Innehållsförteckning för March 2013 från House Beautiful

1. STEPHEN TREFFINGER WRITER An expert on all things wired and wireless, Treffinger has been writing HB's Tech Support column (page 54) since February 2011. "I continue to marvel at the ways in which technologies are blending," he says. "Now there isn't anything you can't control with your smartphone." Treffinger has covered design and technology for the New York Times and Elle Décor, among other titles. OBSESSIONS Speech-recognition software: "Transcribing takes forever." Finding the perfect pillow: "I've tried dozens. I'm like the prince and the pea. Or Goldilocks?" 2. SEAN MCGOWAN STYLIST "Flowers are usually just seen as the icing on the cake, but I think they're so much more than that," says McGowan, owner of Modern Floristry and the stylist on this issue's Kitchen of the Month (page 120).…

DRAPERY IS A GREAT WAY to introduce texture into a space. I really like to hang it on walls. Coleman Taylor made this custom fabric for a recent project. They do amazing hand-painting and stenciling. ADD SOMETHING THAT'S reflective, instead of another color. Reflection plays up the palette you're working with. I just found some antique silver yogurt pitchers in Istanbul. I love how they're reflective in a bluish way. HANGING A MIRROR IS LIKE adding a window. It would be great to have a mirror in every room. I especially love foxed mirrors—the reflection is cloudy and impressionistic. BENJAMIN MOORE'S REVERE PEWTER always, always works. We first used it in Bobby McAlpine's bedroom several years ago, and now I've used it dozens of times. I swear, it looks good…

Q & A JANE MARGOLIES: When I see you on HGTV, you're so full of energy. Do you just bound out of bed in the morning? ERINN VALENCICH: Actually I hit snooze, roll over, and sleep for another half-hour. My bed is so comfortable! And beautiful. It's one of three beds in your furniture collection. What inspired the design? Morocco was one influence. I wanted a sculptural headboard that would feel modern and elegant. The antiqued mirror and silver leaf give it the look of oyster shell. I'm sick of fully upholstered headboards. It is padded, though. Is that for a softer look? For comfort sitting up in bed? An upholstered headboard just adds a nice softness. The bedroom has a lot of hard surfaces—nightstands, armoires. There aren't a ton…

Allen Chair 33" W × 34¼" D × 35" H, $2,475, by Alexa Hampton. hickorychair.com. Lola Sofa 86" W × 36" D × 36" H, $5,895, by SHINE by S.H.O. gilt.com. Felt Dining Chair In Mustard, 17½" W × 21¾" D × 33¼" H, $775. ligne-roset-usa.com. Christina Chair 27" W × 34" D × 34" H, from $1,260. mgbwhome.com. 215 Square Cocktail Ottoman 40" W × 40" D × 20" H, $3,879. pearsoncompany.com. 9219-90 Bench Ottoman 54" W × 18" D × 19" H, $1,338. leeindustries.com. Lexi Chaise 45" W × 73" D × 33½" H, from $3,700. verellen.biz. Tennyson Stool In Coral, 23" W × 19" D × 21" H, $900. arteriorshome.com. Wallingford Bench 20" W × 20" D × 20" H, from $810, by Lillian August. hickorywhite.com.…

"I fell in love with the marble top, but the base was super scary, so I added a skirt. I like skirted tables in bedrooms because they're soft and elegant—and, in my case, a good place to hide my weights and magazines!" MELISSA ERVIN INTERIOR DESIGNER "I don't know their provenance, but I got lucky when I found this pair of tables in L.A. about 10 years ago. I think they look great, but the best part is that they're on casters, so I can move them around if I want to." BETSY BURNHAM INTERIOR DESIGNER "I've got a pair of Pembroke-style side tables in my bedroom in Atlanta. They have a handy drawer and drop-leaf sides, so you can adjust the size of the top." BILL INGRAM,…

More Floral Side Plates CONTEMPORARY The pretty palette softens the graphic design. Jardin Indien Coupe Salad Plate, 8⅓" DIA, $45. bernardaud.com. ORGANIC Profuse blooms evoke a lush English garden. Sissinghurst Castle Side Plate, 8¼" DIA, $14. anthropologie.com. CLASSIC One of 12 hand-painted designs inspired by American flora. California Poppy Salad Plate, 7½" DIA, $225. herendusa.com. YOUTHFUL Flowers and butterflies punctuate the subtly fluted rim. Butterfly Bloom Salad Plate, 8" DIA, $28. wedgwood.com. "You can put a card table wherever. Use your fine china, and it makes dinner feel luxurious and surprising."…

