Better Late than Never!

One of my absolute favorite rooms at the Traditional Home Hampton Designer Showhouse last summer was the masculine bedroom suite designed by Bradley Thiergartner Interiors that I never actually posted! Sometimes as a blogger you get sidetracked or another event happens soon after one you are covering or you have paying clients that require your attention! So I'm going back through my files to bring you some of stories that I never got to post. Hope you enjoy them!

When I first heard the name Bradley Thiergartner I thought it was one person but the firm is actually made up of Benjamin Bradley and David Thiergartner. They describer their style as Tailored Traditional and that could also describe their room at the Hampton Designer Showhouse.

Clearly the man who inspired the room design is a world traveler who's collected items from around the globe including globes!

The room was filled with great art that was hung in unexpected places like beside the bedside table.

There are certain pieces in the space like the zebra on the wall and animal print pillow that add that feeling that the room has traveled to Africa and make me think of Hemingway.

The gallery wall mixes styles and mediums to reflect a very personal collection of art.

One of the things that I really loved about the room was the great attention to detail. I appreciate when designers of Show House rooms take the time to add in items that are used by the mysterious owner like the Mrs. John L. Strong stationery and pencils seen on the desk.

Wouldn't you love sitting at the desk writing letters while you gazed at the beautiful landscape painting hung at sitting eye level?!

The seating area at the end of the bed works for reading a book or watching the television that is housed in the shelving across from it. I also love that the two chairs don't match and the casual feeling of the straw trunk.

Yes, we all know that smoking is bad but I am sure the world traveler who owns this room doesn't care. The carefully places cigar and ashtray make it feel like he just stepped out of the room!

I loved the little Chinoiserie box sitting on the trunk and when I took a closer look, I realized that it held little treasures such as a bunny and a love note! Not sure if this was taken from one of the designer's homes directly with the contents or if was created purposely for the room but again, the little details were what made me fall in love with this room!

Not sure if you can tell in this photo but the chair has a wonderful ring and ribbon trim from Samuel & Sons. You can also see how the beautiful antique rug sits over a sisal rug from Stark.

I also loved the contrast of the warm wood and metal on the shelving unit with the ticking stripe covering. The rope and wall that it rolls up reminds me of a tent and how the owner probably stayed in tents during his travels around the world.

Many of the objects displayed look like they could have picked up around the world as well!

And what man's room could be complete without a bar, even if it consists of whiskey and Coca-Cola!

Even the vintage metal hand weights are a perfect touch!

Bradley Thiergartner also designed the small adjoining bathroom which was an added bonus!

The warm slate grey color warms up the white bathroom and continues the masculine feel.

The natural elements also relate back to the natural elements in the bedroom.

There is nothing I love more than hanging art in bathrooms. Of course, you need a good fan and even then, you may not want to hang anything too expensive that will get ruined by the steam!

The lamp cords on the sink make me a little nervous but the lighting here look much chicer than your standard chrome or nickel fixtures! Even the shower stall was accessories perfectly! I really loved this room and as I mentioned, all the thoughtful details that really do make it seem like a real person lives in this room and it wasn't just another show house room!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

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

Hampton Designer Showhouse: Pool House by Lillian August

A friend just told me yesterday that he heard the home used for the Traditional Home Hampton Designer Showhouse sold for the full asking price. I think it's a great house and I hope the owners look into buying some of the furnishings used for the showhouse since the designers did a great job decorating it this year. The amazing two story pool house designed by Lillian August is definitely one of the areas they should think about keeping as is since it has a perfect casual beachy feeling. This little house would make a great real house in most other areas of the country and since it has two full baths and bedrooms, it could also be used as a guest house. There's even a laundry room! I'm so jealous!

Photos by Heather Clawson

Hampton Designer Showhouse: Living Room by Robert Stilin

I think it's important to remember that Showhouses aren't always reality. Sometimes the rooms are a little over the top or just might not appeal to everyone. As I've mentioned before, I think it's important to keep an open mind. There is usually some aspect of a room that you can take away or be inspired by even if you don't like the entire room. Just because it's not your style, doesn't make it wrong.

The Living Room is the Hampton Designer Showhouse was designed by Robert Stilin who also designed the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year with Ina Garten. My friends and I really liked this room in person. The walls are a pale lavender which sets of the modern and contemporary art. It also has a small kitchenette attached so to me it had the look of a very chic city apartment for an art collector and was also very soothing and relaxing. I also didn't even notice until I looked at the photos that they hung the art over the paneling. I know this might not appeal to everyone but I have to say that it worked in person. It was a bit of a masculine room but it could be reworked for a woman by lightening up the upholstery fabrics. It's also important to keep in mind that many people live in the Hamptons year round so they might not want a beachy feeling home but one that reflects how they also live in the city and that's how this room feels to me. To each his own.

Photos by Heather Clawson