Elle Decor Showhouse 2010: Master Bedroom by Jay Jeffers

 What can one say about Jay Jeffers?! Great style, always a sense of humor, elegance, and wit.....in his own terms, "sophisticated fun". Jay manages to brighten up a space just like his smile can brighten any mood.

Jay's Master Bedroom at the Elle Decor Showhouse is no exception. Jay used a backdrop of soothing dove grey in this room and added touches of color to add a bit of drama. Notice all of the details: the gilt nightstands with the hanging lamps above....

The dramatic marble fireplace surround softened with luxurious curtains on either side....the fantastic geometric patterned ottoman with the modern ivory covered chairs...

... Jay even mirrors the ottoman fabric pattern with the tile in the Master Bath. Always thinking, always thinking.

Sigh....I am a fan, it's true. So of course I hopped over to the Elle Decor Website to get every bit of information. You can see a virtual tour of each room, the designers' inspiration sketches, and lots of other fun Showhouse "stuff".

For example,here is a virtual tour with Editor-in-Chief, Michael Boodro:



I hope you have a chance to hop over yourselves!

Oh! And do not forget to enter my fantastic

HOLIDAY GIVE AWAY

HERE!


For a Beautiful Bodmer Baby Alpaca Throw.
I will be announcing a winner December 16th!


Good Luck!!

Chinoiserie, Designers and Table Settings....

Gump's Table

......was the recipe for a perfect party at Gump's last Tuesday night! The event, in support of the 2010 San Francisco Fall Antique Show was hosted by Marta Benson, CEO of Gump's and Suzanne Tucker, Chair of the SFFAS Designer's Circle.

Top San Francisco designers were invited to design Chinoiserie inspired dining tables, and the creativity was flowing! Ann Getty, Douglas Durkin, Andrew Fisher and Jeffrey Weisman, Jay Jeffers, Barbara Scavullo, Suzanne Tucker and Gump's all contributed stunning table displays. I could have spent much more time savoring every detail.

Gump's Table

Gump's table captured the flavor of the Orient with their twin pagodas which flanked a gorgeous floral display of roses and artichokes. The lush color palette was gold, black and hot coral pink. I loved the back painted glass table top with silhouettes of the East in pink

Gump's Table

The gold tea pots and pretty pink and gold place settings were perfect for a chic afternoon tea party.

Such a gorgeous display....the flowers, the glass decanters in amethyst and teal, the black lacquer trays and bronze hurricane candle holders....I was enchanted.

Gump's Table

The creative forces at Ann Getty and Associates put together a beautiful table set under a black pagoda pavilion. Acrylic bamboo chairs, and the fresh color palette of jade and tangerine was perfectly appetizing.

Ann Getty and Associates

Details like gilt fortune cookies, and hand made taffeta ginkgo leaves added that personal touch, and the floral display of citron green orchids was luscious.

Ann Getty and Associates

One of my favorite things about this display as the lantern light fixture above the table...what a fun crowning jewel.

Ann Getty and Associates

The next table is by Jay Jeffers, and as expected, was full of fun,fresh ideas.

Jay Jeffers

Jay created a "room" for his table with rice paper panels painted with flowering branches and birds (painted by Shirley Robinson) which he hung from the ceiling with the most beautiful chains I have ever seen.....(Jay, if you are reading, where did you get those chains?!)

Jay Jeffers Table

Jay used a really interesting modern table and beautiful lantern both from Therien Antiques. The rug is from Tai Ping. Jay brought in the custom designed chairs using C. Mariani Antiques.

Jay Jeffers Table

The place settings were beautiful in combinations of greens, browns and golds. Jay proved once again that he is the Master of "Sophisticated Fun".

Jay Jeffers Table

Douglas Durkin created a table that really evoked the feeling of Fall for me. Since Fall happens to be my favorite season, it is small wonder I was so drawn it it. Warm and luxurious, moody and intimate, this space invites one to linger over brandy late into the night.

Douglas Durkin's Table

The table was surrounded by dark wood louvered screens and draped with a pumpkin and misty slate grey silk taffeta table cloth. The terrariums were filled with exotic plants...one of which I think was a Venus Flytrap.

Douglas Durkin's Table

The crystal was a translucent black and there was a persimmon crystal dragon stopper in the decanter. Could you imagine a savory meal here on All Hallows Eve?

