The 2013 Lake Forest Show House Upper Gallery

Inspiration:

Combining the beauty of the formal gardens with the quirky glamour of the 1960′s to create a space that pays homage to David Adler architecture in the style of Francis Adler Elkins.  This is the way David Adler architecture was meant to be decorated.

The Client:

The Infant Welfare Society of Chicago

What we love:

• Brunschwig & Fils fabrics & trims, especially Les Touches
• French Pedestals which have hidden wine storage
• Assemblage’s vintage hooded chair in vibrant floral patterns

What we did:

Created an updated flora and fauna themed room with a contemporary twist – sexy, chic and perfect for daydreaming.

A friend of ours who also is our very talented website designer, Kyle from Knoed recently posted on facebook a request for friends to share their favorite Chicago fine artists.  It made us think about all the artists we’ve used for our interior design projects, and while some were Chicago-based, many were from other parts of the country.  But one of the artists suggested was Tim Anderson, whose work we’ve admired for a while, and is of course focused on portraits.  They’re somewhat abstract but not completely removed from reality.  And there’s great range – some are more ‘real’, while others push more abstract.  Below we’ve included a few of our favorites.

We think they’re just beautiful. Hope you enjoy them as well. Who knows, maybe we’ll have one of his works hanging in our hallway before too long…

Oh, and you can buy his work from Thomas Masters Gallery in Chicago

Who are some of your favorite living artists? 

Anyone from Chicago?

Right now I’ve been really loving musk & amber smells.  I know that sounds unappealing, but trust me, when its 5 degrees outside this warm, rich aroma makes you feel cozy.  Think of a great aged wine or an 18-year scotch…it smells like neither (thankfully) but it feels historic, aged, and deep.  My husband is wearing Kiehl’s Musk eau de toilette for cologne, and I’m buying bath soaps, lotions, and candles that have the smell whenever I see them.

Merz Apothecary - Established 1875

This past fall I took a trip to Merz Apothecary here in Chicago – they have locations in the Palmer House Hilton as well as on Lincoln.  It’s just what you would imagine of an old fashioned, established in 1875 apothecary shop – tin ceiling, wood pharmacy bookcase walls covered in every scent imaginable, old fashioned shaving kids with straight razors & brushes with bone handles, and more.

And that’s where I first discovered Boticario de Havana, one of my favorite candle and scent makers – they’re both aesthetically pleasing (beautiful bottles) and smell amazing.  And of course I love their bath oil, lotions, etc too because they are in gorgeous bottles (so they look great in a bathroom), and they leave me smelling like my favorite scents all day long.

This winter we received a great gift package from Archipalego that included some of my favorite scents.  Our whole office was celebrating!!  We loved the variety of products they had – Boticario de Havana as well as others – so you can get any scent that you’re searching for. Check em out at http://www.archipelago-usa.com/

And of course now I’m curious – what’s your favorite scent?

Or do you have a particular scent that you like in your home?

What I found surprising on my trip though was the contrast of old world formality contrasted with streamlined modernity -  rococo vs. graffiti, french settees vs. mid-century modern, taxidermy vs. industrial sleekness.  The contrast was quite amazing, and it is a similar sense of contrast that I often bring to the interior design projects at Summer Thornton Design where we blend new with old, antique with modern, and so on.   Of course as Buenos Aires was originally settled it had an influx of beautiful antiques from France and Italy, and we loved seeing those pieces at the flea markets.  Check out some of the antiques and photos that we took on our trip below…

Recoletta Cemetery in Buenos Aires

Graffiti Art Painted House in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires Flea Market

Furniture at the Buenos Aires Flea Market

Buenos Aires old world architecture contrasted with contemporary graffiti

Not quite a true interior design ‘inspiration’ post, but thought we would let everyone know that I’m listing my condo for sale.  It’s definitely a bittersweet moment.  Josh and I have loved living there, but alas, it is time for a move to get a bit more space.  Sad to leave it, but hoping that someone will buy it who can enjoy it as much as we did.  It’s been such a fun place to live, and we’ve enjoyed seeing it published in so many blogs and magazines (House Beautiful, CS Interiors, Tribune Magazine, Apartment Therapy, and so many more).

