Architectural Digest August 2014 Review

Just as I was going to do a July review post, 
the latest August issue popped up on my iPad!

After going through the issue I think that the era of taupe and simplicity is definitely over!

There was a pleasant and apolitical feature on the Texan home of President Bush.  

It is not a strongly stylized home and seems to focus on the comfort of the family instead of trying to make a certain impression.  

I guess as a former president he has that luxury.

I thought it was interesting that for a man of his wealth that 
he would bother with reproduction Audubon prints 
instead of the original items.

It is rather refreshing.  Even though President Bush comes from a well established and wealthy New England family along with his own financial successes, his home has a certain simplicity.

If this home didn't belong to the Bushes, 
I doubt this house would have made the cut.

This issue didn't include any more homes of famous people but instead featured editorials of the premier league of interior decorators who are now celebrities themselves.

When the decorator Molyneux put his touch on a Californian villa, it essentially means you can do whatever the heck you like because California villa doesn't really have its specific formula yet.

For Molyneux, he mixes up classic French and Chinese furniture with strong pattern to punctuate already capitalized features.

Scalamandre material on the sofa differentiates what could have been a very nice but ordinary living room.

This is a richly pigmented and textured bedroom but more important he has made a very attractive solution to

 most couple's decor problems.

The end of the bed hides a pop up TV!

Would you give carte blanche to a decorator?

Any decorator?

A Houston couple let Miles Redd do whatever he wanted.

There are quite a few designers I would let have free rein except I would want to do one room but with their administrative help as I am finding I have completely run out of steam on my own house and things are still left half finished and partially decorated.

This living room makes a visual impact and and will surely make the rounds on Pinterest.
Only critique would be that the four armchairs are all in identical fabrics which for a designer like Redd seems like an easy way out.  If he was going to mix up fabrics and motifs then he should have gone all the way IMHO.

Like red?

 I don't know if I would get any work done with the strong vibrational pull of this color.

Miles Redd looked like he had so much fun doing this house and really experimented.

To make up for the watercolor tableau of a study he went classic in the kitchen with replaceable and changeable kitchen stools.

The color and fabric choices in the dining room are quite polarizing. I can't imagine having a neutral opinion.

Only thing is that I can't see a consistent theme other than "color" in the house.  This family room below while strong in impact doesn't have the same outlandish streak as the other rooms and can't quite see the cohesive link.

But perhaps I shouldn't study the work of designers too deeply?

What a refreshing hallway to walk through.
So far this is my favorite space of the house other than the main blue living room.

His bedrooms are also not spared his strong touches.
Imagine trying to go to sleep looking at the wallpaper on the ceiling...

I think Redd is trying to bring back apricot 80's decor.

I admire how Redd isn't afraid to do a gallery wall on already adorned Chinoiserie wallpaper.

Having said that, I think the red accents in this bedroom completely overwhelms the space and you can't appreciate all the other lovely elements.
But then again, it is probably a very personal problem as I had a complicated relationship with the color red.

Jean Louis Deniot is sure on a roll.

He decorates in a way that makes you sit up straight and improve your posture.

Another star decorator Thomas Britt's project in San Francisco featured. 

 

 He isn't afraid of pattern and color either.

 While President Bush had Audobon reproduction prints,
 the winemakers Swanson seems to have invested in the original.

 

 

I would not mind leopard print carpet although it might take some time to convince Mr CSW.

 While this dining room arrangement is absolutely charming, 
I do wonder where the line should be drawn 
when decorating for a residential project as 
this could be confused for a Parisian hotel lobby.

This bedroom also looks like a suite in a stuffy European 5 star hotel that is about to embark on a two year refurbishment.
Which is perfectly nice for those who are into that sort of thing mind you.

AD managed to pack in another superstar decorator that is 
Nicky Haslam.

I love the paint color that lifts the classic decorating formula.

Haslam uses trimming to successfully bring a pinch of color.

Isn't this bedroom so much fun?

I love the cornice edging.  
I had been thinking about using passementerie on walls and 
I think this room might have just swung the argument 
to now convincing Mr CSW!

Hope you have all been well! x