Wednesday 4 November 2015

Elle Decor US Edition November 2015

I quite enjoyed this issue of Elle Decor because there was so much going on in my head while flipping through the magazine.

Of course, feel free to ignore me and just go through the pictures.

Isn't Jean-Louis Deniot the "It boy" of the design world - especially Elle Decor?
It seems he is featured every other month - probably not but it does feel that way.
The editors can do what they like but for a national magazine with an international presence you would think they could widen the decorator pool they feature.
It's funny because Deniot seems to decorate in a way that is very Elle Decor.
 ( US edition that is as each country has a very different ethos ).

If it wasn't for the sink and tap I would not have thought this was a kitchen.
Detail driven, materials that say custom made and not available on the high street, and expensive.

 
What you now expect from a Parisian flat of a modern princess.
I politely nodded along and thought it was all agreeable until I saw the picture below.
No one 
- not even Jean Louis Deniot - 
is going to convince me herpes on the walls is chic.

Turquoise is a special color but I doubt the suitability of this color in the Parisian light.
I am afraid that this wall and bedding might have to be changed next year.

I love Robert Courtier. 
 I like his energy.
If you are on Instagram, you would love his feed.
I really like this flat.
Polished and livable.
Not over cooked.
Great use and choice of fabrics.
I'd be happy here.
And that's the best litmus test for decor.

I have reviewed Kelly Behun here before on another Elle Decor issue that featured her home.
Some thought I was a bit too hard on her.
Perhaps I was.
Her background is of designing hotels and public spaces with Ian Schrager and Philippe Stark so that will influence someone who brings bold choices to a private residence.

 The official mood board will be different when at the office.
But the vibe I get seems inspired by a background story of a really hot small town girl who marries loaded guy, gets divorced and is remaking her next chapter where she decided she is going to have fun with loads of lovers with her well negotiated divorce settlement and host parties to remake herself as a regular as a friend of some urban housewife and become a Bravo celebrity.
There is room for all types of decorators and who cares that I am not a fan.
She's hardly losing any sleep over it.
But you can't tell me this chevron wall, ikat pillow and pentagonal graphic floor is restful after a day out in the world. 

This room is made for parties to be shared on instagram or 
on New York Social Diary.

Although this Gracie wallpaper in this bedroom is soothing but regular readers know what I feel about haphazardly thrown throws on beds.
That day bed at the end of the hall with pillows is so you can collapse after enduring walking down the hall to recover from your dizziness.

I am a fan of Paolo Moschino and his partner both in real life and work, Philip Vergeylen who are both at the firm Nicholas Haslam.
It's funny how some people view this central London decor.
I remember some people from the States or Australia at the office or salon would flip through magazines and say that they were so plain and boring and wonder where the dual staircase is.

 But this is London code for posh, elegant, and Swiss bank account thank you very much.
Paolo and Philip get this look spot on. 
Visually could there be more impact?
Sure but then you can go to other designers such as Kelly Behun above.
Some of you who don't live in Europe might think that this bedroom is a bit cramped to have cupboards right next to the bed but that is the reality of London life.
Hope you enjoyed flipping through the magazine and either agreeing or not agreeing with me! x

34 comments:

  1. No herpes on the walls! God I love you for writing that. Hilarious! I am glad you do these posts because it's the only way I see any interior decoration and design in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming. If I pick up one of those magazines and look through it I get a little depressed thinking of my Lego-strewn apartment. Completely unrelated side note: PLEASE join us for "How I Wear My: Brooch." Whatever picture you like but you know I am going to vote your VCA lion brooch because I am so glad somebody I know OWNS one! Get close-up shots. You know that's what Liz Taylor would want! xx

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    1. But seriously...gold warts on the wall? And yes I might finally cheat and submit a pic for your how I wear my brooch xx

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  2. Deniot's "kitchen" is a beautiful space, but a kitchen it is not. I cannot imagine cooking in that room as it is too distracting and I'd never find anything for looking at all the beautiful surfaces and finishes.

    Adore your round up of the rags. Now, if only I could get this one mailed to me for free, as I do the others that have mysteriously found my address (oh, and I'm getting Shape now too, as does my husband - go figure!).

