House Beautiful articles from July 2008

House Beautiful archives from July 2008

Win, place, and show!(the best!)(Buyers guide)
July 1, 2008... We're betting that these handsome mugs, featuring colorful thoroughbreds and hand-painted saddle-stitch borders, belong in the winner's circle. Dishwasher-safe Devon mugs. set of four. $200 THE MANE LION: 610-873-7400: manelion.com. ...

Color showhouse: one of the highlights of showhouse season is Kips Bay in Manhattan. Here are the colors that filled this year's exciting rooms. (See them all at housebeautiful.com).
July 1, 2008... "I was looking for sky and ocean colors, because I imagined the bedroom of two girls who love flying. When you look down at the ocean from a plane you can see how the green and blue merge into turquoise around the coastline, and that's the...

Instant room: Thomas O'Brien: pale blues and earthy neutrals, plain (but luxurious!) wovens, Moroccan patterns with a modern take: What could be more fresh, more now?
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New York designer Thomas O'Brien has created a new fabric collection for Groundworks at Lee Jofa. Here he suggests a living room that pairs the fabric with furniture he designed for Hickory Chair. Follow O'Brien's...

Circles: the circle is the perfect shape: it has no beginning and no end, and it's so easy on the eye. No wonder it's such a popular decorative motif.(EVERYWHERE WE LOOK ...)(Buyers guide)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The dizzy dots of Miami's famous Fontainebleau Hotel inspired Laura Kirar's circle chair. They look a bit like champagne bubbles, no? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Laura Kirar Chair This sophisticated chair...

Brooklyn Flea: New York has always been famous for its flea markets. Its newest is on the city's front line of style, Brooklyn.(OUR FAVORITE STORE)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... I read that the day you opened, last April, the crowd swelled to about 20,000 at its peak. ERIC DEMBY: True! Of all the businesses to open in the Age of eBay, why did you decide on a flea market? Flea markets are disappearing one...

I'm looking for a tray table: what could possibly be more useful in a small space? It's a side table, a dining table for one in front of the TV, a serving tray, a portable bar, an entry catchall ...(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Imari Porcelain, $675. William-Wayne & Co.: 212-737-8934; william-wayne.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. Antelope, lacquered wood, $637. Dransfield and Ross through Bae: 415-928-1287; bae-home.com. ...

The bathroom: inspired by the past, this bathroom measures up to the present. Style director Newell Turner built it around the one thing he can't live without--a deep tub.(TWILIGHT FIELD: PART 5)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] What's the secret to a great bathroom? A good soaking tub. My way of dealing with life is a hot bath. Kohler's Devonshire tub may not be the longest, the biggest, or the fanciest, but it's a good 14 inches deep...

Rehearsal dinner: if Monique Lhuillier's L.A. dining room casts a romantic spell over you, no wonder: the celebrated wedding dress designer brings her dreamy couture sensibility to the table.(TABLESCAPE)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Decide on a color 'story' and carry it through to the china, napkins, flowers, menu." "A table should feel luxurious, which is not to say that everything has to be expensive--a mix of high and low can be...

Green cooling: dig down a few feet in your backyard, and you'll tap into geothermal energy, a natural way to cool (or heat) your house. You'll save money--while doing your bit to save the earth.(TECHNOPHOBIA: q&a)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... "I've heard the best way to air-condition my house and reduce my utility bill is to install some kind of heat pump. I don't get it...." LEW PRATSCH (United States Department of Energy): You're referring to a geothermal heat pump, which...

Send us a picture of ... how does your house say, "Welcome home"? Eight designers show us the first things they see when they walk through their front doors.
July 1, 2008... "The ice blue of these chairs isn't the most practical, but I like to see bright, happy colors the second I come home. The sun sculpture from my Utopia Pottery collection is the ultimate totem of happiness. The chairs get a lot of use. They're...

Potato salad with bacon & eggs: Ina gives a French twist to America's favorite barbecue side dish.(ASK THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA: q&a)(Recipe)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] "Every year we have a big family potluck barbecue and I have to bring the potato salad. But I'm so tired of making it the old-fashioned way. Is there a different way l can prepare it?" As much as I like classic...

