Thursday, July 23, 2009
In the Pink with Jamie Drake
One of the biggest drawbacks of marriage is that a woman is constantly forced to compromise -- not just in the big, important areas like money, but in more superficial areas as well, like home decor. While there are many joys to sharing your home with a man, it does by default restrict a girl's decorating choices. For example, few men (and Dave is no different in this respect) would sign off on a bold pink bedroom, like the one shown here, which was designed by Jamie Drake for Kip's Bay 2007. Too bad, too, because this room is a gorgeous fantasy for just about every woman I know.
Generally, I'm not what I would consider a "girly-girl" -- I tend to eschew pink in favor of blue, doilies in favor of chrome...and yet, I can't help but feel giddy about this room. It's playful and fun, but it also manages to come off as sophisticated and smart thanks to a fearless mix of serious antique furniture, modern art and a generous dose of gilt. Pink walls aside, this is definitely not a little girl's bedroom. Deep wood tones and pops of black add gravity and rich contrast to a room that might otherwise run the risk of looking (to quote one of my all-time favorite movies) "like it's been hosed down with Pepto-Bismol".
Jamie Drake is a master at using bold colors -- in fact, House Beautiful dubbed him the "King of Color" back in 2001 -- and I think a great part of his success with color is his willingness to keep a room relatively monochromatic. Even bold choices like turquoise or pink can come off as sophisticated and calming when paired with neutrals like white, ivory or even metallics.
I love the visual tension created here by pairing a very traditional and ornate inlaid wood desk with a very modern lucite and pink-upholstered chair. Pink orchids next to a white ceramic snake ups the ante further with the additional contrasts of soft and hard, safe and dangerous.
I adore this amoire -- the black lacquered trim really pops against all the pink in the room. That ceiling fixture is great, too. I think a more typical crystal chandelier would have made this room look prissy rather than edgy.
This is the bedroom of a very, strong confident woman who mixes without fear: vintage with modern, lucite with gilt, and stripes with checks. All in all, I think the room is a very sexy space. The pièce de résistance, however, has to be the gorgeous walk-in closet...or should I say, boudoir:
Be still my beating heart. Floor-to-ceiling wall of shoes? Check. Open storage to display fabulous purses? Check. Luxurious bench on which to perch and stare at all your gorgeous things? Check.
I dream of such a space. Perhaps Dave will agree to a pink closet, even if a pink master bedroom is off the table....
What about you? In what ways do you have to compromise your design style to accommodate the tastes of your spouse/partner? If you live alone, in what ways do you indulge your own design eccentricities?
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21 comments:
I live alone and everything about my house says ME.
I was thinking I might do a pink bedroom but everyone that sees my chocolate bedroom loves it so I haven't changed it yet.
I heart that room - pink done right. And I ache for a pink tweed chair!
I was in momentary pink heaven. I have never been a pink girl either. Even rebelled dressing my girls in pink. Over the last few months however, images such as these have changed my mind. I'm with you Averill, would love to have a bedroom such as that. I don't compromise much in decorating. Husband is pretty tolerant of my crazy style. I did do a guest bedroom here in Houston with a vintage 70's wallpaper (looks like a Pucci design). It has a bold orchid/pink color in it. I thought my brother in law was going to faint when I showed him his room when he came to stay from Scotland. I won't even get started about that earth shattering walk-in closet. OMG!!!
Averill, this room is one of my all-time faves. I love the way Jamie Drake is fearless with color.
Averill-I heard Jamie Drake speak last week at the Corcoran-quite a charming man. I am as girly as they come and pink is my favorite color. I was smart enough to marry a man who has no interest in interior design and is color blind. Needless to say, I do as I wish. But the only room in my house that is all pink is my dressing room that nobody goes in but me. But in other rooms I use touches of pink. Pink is my beige.
oooh la la! i swear i would keep my closet clean if it looked like the one above! i always tell the boys i am going to get my own condo down the street and just visit them with groceries every few days. if i did, i could have a bedroom like that!