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    1. That kitchen looks very much like the lobby of the rosewood hotel here in town. It's lovely but I would also be too distracted to do anything. Yes I wouldn't mind Elle for free too but shape is one I'm not getting!

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  3. Wow...where to start?! I'm just too vanilla. What scares me the most is the cornices(?) with the vases above the bed. Guess they're having very polite sex, or none at all. And I just want to lower some of those paintings a couple of inches.

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    1. Oh BB you crack me up! Maybe the walls are reinforced but in many cases those cases are bottomless and there's a stick. I saw quite a few in Amsterdam. Ps I love your Reno and was on my silent break but must spill my guts on your post

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  4. I thought most of the same things -haha. I miss the 'old days' of blogging when thats all we did. Posted pictures from magazines and discussed them! SO FUN. So more of flipping through magazines together :-) highly encouraged!

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    1. Oh yes - old school vox populi blogging. I've pretty much decided that I probably won't be able to work in the industry anyway after a few remarks! But I love a good post show analysis too :)

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  5. Ha! Loved the Herpes comment. Now I see it I can't unsee…
    I really like Deniot's work - probably because he uses interesting shapes and has an excellent eye for colour in the way he mixes it up. As you say everything is very custom. But yes to mags always drawing from the same pool of decorators. It's a bit dull after a while.
    Don't like the Behun place at all - it reminds me a bit of the Hilfinger Miami beach house in AD that Martyn L-B did. Not a place you'd want to spend much time as so much going on that is, frankly, challenging. But then I think that a lot of what we see in magazines is pure fantasy. These are not places for people to live. All the 'real' life is stripped out. Probably why I like English H&G so much more - they actually have layers of stuff in the houses most of the time - piles of magazines in a basket, framed photos (of the actual inhabitants of the house/ flat, not of a b&w model photo like another decorator - you know who I mean), collections. Most interiors we see now are so depersonalised. There's inspiration, sure, but you have no idea who live there by what you view. AD swing to the other extreme and only feature the houses of celebrities and the mega rich. And they all have to pose grinning in their kitchen etc. Wish there were a few more in the middle ground...

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    1. It's definitely one of those cant be unseen things! I think that form is better on the floor..? I like Deniot too but I think he needs to have s meeting with his PR team because he's dangerously being overexposed before he gets his qvc of target diffusion line of products. He's someone who seems like he will get it done and stick to timelines. Just an impression I get. Behun has a style that I think maybe just doesn't work for me culturally and also I can't divorce myself from the type of demographic her designs will most likely attract. I love uk h&g too but never review it BC I get a hard copy to archive and it's usually nice that ice got nothing to say about it;) I like English home too but if I didn't live here don't know how that would translate for other countries. I initially loved Instagram for "real interiors" and oddly the feeds I love are indeed real homes or design with just a regular iPhone. I do wonder about the future of design a lot at this particular juncture.

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    2. So many typos but predictive text just misspells

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    3. I hate predictive text.
      But understood what you were saying. Agree - I wonder where things are going. Trends/ looks are flying past so quickly now. Copper was a thing last year, and is now already overexposed, even in little old Adelaide. I prefer real life feeds on insta too, but people are really caught up in what they think are real houses which are styled to the max. That certain designer I was referring to has such a look going that it could be any one of their 20 projects that they feature - same bowl, same flower, same throw… actually I was thinking of you the other day as a store in Australia was advertising on Insta that they were doing a 'bed styling workshop' so you could 'get that professional look'. Cue artfully draped casual throw rugs. Couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous the world has become. If you have the time to attend a bed styling workshop you need a decent hobby methinks! x

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    4. You're such a riot Naomi!
      And your comments about Deniot made me think of Eddie's magazine in Ab Fab. The editor always featured certain things/people when she wanted a new free bathroom/kitchen or whatever. Wonder what the Elle DĂ©cor editor wants? Pammie

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    5. Heidi - kill me now!!! they better not had a syllabus of lazy throw syndrome. oy vey. how times have changed. But with marketing and sales and wagging the dog plus natural saturation it really does seem the word design trend might soon go extinct anyway. I wonder about the brain storm meetings at restoration hardware / pottery barn and the like. But inregards to that designers - i say whole sale prices being passed on hehe xx

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    6. Pammie - yes there is a lot of that in PR and I am wondering what the background story is because in most cases there is always a - oh that's why - behind these things. He's very good - but so is India Mahdavi ( another chic Parisian decorator ) but she doesn't get hardly any exposure in Elle Decor for instance. Truth is always funnier and stranger than fiction right?