Italian grill: his passion for the simple grilled food of Italy is so unabashed, Mario Batali can't help waxing poetic about "the kiss of fire and iron grate" that creates those perfect arias of flavor.(COOKBOOK)(Recipe)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN MARIO BATALI WINDS DOWN--INSOFAR AS HE IS ABLE to wind down--he does so from Lake Michigan, smoking up the two grills (one gas, one kettle) and pizza oven outside his stone-and-shingle house to cook for his...

Small space do's & don'ts.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Here's an amazing story: A well-known decorator fired her client recently, not because she didn't like her or" because she was difficult, but because her house was too big. The decorator said," I got tired of waking...

Small and tranquil: a controlled palette of neutrals. Contemporary lines--no frills, no froufrou. The quiet metallic gleam of silver, pewter, and bronze accessories (but just a few). Limitation is the secret to a house that's so calming, it's like a meditation.(SMALL SPACE ISSUE)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] MIMI READ: This new townhouse in Montgomery is like a tonic for the nervous system--just looking at it relaxes me. How did you do it? SUSAN FERRIER: I really had to use my head on this one. A smart thing to do...

Small and breezy: would you believe this blissfully open, sunny cottage was once dark and cramped? Oh, the power of bright colors, white walls, bare floors, and raised ceilings!(SMALL SPACE ISSUE)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] FRANCES SCHULTZ: The Hamptons used to be typified by charming little cottages like yours, but they're becoming almost extinct now. How did you find it? LESLIE KLOTZ: I saw it in a real estate brochure. When I...

What's your favorite trick for decorating a small space?(SMALL SPACE ISSUE)
July 1, 2008... "Instead of painting walls bright white to make the space feel larger, take the counterintuitive approach--go deep, dark, and mysterious. A teal blue silk wall covering or an entire wall of leather floor tiles gives you a striking look without...

Small and urbane: Cosmopolitan perfection: a New York apartment that will forever change your mind about what's possible in a glassy new tower.(SMALL SPACE ISSUE)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CHRISTOPHER PETRANAS You've created pure magic in the most prosaic space imaginable--a new condo construction in Manhattan. All the custom cabinetry gives this modern 37th-floor glass tower so much character. ...

Small and natural: what does it matter if a typical L.A. bungalow is on the petite side? Angelenos can live outside most of the year--and most do. Outdoor rooms are the new backyard in southern California.(SMALL SPACE ISSUE)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] ALEXANDRIA ABRAMIAN-MOTT: This is the quintessential Los Angeles bungalow, cozy and small. Yet it doesn't feel small, because it opens to an expansive outdoor area that's as thought-out as the indoors--chic,...

Small and idyllic: a classic ranch cottage stays true to its rustic charm, while adding a dash of city polish.(SMALL SPACE ISSUE)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CHRISTINE PITTEL: This looks like sleepaway camp for grown-ups, right in the middle of Napa Valley wine country. Where's my bunk? KEN FULK: Take your pick. There's the original 19040 rancher's cottage. My...

New York, New York: to hear about a kitchen no bigger than a walk-in closet is to expect the worst. To actually see this one is to encounter the best.(KITCHEN OF THE MONTH)(Interview)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] REGINA SCHRAMBLING: This is one of the tiniest kitchens I've ever seen, but also one of the most efficient. You can stand at the sink or cooktop and reach everything you need, plus you have more counter space than...

A classic Italian range gets colorful... a slipcovered bench for cozying up to the island ... a stick vacuum that's slim enough to store in a small space (and cleans countertops, too).(the best! FOR THE KITCHEN)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Cutting Board No need to lug out the huge cutting board when you just want to slice a lemon or mince a garlic clove. The mini bamboo board is six square inches of handcrafted efficiency. $22. TOTALLY BAMBOO:...

What's the biggest mistake people make with a small space? Oh, dear: you, too? Eight interior designers share what they know about getting it right.(THE LAST WORDS)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Playing it safe. Instead, put a large-scale printed fabric or wallpaper on the walls and even the ceiling. It's easier, safer, and less expensive to be dramatic in a small space. You might get tired of a bold print...