Author: sichen
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Help Seth and Jenna Decorate their Guest Room
Seth: Hi I’m Seth. Jenna: And I’m Jenna. Seth: We’re not real people but avatars– Jenna: Quit being such a geek, Seth! Seth: OK, sorry, fictitious characters. We were invented by the editors of Gracious Style to help you see how design are a part of all of our lives. So in our fictitious lives,…
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North Pole or Tropics for the Holidays?
Are the holidays The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for you? Can you not get enough Ho Ho Ho, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, and Santa Claus? Or do you want to just chuck it all and head to the tropics — somewhere warm, lush, and sunny, where the sun-bronzed locals don’t see the…
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We’re Obsessed: Gobble Gobble Gobble
With Thanksgiving just days away, it’s time to pay homage to our collective love of all things fowl: Vietri’s Campagna Gallina (literally, “country of the hen”) showcases our hero in a rustic, Tuscan country way. Mottahedeh’s Chelsea Bird Dinnerware is inspired by designs from Colonial Williamsburg. Gien’s Sologne dinnerware was created by French animal artist Estelle…
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Who’s the Real Gatsby? Design and Architecture from the 1974 and 2013 Movies
The Great Gatsby will always get my vote for The Great American Novel. Here’s the tale of a man from humble roots who reinvents himself to pursue an idealized dream, a lost love from his youth. But what is Jay Gatsby like? What was going through his mind as he looked out from his mansion…
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How We Design Today: Contrasting Styles in Architectural Digest
Is there a defining design style today? The latest AD cover actually sums it up: Look carefully, and you’ll notice a traditional chandelier: On top of a very sleek, modern coffee table: You see small bursts of exoticism and color, but the primary design is neutral and comfortable Lest you take this for granted, take…
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How do Italian Men Shave?
What is about those Italian guys, always so smooth, suave, and charming? It might have something to do with the shave: Italian men take shaving very seriously. The Romans were cleanly shaven and regarded everybody else barbarians — literally, someone with a beard. During the Middle Ages, barbers in Italy were trusted confidants and advisers, like…
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Do You Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas?
What’s your favorite holiday jingle? Ours is I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, because it makes us laugh every time we hear it. In the song, 10-year-old Gayla Peevey sweetly asks for a hippopotamus for Christmas, promising she’ll take good care of it in her parents’ two-car garage. Who could say no? Not her listeners: The…
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Holiday FantaSeaLand from Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
When it comes to holiday gingerbread houses, the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel really takes the cake. Every year the pastry chefs there show off with a sugary holiday landscape. Some years it’s the North Pole. Other years it’s a little village. This year, though, they outdid even themselves with a seascape that includes Godzilla, pirate ships,…
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Books We Love: Barbara Barry’s “Around Beauty”
If we could learn by example, then Barbara Barry’s new book, Around Beauty, teaches us that simple elegance can indeed be beautiful. Her rooms are so deceptively simple, they tempt us to say “Anybody could’ve done that!” But look more closely, and you’ll notice the many subtleties that set them apart. Against the backdrop of…
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Favorite Quotes from The Gospel According to Coco Chanel
Just what makes some people great designers? In an age where Steve Jobs has become synonymous with Creative Genius, I found it interesting to read about somebody with an arguably greater impact on how we live today: Coco Chanel. Whatever you may think of the Chanel products of today, Coco Chanel epitomized the trend that…