Anatomy of a Room

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This is the first of a new series on the blog called

"Anatomy of a Room"

This series was created because I am always asked " how do I figure out what colors or style to put in a room. " or " How do you know things are going to work in a room?"

I believe that "all good design comes from seeing the potential in every space." I love being creative but it is always the architecture of the house or room that calls forth the design concept. That is not to say that client's likes or dislikes or personal affects don't play a role - they do and a very big one but I am always lead by the architecture.

If I pick a favorite room by a well know designer and we break it down to basics, I think we can reveal some secrets of how some room work and why other don't. This may even help you with your own design decisions so here we go….

A beautiful dining space by one of my favorite designers, Jean Louis Denoit.

The Anatomy of the room -
a. long and narrow
b. open to 2 other spaces
c. beautiful light through the windows
d. warm wood floor

These are the first impressions one gets if you saw the room without furniture. So you ask yourself how do I enhance these elements of the room so that the room sings! If a, b ,c ,and d are the make up of the body of the room then what is added is the clothes and jewelry. Just like when you dress yourself you want your clothes to complement your body not overwhelm it.

This room works because the designer:

a. enhances the length with vertical stripes but uses soft taupe, gray and metallics. The walls are the single focal point even though they are subtle. Everything else works to complement this choice.

b. leads your eye to the ceiling with the moldings added to the ceiling and the addition of the metallic

c. complements the other adjacent rooms by using similar colors but the vertical stripes help your eye travel from one room to the next

d. the use of metallics in the stripes and table base and the glass table top plays with the beautiful light coming through the windows

e. by pulling out the gray in the chairs and drapery, the room is softened

f. the jewelry is the rug - contemporary by choice it anchors the room

g. A black and white piece of art is the perfect. It stands out because the negative space makes it as sophisticated and calm as the room.

There you have it the Anatomy of a Room. This is one beautiful room!

Until next time.....

Happy Designing

The Last Few days of the DC Designer House

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Washington DC Designer House: It's been tons of fun but the DC Designer House is winding down. This is the last week and the final day is Sunday May 12th. If you haven't made it out there yet, you still have a few days.

Here are a few photos of our room - the Master Bedroom. Thanks to all my subs and suppliers. The room has received wonderful feedback and tons of press - TV, HGTV, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Traditional Home Magazine and Home and Design Magazine plus tons of blog fans.

Room goals: bring more light, play with layering patterns and textures, mix vintage, custom and new pieces, BE Creative! I did everything I planned to do. I wouldn't change a thing. Now if only this room could fit in my house! Luckily half of the items have already sold.

Notice:
- the Bridget Beari High Gloss paint from Fine Paints of Europe Velvet Paw No. 66.
- 1960' vintage ceiling light "Grand Nest"
- custom bed from Mike Reid Weeks

Thanks to the Holtz team for the custom wallpapered nightstands. 

custom bed from Mike Reid Weeks

The gorgeous custom eglomise mirrors designed by Bridget Beari.

- dark accent paint on the ceiling in matte finish

Curved front dresser with disk lamp

Etsy succulents

Geometric rug design from Patterson Flynn and Martin

Fun pillows on the leather chairs - notice the Mary MacDonald appliqué from Schumacher

The bookcases were the biggest hit. Similar to the Richmond show house but this time curved. Also introducing our Bridget Beari Metallic line - Sphinx's Gold!

Mother of Pearl ceiling in the alcove really helps to transfer light into this once dark room.

I love mixing patterns - see the 2 different rugs next to each other.

custom bed from Mike Reid Weeks

  • the diagonal flokati over the main diamond rug

  • the garden console on the side with the interesting piece of cork I found in an antique store in Charlottesville

  • Artwork from Bill Fisher, Richmond based artist

  • Travers euro shams

  • custom bed coverings

  • the $30,000 mattress from Savoir Beds - people loved lying on the bed

  • Hanging the mirrors by chain for height

  • Klimos chairs in Greek key pattern

Beautiful Pierre Frey velvet zebra on headboard and footboard

Coral and Gold croc covered books

Restoration Hardware floor lamps

One of kind custom designed murals made of 25 pieces of glass

luxurious bedding

Moving to the alcove between the closet - another vintage 1960's light Austrian

  • Maya Romanoff wallpaper on ceiling

Our bar area - the onyx existed from the architect but we accessorized with Champagne of course!

  • one of my nudes on the bar

Another of my nudes on the geometric wallpaper by Osborne and Little

A peek of the Emma Gardner Rug

a peek into the closet - Robert Abbey light, Kravet fabric and my clothes and luggage

  • Gucci shoe boxes of course

I hope you will come this weekend to see me before the doors close forever but if not I hope you will enjoy the photos!