SR 2: a dressing room nobody goes in but you: LUCKY! i'm sure it's crawling with chinoiserie touches! ooohhh!
That armoire! I die!
Ben and I have a very good yin-yang thing going on with design. If ever he doubts where I'm going with something - a quick, "trust me" usually buys me the time to finish the project, which he inevitably ends up liking.
Two things right now, though: He's not sure about my painting the headboards for Avery's big girl room redo, and I'm trying to figure out a way to get rid of this hideous "pirate trunk" we have from his grandparent's estate without him noticing! ;)
Oh wow, I'm loving all of the pink! And that closet is absolutely amazing! :)
OMG that closet!! Did you notice that the bench fabric matches an outfit that's in the closet? I love that the handbag storage looks like a boutique display. No pink in my house now. Hubby like darks, and I like lights. I've mostly won, but he really wanted a dark room - hence our the tiny brown guest room. Only it looks more like poo than Hershey's! :( He thinks it's cozy, I think it's dark and depressing. More decorating must be done in that space...
That closet is a dream! I know exactly what u mean. Me & my fiancee are having a serious design & decorating dilemma sprucing up our new space. Any tips on how u got ur guy to let u win more? :)
Love the closet!!! Would it have enough space for all of my Birkin bags, though? Sigh........ ;)
M - My advice is do first, ask permission second! More often than not, Dave likes what I do anyway, he just lacks the vision to see that before it's finished! :)
Ha, why do boys have to ruin all the fun??
At first glance, I thought all of the pink was overwhelming but, as you pointed out, I think Jamie Drake did a great job giving it a more grown-up vibe with the furnishings. I love that lucite desk chair -- and the closet...wow...put a cot in there and I would live in that closet :)
My hubby would never agree to a pink bedroom, but if I had my own walk-in closet he would let me design it anyway. The boudoir here is divine. Love, love, love it!
Love your post. Nicely written.
xo,
cristin
What is so amazing is that this space is in NYC - the closet is as big as the apartment of many a young person starting out their adult lives in the city.
The way to get your pink fix as an adult is to have little girls! I decorated the room of one of my girls in pink - delicate pink on the walls, a beautiful balloon shade in pink and white toile, a white blanket cover with a big pink monogram in the center, complete with matching euro. She tolerates the whole scheme now, but we have alread painted over the pink on the walls as she decided she did not like it. Oh well!
My husband doesn't give to much guidance on decor choices, but he does have veto power. I keep it fairly neutral. The bedroom is actually more on the feminine side (I am going to do a post on it soon), but because it is done in blues and whites, the color scheme does not translate as feminine, even though the scallops on the blanket cover, the curves on the mirror, and monograms on the pillows are definitely feminine touches!
Yeah, I'm in the same boat as most. My husband can over rule any major colors. But if I could, I would totally turn a room pink. Maybe I could get away with it in my vloset?
Thanks for sharing! I love every single one of these pics.
I have Jamies bedroom saved in my files too!!!
I can go for a smattering of the stronger pink colors but I think since its not doiley'd up thats my reason for loving it so much. I can love a girly room but not to live in everyday.
Congrats on your lovely desk set win & thank you for your sweet words.
Wow that is one gorgeous bedroom and closet. I adore it. I am a sort of girly girl. Okay, a total girly girl - even though my house is decorated as such, because I too am married! I have been given free reign in our guest room though, and it's totally cutesy.
Loved this post Averill!
Each space is delightfully pretty in pink :) I love the touches of gold and lucite, such as the mirror in image 02 -- so decadent against the clean wall behind. The armoire has that wow factor, with a grown-up flair. As for that closet? I don't even know where to begin...if I went in there, I don't think the jaws of life could get me out again...
I have scrolled up and down these images 5 times :)
Thank you for such a pretty and feminine post, Averill.
I am utterly speechless. It is to die for, surely. But if love this, then you might love another pink room by the "King Of Colour". It was even featured on an issue of Metropolitan Home!
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