DYLAN LANDIS: Orange! In the master bedroom! Did the clients see it coming? LEE ANN THORNTON: No, it was one of those 'Trust me, trust me, trust me' things. 'We're not orange people,' the husband said. It took some time to convince them. But there was that trust. And ultimately they loved that bench. They were so happy I did it. Even with that orange—and hits of intense brown, purple, and blue elsewhere in the house—the overall feel is more like water, air, and sand. The Hamptons were a big inspiration. We all wanted a beachy house. The clients asked me, 'Have you seen the movie Something's Gotta Give?' I said, 'Yeah, like 5,000 times.' I like to think I decorate the way a Nancy Meyers movie makes you feel.…

MIMI READ: There's definitely an airy, girly allure going on here. Where does that come from? LAURA CHURCH WILMERDING: It's funny—I never loved the outside of my house. I always felt that the facade was gloomy, cold, and too square. But I loved that it sits on one-and-three-quarters acres and that the master bedroom is big, open, and sunny. Nothing's perfect, so we bought it. I wanted to create something bright and dynamic on the inside, yet calming at the same time. I did it with a fresh, light palette and by using lots of patterned wallpaper. Butter yellow, purple, beige, brown, off-white, putty, gray—your living room has at least seven colors in it. Yet you've combined them all with such a light touch. I always thought I'd have a…

1. Place Mats A pad of paper place mats! Tear one off whenever you need a fresh one. Classic Blooms, 12½" × 19", $25 for a pad of 50 sheets. kitchenpapers.com. 2. Cutting Board Oil Just what your wood needs: a conditioning blend of mineral oil and bee propolis (that's what bees use to seal their hives). $35 for 8.5 oz. blackcreekmt.com. 3. Appliance(s) It looks like a mixer, but that's not the half of it! It's actually four appliances in one: mixer, blender, food processor—and induction cooker. Cooking Chef, $2,000, from Kenwood. williams-sonoma.com. 4. Dishcloths As bright and cheerful as a pocket square, these fit nicely in the hand and are super absorbent. Could make cute napkins, too. Waffle Dishcloths, 12" square, $18 for six. anthropologie.com.…

A listing of designers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers featured in this issue. For complete product information, go to housebeautiful.com/resources. THE SYMBOL (T) = TO THE TRADE. 'To the trade' means a manufacturer sells primarily to design professionals. Many design centers have decorating services that can be accessed by the public. Fabric shops, workrooms, and online services may be able to place an order for you. PAINT BEHR 877-237-6158 behr.com BENJAMIN MOORE 855-724-6802 benjaminmoore.com C2 PAINT 716-853-5776 c2paint.com DURON 800-474-3794 sherwin-williams.com FARROW & BALL 888-511-1121 farrow-ball.com GLIDDEN 800-454-3336 glidden.com PORTOLA PAINTS 323-655-2211 portolapaints.com PRATT & LAMBERT 800-289-7728 prattandlambert.com SHERWIN-WILLIAMS 800-474-3794 sherwin-williams.com VALSPAR 800-845-9061 valsparpaint.com FABRIC & WALLCOVERING BRUNSCHWIG & FILS (T) 800-538-1880 brunschwig.com CHRISTOPHER NORMAN (T) christophernorman??collection.com CLAREMONT (T) 212-486-1252 claremontfurnishing.com CLARENCE HOUSE (T) 800-221-4704 clarencehouse.com COLEFAX AND FOWLER (T) colefax.com…

Landing Rugs Next to the bed, in the laundry room, or in any spot that could use a little cheer: colorful, limited-edition cotton rugs by British-Nigerian fashion designer Duro Olowu for J.C. Penney. 33½" L × 21½" W, $25. jcp.com. 1. Hardware One of the best sources for bespoke architectural hardware now has a ready-made line. Project-Ready Bamboo-Inspired Door Hardware Set in Antique Brass, from $194. sabaxter.com. 2. Pillow Felt is so nice to cozy up to. The yellow and gray combo feels fresh, and we love the updated take on a ruffled edge. Felt Fringe Pillow in Yellow, 20" square, $95. mgbw.com. 3. Fireplace Screen Instead of looking at the gaping black hole of an empty, unused fireplace, dress it up with a charming, artist-made screen. Bird Cage Fire…

