Happy Halloween

For the latest edition of The New Yorker, comic book artist Chris Ware has sketched a Halloween themed cover that shows Trick-or-Treaters chaperoned by their parents. It took me a moment to notice the ghostly glow of each mom and dad. Very clever!

Sisters: India Foster

Palm Beach raised designer, India Foster, has a fresh, eclectic approach to interiors. Comfortable, livable environments punctuated with individuality are her hallmark. Stimulated by traditional decoration and new concepts, India relentlessly travels the world in search of inspiration.

After receiving her Baccalaureate from Franklin College in Switzerland, working for Fox Television in New Zealand and Los Angeles, she studied interior architecture at UC Berkeley and started her design career working at the esteemed San Francisco firm, Tedrick & Bennett.

Now at the Palm Beach office of her mother’s renowned design company, Leta Austin Foster & Associates, she is designing projects and liaising with architects, landscape designers and contractors across the country. Her projects range from a lake house in Harbor Springs, to a bungalow in Palm Beach, to a farmhouse in Aiken, to a Park Avenue apartment, to a villa in Hobe Sound, to a Victorian mansion in Marin.

Which talent would you most like to possess?
The ability to mind read.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Well I just bought my first house: built in Spanish style, circa 1924. I have designed it and currently live in it and I couldn’t be happier.

What is your most prized possession?
My dog, Rocky, and my cat, Loki.

Who are your style icons?
William Morris, Jean Michel Frank, Billy Baldwin, David Hicks and, of course, my mother, Leta Austin Foster.


Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
My sisters. How crazy is it that we never worked on anything together?

What books are currently on your bedside table?
Well, my bedside table actually is a stack of books and they include: Hawaiian Modern: The Architecture of Vladimir Ossipoff, Where the Wild Things Are, Christopher Dresser: A Design Revolution, Banksy: Wall and Piece, Wiener Werkstatte, Mao: The Unknown Story, The Howard Marks Book of Dope Stories, Tender is the Night and Ficciones.

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Surfing. Without a doubt surfing….and all the myriad travels that go with it.

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
I wish I could have spent the day with Naguib Mahfouz at his favorite café in Cairo.

Which iconic interior decorator or architect do you most identify with?
John Stefanidis. He’s one of the best and most versatile designers I know.

How would you describe your style?
My personal style includes using organic, green resources to create a space in which the client feels comfortable and at home. I don’t believe in suffering for interior design in the same way that I don’t adhere to the newest fashion craze and believe in suffering in 5-inch heels—it’s all about comfort. I like classic shapes, but I also like adding my own touches with vibrant fabrics and new materials.

What inspires your creativity and designs?
First: The space to be designed, the surrounding environment and the client's personality(s). Second: The things I see in my travels whether it’s the way the waves crash on a beach in Mozambique or spectacular gardens in France—these thing really inspire my designs.

Profile by Ronda Carman

Sisters: Sallie Giordano

Sallie Giordano with her daughters' in London

Leta Austin Foster may not be a household name, but ask any recognized or respected member of the design world and the accolades come flowing. Leta Austin Foster established her New York design firm over thirty years ago with two objectives: that one job should never look like another and that attention to detail would be her trademark. These objectives have lead to a successful career, with offices in Palm Beach as well as New York.

Leta’s guiding principles were passed on to her three daughters (all interior designers): Sallie Giordano, Lizzie Dinkel, India Foster. On my recent trip to the States I had the pleasure of meeting Sallie in New York and Lizzie in LA (India resides in Palm Beach – unfortunately my itinerary did not include a stop there). Sallie and India still work with their mother's firm and Lizzie has established her own firm in Los Angeles. I thought it would be fun to introduce you to the work and personalities of these three sisters over the next few days, starting with Sallie Giordano.

Over the past 12 years Sallie has overseen the Leta Austin Foster New York office, while establishing her own loyal clientele and following (Leta is now based in Palm Beach). If you own the book Farrow and Ball: The Art of Color, you will have seen stunning residences designed by both Leta and Sallie. Sallie is a master at delivering traditional interiors with a light and skillful hand. No matter the trends, I am a traditionalist at heart, if only in small doses. Sallie’s comfortable, yet sophisticated approach to design certainly captures my heart and imagination.

