Book Review: House Proud by Valorie Hart

FREE IMAGES House Proud: Unique Home Design, Louisiana is like a tour of some of the state's coolest, chicest homes.

A more articulate summary can be found at Amazon, where you can purchase the book:

"Experience the joy of decor and design, restoration and rebirth, color and comfort - all in the enchanting locale of Louisiana. A New Orleans-based interior designer, Valorie Hart expertly leads a private tour of the most fashionable homes in the state. Sara Essex Bradley's photographs document the personality of Louisiana's homes, from the formal Greek revival house to the warm Creole cottage, the pre-Civil war beauty to the kitschy 50s-style ranch, the grand Victorian to the modern urban loft. This is not simply a design inspiration book, but rather a thoughtful compilation of homeowners' personal stories of restoring and redesigning their dream houses - the stories of the "house-proud."

Here are some of my favorite photos, by Sara Essex Bradley.  I think her photography style was a perfect match for this project.

I LOVE this living room. The ceiling to floor hallway/art gallery, the fawn inspired rug, and the picture hung over the bookcase. I don't know why - I'm just a sucker for that.

The cypress ceilings are original to this home.  And check out the checkered floors.  Drool.

All in all, this book is a glamorous tribute to Louisiana homes, and even if you've never been, there's plenty of eye candy to be appreciated!

Recipe for a glamorous and elegant bedroom

FREE IMAGES What is elegant and/or glamorous is undoubtedly subjective, but I think that the desired effect is pretty similar.  I imagine most people's response to elegance  would be opulence, comfort, and luxury.

After living in NYC, I see space and privacy as the ultimate luxury.  Even if your space isn’t huge, create the illusion of it by carefully planning out the room’s layout, make sure furniture is a correct scale, and think about the negative space in the room as much as you do the positive.  Leaving an area empty or sparse can create a feeling of opulence!


Think texture and surface!  Mirrors, furs (only faux for me!), silks, and velvets...all of these are typically classified as elegant because of they don't play it safe...they proudly flaunt their texture, sheen, etc...

via Country Living

via Pinterest via Ambition Bliss

Buy high and low.  I'm sure you've heard it before, and it's because it works!  Even if you buy your bedding, lamps, and chest of drawers from Habitat,  be sure to include something that will stand the test of time, and can be passed down for generations, like this David Gundry sofa.  It's craftsmanship will be apparent, and such pieces often have details that less expensive furnishings wouldn't (like those fab tassels!)

via Houzz

Indulge in a bit of the impractical.  A sumptuously dark room, delicate white, outrageously pink - including a touch of the impractical adds elegance because it says, "hey, I can afford to indulge my whims and I get what I want!" - even if a gallon of navy paint only cost $25, and you bleach your white duvet when you accidentally spill your morning cappuccino!

via Rue Mag

via Houzz

Flaunt what you've got. If you're lucky enough to have a home with gorgeous architectural elements, letting them take the spotlight and keeping other objects and elements sleek and clean will create an elegant space without having to spend a fortune on luxury furnishing and soft goods.

via Pinterest via Designed for Life.tumblr

via Houzz

This post in partnership with Webbs of Crickhowell

A house that combines the eclectic and glamorous

FREE IMAGES While I really like the eclectic style of decorating, but sometimes it looks a bit too "dusty" for my taste. I also really like the shiny newness of glamorous interiors. This home, by the fabulous Angie Hranowsky manages to marry these two seemingly contrasted styles.

 *swoon!  That dresser - that rug! Love them paired together

I wouldn't ever think to combine the mauve in the blinds with the lavender wall.

Love the wicker-ish bed contrasted with the mirrored nightstand.

Do you like Angie's work?

You can see more at her website.

A super chic and glamorous bedroom

FREE IMAGES Lonny editor Michelle Adams shared her bedroom in the most recent issue of Lonny, including how to get a gorgeous canopy bed on a budget. See her super glamorous retreat below..

A canopy bed need not cost a fortune.  A little handiness with a power drill, and these industrial pipe rods from West Elm ($69 - $99)  and you've got affordable canopy rods.

White, black, and mirrors = no fail chic.

The leopard and floral is a bit too much pattern for me - I would have gone with white or tan benches.

Love the mirrors, the flower pot, and the beauty accessories.

images via Lonny

*disclosure: this post is supported in part by WedoMattresses.co.uk

Daydreams and Dressing Tables

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Ralph Lauren

For decades, the silver screen has enchanted us with the romantic notion of a lady's DRESSING TABLE.  

The very idea of sitting at a beautiful vanity as we prepare ourselves for the day ahead seems so glamorous.

The following images are deliciously indulgent spaces, each designed specifically for pampering ourselves in luxurious style.

via Vanity-Space

via Indulge Decor

via Love-Laugh-Lauren

via Better Homes and Gardens

via Living Beautifully

via Modenus

via Vanities-on-the-Web

via Lip-Gloss-Heels

Barbara Barry Vanity Table via Better Homes and Gardens

Ralph Lauren Vanity Table

Do you think the very concept of a DRESSING TABLE seems overly frivolous, or simply fabulous?

 

The fact that being seated at a gorgeous vanity guarantees flawlessly applied makeup and a great hair day definitely sways my opinion.

Or maybe, that really only happens in the movies...

...Oh well, a girl can still dream!

The Amazing Magic of Mirrors

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MIRRORS can make a space appear larger, add depth and dimension, and when strategically placed, will reflect and intensify any available natural light.

No longer restricted to the wall, MIRRORS are now making an appearance on many surfaces in the home.

The delicate venetian MIRROR and modern, curvaceous vanity is fitting for a space with a decidedly feminine purpose.

This classically elegant, MIRRORED credenza demands attention, drawing the eye to the far wall and visually elongating the space.

The well proportioned chest and frameless wall MIRROR create the illusion of light in this windowless space.

A MIRRORED coffee table magnifies the reflective quality of the glass accessories in this room, cleverly balancing the heaviness of the beautiful, baby grand piano.

This armoire has an antiqued MIRROR finish, ideally complementing the warm tones of natural sunlight filtering through the adjacent window.

Multiple MIRROR applications create a dreamy, almost ethereal atmosphere in this small, narrow bedroom.

The unexpected, MIRRORED fireplace surround significantly contributes to the glam factor in this gorgeous living room.

This MIRRORED folding screen is a striking example of how a single design element can provide both fabulous form and function in any living space.

The ingenious addition of MIRRORED wall panels create the illusion of larger windows in this glamorous dining room.

A MIRROR ceiling medallion amplifies the soft light provided by this crystal embellished chandelier.

A friend once counted the number of MIRRORS and MIRRORED surfaces in my home. Amazingly, the number easily exceeded the fifty mark! Apparently, I do practice what I preach!