We lose an hour of sleep this weekend, but it’s a worthwhile sacrifice to gain lighter evenings for the next half year!  Spring Daylight Savings always feels like a sigh of relief as the winter is coming to an end and the beauty of Spring is upon us.  Tobi Fairley chose this day as inspiration for her 2012 Holiday House room and captured it perfectly.

Entering Fairley’s Holiday House sitting room felt like taking a breath of fresh Spring air.  It was light and feminine but also grounded by deep black elements, such as the Merida Meridian black wool and sisal rug.  One of the finishing touches, a bouquet of pale pink peonies, was so simple but made everyone forget that it was November!

The always clever and fun Fairley didn’t stop at one theme, but also connected the room to the idea of being “Fashion Forward.”  In her own words, “The inspiration is truly Spring Forward and Fashion Forward: the idea of couture details that you would see in Fashion paired with a Spring Palette for a soft, sophisticated and timeless look.”  The black and white design of the Phillip Jeffries wallpaper is reflected on the curtains with custom embroidery by Villa Savoia.  Additional stylish black and white elements include black grograin detailing on a white settee, expressive black and white artwork by Kansas City artist Jane Booth, and lovely black double sconces from Dunes and Duchess.

In addition to her interior design talent, Fairley is also the consummate hostess.  For our Holiday House Cookbook, she contributed a Kiwi Mango Mint cocktail recipe that “is screaming sunshine and freshness, making it perfect for Spring and Summer parties and patio brunches.”

Ingredients
1 part 42 Below Kiwi Vodka
5 parts mango nectar/juice
8 mint leaves

Preparation
Fill a highball glass with ice
Add mint leaves and vodka
Top with nectar/juice

Tobi’s tip: releasing the mint into a dash of the nectar via a short muddling is worth a little extra work!

Tobi Fairley was invited to participate in Holiday House by sponsor Traditional Home.  Most of the furniture in her room was from Hickory Chair with fabrics from Schumacher and Duralee.

Photography by Michael Rodenbush

Holiday House is thrilled to celebrate our 5th birthday with an extraordinary showcase of the best in home design to benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

In honor of this milestone, we are looking back to last year’s “Happy Birthday!” room by “Bring it to the Table” (BiTTT), an inspirational and forward-thinking networking group for women in the interior design and home furnishings industry. In the great spirit of collaboration, several talented BiTTT members teamed together, each bringing something of her own talents, and the result was a stunning and cohesive space that promoted the work of women in the field. The birthday theme was inspired by the American Cancer Society‘s goal to “make a world with less cancer and more birthdays.”

Caption: BiTTT’s founders Sherri Skov (l) and Lana Lawrence (r) with lead designer Bonnie Steves (m) on a custom Anthony Lawrence Belfair chaise with Laurie Klein photomural in background. Photography: Marisa Pellegrini.

BiTTT’s creation, led by interior designer Bonnie J. Steves of BJS Assoc, was a dressing room and elegant retreat for a strong and beautiful woman—a woman who works hard but also honors each day and each coming year with joy and appreciation. This celebration and love of life is expressed with a luscious palette of chocolate brown and raspberry, sparkling details, decadent furnishings and artwork.

Photography: Jonas Gustavsson.

A focal point of the space was a chic Maison Jansen desk for a sophisticated woman to write to work, read, and be inspired.  She would be seated on a bronze thrown-like chair from Bergdorf Goodman with a regal looking ceremonial head dress from VW Home by Vicente Wolf hovering behind and elegant custom Anthony Lawrence Belfair window treatments draping around her.

Photography: Jonas Gustavsson

The tone for the room was set by three magnificent pieces of artwork: “Contours of a Woman,” a Laurie Klein photomural, celebrating the female form; “Brown Branches,” delicate stenciled pigmented hand-made linen papers by Donald Baechler at Pace Prints; “Cake for Disney,” a birthday cake sculpture by famed artist Will Cotton, who is known for decadent, pleasure-inducing imagery.