Douglas Durkin's Table

Andrew Fisher and Jeffrey Weisman have long been a design duo I have greatly admired. (I especially am enamoured with their home in Napa!) Their take on the them was so much fun, it would make one want to party all night!

Fisher Weisman Table

Titled "Lunch at Brighton Pavilion" Andrew and Jeffrey pulled out all of the stops. Inspired by their travels to the Orient, the Brighton Pavilion, Doris Duke's Shangri-La in Honolulu, and films like the King and I and Auntie Mame....they kicked up their heels and used a sequined table cloth. Andrew and Jeffrey are known for their fabulous lighting creations, they channeled Tony Duquette when making this fixture. They described the process to me saying that they sculpted each piece of the mini pagodas and cast them in resin, then painted them gold adding little jewels and ivy a la Duquette.

Fisher Weisman Table

The colors they used were just as eye catching...Red, Fuchsia, Tangerine and Gold combine in happy profusion, and the gold butterflies seemed to have just arrived to join the party.

Jeffrey and Andrew with their table

The red dining chairs are from the Fisher Weisman Bamboo Collection for Michael Taylor Designs. Just another example of all there is to love about Fisher Weisman

Designer, Barbara Scavullo took her cue from the wonderful horses pictured on the Hermes plates in her place settings.

Barbara Scavullo's Table

You can just imagine a military campaign where the officers would reinforce themselves with hearty meals in their exotic tents.

Barbara Scavullo's Table

The lantern, world map, and Ming Horse punctuate the theme, as does the bridle buckle flatware.

Barbara Scavullo's Table

The last table, and certainly far from the least, was the stunning table designed by Suzanne Tucker of Tucker Marks and her troop of talented designers. I was bowled over with how utterly beautiful and detailed the space was.

Tucker and Marks Table

Suzanne and crew had a brilliant French gilt and coral chandelier c. 1920 flown in from across the country from Objects Plus, LLC. Carlton Hobbs supplied the gorgeous painted Queen Anne chairs and settee. The dramatic 18th century Coromandel screen is from a private collector, and the 19th century Khotan rug is from Tony Kitz Oriental Carpets.

Tucker and Marks Table

Suzanne is so talented with the details. The square table is skirted in a Scalamandre green tiger stripe fabric with a topper made from one of Suzanne's own fabrics. The edge detail is made to look like a pagoda roof, the corners curving out, with a bell found at C. Mariani Antiques at each point...

Tucker and Marks Table

The coral velvet chair cushion fabric is also from Suzanne's new fabric line. The saffron hued pillow fabric is from Fortuny.

Tucker and Marks Table

This space was truly a grand end to this sumptuous affair and Suzanne was perfectly and beautifully attired to act as hostess.

Suzanne Tucker and her Table

It was such a fun evening! I got to see my friends Grant Gibson and Diane Dorrans Saeks, as well as Anh-Minh Le, the editor of the new quarterly shelter magazine Anthology (get your subscriptions now...it's going to be a goody! AND it will be a PRINTED magazine.....I love a magazine I can hold in my hands.)

Gump's is always the most gracious of hosts for events, and this night was no exception. All of the place settings were provided by Gump's, so for more information on any of the beautiful china, silverware and crystal, please do not hesitate to contact them.

And please don't forget to attend the 2010 San Francisco Antique Fair. For more information, click HERE.

Movin' On Up!

Living Room of designer, Jay Jeffers

If you are like me....any opportunity to see inside the home of an admired top designer is not to be missed. I just got word that the oh-so-talented Mr. Jay Jeffers has put his beautiful San Francisco home on the market. Jay says he and his partner are ready for a bit of a change.

I had blogged about Jay's house HERE awhile back....but if you want pictures of the whole shebang....head on over to the Sotheby's site HERE for the grand tour!!! Such a fun HOUSE!!! Whoever gets it will have built in panache to spare.

And I am sure we will all get to see Jay's NEXT house adventure!

UPDATE!!!

If you are in the Bay Area this weekend, there will be an OPEN HOUSE on Sunday. Nothing better than seeing a well designed home in person!!!

The Sophisticated and Fun Mr. Jay Jeffers

Jay Jeffers Home

I was recently at an event in San Francisco and had the pleasure of catching up with the extraordinary Interior Designer, Jay Jeffers. Mega-talented, charming, fun, and handsome...what more could one ask for in a designer?

