painted furniture
A sunny Italian commode emblazoned with a classical scene; a très jolie Provençal armoire embellished with brushstroke blooms; practically anything Gustavian—there is a special place in charm heaven for painted furniture. The truly wonderful thing about this genre of antiques is that they so sweetly combine a casual and approachable style with an eminently elegant attitude, especially when slightly faded or worn over time. They look terrific in bedrooms, where they can leaven a pared-down scheme with an unstudied freshness, or cut the seriousness of a space that tilts too pristine. In hallways, foyers, and living rooms, they can be a smile-inducing way of curating an atmosphere that says “Come on in!”
A Gustavian daybed and antique French commodes echo the color scheme of a soothing California bedroom by Ohara Davies-Gaetano.
In Destin, Florida, Susan Lovelace uses a turquoise-hued German commode in a sunny living room.
A chest designed by the late Tony Duquette in Hutton and Ruth Wilkinson’s Malibu ranch was used on the film set of My Fair Lady.
passementerie
When it comes to truly unique, inimitable interiors, customization is key. The details count. And despite taking up a relatively small amount of real estate, the little flourishes that distinguish a room—a Greek key trim on plain linen curtains, satin bouillon fringe on a velvet-covered ottoman, a sparkly beaded tape on throw pillows—are worth their weight in gold.
A powder room in a new seaside house by Ohara Davies-Gaetano in Orange County has depth and dimension, thanks to weathered, aged elements.
Gracefully worn antiques and artfully distressed finishes give a formal dining room in California by Laurie Steichen a casual grace.
In California’s Carmel Valley, Greg Stewart of ODADA uses an antique chest with chipping paint to take the edge off contemporary architecture.
patina
The Japanese call it wabi-sabi, a sensibility that accepts imperfections in objects and materials as the cost of doing business in an unpredictable world and proof of their authenticity. Along similar cultural affinities in France, a well-used antique that shows its age in nicks and dings is lovingly referred to as being dans son jus—and is usually a little more costly because of it. When little imperfections are sought after rather than disguised, it allows everything around it to breathe a little easier. So here’s a lesson that will serve you well in interiors and in life: forgive the flaws. Embrace chipped paint, scratched finishes, tarnished silver. A room that accepts faults with élan can achieve a soulful kind of beauty that mere impeccability never will.
In a New York apartment by Cathy Kincaid, a large-scale paisley blends seamlessly with a subtle bed canopy and linens.
In her Gstaad chalet, Michelle Nussbaumer uses a single swirling print to joyously elevate sober pine paneling.
pattern
If you think of a well-decorated room as a delicious combination of flavors—like a delectable stew—then paisleys, damasks, toiles, chintzes, and geometrics are the herbs and spices you use to season it. And just as in cooking, complementary flavors will enhance the finished product. The classic way to blend is to focus on coordinating colors: a ticking stripe picks up the pinks in a floral, the ground in a paisley echoes tones in a gingham. You could also go with shape: a swirling crewel mirrors the motif on a painted chest, a geometric riffs on the shape of a wire chair. But honestly, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. We’ve seen rooms by masterful designers that use pattern with abandon—and they are still positively scrumptious.
Hutton Wilkinson combines a zoo’s worth of animal prints with gold tea paper and geometrically patterned curtains in his Beverly Hills home.
pendants
We often think of chandeliers as the vehicle of choice for showstopping lighting. But a good-looking pendant can be just as dramatic and feel a little more apropos in modernist settings. Small versions hung in multiples can make a large impact, and large-scale models in materials like brass, shapely ceramic, or pleated silk cut quite a fine figure.
