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As always, today’s list of weekly finds is a mixed bag of things I own (or wish I did), things that have inspired me, educated or entertained me lately. There are books and tables and light fixtures and gift ideas, but also links to articles on design topics I found interesting and thought you might be interested in them, too. I’ve included a video tour of designer Tom Cox’s beautifully layered country house, which I love, as well as a link to his studio’s impressive design portfolio.
Like many of you, I’m sure, I was pleased to hear about Libby Cameron’s new book, Notes From a Decorator’s Life. I’ve admired her work for as long as I can remember, and it makes me happy to know that we’ll soon learn more about her design processes, philosophies and behind-the-scenes magic. The week has been a busy one so far, cold and gray and damp, but for a few hours today the sun was out, and I found myself smiling for no reason. Wishing you all a fun weekend!
Notes From a Decorator’s Life, by Libby Cameron
In Notes from a Decorator’s Life, interior designer Libby Cameron takes us on a journey of discovery and initiation, following her trajectory in the world of interiors, from her beginnings as a protégé of famed decorator Sister Parish to a storied career that includes many awards and honors.
After spending 14 years at Parish-Hadley, Inc. in New York City, where she had become a partner in 1989, Cameron opened her eponymous firm, Libby Cameron LLC, in 1995. Her successful career as a designer has garnered her multiple awards and honors, including being named by House Beautiful as one of the 100 Best Designers in the US, several times running.
Through a select list of projects that span both time and space, we get a glimpse into this talented and prolific designer’s secrets to timeless interiors, use of color and pattern, upholstery, embracing imperfection, collaboration, and sustainability.
I’ve been on a mission to add more portable light fixtures to our home, especially now that it gets dark so early in the day and our bodies crave the warmth of natural light, and this cute little task lamp is a great addition to any room, next to your favorite armchair or sofa. You can buy it in either black, silver (brushed nickel) or gold (antique brass).
A Storybook Inn in the Hudson Valley
A historic three-story building in Rosendale, NY, with eleven unique guest rooms, a tavern, a riverside restaurant, and shop, The Six Bells Inn was inspired by a love of English and American country houses. Filled to the brim with antiques, rich color, whimsical patterns and Americana decor, the inn is an invitation to step out of the whirlwind of modern day living and back in time to a place of slow days, simple comforts, good food, and relaxation. Consider me charmed!
One of my favorite Amazon finds – this tripod metal table is sleek, elegant and so versatile. It’s big enough to hold a couple of glasses or a book, but light enough that you can easily move it around the house, as I do, based on your entertaining needs. I love it so much that I’ve just ordered a second one for our home.
Charleston: A Bloomsbury House & Garden
Set in the heart of the Sussex Downs, Charleston Farmhouse is the most important remaining example of Bloomsbury decorative style, created by the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Quentin Bell, the younger son of Clive and Vanessa Bell, and his daughter Virghinia Nicholson, tell the story of this unique house, linking it with some of the leading cultural figures who were invited there, including Vanessa’s sister Virginia Woolf, the writer Lytton Strachey, the economist Maynard Keynes and the art critic Roger Fry. The house and garden are portrayed through Alen MacWeeney’s atmospheric photographs; pictures from Vanessa Bell’s family album convey the flavour of the household in its heyday.
A stunning urn-shaped glass vase:
In All Things Considered, Emilio Pimentel-Reid invites you into the homes of sixteen international artists, designers, and creatives, that place a curated sense of personality above all else. Explore their distinctive spaces—some historically influenced and others at the cutting edge of contemporary design, some serene and several provocative. Each home is uplifting and has been presented with great thought, confidence, and flair. Designers featured include some of the world’s top talents in architecture and interior design, such as Philip Hooper, Willow Kemp, Timothy Corrigan, and Gert Voorjans, an iconic Belgian tastemaker. Dreamy photography invites us into the layered and charming country home of Alexandra Tolstoy (one of my favorite houses featured in the book).
All Things Considered reveals how our homes serve as self-portraits of creative, individual style. This inspiring book encourages you to embrace your unique interior design personality and play by your own rules.
Peril at End House, by Agatha Christie
Some of Our Trickiest Design Questions, Answered
Distinctly American: Houses and Interiors by Hendricks Churchill
Known for its authentic and emotionally resonant designs, Hendricks Churchill presents its recent projects—both country and city residences—that effortlessly combine the disciplines of vernacular architecture and decoration in a purely American way.
Founding partners Heide Hendricks and Rafe Churchill have been collaborating for more than twenty years—whether designing new houses and interiors or overseeing historic renovations—and this is the first book to present a comprehensive look at the firm’s projects, refreshingly relevant exercises in reinvention. Every project is rooted in tradition, truth, and an inherent connection to historical architecture and the rural landscape—whether that be a country house in Litchfield County, Connecticut, or an apartment in New York’s Greenwich Village.
Drawing inspiration from Shaker cleanness of line, Arts and Crafts integrity, Dutch agricultural buildings, and bohemian chic, the interiors team selects paint colors, furnishings, textiles, lighting, and general finishes—all chosen with an appreciation for historical and contemporary art, design, film, and literature. The goal is to create eclectic, well-informed, and emotional interior spaces that do not play to today’s design trends. The designs express the essence of rural America—the practicality and purity of materials and design, with a keen understanding and deep knowledge of traditional buildings and construction.
Tour the country home of designer Tom Cox, co-founder of HÁM Interiors and Studio HÁM
The Black Wolf, by Louise Penny
The Best Paint Colors for a North Facing Sitting Room
