Annie Sloan's Room Recipes for Style and Colour E-Book

Annie Sloan

• Herausgeber: CICO Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Find the right interiors recipe for your ideal home with Annie Sloan.

Das E-Book wird angeboten von und wurde mit folgenden Begriffen kategorisiert:

Leseprobe

Annie Sloan’s

ROOM RECIPES

FOR STYLE AND

COLOUR

Annie Sloan’s

ROOM RECIPES

FOR STYLE AND

COLOUR

Annie Sloan and Felix Sloan

With specially commissioned photography by Christopher Drake

Published in 2014 by CICO Books

An imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Ltd

20–21 Jockey’s Fields 341 E 116th St

London WC1R 4BW New York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text © Annie Sloan and Felix Sloan 2014

Design © CICO Books 2014

Photography © CICO Books and RPS 2014

(Photographs on pages 18 below, 21 above, and 30 © Christopher Drake)

The authors’ moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The Chalk Paint trademark is owned by Annie Sloan Interiors Ltd. and is registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress and the British Library.

US ISBN: 978-1-78249-154-5

UK ISBN: 978-1-78249-171-2

eISBN: 978-1-78249-619-9

Printed in China

Editor: Dawn Bates

Designer: Louise Leffler

Artworks: Annie Sloan and Felix Sloan

Commissioned photography: Christopher Drake

For further picture credits, see page 220.

In-house editor: Carmel Edmonds

In-house designer: Fahema Khanam

Art director: Sally Powell

Production manager: Gordana Simakovic

Publishing manager: Penny Craig

Publisher: Cindy Richards

contents

INTRODUCTION

STORYTELLING

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

STYLE FUSIONS

CHAPTER 1 NEOCLASSICAL

CHAPTER 2 TRADITIONAL SWEDISH

CHAPTER 3 MODERN RETRO

CHAPTER 4 BOHEMIAN

CHAPTER 5 VINTAGE FLORAL

CHAPTER 6 FRENCH ELEGANCE

CHAPTER 7 RUSTIC COUNTRY

CHAPTER 8 COASTAL

CHAPTER 9 WAREHOUSE

THE CHALK PAINT® RANGE

BUSINESS CREDITS

PICTURE CREDITS

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Deciding how to style and decorate your home isn’t easy. There are so many ways of approaching the task and so many styles to choose from. Like most people, you may worry about making a mistake or lack confidence in your choices. Our room recipes help you decide on the best style for you and give an overview of interior design and home decor. The styles we explore are all quite polarized. They are by no means definitive, but they capture quite specific looks. In reality, most homes are fusions of more than one style but even the most experienced designer will find it difficult to juggle more than two or three styles in one room.

These pieces are modern retro. The excellence of this design style was a particular revelation to me.

An inspirational journey

This is a world we know well but both Felix’s and my preconceptions were jolted in writing this book. Felix was amazed to find that of all the locations photographed for the book, the most unrestrained—which in that sense made it feel rather modern— was the 17th-century Swedish manor house with its quirky mock picture frames and freely painted panels. For me, the 1960s design of the modern retro location was a real eye-opener. Being at art school in the 1960s, I viewed mainstream design of the time as pedestrian: unchallenging and uninteresting. How wrong I was!

Swedish style: The quirky freeness of the haphazardly laid hand-painted Chinese wallpaper and the painted faux picture frame and border were an inspiration to Felix.

What is a “style”?

We can define a style as being a particular approach or a unified look. This look is like a palette consisting of colors, shapes, cultural and historic references, materials, attitudes, even ideologies. This palette can be drawn upon in many different ways to create a design style. When we describe a room as “stylish,” we are saying that all of the elements are balanced and work well together.

The more knowledgeable you are, the better. A broad knowledge is like a repertoire of ideas that you can draw upon. If, for example, you have a chair and you are not sure what to put with it, knowing the style of that chair will give you ideas. It’s not about creating a rule book, but more a set of guidelines. If you are inexperienced or lack confidence, you may find that following the style guide in this book helps you. If you are an experienced decorator, you will find that you can make all sorts of style fusions work.

