Veranda! You Have Outdone Yourself!

All Show House Photos by Peter Vitale

I think most of you have heard about the recent demise of our beloved Domino Magazine this week. The cries were heard far and wide throughout the design blog universe. A good cry and a box of tissues later...my spirits were raised when the latest Veranda Magazine made it's appearance through my mail slot yesterday.

And what an issue it is! Veranda has really stepped up the Designer Show House game with it's third Show House at the Greystone Estate in Beverly Hills. Those involved in making this event happen read like the Who's Who of the Design World: Ann Getty acted as Honorary Chairperson with Nathan Turner and Mary McDonald as Co-Chairs. So for those of you who were not fortunate enough to get to see the Show House in person (like moi), Veranda has provided a stunning feature here with pictures of every room.

Designers include such greats as Waldo Fernandez, Richard Shapiro, David Phoenix and Rose Tarlow, Suzanne Rheinstein, Peter Dunham, Windsor Smith and Kathryn Ireland. These are just a few of the many fabulously prolific designers featured in this Show House.

Those of you who subscribe to Veranda will want to hold on to this issue for years to come. and for those of you who do not subscribe, I highly recommend picking up this issue.

I don't want to spoil all of the delicious surprises in store for you in room after room, but I had to show a few to whet your appetite! One of my favorite spaces was the courtyard outside Greystone where the opening Gala was held. Mary McDonald and Nathan Turner orchestrated the transformation using a palette of green and white, and utilizing mid century Barcelona chairs and ottomans as a foil for the English Gothic Revival Manor.

Completed in 1928, Greystone has been seen often in movies like The Witches of Eastwick, The Holiday, and There Will Be Blood. Designed by Gordon Kaufmann for oil tycoon Edward L. Doheney the mansion is the largest family estate ever built in Beverly Hills. For much more information about Greystone and visitation of the grounds, click here.

Here are just a few of the rooms by some of our favorites:

Family Room by Nathan Turner

Gentleman's Study by Peter Dunham

Lady's Bedroom by Mary McDonald

Master Bedroom by Windsor Smith

This Show House feature is enough in and of itself the buy the issue.

But wait.... Veranda gives us MORE! One of my Design Crushes graces the pages with yet another beautiful design project. Eric Cohler transforms a stately Charleston home with his magic. Just one photo teaser for you! This article is very long and comprehensive with many a gorgeous photo. Thanks Veranda!

Late 19th-c. console. Painting by Larry Charles. John Saladino Lamps. Photo by Jeff McNamara.

Veranda....you are just too kind. We are also treated to another home, that of Houston based designer Michael Dale. Just another little tease for you:

The beautiful hall showing Dale's collection of Burmese figures on Mexican pedestals. Photo by Peter Vitale.

I can tell I am going to be spending at least few hours this weekend sitting on my porch in the sun enjoying this issue of Veranda.

What are you going to be doing?

The Windsor Smith Home Collection

Windsor Smith, a young interior designer from California, is hot, hot, hot right now. Today, she expands her dominance as she officially launches her own furniture line, the eponymous Windsor Smith Home Collection. This launching is just the beginning for Windsor as more pieces will be added in a timely manner. Additionally, Kravet will be rolling out Windsor's own fabric designs in 2008. It doesn't get an hotter than this in the design business. Windsor's furniture collection is fun and youthful, yet it takes a cue from classic designs. She credits her love of color from growing up colorlessly in Kansas and describes her furniture as "a new spin on elegant classics."

In this except from Elle Decor magazine, Windsor talks of her inspirations: "I like to create libraries where men with names like Howard, Bing and Spencer sat in cashmere sweaters and contemplated the 13th hole on the Bel-air golf course. I am drawn to a simple but elegant time when the women were so legendary that surnames weren't necessary.... Slim, Babe, Coco...", Smith says as she twists a sterling pen on the palest aqua velvet ribbon that once belonged to the Duchess of Windsor.

The fabric options for her furniture include linens in fun colors like lavender. Domino readers will be familiar with many of the pieces in the collection as they were shown in her own Californian home featured in the August issue. Below are a few of my favorite pieces from the new collection. Note: while I find the pieces very accessible for a vibrant, busy house with lots of children and dogs, be sure to include a major breadwinner in this picture. These pieces do not come cheap!

The Brittany Secretary, $12,000.

Chloe Sofa, while shown in this vibrant pink, the website says it is not available in this fabric. Strange.



Slipcovered wing chair with monogram.


Moroccan inspired ottoman.
Gwen curved arm sofa.
Medici arm chair.

Directoire chair shown in leather.

In Windsor's own home, you can see the Directoire chair, two benches from her line, and the large Brittany secretary.

Another picture from Windsor's house, shows the large double sided slipcovered sofas from her collection. In front is the Moroccan upholstered ottoman.

In a client's beach house, Windsor uses her slipcovered sofa. I love the detail pleating on the edge.


In the kitchen, a gorgeous aqua floor.

Casual living room with gorgeous hand painted wallpaper pieces. Windsor uses the same hand painted wallpaper in her own dining room. Note the painted wood floor, perfect for a beach house.

