House Beautiful articles from December 2008

House Beautiful archives from December 2008

Mini stockings.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Handmade from antique Fortuny fabrics, these stockings have enough style to stand (or hang) alone. But imagine a mantel hung with a dozen across: Now that's chimney-side couture! 6 1/2" tall, $45. B. Viz Design...

1. Shoe ottoman.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Give your feet--and your shoes--a rest with this 1930's-style ottoman. Customize with any fabric; 14 storage pockets. 18"H x 25"W. $1,675, as shown in linen. Period: 323-461-6567; periodeollection.com.

2. Chair.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With its curvy aluminum frame, soft leather seat, and cover-girl looks, the Charme Chair is ready for its close-up. Also available in black and white, $995. Fasem through The Conran Shop: 866-755-9079; conranusa.com....

3. Candles.(the best!)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ana Design's striped candles have us dreaming of a sage, ivory, and rose-tinted Christmas. 14"H, $23 for two. Ana Design: 609-394-0300; anacandles.com.

4. Book.(the best!)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] California really is the Golden State. Diane Dorrans Saeks's gorgeous new book, Santo Barbara Living, is the proof. $35. Rizzoli: amazon.com.

5. Place mats.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pretty and practical (they're hardboard on felt--no ironing!) these floral place mats will have you singing "Hallelujah"! New York Botanical Garden Tulip Place Mat, $1000 for four. Lunt Silversmiths: 800-242-2774;...

6. Chaise.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Inspired by French furniture from the reign of Napoleon III, this is a period piece with 21st-century panache. Napoleon Lounge, from $3,500. Montauk Sofa: 312-951-5688; montauksofa.com.

7. Tray.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Robert Lee Morris's hammered tray may look heavy metal, but don't be fooled: It's an aria of sleek aluminum. RLM Home Sail Tray. 10" square, $42. OVC: 800-345-1515; qvc.com.

8. Votive.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Light up your winter table with a burst of spring. Hand-painted paper-covered votives from Paris in a range of colors and designs, each one unique, 3"H, $30. John Derian. 212-677-3917: Johnderian.com

9. Bookends.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Money cannot purchase what the heart desires"--Chinese proverb. Obviously, whoever wrote that never saw these snazzy Fu Dog bookends. $50. CB2: 800-606-6252; cb2.com.

10. Ornament.(the best!)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Glittering ornaments spell out the sentiments of the season. Hang them on your tree or tie them on your gifts $11 for six. C.S. Post & Co: 888-419 2399. espost.com.

Color: north-facing rooms: with no direct sunlight, they can be a challenge--to decorate, to live in. Cheer up! The right paint color can make dark turn cozy, or north feel like south.
December 1, 2008... "If you're not getting a lot of sunlight, you need to create warmth. Pink is what you want. It's beautiful and flattering to any skin tone. But even if you go through every single paint book, there's not a pink you can use, because they all...

Instant room Nate Berkus: honestly, can you think of anything that sounds cozier than a library? It's a room that makes Nate want to nestle in--with or without a book.
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pillows "To me, pattern is meant for pillows. That's where you can really make a statement. I'd make 20 x 20-inch pillows for the sofa with MOSAICA II." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sofa "I never tire of...

Wallpaper: roses.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Can't you just smell their heavenly fragrance? Surround yourself with the queen of flowers! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Flowering Rose in Pink Big stemless blossoms in soft pink: boldly feminine without a hint of sweetness. So modern!...

Pineapple: an enduring symbol of warmth and welcome, the pineapple is a design classic--no matter how you slice it.(EVERYWHERE WE LOOK ...)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... A Little Backstory The pineapple was the celebrity fruit of Colonial America, literally put on a pedestal at extravagant feasts. It was also the status fruit--rare and expensive, brought by ship from the Caribbean. A guest felt honored to...

The master bedroom: to Newell Turner, comfort means a big old-fashioned bed, a large bedside table, and lots of organized closet space.(TWILIGHT FIELD: PART 10)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I like this concept: small bedroom, big closet. Actually, the bedroom doesn't feel small because I was able to eke out an extra foot of ceiling height under the peaked roof. Ten feet, instead of nine like...

I'm looking for a folding chair.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... This party essential--the quickest route to extra seating--has come into its own with so many stylish choices. Bring out the eggnog and bring on the guests! 1. Bamboo, $99 for two. Available in Antique White, Tortoise, and Black. Ballard...

Send us a picture of ... nobody loves a red glass ball quite like an interior designer. Or glitter, or tinsel, or a popcorn garland, or a string of beads, or ...
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I've always loved Christmas trees, but since we usually go to France for a holiday vacation, 1 ordered this one all done up from L'Olivier in New York. It's made off gold foil--a perfect combination of beauty and...

