House Beautiful

Just got my House Beautiful Magazine for May and I have two words for you . . .

   John Saladino     

First let me say how annoying it is there are no pictures online of the current issue of House Beautiful (or any other magazine for that matter).  I know, I know, it's this little issue of actually requiring people to buy the magazine to get to see the pictures.  I get it, but couldn't they at least put one picture from each feature article as a "teaser" for bloggers to post?!  By the time the pictures are posted on their website, it's old news! Here's all you get.

But, I digress. 

I will simply say - You MUST buy the magazine this month (and no, they are not paying me to say this).  There is a feature article on a Florida home with interiors by John Saladino that took my breath away!  It is stunning.  

As background, many of you know, purple is not my favorite color.  Caveat: just because I don't love purple does not mean I can't create a space using purple (for those clients who I have included purple in their spaces).  Remember, your house does not have to look like mine ;) 

I digress again.  

Where was I?  I have officially changed my mind. This man has made me adore purple - I NEED purple in my spaces!

This Florida home is so amazingly decorated.  It is traditional, modern, old world, current, sophisticated, light and airy, rich and cozy all at the same time.  I don't gush often, in fact, rarely does an interior do this to me.  It has to be extra super duper special.  Well, this one fits the bill.

No matter, that Mr. Saladino uses purple a lot.  If you google him you will see what I mean.  I think he has single handedly put purple back on the map!! 

Here are some examples:

Although I love how he has used purple in these spaces, the home in House Beautiful is a much more subdued tone of purple, really more like a taupe. 

The picture below is really more like what is being featured this month, and I love it sooooo much.

Back to the article, I refuse to scan the pictures, but I will give you my thoughts.  When you get a copy of the magazine you will thank me that you have a hard copy for your files.  Oh yes, it is definitely "house file" worthy.  Go get it.  

For starters, there is a hallway in this home with two sets of the most scrumptious pale, pale, lavender taffeta portieres (aka, drapery panels) that soften the entire look.  They are flanking either end of the entrances into the long hallway.  These panels are bordered with the most, MOST decadent trim (a tape really) that looks to be 6 inches wide (looks like some Italian woman slaved for years hand making this stuff) with a rope piping on either side of the tape!

Source

These are delicately hanging from a dark wrought iron rod (like this).  I gush. 

Then, the bathroom.

There is a free standing honed marble (carved!) tub (sort of like the one above).  Unbelievable.  There is also accent tiles that look like fabric trim in the room (I kid you not)!  I can't find a single picture that looks like this tile work, you just need to see it in the magazine.

 Who is "allowed" to put this stuff in their house??!!!  As a friend recently posted on Facebook, I think she is allowed to buy "price upon request" stuff! (while, sadly,  I am not). 

My favorite quote from the designer: 

"You don't have to give into the obvious.  People build houses in the West and have chandeliers made of antlers - but you already know you're in the West.  You don't have to hit people over the head with it.  When you're in Florida, you don't have to have wall sconces made out of seashells.  If you cross the line, your home can become a theme park." 

Gush.  Gush.

Because Mr. Sal A Dal A Dino is an architect, no detail goes unfinished -  The moldings, the doors, the niche for the bed, the entry to the home, and on and on.  

There is one tiny picture of the kitchen and let me just say that marble is slapped all over the place in there along with glass paned cabinet doors - no, not just glass paned doors, but lead plated glass paned cabinet doors.  And the cabinet color is fantastic.

My only complaint with the entire article - they were just waaaay too stingy with the photographs.  This is when an online version of their magazine (aka TradHome ) would have come in handy.  You could at least get a bit more detail on the rest of the house.

So . . . OK . . .  I don't think I have ever gotten this worked up in a post or about a house featured in a magazine.  I think I'm going to need a cold shower.  But one last picture of THE MAN in what else but purple!

Enjoy your day! M.