twin beds

Living Lavender Dreams

What does a girl do with unmade decisions hanging over her head? Sulk? Panic? Nope! Fantasy decorate is the answer!

Ever since this time last year, I have been obsessed with designer May Daouk’s Beirut home, which was featured in Architectural Digest, stunningly photographed by Simon Watson. The luminescent lavender living room, chock-a-block with blue and white porcelain, comfy seating and that divine 19th century Oushak spoke eloquently to me. And those arched windows – those windows! – maybe I really need to go back and start with them. The fact that her home was in the Middle East didn’t particularly register with me at the time and only came to seem like an important point much later. While I am only showing the living room in this post, the entire space is fantastic so click here to see the slide show over at AD. And please be sure to click on the photos themselves in this post to see the enlarged versions which truly show the spectacular details.

I might not have imagined trying to apply the wonder of this space to my life before, even though it is my favorite color and holds so many favorite things. But it got me thinking…Many houses that I looked at in Doha had arched windows and large rectangular living spaces – granted not quite like this – but lovely nonetheless. So what in this photo don’t I already have? Neutral linen covered sofa? Check! A pair of velvet armchairs? Check? A big dark trestle table like the ones along the side of the room? Check! (That one is down in the garage for those of you wondering). Antique global textiles turned into pillows or throws? Check! Gobs and gobs of blue and white porcelain? Check! 19th century carpets? Check! (Although much smaller ones that could be laid over jute or seagrass perhaps). Could I be happy in Doha if I lived in a room like this? Somehow I think the answer to that is Yes!

I’ve even got a pair of antique slipper chairs with a bullion fringe and their original coral pink velvet fabric – definitely in the same spirit as these. And you all know I’ve got a gorgeous blue & white garden stool – just got to get it there. Should I be sure to put an IKEA Rand black and white striped dhurrie in my shipment? No, because IKEA opened in Doha just a month or so ago. Check!

Before you start scratching your head and thinking I am off my rocker, let me show you a few more inspiration examples, like this Alberto Pinto Moroccan fantasy from the late Domino magazine. Remember those pink chairs I just mentioned? And how divine is all that inlaid furniture? (More on that below). But the pièce de résistance has to be that armless settee upholstered a la suzani!

Instead of blue & white, painted and glazed earthenware is featured. That would be a chance to start a whole new collection!

Perhaps a new collection isn’t the answer – after all I do love my porcelain. Maybe going a bit more formal – soft with a bit of whimsy actually – with the lavender and blue in the space would be lovely, just like at Aerin’s place?

Tufted Chesterfield? Check! Queen Anne tea table? Check! (That one is in the garage too!)

Katie Ridder gets the formal but whimsical combo down just right too.

Another choice would be to use the fresh slate to steer off in a more modern direction. This is not my usual style but speaks to me nonetheless. The mix is outstanding! Orangey-toned tribal carpet? Check! Moroccan side table? Check!

It seems as if the flea market gods are having their say as well. Speaking of Moroccan side tables, I found this one at the market last week and had to buy it. Trying to decide if it should go to the beach or if I should take it with me.

Kinda seems like carrying coals to Newcastle, no?

And breaking news…In the time it took me to write this post I got a fresh email in my inbox with my elder daughter’s acceptance into school in Doha. Looks like the pendulum may be swinging that way. Hello lavender!

Image credits: 1, 3-4. Architectural Digest May 2012, photo credit: Simon Watson, 2. via Simon Watson, 5-6. Domino magazine, further credit unknown, 7. Aerin Lauder in Elle Decor July 2009, photo credit: Simon Upton, 8. Aerin Lauder in Vogue, via Habitually Chic, 9. Katie Ridder via Galbraith & Paul, 10. via Coco & Kelley, 11. me.

Apr 23, 2013 By tokyojinja in Color, Expat Life, Interior Design, Porcelain and Pottery Tags: Aerin Lauder, Alberto Pinto, blue and white, blue and white porcelain, Chinese porcelain, Doha, Japanese porcelain, Katie Ridder, lavender, May Daouk, Moroccan, porcelain, twin beds

Reader’s Query…More on Flat Fabric Canopy Beds

I had a few comments about the fabulous pair of canopied twin beds above from my last post on designer Katie Leede, and thought I might share a few other examples for those who are thinking about taking this project on, either as a DIY or professionally done. I haven’t actually stumbled across any formal tutorials, but I think from examining the photos, it must not be too difficult. The beds above employ two simple curtain rods, with one attached to the wall and the other hung from chains on the ceiling. Two rod pockets are sewn into the fabric and a trim border has been added to the front. The long piece of striped fabric the width of the beds runs from behind the headboards to close to the ceiling where the first rod is attached to the wall and is then draped to the second suspended rod. A matching striped bedskirt creates visual harmony.

I have numerous examples of similar canopies, although they all have small differences worth examining. One key to this style is for the fabric to be just the width of the headboard. The panels in the photo below are more sophisticated and involve more sewing, with an Indian block print centered in a border of lavender fabric and trimmed in tape. But here, no rod pockets were necessary because there are no curtain rods or poles – it looks as if the fabric has been attached directly to the wall. Again the fabric stops a foot or so before the ceiling, and then is draped upward to form the canopy by attaching the fabric directly to the ceiling. A similar length overhang here creates a similar valence effect in the front as in Katie’s version above.

Again, a stripe has been used below to great effect and again, continued on the dust ruffles. Like Katie’s room, the stripes are reminiscent of a circus tent and we see animal accessories, art and wallpaper, leading me to believe this is also a child’s room. One change here is that the fabric against the wall goes all the way up to the ceiling – no gap is left – perhaps because the ceiling height is lower or perhaps because it would be too busy to have the toile-like wallpaper show above the stripes. Note that the fabric has been allowed to drape from the first ceiling attachment to the next…

…unlike this example. Here the fabric is stiffer and squared off by having it run along the ceiling. Again we see the continuity with the bedskirts and the stripes, although this room clearly feels like an adult space.

In this less permanent showroom set up, we see our first example with skirtless beds. The panels are also simpler, with no trim or borders and seem to be installed with rods. This would be very easy to pull off with very little complicated sewing. And like the mirrors in the example above, a decorative detail attached to the canopy is used to draw our eye.

Here Lauren Liess created a crib version of the canopy using a painters dropcloth which she stencilled and then simply attached with a stapler to the ceiling. More details on this project can be found here.

Another very easy DIY approach features two simple swing curtain rods attached to the wall at the ceiling height with fabric draped over them, creating a canopy that runs the opposite direction. I like this idea when you need to frame a window, since it creates a canopy and curtains all at once.

There are many other gorgeous, albeit more elaborate, canopy beds out there, but I really do like these simple flat versions. Let me know if anyone actually tries to make one!