House Beautiful articles from November 2008

House Beautiful archives from November 2008

Make it your own ...(the best!)(pillows)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Calico Corners revolutionizes custom pillows with their Quirk Ship program. Choose from nine styles, over 200 fabrics, and dressmaker details like buttons and welting. Your pillow will be shipped in only two weeks!...

1. Autumn leaves.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A faux arrangement by any other name is not as chic. These lifelike fall branches in a wire urn look so real, no one ever has to know! 40" H x 28" W, $850. Diane James Designs through Gracious Home: 800-338-7809.

2. Register covers.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Those poor, neglected vents have finally caught a break with these ornate metal register covers. Available in myriad styles and finishes, they'll add dash to your ductwork. From $24. Restoration Hardware:...

3. Book.(the best!)(Regency Redux: Napoleonic, Classical Moderne, and Hollywood Regency)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With an all-star lineup that includes Sybil Colefax, Syrie Maugham, and Billy Haines, Emily Eerdmans's new book, Regency Redux, explores the many faces of" Regency style. Finally, an answer to that pesky question,...

4. Petite sofa.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Keep the gray days at bay with this sunny sofa. While we're taken with the cheery yellow mohair, the petite sofa (perfect for apartments) comes in an array of colors and fabrics. Oswald 1.5 Sofa, 54" L, $3,500 as...

5. Drawer liner.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hermes... for under $50? The scented drawer liner in the iconic orange box is one hostess gift that will ensure you're invited back. Parfum Paper, $45. Hermes: 800-441-4488; hermes.com.

6. Napkin rings.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caspari's glittery parrots are true flights of fancy. Use them as napkin rings, or as trim for holiday packages. 6" H, $10 each. Caspari: 434-817-7883.

7. End table.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The antiqued mirror may be reminiscent of yesteryear, but the modern shape looks like a 21st-century skyscraper. Who knew an end table could be so multifaceted? 20" H, $199. West Elm: 888-922-4119; westelm.com.

8. Canisters.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We've flipped our lids over Juliska's new line of ceramic canisters. The richly decorated vessels are hermetically sealed, making them suitable for food or other items. Jardins du Monde Canisters, 9-15" H, from $78....

9. Keith Irvine auction.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Starting his decorating career as John Fowler's assistant, Keith Irvine--the always-growling eminence grise of the Manhattan design world--has spent a half century amassing the sort of antiques one isn't likely to...

10. Flatware.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Astier de Villatte's Oro Nero flatware proves that black is never boring. The polished obsidian finish and handsome heft add chic drama to your diningtable. Five-piece European-size place setting for $235. Sue Fisher...

11. Bedside set.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Welcome Mr. Sandman in style with this well-edited bedside ensemble. With a stainless tray, glass clock, crystal carafe, and floral arrangement--sweet dreams are sure to follow. $450. Mrs. Howard: 904-241-1980;...

12. Soaps.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With their luscious scent of orange, peppermint, or rosemary, these marbleized soaps by Jaboneria Marianella give new meaning to the phrase "the sweet smell of success." Available as individually wrapped bars or in...

13. Tea lights.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These battery-operated tea lights flicker like real flames but without the messy wax of a candle. Let the dancing on tabletops begin! 1.75" H, $3 each. Country Curtains: 800-456-0321; countrycurtains.com.

14. Ottoman.(the best!)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Create your own Belgian moment with this curvy wood ottoman. The upholstered chocolate linen seat is a refined resting place for books, trays, and even backsides. Yves Ottoman, 59" L x 43" D x 16" H, $1,295. Jayson...

Color hallways: just a guess, but the word you'd use to describe your hallway probably isn't one of these: glamorous, mysterious, dramatic, delicious, warm, intimate, exciting. But it could be!
November 1, 2008... "I always think it's a mistake to try to make an interior room look brighter with white. I'd rather make it dark and interesting. This is the color of semisweet chocolate chips. I just used it in a great Georgian house with beautiful white...

Instant room Celerie Kemble.(Buyers guide)
November 1, 2008... When Celerie Kemble opens those bright blue eyes, she sees a world of inspiration: chic women, heavenly gardens, and even the graphic patterns of subway grates [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Interior designer Celerie Kemble of New York and...

Everywhere we look ... quatrefoils: do we have Showtime's The Tudors to thank for this trend? The medieval cloverleaf is suddenly the most modern motif around ...(Buyers guide)
November 1, 2008... A Little Backstory Today's designers are using trefoils, painted arches--and quatrefoils, especially--on everything from mirrors to beds. And why not? Gothic style has lightened up considerably over the years. Style-setters have long...

Wallpaper flocking.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Try to forget those fuzzy red walls from steak houses in your past. Flocking has a new look: strong contemporary patterns in sophisticated colors. Please touch! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Roseberry in Teal/Tan A Chinese-style floral...

I'm looking for a floating sofa.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Beautiful from every angle: 12 sofas that won't look like lumps standing in the middle of a living room [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Cubist, $8,219. Larry Laslo for Ferguson Copeland, Ltd.: 828-584-0664; fergusoncopeland.com. ...

The dining room: if you're living and eating in one big room, the dining table has to blend right in and do more than one thing. Here's how Newell Turner made it work.(TWILIGHT FIELD: PART 9)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Why does this dining area look so comfortable? I used a settee at the table, which feels much more inviting than a matching set of chairs. It gives me another place to kick back and relax in a room that has to be...