If you’re curious, here are some of the things we’ve done to the place since we originally bought it back in 2007:

• Renovated the Kitchen – custom cabinetry, high-end appliances (Bertazzoni range, F&P fridge, Bosch, etc), marble countertop and shelves, mirrored backsplash, Brass and gold fixtures
• Installed new electrical and lighting in kitchen
• Added built-in bookshelves in Living Room
• Added in-unit washer and dryer (full size)
• Renovated the bathroom – new custom vanity, herringbone ceramic wall tiles, new marble mosaic floor, polished nickel fixtures, updated plumbing to all new copper (both in-unit as well as risers from the basement)
• Restored molding and trim to original condition
• Installed new closed-combustion furnace system
• And of course we decorated it…we’d even sell it furnished for the right price ;O)

• More photos can be seen on our site here.
• And of course the full real estate listing can be found here.

Can’t wait for someone else to enjoy this place as much as we have.  And the best news is, once we sell it we’ll have another project to share with you as I’ll be taking on a new home design.  So with that, if you’re in the market for a condo in lincoln park, or you know someone who is, feel free to pass it along…

Full Floor unit in the famed art deco Palmolive Building in Chicago

Inspiration:

The glamour of Art Deco 1930’s Chicago…and a little Chanel from the homeowner’s wardrobe.

The Client:

• High-power financial couple’s Chicago pied-a-terre

What we love:

• Salon style art wall in dining room with a 3D bronze horse bust
• Graphic sofa in family room casually placed below two French pole sconces
• Vintage Lucite lamps in living room perched between two blue Holly Hunt sofas
• Rock & Roll Rug in traditional wood paneled library

What we did:

Created a comprehensive interior design plan for the unit including finishes, furnishings, art, and accessories. Top-to-bottom this was a complete remodel of the home of every piece and finish.

Nestled on a quiet street in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, this single family home needed an interior with style and color to give it personality.

Inspiration:

She loves all things glam, but he’s afraid of pretentiousness.  So we found inspiration in the idea of a design that was relaxing and comfortable without sacrificing style.

What we love:

• What woman doesn’t dream of a chic dressing room filled with Louis Vuitton, Prada, Ferragamo, and Chanel?
• Can you say soaking tub?
• We’re crazy about the subtle chevron patterned curtains in the living room
• The dining room’s crisp white moldings set against the perfect blue wall color

What we did:

This new construction home had the space, but lacked the quality finishes to look truly luxurious.  So we remodeled the bathroom – removing a built-in tub and clunky cabinetry and replaced it with a clean classic look and deep soaking tub.  In the dressing room we installed custom built-in cabinetry and a one-of-a-kind dressing table.  And of course we designed a chic dining space and living room full of color and texture for entertaining friends and family.

“Sensitive people faced with the prospect of a camera portrait put on a face they think is one they would like to show the world. …Very often what lies behind the facade is rare and more wonderful than the subject knows or dares to believe.”

- Irving Penn, 1975

That statement is so true and so insightful about our society.  We all put on our best face, a bit of a facade, but underneath that is something more interesting, beautiful, quirky, and original than the surface would show.  Which is why I love Penn’s images so much – in them we’re able to get to view the subject on a deeper level when they really become interesting.  It’s when you find out something about them that few others know, or you see a moment of weakness that they become real – and its in those intimate moments that you can connect with them.  And now for what may be a big leap – I hope that is what I can do through interior design – create spaces that while beautiful and glamorous are still intimate and are a peek into the quirks and interests of my clients.

Is anyone else a fan of Irvin Penn’s photography?  His ‘corner’ series which is always copied and never duplicated is one of my favorites…how about you?

Irving Penn Photograph - "Ballet Society"

Irving Penn Corner Photograph - Duchess of Windsor

Irving Penn Photo - Igor Stravinsky

Irving Penn Photograph - Salvador Dali

Irving Penn Photo - Mrs William Rhinelander Stewart

I can only imagine a salon wall like the one I did in the Palmolive Building with Irvin Penn’s intimate images next to the more glorified/glamorous images of Slim Aarons.  Whose work do you prefer?  Or do you like them both but in different applications?

