Fashion and Decor Boldly Collide - Equestrian Style endures

By Liz Morten 

and Christine Storch

This fall, New York City and High Point collide in their adoration of all things equestrian.  Fashion has been head over heels for riding motif boots, pants, dresses and luxurious accessories.  Many of the major interior designers raised the bar for new takes on tradition. 

 

America's queen, stylishly passed equestrian scarlet fever, into a fashion addicted population. Fashionista, interior designer, Julie Browning Bova (below), merges her passion for equestrian attire and interiors, with her line for Stanford Furniture. Horse lovers, and design hounds, dive into her blog and website, its beautiful. 

You can't discuss equestrian without getting the boot.  This year the tall boot has continued to reign supreme.  Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren cleverly illustrate how a riding boot can become an essential part of any one's wardrobe.  Add an Hermes, Gucci, or J. McLaughlin scarf into the mix and you'll be riding though the holidays looking ridiculously refined.

Clockwise from top--vintage Hermes scarf/  Center-- Tory Burch, right top and bottom--Tory Burch,/ Far left bottom-- Ralph Lauren

Classic interiors, with splashes of equestrian motifs throughout, make the most of deep, rich hues and breathtaking wood accents, in Badgley Mischka's fresh: "Old, Kentucky Home."

The little black dress has entered the equestrian house. Black/Navy walls are "heavy going" to quote the Brits, yet traditional dark barn shades are space expanding while the lacquer sheen creates an oxymoronic limit. Layer this  focal point campaign bar, with cut crystal decanters, and you have visual poetry. 

Diamond Baratta

Plaids, spit and polish, paneling, and lanterns are elements of the equestrian style. Diamond Baratta's sensational entry, above defines the good breeding obtained through combined comfort and elegance. Ralph Lauren, the undisputed master of the hunt, is never spartan with the tartan. 

Beyond the antique horse prints and vintage trunks, the use of brass adds bold character and supports this clean styling of Bagley and Mischka's guest room.  This suptle use of brass is also the linchpin to the coat by O'Halloran below.  

Palladian, Georgian style is synonymous with equestrian tradition. Magnificent millwork and  craftsmanship transport us to the golden days of racing, and the sport of kings. Military precision commands utilitarian brass seams, lanterns and timepieces. We adore this kitchen and challenge you to find us a better one.  

Diamond Baratta design

The delightful blue paint makes us want to get out our biggest hat and head for the track.

Liz's Parents are already there!! 

A. J. Munnings captured the style and decorum of the hunting set. The flattering military cut of the uniform was the foundation of the riding habit. 

Stella McCartney, a fashion force, rides through the fall with her exquisite take on the subject and nails the look effortlessly.

Gucci  pays homage to it's riding heritage with this amazing silk dress.  This bold color is seen, across the board, in fashion and decor.

Well tended bridles and stirrups earn archetypal status as they repeat this ancient call to formation. 

J. McLaughlin

Ralph Lauren's spring introduction, brass stirrup chandelier

The iconic, must have accessory--the Hermes scarf. Wear it or frame it, stuff it and make a pillow, but please do something worthy. 

Dovecote Decor: bespoke equestrian decoupage table lamp

New this market, the saddle chair won over our equestrian client. 

Leather Master of the Hunt Boots

Pair them with Christine's fabulous plaid cape and head to the races!

Hope you enjoyed our new collaboration! 

Best, 

Liz and Christine

Christine Kelley Storch
W by Worth
Winston-Salem
336.283.6021

christinekstorch@gmail.comwww.wbyworth.com
Get your W app for your iphone @http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/w-worth/id401956525?mt=8
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Liz Morten

Dovecote Decor

2820 Thornfield Rd. 

Winston Salem, N.C. 27106

336-705-1316

http://dovecotedecor.blogspot.com

http://dovecotedecor.com

liz@dovecotedecor.com

High Point Page Six!

We all love to have a chance to meet our favorite designers, and High Point was loaded with the top talent. Rizzoli, clustered the luminaries of the millenium for their book signing event. It was a huge success, as the design groupies flooded the Market Square Courtyard. 

Justin Bieber, get out of town! 

Mary McDonald engaged in conversation with each and every one of her fans who waited patiently for her stunning new book, which sold out before I could get my hands on one. 

