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Oscar de la Renta Children's Collection Has Launched!

Oscar de la Renta has launched his first children's collection.   The legendary designer is bringing his signature feminine style to the kiddie set just in time for Easter and Spring Cotillions.

The collection includes party dresses with girly tie-backs and mother-of-pearl buttons with a hint of tulle, pleated gingham ensembles and more casual summer and beach dresses.   There are tunics, beach coverups, bathing suits, blouses, shorts and leggings.  His designs feature peter pan collars, exquisite smocking, rick rack trim and some fabulous Liberty of London floral patterns.  For boys there are rompers, polos, blazers, bathing suits, shorts and trousers.  The designs are reminiscent of my old favorites from Papo d'Anjo (now defunct, which was disappointing) and Best & Company.  Take a look at the collection here!  Women's Wear Daily reported that Catherine Monterio de Barros, the founder and designer of Lisbon-based Papo d'Anjo has been brought on board as Vice President of design for the new collection. What do you think of the collection?

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Kate Moss at the Ritz Paris

I received an email in my inbox yesterday from Vogue with the subject "Kate Moss at the Ritz Paris".  I had to open it, because it brought back a memory of staying at the Ritz Paris just last May and dining opposite Kate and her boyfriend in the garden.   In the April issue of Vogue, editors and photographer Tim Walker give readers a glimpse of Kate Moss in couture at the Ritz one last time before it closes its doors for renovation.   It was fun to see Kate in the spread by Vogue in all of the places we dined -- I love her fabulous hat in L'Espadon, where we had one of our best meals on the trip.  Read the full Vogue article here.

 

 

The first floor spanning "Imperial Suite".  This was the room that Karl Lagerfield took over for his 1996 couture collection.  There are fabulous tales in the article of Lagerfield, Valentino and others staying at the Ritz during fashion week each year.

Wow!  It's the "Flower Room"at the Ritz.  If you've ever stayed there, you'll know how spectacular the flowers are and now I know where they come from!  Vogue explains that floral designer Djordje Varda leads a team of five florists who arrange 10,000 blooms each week.  There is nothing like fresh flowers!

Kate Moss in the Coco Chanel suite bathroom wearing Balenciaga.  I wrote last year about the fabulous bathroom I had at the Ritz Paris - read the article here.

Kate Moss wearing Armani Prive in the Coco Chanel suite of the Ritz.  

Kate wearing Giambattista Valli - I love this photo because you see how grand this hotel is, how huge the rooms are and just how tiny Kate Moss is.

As if Kate's romp through the Ritz in this article isn't fabulous enough, the editors take you back in time through the Vogue archives to past features on the Ritz!  Look at this fabulous sketch by illustrator "Eric" for Vogue's August 1936 issue showing women in hats at the Ritz Bar:

Check out the full archives here.   I miss the Ritz already and can't wait to see it renovated!  The renovation will take 27 months and from what I hear, the entire staff will be laid off during that period.  The hotel was founded in 1898 and it has only had one renovation, in 1979.  It's time!

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Fiat Jolly - The Ultimate Beach Ride!

One of my favorite blog entries from the past was the one I did on Nantucket beach cars.  I took the photos myself and had a lot of fun when I was on Nantucket grabbing my camera when I spotted a favorite.  If you haven't read the entry, check it out here.  Beach or "summer" cars are always fun to see and especially fun to ride in or own.  There's nothing like having an open-air car for long, leisurely drives along the coast!  Imagine yourself with a gorgeous Hermes silk scarf in your hair, wearing fabulous oversized sunglasses,  and with an equally gorgeous significant other seated with you, on your way to lunch at Eden Roc.

Take a look at the simply charming cars below --the Fiat "Jolly".  They almost look like some of the pedal cars we sell for kids, only they were very real cars intended for adults!   They were also called La Spiaggina or the "beachette" (how apropos!).  They came with wicker seats and were used as beach cars, estate 'roundabouts', yacht tenders and golf carts.  Since there were so many beachfront cities and resorts along the Mediterranean Sea, these beach buggy cars became quite popular. Celebrities such as Airstotle Onassis, Yul Brynner and the late Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli used them.  They were sold in the United States between 1958 and 1961 and remained popular through the late 60's.  (They weren't inexpensive)  The cars came in pink, coral, white, pale yellow and sky blue.

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This is a more modern day version -- the Fiat Panda Jolly.  It tootled around the island of Capri a few years ago, shuttling VIP tourists around to their various destinations.  Adorable!  Do any of you have a fabulous beach car?

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Pin It to Win It! Enter our Fantasy Patio & Garden Contest

Join us on Pinterest!  Pin it to Win it! Pin your favorite patio and garden items from The Well Appointed House (www.wellappointedhouse.com) on Pintrest and organize your board for us according to the terms below and you may win $500 towards products!

