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.

The Blue and White Table - Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta - Vogue

From Oscar and Francoise de la Renta's New York City townhouse circa 1971. The stunning table is set with blue and white and chinoiserie. Oscar de la Renta had such great style. Not just in fashion, but his homes were gorgeous. His house in Punta Cana is a great favorite of mine.

And the Winner Is...

The Famous Five

 

My favorite flats - Rothy's recently had a Vote It Back contest to vote back your favorite from five of their most popular shoes. The winner was announced yesterday and they actually brought back all five as Limited Editions. All are animal prints and so fun! Can you guess my favorite?

Pastels

Matters of Style

 

I love these rooms and especially the color palette - the blues of the ceilings, fringed velvet sofa, and Chinese Chippendale chairs, the greens of the console table, chair, sofa pillows, and art, and the lovely coral and blue rug.

Perfection

Amanda Lindroth

Rarely do I see a room that captures precisely my taste. This is definitely it. I would not change a single solitary thing about it. Let's look at all the amazing elements.

*A pink velvet sofa with bullion fringe - it is actually a corner sofa - see the photo below. I ain't calling this a sectional - LOL. The fabric and trim are Mary McDonald for Schumacher.

Amanda Lindroth

*The walls are covered in fabric - Schumacher's Great Barrier Reef. 

*That incredible pair of Singerie Blanc de Chine monkeys.

*Layered rugs - a black and white stripe over seagrass matting.

*Palm frond lighting fixture. 

*The pale green ceiling.

* A lucite coffee table.

*The oversized faux bamboo sconces.

*The zebra - I am still searching for one of these guys.

*Wicker.

*Seashells.

*Orchids.

This is the perfect color palette of pink and green with touches of black to ground it and a mix of chinoiserie, Hollywood Regency, Palm Beach, island style.

This room is featured in a wonderful interior design book - S is for Style:The Schumacher Book of Decoration.

PS - I found another shot of this room and you can catch a peek of a Slim Aarons photo "Sea Drive" above the mantel.

Amanda Lindroth

Orange & Pink

Traditional Home

A striking combination of orange and pink in this bedroom that mixes buffalo checks and zebra with Greek key linens and a Chinoiserie covered headboard.

Wallpaper Picks

Endless Summer Blue Palm

Wallpaper Boulevard reached out to me asking that I introduce my readers to their company and feature some of my favorites. They have a huge selection (300,000 wallpaper products), free shipping, and well discounted pricing. Here are some below I would love to use. Please check them out. I am a huge wallpaper fan and think every beautiful home needs some. Wallcoverings are of course on House Beautiful's list of musts for the beautiful home.

House Beautiful

Ombre Stripe

Staccato

Banana Leaf

Tailored Zebra Black Herringbone

Malachite

Barely There

Birdsong

Modern Marble

Asian Scenic

Mia Orange Faux Zebra Stripes

New York Greek Key

Ophelia Coral Elephant

White Madison Fretwork

Trellis Black Montauk

Tahiti Scenic

Mandarin Prose

Zebra

Rebecca de Ravenel

Black and White Chinoiserie

Jonathan Adler

Great styling in black and white with pops of blue - a zebra rug, zebra art, and a pair of Chinese Chippendale chairs.

More Chic Christmas Decorating

Luzia Pimpinella

 I think this is so darling. Get plastic animals, spray paint gold, and decorate with ribbon, mini Christmas ornaments, and the like.

I went to my local variety store yesterday and found all of these but also mini wreaths, Christmas trees, and faux mini Christmas lights.

I was sure to include a zebra and an elephant to give mine Chinoiserie Chic and Palm Beach Chic style. These will be perfect for creating Christmas vignettes and I will also place one at each person's place setting for holiday entertaining.

Sunday Inspiration

Betsy Burnham - Coastal Living

Gold & Zebra

I love gold and I love zebra. Check this out. The latest addition at Casa Chinoiserie Chic - the Jonathan Adler Carnaby Zebra Stacking Dish in GOLD. Too fab for words. Find it here.

Paule Marrot Feathers Inspiration Board

I have always wanted to do a room using Paule Marrot's iconic work "Feathers" as the focal point. Here I have created a living room with a modern Crate and Barrel Aidan sofa, a pair of antique Chinese garden stools, fretwork pillows from Furbish, a Jonathan Adler pink zebra rug, a black marble Saarinen cocktail table from Room and Board, and a pair of Seville chairs from Room and Board inspired by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. I could be quite happy in this living room - feminine but sophisticated, with a mix of periods and Chinoiserie, just my style. To see more of the work of French engraver, painter, and textile artist Paule Marrot (1902 - 1987), visit my Pinterest board here.

Navy Zebra

I just snagged this unbelievably cute Maslan navy zebra "hide" beach towel and leather carry holster that retails for $225 for $40. The problem is that it is too fabulous for the beach and I don't even like the beach. It would make a great rug for a nursery or a huge bathroom, neither of which I have. Any ideas?

Update - To those of you who have emailed me to ask where I got it, I found it at a Neiman Marcus Last Call. And to the obnoxious Angie who suggested that I only purchase things I have a utilitarian use for, why are you following interior design blogs? Interior design is about beauty as well as function. Perhaps there might be a more appropriate use of your time. I'm just sayin....

Zebras!

Two of my favorite Christmas gifts from my daughter -  a Jonathan Adler zebra dish and a zebra bracelet from J.Crew. They were so cute together I had to display them. Hope Santa was good to all of you.

A Chinoiserie Christmas - Let the Wrapping Begin

Today I will get my Christmas gifts wrapped using the pink zebra wrapping paper I posted about and Greek key trim and ribbons.

A Chinoiserie Christmas - My Gift Wrap

I ordered a zillion rolls of this fantastic zebra gift wrap here and will be using black and white Greek key trim for ribbon to wrap all my Christmas gifts this year. I love this paper. It is even printed with soy inks using 100% wind power. It would be fantastic framed in a nursery or child's room or even used as wallpaper in a powder room. This paper reminds me so much of Scalamandre Zebras without the $$$$. I even did a post a while ago asking Scalamandre to come out with its iconic Zebras in some fun colors like this.

The Chinoiserie Bedroom

Lonny

Here is a subtle approach to the Chinoiserie bedroom - soft green walls, a zebra rug layered over a neutral rug, a linen tufted bench, and white bedding. The Chinoiserie elements give this room pizazz - a pair of mirrored Chinoiserie bedside chests and celadon lamps.

Animal Prints and Chinoiserie

Martyn Lawrence - Ballard

Using animal prints like zebra, leopard, and cheetah with Chinoiserie is such a winning combination as demonstrated by these wonderful rooms. It's a combination that is both classic and modern. A great idea is these animal prints from CurtainsMade4U's Global Collection. CurtainsMade4U has a vast selection of decorator fabrics - you design your curtains online in 3 easy steps and have them arrive at your door in 3 - 4 weeks with free shipping. Now go start designing.

Jennifer Nicholson

Barclay Butera

Meg Braff

Ruthie Sommers

Betsy Burnham

Mary McDonald

Cheetah Earth

Cheetah Stone

Cheetah Sand

Zebra Stripe Black/White

Zebra Ikat Steel