For more examples of Irving Penn’s photography, see Retronaut or for a list of Irving Penn’s books see the Irving Penn Foundation

And it’s true, he photographed some of the world’s wealthiest celebrities, jet-setters, and royalty, but somehow with a feeling of approachability and closeness.  From his NYTimes obituary it seems as though Slim had become one of them.  He was actually close to these socialites and was able to photograph them freely in situations where other photographers (and the public) were not allowed: their Palm Beach estates, private parties, terrace pools in Greece, and so on.

I came to know Slim Aarons’ photographs this past year as one of my clients purchased some prints of his.  I can’t wait to finish the rooms that his photos will hang in.  They’re modern and moody, sophisticated but not overly stuffy.  I’ve read was that Slim never used a makeup artist or a stylist in any of his photos, and that’s why I think they feel more approachable, more real than many of today’s celebrity photographs.

What do you think – do Slim’s photos feel intimate despite his subject being so glamorous?

"Poolside Gossip" in Palm Springs by Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons - "Kaufman House"

Slim Aarons - "Pop and Society" feat. Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithful, and Desmond Guinness

Slim Aarons - Eden Roc Pool @ Hotel Du Cap France

Slim Aarons - "Beauty and the Beast"

Slim Aarons - "Nice Pool" in Palm Beach

Slim Aarons - "Leisure and Fashion" - at a poolside fashion show in Palm Beach

Slim Aarons - "Jean Serpieris" - at Tour La Reine Athens

Slim Aarons - "Penthouse Pool" - in Athens

Slim Aarons - "Family Chair" - An heir sitting in HM Flagler's favorite chair in front of Flagler Museum, Palm Beach

Which is your favorite Slim Aarons photo?

If you’d like to see more, other writers’ thoughts, or even purchase his work, follow the links below:

• Staley Wise Gallery – Slim Aarons Exhibit
• Photographers Gallery (to purchase Slim Aaron prints)
• The Selvedge Yard – Slim Aarons – The Undisputed King of Hollywood Photography (includes video interviews w/Slim)
• NYTimes Obituary for Slim Aarons
• The French Sampler: Photographer Slim Aarons
• Photoshelter: Slim Aarons

Or if this put you in the Palm Beach mood – check out my post: Palm Beach Interior Design Style

Pinterest Inspiration Board for Summer Thornton

Recently I’ve found a pretty phenomenal online mood board of sorts where I’ve been keeping a lot of my interior design inspiration for projects – its on Pinterest.  If you aren’t familiar, Pinterest is basically an online inspiration or mood board that you ‘pin’ photos to digitally.  And all your facebook/twitter friends can ‘pin’ theirs too, you can see each others pins, and so on.  I’ve really come to enjoy it because sometimes I’m looking for fresh new material – new fashion looks, new color combinations, interior design inspiration, etc and a lot of really active twitter users, bloggers, and aesthetically inclined folks have adopted to pinning their favorite things.  So rather than checking every single blog, I just check the pinterest board featuring all of my friends – it shows what they’ve been pinning recently.  So fun!

If you’re curious about what I’ve been pinning – check out http://pinterest.com/summerthornton/inspiration/ for my inspiration wall.  For me I’m focused on pulling creative looks that can be reinterpreted into interior design applications…and of course I’m already pinning interiors that I love.

If you aren’t a member yet, request an invite (it just takes a day or two for them to send you access), and then start pinning away.  You can segment by all sorts of different things – food, fashion, interiors, etc – I’ve just used it as a catch-all for inspiration so far.  And of course if you log-in via twitter or facebook you can see what your friends are pinning too.

So check it out and follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/summerthornton so you can see what I’m pinning.

Oh…and if you see anything on my site that you find inspirational – whether in the inspiration blog or in one of my interior design projects – give it a pin so your friends (including me) can see!

http://pinterest.com/summerthornton/inspiration/

Gold Gilt & Mirrored Ceiling at Hotel Savoy in Moscow

Gold Gilt Columns at The Hermitage - St. Petersburg, Russia

I was looking through some photos from our trip to Russia this past summer when I noticed these two photos of gold gilt details.  The first is gold gilding on moldings and the ceiling in the dining room at the Hotel Savoy in Moscow.  The second highlights gold gilded columns at The Hermitage in St. Petersburg.  In both cases they add the shine that puts the interior design into a different level of beauty.  Certainly it is borderline tacky, and can easily cross that line in today’s interiors, but if it can walk that fine line without crossing it, gold gilding can be a gorgeous statement…

What do you think – can you see an application for using gold gilding in an interior design that isn’t a palace?  Would you put it in your own home?

