January

Winter in Florida

The DC area (where I lived for many years) is expecting 15 inches of snow or more this weekend - predicted to be one of their biggest snowstorms in years. The last snow total that large in DC was 17 inches in the famous blizzard of January of 2016. I remember my late husband heard on the news after that storm that you should clear the snow off of your heat pump and he suggested we do so. We did not have a heat pump but rather a gas furnace in the basement and we had been living in the house for 16 years - LOL.

Zebras for Christmas

Scalamandre Zebras

 

First introduced in 1945, Scalamandre Zebras has become one of the most recognized patterns in design history. Continually reimagined in fresh colorways, scales, and applications, this beloved motif remains as captivating today as it was at its debut.

Scalamandre Zebras

MAE x Scalamandre Zebras Audrey Coat

Scalamandre Zebras is one of the most iconic wallpapers of all time, created for Gino's, an Italian restaurant on the upper East Side of Manhattan in the 1940s. It became an instant classic.

It has been featured in movies and in countless interiors, gracing walls, fabrics for the home, and now luxury clothing. I have three Zebras umbrellas made by Scalamandre years ago - a pair in red in my foyer and a massive golf version I keep in my car.

 

Iconic Scalamandre for a Steal

Scalamandre Zebras - Liz Caan

Scalamandre makes some of the world's most iconic chinoiserie wallpapers. This comes at a price - over $200 a single roll.

Beachy Chinoiserie

Phoebe Howard

 This is a wonderful space. I love the hexagonal rattan stools/side tables, the director's chair, the single monstera leaf in a vase, and especially that umbrella stand - more specifically, a white faux bamboo umbrella stand filled with white golf umbrellas. I might be copying that! 

I have a bit of a thing for umbrellas and I don't know why. I have at least a dozen. My favorite ones are my collection of Scalamandre Zebras. 

Saturday Inspiration

Mary McDonald For Chaddock

 I had to laugh - in my feed just now on Pinterest was this Georgia Star Back carved chair at Chairish for $2,967 plus $399 shipping that I got at HomeGoods in perfect condition for $59.99 and stuck it in my Audi shipping. So for my totally obnoxious Anonymous commenter that complains about all the knock off junk at HomeGoods, what is Mary McDonald a knock off of?

And here it is happily ensconced in my master bedroom.

CCC

If any of you are John Derian fans (the decoupage guru), his Halloween collection for Target launched at 3 am and I was online ordering things in the middle of the night. A great piece that my daughter grabbed is this bones table that he designed to looked like faux bamboo and you get up close and realize it is bones.

I have a thing for black plants and ordered this black faux weeping willow -

Some items sell out fast with these Target designer launches, so Kate and I always order when the sales start which is always in the middle of the night.

We all love Scalamandre Zebras and I just saw these pajamas sets in this zebra pattern and lots more colors and patterns that would be great for sleep and lounging around the house. I like it in this pink colorway. Especially during this pandemic, it's great to have chic lounging outfits.

Happy Saturday - my handyman is due over shortly.

The Chinoiserie Office

Erin Gates - Ballard Designs

This is the entrance to the interior design office of Erin Gates featured by Ballard Designs. The umbrella stand is actually from Ballard Designs. I love the skirted table with the oversized Greek key trim. Here is another shot below. I have an umbrella stand in my foyer filled with Scalamandre Zebras umbrellas. Do you remember those? Such a shame they no longer make them - they are so chic. I will post a picture when the sun is up. Her umbrella stand looks a little bare.

Scalamandre Zebras umbrellas

My umbrella stand

Scalamandre Zebras Bathroom Roundup

A roundup of one of my favorite wallpapers here used in powder rooms and bathrooms. A great idea where not many rolls are required for dramatic impact.

A Chinoiserie New Year's Eve - Day 1

The Glitter Guide

This week let's look at some ideas for entertaining on New Year's Eve with Chinoiserie style. This bar cart from Target shines with its backdrop of Scalamandre Zebras wallpaper and the silver streamers.

Happy Chinoiserie Halloween

Scalamandre

I had to share Scalamandre's chic zebra witches, warlocks, and spiders Halloween greeting.

More Styling the Chinoiserie Bar

Jamie Meares - I Suwanee

If you have a bar nook, why not wallpaper it as Jamie did here in her home with a great paper like Scalamandre Zebras wallpaper? A small amount of Chinoiserie wallpaper would do the trick with major impact. The pair of pagoda lamps and collection of small blue and white ginger jars add of course to the Chinoiserie styling.

Domino

Here is another great example with a kitchen bar nook wallpapered in banana leaf wallpaper.

