“The Finest Rooms in America” by Thomas Jayne

Of all the new coffee table books that have been recently released by some of the country’s top interior designers, I have to say that the one penned by Thomas Jayne entitled “The Finest Rooms in America,” is one of my favorites.  It’s a compliation of a wide variety of homes ranging from Bunny Williams’s Connecticut barn, to Albert Hadley’s iconic New York apartment to Rose Tarlow’s manse, among other spectacular abodes. 

I was fortunate as well to have been invited to Jayne’s book signing in his cool Soho loft last week and which was hosted by Country Living magazine.  The mix of people was terrifically interesting and I will always remember how the food fare catapulted me back to my Alabama roots – the ham and biscuits, the pickled okra, the sugared pecans!  It all made for quite the Rustic Chic evening!  Be sure to check out this very interesting new book by Thomas.

Magnified Rustic Chic

I love interesting magnifying glasses – such practical items for the desk, on a stack of books or for doing close-up reading such as I do for floor plans.  The favorite in my collection is the silver-handled bamboo one shown below but the one I use most often is the one with the double-looped rope handle.  They make great gifts for anyone taking a closer, more magnified look at Rustic Chic!

My favorite is this silver one with its bamboo handle

 

Photos by Joel Woodard

Hand in Glove

They say the first step toward fixing a personal problem is to admit you have one.  I recently discovered that I have one – gloves.  Of the dozen plus pair I own, how could I have not been able to find just the right ones on a recent chilly morning.  So I got tough with myself and sorted them and was shocked to find out how many I own.  On the other hand I find them to be feats of marvelous engineering.  If you own a pair that are sewn (not knitted), take a look at them and you’ll be amazed at the workmanship that goes into fabricating them.  Custom gloves can set you back thousands while inexpensive imports are readily obtained at just about any clothing store.  They’re the kinds of household items we usually don’t devote a great deal of time thinking about, but whether you choose knitted ones or those made from cloth or leather, don’t take these workhorses for granted. Gloves are not only stylish and practical, they’re most decidedly Rustic Chic.

Take a look at a modern-day glove pattern below from http://www. glove.org.  It’s mesmerizing in its intricacy.  The other photos are some of my personal favorites from my collection. 

Photos by Joel Woodard

I’m Stumped!

Don’t want to go to the expense and trouble to have that tree trunk removed?  Why not do like a friend of mine did and slab that pesky thing with a round zinc top?  So practical, so stylish, so Rustic Chic!

Photos by Joel Woodard

Hushed

Who hasn’t walked alone through a quiet country cemetery and tried to read the weathered and worn headstones while wondering who rests there?  Far from being morbid, these final resting places outside a nearby church are bits of history.  Most of the lettering on these headstones have long been washed away by time and the elements but most of these dated to the early 1700’s. Who were they?  What were their lives like?  Sometimes it’s Rustic Chic to be hushed and wonder.

Photos by Joel Woodard

Seeing Red

The fleeting foliage of fall.  A veritable smorgasbord of polychrome hues.  Intense, vibrant and, when in the varying arrays which we call “red”, it can appear to be the proverbial “burning bush.”  A nearby farm ablaze in scarlet, from the barns to the bushes to the trees, simply wouldn’t be ignored.  What a beautiful Rustic Chic scene!

Photos by Joel Woodard

“Colors of the Oasis” – a Rustic Chic Exhibition of Ikats

A recent weekend trip to The Textile Museum in Washington, DC to view the ikat exhibition entitled, “Colors of the Oasis – Central Asian Ikats” was a visual treat for the eye.  For anyone interested in fabrics and colors a trip to this little jewel box of a museum is a must.

Nineteenth-century Central Asian ikats are known for being bold and brash with electrifying colors and patterns.  The process of weaving ikats is multi-stepped and complicated where bundled warms, and sometimes the wefts, are bound and dyed several times before being woven into their trademark eye-popping patterns. 

Ikats have been in fashion for interior design for some time now and show no signs of slowing down.  Do yourself a favor and make the trip.  The exhibit runs from October 16 through March 31, 2011.

The Textile Museum is located at 2320 S Street, Washington, DC 20008 (www.textilemuseum.org).

Photos from “Colors of the Oasis – Central Asian Ikats” by Sumru Belger Krody.  This is the companion text to the exhibit.

Iron-ic Rustic Chic

It’s Rustic Chic to have your Amish ironmonger on speed dial.  It’s also helpful when both you and he are frustrated sculptors.  A brief discussion about a “spherical sculpture with a nod to the armillary” resulted in this 48″ diameter work made of iron straps.  It now sits on the barn’s center table.  How iron-ic! 

Photos by Joel Woodard

Hanging By a Thread

Of all the myriad types of housing which nature builds – from nests to hives to warrens – I find the hornet’s nest to be the most fascinating display of engineering.  While driving to work recently, I came across this dangling example hanging delicately from a single, seemingly insufficiently strong tree limb.  The master builders’ skill in building this nest is evident in this structure and displayed a bold choice of location proving that sometimes it can be Rustic Chic to hang by a thread.

Photos by Joel Woodard

Remnants

Time, tide and neglect are not man’s friends.  Whether you are talking flesh, fish, fowl or in this case, an abandoned stone building poised beside a gentle nearby stream, time takes control and imparts its own Rustic Chic beauty.

Photos by Joel Woodard