a room for the view

I grew up in Georgia. I’ve lived in every situation; uptown Atlanta, suburbs, and out in the cotton country. Elegant plantation houses are a common theme throughout the state, and this is just the sort of room you would want if you lived in such a grand abode. Overlooking a lake surrounded by woods, this spare room has all of the decoration it needs. I imagine taking breakfast here would be as lovely as a candlelit dinner.

Image Source: Westchester Waterfront. Interior by Glenn Gissler Design

passage

This isn't so much a room as a pleasing arrangement of elements. I'm not quite sure if it's the light or the hue of the paint, but this lightly-tinted green is fresh and beautiful. With the gold of the painting frames and table, it's luminous. It's too easy to be heavy-handed with these traditional elements (paneled walls, french furnishings, and on), but this whole arrangement has been handled quite tastefully. It's refreshing, even as it recalls another era.

Image Source: photo by Kim Sayer

summery

I couldn't have come up with a more pleasant alcove in which to play music. It would be blissful to be surrounded by sunlight and nature as you played. Softly, traditionally furnished, this beautiful room is completely winsome.

Image Source: photo by Phillip Ennis

plush and polish

Like an English country clubhouse, this living room is both comfortable and grand. The details are rich, but not stifling; there's room to breathe, with earthy colors and hardwood paneled walls. Of course, there's an impressive library (pretty much any den I'm drawn to has books; they're like magnets). A perfect setting in which to sit by the fire with hot tea and read or have a long conversation.

Image Source: Diamond Ranch, Lincoln County, New Mexico. Interior Design by Thomas Jayne Studio.

symmetry

The combination of Colonial American structure with Roman details is intricate, yet the results are refreshingly austere. I like the strong defined shapes and flat surfaces-- broken only by the lightly patterned wallpaper and the hydrangeas. The light fixture's style is so antiquated, it's modern. All together, the effects are impressive.

Image Source: photo by Evan Sklar

lushly sophisticated

This clinches it-- if I ever get the opportunity to design a house of my own, I'm having a room like this one. It's like a nook of the outside world tucked into a house, framed as a breathing work of art that one can curl up within. Also, can you imagine what candlelight would look like with these gorgeous windows? It'd be heavenly and romantic.

Image Source: Birmingham, AL Interior by McAlpine, Booth, & Ferrier Interiors

refinement of age

Warmly classic, this living room is well situated for entertaining guests, gathering your household together, or curling up alone with a good book. The columned wooden trim is interesting- I guess it's playing on the Grecian era of knowledge by putting such detail in a library. The mossy green of the walls plays up the texture and polish of the wood, and the bronze curtains give a gentle glow. I especially like the bright pink and teal accents; they add much to the somber room.

Image Source: "Instant London", designed by Michael S. Smith, photo by Alexandre Bailhache. In Town & Country, Oct. 2008.

if Cranes designed rooms

This well-tailored bedroom reminds me of a crisp piece of stationary. The orderly atmosphere is really attractive. The hanging streamers (tapestries?) add life and depth to the room, breaking the line of sight without making a barrier. I could definitely sleep tight here; I like neatness, and this achieves that without being dull in the least. I'm especially liking the classical colors used-- it seems like they've gone out of style a bit lately, and it's good to see them employed in an elegant way while still being interesting.

Image Source: Eddie Ross