Interior Design Minimalist

I've been a fan of Gwen Driscoll and her blog, Ragland Hill Social, since coming across it last December. It was always a treat when she showed snippets of her home and work for clients - often leaving me wanting more!

Well, Gwen just launched her website and to say her work is incredible is not descriptive enough. Warm, elegant, layered and unique, I think her work is harbinger of an increased emphasis on homes that personally reflect the homeowner and the artistic side of interior design. As she mentions on her site, "Spaces are lived in but become living spaces." In addition to the website launch, Gwen's work with Jane Scott Hodges, founder of Leontine Linens, is in the November issue of Elle Decor, which Teresa of Splendid Sass recently blogged about here. It's so exciting to see Gwen get the national attention her work deserves. Brava!








all images via Gwen Driscoll Designs.

While making my dream list of new design books to purchase, I came across Scandinavian Design by Lars Bolander with Heather Smith MacIsaac. This is one of the most stunning book covers I've ever seen. Love the:

An opportunity to experience a room by Mary Douglas Drysdale is not to be missed. Last Friday I had the chance to do just that at the Richmond Symphony Designer Showhouse. Mary designed the living room with a nod to America's past and an eye to the future. It is an unparalled combination of bold pieces and subtle, meaningful details. The result is an elegant, seamless room that is both welcoming and stunning.
A Great Dane sculpture by Mark Perry is the focal point above the fireplace - unexpected and enjoyable all at once.
A curved settee is paired with a monochromatic graphic pillow. The seating in the room was enveloped in Sandra Jordan's alpaca and curved and straight lines were balanced throughout the space. Artwork subtly referenced our nation's past and its future direction.
Here's Mary with the uber talented Tobi Fairley who created a stunning Stair Hall with traditional furniture treated with modern painted finishes and fabrics. I loved the color palette too - light blues with accents of red. Go here to see a rendering of the space.
My dear friend Anne with Mary - who was the epitome of graciousness. You may have noticed the bare feet. Depending on the shoes you had, the protective foot coverings could be a bit slippery. But this brings me to another element of Mary's design - pattern. The gorgeous patterned cognac floor with light and dark accents (hard to see in my photos) and the pattern on the curtains were designed by Mary. Tom Hickey of Rising Tide Inc. is the decorative artist that beautifully executed the floor design.

Is this all the photos?

Yes, I'm to say. When I attended the Gala, it was unclear if any photos could be used so I limited myself to photos of the designers (although as you see here I couldn't resist taking a few photos of Mary's room.) For bloggers attending Press Day, the only room allowed to be photographed was Mary's. Be sure to visit Jeanette's A Passion for Home in the next few days as she will likely have more images of the room to share.

Is it worth the drive if you live in DC?

Yes, many of the designers in this showhouse created fabulous, creative and inspiring spaces! Set on 8 acres on the James River, the gardens and landscaping are a treat unto themselves. The Designer House remains open through Oct. 11 - details here.

22 years ago I fell in love with this apartment interior - it was on the cover of Conran's Living in Small Spaces. Very apropos at the time as my husband and I lived in a one bedroom 1930's 4th floor apartment in Cambridge, MA and Conran's had just opened up a US store down the street on Mass Ave. The store was short lived but I've held on to this book ever since.
Just this past weekend I was google searching Bruce Budd, a designer featured in April's The World of Interiors, and came across pictures of the apartment via a post by The Blue Remembered Hills. It was a thrilling find as the post included the rest of the apartment - images I had never seen!
I learned that this was the Greenwich apartment of architect Lee Mindel of Shelton, Mindel & Associates, and was featured in The World of Interiors, July/Aug 1987, among other magazines. It was considered "fresh and new at the time." 22 years later it still is.
Thank you to the blogger, The Blue Remembered Hills - your post felt like finding a little present. Now I'm off to track down a copy of the July/Aug 1987 World of Interiors...
Do you have any interiors you still think about after many years?
(photography by Dan Cornish)

22 years ago I fell in love with this apartment interior - it was on the cover of Conran's Living in Small Spaces. Very apropos at the time as my husband and I lived in a one bedroom 1930's 4th floor apartment in Cambridge, MA and Conran's had just opened up a US store down the street on Mass Ave. The store was short lived but I've held on to this book ever since.
Just this past weekend I was google searching Bruce Budd, a designer featured in April's The World of Interiors, and came across pictures of the apartment via a post by The Blue Remembered Hills. It was a thrilling find as the post included the rest of the apartment - images I had never seen!
I learned that this was the Greenwich apartment of architect Lee Mindel of Shelton, Mindel & Associates, and was featured in The World of Interiors, July/Aug 1987, among other magazines. It was considered "fresh and new at the time." 22 years later it still is.
Thank you to the blogger, The Blue Remembered Hills - your post felt like finding a little present. Now I'm off to track down a copy of the July/Aug 1987 World of Interiors...
Do you have any interiors you still think about after many years?
(photography by Dan Cornish)

Love everything about this living room. My snapshot doesn't quite represent the pretty, bleached palette of this room. (Original photography by Lisa Romerein, designer not known)
More room envy. A reproduction dining table was refinished to look much older. One of my favorite parts of this open dining area is the large urn in front of the window, off to the right. (Original photography by Simon Upton, designer not known)
The pics above are from House Beautiful 500 Makeovers - a book that I really enjoy referring back to often. The only thing is that the designers aren't listed; not sure why that is.
You probably already know this, but just in case, Katie Denham of KatieDid is posting wonderful pictures from her visit to the very impressive San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2010. This dining room was created by Suzanne Tucker of Tucker and Marks Design. Go here to see more -so far it's a five part series!

Love everything about this living room. My snapshot doesn't quite represent the pretty, bleached palette of this room. (Original photography by Lisa Romerein, designer not known)
More room envy. A reproduction dining table was refinished to look much older. One of my favorite parts of this open dining area is the large urn in front of the window, off to the right. (Original photography by Simon Upton, designer not known)
The pics above are from House Beautiful 500 Makeovers - a book that I really enjoy referring back to often. The only thing is that the designers aren't listed; not sure why that is.
You probably already know this, but just in case, Katie Denham of KatieDid is posting wonderful pictures from her visit to the very impressive San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2010. This dining room was created by Suzanne Tucker of Tucker and Marks Design. Go here to see more -so far it's a five part series!

I know that some of you are already snowed in, so hopefully my "vacation without ever leaving home" will provide a little escape for you too! :-) Back to Pattern Inspiration in the next post.