Many of my dedicated readers know that I consider Bobby McAlpine to be the genius of our era. His quiet presence and soulful approach to life, sprinkled with wit and humor dazzles me. 

If you haven't purchased his book, get it HERE. I cannot resist the opportunity to walk you through some photographs of my friend's stunning McAlpine house. 

For those of you who would like to see more of this house click HERE.

The elegant designer, David Easton describes his love of textiles at Safavieh.  Safavieh developed  a special Soumak weave to capture the handmade character of the ikat textiles Easton collects during his travels. The rugs are hand-knotted in India of 100 percent wool. 

Barclay Butera, is posing in his eponymous showroom with my adorable new client, Haley. Separated at birth? Her husband built my website, and is amazing, so if you are interviewing tech support to build or alter your site--he's your man.

Thom Filicia , Genevieve Gorder of Dear Genevieve, and Francine Garder of Interieurs NYC had a joyous reunion at Capel Rugs, where Genevieve's new collection of graphic and colorful wool dhurries
took center stage. On Thom's link, his rolodex of favorite shopping haunts is a gold mine. His eco-friendly line at Safavieh was a show stopper.

His Henninger carpet in Purple Haze, embraces the plum tones we are starting to see around design town.
Excuse me while I kiss the sky!

Florence de Dampierre is new for me. She is a charming woman, interior designer and decorative arts historian, defining that je ne sais quois word: "insouciant." Her beautiful book, French Chic, is a revelation. This unusual transition fabric treatment puts the fun back in functional.

Two tone, graphic wood flooring, brings this girly, curvy French room down to earth.

Martyn Lawrence-Bullard's book: Live, Love and Decorate was a hit. His energetic presence bought quite a bit of sparkle into the room! He seems quite delighted with this edited wardrobe malfunction!

Suzanne Kasler, was scribbling her autograph madly for the waves of design lovers flooding the event. Her book, Inspired Interiors, was so distracting one Christmas, I could hardly open my other presents. I'm still not over her dining room.

In Interhall, in the IHFC, we ran into this glowing couple.

Lauren Liess of Pure Style Home was shopping at French Market Collection. She really is a lovely person and it comes across in her blog. The bloggy girls had a great time dining at Proximity last year. Steve Giannetti, needed to translate our social media obsessed banter to Bobby McAlpine, who is truly outside of the technological loop.

John Dransfield of Dransfield and Ross cuts a dapper profile at his eye candy space in interhall. Well, with all that name dropping, I have to admit a great fascination with this truly talented group of people who gather in High Point once a year to celebrate the ever mutating style of the home.

Even the market babies were wowed!

More Later!!

Don't forget to visit our store
for new market finds.

High Point October 2011 Trend Report

Right!!

High Point really cleaned up its act, after the Mayor of Las Vegas announced that they were going to bury the International Furniture Market. It was a bold statement, considering The High Point Furniture market is the largest event in the United States, exceeding both the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras for attendance and revenue. This year, we were not disappointed as we danced our way through the B-52's sound check, attended the Rizzoli book signings, and zipped around in the "go anywhere" vans.  Last October, my High Point wrap post celebrated the return of color. Gray scale, or as I like to call it: "Recession Griege," is still the entrenched mantra of many vendors, but the color trend continues to mutate from Soaring 60's preppy shades to saturated blues, greens, plums, yellows and oranges. 

Hollywood regency mirrored furniture has emerged from trend to household staple. Sheen is the counterpoint to texture in a room and dominates this chic aesthetic.  Lacquer, mirrors, glass, metal and high gloss finishes are the common denominator, as interiors recombine and mutate echoing the swinging single eras of the 40's and 60's.  The hip pad is in. The Shabby Chic nest is going out. 

Moroccan inspired mirrors and Eastern fabric combined with bold geometrics pull together this Rat Pack mid-century cocktail of a room.  Fast forward,  and you get Sex and the Single Girl, or...

Sex in the City! 

Thomas O'Brien's show room at Hickory Chair is pure modern opulent. Glowing velvets and silks elucidate this polished aesthetic, in contrast to the drab, raw finishes of the griege era. Nail head trims tailor both the bookshelves and sofa. Savile Row is in, flea market is out.

Thomas O'Brien desk in Carrie and Big's apartment. 

Opulent hip is the operative description for this sophisticated vignette. Tony Duqette, perfected the rich hippie look for the 60's version of the swinging pad. 

