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I lived in Germany for several years and this experience greatly expanded my personal style.
I love antiques, but I prefer mixing them in an eclectic sort of style. I appreciate beautiful pieces regardless of their era, and I also greatly appreciate pieces that are well built. I like rich colors and textures.
I would call my style predominately Jugenstil, which is the European style of Art Nouveau, and Arts and Crafts. My favorite style years are from 1900 through 1935 or so. I do, however, have several pieces from the late 1700s and early 1800s - as well as a few mid century modern pieces thrown in for good measure. For instance, my dining room table is a French table from the early 1900s, with claw feet and a parquet top, but I've paired it with hardrock maple mid century side chairs, and two upholstered chairs at the ends of the table - from Pier One!
I love a mixture of textures - hardwood floors, lots of wood trim, with plush, colorful carpets, leather and upholstered sitting, (I love to mix patterns), lots of pillows and fringe, plenty of light, and stucco walls. I prefer original paintings over prints, and have collected quite a few over the years. I am a lamp ADDICT! I hate overhead lighting and prefer intimate circles of light emanating from unique lamps and fixtures. If a lamp isn't interesting enough, I'll add interest in the form of new shades, stencils, fringe, you name it. I have a nice collection of carnival glass and amberina, and I love to display it in a lit cabinet.
My favorite colors are cobalt blue, deep red, rich fern green, and gold mixed with rich leathers and plush fabrics.
I collect Polish pottery in my kitchen. I love the deep colors. I also have my grandmother's original Fiesta ware and enjoy displaying it as well. It mixes well with the Polish pottery.
I'm currently looking for something really unique to use as a coffee table. Since I put my feet up on it a lot, I am thinking fabric, or a wide bench covered in an antique wool rug, something like that.
Here's a little shelf in my bathroom - it sort of personifies my taste - Old World casual mixed with a little bit of funkiness:
Here's a piece in my foyer - please ignore the Christmas decorations on the buffet. What I like is the collection of art above the buffet (as well as the buffet itself!). It's a mixture of pieces from the late 1800s thru the 1950s.
I've posted this one before, but here's my dining room (which is a WIP). It's the least Hollywood Regency room in the house, but the mirrored buffet is definitely HR, and the stainless steel/white leather chairs and the steel/glass table give a passing nod to HR. (The other walls look a bit lavender in this pic, but they're actually a pale, silvery, grey.) And the silvery wire thing on the buffet is a wine rack.
I've been thinking about flanking the mirror buffet with something on either side. I've considered getting 2 life-size statues of greyhounds or whippets, but I also like the idea of those enormous Moroccan style, enameled lanterns.
Cottage coastal. Plenty of white mixed with antiques, natural fabrics, and plenty of texture.
I guess this is the commonly used style name to describe my taste, however I call it Hamptons Cottage. Living so close the Hamptons and in a beach community has influenced my style the most.
Strong traditional architectural details like large crown moulding, window and door casing and painted builtins. We also have wide plank brush painted ceilings in some rooms and wide plank, rifted and quarter sawn oak floors in every room. Most of our walls are neutrals. This is the foundation for a mix of traditional and casual furnishings, mostly dark woods with some glamour like mirrored accent tables and sparkley accessories.
Our vacation place which is a small apartment in new York city built in 1954 is more traditional in style.
I guess this is the commonly used style name to describe my taste, however I call it Hamptons Cottage. Living so close the Hamptons and in a beach community has influenced my style the most.
Strong traditional architectural details like large crown moulding, window and door casing and painted builtins. We also have wide plank brush painted ceilings in some rooms and wide plank, rifted and quarter sawn oak floors in every room. Most of our walls are neutrals. This is the foundation for a mix of traditional and casual furnishings, mostly dark woods with some glamour like mirrored accent tables and sparkley accessories.
Our vacation place which is a small apartment in new York city built in 1954 is more traditional in style.
Yeah, I think that's it. Down here in Charleston, we just call it Charleston style (original - I know!). However, I see so many of the same elements. The dark wood floors, white walls with texture (moulding, plank walls, etc) and a bit of an eclectic mix of furnishings, ranging from the very modern to the very traditional. The one key element though is comfort. Everything is just so very livable - the kind of rooms where both children and adults can coexist easily.
I've posted this one before, but here's my dining room (which is a WIP). It's the least Hollywood Regency room in the house, but the mirrored buffet is definitely HR, and the stainless steel/white leather chairs and the steel/glass table give a passing nod to HR. (The other walls look a bit lavender in this pic, but they're actually a pale, silvery, grey.) And the silvery wire thing on the buffet is a wine rack.
I've been thinking about flanking the mirror buffet with something on either side. I've considered getting 2 life-size statues of greyhounds or whippets, but I also like the idea of those enormous Moroccan style, enameled lanterns.
I love that rug! I am in the process of decorating my living room in a new place and going more Deco. Where did you get it?
Well, I had just finished looking at the one with all the doodads and things on a chest so I guess I meant all that kind of stuff.
gotcha. I wasn't sure which post you were referring to.
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