Wednesday, June 29, 2016

21 Fantastic Sunken and Walled Gardens


I visited Highfield Hall and gardens in Falmouth, MA this week.  The town has recently purchased and beautifully restored the mansion and the surrounding property.  The sunken garden is particularly lovely.  Its a great place to visit for  inspiration.  I love the way enclosed gardens become exterior rooms.



Highfield Hall

 Beatrix Ferrand, Cultural Landscape Foundation

 
 Bunny Williams


 Unknown


Unknown

 Unknown



 Unknown


 Unknown


Better Homes and Gardens

 Better Homes and Gardens


 Unknown


 Unknown


 Unknown

 
 Unknown


 Unknown


 Highgrove


 Highgrove



 Howard Design Studio

Howard Design Studio

 Sissinghurst


Veranda

Friday, June 24, 2016

Cool Pools





 

 It's a hot day here in Connecticut, a perfect day to hang out by the pool.  So naturally I thought I would do a post on swimming pools.  As I was sorting through pool images to post, I realized I was mostly drawn to the dark, cool looking pools rather than the more ubiquitous turquoise hues.  Although the traditional blue green pool is very enticing, I felt drawn to the ambiguity between reflecting pool and swimming pool, of the very dark pools.  Below are some that I especially liked. 




 Ronald van der Hilst Architectural Digest 

 
Estate of David Hicks Architectural Digest 


Unknown


Unknown


 Unknown


Unknown 

 
 Unknown


Curtis and Windham
 

 Fine Gardening
 

Unknown
 

 Mark D. Sikes

 
 Tom Stuart Smith
 



Unknown

Unknown

Thursday, June 23, 2016

10 Must Haves for heavenly Master Bedroom

The Bedroom is one of the most important rooms in your house.  You probably spend more time there than in any other room.  That's why it's so important to have a great bedroom.   I believe a great bedroom should be a sanctuary; calm, soft, and peaceful.  So here are 10 things every great Master Bedroom should have.


 #1 Fabulous Color
 I tend to like neutrals for a bedroom.  The soft neutral colors provide a backdrop or canvas on which you can apply pops of pleasing colors.

Veer Grenney

Luxe Interiors and Design Magazine

Alexa Hampton

 



#2 A Comfortable Bed 
A great bed is crucial.  The upholstered headboards are quite popular now. I really like the look and hope it is not just a fleeting trend.

 New England Home
 
Unknown

Architectural Digest

 #3 Sumptuous Linens
Beautiful linens are a great way to add some color to an otherwise neutral room.  New linens are also an easy, relatively inexpensive way to update a room.


 Unknown

 Unknown



Windsor Smith


 
#4 Architectural Elements
Architectural elements such as cove ceilings are a great way to provide a bedroom with  good bones. Well designed architectural elements will make anything look better.
 
 Unkown

 Katherine Newman


Lucy Williams

#5 Timeless Furniture 
I recommend selecting beautiful quality furniture that will stand the test of time.  The night table by Alexa Hampton below is one of my favorites.
 Courtney Giles

 
 Phoebe Howard
 
Phoebe Howard 

#6 Excellent Lighting 
Great lighting can add interest as well as functionality.  Every bedrooms needs a pair of great reading lights.  I tend to like lamps better than sconces for the bedroom.
 Scott Sanders

 Alexa Hampton



 Jean Lois Denoit

 
#7 Cozy Seating
Adding a cozy chair with an ottoman, a bench, or a settee which provides a pretty place to read, watch TV, or just put your shoes on is a must have in every bedroom.
 
 Unknown
 

 Unkown


 Unknown

#8 Thoughtful Art 
It may be one of the last things you think about selecting for a bedroom, but in some ways it is the most important.  Artwork can pull the whole look together.
 Unknown


 Unknown


 Cathy Kincaid

#9 Fabulous Flooring
 A beautiful carpet or wood floors can provide a great base for all of your other selections.
 
 Unknown


 Steven Gambrel

Architectural Digest

 
 #10 Elegant Window Treatments
Last but not least, great window treatments can finish off the look.  Column drapes with a trim edge can give a vertical feel to a room with low or average height ceilings.

 Unknown


 Phoebe Howard
 
 
Michael Hampton