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    7. Exactly- I worked for a short period - with a number of well known titles- and it was shocking how the editors would shamelessly trade freebies for articles! I particularly remember a fashion editor who shall remain unamed, budgering, for hours, BA for a free first class fight to test the flat beds they had.

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    8. Yes I was in fashion PR for a very short time and I was flabbergasted how journalists would just take things away on private vacations!

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  6. Oh my gosh. You really called it with the analogy to the small town girl married to the loaded guy. I know a few of these girls and my experience is that the only way they can decorate is to hire someone to do it for them. I'll stick with my teeny me-decorated house thank you very much.

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    1. There is a definite divorce decorator look Connie!!

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  7. Naomi so love your reviews! I agree that Phillip and Paolo's place is my kind of beautiful. Love that shower and bath especially. Yes who would want that apartment with all the crazy carpets and walls.. Just another fad to be showy with money. I wonder if they'd still decorate that way if they couldn't Instagram or share it? xo Kim

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    1. Such a good point about if they'd do it if it was going to be s private space! I seriously doubt it - I think many do need a portfolio pic but this might be taking it a bit far? Xx

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  8. Ha, I think if the 'herpes' were positioned in a more uniform arrangement, they would have looked less so, but yes the gold is a little too much. Parisian apartments......lust. I'm house hunting at the moment so I'm looking forward to having an excuse to get really engrossed in these interior mags again xx

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    1. Househunting again? Sounds exciting!! Oh please do update us on your search because I'm a complete location location location nerd and good luck too xxx

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  9. At least the people in herpes treatment commercials are happy and live fulfilling lives riding bikes at the beach.
    I'm over home/design magazines. At this point, I don't see much difference between these pages and Pinterest "tablescapes". Just much higher budgets. Just for the photos. But I guess it appeals to much of the world who live for their Instagram representation.
    Oh my. Did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed?! I blame that artfully messy fur throw (that I will lie and say is faux).

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    1. Too funny! Yes that wall is stuck.

      But you are very right - I am feeling that design needs an overhaul because while it's all same same it's all very bipolar at the same time so ironically there are fewer schools of design available oddly. I do like Instagram but think maybe too many people live for that and I don't think instagram has posterity. ( not meant for that though I suppose)

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  10. As usual made me chortle all the way through, your commentary is so much more amusing than the gushing editorial that usually accompanies such features. I do secretly quite like Elle Decor though, it seems very uncool to say it (Elle Deco UK is cool). Elle Decor is for the home that one (might) have when one finally grows up!

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    1. Oh I do like Elle Decor but if I was editor I would try and find out designers is all. I suppose I don't have to gush because I have no vested interest perhaps? I find it funny how elle decor uk is soo different from the us and french version. But yes elle decor is so adult - aint' no mistaking that.

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  11. Hi Naomi,
    I really enjoy when you do these magazine reviews...especially the designed interiors because you point out things that I would never pay attention to! I am an engineer by training and so very analytical, but I do love paging thru these types of home design mags and actually have very similar taste to yours! Anyways, I hope you do more of these and your comments are just fun. Thanks for sharing!
    -Susan

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    1. Thanks Susan but interestingly when I do these there are people who get quite turned off that I've had 4 unsubscribe after this post hehe. So it's not for everyone!

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  12. This is true, as I was reading through your post, the sun came out.

    Your magazine posts make me feel like I'm not alone, for which I'm always grateful.

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  13. Trying to leave comments again- hope it works! :-)

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    1. I swear there's a blogger wordpress rivalry going on!! :)

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  14. OK, I just published half a comment. I was saying that I love Deniot as he does not shy away from a good taxidermed butterfly. But it would be nice if they spread the glory around a bit. xo

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