The Designer's Muse: June 2016

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

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Better Homes and Gardens

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Highgrove

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

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Curtis and Windham

Fine Gardening

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Mark D. Sikes

Tom Stuart Smith

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

#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.

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Unkown

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#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.

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Cathy Kincaid

#9 Fabulous Flooring

A beautiful carpet or wood floors can provide a great base for all of your other selections.

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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.