Mark D. Sikes

Mark D. Sikes Boxed Set

 

I love boxed sets of my favorite authors and especially favorite interior designers. AD100 and Elle Decor A-List designer and tastemaker Mark Sikes believes there’s beauty everywhere: all we have to do is look for it. His classic, livable looks are beloved by celebrities and notables from Reese Witherspoon to Dr. Jill Biden, who hired him to redesign her White House office.

Bunny Williams Collector's Edition

The Bunny Williams Collection

I was at HomeGoods over the weekend and spotted this wonderful find. A timeless design trilogy, beautifully boxed for collectors and gifting.

This luxurious boxed set brings together three of Bunny Williams's most beloved books - A House by the Sea, Point of View, and Love Affairs with Houses - in a stunning, gift-ready format.

Books for Christmas Gifting

The Art of Gracie by Jennifer Gracie

Books make such wonderful gifts - these interior design books are favorites of mine and at great prices too. All will arrive before Christmas.

A Lovely Book for Mother's Day

Interiors for a Life in Good Taste by Caroline Gidiere

 

My most recent interior design book acquisition is Interiors for a Life in Good Taste by Caroline Gidiere and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is both beautiful visually and beautifully written. It would make an outstanding Mother's Day gift. The rooms are very classic and feminine with lots of chinoiserie. When it came out in March it sold out instantly and is already in its second printing.

Favorite Coffee Table Books

The Art of Gracie

 

There is nothing I enjoy more than interior design books. Amazon is currently having a sale with select books buy 2 get 1 free on top of their already excellent discounted prices.

Caroline Gidiere & Chinoiserie

Interiors for a Life in Good Taste by Caroline Gidiere

 

Do any of you know what Darryl Carter, Caroline Gidiere, and I have in common?

Martha Stewart on Gardening

Martha Stewart's Gardening Handbook

 

Attention Martha fans - and who, pray tell, is not one? Her next book will be released on March 18, 2025 and it is already a Best Seller.

Mark D. Sikes New Book

Forever Beautiful by Mark D. Sikes

 

His new book Forever Beautiful will be released on September 3rd and I can't wait.

My Short List of Chic Coffee Table Books

Bunny Williams

Yesterday I was playing around with styling my coffee table and I was struck with how important  beautiful coffee table books are. Whether you are styling a coffee table, entryway table, library table, even your dining table, chic coffee table books are so key. Here is my short list of favorites of mine that will always elevate your look and some design inspiration as well. And great reads too!

Interior Design Books for Christmas Gifts

Currently Classic Jonathan Rachman Design

 

Interior design books are one of my favorite gifts to give and to receive. These are recent releases that would be wonderful additions to the library of any interior design lover.

Early Black Friday Sales & Gift Ideas

Together at the Table

 

Crazy busy here at CCC. It looks like I am going to be getting a new tile roof courtesy of Hurricane Ian and I was tied up yesterday with roofers and looking at tile samples. I'm deciding whether to stay with my classic Palm Beach barrel terracotta look or go with a more modern gray tile. Decisions decisions... and I am knee deep in making lots of Christmas ornaments and finalizing my Christmas decorating plans. 

New Southern Interior Design Book

I am excited about this newly released book from Veranda At Home in the South. 

Spring Flowers & Blue and White Chinese Porcelain

You're Invited: Classic, Elegant Entertaining by Stephanie Booth Shafran

I came across this wonderful picture of a loggia with blue and white Chinese porcelain filled with some of my favorite Spring flowers - viburnum, hydrangeas, and lilacs. There are also tulips, but tulips are not favorite cut flowers of mine. The stems keep growing in water and I think they look messy and crazy after the first day or so - LOL.

A Blue and White Easter

Jenny Wolf Interiors - Country Living

 

This is such an elegant and easy floral arrangement for Easter, for Spring, or for any time of year for lovers of blue and white and chinoiserie. Create a tablescape with some of your blue and white Chinese porcelain. Here Jasperware Wedgwood (I have a collection) and blue and white books complete the blue and white table. A few stems of white hydrangeas make for a very simple but beautiful floral arrangement. Blue hydrangeas would also work very well. Another tip. I MUCH prefer tableskirts that are trimmed. Most dry cleaners can do this for you.

A Slim Aarons Christmas

Slim Aarons Christmas Swim 1954

 

I especially like my growing collection of vintage photography art - I think it suits the Palm Springs/Palm Beach vibe of CCC perfectly. With Christmas this week, I thought it would be fun to look at Slim Aarons' unique take on Christmas - generally with a resort vacation vibe. The photo above features his wife Rita BTW.

Favorite Books for the Chinoiserie Lover

CCC

 

There are few things I would rather receive than a beautiful interior design book. Yesterday afternoon, I took a break from Christmas decorating and the dogs and I sat in the lanai cuddling under a ChappyWrap blanket as it has turned a bit chilly here - 75 degrees - LOL. I enjoyed reading one of my new books Rattan.

Tartan & Chinoiserie

Tartan DIY

 

I love bringing tartan elements into my home for the holidays. Tartan looks amazing with blue and white Chinese porcelain. Here is an easy and elegant idea - cover some books in tartan wrapping paper. Use them on your coffee table, entryway console table, bookshelves.... And of course it's a wonderful choice for wrapping gifts. 

Welcome

CCC

Welcome to Casa Chinoiserie Chic. Here is a photo tour of my foyer filled with many of my favorite things - a gold leaf Chinese Chippendale chair, an antique black and gold Chinese chest, blue and white Chinese porcelain, a pagoda chandelier, a vintage wicker elephant table, books, seashells, ginger jars, and palm trees are a great introduction to what's to come. 

The Chinoiserie Bedroom

Shelley Johnstone - Frederic Magazine

 

This is another lovely room in interior designer Shelley Johnstone's Naples, Florida condo - the master bedroom. We previously looked at the dining room. I find it both beautiful and instructive on how to create a chinoiserie bedroom that is classic yet modern. Let's look at some of the elements.

Patterns abound here - I count five that we can see in this shot alone. What makes it work is that the color palette is soft and harmonious and the patterns are largely chinoiserie florals making it feel like a garden. 

I see the Rattan book on the side table - I just bought that for myself. Can you make out any other titles on her bedside table? LOL. I love peeking at what books people have. Here it is on my vintage wicker elephant in my foyer.

Rattan

Palm Beach Idyll by Slim Aarons

 

I am so delighted that rattan had made such a roaring return in interior design. I have always lived with it in my homes. My parents were in the Philippines for four years post WWII and brought back to the states a house full of rattan furniture with cushions covered in palm leaf and banana leaf prints. Then I started collecting vintage wicker in the Hamptons during college summers there and my first apartment in DC during law school was filled with the vintage wicker. And my daughter's nursery was all white wicker with cushions in Laura Ashley fabric. My home here has a vintage wicker chaise cushioned in a Mario Buatta fabric, several rattan bar carts, a vintage wicker elephant table, as well as many Amanda Lindroth wicker accessories.

I am always on the lookout for unique new and vintage rattan and wicker pieces for my Florida home and love the way they work with chinoiserie. I have two pieces on pre-order I am anxiously awaiting.

Has anyone picked up this book on the history of rattan?

Rattan by Lulu Lytle

It looks wonderful. Here is a picture from it. 

From the book Rattan

And in my home.

CCC