Wallpapers of Yellow Chinoisere

Posted by Betsy On October 14, 2008

Apologies, dear readers, many many apologies because I find myself falling victim to blogging tendency that I find most irritating in other design bogs - namely, too much writing and not enough pretty pictures! Mortification and sorrow abound. In order to atone for my sins, I thought I would do a montage of yellow chinoisere wallpaper, which is an option I am considering for the dream house dining room... Juicy Couture's Pamela Skaist-Levy's house, featured in Bazaar, inspired the thinking. I just LOVE everything about this room...

yellow chinoisere wallpaper

In Honor of the Girls

Posted by Betsy On October 15, 2008

Those who know me well know that I need absolutely no excuse to expound on the color pink (you'll note this blog's title). But since it is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I would follow Mrs. Blandings' fabulous lead and do my bit to raise awareness by blogging on pink for the day. Instead of going the Dorothy Draper route, and don't get me wrong , I ADORE Ms. Draper, I thought I would reflect on my most favorite use of pink EVER, my magical wedding reception:

Pink

Dreaming of a Creative Cottage

Posted by Betsy On October 1, 2008

So one of the "must-haves" for our dream house, which we may have found ... *IF* we can convince the sellers to knock $500,000 off the listing price. Minor hiccup. Our dream house must have a designated space for me to create. Ideally, this would be a cottage by the sea where I could write, craft and spraypaint old furniture to my heart's content. However, unless we win the lotto, which is obviously totally possible, it will most likely be a room in our house where I can write, craft and spraypaint old furniture to my heart's content.

Creative Cottage

Thoughts on Kelly

Posted by Author On September 18, 2008

Being an uber-prep by birth, somewhat by choice but mainly by basic resignation to the fates, I've been thrilled by the recent resurgence of preppy chic. From J.Crew to Jonathan Adler, the blue blazer and pearls are definitely back in full effect. I am particularly pleased by the kelly green palettes that have been popping up everywhere. For instance this delicious bedroom from Mr. Adler:

Kelly Wearstler

Wallpapers of Yellow Chinoisere

Posted by Betsy On 1:06 PM 0 comments
Apologies, dear readers, many many apologies because I find myself falling victim to blogging tendency that I find most irritating in other design bogs - namely, too much writing and not enough pretty pictures! Mortification and sorrow abound. In order to atone for my sins, I thought I would do a montage of yellow chinoisere wallpaper, which is an option I am considering for the dream house dining room... Juicy Couture's Pamela Skaist-Levy's house, featured in Bazaar, inspired the thinking. I just LOVE everything about this room:


And then I saw these delectable panels in a foyer done by maison21:




And I was hooked. The passion was further fueled by this image:



I love enormous pink peony. (Pink peonies are my favorite flowers....shocking, I know) Ideally, one would love to swath one's dining room in hand painted wallpaper or scenes from Gracie:



or the world-renown french wallpaper house Zuber, or perhaps even this hand- painted deliciousness by David Qian (Jiang Nan Garden Collection-Silk version).


In all likelihood, given that I must be frugal and prudent in my nesting (or Mr. Wentworth may pop a bloodvessel in his eye - not a good look), I'll end up painting our dining room myself or recruiting Mommy Wentworth to aid and abet me. Or perhaps I'll track down some antique wallpaper and frame it out a la masion 21. I am totally on budget.
Kisses,
Wentworth.
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Dream House

Posted by Betsy On 1:30 PM 0 comments
Mr. Wentworth and I went to see our dream house over the weekend and if it can be believed, friends, it is even dreamier in real life! You can just feel the love that has lived in this house over the years. And now it feels lonely - like it needs us to come and give it some lovin.' So pray to the real estate gods for us my lovelies...

Its an old rambling farm house full of wide-plank wood floors and fireplaces. The grounds are glorious - lots of land for Murphy and Cricket to roam and romp and roll in delicious smells (Miss Cricket is particularly fond of this last activity and gets most offended when we dare to remove these precious odors...alas how she suffers.)

There are even "specimen" trees. For those of us who are new to the wonderful world of real estate lingo - specimen trees are big trees. very very big trees. Bucolic bliss here we come!

Originally, we wanted to get a real fixer-upper - something that we could gut down to the bones and build back up as our own. This house however, has had some work done to it already...they've made it livable (which is always nice) but I think I'll have to redo the kitchen and bathroom updates...because they're ok...but not FABULOUS...take the kitchen:


Its ok... all the right elements - just the wrong combo...so I spent most of the day imaging how I am going to fix it.

I think the first order of business will be to paint the cabinets - I'm thinking of a creamy white like Farrow and Ball's Tallow. And then a warm-toned neutral on the walls. My dream kitchen would be more of the cool toned neutral - think white cabinets, carrera marble and black accents - but since the floor is warm toned, I need to work with it. Basically the ultimate goal is something like:






or...



















I'd like to have a chandelier over the island...something black and sparkly.







Or maybe a little Murano glass action...There are just so many possibilities!





As my indulgent, loving husband can attest, I am happiest when nesting and lord, could I nest in this house. I can just see Mr. Wentworth and I making apple cider and raking leaves and doing lots of blissful, newlywed-domestic things.

XoXoX,
Wentworth
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In Honor of the Girls

Posted by Betsy On 11:45 AM 0 comments
Those who know me well know that I need absolutely no excuse to expound on the color pink (you'll note this blog's title). But since it is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I would follow Mrs. Blandings' fabulous lead and do my bit to raise awareness by blogging on pink for the day.

Instead of going the Dorothy Draper route, and don't get me wrong , I ADORE Ms. Draper, I thought I would reflect on my most favorite use of pink EVER, my magical wedding reception:


*SIGH*


As you can see below, we decorated the tent ourselves:



hanging Chinese lanterns of all different sizes and shades of pink and green, with some yellow thrown in for 'pop'. I must admit I was anti-yellow at first, but my mother, who is a painter and has an eye for these things, insisted, and - note this in the record books friends - SHE WAS RIGHT. (Hi Mommy, love you.) Without the yellow, the pink would not have looked nearly so fabulous. My mother is a genius.

Love,

Wentworth

This posting on pink is dedicated to all of the fabulous ladies out there who are bravely fighting this atrocious disease. Courage and cyber-hugs to you.

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