A Deliciously Charming Afternoon with Martyn Lawrence Bullard

Yesterday at the Washington Design Center I had the pleasure of  attending a presentation by the nothing less than amazing, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, a face made famous by the hit Bravo TV Series, Million Dollar Decorators.

I  adore Martin Lawrence Bullard's  designs.  His new collection for Schumacher is an adventurous use of color, texture, pattern and scale, inspired by his exotic travels around the world.

 

The Sinhala print is a re-imaging of a classic Northern Indian motif The Tree of Life, an image deeply rooted in the belief that all things on our planet are interconnected. Bullard breathes new life into this culturally recognized design by introducing vivid colors and a new sense of scale.  It feels fresh, current and classic all at once.  I recently used this print for chairs in a client's living room and it truly brings great energy to the space.

 Sinhala Linen Print in Bittersweet

Sikar Embroidery in Citrus

 Adras Ikat print in Jewel


A few of my favorite interiors by Martyn Lawrence, there are so many...

Martyn signed copies of his new design book, Live, Love & Decorate. His sweet and delightfully funny personality won us all over.  My favorite quote from the day was when Martyn reminded us to "always pay attention to our surroundings" A simple truth that applies to all areas of our life.

Before and After!

Hello-

2011 has been quite a whirl wind! I have had a wonderful year so far with some very exciting projects that have kept me quite busy. In addition, I was named "Hot Rising Talent" by Home & Design Magazine. I am so honored to be included in this great publication. I thought it would be fun to share new pictures of a project that I completed last year and recently had professionally photographed. I included “before” pictures to show the total transformation of a traditional Queen Anne Victorian residence into a fresh casual home suitable for a young family. The project was a blast to work on and I am excited to show you the results!


Previously the Entry Hall had burgundy walls, no overhead lighting and an awkward layout. I papered the walls in a soft linen backed paper, converted a functionless vestibule into a new coat closet, designed a custom lighting plan and furnished the space with a combination of custom and retail furnishings. 

After:

The Kitchen had great bones but needed help living up to its potential. The cabinets had great shape but were painted in a beige strie that was chipping. The countertops were in a matching beige stone with a dated edge profile. I painted the cabinets bright white, installed new marble countertops and painted a custom stripe on the floor. A fun oversized light fixture over the central island was the finishing touch for the transformation.

After:

The Living Room had canary yellow walls and design details that did not match the architecture of the home. I enclosed the awkward opening over the fireplace and removed light boxes that broke up the walls. By painting the walls, adding overhead lighting and custom millwork to accommodate a large book collection, the room was transformed into an approachable and light filled living space for family of six.

The finished product!

The Family Room was previously used as the formal dining room. The client did not want to dedicate such a large space to entertaining. Once again, the room was dark and dreary. I painted the walls a neutral color, installed wall to wall sea grass and custom lighting. In the corners of the room I converted a corner cupboard into a desk for the client and designed a matching desk on the opposite wall for the children.  New upholstery, coupled with a combination of contemporary tables and antique chests give the room a unique and comfortable aesthetic. 

I hope you enjoy these. If you would like help with your home please contact me at mmeyer@meyerinteriors.com.

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Happy New Year!

Hello and Happy New Year! 2011 has already been a whirlwind for me with two new projects on the horizon and an appearance on Martha Stewart Living Radio. In addition, I put together a presentation board for a garden room in a local show house. My concept was a "Green" Garden Room paying attention to environmentally friendly practices while adding an Eastern flair. I pulled inspiration from designer Mary McDonald's whimsical and sophisticated installations. In the process of searching for pieces I came across so many fabulous options and I thought I would share some with you! 

This is a "before" image of the room. In an effort to be "green" I proposed re-using the existing upholstered walls and updating them with light furniture and bright accessories:

  

I love this over scale Niermann Weeks lantern and imagine it hanging in the center of the room:

 I found this vintage gold faux bamboo mirror on one of my favorite websites 1st Dibs.com:

  

Another fun pair from 1st Dibs: 

 This one is from an artist on Etsy and the $35 price tag can not be beat:

I used these side chairs on a project this summer and am obsessed with them! Their rough finish would pair perfectly with this bright Palm Beach inspired print by Oscar de la Renta for Lee Jofa:

 I bought these Foo Dogs at the Mclean Antiques Show this fall. They pick up the bright blue in the existing wall fabric and add a sense of whimsy:

 These antique bone pagodas would also be great accents lending height:

It was a fun a lot of fun to fantasize about this concept and put together the board. Fingers crossed!