Sallie has participated in several showhouses, including Kips Bay, Abigail Adams Museum and the South Hampton House and Garden showhouse. Additionally, her work has been featured in House & Garden and Quest.

Which talent would I most like to possess?
A flair for gardening! I love beautiful gardens; they really are outdoor living rooms, and I am hopeless with plants! Everything grows too big or too small and I can’t seem to ever get the proportions right, sadly.

What is your most prized possession?
A sculpture of a naked torso in dark bronze given to me as a birthday present from my husband. It is both ancient-looking and contemporary, thought-provoking in the purity of its simplicity, and it constantly reminds me that less is often more.

Who are your style icons?
My two mothers, my own and that of one of my best friends, who sadly passed away last year. Both women are adamant in their beliefs of what makes a beautiful home, honed by decades of gracious living and entertaining. My mother, Leta Foster, has the wondrous ability to conjure glamour and luxury out of the simplest ingredients, a room entirely upholstered in cotton check with the perfect shade of aqua woodwork, for example.

Siggy Berwind was a style maven who cared not a scrap for what was supposed to go together or any other rules of the game. Her houses were crazy collages of objects picked up around the world from all cultures and periods, one cloaked in a 17th century brocade, with an ancient farm tool propped up next to it. Somehow it all worked gorgeously!


Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
David Kleinberg, another designer who knows how to make simple luxurious.

What books are currently on your bedside table?
When the Astors owned New York by Justin Kaplan, a fascinating study of the creation of a city and its architectural metamorphosis (with some great juicy gossip thrown in) and Mountains Beyond Mountains, the life-changing biography of Dr. Paul Farmer.

What is your favorite luxury in life?
My sheets from my mother’s store. So luxurious and blissful my husband and I jokingly say we are unworthy.

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
Paul Farmer. We would tour his medical mission in Haiti.

How would you describe personal style?
Personal style is knowing who you are. Often that means getting in touch with several personalities because we are not always the same person in every situation. But personal style demands that you follow your own dictates and not the trend of the moment. What is really great is when the trend finally catches up with you so that a version of that African necklace you have worn for 15 years is now shown on the Paris runways and the bedspread you brought back from your honeymoon in India could come straight out of John Robshaw’s latest fabric collection.

With which iconic interior decorator or architect do you most identify?
The esigner who has most inspired me is probably Jed Johnson. I loved the way he worked in a myriad of different styles, always exploring and trying out new ideas, even if they came from 1000 years ago. The one overarching philosophy was beautiful workmanship and an incredible attention to detail, two things we have always emphasized above all else in our own firm.

What is your greatest personal achievement?
My greatest personal achievement has been my family: two beautiful, smart and charming daughters and an amazingly generous, handsome, patient and well-trained or should I say well-adapted husband!

My greatest professional achievement was a project in Richmond, a gorgeous Bottomley house overlooking the James River that hadn’t been touched since its first decoration. Our client was the granddaughter of the builder who had worked closely with Bottomley on several of his houses, and she was loathed to change any of the original design, including the paint colors, which had gone distinctly grayer underneath nearly a century’s worth of dust. The challenge was to modernize the house’s lifestyle without sacrificing the original elegance. So we very carefully found ways to hide the central air and updated the kitchen and baths without disturbing all the exquisite architectural detailing. We had the historic wallpaper discovered under all the grime in the family dining room reprinted in a slightly more vibrant colorway to wonderful effect.

The hardest part was convincing the client that the house did not have to be a museum, that it could tolerate and even welcome contemporary living with comfortable upholstery, brighter colors and lush, fuller curtains with all the details we are known for but which were rarely used when the house was built. The result is truly magical, the bones of the best period of American architecture exquisitely arrayed by one of its masters, adorned in 21st century design couture.