Exterior Ceiling at Sacre Coeur

Ceiling at the Baccarat Crystal Museum - Paris

Gold Ceiling at St. Mark's Cathedral, Venice

Wood Library Ceiling at The Hermitage - St. Petersburg, Russia

Ceiling at the Doge's Palace - Venice

Ceiling at Doge's Palace (Venice)

Recently I’ve been noticing and admiring decorative ceilings – the photos above are from trips to Paris, Italy, and Russia where I saw a more notable use of decorating ceilings in these historic palace interiors.  So after admiring the interior design of these palaces, I’m determined to use decorative ceilings to create additional interest and intrigue in the rooms I design.  And I’m not talking about faux paintings of clouds – eek – I’m thinking of gold gilding, patterns, and wallpapers to draw your eye in a sophisticated way.

A couple months ago I completed an interior for a nursery where we wallpapered the ceiling – it took the design to a whole new level (photos to come before long).  After noticing all these beautiful ceilings it made me think, “Why are so many ceilings so boring!”  Out with the white, and in with the gold gilding and molding!  Hope you find these wild ceilings inspirational, and they push you to use all your surfaces as an opportunity to express yourself!  Personally, my favorites are the portrait-filled ceiling at the Doge’s palace in Venice and the pink and gold gild ceiling from Versaille.  What’s yours?

Palm Beach Chair

Pink Goatskin/Parchment Mirror & Console

Goatskin Parchment Cabinet Dresser

Coral dressers at Palm Beach Antique and Design Center

Shell Chandeliers @ Christa's South Antiques & Seashells

Shell Lamp from Christa's South Antiques & Seashells

Palm Beach Interior Design

Palm Beach…ahhh, where it is always 80 degrees, sunny, and the beach is never more than a few block away!  Plus, it has gorgeous gardens, great architecture, and some tasty restaurants too – all in one small island.  It’s no wonder why so many people flock there during the season – it has this distinct style that’s a blend of wealth, class, and glitz!

Last week, we took a trip ourselves for a little R&R, to do a little vintage and antique shopping, and to check out a few sources that we use for our interior design projects.  The interior design aesthetic here pushes the creative envelope with color and materials – I love it!  Mirror, goatskin, lacquer and shells – yes please!  But I also love mixing pieces from Palm Beach in to designs that aren’t all glitz – check out our Palmolive Building Interior Design or the Poolhouse we did – both include several pieces from Palm Beach.

Our leisure time was spent on the island where we laid by the pool at the Brazilian Court and rode bikes around to check out some of the houses on financial row.  Some of our favorite meals were at Buccan, Cafe L’Europe, Cafe Boulud, and Pizza al Fresco – all of which I would recommend – but Buccan was probably the best food and overall vibe for dinner while Pizza al Fresco was just great italian pizza for lunch in a cute little courtyard.  We also wanted to see a lot of the homes in the area, so we rode bikes around most of the town.  Check out the photos below to see some of the hedges that surround the homes – it’s a stunning scene and bikes are the perfect way to see it all.

As far as shopping goes, we didn’t spend much time on Worth Avenue – where the likes of Tiffany’s, Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, and so on have stores.  Instead since I’m an interior designer I spent most of our shopping time across the bridge at West Palm Beach Antiques Row on South Dixie Highway.  It’s the source of all things flashy – lacquer, goatskin, and lucite – oh my!  But if you’re in the market for something a little bit wild, there’s no better place to shop than West Palm Beach.  Where else could you find a fully mirrored grand piano (which we saw)?  So find a time during the season (winter), and head down for a visit to enjoy the weather, food, shopping and architecture.

And I’m more than glad to say that I’m taking interior design clients in Palm Beach!  Can’t wait to get back!