Dressier living room, with light pink sofas, square, tufted pillows and large, silver mirror.This room shows the collection's curved arm sofa and Medici chair.

Another beach house view, with clever use of striped fabric on ottoman. The pink color pops on the green stripes.

The Windsor Smith Home Collection

Windsor Smith, a young interior designer from California, is hot, hot, hot right now. Today, she expands her dominance as she officially launches her own furniture line, the eponymous Windsor Smith Home Collection. This launching is just the beginning for Windsor as more pieces will be added in a timely manner. Additionally, Kravet will be rolling out Windsor's own fabric designs in 2008. It doesn't get an hotter than this in the design business. Windsor's furniture collection is fun and youthful, yet it takes a cue from classic designs. She credits her love of color from growing up colorlessly in Kansas and describes her furniture as "a new spin on elegant classics."

In this except from Elle Decor magazine, Windsor talks of her inspirations: "I like to create libraries where men with names like Howard, Bing and Spencer sat in cashmere sweaters and contemplated the 13th hole on the Bel-air golf course. I am drawn to a simple but elegant time when the women were so legendary that surnames weren't necessary.... Slim, Babe, Coco...", Smith says as she twists a sterling pen on the palest aqua velvet ribbon that once belonged to the Duchess of Windsor.

The fabric options for her furniture include linens in fun colors like lavender. Domino readers will be familiar with many of the pieces in the collection as they were shown in her own Californian home featured in the August issue. Below are a few of my favorite pieces from the new collection. Note: while I find the pieces very accessible for a vibrant, busy house with lots of children and dogs, be sure to include a major breadwinner in this picture. These pieces do not come cheap!

The Brittany Secretary, $12,000.

Chloe Sofa, while shown in this vibrant pink, the website says it is not available in this fabric. Strange.



Slipcovered wing chair with monogram.


Moroccan inspired ottoman.
Gwen curved arm sofa.
Medici arm chair.

Directoire chair shown in leather.

In Windsor's own home, you can see the Directoire chair, two benches from her line, and the large Brittany secretary.

Another picture from Windsor's house, shows the large double sided slipcovered sofas from her collection. In front is the Moroccan upholstered ottoman.

In a client's beach house, Windsor uses her slipcovered sofa. I love the detail pleating on the edge.


In the kitchen, a gorgeous aqua floor.

Casual living room with gorgeous hand painted wallpaper pieces. Windsor uses the same hand painted wallpaper in her own dining room. Note the painted wood floor, perfect for a beach house.

Dressier living room, with light pink sofas, square, tufted pillows and large, silver mirror.This room shows the collection's curved arm sofa and Medici chair.

Another beach house view, with clever use of striped fabric on ottoman. The pink color pops on the green stripes.

The Windsor Smith Home Collection

Windsor Smith, a young interior designer from California, is hot, hot, hot right now. Today, she expands her dominance as she officially launches her own furniture line, the eponymous Windsor Smith Home Collection. This launching is just the beginning for Windsor as more pieces will be added in a timely manner. Additionally, Kravet will be rolling out Windsor's own fabric designs in 2008. It doesn't get an hotter than this in the design business. Windsor's furniture collection is fun and youthful, yet it takes a cue from classic designs. She credits her love of color from growing up colorlessly in Kansas and describes her furniture as "a new spin on elegant classics."

In this except from Elle Decor magazine, Windsor talks of her inspirations: "I like to create libraries where men with names like Howard, Bing and Spencer sat in cashmere sweaters and contemplated the 13th hole on the Bel-air golf course. I am drawn to a simple but elegant time when the women were so legendary that surnames weren't necessary.... Slim, Babe, Coco...", Smith says as she twists a sterling pen on the palest aqua velvet ribbon that once belonged to the Duchess of Windsor.

The fabric options for her furniture include linens in fun colors like lavender. Domino readers will be familiar with many of the pieces in the collection as they were shown in her own Californian home featured in the August issue. Below are a few of my favorite pieces from the new collection. Note: while I find the pieces very accessible for a vibrant, busy house with lots of children and dogs, be sure to include a major breadwinner in this picture. These pieces do not come cheap!

The Brittany Secretary, $12,000.

Chloe Sofa, while shown in this vibrant pink, the website says it is not available in this fabric. Strange.



Slipcovered wing chair with monogram.


Moroccan inspired ottoman.
Gwen curved arm sofa.
Medici arm chair.

Directoire chair shown in leather.

In Windsor's own home, you can see the Directoire chair, two benches from her line, and the large Brittany secretary.

Another picture from Windsor's house, shows the large double sided slipcovered sofas from her collection. In front is the Moroccan upholstered ottoman.

In a client's beach house, Windsor uses her slipcovered sofa. I love the detail pleating on the edge.


In the kitchen, a gorgeous aqua floor.

Casual living room with gorgeous hand painted wallpaper pieces. Windsor uses the same hand painted wallpaper in her own dining room. Note the painted wood floor, perfect for a beach house.

Dressier living room, with light pink sofas, square, tufted pillows and large, silver mirror.This room shows the collection's curved arm sofa and Medici chair.

Another beach house view, with clever use of striped fabric on ottoman. The pink color pops on the green stripes.