Profile by Ronda Carman

Get Published: Contest Details

Until November 25, 2009, you have an opportunity to submit your BEST interior design project to The Editor at Large for FREE. Winning projects will be showcased in The Editor at Large Projects Database and emailed to publications of your choosing. Additionally, magazine, website and book editors can view your work while searching the database for projects and editorial needs.

During the contest period we will post a selection of rooms on All the Best for you to enjoy! Check back to see more photos and be sure to enter your own work as well. Good Luck.

What to submit?
You may submit up to 15 images that represent your project. You should include a brief description of the project and location. Large files should be sent as a zipped file. Due to concerns sometimes associated with large email files, I will acknowledge receipt of all submissions. If you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email me at allthebestblog@gmail.com.

How to Submit for the Contest?
Email your full project (one per person) to allthebestcontest@googlemail.com. It can be either published or unpublished work.

Three (3) entrants will be chosen by our judges—The Editor at Large contributing editors—and announced on All the Best on December 5, 2009. The winning three (3) will be submitted to The Editor at Large Projects Database for publication consideration.

The Rules:
Note: The standard submission fee is $500 per approved submission per year. Editor at Large does not charge a fee if a submission is not approved. Winners of the Editor at Large/All the Best Contest will have the $500 submission fee waved, and will have their submission listed in the Editor at Large database for a period of twelve (12) months.

Winning the contest does NOT ensure that submitted work will receive an offer for publication. Contest winners will be contacted directly by The Editor at Large for more detailed information prior to database submission. For more information of what will be needed for database inclusion click here.

By entering this contest, entrants agree to all the above mentioned and consent to the use of their entry, name, city of residence and/or any photograph of them or that may be taken in publicity carried out by the contest sponsor(s), their advertising agencies and/or ALL THE BEST BLOG without further notice or compensation.

The Editor at Large + The Best Contest

Click image to enlarge and see an example of the Editor at Large Database

As a young assistant at Architectural Digest, Editoratlarge.com founder Julia Noran, was privy to the sort of meetings at which every designer wishes he or she could be a fly on a wall: when the editor-in-chief reviews submissions and decides who makes the cut. As Julia would scan the highlights of the "thanks but no thanks" pile, she often thought, “Where do these stories go from here?” Her hope was always that the top projects would be picked up by another publication.

Taking matters into her own hands, Julia Noran recently launched a new website that that aims to help designers get editorial coverage for their design projects and product lines. By providing designers an opportunity to showcase their work to many publications through one source, Editoratlarge.com makes getting published a lot easier.

So, how does it all work?
First, the designer submits a project to Editor at Large for approval. If the project is accepted, the designer pays a fee and the project is showcased in The Editor at Large Projects database and emailed to the publications of their choosing. Magazine, website and book editors can then search the database for projects that fulfil their editorial needs.

And how does the approval process work?
The Editor at Large contributing editors pre-approve all submissions before they make it into the database. The Editor at Large has recruited a well-qualified, high-profile team of contributing editors who are former staffers at publications including House & Garden, Domino, Western Interiors, Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. When a publication is interested in a submission, it contacts the submitter directly via The Editor at Large interface. The submitter then decides which offers to accept.

Since launching in mid-September, many publications have signed on to use the service, including national magazines such as Veranda and Country Living; regional magazines such as California Homes and Connecticut Cottages & Gardens; international magazines such as Architectural Digest Russia and Architectural Digest Germany; and online magazines such as 1stdibs.com and HGTV.com.

There are nearly 1,000 shelter publications in the U.S. alone and the opportunity for exposure has many designers thrilled. “Editoratlarge.com is extremely desirable to publications with limited resources and budgets—and it’s also been well received by many larger publications as an additional avenue,” said Noran.

The standard submission fee for an approved project is $500 per year. However, All the Best and The Editor at Large have teamed up to host a FABULOUS contest!

From now (October 27, 2009) until November 25, 2009, you have an opportunity to submit your BEST project to The Editor at Large for FREE.

Email your full project (one per person) to allthebestcontest@googlemail.com. It can be either published or unpublished. Three (3) entrants will be chosen by our judges—The Editor at Large contributing editors—and announced on December 5, 2009. The winning three (3) will be submitted to The Editor at Large Projects Database for publication consideration.