Once you have joined Pinterest, be sure to install the "Pin It' button into your browser and get busy pinning our products!  Good luck!  -Melissa Hawks

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Tory Burch's Southampton Home

If you don't subscribe to Vogue, you've surely missed the fabulous spread by Hamish Bowles on Tory Burch's elegant Southampton home.  I'm always impressed by women who stylishly balance family and career, and Tory never seems to miss a beat in anything she does.  Whether it's dressing herself, her runway or her home -- her choices are spot on.  She needs to not only create a home suitable for family living, but also, of course, one that is ready for it's editorial close up.  The home itself is spectacular, and right up my alley, so the spread caught my attention.  Its grandeur and history reminded me of my own home here in Greenwich and the home my father grew up in - in Westchester - which was built by famed architect Rosario Candela and had fish ponds, ten acres, an elevator. a pet alligator (which I hear unfortunately didn't last long) and enough rooms that they were given names by color.  There was a familiarity... Burch's Southampton estate was designed in 1929 by architects Hiss & Weekes (my house was built in 1912).   I was impressed by her layers and layers of colors, patterns, materials, old and new.  Some of the interiors may seem to be a bit much (the solarium, for example) - but any of you who are familiar with life in Southampton know that the room is perfect for a day of lounging with stacks of books, comfortable seating and soothing colors in which to while away the time.  I enjoyed her pairing of sisal, porcelain, coral, bamboo, and a busy wallpaper -- it all ends to the relaxed sense of elegance.  The house was originally decorated by Elsie Sloan Farley and Burch worked with longtime collaborator/architect/designer Daniel Romualdez and decorator Eve Hood.  I think she succeeds in making the home open and inviting.  Take a look at the photos for yourself and read the Vogue article for all of the details! Interiors photographed by Francois Halard and portraits by Norman Jean Roy:

She's made a classic choice in planters by her front door.  Get the look -- check out our wooden planter:

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Gracie Glamour

Those of you who regularly read the blog, may recall that I am a big fan of Gracie wallpaper.  I had it in the dining room of my previous home in Westchester.  I had it backed in muslin and removed when I moved.  That is no easy process and must be done by a professional.  There were slight repairs and patchwork needed to the remaining wall, which we completed before moving, but overall it was quite painless and I left with my hand painted wallpaper!  It's an heirloom and worth saving.  I have had the old Gracie stored away in rolls in my current home for two years and we are now installing it again, so stay tuned!  It's an amazing process and I'll have to share photos so that you can see this paper in two very different spaces once this project is complete!

If you read Vanity Fair Magazine, as I do, you may have seen the very glamorous March 2012 cover.  It was just on newsstands and featured some of our favorite Hollywood ladies...the "Fresh Young Stars of 2012".  This included Jessica Chastain, who I got to see at the NYC premiere and party for "Take Shelter" last year.  A friend was the producer and we were lucky to be invited and to see such a talented actress in what was sure to be a big year for her (2011).  The VF cover featured yet another star in the making, Gracie's Pewter Tea Leaf wall covering (GT-2) which shined brightly in the background!  Enjoy!

It's gorgeous! Enjoy!

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Stairway to Style

Stairways are literally the connecting force in the house, which means they are the perfect spot to define your home's style and leave an impact. Here are some examples of homeowners who got it right in showing their personality and creating a cohesive look.

The stairs here don't overpower the space and allow the other accents, like the rug and fabulous console and bench to take the spotlight, however it also isn't a throwaway.  The upholstered stairs still leave way for the black painted wood to shine through, which picks up nicely with the amazing tiled floor.

 Absolutely love the idea of mixing up different wall art in different sizes and compositions.  The detailing in the avant garde banister is another lovely touch.  Shop the insane collection of wall art from The Well Appointed House to get inspired with some mixing and matching of your own.

Try mixing a black and white framed photograph that moves....

with a portrait with a twist....

and a classic still with...

a California classic and...

a print that makes you look twice.

A strong sense of color is what really makes these two examples shine.  The black lacquer is super chic while the pop of pink is unexpected, charming, bold and very modern.

 Get that ultra modern look with these chairs that make a statement all on their own (but would also look killer next to the right stairway).

The iconic egg chair would fit in perfectly tucked next to a spiral stair case that demands attention.

The Mimi chair brings in an element of the traditional with it's wood base and clean ivory upholstery, but it's unique shape makes it one of a kind.

This stainless steel staircase is a great idea for a man's den.

 Lastly, one of my favorite from above, this stairway eases into the room it's apart of and the non-fussy shades of white with black and white photographs makes for a very zen-chic space.  Which are your favorites? -Gabrielle Katz, The Well Appointed House

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