Gore Dean, Baltimore, MD: it takes flair to mix styles and eras in an old industrial mill and make it look so right. A gilded mirror on rustic brick? Made for each other!(OUR FAVORITE STORE)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] This feels more like someone's chic loft than a store. It actually feels lived in. DEBORAH GORE DEAN: Well, it doesn't have just one look. I have antique, contemporary, formal, casual... that's really how...

Technophobia e-book readers: it sounds like a crazy fantasy, doesn't it, carrying around 200 of your favorite books and two dozen newspapers ... in your handbag. Could portable libraries be your dream come true?(q&a)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... "I didn't think e-book readers would ever catch on until an 83-year-old relative of mine got one. He swears by it. And he can barely e-mail!" MICHAEL SMITH (Executive Director, International Digital Publishing Forum): It's true, they're...

The foyer center table: in our newest column, special projects editor Elizabeth Mayhew shows you what works in decorating--and why. She starts in the most logical place ...(FLIP! FOR DECORATING)(Brief article)(Column)
November 1, 2008... Elizabeth began her career at House Beautiful 15 years ago. She is currently a lifestyle expert on NBC's Today Show. Her first book, Flip! for Decorating, will be published this spring by Ballantine Books. 1. Create a focal point by hanging...

Send us a picture of ... is there anything more unabashedly feminine than a woman's dressing table? Eight (very feminine) designers show us where they put on their makeup ...
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I use one of my favorite pieces--my Lady's Desk for Henredon--as a vanity. I love that it's clean and fresh and feels like a blank canvas each time I sit at it. On ivory lacquer with nickel silver, everything looks...

Tablescape autumn lunch.(A Passion for Blue and White by Carolyne Roehm )(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Blue and white--it's Carolyne Roehm's passion, from her dazzling new book to this table she set for us in her Aspen house. It goes with everything, don't you agree? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Autumnal colors just pop against a blue and...

Back to basics: in this exclusive excerpt from her newest (and sixth!) cookbook, Ina explains how she gets so much flavor from food.(ASK THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA)(Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients)(Excerpt)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO UNLOCK THE FLAVOR OF FOOD, and it's the thing I'm always exploring when 1 cook. Close your eyes the next time you eat a piece of chocolate cake; did it really taste like chocolate or...

Q&A: in Rocco DiSpirito's new book, he carries on his mission to make everyday home cooks of us all, with recipes that are as real as it gets.(COOKBOOK: Rocco Gets Real: Cook at Home, Every day)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You have a new cookbook and a new TV series on A&E, both called Rocco Gets Real. What's the "getting real" all about? It's a response to this culture of food voyeurism. There are so many wanna-be foodies who are...

The secrets of comfort.(Editorial)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] All anybody really wants at home is to be comfortable. Here's one of the best lessons on comfort I've ever read, from the superb new book Houses by interior designer Michael Smith: "When I'm designing a living room,...

The secret of comfort is quiet luxury: relaxed, refined, and inviting.(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] LISA CREGAN: This must be what Texans mean when they say you're in deep clover. You just want to sink right in here. GINGER BARBER: It's pretty inviting, isn't it? These clients just moved back to Houston after...

The secret of comfort is modern with a twist: casual, sexy, and so California!(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] MIMI READ: HOW does an urbane British decorator living in Hollywood come to be fluent in the kind of multicultural exotica you've woven into this house? PETER DUNHAM: For me, decorating has always been about...

The secret of comfort is warmth soft, feminine, and friendly.(Susan Zises Green)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CAROL PRISANT: Wasn't it pretty intimidating to redesign the house in Dorothy Rodgers's head--the one she wrote her book about? SUSAN ZISES GREEN: You know what? I think I looked at the book once. I didn't use...

The secret of comfort is color: fresh, fun, and fantastic!(Frank De Biasi)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CHRISTINE PITTEL: I've never seen anyone have this much fun with paint. Who's the madman for color? FRANK DE BIASI: Gene, my partner. He'll buy a million little Feint sizes of different paints and just start to...

The secret of comfort is natural: earthy, elegant, and simple.(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRANCES SCHULTZ: Are you telling me you built this whole thing 'cause you wanted a kitchen? INA GARTEN: No, because I wanted a house! Oh my gosh, we were cooking, and filming, and writing cookbooks, and...

Houston, Texas: if your fantasies extend to French chateaux with limestone fireplaces, and you consider toile a birthright, this is your kitchen.(KITCHEN OF THE MONTH)(Michelle Allman)(Interview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHRISTINE PITTEL: This is so pretty! I love the colors. What's that moody green on the cabinets? MICHELE ALLMAN: We started with Benjamin Moore's November Rain and then added layer upon layer of pigment and glaze...

The best! For the kitchen.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A two-freezer fridge... a cushy mat for tile and other hard floors... a streamlined (so-not-cutesy!) spice rack [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Teapot Keep your tea hot with this double-insulated infusion-style pot. It's as beautiful...

The last words.
November 1, 2008... We gave eight designers a challenge: Give us one piece of advice about lighting that we haven't heard before. They all came through! "I love the play of shadow on walls and ceilings. Design Within Reach's Random pendant is a cheap and chic...