What to submit?
You may submit up to 15 images that represent your project. You should include a brief description of the project and location. Large files should be sent as a zipped file. Due to concerns sometimes associated with large email files, I will acknowledge receipt of all submissions. If you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email me at allthebestblog@gmail.com.

How to Submit for the Contest?
Send submissions to allthebestcontest@googlemail.com

Editor at Large Database: Designer, Gunilla Stenberg; Photographer, Miguel Flores Vianna

Editor at Large Database: Designer, Alessandra Salina; Photographer Mark Luscombe-Whyte

Editor at Large Database: Architect, James D'Auria; Photographer Mark Luscombe-Whyte

Editor at Large Database: Designer, Carrier and Company; Architect, Robert Dean; Photographer, Ben Hoffman

Note: The standard submission fee is $500 per approved submission per year. Editor at Large does not charge a fee if a submission is not approved. Winners of the Editor at Large/All the Best Contest will have the $500 submission fee waved, and will have their submission listed in the Editor at Large database for a period of twelve (12) months.

Winning the contest does NOT ensure that submitted work will receive an offer for publication. Contest winners will be contacted directly by The Editor at Large for more detailed information prior to database submission. For more information of what will be needed for database inclusion click here.

By entering this contest, entrants agree to all the above mentioned and consent to the use of their entry, name, city of residence and/or any photograph of or that may be taken in publicity carried out by the contest sponsor(s), their advertising agencies and/or ALL THE BEST BLOG without further notice or compensation.

Miguel Flores-Vianna

I am so happy that one of my favorite photographers now has a website. I have been enamored with the work of Miguel Flores-Vianna for at least a year or more and was thrilled to spend time with him in both LA and NYC recently. He is as wonderful as the images he captures. You can visit his website to view more photos. It's a visual treat.

Alessandra Branca New Classic Interiors

Today is one of those days that I wish I could click my heels and land in New York. I know that New York isn’t Kansas, nor is it my home, but it’s where I would really like to be today. A few weeks ago I received an invitation for an “intimate moment” with Alessandra Branca at her New York apartment followed by an evening book signing for her new book New Classic Interiors.

I recently had a chance to devour all the wonderful text and images. I promise this is one that you will want in your design library! Not only is Alessandra’s new book exquisite, she is donating all proceeds from the sale of the book to inner-city school programs for children in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington [Ross Global Charter Academy, New York; Marwen, Chicago; Children's Action Network, Los Angeles; The Arc, Washington]. Make a purchase and make a difference.

Thank You Olivia Wilder

A special thank you to Radio host Olivia Wilder for having me as a guest on her show last night. It was so much fun! Looking forward to doing it again.

Shopping + Podcast with Michael Devine

I have long been a fan of Michael Devine's whimsical fabrics and playful designs. My husband and I first meet Michael and his partner Thomas Burak in Paris during the January 2008 Maison & Objet. After a long, leisurely dinner followed by a few glasses of absinthe we were invited to New York for Thanksgiving. Over the past two years Michael and Thomas have become close family friends. Before heading home, I spent last weekend in Kinderhook, New York with two of my favorite men.

Michael and Thomas pulled out all the stops including a cocktail party in my honor. Michael recently created a wonderful assortment of signature trays that were used for passing hors d'oeuvres during the party. His adorable trays were a big hit with everyone last Saturday and they are now on his website, just in time for the holidays. And, best of all, standard shipping is free! You can see the cute tray in question and photos from the party below.

On Sunday we sat down before dinner and talked about fabrics, cooking and holiday entertaining. Listen here.



The cute pea pods are also available from Michael Devine Home

Profile: Alex Papachristidis

I have long adored the work of Alex Papachristidis and was beyond delighted to finally meet him in person last week. He is so delightful and wears the most infectious smile; you can’t help but like him instantly. Imaginative, creative and surprising are three words that I associate with his work. Not only is he ridiculously talented, but he commands a vast knowledge and familiarity with many styles, regions and periods, a fact that clearly allows him to confidently juxtapose the boldness of modern art with sumptuous elements of traditional décor.

