Showhouse Sunday....and you're invited!!

A reminder of the fabulous giveaway I am offering...... Swank Lighting, who has the most beautiful hand blown Murano lamps has generously donated this most gorgeous pair of Murano lamps!! The drawing will be  Friday, March 11th To be eligible, you have to be a follower or subscriber....that's it! Be sure to visit their site, they truly have some exquisite and very unique lighting...how incredible are these!!!Visit Swank lighting at www.swanklighting.com....their things are fabulous!

Hand blown glass lamps from Murano Italy, made exclusively for Swank Lighting.  These lamps are designed after a popular, classic Barovier & Toso lamp from the 1940's.  They stand 24 inches tall to the top of the socket.  The glass is hand blown and loaded with 24kt gold flake with vertical ribs and controlled bubbles.  The hardware is top quality solid brass. They retail for $2700.00

Happy Sunday! Today we are trying to head to the Frick museum to see the Rembrandt exhibition on view. Today is my "cultural crash course day" and I am so looking forward to feeding my senses! Nothing like beautiful art to subtly remind you of how much you have yet to learn....so its always a humbling but visually stunning experience!  Sundays on my blog however, mean pure relaxation, no pressure whatsoever......stay in bed, pour yourself another cup of coffee, don't be too quick to get up and change out of your pj's, sit back and relax while taking in a beautiful house tour with me! Sundays are all about relaxing and doing exactly as you please. I do hope whatever you are doing is wonderful and tranquil......we all deserve one day! 

First we arrive to this fabulous and captivating stone and slate roofed manor home...though its brand new, its been decorated and built with old world touches that make it look and feel like its been around a  long time. The interiors are purposefully subdued and  understated ...but certainly very elegant at the same time The lushness of the grounds enhances beautifully the desired effect and is so pleasing with the exterior of the house.

Moving along...to this spectacular French home designed by world renowned architect, Robert A.M. Stern, located right in the heart of the gorgeous idyllic East Hampton estate section. Fabulous sprawling spaces are carefully decorated with a formal yet cohesive palette throughout. A formal french garden has been created to give it an old world feel and it is hard to detect that this is in fact a new home....Magnificent grounds complete with tennis court, pavilion and pool make this the ultimate beach house to get away to! (Interiors by Jean Paul Baja)

 And last we go high in the sky to this fabulous apartment on Central Park west....fabulously cohesive and elegant palette is consistent throughout this majestic apartment with views out of this world, check out the dramatic windows in the master bedroom with the wall of bookcases, love it! The ceiling detail and fireplace in the master...so luxurious. (Interior design by Katie Leede and Company)

You know I always love to know if you have a favorite! If you just had to move into one...which would be your choice?  For me, its just too hard to choose as there are rooms within each home that I think are spectacular, but seeing the lush interiors,  green grass, and those spectacular NYC views was a treat indeed.

Have an enchanting day!

`

Out with the old and in with the new.......houses that is!

So this morning I will go to the new home which still sits amongst mounds and mounds of snow...but thankfully our work crew is diligently working despite the frigid temps. Mostly inside work at this point, right now its too cold to finish the limestone work. I enclose mostly pictures of the breakfast room elevation mostly because its the only one that is totally done and you get to see the finished product. Our goal is that the house will look old and as though its been there a long time. 
We will achieve this through carefully thought out landscaping which will will compliment and not compete with the already beautiful and mature landscape. Also we will grow ivy over select parts of the home. So in showing you the new....thought it would be fun to show you pictures of the old. We had so many wonderful and cherished memories in the 7 years that we lived in our previous house, it will always be remembered fondly. Our other home was a classic Georgian and we furnished it accordingly whereas our new house is French all the way, though I plan to use a lot of french influences there will be a bit of English too as I am a huge fan of English interiors. So hope you enjoy going down memory lane with he, first the old house and then in with the new........

Our old home, a classic Georgian on a lovely spring day,  while the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom

The basement which we finished and had my sons graduation dinner in!

My master bathroom vanity

Back foyer which led to a huge beautiful stone patio

Rear foyer sitting area

Our beautiful back yard

The patio looking out onto the pool...we spent many an afternoon perched here

The rear of the house

Teddy and his cousin cooling off....

The hearth and my favorite Delft tiles from Holland purchased at Country Floors

My beautiful pale yellow kitchen with teak topped island (carerra countertops)

Breakfast room

The foyer at Christmas

Master sitting room

My wonderful  bedroom done in the palest celadon and pale taupe (Fabrics are from Beacon Hill and Scalamandre)

And in with the new...............

The side view which is the only elevation that is complete

The porte cochere still in progress...

.  

Another angle with the sun setting

The garage area with the newly added cuppola

You can catch a glimpse of the covered porch on the opposite side of the house, it will be completed in limestone

Part of the grounds, lots of trees everywhere....

Breakfast room bay completed

The rear of the house...I love the backs of homes!

Side patio entrance to breakfast room

A beautiful old oak tree