Our favorite books.(Table)
December 1, 2008... OUR FAVORITE BOOKS It's raining decorating books! Ten of them this fall, from ten top interior designers. Something for everyone, and for your coffee table too... STYLE BEST ...

Pillows.(FLIP! FOR DECORATING)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... How you arrange your bed says a lot about your style and personality--are you casual and relaxed, a neatnik, or an incurable romantic? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. The MODERNIST lays pillows flat and perfectly stacked-monastic-style. ...

Tablescape dinner for two.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Bottega Veneta's creative director Tomas Maier brings his European fashion sense to the American table: chic and simple, it proves flair isn't about the grand flourish [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "The service and mood should be informal,...

Herb-Roasted Salmon: Ina's tasty, succulent salmon will have your family begging for more.(ASK THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA: q&a)(Recipe)
December 1, 2008... "My husband and kids refuse to eat fish--they say it's dry and boring. Do you have a recipe that will change their minds?" I'm with your family. So often, fish is boring and overcooked. I actually spent an entire summer experimenting with...

Cookbook: Salumi: artisanal salumi are an Italian tradition--and the rich, savory cured meats are catching on in a big way with Americans.(Q&a)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Salumi... the first time I saw the word, I thought it was a misspellins of salami. JOYCE GOLDSTEIN: It does include salami. Salumi is the Italian term for cured meats. Almost all of them are made from pork. ...

Classic on brio in Chicago: columns and pilasters, patterns and stripes--lots of stripes!--for an urban apartment .(New TRADITIONS)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LISA CREGAN: You must have been beside yourself, getting to decorate a classic prewar Chicago apartment. ALESSANDRA BRANCA: No, no, it was a concrete box! This was originally an office building. But my clients...

It's the color theme of Christmas, but there's no rule that says you can't play around with it red & green in Greenwich Village.(New TRADITIONS)(Cover story)
December 1, 2008... HB's ROBERT RUFINO was the force behind the CHRISTMAS windows at Tiffany & Co. for the last 12 years. Here he brings his SIGNATURE DASH to a Greenwich Village house by mixing traditional RED with fresh, dazzling, surprising GREENS. ...

Soft & pretty in Cashiers, NC: a woodsy mountain house with feminine grace.(New TRADITIONS)(Phoebe Howard)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRED ALBERT: Here we are in a mountain house in North Carolina, and there's not an antler chandelier, buffalo check, or twig chair in sight. PHOEBE HOWARD: My clients didn't want typical mountain-themed...

101 stocking stuffers.(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1 TREE SNOW GLOBE, $29. WEST ELM: WESTELM.COM. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2 TASSELAIRE IN BALSAM, $35. AGRARIA: AGRARIAHOME.COM. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 3 CLOISTERS QUINCE DECORATIVE BOX, $135. THE...

Western revival in Santa Fe: modern architecture and Santa Fe style come together in a house that's sophisticated and serene.(New TRADITIONS)(Emily Henry)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] BARBARA KING: We could be anywhere in the West. This house doesn't scream 'Santa Fe!' EMILY HENRY: I'm always telling people that you don't constantly have to remind yourself where you are--Navajo rugs...

Romantic glow in Palm Beach: European style with an American sensibility.(New TRADITIONS)( Gary McBournie)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] MIMI READ: Wait a second, where are all those eye-popping Lilly Pulitzer colors we're used to seeing in Palm Beach? GARY McBOURNIE: We didn't want it to look like regulation Old Palm Beach. We wanted to keep it...

New York, New York: Harry Slatkin practically reinvented the scented candle business. In his idea-filled kitchen, he makes marble and mosaics look fresh and new.(KITCHEN OF THE MONTH)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CHRISTINE PITTEL: You live in a town house with a big family kitchen on the first floor and this secondary kitchen on the second. Why do you need two? HARRY SLATKIN: Because the dining room is on the second...

The best! For the kitchen.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... An adjustable island hood... modern Moroccan tiles... a handy (and hand-powered) vegetable chopper 1. Hood It's motorized! This sleek beauty takes island hoods to a new level. It glides up and out of the way, or down to ventilate...

Correction.(RESOURCES)(Correction notice)
December 1, 2008... NOVEMBER 2008: In the resources for "The Secret of Comfort is Natural" on page 130, the following credit was inadvertently omitted: FIREBOWL, 68NL mild steel model by Elena Colombo--Colombo Construction Corp. (M); 718-399-2233;...

The last words.
December 1, 2008... How do you make guests feel welcome as soon as they enter your house? Turns out your nose has a lot to do with it... "If you go into a house and there's tension in the air, you can practically taste it. Don't get edgy with family members...