Born and raised in New York City, Alex got his first big project—a large Manhattan apartment—during his first year as a student at Parsons School of Design. A fortuitus coup that quickly led to a second assignment, a Manhattan townhouse, for a couple he met at a dinner party in the South of France.

“Once I started, I never looked back. Growing up I was privileged to travel widely and see many beautiful homes in Europe and America,” Alex reflects. A wonderful gift and luxury that certainly contributes to cultivating the eye, while providing an invaluable background for design. “The greatest pleasure for me,” says Alex, “is when clients tell us we’ve turned their home into a sanctuary, a place they can simply sit back, relax, and enjoy. That’s a dream come true.”


How would you describe your personal style?
My style is traditional but applied with a fresh hand. I am fascinated by mixing the exotic and unusual with classical design motifs. In this economy, it’s important to understand that great style can be found at any price point, and to be able to mix complementary items together.

What inspires your creativity and designs?
I’m inspired by almost everything. Certainly travel inspires me, but I’m also inspired by art and great collections that I see in books and in museums here at home.

What is the one thing in life you cannot live without?
Friendship. My friends and family are more important to me than anything. It is through them that I learn about myself and life.

Who are your style icons?
Mona von Bismarck, Cary Grant, Pauline de Rothschild, Halston, Renzo Mongiardino, Henri Samuel, Charles de Beistegui, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Hubert de Givenchy, Alexis de Redé, Tracey Hejailan, Fruzsina Keehn.

Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
Cate Blanchett. She has such great style and taste. I fantasize that we would appreciate each other’s aesthetics and together could create a home in which a real movie star would live—old school Hollywood glamour with a fresh modern twist.

What books are currently on your bedside table?
The Windsor Style by Suzy Menkes
Versailles: A Biography of a Palace by Tony Spawforth
The Irrational Journey: A Russian Winter Through the Eyes of an Acute and Delighted Visitor by Pauline de Rothschild
Elsie de Wolfe: A Life in the High Style by Jane S. Smith
Don’t Tell Alfred by Nancy Mitford
Alexis: The Memoirs of the Baron de Redé edited by Hugh Vickers

What is your favorite luxury in life?
A beautiful home.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
All my friends and family together celebrating.

What is your most prized possession?
My Yorkshire terrier Theodore (though he wouldn’t like to hear himself referred to as a possession).


How do you see the current economy shaping design trends?

People go back to traditional, classic decorating in tough economic times, because it feels timeless and safe. And because people are staying home more—saving money by not eating and entertaining out of the house—their homes become an even bigger focus. I also think that apartments and homes coming on the market at lower prices will create a new kind of activity, so there will be new work for those of us in the design arena.

Past or present which designers have most influenced your style?
Colefax and Fowler, Elsie de Wolfe, Francis Elkins, Billy Baldwin, Renzo Mongiardino, Parrish Hadley, Jean-Henri Jansen, David Hicks.

Profile by Ronda Carman
Photos by Roger Davies

Podcast Three: Brad Ford

I adore the straightforward and elegant style of Brad Ford. Very much like the man himself, his rooms exude warmth and sophistication. I have been a big fan of his blog Design Therapy for quiet sometime, and had the pleasure of meeting Brad in New York this past April. Last week we had a chance to sit down, catch up and talk about blogs, Twitter, Facebook and social networking. Brad is one of the kindest gentlemen you will ever meet, not to mention he has taste and personality in spades. Enjoy the podcast.

Listen Here


How would you describe your personal style?
I would describe my style as warm, approachable, serene, casual, yet sophisticated.

What inspires your creativity and designs?
I'm from Arkansas originally and grew up surrounded by the most beautiful natural resources. I've always loved natural materials and organic forms, and I think that comes through in my work. I'm also heavily influenced by Scandinavian design: simple and uncomplicated, yet functional and stylish.

