Black & White is always in style  whether we are  wearing it or sitting on it!

Black and White Marble top gametable with Cowhide and Faux Black Armadillo chairs on casters

They add strength and character to most any home regardless of their style.  Whether contemporary, traditional, or Old World Italian, there is usually a place it can add to the richness of the room. 

Here are a couple of examples that  have been used in my clients’ homes. 

Old World Style in I’On

In I’On on the corner of one of the new-urbanism community’s lovely lakes, stands a magnificent three story home with a roof top terrace. This beautiful southern home purchased by native Charlestonians, resembles a Charleston Battery-front mansion with its two wrap around porches with wrought iron railing and huge white columns. Divine Creations was hired to assist with a dramatic alteration of the interiors; relocating the kitchen and redesigning walls to open up the space. A three-story addition was constructed on the back of the house which increased the size of the home to almost 6,000 square feet.

The wife was a former model and traveled to Italy for short and sometimes long stays. She left her heart there upon returning to her home in the states but vowed to return one day. So it was no surprise when Sue Mac was contracted to create an ambiance of old world Italy for her home.

Sue Mac did just that by making very specific choices for the flooring, paint colors, countertops, lighting, and cast stone architectural elements Of special note are the living room floors of reclaimed heart pine wood laid in a herringbone pattern.

One of the home’s most striking elements is the cast-stone fireplace mantle and surround. Its color was custom designed by Divine Creations as artisans were preparing the mix. The result is the feeling of old limestone carved for a villa. Another of the home’s cast stone elements is the kitchen’s range hood; designed to emulate a similar remnant from a country home in Italy.

Backing the wall behind the range are antiqued mirror tiles that lend an old world feeling to the kitchen. The heart pine of the kitchen island contrasts with the cool Italian marble of the countertops, warming the kitchen visually. A farmhouse under-mount sink is fitted near a window. Cabinets are glazed a rich charcoal. The husband had a pair of much beloved stag horn chandeliers which were installed in the kitchen lending an air of an Italian hunting lodge to the whole kitchen. Between the kitchen and the living room the firm designed a case opening which is formed by two arches and one center elliptical arch. Tucked in under the arches on the kitchen side is a wet bar.

The final cast stone element is the half bath’s dolphin styled sink. The wife loves fish and wanted a very distinctive vessel in this space. Divine Creations designed the sink and mixed the color for it as well.

The dining room features deep crown moulding and marble tiles continuing the feeling of Italy.

Other flooring surfaces in the house include travertine and wool carpets in the bedrooms, including the distinctive child’s room. Using fabrics that were selected for their feminine feel, the infant’s room was designed to accommodate her as she grows.

Much of the family’s already acquired furniture, including the wife’s collection of French olive jars, was used to decorate the space. Divine Creations sourced antique chandeliers and wall sconces which were restrung to fit. Also sourced for the home were Italian Baroque style paintings and mirrors for over the fireplace and in the halls.

Other rooms not depicted but designed by Divine Creations include the media room, the home gym, the husband’s office and a mother-in-law suite.

A large project, this home became exactly the Italian space the wife desired when she contacted the firm.

Furniture Today has gathered what they feel of as the best new furniture items from the market this fall. There is an interesting array of traditional style all the way to very contemporary. I invite you to read more and share your thoughts with me in comments on this post.

Rustic finishes as well as contemporary style were to be found in many pieces.

Jewel tones, like ruby, emerald, and sapphire continue to be important in design as do metallics.

Contrasting textures and feelings are making their way into design trends. I noted that there were chandeliers with a rusted patina hung with brilliant crystals.

There were many decorators and buyers there and despite the economy, there was not a large downturn in attendance.

Forward thinking designers are planning ahead for the Christmasworld show in February in Frankfurt, Germany. These design trends are projected to be themes popular with consumers in 2010. Why wait? You can implement some of their ideas now and into the next year. Get a jump and use these ideas in re-styling your home.

The major theme for design is seen to be, “Handcrafted authenticity, modern naturalness and a colorful style mix are on trend for next year’s festive season.”