For more inspiration, please join us at Holiday House 2012, October 25 – November 18, where we will celebrate interior design, women’s health, breast cancer awareness and, of course, MORE BIRTHDAYS!

“Cake for Disney” by Will Cotton. Photography: Jonas Gustavsson.

And thank you to companies who supported the BiTTT room and helped make last year’s Holiday House a success: Anthony Lawrence Belfair, CL Sterling, Carlisle Collection, Nina Helms, S.A. Baxter, A/V Consulting, NY Stone Manhattan, Cristol Glass, Karl Kemp Antiques, 1stDibs and many more.

From Left to Right: Nina Reeves, Janet Rice, James Rixner, Timothy Miller, Felicia Zwebner

The Fifth Annual Holiday House got off to an excellent start with our festive Kick Off party on October 3. The event, which was hosted by Thom Filicia, Sara Gore, Alexa Hampton, Christopher Hyland, Iris Dankner and a star-studded Honorary Design Committee, was attended by 350 guests who came to see the spectacular property, mingle with this year’s talented designers and, most importantly, support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation^®

One of the many highlights of the party was The Booth, a studio style photo booth where our guests were able to photograph themselves being glamorous… and a little silly!

Of course, the cause we are supporting—achieving prevention and a cure for breast cancer—is very serious.  Our participants and supporters are willing to put so much time and energy into this event because we all want so much for breast cancer to touch fewer and fewer lives.  As serious as we are about this mission, we also believe deeply in the importance of celebrating life’s special moments.

Thank you to all of our supporters for helping us celebrate Holiday House’s fifth anniversary, and thank you to Traditional Home for organizing The Booth (as well as the countless other things you do to help make Holiday House a success!).  Guests were able to take their photos home as party favors, and we hope they continue to bring smiles to their faces… we can’t help but smile every time we see them!

And we hope to see everyone back at Holiday House for more celebrating next week, October 24, for our Opening Night Celebration!

From Left to Right: Nesrine Gharbi, Claudia Giselle, David Macaluso, Niki Dankner, Danielle Dankner, Iris Dankner, Lana Lawrence, Suzanne Eason

This year Holiday House is opening in October to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an important time to raise critical funds and awareness for breast cancer prevention and treatment.

We are so proud that this year ‘s Holiday House beneficiary is The Breast Cancer Research Foundation^®, a leader in the fight against this disease that touches too many lives.  It’s with great admiration that we are honoring Evelyn Lauder, the brilliant and courageous founder of BCRF who passed away in November 2011.

Photograph by Evelyn H. Lauder

Acting Chairman of BCRF, Leonard Lauder, is thrilled that Holiday House is dedicated to BCRF this year. “My wife, Evelyn, with her wonderful eye for beauty, would have been delighted by this event. We look forward to a very successful showhouse which will fuel BCRF’s ability to continue to fund the most promising research around the world.”

The passionate and committed Mrs. Lauder not only brought global awareness to women’s health issues but was also a style icon and artist.  As a dedicated photographer with a keen eye for beauty, she focused her camera on views of nature, both grand and minute with an exquisite eye for detail.

Holiday House, which combats breast cancer through a celebration of beauty and style, is honored to exhibit Mrs. Lauder’s work at our October 3 Kick Off party and throughout the Showhouse, which will begin with an Opening Night Preview Party on October 24 and is open to the public October 24 – November 18.

Photograph by Evelyn H. Lauder

Select works will be sold at the Showhouse, and in keeping with Mrs. Lauder’s belief in the healing power of beauty, all proceeds from the sale of her photographs will continue to benefit BCRF.

Please mark your calendars for our events and be awed by gorgeous interior design while helping fight breast cancer and raise awareness about early detection, which truly saves lives.

Geralyn Lucas, author of “How I Wore Lipstick To My Mastectomy” and great friend of BCRF and Holiday House, asks all women to take her “I Am” pledge and “spend as much time, effort and money getting screened for breast cancer as on other beauty treatments.”

