Cool New Find: The Twilight Bay Collection

The 80’s are back! Don’t worry- I am not referring to the side ponytail and boom box- but rather to the popularity of French inspired furnishings. Lexington Furniture’s new line Twilight Bay is just fresh and edgy enough to capture the younger crowd, and yet is filled with classic pieces that can be timeless selections for homeowners.

The collection is available in three unique wood finishes: Chestnut, Antique Linen and Driftwood. Chestnut is the perfect medium tone- with enough tonal variation to mix nicely with other woods.

The antique linen is a slightly distressed cream painted finish, and the driftwood is the very current gray stain that is so very current and popular. The three finishes work together beautifully – and are meant to be mixed and combined in the same room, and even within the same dining or bedroom set.

The textural variation of the collection is also anything but flat. Some of the finishes include burnished stainless steel- that you will find, among other places- on the table top of the Shelter Island Bistro Table- and structurally in the Dalton barstool.

The quintessential rush seat is a beautiful French inspired addition that you can find on dining chair and barstools. These textures- together with the wood finishes and fabrics make for a fantastic combination.

The upholstery line is charming with its French Laundry styling.

The tailored slipcovers are paired with classic French chairs adorned with nail head trim. The juxtaposition of formal and casual combined with the tonal neutrals -add to the versatility of this collection.

What do you think? Make it or break it?

Charles and Ray Eames Rock

This is a follow-up post to yesterday's.

Christine,

Thanks for all of the great advice! I have a few questions of course. Where would you put the area rug? I never quite know how to do that with a bed. I'll address that below. Also are you suggesting 3 window treatments on each window (linen drapes, Roman shades and woven roller shades)? No- I suggested a Roman shade on that one window- panels on the others- the roller shades throughout- so each window would have two treatments. Not sure if I can swing the cost of that!!! Last question (I swear!) is on the seating area. The chair is definitely going and I was looking for a suggestion on something cool to put there, maybe with a pattern, to funk things up a bit. Any and all ideas welcome! Thanks again - you are so generous to do this for all of us! - Mary

For your chair- consider using a cool style rather than a cool pattern. The top two photos on the post are Eames chairs- I would get the lounge chair in cream, not black, and I would get the molded plywood chair in palisander- not red. The white lounge chair is from In House. These are classic chairs that you would keep forever- and their style is absolutely timeless. When I lived down in LA- a local museum had a display of Eames furniture. It was amazing. I just found that I have mentioned the Eames chairs in these posts as well. I guess I really like them.

OK- so- where should you put the rug? I would do it like the bedroom above. Although there are certainly a number of different correct ways to go about it.

Right in front of the bed also works.

I like sticking pretty close to the rule of thirds. Have it under the bed 1/3 or 2/3 of the way. I feel like the rug above is too close to 1/2. However- sometimes the limitations of room sizes and rug sizes keep you from being able to have the ideal.

2/3 is my ideal. You also want it show a decent amount in the front- and not cut your traffic path in half. If you had hard floors- I would suggest you had the rug large enough to step on it when you got out of bed.

I picture a nice large rug in your room.

Thanks,
Christine

Bedroom photos from Country Living.

The Long Narrow Room

Hi,
I have been googling and googling how to decorate a narrow living room. Finally, I came to your site! I am so "stuck" in my living room. It is a long narrow space. What I would really like is a space for watching TV and a space with a chaise to read, take a nap, or to just enjoy the natural sunlight (I would like the reading space by the French doors, only one door opens). The colors are set, so I cannot change the wall color or carpet (it is an apartment). I have no idea how to set furniture, and divide the space into two areas. The only furniture to stay is my leather black couch and the 46" TV. We also like the color red. As you can see in the attached pictures, the area is open to the kitchen. I hope you can guide me on how to arrange furniture and where should I place the TV and art work.
Thank you,
Martha
Dear Martha,

I wanted to start by giving some general information to anyone that has a long narrow room.

1. Divide the space into two areas. Don't try to have it be one seating area. Unless you are working with a dining room and have a very long table- this is never a good idea.
2. Whenever you have a long - solid, windowless, doorless wall like the one above- you need a case piece. Generally speaking- I would say go large- the larger the wall- the larger the case piece. This can be an entertainment unit, a bookcase, an etegere, something that breaks up the large wall, and helps to define the two separate areas. Trying to decorate that long wall with two sets of wall decor is rarely going to look good without a case piece.
3. Help to define the two spaces further with the use of an area rug.