WHAT'S YOUR… 1. FAVORITE DESIGN BOOK Mark Hampton On Decorating, a.k.a. the bible of decorating. 2. ALL-TIME FAVORITE SOFA Steven Gambrel's Cooper, sold on deringhall.com. 3. BEST DESIGN ADVICE From my dad: 'Every job starts with a carefully drawn furniture plan. It's your road map.' 4. GO-TO FABRIC Tyler Graphic's Waimea. A great take on a stripe that can be custom-colored to match anything. 5. FAVORITE MIRROR The Duca from Donghia. 6. MOST-USED WEB SOURCE 1stDibs gives me access to some of the best stores, all across the country. 7. FIRST-CHOICE COFFEE TABLE Victoria Hagan's Park. 8. FAVORITE LIGHT FIXTURE Urban Electric's Gwenwood Wall lamp, designed by Darryl Carter. 9. CAN'T-RESIST OBJECT I love interesting chairs like the Jasper Maya. 10. NEXT BIG PURCHASE A Scotty Cameron putter.…

"You can put BOBBI BROWN PINK BRIGHTENING LIP GLOSS [$23] over any lip color—it gives it luminosity." "Two lamps animate my table, since it doesn't get the best light." VISUAL COMFORT BY THOMAS O'BRIEN CANDLESTICK LIBRARY [$483] AND TINY TERRI [$210] "I love mirrored pieces. And I love the modern, classic style of my BUNGALOW 5 CATHERINE VANITY DESK [$1,677]. My daughter wants one for her dorm, but I said, 'You gotta wait, honey.'" "OPI MY PRIVATE JET [$9] is a bluish-black with a little sparkle—for some reason it doesn't chip as fast." "I mix JO MALONE LONDON LIME BASIL & MANDARIN and POMEGRANATE NOIR COLOGNE [$110 EACH] for my signature scent." "LA MER THE CLEANSING FLUID [$65] is wonderful. It also removes makeup." "In the winter, I use a…

1. SFK353A Hand-tufted wool, 5' × 8', $440, in Red/Blue/Beige. safavieh.com. 2. Barnslig Ringdans Machine-woven nylon, 4'4" square, $30, in Green. ikea.com. 3. Tivoli Trellis Flat-woven wool, 8' × 10', $749, in Thistle. rhbabyandchild.com. 4. Mums Stripe Flat-woven cotton, 48 × 68, $104. dashandalbert.com. 5. Pearl Hand-tufted wool, 4' × 6', $600, in Pink.shivhon.com. 6. Garland Hand-tufted wool, 5' × 8', $550. dwellstudio.com. 7. Dara's Deco Soumac flat-woven wool, 68 × 98, $3,510. nibarugs.com. 8. Mayan Flat-woven cotton, 5' × 7', $395, in Lilac. serenaandlily.com. 9. Owl Hand-knotted wool, 6' × 9', $5,508. therugcompany.com. For more colorful rugs, go to hsn.com/HBmarketplace…

OLD-SCHOOL DIGITAL NOTEBOOK This Moleskine notebook, with specially designed paper, makes it easy to capture and digitize sketches and notes. Add them to your Evernote library, and they'll also be digitally searchable. Moleskine Evernote Smart Notebook, $25. moleskineus.com. POWER SPEAKER Place compatible devices on top to wirelessly charge them. The speaker itself is also wireless, so you can take it anywhere. TDK Wireless Charging Speaker, $400. tdkperformance.com. WEARABLE CAMERA Feel as if life is passing you by? This tiny clip-on camera captures two images per minute whenever you wear it, geo tagging each picture as it's taken so you can search for—and relive—any moment. Memoto Camera, $280. memoto.com. SHOWER TUNES This rechargeable, wireless Bluetooth speaker delivers in-shower entertainment up to 32 feet from the source. After about seven hours of…

Chicken Country Captain A Low Country classic gets a spicy, colorful update. It's the perfect thing to serve when you've got lots of company. Georgia on my mind. Atlanta, actually. My mother's kitchen, circa 1975, and guests are coming over for lunch. It's a Saturday in March, and it's going to be a buffet for 50. That was the first time I'd ever heard the words "Chicken Country Captain," and I will never forget it. That name! This dish, even though it has a zillion ingredients, is super-easy and can feed an army. And it's truly beautiful, special, and impressive. You'll see how satisfying it is to make it, watching all these gorgeous things come together. Prepare it at least one full day before you serve it, to make sure…

