Wallpaper woes

So, I promised to show some pretty wallpapers today - and I did find a few... but, man, was it hard to browse the options online! 

First, I hit up Inside Fabric, because I knew they carried some wallpaper.  But - as with fabrics on their site, browsing is not much fun.

I think stenciling is more likely to give my mom the look she is going for - a subtle tone on tone repeat pattern - perhaps with a pearly sheen (similar to the inspiration photo I posted yesterday).  But, thinking outside the box a little, I rounded up a few wallpapers with a pictoral design that I could see working nicely in my parents' dining room. 
 

Cole & Sons
This beautiful bird/floral print is reminiscent of hand-painted De Gournay wallpapers, which I would absolutely love to use one day.  The colors would work so well with the pale green walls in my parents' home.

Cole & Sons
I always like seeing photos of dining rooms with bookcases - and trompe l'oeil can really inject humor into a traditional space.  This would be unexpected and quirky, but sophisticated and pretty at the same time.

Schumacher
When I first came across Schumacher's Opera, I was completely charmed.  This would just be so perfect for my conductor dad and opera singer mom!  EDIT:  I must have dreamt that this pattern came in wallpaper, because when I went back to locate it (even clickling on the link above), I realized that I had been looking at cotton fabric.  This doesn't mean that it couldn't be used as a wallcovering - I have seen many wonderful examples of upholstered walls - and apparently, it is easy to do with liquid starch, and does not damage the walls upon removal.  But, apologies for any confusion!

After getting frustrated going page by page by page on Inside Fabric, I did a little googling and found this blog post, which lists a few wallpaper websites.  Farrow & Ball has lots of beautiful, classic designs - any of these would be lovely.

Farrow & Ball.

Farrow & Ball

Farrow & Ball

Walnut Wallpaper's site is the easiest to navigate and has many fun and colorful designs... but, I think they're all a little too wild for Mom & Dad... so, I'll save those for another day.

Anyone have any recommendations for internet wallpaper resources?

Hope you have a great weekend and Happy 4th!

Washington Design Center's Dream Home - part 2

Today, I'm featuring the second half of the Washington Design Center's Dream Home - Jewel Tones of Design.  It will be open through December 9th, so if you're in town - go see it!

5.  Club Room by Savant Interior Design.  Jewelry by Pampillonia Jewelers.

I've always been a fan of canary diamonds.  In person, these are breathtaking.

Favorite elements in this space are the filigree rug and standout cabinet.

I like the stenciled wall panels.  I've seen so much great use of stenciling lately, I'm tempted to try it.

6.  Bedroom Suite by Zoe Feldman Design.  Jewelry by Shah & Shah Appraisers.

The dramatic mouldings, marbleized wallpaper and full-length bolster pillow were the elements that stood out most to me in this room.  The round-backed wicker chair brings back memories of my childhood crafts -- miniature versions of the same style chair (decorated with eyelet trim and silk flowers) served as "thrones" for my teddy bear kings and queens.

Love the table - it would be spectacular in a foyer topped with a dramatic floral arrangement.

7.  Reading Room by Robert Shields Interiors.  Jewelry by Chas. Schwartz & Son.

This is a 1925 Art Deco diamond and emerald Egyptian Revival brooch used as a clasp for a strand of grey Tahitian pearls.



Robert Shields explained how he translated his inspiration piece into the angled column bookcases -- a tribute to ancient Egyptian temples. Having lived and travelled in Egypt, I particularly appreciated the reference.



8.  Bedroom by Chad Alan Designs.  Jewelry by Tiny Jewel Box.

This necklace is -- hands down -- my favorite of the eight inspiration pieces!

The beauty of this room is in the details.  There is some serious creativity at play.

The fireplace wall is the reverse side of mirrored glass - treated to create the strie effect.

This is the piece de resistance... the leafy design on the wallpaper was hand-applied by the designer - using STAPLES.  I was really blown away by this - it looked amazing, and was so unique.  Apologies for the blurry image - I had to crop this to show the detail.

Hope you enjoyed the tour.  This was my second visit to a design house - and I think I'm hooked.  I can't wait to see the 2011 DC Design House, opening April 9th.  Lauren Liess of Pure Style Home (one of my favorite blogs) is designing a room for it.