House Beautiful articles from May 2008

House Beautiful archives from May 2008

Fine lines.(the best)(Nakashima Straight Backed Chair)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Fine lines... and a distinguished lineage. Originally designed by master craftsman George Nakashima in 1948, this 30-inch-high chair is made of solid walnut with hickory spindles--dark and light, traditional and modern. It would go equally...

1. Serving dish.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Nobody can resist good old onion dip, especially when it's served in the Daffodil chip and dip, made of aluminum covered in translucent yellow enamel as diaphanous as a petal. With removable bowl, $175. MICHAEL ARAM: 886-792-2726;...

2. Wall Phone.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Calling Hepburn and Tracy! You'll feel like the star of a 1940s movie when you pick up this vintage Bakelite phone, restored with new wiring and an old-fashioned ring. $395. SUNDANCE : 800-422-2770; sundancecatalog.com. [ILLUSTRATION...

3. Lantern.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... A lot of look--20 inches high--for only $22. Put a pair on a mantel, with big fat pillar candles inside, or light up a garden party. Painted iron-and-glass Antique White Lantern. JAMALI GARDEN SUPPLIES: 212-244-4025; jamaligarden.com. ...

4. Chandelier.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Love the Cinderella colors and the flirty curves, dripping with crystals and pearls. Elizabeth five-arm chandelier in blue, 21 inches high and 23 inches wide, $895. Also in pink, sage, antique white. PARIS MARKET& BROCANTE: 912-232-1500;...

5. Inspiration.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Designer Tricia Guild knows color, and she knows flowers. Forget elaborate arrangements. Watch how just a few blooms have the power to change a room. Flower Sense by Tricia Guild, $40. RlZZOLI: 800-522-6657; rizzoliusa.com. [ILLUSTRATION...

6. Soap Dish.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... A quick upgrade. Put this by the sink for your soap and add a handmade touch to the kitchen or bath. Small oval terracotta dish, 4"x 6", made in Portugal. $18. BITTERS CO.: 866-664-2488; bittersco.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

7. Curtain.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... It's hard to find lace curtains without all the frills. This pattern, Glen's Edge, is part of a collection woven in Scotland in the Arts & Crafts style. 47 inches wide by 54 inches long, $129. Other sizes available. COOPER'S COTTAGE LACE:...

8. Umbrella Stand.(the best)
May 1, 2008... It's raining color. Fornasetti's trompe l'oeil stand (only the darkest brown-handled umbrella is real) could make any entryway. $2,344. UNICAHOME: 888-898-6422; unicahome.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

9. Ice Bucket.(the best)(Evoca )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Beautiful enough to fill with flowers and leave out every day. The hand-gilded 24-karat-gold bamboo-motif handles set it apart. Evoca ice bucket, 8 inches high, made of polished nickel-plated brass, $245. NEIMAN MARCUS: 888-888-4757;...

10. Cheese Tray.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Made of ceramic rather than paper, these "pads" would be great for cheese. Or hang one on the wall and jot down your shopping list with a china marker. Memo Notebook and Memo Script Trays, $25 each. FISHS EDDY: 877-347-4733; fishseddy.com. ...

11. Side Table.(the best)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Something different, with that C-shaped leg that feels slightly Asian. Made in Bali of ebonized mahogany. Deco side table, 28.5 inches high, 30 inch diameter, $1,450. WALKER ZABRISKIE: 561-651-7442; walkerzabriskie.com. [ILLUSTRATION...

Color for brunettes: what's the most flattering color for a brunette? Well, let's see: do you want to look sexy, mysterious, soft, youthful, rich, regal?
May 1, 2008... "Speaking as a brunette (albeit a highlighted one), I think we look better in rooms that reflect our dark and mysterious nature. This is a John Singer Sargent brown with a bit of gray in it, which makes it more interesting. He loved using dark...

