of the window treatments. A few months ago, I bought panels very much like these for my bedroom. Same golden color, same linen-like texture, they even have brassy rings sewn into their French pleats. I wondered if I could combine the bright brassy rings with a dark antique brass rod, and this photo answered that question for me. Yes, I can.

The bedding below is new from Pottery Barn. They say the pattern was inspired by a vintage American fabric from the 1920's. If it's as pretty in person as I think it is on their website, it might have to come home with me. So much for my quiet bedroom!

Finally, this image begged to make an appearance! Isn't it pretty?! The home of this young designer, Rosie Winstead, was featured in the Spring 2008 BH&G Special Interest magazine called Decorating. Her entire home is just as fresh and fun as this bedroom. And while this level of fearless exuberance is not likely to happen in my space, I'm very inspired by it nonetheless. The painted furniture, bed-framing window treatment, vintage art and cheerful mix of pattern and color will all, I'm quite sure of it, find their way into my room.

As I was preparing this post for publication this morning, I noticed that the ladies of the Skirted Roundtable (link to it here or from my sidebar) have focused their newest podcast on bedrooms. What they like to put in them, whether for clients or themselves, and why. Something Joni (of Cote de Texas) said during their conversation reminded me of a design principle I read somewhere many years ago and have used in my own master bedroom decorating ever since. It explains why I'm all for decorating a room that I share with my husband in such a feminine way. Joni attributed this philosophy to design icon Charlotte Moss (I did not know that, thanks Joni!) and it is that the bedroom shared by a man and woman should appear to be the woman's "boudoir" that the man has been invited into. I love that! And, lucky for me and my flowery bedroom, the man in my boudoir gets it and appreciates it and is more than willing to assist in its long-awaited transformation. I'll keep you posted on our progress!

Color and Pattern by the Barnload

In my post last week about color and pattern, I mentioned that I was scheduled to attend a class on just those subjects over the weekend. And so I did. I showed up at 10:00 am this past Sunday and sat in on the "Decorating with Color and Pattern" class at my local Pottery Barn store. Now, before you other designer-types get all skeptical and cynical, let me tell you right up front that I really didn't learn anything new. And I totally get that a class like this is, above all, a brilliant marketing tool.

But I can really appreciate how the average home decorator, who doesn't have a formal or even self-taught education in design, could be helped by the tips and rules presented. After all, as a non-gourmet cook, I have been drawn into the cooking demos at Williams-Sonoma countless times and picked up a couple of good ideas that my super-chef friends would sniff at. So it's the same concept, right? (Same company too! No surprise there.) And besides all the pretty merchandise and the review of design fundamentals, it was a lot of fun!

Our class was led by sales associate Briggett. She was funny and personable and really knows her way around a pile of pillows. She gladly answered questions and deftly demonstrated all the design concepts she presented--with new fall season Pottery Barn merchandise, of course! At presentation's end, several attendees followed Briggett around as she broke down the demo area asking her advice about their particular situation. She was happy to give them as much time as they needed. And I saw several classmates standing there with me at the cash wrap counter taking advantage of the 10% discount coupons we received (another genius idea from the PB Marketing Dept!)

All things considered, it was a fun experience and a nice way to start my Sunday, followed by more shopping and lunch with my husband (who did not attend the class but milled around for an hour enjoying the scenery and a Jamba Juice smoothie... he'd want me to make that clear!). Decorating, shopping, good food and great company... a pretty perfect day actually!

I know you're wondering, so here, in no particular order, are the "rules" of decorating with pattern and color the "Pottery Barn way" (and, truth be told, the PB way turned out to be basically the same as everybody else's way):

Refresh with Color
Updating with color is an easy way to change the mood of your rooms whether you do it to match the season or the latest trend. By switching out such things as pillows, throws, area rugs, and decorative accessories, you can get a whole new look quickly and easily.


