Love: Mirrors over Mirrors

...for their depth, sparkle and easy way to update decades-old plate mirror. More commonly found in bathrooms (really)?, don't overlook opportunities to add a smaller mirror in front of a larger one - your gut will tell you if it works. A small sample of ideas follows:

Simple His 'n Hers

Convex shape, frame and museum cord are a great foil for plate mirror 



Venetian mirror also a nice pattern addition



Love everything about this dining room! Framing out the plate mirror also a good idea...



Shape, finish and bevel make this fabulous

...and the treatment can whisper, as well...

Had to throw this in: love art hung in front of mirrors!

 

 

Image credits:drivenbydesign,traditionalhome,littleapple,mynottinghillblogspot,thecubaninmycoffee

Love: Dining Rooms That Aren't a One-Trick Pony

Unless you host a lot of sit-down dinners, that particular piece of real estate doesn't have to be a static room in your home. Think about other purposes that would serve you and design accordingly. I did one as an escape-from-sports-TV room using a fully upholstered curved settee, a Harden Hi-Lo round table and two slipper lounge chairs. This space also had a TV/console and the table is set at cocktail height, but raise it and pull up the comfy chairs and dine in comfort...I've also done one where I re-purposed a Williamsburg settee and swapped out three side chairs; softened up all that matching wood!
Here are some other ideas:

One of my all-time favorites - books are always in style and a round table ideal for cards or intimate gatherings

Similar idea with a transitional style

A modern multi-purpose room

So feminine and great blending of dining and living areas

Dining room? Game room?

Love: One-of-a-kind Hand-knotted Rugs

Ok, so this flirts with shameless store promotion....but we just swapped out all of our rugs for a new crop from our importer in NY....and these rugs are yummy! Camera and monitor colors won't do justice here; you'll just have to trust me - the colors are fresh and different. Tip: if you plan on using a hand-knotted rug, start by falling in love with one first and plan the room around it...far more fabrics to choose from than there are rugs.

Love: The Right Lamps...

..as they serve as the jewelry in the room. Each room composition is unique and they can either play a supporting role or be the sculptural star. I'm a fan of using identical lamps to flank a sofa, but different end tables from the same collection (as long as their heights are within an inch of each other)...too much symmetry creates tension in a room... My only rule is to never have the eye see a bulb when sitting or standing, decorative bulb lamps notwithstanding... Some great offerings below:

Images: curreyandcompany.com,wildwoodlamps.com,arteriorshome.com