Matthew P. Smyth: traditional patterns inspired by great designs of the past--from Dior to Dutch tiles--are the core of a living room that's classic and refined.(List)
May 1, 2008... Curtains [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "BEATRICE BOUQUET is a very soft linen that captures light subtly and drapes beautifully. I'd do simple curtains--the simpler, the better--with a bronze rod and rings, or a bamboo pole." Armchair...

Pagodas: that distinctive shape--a bit like an extravagant wedding cake--is ancient, Asian, and as enduring as the design world's love affair with exoticism.(EVERYWHERE WE LOOK ...)(Buyers guide)
May 1, 2008... Napkin Ring Bigger than it looks--actual size 3 3/4" tall--this gilt metal confection makes a showy home for snowy napkins. Gold Plated Pagoda Napkin Jewels, $120 for two. L'OBJET: 972-986-9575; I-objet.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Send us a picture of ... in this new column, we asked four designers to take snapshots of their bedside lamps--and they didn't hesitate to let us have an intimate look into their night life.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I love anything faux--bois, marbre--as long as it's not too realistic. So when I saw this lamp painted to look like malachite, I had to buy it for myself. It's not too perfect, which is what I love. I love the...

I'm looking for an outdoor loveseat: no, we're not kidding. They really are for your terrace, poolside, outdoor room. Indoor style moves outdoors ...(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... 1. Santa Monica, teak, $1,185. Restoration Hardware: 800-910-9836; restorationhardware.eom. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. Kingston Shelter, synthetic wicker, $2,046. Laneventure: 800-235-3558. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 3. Yin Yang,...

True or false? Our style director, Newell Turner, always assumed he'd build his house with natural materials, until he discovered the advantages of faux.(TWILIGHT FIELD: PART 3)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You wanted a classic farmhouse. Did you go with classic clapboard? No, vinyl siding, which I never would have predicted. But they've really improved the product--it now has more texture and you get a nice crisp...

Archivia books, New York City: enter this little bookstore with even a passing interest in design, and you'll exit with a burning new passion ... it's that good.(OUR FAVORITE STORE)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Archivia is like my second home. As an interior designer, I can't get enough of it. Your books are the best of the best on architecture, art, decorative arts, interiors, gardens, fashion... CYNTHIA CONIGLIARO:...

Tablescape: a light lunch: designer Bunny Williams is famous not only for her classic interiors but also for her glorious gardens. When she entertains in her Connecticut conservatory, she always brings the garden to the table.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "On a terrace or porch, you want everything on the table to feel natural to the outdoors--even the china." "I don't like to Stick to just using flowers in the center. I move pots right from the garden." "I...

Technophobia wine chillers: why all the rage for wine cellars? Isn't it a tad ... show-offy? If you really love your chardonnays and cabernets and roses, it's the only way to go.(Q&a)
May 1, 2008... "I have a little rack in the corner of my kitchen for red wines, and I keep bottles of white in my fridge. So why do I need a dedicated wine chiller?" ADAM STRUM (Editor and Publisher, Wine Enthusiast magazine): Ah, see, that's a very...

Maintenance stone countertops: stone stains more than most people expect--but this veteran kitchen designer has plenty of ways to get those stains out.(Q&a)(Florence Perchuk)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... "My husband is a wonderful cook, but he leaves everything out as he putters around the kitchen. I'm concerned about our new granite counters. Which should I worry about more--oil-bottle rings, wine splatters, what?" FLORENCE PERCHUK...

Panzanella: a classic Italian salad that's just made to go with grilled meat ... especially when you give it Ina's special twist.(ASK THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA: Q&a)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "With summer nearly upon us, I'm dreading the expected coleslaw and potato salad that l usually serve with hot dogs and hamburgers. Do you have any suggestions for what I could make instead?" I'm with you. Once...

Cookbook: vegetable harvest: one summer morning, at home in Provence, Patricia Wells had an epiphany: vegetables would be the topic of her next book. But she had no idea that it would completely alter the way she creates meals.(Vegetable Harvest: Vegetables at the Center of the Plate)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I REALIZED I WAS STUCK IN A RUT," PATRICIA WELLS WAS saying recently. "The rut in which you only have two zucchini recipes, for example." As someone who knows only one way to cook a zuke (a boring, limp saute), I...

