A Palm Beach Abode

I'm not sure what I like more, the animal print carpeting used throughout the interior or that pool and loggia area outside.  Either way, this Palm Beach abode deisgned by Kara Mann has me happily daydreaming of moving South once the crisp Chicago weather comes.  The entire home is just beautiful!  Which room is your favorite?

I love this color pallette and the leopard print carpeting.
The urchin-like Jean De Merry Lumiere Chandelier is the star of the dining room but I also love how the metallic walls make the room glow. Possibly my favorite room in the house...I love how Kara mixed the traditional curtains, pelmet and wallpaper with a modern tulip chair and zebra rug. Images: Kara Mann

Strange Love

This ostrich print by David Eggers is just peculiar enough to be quite interesting, don't you think?  It was strange love at first sight so I was bummed when it ended up in another member's cart during Katie Fine's One Kings Lane sale last night.  But as they say, everything happens for a reason.  I ended up googling the artist and found out that Mr. Eggers is the founder of the indie publishing house McSweeney AND that this print is just one of the 26 prints you'll receive if you buy his book/portfolio, "It Is Right to Draw Their Fur: Animal Renderings".  I purchased the portfolio for $20 on the McSweeney website and saved myself $180...after framing it will be more like $100, lucky me!  I'm hoping some of the other prints are as strange and wall-worthy as this one! And it wouldn't be a proper ostrich post without sharing Michelle Adam's living room. Cute and quirky.  You can purchase this amazing ostrich wallpaper at The Wallpaper Collective.

Jaguar Velours Soie

An enduring favorite of decorators, pick up just about any good design magazine and you'll see some type animal print.  Among the best known and my personal favorite is Clarence House's Jaguar Velours Soie, a silk velvet that is hand woven in Venice.  You may recall from yesterday's post that Ted Tuttle used the fabric throughout his beautiful and sublime home.  The luxurious velvet popped against his crisp white walls and upholstery...but as I've said before, animal print is a neutral and really goes with just about any pattern and color.  I would die for the two chairs in the Miles Redd designed room pictured above.  Unfortunately at a staggering $600-a-yard I can only dream of laying my head down on even the smallest of pillows.  So for now I'll admire it from afar and add it to my ultimate wish list....

Jaguar Velours Soie seat cushions with a vintage suzani tablecloth in a Miles Redd designed dining room 

Miles also used it for pillows throughout this house featured in Town and Country

Nick Olsen used a small pillow to pop against a purple chair in the July issue of House Beautiful...

he also used it in his own home, featured in Lonny

Tory Burch (above) and Palmer Weiss (below) both used the fabric with a green sofa - love this look!

Images: 1-3, 4, 5, 6, 7

A Modern Mix

Mixing patterns.  Some people do it so well.  I love these images from the January 2010 issue of Vogue. The feature on Charles and Olya Thompson’s Brooklyn brownstone is stunning – it looks like a hip, modern day fairy-tale.  Love the layers, the leopard and the fact that the kids seem to have free reign of the house...so neo-traditional, so lovely.

(images via francois halard)