BARBARA KING: Let me jump straightaway to my favorite steal-this idea: those red shelves in the family room. Louise Nevelson wall sculpture meets Japanese Tansu chest! CHARLES O. SCHWARZ III: The inspiration was much more humble: milk crates. They're as simple and as inexpensive as it gets—pine boxes, all 24 by 14 inches, some with dividers, some without. The cabinetmaker whipped them up in his backyard, and we just piled them on the ledge. The knee-jerk solution would have been built-in shelves, but they would have been too constricting. My client collects a lot of stuff, so having this tumble of boxes that can be vertical or horizontal allows her to play around with the arrangement and change it as her collection changes. Sounds like more fun than Tetris! You…

BARBARA KING: Clearly, love is a many-splendored thing here in the Malibu Hills. That bedroom wall rivals romantic skywriting. TODD NICKEY: We looked forever for a piece of artwork to go above the bed. I mean, we ran the gamut—from landscapes to abstractions to an old Warhol. I reached the point of, I can't look at this bedroom anymore! I said, 'I'm going to hire somebody to come spray-paint a word on the wall, and we'll be off the hook for now. And someday we'll find something, and we can just paint over it.' So it's less about undying love and more like a temporary tattoo. It was supposed to be temporary, but it's here to stay. If we do find a painting, we'll hang one over it. Keep the…

Cape Cod, Massachusetts No need for reservations. To be transported to the Casbah, just step this way. CHRISTINE PITTEL: All aboard for the Marrakesh Express! KYLE TIMOTHY BLOOD: You're on the right track. When we started this project, the husband told me that when he was 19, he went to Fez and fell in love with Moroccan tile. He said, 'You and my wife can do anything you want in the rest of the house. All I want is a Moroccan bathroom.' You delivered. Have you ever been to Morocco? No! I have to admit I was worried about that. How could I know what he meant without experiencing it myself? The closest I could get was Mosaic House, this great tile store in Manhattan. I walked in, and 10…

"In an all-cream living room, we added three black items: a Tom Dixon screw-top table with a black base, pillows with black backs, and a life-size black horse. Those touches gave the space some weight." GHISLAINE VIñAS "A black drapery rod is a classic touch that works in any room. The strong horizontal line adds volume and height to the windows, as well as a touch of masculinity and drama to the space." JEFF ANDREWS "The first room I ever decorated, for my 10-year-old self, had black patent-leather walls—well, super vinyl, actually—and glossy white trim. These days, black helps keep my hyper-colorful schemes from becoming too 'Good Ship Lollipop.' Art is a great way to get some black into a room. I just bought a number…

"This farmhouse, built in 1800, had low ceilings, but great woodwork. Rather than painting it the ubiquitous white so it all went away, I wanted you to see it. That gave me the idea to frame each room with color. The grayish-green on the living room door casing gives way to a yummy pumpkin in the foyer, to warm you up as you walk in. Architecturally, it's a lot more interesting to look from one room to another and see a series of colors. Each becomes an opportunity for a new mood." DARREN HENAULT SHERWIN-WILLIAMS ANCIENT MARBLE SW6162 Sherwin-Williams Hubbard Squash SW0044 "There's a soothing quality to this blue-gray, which makes it great for a study. And then I'd do the adjoining dining room in green-gray, in super high gloss.…

Bright? Yes. Bold? You bet. But also tailored and polished. In this dining room, the Little Rock designer went for a mood she calls "Citrine Chic." LANTERN "Great in a space that needs clean, simple lines. And the color is a real surprise." ART "A pop of modern art invigorates the traditional elements in the room." Shut the door, have a seat, $356. soicher-marin.com. CURTAINS "I always like to have a jumping-off point to inspire me and the whole room. This delicate floral in daring colors was it!" Monsoon Floral, a cotton/linen in canton blue/Soleil. brunschwig.com. Rothesay lantern, $3,900. tobifairley.com. SETTEE "When you don't have the room to pull chairs in and out, a settee is ideal. It maximizes both seating and space." 3203-03, $2,805. leeindustries.com. FABRIC…

1. MAURITIUS Linen in Ciel. pierrefrey.com. 2. ISTRIA Linen in Indigo, by Echo Design. kravet.com. 3. OASIS Silk in Oasis Green. pinturastudio.com. 4. NEW ISLAND PALM Linen in Orange on White.quadrillefabrics.com. 5. BRISA Linen in Hot Pink. christopherfarrcloth.com. 6. LAS PALMAS Cotton in Blues. clarencehouse.com. 7. PALMETTE Hemp in Sumac. legracieux.com. 8. PASHA Linen in Palm. lisafinetextiles.com. 9. COSTA RICA Linen/cotton in Azul, by Gaston y Daniela. brunschwig.com.…

