Chinoiserie Chic Christmas Baby

Cashmere Elephant Onesie

 

I love elephants - they have been in my blog header since I started Chinoiserie Chic 15 years ago and I have many wicker elephants at CCC. Have a new baby on your Christmas gift list? I think this is the cutest idea for a Christmas gift for a new baby. And in unisex gray, it works for a baby girl or boy.

The Navy Chinoiserie Powder Room

Jenkins Baer Interiors

 

I love every single thing about this powder room. Gracie chinoiserie wallpaper, navy blue walls and woodwork, wainscoting, a sputnik chandelier, that herringbone floor!!!!, a gray dupioni silk roman shade, and that stunning sink are all wonderful. I am sending this to my daughter for her files. Their new Annapolis home is a Georgian Colonial and this powder room is a perfect mix of modern, mid century, and traditional. 

Do you have a favorite navy paint color? I don't know what was used here, but I always return to Benjamin Moore Hale Navy. It is such a classic, timeless color that works everywhere. A navy blue room is a perfect kickoff to the Memorial Day weekend.

I have a truckload of river rock coming tomorrow to refresh two of my large garden beds. My landscape refresh is in full gear and the garden is looking lovely.

More Chinoiserie Kitchen

Colleen Bashaw - House Beautiful

 

Another look at the kitchen from yesterday's post, I wanted to point out the chinoiserie wallpaper flanking the range. I also LOVE the Frances Elkins style loop counter stools at the island. The palette here is exactly that of mine in my home - soft gray, white, pink, green, and blue and white.

And greetings from Champa Bay!

Samplize and Paint Color Choices

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray OC-23

I received my Samplize paint samples on Monday and they are absolutely great. If you recall, for $5.95 each, you get 12 inch by 12 inch samples painted with 2 coats of real paint that are peel and stick and can be moved from room to room. So they are cost effective, no fuss, no mess. They arrived very quickly, beautifully packaged and labeled, and are perfectly painted. I recommend this product without hesitation.

I was already leaning toward BM Classic Gray. It is elegant, timeless, and makes any space bright and airy. It will look great with my stone floors and is a perfect backdrop for art.

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

I also ordered Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist and Collingwood Gray.

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist OC-27

I would say Balboa Mist is one shade darker than Classic Gray, and Collingwood Gray is one shade darker again. All are gorgeous colors. I would call them true grays with a bit of warmth. My painter has suggested painting the tray ceiling in the great room the wall color as opposed to white, and I love the idea. It will really set off the 12 foot ceiling and moldings. I was thinking of choosing Collingwood Gray for the tray ceiling for a little contrast/interest as opposed to using the Classic Gray wall color. Thoughts?

Collingwood Gray OC-28

As soon as I close on the new house, I will bring these over and try them out. But right now, leaning very heavily towards the Classic Gray.

And Samplize is a great product - I wish I had thought of that!

I am headed to HomeGoods this morning. Perhaps another great find. I am on a roll.

Choosing Paint Colors

I had a strange and exhausting day yesterday. I closed on my house in Virginia remotely from here in Sarasota, Florida. The attorney emailed the docs on Sunday, I printed them out on my printer and went to my bank in downtown Sarasota to have everything notarized. I had to make an appointment at the bank which was empty except for two bank employees, and we were all masked and gloved with everything being disinfected before and after signing. A strange way to sell a home I raised my daughter in and buried my husband. And of course I have never set eyes on the couple who are purchasing my beloved home. Such hands off closings have been par for the course for years, but even stranger in the Age of Corona. And I locked in my mortgage yesterday and got a wonderful rate with these historically low rates. Yeah!

I treated myself to a trip to Benjamin Moore on the way home, the first non grocery store I have been to since the pandemic began. I love pouring through Benjamin Moore's beautiful brochures of colors.

