The DB Files » Design

Mad Men

diane — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:50:09 +0000

Season 4 of Mad Men premiered yesterday in the US! Very excited to watch another dramatic season and I can’t wait to see all the beatutiful 1960’s costumes and decor.

Bookshelves

diane — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:27:36 +0000

Bookshelves are not just a place to store your books… They’re fabulous places to arrange your books and display special items (artwork, photos, candles, sculptures etc…) which can really make a feature out of the space while also creating loads of character. Here are some inspirational bookshelves which really add to the rooms they’re in.

Most images courtesy of Lonny Magazine and Apartment Therapy

Country House

diane — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:20:57 +0000

As we’re in the process of doing up our little weekend hideaway, I have been searching for inspiration everywhere and came across two of my absolute favourite country houses: John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon’s Monkey Cottage and Sixx Design’s Great Barrington House.

Monkey Cottage, an old one room school house, is the most charming cottage. I just love the yellow door!

Images courtesy of Country Living

Great Barrington House, the Novograd’s country retreat, is another beautiful house which has inspired me a lot! Again, the yellow shutters are absolutely stunning.

Images courtesy of Sixx Design

Now I can’t stop thinking about going down to our country house for the weekend! I can’t wait to snuggle up in front of the fire and start reading my new book.
Have a fabulous weekend!

Domino is back…

diane — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:16:38 +0000

We are all extremely excited about the news that the beloved archives of Domino magazine are back online…finally! We all have brides.com to thank for making the eagerly awaited archives accessible again.

The tiny, yet seriously stylish apartment of Tori Mellott, the decoration editor of Domino.

Keep checking brides.com for more Domino updates…and have fun!!!

AMERICAN TRIP (Part 3)

diane — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:34:53 +0000

On my friend’s Julius & David recommendation we meet at Ilili’s. I would have to say that it’s the best Mediterranean food I’ve ever had! Fabulous drinks too.

One of the highlights of my trip was the book launch of Susanna Salk’s new book Room for Children at Bergdorf Goodman’s.
I am thrilled to have one of my designs featured along with such talents as Charlotte Moss, Celerie Kemble, Amanda Nisbet, Alessandra Branca and so many more.

Launch party for “Room for Children” by Susanna Salk (New York, Spring 2010)

Decorating for a young client.

Interviews with Susanna Salk, Diane Bergeron, Philip Gorrivan, Alex Papachristidis, Pieter Estersohn, Celerie Kemble, Christiane Lemieux, Cortney Novogratz, Susan Bednar Long and Jason Jobson.

Childrens room design.

Interviews with Susanna Salk, Philip Gorrivan, Christiane Lemieux, Nicholas Manville, Alex Papachristidis, Harry Heissmann, Susan Bednar Long and Pieter Estersohn.

Your room as a child.

Interviews with Susanna Salk, Philip Gorrivan, Celerie Kemble, Harry Heissmann, Cortney Novogratz, Jason Jobson, Pieter Estersohn and Alex Papachristidis.

It was great that Michele Adams and my long time friend David Hoey were with me on this special night. David is the mastermind of Bergdorf ‘s amazing windows.

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SIXX DESIGN – DOWNTOWN CHIC

diane — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Image via The New York Times

Image via Amazon

We were recently talking to our friends at SIXX DESIGN and were excited to hear all about their fabulous new book DOWNTOWN CHIC Designing your Dream Home: From Wreck to Ravishing. (released on May 5th and available through Amazon)
Cortney and Robert Novogratz are the authors of this beautiful book. It is full of amazing stories and advice and has an assortment of brilliant before and after photos! You will be amazed and inspired by what this young, hip couple can achieve and all while bringing up six(x)+1!!! children under 9! They have developed and designed many properties in Manhattan, all with understated and flawless taste and always with a touch of luxury. Their design philosophy sees them involved in all aspects of their project, no matter how big or small. Cortney and Robert, you really are the masters of turning “funky into fabulous”! (oh yes and a totally handsome couple too….)

Multimedia

Audio Slide Show

via The New York Times

Decorating 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

jan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:00:00 +0000

It’s that time again, to redecorate the White House.

Here are my picks from the past.

Then: The Kennedys’ Blue Room

This photo of the elegant Blue Room was taken during the Kennedy administration in 1962.

Then: The Lincoln Sitting Room

The Lincoln Sitting Room by Little Rock designer Kaki Hockersmith, had strong colors and patterns during the Clinton years. This photo was taken in 1994.

Today’s best designer’s tell House Beautiful what they would do if they were decorating for the new first family.

What If? Windsor Smith Created a Multipurpose Space

“I would replace frou-frou damasks and silks with environmentally sustainable casual linens in an earthy brown palette, with accents in optimistic colors, like verdant green, lemon, yellow, and tangerine…. Most important, I would create an amazing, relaxed, colorful multipurpose space where they can really be a family and escape the demands of the world. Their love and commitment to one another will no doubt be his inspiration for all that he is embarking on.” — WINDSOR SMITH, LOS ANGELES

What If? They Went Green

“First, let’s open up those storage rooms and reuse things from former presidencies in a clean, fresh, new way. Using what you have, or buying vintage, is a great way to lessen your carbon footprint. Then, let’s make some green choices, beyond just lightbulbs, like environmentally friendly paints for Sasha and Malia’s rooms, or buying wares from local artisans so we know the wood and materials are environmentally sound and locally harvested.” — NATE BERKUS, CHICAGO

What If? Darryl Carter Suggested a Modern Take on Antiques

“As a native Washingtonian, I am predisposed to the historic fabric of this city. As a modernist with a penchant for white rooms whose vocabulary predominantly consists of antiques covered in muted palettes, this would be a most intriguing undertaking.” — DARRYL CARTER, WASHINGTON

What If? The Fabrics Had an Easy Charm About Them

“I would start with a sustainable hemp print such as Carolina Irvin’s Andaluz in the color Delft. It has the feeling of an old quilt with a modern twist. This fabric to me represents the approachable, easy charm that this young family radiates.” — PHOEBE HOWARD, ATLANTA

THANK YOU Desire to inspire!

jan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Today I started the day with a wonderful surprise.

Thank you so much for the mention Desire to inspire!

“How Would Dorothy Do It?”

jan — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0000

When I was in New York back in July, my best friend Sarah gave me the most wonderful book. My Favorite Things, A personal Guide to Decorating and Entertaining by Dorothy Rodgers 1964.
The wife of composer Richard Rodgers, Mrs. Rodgers writes about making a house a home. “Taste is made, not born,” she says at one point in MFT. She then goes on to recount how she, in the midst of a brilliant theatrical, artistic, literary and diplomatic milieu managed to run her home, bring up her children, create her own business, entertain hundreds of friend s and acquaintances. Her sense of style became her signature!

Here are a few of my favourite bits from her book, or should I say bible.

Urban Maison

diane — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Here are a few things that I spotted on my new favorite website: Urban Maison. I have to confess, I am an online shopper from way back, There is just something about shopping around the world from the comfort of my bed. I think: How M. Proust! (Or as my daughter often reminds me: very Gray Gardens.
I can imagine myself resting on this insanely beautiful green velvet day bed.

My other two favorite pieces are a stylish Napoleon III chaise lounge circa 1860, as it reads: would be a great way to relax with a G&T! Check out the Les Indiennes fabric I want to redo it in.

Also love this very elegant 19th century Louis XVI armchair reupholstered in this fabulous Of the Young and The Restless fabric.