THE “NEW LOOK” IN ROOMS

I HAVE BEEN GOING BACK THROUGH MY FAVOURITE BLOG POSTS, AND THE TWO LATEST “PEAK OF CHIC” POSTS HAVE BEEN ABOUT SOMETHING OF WHICH I FEEL STRONGLY.

LAST YEAR, HOUSE BEAUTIFUL ASKED A GROUP OF DECORATORS WHAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE THE NEXT TREND IN DESIGN.  I SAID THAT I THOUGHT PEOPLE WOULD START GETTING TIRED OF ALL THE MONOCHROMATIC (ESPECIALLY BEIGE) ROOMS AND GO BACK TO THE LOVELY, LIVABLE ROOMS....ROOMS THAT WE HAVE LOVED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME—WELL, DESIGN TIME, THAT IS.

THIS PICTURE, TAKEN FROM THE PEAK OF CHIC IS OF A BEAUTIFUL ROOM IN A CHATEAU IN FRANCE.  IT’S NOT JUST THAT THE ROOM IS SO PRETTY, BUT IT IS ALSO SO PRACTICAL.  PRINTED FABRICS AND MELANGES OF COLOURS SUCH AS SHOWN HERE, SHOW FINGERPRINTS, SMUDGES, AND JUST THE PUNISHMENT OF TIME MUCH LESS THAN THE PRISTINE LIGHT BEIGE ROOMS.  YOU MIGHT THINK THAT THIS ROOM WOULD NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN, AND YET, THE MARKS OF THEIR LITTLE MITTS ARE GOING TO BE PRETTY HARD TO SEE ON ANYTHING IN THAT ROOM.  EVEN THE RUG WOULD HIDE ALMOST ANY SPILL.

AND IT IS NOT JUST THAT THEY ARE PRACTICAL—THEY ARE LOVELY AND WELCOMING.  WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO SIT AROUND THIS FIREPLACE AND HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH A CUP OF TEA OR A COCKTAIL?  IT’S A ROOM FOR LIVING-IN.

THE PEAK OF CHIC, WHOSE PICTURES I AM USING, GETS THEM FROM BOOKS WHICH ARE OUT AND FROM HER ENORMOUS LIBRARY OF OLD MAGAZINES.  SHE IS VERY, VERY GOOD AT CHOOSING PICTURES (AND SUBJECTS) WHICH APPEAL TO PEOPLE, OF WHOM I AM ONE.  HER PICTURES OF HOWARD SLATKIN’S GUEST BEDROOM ARE JUST LIKE A PRIMER AS TO HOW A BEDROOM OUGHT TO LOOK.

THIS IS JUST A WONDERFUL ROOM—AGAIN THAT “FRENCHIFIED” USE OF A MAIN FABRIC EVERYWHERE AND THEN INTENSIFYING IT BY ADDING EVEN MORE PATTERN—NOTE THE CHECKS IN THE ROOM AND THE PAINTED DESIGN ON THE FLOOR.

BECOME A FOLLOWER OF THE PEAK OF CHIC, YOURSELF.  IT WILL BE A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE—AND A VERY ENJOYABLE ONE.

XOXOXOX  LETA