Frederick Antiquing

One of my favorite fall weekend activities is heading out of town to go antiquing. A few weeks ago our destination was Frederick, Maryland. We left mid-day and headed directly to The Loft at AI and instantly found a number of items that were worth the drive. This chair and ottoman reminds me of the wicker suite of furniture that I painted black this spring for my back yard. It feels much more updated and transitional than original white. Adding fresh upholstery will make these suitable for a more urban installation. I'm thinking white cushions with bright contrast piping.

The Loft had plenty of garden ornaments; this set of stone markers was particularly tempting. I imagine these in an English garden surrounded by well-groomed boxwood and lush lawn.

This twig chandelier reminds me of the one by Wish Designs which we recently installed in a turn of the century Victorian in upper Georgetown.

We opted for one painted white to reflect the neutral palette of the home.
 

By far the most spectacular item that I found was this antique Chinoiserie secretary at the Antiques Emporium in downtown Frederick. This fabulous piece was in pristine condition and literally made my mouth water. I have visions of projects that I could use this for, but mostly it made me think of Charlotte Moss's guest room in her home in Manhattan home which was inspired by a Chinoiserie writing table. 

Other pieces that stood out are this faux bamboo arm chair.

19th century elephant lamp.

Very sweet little french country bergere chair.

I must confess shopping was not the only draw. We planned the trip around a long awaited dinner at Michael Voltaggio's aptly named restaurant, Volt. Most people are familiar with Mr. Voltaggio from his run as a finalist on Bravo's Top Chef. We had heard rave reviews about Volt and were excited to try it with our good friends Scott & Kevan.  Here I am enjoying a glass of wine in the bar after a long day!

I would love to hear about some of your favorite places to go antiquing--please share!

Indulge

Last week I stopped by one of my favorite shops and saw these fabulous Murano bowls.

They instantly reminded me a cover of Australian Vogue that I have held on to for years that features the most wonderful collection of Murano bowls and is titled "Indulge".

What perfect verbiage to describe these sensational pieces that are rich in color, luster and form! The antique mirror commode that they are sitting on is not too shabby either. I am a true sucker for Italian glass as it conjures up memories of my Grandmother's dressing table and the beautiful pieces my Grandfather brought back from trips to Italy. It also made me realize that I still have not unpacked my own collection since we moved. Tonight I will be knee deep in boxes trying to unearth these little treasures! Locally, I generally find the best vintage pieces at Mike Johnson's fabulous mid-century store Sixteen Fifty Nine.

While I think the bowls are fabulous, I adore Murano lamps and chandeliers as well:

The way light plays off the coloration is sensational and they make an interest accent in any style home. I am always on the lookout for any accent piece that can transcend specific styles and bring excitement to an installation.

This weekend I saw these adorable Murano ducks at the McLean Antiques Show—they were very tempting!

Oscar de La Renta Home Presentation at Lee Jofa

What a fabulous morning I had at the Washington Design Center witnessing once again the powerful bond between fashion and interior design. Stephen Elrod, Creative Director for Lee Jofa presented their new collection from Oscar de la Renta and discussed Mr. de la Renta’s collaboration with color enthusiast Miles Redd.  I am a huge fan of his mastery of color—so bold! I admire his courage to introduce bold strokes while maintaining a neutral and transitional sensibility:

 

The new collection was inspired by patterns from the runway and invoked Mr. Redd’s spirited palette. It is also reflective of Mr. de la Renta’s personal interior preference, an English country vernacular as you can see from this beautiful pattern:

One of my favorites fabrics is a cotton/felt reminiscent of English billiard cloth. It comes in the most luxurious color ways and reminds me of his Cinnamon Double Face Alpaca Coat from the fall 2010 collection.

I was lucky enough to win the raffle of Inspired Style—Lee Jofa/Kravet’s book "Inspired Styles" chronicling the numerous designers who have worked on collections for the fabric houses. If you have not had a chance to pick up this book I recommend that you do. My friend and fellow designer Iantha is pictured with me below holding onto my winnings!

For more information or to schedule a design consultation please visit my  website at: www.meyerinteriors.com