The new house in Venice has a very open floor plan all on one level with very high ceilings and great light. I am painting all the walls in the same color which is my preference with an open floor plan where you see into all the rooms. I painted this house in my two favorite colors in the world - Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray in matte Aura with the trim in Benjamin Moore Decorator's White in semi - gloss. I am not doing the new house in these colors although I love them - I need to make this house mine. So, I am looking for the most beautiful white or cream or gray in the world for the walls as well as white trim and ceiling color ideas - I would love to hear your recommendations.

I have so much color in my furniture, art, accessories, and all my Chinoiserie of course, and I want a gorgeous soft neutral timeless backdrop. Please help. My painters are meeting me at the new house after the inspections on Friday and I plan to bring paint swatches with me. It is also interesting to me that the home inspection is a team here with the main inspector plus separate roof, pool, termite, and HVAC inspectors and a wind mitigation report.

Paint ideas please! I will share some favorites and of course what I end up choosing.

The Chinoiserie Bathroom

Edith-Anne Duncan Design

Now this is incredible. My compulsive side worries a bit about wallpaper on the ceiling in a bathroom, but this is beautiful. I love the pagoda etagere to hold towels, the gilded leaf chandelier, and the giant shell. My daughter found a shell like that at HomeGoods. The neutral palette creates a nice zen spa-like atmosphere as well. I have almost finished the master bath here and will share soon. Below is a peek. I love the blue and white dragon sinks I found.

My Master Bath

Black, White, and Gray

Howard Slatkin - New York Times

A palette of black, white, and gray and Chinoiserie wallpaper in the stunning Fifth Avenue apartment of interior designer Howard Slatkin.

The Chinoiserie Bedroom

Domino

A gilded bamboo canopy bed really pops in this monochromatic modern bedroom.

The Chinoiserie Bar Cart

Michelle Morgan Harrison - New England Home

Gray Chinoiserie wallpaper by Gracie is a beautiful backdrop for this silver bar cart outfitted with crystal and silver.

The Chinoiserie Bath

Cecilie Starin - San Francisco Decorator Showcase

A palette of gray and white, a Greek key chair upholstered in green velvet, and a Chinese statue combine in this lovely bathroom.

Blue and White

Ashley Whittaker - House Beautiful

A lovely blue and white room with subtle Chinoiserie - a Greek key bench and a pair of blue and white Chinese vases on the mantel. Pale gray walls are a favorite of mine.

The Chinoiserie Nursery

Amy Berry

This nursery is so sophisticated and timeless. With its pale gray walls, framed Chinoiserie panel, Chinese lamp, Chinese teapot used as a vase, modern art, sophisticated color palette of pink, gray, and gold, elegant brass lighting, and grown up furniture, this space will transition beautifully for any age.

Chinoiserie Trends 2017 - Deep Gray

Windsor Smith

Gray in interior design has been hot for several years, and this trend will continue through 2017. I adore the combination of gray and Chinoiserie. What is new is that we will be seeing more of deep grays - think pewter hues, paired with Chinoiserie.

Enviable Designs

New England Home

Mary McDonald

Secrets to Steal

Sam Allen - House Beautiful

Some great tips to steal here for a tiny Chinoiserie entryway -

Fresh flowers
Large ginger jars on a small table
An orange lamp shade really pops with the blue and white
A favorite neutral paint - Farrow & Ball Light Gray

Serene Chinoiserie Nook

Emily Sullivan - Traditional Home

A dining room bay window nook provides a perfect setting for morning coffee, an intimate dinner, or overflow seating. The pair of tufted French Louis XV settees are upholstered in Holly Hunt gray linen.  I loved the tufted bolsters. The table is an English antique. The lovely green Chinoiserie wallpaper is de Gournay.

Neutral Chinoiserie

Corey Jenkins - Traditional Home

The Chinoiserie Kitchen

Ballard Designs Chinese Chippendale Stools

Purple Chinoiserie

Source?

I love the pops of purple against the serene gray.

Neutral Chinoiserie

William Hodgins Interiors - Architectural Digest

Chinoiserie need not be about color. Here is a wonderful example of the serene side of Chinoiserie with a palette of black, gray, and cream. The large black ginger jar under the Chinoiserie cabinet is wonderful.

Serene Chinoserie

Veranda