See? The talented Mr. Jeffers in his office space.

Jay recently did a bit of a revamping of his own home as well as his fabulous office spaces. His home project started with a kitchen spiffing, and one thing just led to another....

Jay Jeffer's Kitchen

Jay's kitchen now sports coral painted glass in the upper cabinet doors, a very smart plaid back splash tile pattern, putty painted cabinets ( I love when a color is sort of undefinable), and a playful brass lantern over the island. A great mix...and that is just what Jay is known for: his crazy ability to mix things up in innovative, fun ways.

Jay's Living Room. I remember the fab rug from a recent Showhouse I think! And that view!!

I had the pleasure of getting to know Jay a little bit better through a bit of a Proustian interview. Hope you enjoy:

Jay, your projects are all so varied and unique. Where and how do you begin the process of conceptualizing your designs for your clients?

The first step is always connecting with the client - learning about preferences and lifestyle - do they entertain often, are there young kids in the house, etc. We always ask clients to go though magazines and pull examples of what they like and more importantly, things they don't like. It's the best exercise. My team and I always try not to repeat, so after we have the client's taste in mind, it's up to us to come up with new ideas for them.

Jay's Dining Room

What/who inspires you in your work, your "design icons" if you will?

Paris, New York City, David Hicks, Suzanne Tucker, Albert Hadley.

How has your aesthetic evolved since your early design days?

Hmm. Good question. In the early days, I worked with clients with smaller budgets, so we often masked that with bold gestures like painting big squares of color on the walls or using really bold fabrics. Today I think I have evolved into more timeless design - a sense of permanence in a space. We certainly use more antiques than I did early on, which really brings soul to a space.

Dining Room

Describe your "perfect client".

Fun and interested in the process, and who also trusts our judgement as designers. A big budget doesn't hurt (I'm just sayin').

How would you describe your own personal style?

Masculine, edited, collected, evolving. Madmen with a twist. My favorite outfit: The perfect white shirt by Kitune, a great tailored pair of khakis by Spurr, a Thom Browne navy blazer, Bottega Veneta vans, vintage Torneau watch. Done. (I'm really not a label whore, but I love well made pieces).

Jay's Bedroom

What are you working on now?

I'm excited about our projects in the Bay Area - a wonderful estate in Woodside, a great home for a young family in Hillsborough, a stately home in Pacific Heights, and a great house for a young bachelor. All are a little different in feel, which means my job is never boring!

What is happening next?

An office in New York City??

The offices of Jeffers Design Group, San Francisco. What a great space to be inspired by every day!

Describe a typical day in the life of Jay Jeffers.

I'm a morning person, so 5:30 or 6 AM is the norm. I see my trainer or go for a run, eat breakfast and head to the office. From there, any or all of the following: concepts for a new project, meet with design team to review progress on current projects, visit vendors to review custom pieces, a committee meeting for the Fall Antiques Show or Private Collections Spring Art Tour, a meeting for Enterprise for High School Students non profit, a photo shoot for a recent project, a client presentation, a site meeting to review construction with an architect or contractor, Lunch, check email, meeting with my CPA, a vendor, presentation in the studio, review pricing for an order ready to go to a client, afternoon chocolate fix (thank God my team is made up almost entirely of chocoholics and we have a bowl of M&M's downstairs), a final email check, dinner with friends or a design event in the evening, home, sweats, dog in my lap and the first half of Project Runway ( I always fall asleep before it's over). ZZZZZ...

Office Lounge

What color are you and why?

Green. Not because I'm envious (well maybe a little). Because it is alive, vibrant, serious and smart, all depending on what shade you use.

What is on your nightstand?

A photo of my 40th birthday dinner, a Murano glass lamp with a custom shade, a beautiful music box given to me by my incredibly talented Senior Designer Kelly Hohla, Vanity Fair (love!), ear plugs (because last Spring, a bird outside our back yard decided that morning for him was 3:30 AM and his chirps were unbearably loud), and very stylish clock that never works and a tiny gold crown ( no comments on the crown please :)

Jay's Office

What is your most prized possession?

Well, I would say my partner, Michael, but he's not really a possession, so I'll say my dog Kingsley. Second would be health.

What is your favorite place to escape?