Breaking this down into four areas, the decorators suggest:

Authentic: discover beauty in simplicity

Cherished pieces and collectibles with a patina are characteristic of this natural style. The fusion of old and new creates original recycling chic – simple, un-contrived and individual of which a warm gray, a peridot green, petrol blue, sand grey, alabaster and linen white are part. Natural materials like pale, bleached wood, cotton and glass look authentic. They are combined with dip-dye effects, knit and plait patterns, floral motifs and hand sketches. The focus of this style is on the relationship between those celebrating.

Optimistic: craftsmanship meets modernity

“Optimistic” is a lively theme which allows plenty of scope for creativity and unconventional ideas. The captivating feature is the use of artificial materials like plastic, foils and rubber coatings combined with artisan techniques. The multicoloured palette is forceful and expressive and includes mocha, salmon pink, dark red, emerald green, canary yellow and aquamarine. Motifs are pierced or punched. “Optimistic” expresses a desire to create something very special out of the mundane and turn any occasion into a party.

Eccentric: Mix of style epochs and cultures

Different cultures, epochs and art movements collide in “Eccentric”. Ornamental decoration, animal skin optics as well as materials like velvet, embossed leather, feathers and wooden beads create exciting effects. Gold bronze, olive, wine red, dark ruby red, an amber colour and a deep blue-green form the colour parameters. This glamorous style adorns for example a festive Christmas dinner or chic cocktail party – all highly enjoyable occasions full of flair.

Graphic: gold and silver accents

The look presented by “Graphic” is sporty and elegant. This trend plays around with geometric patterns in different shades of white and a velvety black. In some places, gold and silver penetrate surfaces. Stripes with motile effects, abstract forms and grids guarantee optical delusion. High-gloss surfaces create added metallic effects. Festive decoration slots seemingly effortlessly into the clean lines.

Contemporary Marsh-front Folly Beach House

After long work days in downtown Charleston the Fennellys decided they wanted to end everyday relaxing on the beach. It wasn’t long before they bought a marsh-front home at Folly Beach, South Carolina, which they raised-up to elevate it above flood tides and then completely redesigned.

Patti Fennelly contacted Sue Mac at Divine Creations after seeing the firm’s work at “The Loggerhead”, a beautiful ocean front home also on Folly Beach.

The Fennellys had already made a selection of hand scraped teak wood for the floors, not surprising since Peter Fennelly was the proud winner of the 1992 America’s Cup sailing regatta. They also had selected black kitchen cabinets and contemporary glass doors. With a 2 year old and another baby due in a few weeks they needed help in color choices, countertops, fireplace and front door entrance stone selection, dining room, master bath, children’s rooms, guestroom, playroom, powder room, office, stair rail and many other details.

A palette of warm earthtones and metallics became the foundation for the design of this contemporary home.

The Fennellys chose a luminous rectangular glass tile from Charleston Architectural Glass, for their backsplash over the stove and counters. The tiles continue up the wall to meet the 10 ft. ceiling. Contemporary stainless steel appliances and range hood offer a bounce of light. Polished granite embedded with garnets, surfaces the bar dividing the open kitchen from the family room.

The family room’s hearth was treated to a cladding of rough-cut stone and a hammered copper detail, giving the hearth a distinctly Mission feel. The rectangular dry stack stone echoes the glass tile backsplash and brackets the family living space. Picking up from the mineral gray and warm gold tones in the fireplace stone, the room’s walls were painted with soft grays and gold in several shades. A large mirror with a deep moulding was painted a companion shade of silvery-gray and gold and feels like an architectural element rather than an ornament. Sofas, chairs and other upholstered seating were re-purposed due to time constraints and a new baby on the way.

In the dining room, sophisticated silver and graphite metallic walls and an aged brass metallic painted ceiling lend a luxurious richness to the almost square room. Divine Creations supplied a Julian Chichester ebony and polished nickel round dining table on which to center the room. An antique crystal chandelier was the finishing touch.

For the master bath Divine Creations continued the earthy metallic colors, selecting warm travertine 16×16″ tiles for the floor and various sizes of travertine for the shower and tub surround. Empradora dark marble was chosen for the countertops and varied shades of bronze and copper metallic paint for the walls and ceiling which created a very rich, dramatic look.

At the home’s entryway, the same stone from the family room was used around the door and on a flanking wall, creating a warm inviting sense of arrival.

Overall, this marsh-front Folly home is inviting, sleek, and as warm as the hearts of the family dwelling there!