THE GLORIOUS BLOOMS OF ELLIE CASHMAN WALLPAPER

Photos courtesy of Ellie Cashman

Again, I turn to flowers for inspiration in this winter lull, this time, to luscious blooms so realistic, you can't believe they are not growing out of a dark and mysterious garden rather than from a wallpaper's flat surface.  Brazen, bold and beautiful, there is an undeniable allure to the bloom-festooned Dark Floral wallpaper from the Rhode Island raised Amsterdam-based artist Ellie Cashman. Set against a striking black background, lush life-life flowers pulsate from the wall, with a highly dimensional, almost 3-D impact. Designed by Ellie Cashman, and her best-known paper, the shadows and light create a photographic/painterly effect . How does she create this effect? It starts with a a photograph that is painted, then scanned and reworked with digital manipulation.  As an artist, Cashman's muse is the flower, to her, "they are not only beautiful, but powerful symbols that express the full range of human experience." I like the idea of pairing the papers with minimalist, clean-lined furniture, it seems to contrast well with the weighty, lush flowers, in all their Dutch master painting-inspired glory. You can find Cashman's designs on her website, alongside other Netherlands-influenced floral prints.

Dark Floral, in all its moody splendor.

Another view, where you notice the pops of the white blooms and the way certain areas recede into darkness.

LIKE A VISIT TO AN ARBORETUM: THE DELICATE FLORAL PRINTS OF FERRAN

Ferran New York began as a company that fashioned raincoats and printed handbags out of highly patterned and colorful printed fabrics.  I still use my Ferran printed tote from years ago, I refuse to retire it. The company, founded in 2000, shifted their focus to bedding and pillows over the past few years, with an emphasis on pretty florals and graphic tracery. Modernized globally-inspired prints, which now appear on wallpapers, have an old-world sensibility, with hand blocked designs created by designer and Creative Director Kathryn Ferran Kayajan. Her travels inspire the lifestyle point of view and seasonal color shifts seen in the American-made hand-screened prints. Mainly pastels, the sophisticated, intricate patterns add impact with their delicate leaves, full blooms and classic architectural details.

The Bursa Collection of bedding and pillows is the newest, and my new favorite for their complex, tiny designs.

Bursa Willow print

The Ottoman assortment

Chinois Parterre captures blooming flower branches in robust colors

A detail of the Parterre in French grey

 Chiswick, an English-inspired collection

Exuberant Dahlias

A great summer pattern, Java Hydrangea

GLAMOUR GAL MISS MARY MCDONALD CHANNELS THE CLASSICS FOR F. SCHUMACHER

  Photos courtesy of Schumacher

Los Angeles - based interior designer Mary McDonald knows a thing or two about glamour.  She adores fashion and accessories as well as creating interiors with an old-world luxe decorating details. She first garnered attention with her neo Hollywood Regency femme style in 2001.  Ingrid Abramovitch wrote a story on her LA home for House and Garden, and it graced the cover. Her chic/femme gray and white bedroom set the glamorous stage for what was to come. When Bravo came calling with Million Dollar Decorator, she was ready. Now legions of adoring fans know how fun, endearing and fabulous Mary is. Anyone with 7 pugs has to be, right? 

Mary recently launched a classics-adapted-for-today fabric and trim collection for F. Schumacher. Looking to Chinoiserie motifs and couture details she often uses in her work, a collection was born. Graphic geometric patterns with prints, climbing flowering branches, re-colored Bargello flamestitch, combined with fretwork applique elements and more, this line that is an ode to all her favorite things, especially spectacular color.

Schumacher's launch event for Mary's fabrics included large blue and white vases filled with fabric bolts, pillows made up in her designs, and framed images of her trims.

Floor to ceiling length screens were covered in her Chinois Palais floral scenic fabric

A peach and cream interior showcasing a variety of designs used together

Panels of Chinois Palais with a wonderful wide border used on the leading edge

HERE IS AN ASSORTMENT OF COLLECTION STANDOUTS:

Chinois Palais with a wide geometric tape trim in a darker shade of orange.  Reminiscent of a painted Chinese tea paper, the classic climbing flowering branches with birds recall English and French rooms of the 1960's and 70's, like Pauline de Rothschild's Paris apartment Horst photographed in 1969.

 Chinois Palais in Lettuce is a favorite

 Chinois Palais in Tangerine

 Chinois Palais in Blush Conch

Chinois Palais in Aquamarine

The chic combo of navy and cream

Garden of Persia in Bleu Marine, a mirror image print of stylized leaves and flowers inspired by a Persian carpet

Garden of Persia in Bittersweet

Garden of Persia in Blush Conch

A dramatic paring of red and black is so Mary

A rich cut velvet adds texture and pattern. Vanderbilt Velvet in Noir is a geo with incredible punch

Sometimes you need a solid with texture with a subtle pattern. Honeycomb Matelasse in Ruby has an all-over woven hexagonal pattern that can be applied in a myriad of ways

Honeycomb also comes in this vivid Lettuce green

Shades of Dove grey mix well with minty Aquamarine

Bargello in Blush takes this classic pattern to a new place.  The pattern used to be seen as fuddy duddy, but in fresh updated colors, it gets a new lease on life

Inspired by a 17th Century document fabric, Villa de Medici is a linen damask with climbing branch and stylized flowers. Shown in Blush

As a soft feminine pattern, this can integrate well with other pale pastel hues that are big this season,  such as this Aquamarine

The addition of appliques to the collection provides a nice way to get creative. Mary is a big fan of  passementerie, so it is fitting to have a capsule collection of pieces with a host of versatile uses.

Shanghai Applique used on a fabric

Shanghai Applique in Bittersweet

Madame Wu Applique on a chair skirt is an unexpected way to add a graphic detail

Utilizing her favorite graphic motifs, wide tape trims play on the classic Greek Key and interlocking geometrics in fun colors

FLOWER POWER: TOMMY MITCHELL'S TOLE BOTANICALS

Delicate petals made of metal form the tole botanicals from Tommy Mitchell. I have shown his designs before here, and you may have seen them at Bergdorf Goodman or Mary Mahoney in Palm Beach. At his inaugural gift show, see his potted flower creations on display. I hope this will mean you will see his flowers in many more wonderful stores. Placed on gilded brackets against a silver and white bamboo patterned wallpaper, the varied assortment of blooms including lily of the valley, thistle, auricula, hyacinth and orchid plants. He can do custom vases and pieces, just ask. Swing by and see his flowers at Pier 94 booth 44045. They are the perfect antidote to winter.

A mini lily of the valley in a mercury glass vase.

Blooms in a new metallic finish gleam in silver and gold painted creations.

Mitchell has garnered a loyal following for his pastel florals.


Create a totally different look with pots that range from mercury glass to woven metals.

Terra cotta planters have a rustic simplicity to them.