Begin with a Neutral Palette
The neutrals in your spaces are typically the larger areas that can't be changed without major effort or expense. Wall colors, permanent floor coverings, primary furnishings and window coverings can be considered "neutrals". Not neutral in color, mind you; they can be whatever colors you decide to make them. What's neutral about them is that they form a dominant base, the backdrop, upon which to add other colors and patterns. So you'll probably want your neutrals to be solids. That beautiful floral sofa you had to have fifteen years ago or the highly patterned wallpapers you filled your home with, aren't as easy to redecorate around and are likely to date themselves long before they wear out.


Find Inspiration for Your Color Choices
Collect tear sheets--pages from magazines with images of spaces that appeal to you. Mark pages in any design books you have. After a time, you'll begin to notice repeating elements in your preferences. Look closely at favorite fabrics or a rug or artwork already in your home. What is it you like so much about them? Color combinations and patterns you like will reveal themselves. Take note and move on to making choices for your home.

Paint Colors Should be Personal
Ignore trends. Yes, they'll help you find your way but if the trend is toward chocolate brown walls and you don't think you can live with that much color in one large space, don't. Use a color for your walls that comes from your tear sheet file (light aqua and pale grassy greens are popular right now in combination with brown), then use chocolate tones in pillows and accessories.

Pick Your Patterns
Back to your tear sheets again. Notice which pattern combinations strike you. A large floral paired with a stripe and a couple of solids? Mixed up plaids and prints? Notice the placement of patterns in the rooms you like. Is the pattern on the floor? At the windows? All over the place or even nonexistent? Combining patterns is all about color and scale. Follow the example of an appealing room.

Mix and Match with Care
In the fall, home accessory colors will be darker, richer and follow the tones of the natural settings changing all around us. Likewise, in the spring, stores will feature colors that are lighter, brighter, fresher. If your home is designed in colors that relate more to one season than another, take care when buying new items in the opposite season. Lemony spring yellows will probably look out of place next to the golds and ambers more common in the fall.

Pay Attention to Textures
In the absence of multiple colors and patterns, textures will take on a starring role. Yes, they're important in every room, but a simple, monochromatic color scheme practically requires them. Smooth, tightly-woven cottons, natural linens and nubby silks each bring their own personality to upholstery, pillows or drapes. Then, of course, there are leathers, flat-woven, hooked and fluffy wool rugs, chunky knits and rough natural wovens like raffia and burlap. And those are just the textiles. Stone, wood, metal, glass... these all add their own unique textures to your space as well.

And So Much More Of course, if you want to really get into the details and nuance of choosing color and pattern, there is so much more to know and I could discuss this with anyone willing to listen all day long. But just so neither one of us has to endure that, here are a few book suggestions for you. Each contains enough basic information to get you started in the right direction.


HOUSE BEAUTIFUL'S THE HOME BOOK Lots of good basic information and inspiration presented in the same stylish manner as the magazine's editorial features. Beautiful photos and step-by-step guidelines illustrate the design process from start to finish including expert Q&A-style advice on the development of a color scheme.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS NEW DECORATING BOOK Again, more basic decorating lessons and advice in a friendly, colorful format. Designs and ideas for real people with real budgets. Color, pattern and texture are each given their own chapters with easy to read lessons and more than enough photo examples.

WAVERLY INSPIRATIONS The fabric and home decor company famous for mixing and matching patterns shows you how they do it. This book is ten years old, so some of the patterns and colorways may be dated, but the information is solid and visual examples are still very helpful. Fun quizzes help you determine your own decorating style.

POTTERY BARN LIBRARY There is a whole series of books available, most focused on a particular space in the home: Living Rooms, Bedrooms, Work Spaces, etc. There is also the newer Pottery Barn Home which I understand is a compilation of info from the other books. I know for certain that the Living Rooms version offers good color and texture advice. You might want to take a look at the whole library to see which book best suits your situation.



For obvious reasons, I've used interior images from Pottery Barn's catalog and website. Outdoor images of Victoria Gardens are by La Citta Vita via Flickr. There's been a lot of talk around the blogs about Pottery Barn lately. So clearly they're doing something right... or wrong?... or controversial? In any case, I'll be on to different things next post. Yay!