As Evelyn Lauder reminded us, “health is the most wonderful of all gifts.”

I wanted to create a room that celebrated women and life, so the natural  holiday was Mother’s Day. I created old Hollywood glamour wrapped up in soft colors, soft and plush textures, and created an ambiance suited for comfortable elegance. I wanted the mother of the home to feel elegant and cushy comfort at the same time.

I used Ralph Lauren Home because honestly no one compares to Ralph Lauren’s elegant understated and glamorous sophistication. Ralph Lauren Home just gets it right. I loved incorporating my personal antiques and memorabilia to add the touches a real mother’s salon would have. If life was a movie and the mother was entertaining with a tea or a cocktail party, there is nothing more dreamy than a room twinkling in silver crystal creme silk and cashmere. Such a refined and comfy interior. Old Hollywood glamour American style brought to life!

The most important tips for Mothers Day are 1st: unconditional love!  Scented candles, a twinkling piano, pink flowers, silver, a beautiful card or poem.  Honor the woman who gave you life, celebrate women and love. Love is the only thing that brings you into this world and love is the only thing you take when you leave this world. Honor the woman who gave you life! Celebrate life and love!

Happy Mother’s Day!

At Holiday House 2010, Robin Wilson created a unique Easter table setting inside of a snow globe.

Photographs by Robin Wilson Home

“I was inspired by the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland who has a through-the-looking glass whimsical energy. The home has a central courtyard that looks into each room and we felt that this element carries through the home. ”

“Easter has different meanings to so many people – from the religious origins to the hopeful energy of children as they experience the commercialism of gifts, bunnies and a hunt for candy. Everyone who saw the snow globe had a smile, and many people peered through the glass…” – Robin Wilson

Designer Jennifer Duneier also took on Easter at Holiday House 2011 in the form of a feminine sitting room filled with bright and beautiful hot pinks and turquoises.

Photogaphs by Peter Dessel

Jennifer focused on colors and textures, to create a calming and relaxing environment. Jennifer says that Easter is all about making  things fun for the children of the house.  Baskets full of Easter eggs that are hand decorated make a great table centerpiece.  If you have a more formal room you can display the eggs in a crystal bowl to add a little sparkle.

Jennifer also suggests putting an Easter wreath of peonies and hydrangeas on the front door – it sets the tone for guests that are coming to participate in an Easter egg hunt or Easter brunch.  One of the best parts of Easter is the fresh flowers that are available for around the house and in the garden. Jennifer created a mini garden complete with an Easter rabbit and eggs outside the window of her Easter sitting room.

Jennifer also went a step further by being the only designer to take on a bathroom in addition to her room! Below are a couple shots of her clean, modern design.

Happy Easter everyone!

Photographs by Phillip Ennis and Norman & Cathy Yohay.

Marjorie and Cathy constructed large scenic panels to fit in the existing rectangular applied  moldings on the wall, giving the illusion of large windows through which the visitor sees the dramatic vista.

They created an elegant, Paris style apartment by selecting a mix of old and new furnishings that complimented each other and the space, such as the antique Art Deco console table from Antiquera Tribeca,  the whimsical wall sconce “Pop” from Boyd Lighting (available through Donghia), and lucite coffee table from Spectrum West.   The dominoes with rhinestones were a personal touch, and you can just imagine a couple playing with them while sipping champagne on a romantic evening.

The fuchsia chairs were found at an antiques fair in terrible condition and were lacquered and reupholstered in magenta leather and wool boucle for an elegant Chanel feeling. The sofa is a vintage piece as well, all the way from France. The jewel encrusted side table between the chairs is  from Hellman Chang, and the rug came from The Rug Company in New York.

Drapery cornice and period accessories were added, such as the Carl Springer torcheries and Tony Duquette Goddess  statue (from 41 Main Antiques).  The dessert cart was from Baker, Knapp and Tubbs.