Hedge Archway Entry in Palm Beach

Square Hedges in Palm Beach

Hedge Lined Street in Palm Beach

Taxidermy at the St. Ouen Flea in Paris - Zebras, Ostrich and Monkey's oh my!

Taxidermy Birds

Taxidermy Museum in Paris - Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature

Taxidermy in Interior Design

One of the most visually arresting ways to add intrigue and character to a room is through the use of taxidermy.  It makes a statement as bold as the wildest wallpaper or furniture piece, as big as any super saturated color palette can do.  And what I find so interesting about taxidermy is that is can be done really well, or it can be done really poorly.  I think we’ve all seen cabins and hunting lodges that were just distastefully ‘rural’ in their design, but we’ve also seen taxidermy blended with modern twists to ensure a fresh feel.

On a recent trip to Paris we saw lots of Taxidermy.  We visited the St. Ouen Flea market where there was a vendor with tons of exotic, rare, and unusual taxidermy.  We also visited Deyrolle (a vast taxidermy shop) and Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature (which has a vast collection of exotic taxidermy from a private collection).  To the French, using taxidermy in interior design is quite chic and rarely has the resistance that it has here in the states.  You can see they have giraffe’s, zebras, and a whole slew of exotic and african taxidermy that would make the US border patrol and animal protection agencies cringe.  To the French, it is art, and a way to preserve the beauty that is nature and to showcase it within the home.  And broadly speaking, I tend to agree with them (with exceptions of course).  I can’t help but admire the beauty that is a zebra’s coat, or the wild swirling horns of a Kudu, or the unique ‘mask’ pattern that you find on a gemsbok.

And speaking of gemsboks (is that the plural of gemsbok), we just picked one up for a client, and we’re trying to talk him into a full size (entire body) piece of taxidermy as well.  Lets see if he goes for it.  Can’t wait to share the design with you all once we finish the project this winter/spring.  If you’re looking for a few other designs of ours with taxidermy, check out my home design which features two small pair of antlers, or the downtown Chicago interior design project which features some horn lamps in our portfolio.

So what’s your opinion – love or loathe the use of taxidermy in interior design?

For me taxidermy is a way to bring the beauty of the outdoors, indoors, so I have to say that when done right, I love it.

As an aside – I do want to reassure some anti-taxidermy folks that there are humane ways to acquire taxidermy.  I have a vendor who actually sources all their animals from Zoos where animals have died of natural causes.  And beyond that, I’ve actually seen a faux rhino that was so realistic I would have bet my life that it was the real thing, but in fact it was all made of plastics, clays, fiberglass, and makeup.  So if you love the look, but want to ensure no animals were harmed, that’s an option, for a certain price.

Eliseev Gastronome - Ornate Interior Grocery Store In Moscow

Grocery Store with Chandeliers (Eliseev Gastronome)

Columns and Archways at Eliseev Gastronome in Moscow

Columns and Windows at Eliseev Gastronome in Moscow

This past summer we went on a tour of a few Moscow sites.  The oil tycoons and the nouveau riche of Russia have really changed the way luxury interiors in Moscow are designed.  Sure the palaces of Russian Czar’s were grand, but who would have thought that a grocery store could be this ornate.  In fact, growing up my dad used to crack jokes about things being as ‘barren as a russian grocery store’.  Needless to say, he hadn’t visited Eliseev Gastronome in Moscow.  Things have changed thanks to the Russian oligarchs, and this grocer makes Whole Foods look like a discount grocer.

My personal favorites are the chandeliers – they are just gorgeous.  Ornate without being too formal – they still have movement and whimsy.  They remind me of my post about chandeliers in the kitchen.  The rest of the decor isn’t my personal taste, but it was amazing to see.  Worth a visit if you’re in Moscow, and great inspiration if you’re designing a restaurant or boutique retail store.  While we had nothing that we needed to buy, the sheer atmosphere caused us to buy $20/person in random snacks.

While I wouldn’t have ever thought of designing a grocery store, if I had this type of creative license it could intrigue me.  What do you think – does the decor or the interior design of your grocery store influence your mood, cause you to visit a different store, and/or change how much you purchase?