Office Furniture In The Bedroom! Why Not?

I saw this ad for USM Modular in a magazine the other day and it caught my eye. I adore USM and specified it for an office project a few years ago. Their units come in lots of vibrant colors. They’re perfect for home offices as well. But in the bedroom? Why not?

There are no hard and fast rules these days. I think I’d accessorize this a bit differently to make better use of the storage and Read More…

Belvivere Linens

I’d like to welcome my new sponsor, Belvivere Linens, to Design Hole. Their online shop sells fine linens including some beautiful tablecloths.

Tablecloths seem to be out of fashion. I see most tables dressed with runners and placemats. I have a collection of heirloom linen cloths and like to layer them in various ways.

For example, if you have a beautiful, vintage cloth with a few small holes in it, don’t throw it out. Simply place a plain cloth, in the same color, under it. You’ll see the beautiful features and the holes with disappear. Or, make the holes work by setting an eclectic table setting. Think Anthropologie. The holes go with that look.

I think the reason most people don’t use tablecloths is because they need to be ironed. No one irons anymore. And there isn’t any way to get around it. A linen cloth needs an iron. My solution is to send it to the cleaners. They’ll fold it carefully and hang it on a rounded hanger to keep creases to a minimum.

Do you agree that placemats are more popular than tablecloths? Is it the ironing issue, or an aesthetic one?

Chair of the Day: Blu Dot’s Chair Chair

You know how I am with names. They’ve got to be just right. That’s why I’ve chosen Blu Dot’s Chair Chair for today’s CotD. That’s a well thought out name.

Oh, and I guess the design is pretty darn good, too. I don’t care how much money you bring home, this is a great chair at a great price – $139. It comes in 4 finishes, too!

What’s not to like? Nothing. So I’m wondering where you see this in your home. The dining room for Thanksgiving? The kitchen? At your desk? Under a noose (just kidding there).

So, where?!

8 Great Dining Settees

Here’s a trend that’s just catching on – dining settees. I’ve seen photos around the web of living room sofas used as seating in the dining room. It often looks great, but fails in the translation from living room to dining. Why? It’s the seat height.

Typically, sofa seating is lower than dining. A dining chair is 18-inches to 19-inches high. It keeps you from feeling like a 3-year-old when you’re eating your spaghetti. Go for an option that’s specifically designed for the dining room and you’ll have to think of a different reason to start a food fight.

Here are my 8 Great top dining settee picks.

1. Henredon’s Adrian Settee

The mix of woven and wooden materials on Henredon’s Adrian Bench gives this dining bench an ethnic-meets-contemporary look. I want to see this outside, under an awning. Don’t forget the hot, hot sun and please, pass the tanning butter.

2. Vanguard’s Alton Settee

Care for an Old Fashioned anyone? The sleek, buttoned up style of Vanguard’s Alton Settee brings out the Don Draper in me (even though I’m a girl).

3. William Sonoma’s Gillow Bench

The Gillow Bench is a Winterthur reproduction, from William Sonoma ($1,850). It’s shown all matched up with chairs. I’d go with a different style of chair to keep the mix more lively. Make sure the seat heights match up and the scale works with the table.

4. Jessica Charles’ Kensington Banquette

Is it okay to have a favorite? I love this one! Anyone who reads DH regularly knows I’m in love with the Near East. And Jessica Charles’ Kensington Banquette is playing to me like a charmer does to a snake in a basket.

5. Hickory Chair’s Farm Wing Settee

This is really the perfect settee because it’s so versatile. It looks traditional in this photo, but imagine it with a bold, contemporary print and it becomes modern. Keep those nail heads! Love those. Best of all, Hickory Chair’s Farm Wing Settee comes in any length you want, from 28-inches to 120-inches wide. Lose the arms if you like. That’s a pretty good idea, if you ask me.

6. Annie Selkie’s Eddie Settee

Cute! Sooo Anthropologie. So 1930′s English breakfast room. It reminds me of the set designs in Atonement. Annie Selkie’s Eddie Settee was, in fact, designed for Vanguard. I have to say, they really have the widest range of styles in this genre. Bravo!

7. Barbara Barry’s Etiquette Banquette

Here we leave the English countryside and move to Hollywood in the 1940′s. Barbara Barry’s Etiquette Banquette is all about what I call Hollywood Elegance. And she does it very well.

8. Vanguard’s Settee

Actually, this settee is named Vanguard’s FL592. Someone really slaved over that one. Not. It needs a proper name, like The Spencer. I really like this style. I can see it dressed in wool flannel for a masculine look. Mmm… Toasty. But I can also see it with a subtle floral – maybe just two colors.

Time to vote. Which one is your favorite?

If you’re interested in prices, I’ll be happy to get them for you. Just shoot me an email.

Chair of the Day: Wm. Sonoma’s Sylvia

It may seem early to be talking about Thanksgiving, but I saw Christmas decorations in a shop today. Therefore, this week I’m focusing on dining chairs.

If you’re holding the big feast at your home it’s never too early to start planning. I feel like I need to completely redecorate the entire house. Maybe making sure I’ve got enough chairs is enough.

This is from William Sonoma. The Sylvia is a modified wing chair with a rolled arm. It comes in a side chair model as well. Choose your fabric from three different grades. Or, order it in muslin, buy your own fabric,and have your local upholsterer finish your masterpiece.  Sylvia is priced from $675.75 -  $1,232.50.

Now let’s have a show of hands. How many of you have used garden chairs at Thanksgiving? Me! In fact, garden chairs were our only dining chairs for a while. Your turn.