Mother’s Day. A day to treat one’s self as a mother, whether of children or furry ones. And/or a day to honor your Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, or any other divine being kind enough to treat you in a maternal way. When I think about it, there have been many: neighbors, friends, colleagues, teachers, relatives. It’s also a day to feel honored for the opportunity to be a Mother. Now that is a cause for celebration.
BLUE AND WHITE TEXTILES, CHINOISERIE & POTTERY
Chronicles from a Well Lived House...
I’ve been into the blues lately…
The above swatches are some of my recent favorites, all from SCHUMACHER except the grayish swirl fabric by Kate Spade for Kravet. I Love the soft grays in the mix. That might be a nice direction for next Fall.
Last Spring I did a collection with THE ENCHANTED HOME that we never really formally introduced. A softer, more watery palette with light blues and aquas that I think is pretty lovely for Spring.
Pick a floral pattern or “anchor” fabric that you love like this VECCHIO SPA, and pull out the colors that speak to you like lavender, turquoise, green, gray…
How lovely is this pattern in curtains? (I am working on a curtain program for Spring…)
This HARU in Bluebell would also be lovely as curtains. This is a really large scale pattern:
As you can see in this pillow from STUDIO TULLIA:
The pictures below feature the front and back porch of Tina (of THE ENCHANTED HOME)’s newly built home in Palmetto Bluff, SC.
The lovely linen floral VECCHIO SPA with the JALISA coordinating pillows look so inviting with the blue shutters, topiary and bench above.
BLUE & WHITE POTTERY (as shown above from WS HOME) is a great layer to add to a blue and white color scheme. The cobalt pigment is one of the very few that can withstand the highest firing temperatures that are required, in particular for porcelain, which partly accounts for its long-lasting popularity
Blue and white decoration first became widely used in Chinese porcelain in the 14th century, after the cobalt pigment for the blue began to be imported from Persia. It was widely exported, and inspired imitative wares in Islamic ceramics, and in Japan, and later European tin-glazed earthenware such as Delftware and after the techniques were discovered in the 18th century, European porcelain. Blue and white pottery in all of these traditions continues to be produced, most of it copying earlier styles. For more information on blue and white pottery go HERE
(per Wikipedia)
You may also find a wonderful collection of porcelainware sets for sale at THE ENCHANTED HOME:
And here are some pillows from THE PAGODA COLLECTION that we curated together a year or so ago, beautifully displayed at her home in New York, that still look as fresh as ever:
A lovely floral fabric by Schumacher on the chairs and pillow below with coordinating prints and plaids in this room by ALEXANDER REA:
The use of CHINOISERIE, seen in the decorative arts since the 17th century, is still as classic as the combination of blue and white.
Chinoiserie (English: /ʃɪnˈwɑːzəri/, French: [ʃinwazʁi]; loanword from French chinoiserie, from chinois, “Chinese”) is the European interpretation and imitation of Chinese and East Asian artistic traditions, especially in the decorative arts, garden design, architecture, literature, theatre, and music.[1] The aesthetic of Chinoiserie has been expressed in different ways depending on the region. Its acknowledgement derives from the current of Orientalism, which studied Far East cultures from a historical, philological, anthropological, philosophical and religious point of view. First appearing in the 17th century, this trend was popularized in the 18th century due to the rise in trade with China and East Asia.[2]As a style, chinoiserie is related to the Rococo style.[3] Both styles are characterized by exuberant decoration, asymmetry, a focus on materials, and stylized nature and subject matter that focuses on leisure and pleasure. Chinoiserie focuses on subjects that were thought by colonial-era Europeans to be typical of Chinese culture. – Definition from WIKIPEDIA
This is a gorgeous room featuring chinoiserie wallpaper in a Texas home done by MILES REDD:
And another gorgeous example as seen in Architectural Digest:
I first saw this room by Celerie Kemble and Kristen Wilson in THE BULLETIN by SCHUMACHER last Fall. The details and subtleties of colors are so exquisite. And the brighter cobalt chinoiserie panels are a nice contrast to the softer blues.
SCHUMACHER TEXTILES:
CITRUS GARDEN works with so many colors and coordinates…
Though I feel I’ve been in an eternal slumber for the last few weeks with the ever present gray light and rainy weather in Portland, I am hopeful that February is almost over and then we are through the worst of the Winter doldrums. Spring, here we come.
MORE FROM THE BLOG
How do handmade mugs, fine crystal, creature comforts like tea and gin, all while supporting handmade artisans selling on Etsy, sound for Mother’s Day?
Some Fabrics Reach Iconic Status, like Mille Fleur
Hello my Lovelies, I am such a fan of this fabric. MILLE FLEUR by Lee Jofa in color way Denim. One of Lee Jofa's oldest patterns brought back as part of their 200th anniversary, with a palette as 2024 as you can get. This pattern is both iconic and timeless. "Drawn...