Michael and I bought a tiny house in the Napa Valley last year. Though it is only about 90 minutes away, every time I'm there, I fell as if I am in another world. It is beautiful and so much fun!

Library

What do you listen to?

Pandora! Loving! Michael Buble, Beyonce, Seal, Dina Washington,Celine,Hotel Costes, lady Gaga, Adele, Estelle, Angie Stone, Mary J. Timbaland, Thievery Corporation, MIA, Robin Thicke, Shirley Bassey, Olivia Newton John, Andy Gibb...I could go on and on...

What is your most favorite place to shop and why?

Los Angeles - I love all the 20th Century galleries.

Party in the House!

It is no wonder Jay has become such a success. I try to imagine accomplishing just a fraction of what Jay does before lunch in my whole week. His energy and enthusiasm is contagious, And so is his style. So look out New York...Jay is coming!

For more info on Jay and his team, their philosophy of "sophisticated fun", even more photos of his home and offices (and his whole portfolio) click on over HERE.

Have a stylish day!

The Stars Were Out Last Night

Margaret Russell, the star of Elle Decor, and as well as author of the newest addition to my library, Style and Substance, was shining at Gumps in San Francisco last night. Always beautiful, always gracious, Margaret was there for a book signing party.

Style and Substance has been one of my "go to" resource books since it came out. Each chapter is organized by room, and since it is a compilation of the best from Elle Decor, it is simply the book I pull from the shelf first when looking for inspiration for my design projects. And now it has been signed. Sigh...I am one of those who loves to have my favorite books signed whenever possible.

It was wonderful to have a chance to chat with Margaret. There are brilliantly big plans in the works for Elle Decor, particularly exciting for all f us design groupies! So keep an eye out and an ear open in the months to come. I promise to keep you posted!

And the party was packed with other stars from the City by the Bay. Designers Jay Jeffers, Ken Fulk, Scot Meacham Wood (also of Tartanscot!), Claudia Juestel, Gary Hutton, George Brazil, and Furniture designer Paul Benson were there, just to name a few.

The setting was perfect. It is always so much fun to wander through Gumps. Everywhere you turn, there are perfect little scenes that give you ideas, and wonderful gifts for the special ones in your life. (Stay tuned for my blog post in the next couple of days...lots of Valentine's Day Goodies!!)

Delicious bits of things to eat (the miniature Beef Wellington's were fabulous!), good wine and great converstion all made for a a stellar evening.

My good freind Jori, made the jaunt to San Francisco with me. She is one of those people that has fun wherever she goes, and seems to know everyone within minutes.

Here she is with designer George Brazil and furniture designer Paul Benson. George and Jori go way back, and you may remember the genius of Paul Benson from this blog post where his beautiful bar cart is shown off.

I had a chance to chat with Jay Jeffers who is deep in the middle of multiple projects right now. Charming and handsome, he is one of the designers I love to watch.

My good blogging buddy Scot Meacham Wood (Tartanscot) was there. He is always so much fun! Scot just had an amazing trip to NYC where he met up with lots of favorite bloggers like Eddie Ross, Habitually Chic's Heather Clawson. Claudia Juestel of Adeeni Design Group was also on hand. Claudia is a wonderful designer who is a master with the exotic.

I wish I had had more time to show you more of the beauty at Gumps, but I did take a few shots.

There is a sculptor by the name of Gary Stevens that I was quite taken with.

This is an alabaster sculpture he did that I thought was so beautiful in this vignette. The stone was so thin and fine! I understand that Gary is a mathematician as well, which explains his precision and fine detail.

These wood sculptures are also by Gary Stevens. Some look like continous ribbons. Brilliant!

Also showing were these perfect wooden vessels by Philip Moulthrop. Each one a small masterpeice. To read more about Philip and his family history of woodturning craftsmanship, click HERE.

I also had the pleasure to speak with Marta Benson of Gumps, who was excited about the new direction Gumps is taking with tableware. Gumps is well known for it's tradition of offering the best in fine china, crystal and placesettings. Alway beautiful, always the best. But Gumps has been changing over the last few years. There is a powerful trend towards beautiful but more casual entertaining and Gumps is the place where you will be finding young, fresh, and casual table settings that will be fun and usable everyday. I am looking forward to it all!

Such a fun night! Thanks to everyone at Gumps, Margaret Russell and Elle Decor for a great evening!