Whimsical details, layered patterns and Asian elements are all part of the Duquette "More is More" theatrical interiors. Here's how a cool pair of designers re-interpret the scene.

Shopping the look in the High Point show rooms-- Hermes Orange compliments the peacock blues and saturated greens. 

Traditional Asian elements emerge in shades du jour. 

Lacquer, mirror and metallic finishes combine with asian and mid-century lines to kick up the neutral palettes. This takes me back to my Azuma days. 

A new twist on Carrie's desk. 

Orange and gray are buffed with silvery finishes with this chic chest and geometric mirror. Graphic punch, organic forms, nickel and chrome create an alternate version of the hip pad. 

Lillian August's showroom at Hickory White, was a show stopper. This small room does big things, using several large antiqued mirrors and dark paint, Lillian's pulled together eclectic sensibility strikes a sophisticated Hollywood glam chord. Are you feeling it? The look is all about seduction. Its a room where you want to steal a kiss, dance backwards in high heels, or watch a confirmed bachelor drop on one knee. Another way to add a sleek dimension is--no dimension. 

Tony Duquette, the original hipster, glam, pad designer of all time, uses this lucite for a subtle layer. We have been stalking the elusive, well crafted acrylic coffee table for months. The right stuff is not plastic, it is a hefty material. It is impossible to buy it vintage from a photograph because it scratches and is hard to see. We found this little darling at market. 

Notice the X base is one molded piece. We hauled this ridiculously heavy, invisible load down corridors,  elevators and stairs in the IHFC--we are sore and stiff, but here it is!!

We are waiting for the new sofa, but loving the invisible acrylic coffee table. 

More market madness later!!

Annie Selkie Fresh American Design Booksigning at Belle Maison

Winston Salem is so excited by Annie Selke's visit to Belle Maison next week. I remember the first time the girls and I saw her Pine Cone Hill textile line in the early 1990's at High Point. We loved the clean, vibrant colors and patterns. The comforters are truly the coziest I've ever snuggled under. They are as beautiful in our house today, as they were 10 years ago. When the weather gets cold, I'm wrapped in Pine Cone Hill.

Images ranging through Annie's design categories, help readers define their personal vision: "In Fresh American, there’s no “right” way to create your ideal living space—design ideas become flexible, fluid, and, most of all, fun. You might find that you lean mostly toward one style, but still want to incorporate elements of another. That’s what Fresh American is all about—composing spaces that are entirely you." Are you "Romantic," "Nunaced," "Happy," "Cultured," or "Exuberant?" You might be a combination. Here is how you identify the zodiac of your taste preferences, and execute your look. 

A simple way to evoke the "Happy Preppy" look, Annie explains,  is to loose the pink and green cliches associated with the era. A two tone color palette, in a mixture of graphic plaids, florals and stripes creates an harmonious, pulled together room that is fresh and...well, happy. 

First time apartment owners and renters purchasing one piece at a time, frequently choose a neutral palette, as they select functional pieces on a budget. It makes sense, as neutral goes with everything. A calm design scheme is desirable in urban settings, as a refuge from the bright lights and big city chaos. Beach houses in these hues merge seamlessly, bringing the outdoors in. Done incorrectly, neutral can telegraph indecision, or lack of effort--read rental. Done correctly with textures, shades layers and sculptural forms, it spells c-h-i-c. Annie deciphers the code for lovers of this aesthetic. 

"Cultured Eclectics" love collections, curiosities, art, one of a kind and quirky pieces. It takes confidence to pull the trigger on a great flea market find or e-bay treasure. The big question is: " How do I pull all these disparate interests together. You've got the fever, Annie's got the cure. 

Every day exuberance takes me back. I can vividly remember the first time I walked into a house and saw a shocking pink sofa. It was my boyfriend's house, and his Mother was remarkably pleased. Incorporating graphic wall papers, and florals while celebrating modern design is how this style is achieved. 

If you are a Refined Romantic, you may be a Taurus, lover of home and hearth. Refined Romantics treasure craftsmanship and provenance. Lose the lace and the frills, and look for objects with history, and shine. Bring in fresh flowers from the garden and add floral accents with pillows, wall papers and fabrics. 

Come See Annie Selke at 

Belle Maison in

Historic Reynolda Village

Visit Her Website

And....

Don't forget to make 

Your Shopping List For Market!