Stars You can have a starry sky—night or day. Vinyl. grahamandbrown.com. Shown with Indian Sky RLVM289 by Ralph Lauren Paint. Portland In modern gray, a traditional floral goes chic. Paper. brewsterhomefashions.com. Shown with Loft RLUL217 by Ralph Lauren Paint. Acanthus Graphic enough to make a subtle statement. Plaster and paper. weitznerlimited.com. Shown with Sea Grass RLVM65 by Ralph Lauren Paint. Cane Transform your space into a Palm Beach fantasy. Plant resin, by Lincrusta. leejofa.com. Shown with Sage Sweater RLVM254 by Ralph Lauren Paint. White Paintable 119769 A Neoclassical geometric adds instant architecture. Vinyl, by Allen + Roth. lowes.com. Shown with Old White No. 4 by Farrow & Ball. Canvas 21 A wide textural stripe works in any room—and in any color. Vinyl and paper. yorkwall.com. Shown with Lulworth Blue No.…

"I HAVE FOUND IN LIFE THAT THE MORE you know, the more you like. When I arrived in New York and started work at Christie's in the 1980s, I was a son of the Deep South and a lover of dark brown English furniture, Persian Serapi rugs, and Japanese Imari porcelain. Within months of exposure to the vast array of decorative and fine arts that pass through a great auction house, I was leaning more to French Directoire furniture and contemporary photography, and nervously skirting Art Deco. Stuff was written to inspire readers to explore new areas of collecting. The idea is for us all to learn something—myself happily included—about a lot of subjects, from ivory to taxidermy, from Regency penwork to protest art. The hope is that maybe something…

EVERYONE HAS A FAVORITE COLOR. But no color in the world exists in isolation—the real magic happens when colors combine and interact. So to think like an interior designer, you have to imagine each room as a palette. To give you an idea of how the pros do it, we've extracted palettes from eight rooms in the coming pages and illustrated them with color bars. We also asked color expert Kate Smith to tell us what these combos say about the people who live with them. The good news is that you can try this at home. Using the ColorSchemer app (see below), it's easy to create your own palette from any image you love, whether it's a room, a flower, an outfit—whatever inspires you. That's our challenge to you…

CHRISTINE PITTEL: What a sweet cottage! Where did the colors come from? GARY MCBOURNIE: Usually a rug or a scrap of fabric will inspire me. In the living room, it all started with that ticking stripe. There's something universal about ticking. It can look very French and very American. I also have an emotional connection to it because it reminds me of my grandmother's house. To me, it just feels like home. Describe the colors in the stripe. There's a pale blue-green with a misty look, like beach glass, that I pulled out and used on the walls. Cranberry red, which you see again in the rugs, the pillows, a throw. Red adds a bit of fire and seems to work anywhere. It's a secret weapon of mine. I covered…

CHRISTINE PITTEL: Black tile! A bold choice. Why did you do it? CHRIS BARRETT: To create a little drama. I love black, and once I got that idea into my head I couldn't get it out. The tiles are handmade, and they have a rustic quality that seemed right for this Mediterranean-style house. Weren't you worried that it would be too dark? No. When we gutted the original kitchen, we lifted the ceiling, pushed the walls out, and added a huge steel window with French doors. You look out on a garden with lavender, roses, and citrus trees. That's where all the color is. When you cut some flowers and bring them in, the color happens organically. It feels like an updated farmhouse with those old beams. How did you…

1.Faucet Compact yet commanding, with its upright porcelain-clad levers and graceful high-neck spout. Rohl Perrin & Rowe Jubilee Collection Lavatory Faucet, $695. rohlhome.com. 2.Tumblers Pick your pattern—arrows, stars, or dots—for a fun update to the usual sinkside water glass. Brighton Tumblers, 4¾" H, $16 each. shopterrain.com. 3.Hand Mirror A sleek design that will help you look your best, from all sides! And it looks good on your vanity, too. Mirror Mirror, round, 10" H × 6½" DIA, $85, by Hay. dwr.com. 4.Towels Pendleton brings its historic Native American blanket patterns to the bath. This 1920s design celebrates Chief Joseph, legendary leader of the Nez Percé. $22–$38. pendleton-usa.com. 5.Soaps Hand-cut soaps with a soothing olive oil base and irresistibly rich, earthy scents—lavender, lemon mint, and…oh, yes, mud! Olive Oil Soap, $7…