We both found the painterly approach to French elegance very motivating. Throughout the book, we have suggested paint swatches, such as the greens shown here, for each style.

This sitting room [above] shows a charming and somewhat edgy take on the vintage floral style, while this collection of items [below] is warehouse style in both its look and arrangement.

STORYTELLING

Show homes and hotel rooms are sometimes stunning and inspiring but they are not home.To make a house into a home, you need it to have your personal stamp. Having the things around you that say who you are gives your house individuality and personality.

Personal items might be a toy elephant from childhood, old photographs of family and friends, a postcard of a favorite painting or vacation, souvenirs, an ornament, or maybe a vintage picture you found one weekend. We often have things that we don't want to throw away because they are a part of us. Instead of storing them away, display them and use them to tell your story.

Photographs

Tell your story using photographs. There will be a variety of styles and times your photographs were taken—some will be in color and others in black and white, and some may be very old sepia prints. They can be brought together by using similar frames or by painting frames the same color. For instance, using large frames all painted black gives a cohesive look to the photos. Or placing items on a colored background or putting them together in a strong-shaped frame can unite a mix of finds.

Collectibles

Whatever your interests, from abacuses to zebras, you can use them to tell a story in your home. We are not talking about giving each room a theme. Theming a room is great for a special occasion but not really something you want to live with on a day-to-day basis.

Some people make large collections—for example, antique dolls. This can easily become a big mess of objects that don’t particularly work well together, so it’s important to connect them in some way. Tim Gosling, whose neoclassical home we visited (see Chapter 1), had a collection of horse ornaments. These worked well together because of their color and shape, and because they fitted in with the style of the room—there was other horse imagery used in the decor.

Almost anything can become interesting when multiples are collected together. The image on the opposite page, below, is of my mantelpiece. I had collected each of these pieces over many years and they were scattered around different parts of my house. When I came to redesign my living room, I needed a collection of objects to go on my gray marble fireplace, so brought them all together. The largest piece is a stone statue given to me by my father. The small figure of a man is, in fact, a maquette for a larger piece. I bought it in China from a modern artist. I found the skull on a beach on a small island in Fiji, the birthplace of my mother. The ammonite is from my garden, and the woman’s head is a painted plaster cast from a medieval church in Oxfordshire.

These are the sort of photographs and objects that could just languish in a box in the attic but, brought out and framed, they make a lively display.

Noticeboards, blackboards, and postcards stuck on the wall or the back of a door are a great way to add a personal touch that can constantly evolve and keep pace with your life. Their impermanence means that they can be chopped and changed.

These very personal objects of Annie’s, collected over several years, are brought together on her mantelpiece.

As well as showing symmetry, the composition in this image is also a great example of the other design principles discussed: height, scale, focus, and storytelling. The colors—Old White, and a little Primer Red against a French Linen wall—are subdued and harmonious, helping to make this a story about the objects on display.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

If everything in a room were the same height, size, color, and texture, there would be nothing for the eye to look at. You need something eye-catching that will lead anyone entering the room to look around. Composition is about creating arrangements—thinking about how you place items, as well as considering the space in between them.

Symmetry and asymmetry

True symmetry requires two facing sides of an arrangement to be exactly identical. This is something that can work very well in certain interiors, and with particular design styles, such as neoclassical (see Chapter 1). However, a lot of the time it is more interesting to use symmetry as a starting point but then break out of it. Balance is such an important requirement in composition, and symmetry helps to provide this.

Let’s take the image opposite as an example. At the core of this composition are a few symmetrical elements: the candlesticks, the Edwardian busts, the classical head in the center, and the mirror. The symmetry is broken by various smaller objects along the mantelpiece and, in fact, on closer inspection some of the elements that appear to be symmetrical are not. The candlesticks are different colors, the busts have slightly different poses, the head is tilted to one side, and the mirror has an asymmetrical plume at the top.