The Blue and White Chinoiserie Bath

Katie Rosenfeld Design

Christmas Zebras

Caspari Scalamandre Zebras Placemats

One gift that I received for Christmas that I have already opened are these stunning Caspari Scalamandre Zebras placemats. This iconic pattern is perfect for holiday entertaining. It is a great way to elevate your everyday white china. I plan to use them for setting the table for Christmas breakfast.

Christmas Gift Wrap 2014

Caspari Scalamandre Zebras

Each year I search for a special gift wrap to use on my Christmas gifts. This year it is this wonderful Caspari paper with the iconic Scalamandre Zebras pattern. I am buying ribbon in black, white, stripes, and even Greek key. The red foil wrapping paper comes in very convenient 8 foot rolls.

Scalamandre Zebras Find!

I am so excited about these I can hardly stand it! The classic and iconic Scalamandre Zebras monogrammed in your choice of cocktail napkins or buffet napkins/guest towels. They come in sets of 100 and are available in red or gold. I want them for my powder room and for holiday entertaining. These would also make the most amazing Christmas gifts and hostess gifts.

Zebras Cocktail Napkins

Zebras Buffet Napkins/Guest Towels

Chinoiserie Outdoor Living

The weather in DC has been surprisingly delightful so far this summer and it has me thinking of all the outdoor projects I have ignored to date. This Master Terrace by Parker Kennedy was created for the 2014 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Decorators' Showhouse and sponsored by Scalamandre. Now this is what my terrace should look like! I love all the vintage pieces they incorporated and especially the singerie blanc de Chine monkeys.

Scalamandre Zebras

I adore Scalamandre Zebras wallpaper, but the brown colorway seems to be the ugly duckling of the group, rarely seen, especially as compared to the red and yellow colorways. This butler's pantry from the 2013 Hampton Designer Showhouse has been designed as a bar with chocolate brown ceiling, blinds, leather bench, geometric rug, and Scalamandre Zebras in Safari Brown. I like the use of the brown here, a sophisticated choice in this adult space. Here are other examples of designers using the brown colorway - in a nursery, powder rooms, and a hallway. I think my favorite is is the butler's pantry above. Below is a great bar by Jamie Meares using Scalamandre Zebras in the iconic original Red Masai. For many more ideas on zebra wallpaper, check out my Houzz Ideabook here.

Inspiration Board - My Office Makeover

Here is my inspiration board for my little home office makeover I have just started on. The painter comes tomorrow to paint. The walls will be Benjamin Moore Poppy - I decided my previous two red paint candidates were too brown with this fabric. The window treatment will be Charlotte Moss Caroline in Currant.

My Chinese Chippendale mahogany fretwork desk will get jazzed up with a beautiful blue and white Chinese porcelain lamp and some chic accessories. I have some great art for the room including a huge Inigo Jones that I love. My big score of the weekend was this fantastic dog bed in Scalamandre Zebras because Izzy likes to hang out with me in my office.

A black leather mid century modern bench will be a great spot for not only extra seating but magazines and files. A red lacquer Victoria ghost chair is for extra seating. I have a DIY makeover planned for my desk chair that is still in the planning.

Two projects will be styling the wall of built-in bookshelves and perhaps creating a gallery wall above the bench.

If you have been following along with my virtual makeover of a fantastic Chinoiserie historic property in Coral Gables, Florida over at The Glam Pad, you'll want to pop over today and see what I have envisioned for the kitchen.

Raw Meat, Guest Post, New Inspiration Board

Raw Meat Fabric - My Contest Entry

The other day I was researching one of my favorite fabrics - Scalamandre Zebras and came across the 2013 First Annual The Ugly Fabric Contest using Scalamandre Zebras in the yellow colorway as the Pinterest board cover for the contest. Shocked, I clicked over to the blog and contest rules and decided to enter the contest. This is my submission - Raw Meat above. Voting for the ugliest fabric starts today and runs through Sunday. The blogger, who has a sewing workroom, plans to make window treatments out of the top three finalists' fabrics. This I want to see!

Please stand up for all that is Chinoiserie Chic and Palm Beach Chic by voting here for my submission - Raw Meat. You vote by leaving a comment over there choosing my submission - Raw Meat. And yes, if you'd like to buy this lovely fabric you can purchase it here in cotton, a linen blend, or even silk. Perhaps a roman shade for the kitchen or silk panels for the dining room? Nothing whets the appetite like staring at yards of raw meat.

And speaking of Chinoiserie Chic and Palm Beach Chic, today my series at The Glam Pad continues where I am doing a virtual makeover of a fabulous historic house in Coral Gables - The Chinese Village House. Pop over and see my new inspiration board for the dining room.

If you missed my first post in the series - a makeover of the entryway and main hall, click here. And yes, I did use Scalamandre Zebras.

And don't forget to vote for Raw Meat by leaving a comment over here. ;-)

Scalamandre Zebras