Live Breathe Decor

Recently I bought a bolt of Ralph Lauren silk damask fabric in a creamy oyster colour for a client’s bedroom. I found it on ebay and it was an absolute steal, which meant I could buy a lot of it – enough for curtains as well as some of the upholstery. There are a few silk damasks across the Ralph Lauren fabric collections, but this particular one is from a collection called The Heiress:

One of the things that the Ralph Lauren fabric collections do so well is mix different compositions and textures. A more formal (and expensive!) fabric like a pure silk doesn’t need to look overly fussy or feminine when it’s paired with wools, linens  and cottons. In terms of pattern, checks and tweeds look great with chintzes and other florals and make them a bit more casual.

I like the hint of silk here in the cushion on the armchair, but the white walls, wicker baskets and plain rug keep it fairly informal.

This is a more formal room (above), with a silk damask used for the chair upholstery. I think this is a beautiful apartment (love all the lamp-light), but I’m not a fan of those floral needlepoint rugs, and can’t help but think how much nicer a big sisal would look for my taste.

As a sidenote, while I’m thinking of silk damasks, there’s a great summary of the French interiors in the movie Bel Ami on Cote De Texas here.

But on the topic of Ralph Lauren, I know I’m not the only one who takes inspiration from the interiors of the boutiques. The menswear stores usually feature a lot of dark wall colours and leather chairs (I love!), and the Madison Avenue store in the famous Rhinelander Mansion is particularly known for its masculine- themed interiors:

via djhuppatz blog

These are from the David Jones store in Sydney:

These are some of dressing rooms at different stores:

The womenswear store in New York has a lighter palette but the same warm traditional feel. I love all the detailed white joinery!

All gorgeous!

Naomi xx