House Beautiful: May 2008: easy living, easy decorating.
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Right now it's a Wednesday around 1:25, and I wouldn't mind crawling into the pages of this issue right now. I could be very happy sitting in the sun in Keller Donovan's all-white kitchen on Nantucket, or reading a...

Easy and natural: this take on Belgian style has it all: natural good looks with a softness and sensuality that make you fall in love at first sight.(easy LIVING easy DECORATING)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CHRISTOPHER PETKANAS: Open kitchens are as American as apple pie. It's hard to remember a time when a big portion of the population wasn't living this way. Of course, it's all in the execution. What are your...

Easy and crisp: blue and white. Modern wicker. An all-white kitchen. It really is as fresh as it sounds in a nantucket cottage that's all about happiness.(easy LIVING easy DECORATING)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... LISA CREGAN: I love all the seaside cottage classics in this Nantucket house--the deep blue palette, the wicker furniture, the crisp white kitchen. But what I love even more is that you've made them all feel new again. How did you do it? ...

Easy and open: from the architecture to the decoration, everything is perfectly in tune with the mountains and trees of aspen. Even the light-filled kitchen feels as expansive as the outdoors.(easy LIVING easy DECORATING)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] FRANCES SCHULTZ: WOW, it's Aspen, but this is certainly not your stage-set ski chalet, Where are the antlers and the Lincoln Logs? ANN WOLF: That's precisely what drew my clients to the house. It's such a...

What's new what's next kitchen trends.(Buyers guide)
May 1, 2008... 01 Indoor Herb Garden Be a high-tech locavore. Grow your herbs, vegetables, and fruits on a kitchen windowsill with no soil. Power Plant Feeds everything automatically. $40; prepara.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2 Faster Cooking ...

Easy and bold: ceilings go up and up and up. Windows, too. The kitchen cabinets are so tall, it takes a ladder to reach the top. Talk about high drama ... a wine country house with a big personality redefines Sonoma style.(Interview)
May 1, 2008... ALEXANDRIA ABRAMIAN-MOTT; First things first--that clock face! What's that about? JAY JEFFERS: You've got these huge windows and a very high ceiling in the living room, so I needed something massive to ground it all. The clock is about 10...

Easy and ageless: imagine the fun! Porches, pavilions, four floors, bedrooms galore, a kitchen that's command central: no wonder this classic seaside house has always been filled with kindred spirits.(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] MIMI READ: This is the summer house everyone pines for--a classic, rambling old beauty near the ocean that's extremely livable. What's the house's history? ROBIN BELL: It's an early 1880s seaside cottage in New...

Los Angeles, California: with salvaged wood and rough stone, a kitchen in a rustic canyon goes back to nature.(KITCHEN OF THE MONTH)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CHRISTINE PITTEL: You've got the lock on rustic atmosphere. What was here when you started? DESIGNER HILLARY HAYNE: An authentic 1920s Mediterranean house with an unfortunate 1990S kitchen. Too much polished...

The best! for the kitchen: a top kitchen designer's fabulous new paint line ... tiles with history ... metal cabinets in tomato red, mint julep, pumpkin, plum.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... 1. Platters [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Instant heirlooms: Paula Hamilton hand-paints stoneware platters with your initials, family crest--or any design you want. She retires the glaze so it will last forever. Elegant, and dishwasher safe...

Correction.(Correction notice)
May 1, 2008... JANUARY 2008: In "Michael Taylor's Style," p. 74, the phone number for designer Suzanne Tucker was incorrect. The correct number is: 415-445-6789

The last words: what's the most common mistake people make in their kitchen? Here, nine kitchen designers who've seen it all ...
May 1, 2008... "Too much uniformity. Cabinets and countertops that look like an assembly of mass-produced boxes and slabs, all the same height and depth. This has more to do with the standards set by the industry than with the actual comfort of the person...