Height and scale

The display on this mantelpiece also works well because there is a balance of height and scale. Without the candlesticks, there would be nothing to take the eye from the level of the smaller objects up to the oversized mirror. The larger objects catch your eye at first, and then lead you to look at some of their more detailed features. Finally, you start to notice the tiny objects, such as the delicate cherub. Having a good mix of different levels of detail means that you always have something of interest to look at.

Think of your space in terms of floor level, eye level, and above eye level. You should try to have something of interest in each of these places. Similarly, you should aim to have a range of different-sized objects in a room, from the large and obvious, down to the small, intimate, and detailed.

Shape

Another way to think about composition is in terms of arrangements of shapes. A shared characteristic, such as shape, will help to bring different elements in a space together, but having too many things the same shape will be rather boring—so, once again, a balanced approach is needed. For instance, the introduction of a round table into a room made up of squares and rectangles could be just the thing to bring the room together.

Taking the image above as an example, the principles used for the arrangement on this chest of drawers are the same as those you would use in a whole room. The setting is made up of two basic shapes: circles and rectangles. The balanced positioning with varying concentrations of action makes it interesting and pleasing to the eye.

When there is a lack of color in an arrangement, it is even more important for the shapes to work well. Here, everything is in neutral tones, forcing attention on the shapes involved. The circular clock and bowl provide focus and are a terrific counterpoint to the hard, straight edges of the rest of the items.

Focus

Every room needs some sort of focus to bring everything in it together. One key way to think about where the focus of a room should be is by considering viewpoints. A viewpoint could be a place that you often sit, such as an armchair; or a place in the room where you often stand such as the entrance or doorway. In this case the focus becomes a matter of first impressions.

Having worked out where the focus point is in the room, consider what to feature there, drawing on the other design principles. For example, you may choose to add an element of storytelling, through hanging pictures or paintings, or introduce scale, through a large object such as a chandelier. You may even use colors as your focus, whether they blend together or contract with each other.

Despite being a quiet corner behind a cupboard, this intimate space is the first thing you see when entering the kitchen from the dining room. This makes it an important viewpoint in the room and therefore a perfect place to hang some strong, interesting pictures.

This view takes you across three rooms. The pink on the walls of the first and last rooms leads your eye through the middle room. There is strong Scandinavian Pink at one end, and the subtler pink of Antoinette at the front.

This chandelier makes a huge statement in a large, tall, open-plan room, and helps you anchor your eye before taking in the rest of the surroundings. While everything else is quite practical, the chandelier, along with the giant fork, offers some change by being a little frivolous and unusual.

This room is essentially based on three different styles. The architecture of the space is in the warehouse style, with its exposed steel beams and corrugated ceiling; the painted doors, chandelier, and armchairs are all very much French elegance; the large sofa, coffee table, and floor lamp are all modern retro elements. These seemingly disparate elements are all balanced by good composition. If you were to add any more style elements, it would be very hard to stop the room becoming cluttered and confused.

STYLE FUSIONS

Most people’s homes do not adhere to one particular style. Everyone develops an individual style by fusing their favorite elements from different sources. This is one key way to bring some personal identity to the design of your home. You should not be put off from buying things that you like just because they don’t fit in with one particular style. Collect things that you are naturally drawn to, and you should be able to find ways to put them together.

Color is a great way of bringing together disparate elements. This could, of course, be a collection of objects that are all the same colors—black and white, or all yellow, for example. Another way to use color to bring elements together is with a color scheme. For example, a modern abstract painting on a wall could play off antique furniture in the same room if it used colors that tie in.

You may find that some objects of very different styles happen to be similar shapes and therefore work nicely together. Juxtaposing strongly contrasting styles is a playful way of creating a fusion. An interesting counterpoint to a rustic setting could be to have some very grand elements, for example.

