Refined Elegance

I remember when I was younger that  bright, shiny gold was here, there, and literally EVERYWHERE! And as with the grey everything wave of today, how happy everyone was  when it passed on to let some new trend flourish. As we have learned, however, fashions and trends seem to be on a thirty year cycle. Those super flared jeans I had in college in the early oughts… right on track..

‍

Perhaps it was that overexposure in childhood that jaded me because I swore off gold- particularly my jewelry- until about fifteen years ago. And here I am, writing a blog about how great it is- go figure!

‍

While I will make the claim that the 80s gold of yesteryear is still not top of list for me- gold and brass tones definitely are. The warmth and glam (subtle and not so subtle depending on their use) can be just the element needed to finish off a room.

‍

In this month’s  “That One Thing,” these absolutely STUNNING sconces from Chairish are the perfect finishing element  to a room with an understated elegance. The Late 20th Century Bagues Style Rock Crystal Wall Candle Holders  add a sense of whimsy, glam, and their shiny finish draws the eye to them while  their neutral color allows the wallpaper behind them to also be the star of the room.

‍

When designing, I tend to keep similar styles together and while the transitional style is currently having a moment, the wallcovering  and rug that I have chosen here feel to me to be on opposite sides of the style spectrum. The wallcovering is very traditional- a Chinoiserie style- while the rug strikes me as more modern. Yet, while I searched through numerous rugs for this post, my gut kept coming back to this one: the neutrality of it as well as the soft curves play nicely off the walls  as well as the gold of the sconces.

‍

The warm wood of the sideboard maintains the neutral palette, visually allowing the wallpaper and the sconces to be the focal point but also tying the two together as the carved pattern mimics the shape of the sconces.

‍

The traditional lines of the George Smith chair evoque the style and comfort that I would imagine paired with the Philip Jeffries wallpaper and allow the client for a multitude of options with how they decide to “finish” the chair. I have chosen to pair them with a  saturated velvet that matches the colorway of the wallcovering. However, a beautiful neutral linen, some nailheads, and even some piping or trim can create a completely different look and change the feeling of the chair within the space. What about you? If this was your space, what would your chair look like?

‍

*picture tags

Sconces:  Chairish

Wallcovering: Philip Jeffries

Chair and Fabric: George Smith

Sideboard:  Sarreid

Rug: New Moon Rugs