When I first became interested in design while I was still at school, I was drawn to Art Deco. Well it was the 1970s Great Gatsby, the movie with Robert Redford has started the nostalgic interest in all things Art Deco and I remember Evelyn Waugh books were relaunched with deco inspired cover illustrations. I confess I first read 'decline and fall' because of the cover. My father had purchased an  Art Deco dining suite for his parents in the 1930s and he was keen on the modern style. Our little house in the country is a classic Art Deco inspired Californian Bungalow, but when we first furnished it we chose Mid century modernist pieces as they had a casual but stylish feel the look we wanted for our second home. 
But now I want to find a home for my father's Art deco suite and to display it and appreciate it as he once did. So we have redecorated our dining room and as you can see from the photos it has a very different feel from the mid century look, see blog 3/9/2014. We only modified the colour scheme, by painting the walls a slightly deeper colour, this time we went for a Porter's colour, 'Camel'. I like the very matt finish the Porter's paint has and it complements the  classic deco timber detailing. We finally got around to restoring the tapestry brick fireplace too. This now gives the room its focal point once again. We changed the striped sisal rug for a velvet pile from Supertuft Carpets, and made the dining table with its strongly grained timber the main focus. The room now has a much more formal feel to it. It is more luxurious and glamourous finally giving this art deco furniture a fitting home. Oh the mid century suite of furniture, never fear that to has a new home, stay tuned.

I have been reorganising my rather large stash of fabrics and I have been doing a little reminiscing about past projects. One fabric I came across I have always loved. I can't remember where we used it but I am sure it was used for fabulous curtains with strong graphic borders and possibly a bonded blind with the border applied to the base. This is my favourite colour way, brown,black and it is very classic. The design was by  Warner Fabrics and was called Oakleaf Trellis  and was printed onto a lovely crisp cotton chintz. I think this one is due for a revival it is very today.

As you have now guessed I don't shy away from colour when it comes to design and decoration. While neutral colour schemes can be calm and soothing sometimes a bit more excitement is required. Our red sitting room is used mostly in the evenings to gather with guests before dinner.  We wanted a glamorous wow effect for this space. We decorated this room back in 1988. It hasn't changed very much over  the years. We started with the two two seater sofas covered in a Warner's linen called 'Chinese Panel'.  The sofas inspired the red wall colour. The colour we wanted to  evoke was laqauer red of a antique tray or  reminiscent of Pompeii. The incandescent lighting and the red walls make everyone glow in this room. The walls are finished  with a glazed 'broken colour'  effect, that gives  the colour both more depth and creates the illusion of space.  To balance the rick red walls we used a soft gold coloured ceiling, off white skirting boards and timber work and bronze coloured picture rails. This room was the first one we did in this house. It was the room to escape to when the rest was a demolition and  renovation site. It is furnished with an assortment of pieces from different eras. The coat cupboard was made by Max's grandfather  in the 1920's. A three legged cricket table circa 1760 made from elm was my first antique purchase in my new job at Crichton Interiors many years ago. I decided to set a policy of each year buying an antique piece to slowly build a collection of treasured items. It came from Lee Harper Antiques in High street, Armadale.  The country Chippendale carver Max bought from John Dunn Antiques. We covered it in a piece of crewel embroidered cotton that picks up the warm rust colour of the room. A pembroke table from C1790 holds a quirky collection of crystal bottle  stoppers. They refract the light. A fur rug made from Fox paws covers the old pine floor, that we waxed to keep the colour soft.  To add some modernity the brass and glass coffee table  sits on the rug allowing the rug to be seen as well as Max's childhood collection of rocks and minerals displayed in a  display case, also made by his grandfather. The paintings on the wall range from my dodgy fake 'our lady of the snow" 15th Century  oil to early twentieth century New Zealand water colours, to an oil known as' the pirates and pumpkin people' from the mid 1970s. Defintely an eclectic mix.  We added 'silken satin' curtains that spill onto the floor and lots of cushions in treasured fabrics, hand printed silk taffeta, patterned velvet, cotton damask and even a chintz pattern with a monkey in the design. This room is nicknamed 'monkey's room' as the Chinese Panel' fabric has little green monkeys in the design. I added a monkey cameo to the stencilled border on the floor and we found a bronze monkey candlestick.