Elizabeth’s new column for HouseBeautiful.com, Our Girl on the Ground, where she highlights some of her favorite finds and offers tips for successful hunting in the markets.
Live in a building that doesn’t allow pets? Wish your house could be a menagerie but have a family member who’s allergic? Well, you’re in luck. It seems that animals are popping up everywhere in home decor. Not only in fabrics and wallpapers, but full-sized, in three-dimensional living color! Read More…
I discovered Accolay pottery many years ago on a buying trip to France. I was immediately smitten and have loved it ever since. The shapes, colors, textures, and glazes of these creations make them beautiful accent pieces. In every project, I try to find a place for this unique, wonderful form of art. Read More…
Any meal—from the most elegant fête to a casual family supper—is better when served at a pretty table. It takes so little effort but makes the meal much more inviting and shows a sense of caring for your family or guests. When I lived in France, I learned the importance that people there place on making that bit of effort to create an inviting table. In about the same time as it takes to set out paper napkins and plastic ware, we can have a table with cloth napkins, a candle or two, and some pretty glasses, and it makes the world of difference—not to mention, it’s much less wasteful! Read More…
I love finding interesting pieces of bamboo and rattan furniture in my travels. Although vintage rattan seems to be having a moment (it was EVERYWHERE last time I visited the Paris Flea Markets), rattan and bamboo have been around for a long time. The word bamboo is derived from banwu, a term from southwest India that was transported to Indonesia by Dutch explorers. Read more…
Even if you don’t know it by name, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the Chinese and East Asian-inspired Chinoiserie designs. The term is derived from the French word chinois, which means “Chinese,” and it’s been a popular style in interior design for ages. In fact, Chinoiserie dates back to the 17th century. Read more…
Blue and white are like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall—a classic duo that will never go out of style. In design, the color combination goes with absolutely everything—greens, reds, browns, and orange, and of course taupes and other neutrals—and I love hunting for blue and white Chinese export porcelain. It is a great way to add accent pieces to a room. Read more…