The Holidays are a tricky. Expectations are high for everything to be perfect and the list is long for how to get there. Then there is the pressure to be “jolly”. Ugh, talk about a recipe for disappointment and guilt for falling short! So how does one deal with these pressures? The easiest way is to ... Read More about Reducing Holiday Stress
Blog
Frank’s Modern Christmas
Like many people, I harbor warm, fuzzy feelings toward Christmases past, but I prefer to celebrate mine squarely in the present. Although I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist, I’m wary of a lot of traditional holiday décor, which can make a room feel as overstuffed as Santa’s sleigh. When it comes to ... Read More about Frank’s Modern Christmas
Puppets, a Childhood Fantasy Realized
In 1965 when I was seven, I saw the movie, The Sound of Music. This was a big deal for my siblings, my cousins and me, because movies were frowned upon by many in our church. But my mother and aunt secreted us away to see it anyway, and was I ever glad that they did. I had many favorite parts, ... Read More about Puppets, a Childhood Fantasy Realized
Matthew’s Classic Christmas
Christmas for me will always be filtered through my imagination and memories as a small child. Delicious aromas from the kitchen, trees burdened with decorations, branches of fragrant evergreens tied with bows. What I dislike is the commercialism. My secret for maintaining the magic is to escape ... Read More about Matthew’s Classic Christmas
Smoke Signals
In the fashion world, gray is now being heralded as the new black. Although we don't subscribe to trends, we celebrate classics, and gray certainly fits the bill, especially when it comes to interiors. Whether it's the soft whisper of a dove gray linen or the crisp tailoring of a heathery flannel, ... Read More about Smoke Signals
Shanghaied
A diamond with a flaw is worth more than a pebble without imperfections. — Chinese proverb Despite the guidebooks' warnings, the stars were aligned for me to venture to Shanghai in late August. Thanks to 95 degree heat and 100% humidity, I can assure you that "Summer in Shanghai" will never get ... Read More about Shanghaied
A Cozy Cabin in the Mountains
This story could be under the title "Better Late than Never". After all, these photos (styled by none other than Miguel Flores-Vianna) were meant to run in House Beautiful around ten years ago, but because of changing editors, they never saw the light of day. Instead of allowing the story to ... Read More about A Cozy Cabin in the Mountains
Wall Warmers – The Allure of Antique Tapestries
The glories of medieval, renaissance and baroque tapestries tell us much about European history. These precious textiles, masterfully hand-woven using silk and woolen threads colored with rare dyes from around the globe, and often shot through with gold or silver thread, were created for practical, ... Read More about Wall Warmers – The Allure of Antique Tapestries
A Cottage by the Sea
As fleeting as the days of summer may be, childhood memories of days at the shore can last a lifetime. Whether it's frolicking in the pounding, salty surf or counting fireflies in clear, star-filled skies, the impressions are indelible ones, which yesterday's children inevitably want to share with ... Read More about A Cottage by the Sea
Donghia Celebrates Matthew’s First Book and White Webb’s Clearly Classic Collection
To celebrate Matthew's new book Italy of my Dreams, and White Webb's Clearly Classic collection of hand-made acrylic tables, now available at Donghia, the venerable (and endlessly chic) showroom threw us a party. Actually they threw us two! One in New York and one in Los Angeles. Here are a few ... Read More about Donghia Celebrates Matthew’s First Book and White Webb’s Clearly Classic Collection
A City Cabana
Not all summer get-aways are AWAY. This one in fact, is not in the Hamptons but right in the center of Manhattan. When a dear friend asked us to freshen up his tiny (and we do mean tiny) apartment, his directive was to "Make me feel like I'm on the beach." The result is not very New York, actually, ... Read More about A City Cabana
Seguso Viro – the Magic of Venetian Glass
It's pretty rare these days to find anything with lasting power. Trends come and go with lightning speed and rarely leave any kind of lasting impact. When something manages to captivate the collective consciousness for generations, then it rightly deserves to be called a classic. When we think of ... Read More about Seguso Viro – the Magic of Venetian Glass
A (Clearly) Classic Combination: White Webb Teams with Donghia
While opposites may attract, great marriages are usually based on mutual understandings, shared goals, and a common sensibility. For all of these reasons, Matthew White and Frank Webb are thrilled by their new union with Donghia, Inc., international purveyors of exceptional style and timeless ... Read More about A (Clearly) Classic Combination: White Webb Teams with Donghia
Italy of my Dreams – The Story of an American Designer’s Real Life Passion for Italian Style
After a long, cold winter, spring blossoms finally emerge to inspire and delight. And so, after ten years of working on my first book, it is finally ready to face the world. Italy of my Dreams shares my story of the many ways Italy has transformed how I see beauty and how it influences my ... Read More about Italy of my Dreams – The Story of an American Designer’s Real Life Passion for Italian Style
Folding Screens – Making Design Problems Disappear
Folding screens have a long history in interior design. In ancient China early examples were made of painted wood. Later, Japanese screens were constructed of more portable paper that was painted, lacquered or gilded. In the 1500's they were brought to Portugal by European traders, and soon the ... Read More about Folding Screens – Making Design Problems Disappear
Creative Entertaining Ronnie Claire Edwards’ Book Party
Okay, so the economy isn't fantastic, and winter is here. That sounds to me like the time to celebrate! Huh?...you might ask... but let's face it, sometimes we just need to do something to lift our spirits a bit. This requires not just getting together, but creative thinking to create a gathering ... Read More about Creative Entertaining Ronnie Claire Edwards’ Book Party
The Luxury of Choice Designing at the Plaza Hotel
Everyone knows that Eloise, the fictional character who lives in New York City's storied Plaza hotel, is one lucky, little girl. Should it be any wonder then that people from across the globe are now scrambling to get a peek at her newly transformed home? Thanks to a $400 million renovation by El-Ad ... Read More about The Luxury of Choice Designing at the Plaza Hotel
Designing for the Dogs
Designing rooms and furnishings for humans is what we do, but we often give our clients' furry companions some stylish attention as well. Since several of us in the office have pets, we are thrilled to make them part of our design considerations. To show off a few of our favorite dog beds, we've ... Read More about Designing for the Dogs
Sumptuous Carpets – Like Walking Through Leaves Year-Round
Oftentimes, what lies beneath our feet gets very little notice, but it's certainly not the case when we're talking about fine antique rugs. Whether the setting is classic or modern, we feel these venerable, handmade carpets add undeniable allure and luxury to any room lucky enough to hold ... Read More about Sumptuous Carpets – Like Walking Through Leaves Year-Round
Country Pursuits – Houses of History
In August I helped organize a Historic House Tour in my favorite town—Hillsdale, NY. Hillsdale was founded in 1788 and was (and largely remains) a farming community. It was famous for its dairy farms, providing much of the milk and butter for New York City in the 19th century. Hillsdale's amazing ... Read More about Country Pursuits – Houses of History
