Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Christopher Guy

Highly styled, beautifully executed, lushly designed! Having designed for some of the finest hotels, cruise ships, and luxury retailers in the world, as well as movie sets, Christopher Guy Harrison embodies refinement and sophistication, fusing classicism with modernism.

The signature end table; the lyrical ampersand form connects the legs with a seamless flourish.

Art Deco inspired, the figure-of-eight dining chair.


Quite the tete-a-tete, with signature Chris-x legs and rattan detailing.

The double door cabinet with mirrored frontage.

Hand-carved mahogany in ribbon form frames the tufted headboard.

Micro-bevelled mirror panes are surrounded by a gilded edge.

"The finest and most enduring designs tend to be simple in their execution." ~ Christopher Guy

Monday, February 8, 2010

Let there be light

Lampshades have the practical purpose of muting the direct glare of a bulb, a seemingly simple task, but one that can be accomplished with great style. Lampshades can be custom fabricated or ready-made, fabric, paper or mica. The style of a lamp can be changed from traditional to contemporary by changing to a different shade style. And finally, scaling the shade to the base is extremely important, and some general rules apply. On a standing or floor lamp, a slightly bigger shade is appropriate, one that just covers the very top of the lamp base. When choosing a shade for a table lamp, the shade should stop an inch or less above the body, so that the neck of the lamp is just visible. Lampshades have three measurements - the diameter of the top opening, the length of the slanted side between the top and bottom, and the diameter of the bottom. The measurements are usually given in that order, for example, a 9" x 12" x 17" lampshade is a fairly standard size.

Shades styles are limited by imagination, but there are several styles that are generally familiar to most.

Empire - A round shade with a straight sloped side, the most popular shade style.

Bell - A distinctive flared shape, like a bell, narrower at the top than at the bottom, a very traditional choice.

Drum - A round or oval shape with straight sides, the top and bottom diameter are generally the same, or very close in size. A classic shape, can be used in a traditional or contemporary setting.

Coolie - A round shade, much like the Empire, but with an exaggerated pitch to the sloped side.

The Shade Shop* specializes in custom crafted shades with an extraordinary selection of styles, sizes and fabrics. Also offering a vast array of chandeliers, table lamps and floor lamps, as well.

Alluminare lets you custom design a fabric - motif, scale, colors - and then applies your creation to a pendant or lamp shade form.

Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware carry a large assortment of fabric and mica shades for the retail market.

A beautiful lamp shade can set the style of a room, and truly make a lamp shine brightly!

*The Shade Shop is a Social Media client of Gibson Design Management.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Dressing up

The perfect spot for prepping and primping for your day - be it in front of cameras, behind a desk, or wrangling children. The dressing or vanity table - also known as a poudreuse, from the French word for powder - became popular in the late 1600's during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. And with style choices ranging from traditional curves and cabrioles to clean-lined contemporary, your close-up is at hand.

Christopher Guy's stunning vanity table with gilded decorative screen and pull-out fabric lined drawer.

The Vinstra by IKEA - small scale, small price tag!

In a rainbow of colors or wood stains, Grange's Louis-Philipe Dressing Table with Swivel Mirror.



1930's French Art Deco walnut and black lacquer dressing table with original nickel plated hardware from Antiquities through 1st dibs.

Southwood Furniture offers a dressing table with hand-painting on maple for all of your lotions and potions.

Smooth styling from West Elm in a choice of 3 finishes.

The Directoire Mirrored Vanity from Julia Gray with antiqued mirror and gold leaf detail.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Rose Cumming Wallcoverings

Rose Cumming defined glamour in the Golden Age with a passion for bold colors and striking designs. Operating out of her famous New York shop, which she ran for 45 years, she was one of the founders of today's interior design industry. The Dessin Fournir Companies have reintroduced Cumming's original designs, as well as creating new woven textiles, printed fabrics and wallpapers in the spirit of the originals, building on the flair and élan for which Rose Cumming was known.

Dessin Fournir recently added all of the wallcoverings to their website, a literal feast for the eyes!
Zebrine in 5 colorways.

Josephine in 5 colorways.

Nairobi in 3 colorways.

Gothenburg in 7 colorways.

Galaxie in 4 colorways.


Monday, February 1, 2010

Sweet tweets

The friendly little bird "tweeting" from a branch is a familiar site, but it bursts into song from these beautiful perches.

Dwell Studio has captured branches, birds and flowers in the simple Chinoiserie Duvet.

Sweetly delicate, the Birdwatcher's Dessert Plates from Anthropologie.
Printed in Italy, Cavallini's Birds is ephemera at its finest. Available through Kate's Paperie.

John Derian has captured the Bluebird in a 13" x 18" Oval Decoupage Platter.

Hand embroidered in satin stitch to resemble paint strokes, Pottery Barn's Bird & Nest Pillow Covers.

A chirpy addition to any table, the Cloisonne Bird Napkin Ring by Dransfield & Ross.A garden delight from Stray Dog Designs, the Bird Stool/Accent Table, shown in Vienna Green, and available in 14 additional low-VOC colors.