The walls were painted with venetian plaster and then gold leaf was applied, (a play on words for April Fools Day). The color scheme was kept subtle since there was so much going on in such a small area.

Fun fact: On April Fools Day in France, children traditionally tack paper fish on each other’s back as a trick and shout “poisson d’avril!” (April fish!).

Happy April Fools Day!

Irwin wanted to take a departure from calendar holidays and create a day where visitors could celebrate nature and the simple things we’re surrounded by but often take for granted. Irwin created a sense of intimacy and a place where you could cuddle up, have some hot chocolate, play a board game, or simply take a nap on a winter day.

Photographs by Marcy Feld.

The  8’ Edward Wormley black mohair sofa paired with the low black cerused coffee table by TH Robsjohn Gibbings offers everything one would need to cozy up indoors.  The massive ten-arm chandelier was truly the room’s centerpiece.  Its arms, reminiscent of tree branches, subtly illuminated and enhanced the hand painted gunmetal metallic ceiling.  The faux fur bench, which Irwin designed specifically for the space, added yet another element of luxury.

Marcy, Irwin’s wife and a candid portrait and landscape photographer, had gone to Central Park the previous winter during a blizzard and had taken a multitude of photos over the course of several hours during and after the storm. Those photos served as the foundation and inspiration for Snow Day. The photo truly captures the elegance that snow creates in a natural setting.

There is very little color on a snowy day and that was reflected in the neutral palette of greys, blacks and taupes that Irwin selected, while the room was given dimension from the abundance of textures.  Irwin chose charcoal for the flooring to mimic city streets and sprinkled faux snow around to give the illusion of being outdoors.  Although the palatte was fairly neutral the colors were saturated and luxurious.

March is also about enjoying Sundays with nothing to do – just relaxing and reading your paper. Designer Eileen Kathryn Boyd’s favorite thing to do on a Sunday is to sip coffee, nibble all day long, cat nap and read the NY times front to back.  Eileen created a room perfect for doing all this at Holiday House 2011.

Eileen chose her favorite color story of smoky purples, lavenders and greys. The wall covering is a modern interpretation of the classic Zuber creating a misty artistic surround. The wallpaper is actually “peel and stick” wallpaper by Black Crow Studios – self adhesive and removable! It is technically a hybrid of a textile and paper which is tightly woven and produces an extremely high print quality. Cool right?

The furnishings are a combination of current and traditional that reflect the way young couples easily mix family treasures along with newer acquisitions.

Among the great representation of fabric companies are Sunbrella, Schumacher, Romo, and Kravet. Also featured in the room are some of the fabrics from Eileen’s newly launched collection with Duralee.

Holiday House 2010 featured a dazzling Grammy celebration room by designer Jolie Korek.

Photographs by Ted Astor.

Jolie’s rock star Grammy room featured a shag rug, electric guitar, and sparkling geometric shapes in the fabric from Romo.

Platinum records and portraits of musicians finished off the room.

This Sunday is another awards show deserving of a glitzy viewing party: the Oscars. At Holiday House 2011, Deb Landis designed the perfect ”Night at the Oscars” media room, complete with a 130 inch screen from Audio Command Systems.

Photographs by Mark Kiely.

Deb based her design on a chic Hollywood party,  and the room evokes a sense of old world Hollywood charm, with varying shades of light shimmery gray in the rug from Stark Carpet, to a dark charcoal couch from Weiman furniture.

Life size vintage black and white posters of famous actors and actresses also added to the glamor of the room.

Different sensual textures, such as a silk carpet, long mohair fabric on the sofa, and shiny glass beads on the pillows were used.

A touch of gold and sparkle were added with the Oscar sconces and coffee table and fireplace accessories from Interlude Home.

If you’re planning on hosting your own Oscar watching party, you can easily add in some decorative gold tableware and accessories. Happy viewing!