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

BOLD FLORALS ARE BIG FOR SPRING

When it comes to floral patterns, I am drawn to particular designs that capture the spirit of my 1970's childhood. The sweet, naif and brightly colored prints of Paule Marrot, D. Porthault, Marimekko and Dek Tillet take me to a happy place. This is the very reason I was so pleased to come across Florence, this new spring design from Pomegranate, Inc. a company that makes great block printed tabletop designs. The multi-colored floral sprigs are spring personified, and grace items for tablesettings, the chef, a cozy chair and a beach tote. This way, you can keep spring alive well after the real blooms have receded into the backgound.

 Photos courtesy of Pomegranate, Inc

Francesca as napkins, come in a set of 4

Francesca as a placemat, sold in a set of 4

 Francesca as a tablecloth comes in 3 sizes

 Francesca hand towels

Francesca for the chef

Francesca for the sofa

Francesca as a boat tote for the beach

NEW BABY? THE BEST GIFT TO BRING ON YOUR VISIT

With spring comes new babies and the need for great baby gifts. So many friends have just had stork deliveries or have them on the way. When I came across this brightly colored geometric needlepoint Hand Sanitizer Cozy, I knew Jonathan Adler had created a winner. The cover slips over the hand sanitizer bottle adding instant style to an otherwise drab nursery necessity. They also make nice gifts to ward off the ever-present flu germs that have been in wide circulation this winter. Either way, every home could benefit from a dash of style when it comes to germ maintenance.

FAIREST OF THEM ALL: CODOR DESIGN

Photos courtesy of Codor

Codor Design founders interior designer and artist Tamara Codor and furniture designer Sterling Voss have partnered to create a highly imaginative series of standout mirrors. The duo, based in Seattle, Washington, create their elaborate Objet Trouve, or found objects mirrors from everything gorgeous and dramatic. The create high relief plaster casts that turn out baroque-like monochromatic white plaster and gilt mirrors like nothing I have ever seen before. Their attention to detail is unparalleled and their whimsy undeniable. Find their artistic creations on Codor Design and Dering Hall.

Jabberwoky mixes shells, musical instruments, robe and varying layered components that make quite a splash

For the musically inclined,  Ariosa layers musical notes, instruments, sunbursts and flourishes

Birds of Paradise combines shells, flowers and rare birds to great effect

A Snow Bird holds court amidst shells, small blooms and tassel swags

Charlotte, with a pig gazing down from the center of the mirror,  celebrates the classic EB White children's story. Blending white with touches of black and gold, floral sprigs, shells and a crab lend a sophisticated air to a fun theme

Mimsy is a favorite of mine, with it's Chinoiserie overtones, ovoid shape,  extended bell-festooned branches, and leafy border

Equus, created for the Frye Museum, celebrates the horse and flora and fauna that often accompany Kentucky Derby winners. Gilded and painted plaster elevate the Equus.

Grand and gestural, the Golden Peacock mirror is a statement piece bar none

Classical admirers will fall for Small Gold and it's bird and leaf theme

LUMINOUS LANTERNS

I love the ethereal glow masses of lanterns provide. When hung from varying heights in multiples, the effect makes a heavenly statement. Paper lanterns en masse have made the wedding decoration rounds, but this same idea also works well in a more permanent setting. World's Away has created a Ball Pendant from capiz shells, that when illuminated display the shell's patterns in the most wonderful glow. Why not hang them over a dining table or an entry for instant drama. 

Get glowing!

Photo courtesy of PB Teen

For a more classic globe version, PB Teen (yes, you read that right) has these stunning linear Faceted Capiz Pendants. The price is right and they lend a sophisticated air to their surroundings.