What is your most prized possession?
My dog Turbo. He's a gentle giant .... he weighs almost 100 lbs and still likes to crawl up and sit in my lap.

What is the one thing in life you cannot live without?
I have two: Music and Movies! I'm absolutely passionate about music and always have to have something playing in the background. In addition, one of my favorite things to do is go to the movies on a Friday night. I can't think of a better way to unwind from a hectic work week.

Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
I would love to have collaborated with the late Faye Jones. He was an architect from Arkansas who at one time had been an apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright. He had a very organic aesthetic and worked with materials and traditional forms found locally in the Ozarks. His work was considered intimate rather than grandiose and he focused more on private homes and chapels rather than large scale projects.

What books are currently on your bedside table?
Right now I'm reading The Strain by Guillermo del Toro. It's a modern take on vampires running rampant through New York City (yes...it's fiction).

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Enjoying a delicious meal. Breakfast, lunch or dinner .... I love food!

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Sitting on a big back porch overlooking a beautiful lake, sipping an icy cocktail with friends and family watching the sun gone down. I honestly can't think of anything more perfect.


Past or present which designers have most influenced your style?
I've always admired the work of Poul Kjaerholm, Finn Juhl and George Nakashima. From the present, I'd have to say the design firm Shelton Mindel & Assoc. and Thad Hayes who had I the privilege of working with.

Who are your style icons?
I feel like they're constantly changing. Currently, I'm super intrigued with Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of the design firm Roman and Williams. They have amazing style and I'm always excited to see what they're going to do next.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Making a living doing something I love.

Profile by Ronda Carman

Leave Your Comments

In my Q&A with Margaret, she made the following statements:

"We’re constantly tweaking the magazine, and will continue to do so, and we’re always open to suggestions from readers. It’s funny that the majority of e-mail we receive is regarding subscription concerns. I’d love to read more reader opinions on what we produce, not how it ends up in your mailbox."

"Also, I’m curious regarding how much people would be willing to pay for a subscription to make sure their favorite magazines continue to exist. For instance, many people commented on blogs that they would have paid more to support Domino and House & Garden.

Would readers pay for online access to archives, sneak previews of design product launches, or special content? This is what it will take to make a successful magazine brand—focusing on community, content, and communication."

If you have comments or suggestions you can leave them on All the Best for Margaret and the ELLE Decor team to read.

Your Questions for Margaret Russell

For two decades, editor in chief Margaret Russell has infused ELLE DECOR with a singular sense of sophistication while preserving its mission to inspire designers, architects, and homeowners with the best in interior and product design. This year ELLE DECOR is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

Last week I had the pleasure of touring the ELLE DECOR and Metropolitan Home offices. It was amazing actually to have a moment with Margaret Russell in her office and to get a behind the scenes glimpse of my favorite magazine. When I asked All the Best readers to send me questions for Margaret, my inbox was inundated within a matter of hours. After combing through the emails I came up with a few that seemed to be the most popular. I hope you enjoy Margaret’s answers as much as I do.

What is your take on the future of the magazine industry? What lies ahead and what will it take to keep the greats like ELLE DECOR alive?
It’s certainly a fascinating—and deeply challenging—time for magazines. It’s no longer enough to be creative; editors must be focused and smart about running their businesses and managing their staffs. Successful magazines will exist on multiple platforms—print, digital, books, TV and whatever we haven’t yet imagined.

We have learned that you can’t just post a print magazine online. Most people I know read magazines for inspiration and sources and go online to research and to shop. We are in the process of delivering more—and more diverse—content at elledecor.com.

We’re constantly tweaking the magazine, and will continue to do so, and we’re always open to suggestions from readers. It’s funny that the majority of e-mail we receive is regarding subscription concerns. I’d love to read more reader opinions on what we produce, not how it ends up in your mailbox.

Also, I’m curious regarding how much people would be willing to pay for a subscription to make sure their favorite magazines continue to exist. For instance, many people commented on blogs that they would have paid more to support Domino and House & Garden. would readers pay for online access to archives, sneak previews of design product launches, or special content? This is what it will take to make a successful magazine brand—focusing on community, content, and communication.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I’m not old enough to have a greatest achievement!