Bridget Beari Travels to New Zealand

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Bridget Beari Travels to New Zealand - Gibbs Farm

This 1000 acre sculpture park has been open since 1991. What a beautiful landscape for some of the most creative and unusual pieces. This is my kind of theme park!

Anish Kapoor - "Dismemberment"
red steel frame tube

Neil Dawson - "Horizon" - welded and painted steel

Marijke de Goey - "The Mermaid" 

Richard Serra - "Te Tuhirangi Contour"

Happy Travels.....

The Big Reveal!

in ,

Drum Roll Please.......

Here it is the Bridget Beari Designer House room. Well actually it's a back hallway and staircase. I purposely chose the stairwell as a unique space where I could showcase the Bridget Beari Colors and create a dramatic space from nothing. 

You enter the space from the grand foyer. All the colors are from the Bridget Beari Color line - Snowball walls, Beaureguard window trim, Truffle floor, Baron Boy handrail, and Pickle bookcase.High gloss white walls with a painted floor in the octagon pattern - distressed and aged.  A complete contrast to the high gloss painted walls, trim and ceiling. Notice the 200 yds. of flat braid around the room from Kravet. 

The hallway is filled with figurative sketches from Andi Helfant-Fyre from Virginia Beach. The door is upholstered in fabric from Zimmer Rhode with the addition of the antique mirrors and the P.E. Guerin acrylic door handle. 

Here is a detail of the fabric on the door. 

 

You turn the corner to the left and see our custom built octagonal bookcase in our Pickle color also in the high gloss paint. The bookcase was designed to complement the floor design and the white accessories really make the bookcase pop. I love the white and silver books and the oyster shell balls. 

People have loved the hanging agave leaves! 

As you turn to the stairwell you see the beautiful hand painted agate wall by H.J.Holtz and Son., the real botanical elephant ears from Anne Blackwell Thompson and the chandelier from Moura Starr called Aqua. 

Here is a photo with the chandelier lit. The drapery fabric is from Kravet ( linen and raffia embroidery) with the acrylic pole rods. 

Did you notice our new staircase? We removed the bead board wall that went to the basement as well as the door and wall that entered into the basement. We remade the newell post and handrail to add the glass. This really opened up and modernized this back hall. Can you see that the interior of the window is painted a different color? Only 2 people have noticed that detail. I wish I had a prize to give them. 

The carpet runner is linen over the painted floor pattern. The curved glass at the top of the stairs is incredible! The brighter color green is from the designer's room downstairs but notice how we cut the agate into pieces to meet her paint. It really has the illusion of real stone! 

Here is a detail of the flat braid around the room - remember 200 yds! 

A detail of the floor design: 

Another detail of the flat braid, drapery, runner and floor! 

A close up of the agate! 

Custom radiator cover. I love the Echeveria plant in the silver shell container. 

Looking toward the back hall. 

Close up of the leaves! 

This is the last week the Designer House is open so come out and see me. Next week everything comes down and back to neutral. So sad! 

It has been a fun experience to share the Bridget Beari Colors and Designs with so many people. The crowd has been overwhelming enthusiastic and complimentary about the space and the paints. So until next time......

Happy Painting ......

Bridget Beari Travels to Westport CT

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Bridget Beari Travels to Westport, CT

On the way to NYC this weekend we stopped in CT to visit family. We explored the surrounding towns like Derian, Rowayton, and Westport. There were great shops and restaurants but the coolest place was Terrain. Owned by the Urban Outfitters Company this is a garden shop, kitchen and home goods, and restaurant.

The exterior of the building was once a car dealership but now contracted with rusted corrugated steel and glass it has a hip new look.

It is not any old garden center. Inside they specialize in terrariums, ferns, and succulents. Beautiful glass bowls and shapes to create any type of terrarium. The largest ferns 6-8 ft. tall that I have ever seen in beautiful rustic containers.

Cut branches of all kinds. Interesting pottery and kitchen wares, soaps, and linens. The outside garden center sold all sorts of plants with the cutest garden shed structures. My pictures are on Instagram if you follow me and if I can figure out how to get them off to share them, I will add them to the blog. Great red wire furniture too!

I loved this interesting Bromeliad! There was even a pineapple plant.

The displays were gorgeous! Even though we did not eat anything at the cafe, it looked yummy! A definite stopping place if you are traveling this way.

We are off the NYC today for Kravet's Blogfest2012! It is sure to be a treat!

Happy Travels.....