Subtle Weekend Glamour

Every time I look at this well-appointed settee, I want to go and buy a ballgown. Something in duchess satin worn with an understated but sparkly diamond necklace. Or maybe the one at the bottom of this post. Is this bolster pillow not the most exquisite? That damask in the background is almost identical in colour and pattern to my ensuite wallpaper, a subtle platinum with everything else in ivory and white. So I should dress up and sit in my bathroom? It does have a chair and a chandelier, it is a party prep room perhaps. Funny how design can conjure up associations, make you rise to the occasion. This is the best part of design. It can make you feel good. Glamorous. Every time you walk in the room.


If I was a purist, the rest of my home would be all tonal, shades of ivory. Like this home so perfectly executed by Canadian designer Julie Charbonneau, sometimes wish I could personally handle a monochromatic palette on a daily basis. To do so would mean excluding all my favorite colours and truthfully I would miss them and could never leave any of them behind. When I have done this look for clients I found I didn't want to leave their house upon project completion which is a big clue right there where my second personality resides (my husband would say I am selling myself short, there is at least 10 personalities going at any given time). It has a soothing countenance that I find elegant and orderly if that makes sense. My eye keeps going to the book collections, today all in ivory, last post showing a red collection in the Charlotte Moss townhouse den.

We all know mixing shades of ivory with white in a bathroom is truly a classic and timeless palette. It just never gets old does it? If you do this look and are aiming for ballgown glamour, upgrade your fixtures to polished nickel. The subdued palette loves a bit of sparkle. White towels, not ivory. I love how Charbonneau has hung the framed prints right over the window frame.

A sink cantilevered over a mirror.............creative glamour. These photos are from our stylish and hip Canadian design magazine House & Home. We have some incredible Canadian design talent that I will share over the next few weeks. Next week will be "Not so mellow.......Yellow" as I heard the daffodils are peeking out early this spring and it makes me feel positively perky on this grey and rainy day.

Just a bit of glamour for your weekend. Let me rephrase that........a huge bit of glamour.

Alexander McQueen ~ Paris Fashion week Fall 2010.

Top photo from Traditional Home/2nd, 3rd and 4th photo show room design by Juile Charbonneau~ Canadian House & Home/Bottom Photo from Harper's Bazaar.