What steps did you take starting early on that eventually led to sitting at the helm of a national publication?

I was raised by parents who had a high level of expectation for my older sister, my younger brother, and me (my sister is an actress and a theatre producer and my brother is a litigation partner at a law firm). There was simply no question that we would always do our best, regardless of the project.

After graduating from Brown, my first job in publishing was as an editorial assistant at Glamour, and I’ve been fortunate to work with talented people ever since. I’m not embarrassed to admit I really like to work; in fact, it gives me great pleasure. I have a passion for design, architecture, and decoration and I love all aspects of magazine publishing—styling, writing, and editing. ELLE DECOR has been an amazing opportunity.

Who are your style icons?
Icon is a big word—stylesetter might be better. In random order, some of the people I find inspiring are Ralph Rucci, Muriel Brandolini, Michael S. Smith, Linda Fargo, Inès de la Fressange, Carolina Herrera and Carolina Herrera Jr., Deeda Blair, Sarah Jessica Parker, Vicente Wolf, Anh Duong, Lee Mindel, Bunny Williams and Madonna.

What do you think of design blogs and what is your take on the future of magazines vs. online content and the role of blogs?
I read several design blogs, though I’ll admit I don’t do so as regularly as I once did. And I’m not a Twitter type of person though someone might pressure me to be at some point. I’m hoping it will go away before that happens.

Some design bloggers have a truly extraordinary depth of knowledge and simply amazing files. I’m inspired by people who keep track of interiors, designers, and trends, and then create their own online reports that synthesize the content they’ve gathered.

Anyone who feared design blogs would hasten the demise of shelter magazines didn’t consider that most blogs swipe magazine photos; I have no patience for bloggers who post images without crediting the magazine and photographer (all of our online images are now watermarked), or for cranky anonymous commenters who care less about good design than about seeing their snarky sound bites online.

Design bloggers have added a significant and valuable new dimension to the design world.

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Time. Time is such a luxury. I never seem to have enough of it because there’s always so much that I want to do.

What do you consider your must-have classic design books?
There are so many books I that I find inspiring, though not all are what I would describe as classic; here’s a list of what I go back to time after time:

Mark Hampton On Decorating Legendary Decorators of the 20th Century
Billy Baldwin Remembers and Billy Baldwin Decorates
The David Hicks books, those he wrote as well as Ashley Hicks’ books
Vintage copies of Fleur Cowles’s Flair magazine
Vogue’s Book of Houses, Gardens, People (1968)
The Original Eye by Philip Core
The Finest Rooms by Katherine Tweed
Lee Radziwill Happy Times
The Elements of Style by Stephen Calloway and Elizabeth Cromley
Erica Brown’s Interior Views
Le Style Givenchy by Françoise Mohrt
Parish Hadley: Sixty Years of American Design
Les Décorateurs des Années 40
Horst Interiors by Barbara Plum
Every Room Tells a Story: Tales From the Pages of Nest Magazine
Marella Agnelli’s The Agnelli Gardens at Villa Perosa
Anne Bony’s compilations of Furniture and Interiors grouped by decade; I have a few in French, a few in English, of the ‘20s through the ‘80s
And, look for Duane Hampton’s April 2010 book from Rizzoli, Mark Hampton: An American Decorator

And over the years I’ve learned so much from sales catalogues from auction houses; they are an amazing resource for anyone interested in design and the decorative arts.
soon.

Profile by Ronda Carman

Happy Weekend

Tomorrow I will be heading home to Scotland. I have so missed my boys and will be happy to see them in just two days. Before heading back I came up to Kinderhook to visit two of my other favorite boys Michael Devine and Thomas Burak.

It has been such a fun and relaxing weekend. Michael and Thomas are the perfect hosts. Yesterday Michael and I started the morning with a bike ride through the country, followed by lunch with Thomas and a trip to the apple orchard. The fall foliage is so beautiful this time of year and the cool crisp air is invigorating. Thank you both for everything!