Now- I wanted to say a word about your chaise. I will start by saying that I am not a big fan of the single furniture piece. One piece of furniture, floating out there by itself is a hard thing to pull off. A chaise, of course, is not a conversational piece- it is a sit by yourself piece of furniture. Find a good table that goes nicely with your chaise to help ground it, and make it feel more like a furniture grouping. My opinion is that only when a piece of furniture is also a piece of art, can it sit by itself- otherwise- you need at least two pieces of furniture. Sometimes it is easier to pull off a chair and ottoman than a chaise. That is something to consider. I adore the Eames lounge... sigh... Notice the picture at the top of the post. This room seems to be even narrower than yours- but is a great example to look at. The desk is on an angle. In your room- this will be your chaise. In this room the sofa is against the wall. I think that your room is deep enough to not have your walkway right through your seating area. - like I showed in the floorplan. This would be ideal- but would depend on the size of your furniture. Notice how I made it a long seating area with the use of the two chairs? That helps it to fill the space nicely. Keeping your TV on the wall where you currently have it- is asking for a very awkward space.

Thanks for writing in- you have a tricky set up here. Let me know if you have further questions. Also check out this post on another long and narrow room.

Thanks,
Christine

Wallpaper Wednesday

Looking through a wallpaper book, you might have said this one is awful! But check it out - the busy retro 1950's look is balanced with the modern Saarinen Tulip table and chairs - and then - who would have thought to add drawings to the busy wall? And yet - it's great! I love the unexpected. It is walls like this that make a house unique.

Photo from Elle Decor October 2009, Wallpaper from Clarence House.

A Ticket to Tuscany

Hi Christine,

I saw your blog and offer for designing advice. I am finishing my basement and wanted to get your thoughts on layout and design. I have a large space which is about 2400 square feet. I wanted to include an exercise room, wet bar, storage, full bathroom with steam shower, bedroom, pool table, wine cellar and home theater. I want a dramatic space with earth tones and a Tuscan/old world feel. I attached a schematic of the unfinished and preliminary design I came up with. Keep in mind that the bedroom and bathroom locations are fixed due to plumbing and egress window placement.

A few questions for you:

- Am I optimizing the space for my needs?

- How would you layout the wet bar? I want something large that makes a statement.

- The wine cellar will be the first thing you see when you get down the stairs. What else can I do to make it stand out?

- The space is large enough to relocate the pool table between the bar and theater. Is this is a good idea? If so, what other options would you consider for the pool table area?

- Any design/finish ideas to give the dramatic old world feel I am looking for?

Thanks for your help.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

You clearly have given this layout some thought and you have done a terrific job. Here are a few thoughts for you:

1. Vary your wall art. Use some paintings, (the one below is 80 inches wide) some metal, some mirrors, some plaques.

(wall decor from Uttermost)

2. Keep your fabrics rich and use lots of different pattern. Your rooms don't have a lot of furniture- and there are not long drapes- so use furniture that incorporates multiple patterns in single pieces. (furniture and mirror from Horchow)


3. Don't forget a lighting plan. Start with light from the ceiling. Put directional lighting to accent art and wall decor. Add overall lighting with cans on dimmers throughout. Add a hanging light over the pool table. Add sconces in your theater room,- I added six sconces in my drawing- and lamps in your living area and bedroom. Add some nice quality faux greens to every room. Put uplights on timers next to each one. Add hanging lights over the table near the wet bar. Think of LAYERS of light.


4. Add a bench to the foot of the bed. Consider a couple of end tables with your chairs. Not because the design needs them so much, but because the lighting plan needs the lamps.


5. In your wet bar area- curve the bar to mimic the curve in the round table- see my altered floorplan. This will give the area a richer more dramatic feel.
6. Add some old world columns leading you into the sitting area- (cast stone columns like those used outside would also be perfect for a Tuscan interior. repeat them by the wet bar where you have an existing column. Find some cool art for the pool room especially. Fill the walls with art in that room and put directional lighting throughout. With only a pool table- this will be what still gives that room ambiance and style.


7. To create your Tuscan feel, you will need to do more than just select "Tuscan" furniture.

• Your walls need a Tuscan old world texture to them.
• Consider paneling the theater room and wallpapering the bedroom.


• Don't forget your ceilings. Do a cool surface on the ceilings of your main area with the wet bar pool table and sitting area- perhaps a wood ceiling, (only if you do not have wood floors) or a wallpaper ceiling- a metal or raised relif celing would be fantastic.
• I participated in a home show a few years back where the wine cellar had an amazing wine country Tuscan mural. - that would be something to consider. The one below can be found here.
• Carpet does not say "Old World Tuscan" at all. I would do a distressed hardwood or chiseled edge stone . (Except in your theater room where sound is an issue.) Adding some great rugs will also add to your atmosphere.
• I would add floor skirts in place of baseboards. I would have my doors and mouldings either a warm dark wood or painted a darker color. No white. White is not Tuscan. :)
  

So- there you go- it will look fabulous! What a fantastic basement you are going to have! Talk about party central! Invite me over! I'll bring "Ticket to Ride." (am I a partier or what?)

Hey everyone- don't forget to vote :)