Perfectly Pumpkin

Architect Gil Schafer's apartment in the West Village mixes orange and black but there is nothing scary about it! In fact, the burnt orange pumpkin color of the living room walls mixed with the espresso wool felt upholstered gallery walls and black scagliola mantle is positively divine! And then there are the Ionic columns and classical details that add to it's appeal and has me swooning. After he renovated the space, Mr. Schafer had a little help decorating it from his friend Miles Redd. Neither of them can do any wrong in my book and when I need an architect for my own home someday, I definitely know the first person I am going to call! Until then, these images are going into my orange wall color file! It's perfect!

Images from Gil Schafer

More Orange

One of the rooms I was most excited to see at The Hampton Designer Showhouse this year was the den by Carrier and Company. I had seen a few photos online at Vogue.com and of course the burnt orange walls were right up my alley! The room with sitting area and pool table is in the basement and the husband and wife team of Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller did a great job with it. You don't even notice that there are no windows!

Jesse Carrier used to work for Jeffrey Bilhuber and when he left to start his own firm, uber chic client Anna Wintour went with him. Carrier & Company have designed the lobby of the Vogue office at 4 Times Square and have also decorated the apartments some of the Voguettes.

I think we're going to be hearing a lot from this dazzling design duo and I can't wait to see what they do with a room in a future showhouse with windows! I think they deserve to be front and center next time! Oh, and if you haven't had a chance to see the Hampton Designer Showhouse presented by Traditional Home in person yet, you still have until September 6th to check it out!

Photos from Heather Clawson and Carrier and Company

Orange You Glad It's Friday?!

Orange is my favorite color and it happens to be the favorite color of a lot of designers. I've always wondered why so many of us gravitate toward this color and in the September 2009 color issue of House Beautiful there is a clue. According to their color chart, orange represents creativity. It expands your thinking and is the color of laughter and celebrations. Sounds about right. To me, orange is a unisex color that is cheerful yet sophisticated. It also coordinates well with a lot of other colors. But mostly, it just makes me happy! Hopefully these orange images will brighten your day too! Bon Weekend!