In this book, some of the locations are, in fact, fusions rather than pure styles. Paul Massey’s coastal haven (see Chapter 8) incorporates many warehouse elements (see Chapter 9). Alex Russell Flint’s house in France (see Chapter 6) has an eccentric bohemian layer to it, while our bohemian location (see Chapter 4) was fused with a little vintage floral (see Chapter 5). The modern retro (see Chapter 3) and neoclassical (see Chapter 1) locations, for example, were very much the work of purists.

A random collection of objects gathered together, next to a cabriole leg. They work together nicely by being a mix of square and curvy shapes.

A French armchair sits next to a mid-century side table, topped with some Chinese figures and a modern artwork.

Look at this room’s composition and imagery. Classical antiquity is referenced in the use of the busts, the obelisk, and the architectural drawings. Meanwhile, the door features bas-reliefs of robed women, and the marble mantelpiece an urn—both are good examples of neoclassical imagery.

Chapter 1

NEOCLASSICAL

If you want to make a grand statement in your home, look no further than neoclassical. We particularly love this style for its precision, its focus on strong imagery, and its “wow” factor. While neoclassical won’t necessarily work everywhere, it is easy to introduce elements of it into your home. It is a style that is always referencing back, but there is something timeless—something classic and charming—about it.

“Classical” refers to the ancient art and architecture of Greece and the Roman Empire, and also to China. “Neoclassical” simply means a revival of interest in what is still considered a “golden age.” For great examples of classical architecture, think of the Parthenon in Athens or the Colosseum in Rome—picture those classic columns. For a more modern example, look at the White House—inside and out, the U.S. President resides in a neoclassical building.

The first flowering of the neoclassical style was in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During this Georgian era, architecture, in a sense, came indoors to show off all the simple geometric forms of classic style, through furniture, furnishings, moldings, decorative materials, drawings, and statues. For example, a Doric column (see page 23) could become anything from a wallpaper motif to a chair leg or lamp base. Neoclassical is also about order and symmetry, a sense of space and balance, and a certain amount of regimentation.

Classical architecture comes indoors with a pediment-topped portico sitting on a gilt-bordered door. Symmetry and formality are enhanced by the bookshelves, set in column form and topped with Roman busts. The gilt cornice is classic too.

elements of NEOCLASSICAL style

Colors and materials

The colors favored in the neoclassical style tend to exude a strong, positive presence. There is nothing “flowery” about them. Pretty pastels feature only in a context where they appear powerful—i.e., alongside white—or where they are reinforced by stronger, darker colors.

The Georgian neoclassical revival coincided with the Industrial Revolution and developments in science, which saw the production of bold new pigments, such as ultramarine, cobalt blue, and chrome yellow. These pigments were soon seen on the smartest drawing-room walls and furniture in 19th-century London. My own new Napoleonic Blue color (see opposite) is inspired by the French emperor and his love of neoclassical design. It is a regal color—a deep, warm blue. It contains a hint of red, so it makes great purples when mixed with other paint colors. Purple is considered very much an Ancient Roman color, as Roman emperors wore purple.

The paint effect on this cabinet mimics malachite, a mineral with an emerald green, coppery color. The mirror is topped by a gilded imperial-style eagle, which is very neoclassical, as are the brass lion and candlesticks.

The gilded cornice is shown to great effect against the regal purple. You can get close to this color using Burgundy and Napoleonic Blue.

Decorative stone features prominently as a material in the neoclassical style, with granite, marble, and travertine being particular favorites. Again, this references the first great neoclassical revival, which put the stones of antiquity into the limelight in Europe and in North America too. Proportions and styles were modeled on Greek and Roman architecture, and decorative stones were fundamentally important to the ornamentation. Plaster is also widely used with plaster casts and plaster walls. Shiny metals, traditionally gold leaf, brass, polished bronze, and silver, are neoclassical materials, but modern interpretations include stainless steel and chrome, as well as glass and mirrors.

My mini columns show a palette of five classic “imperial” colors. From left to right: Burgundy, Aubusson Blue, Napoleonic Blue, a purple mix using Napoleonic Blue, Burgundy, and Old White, and a deeper purple mix with the same combination but no white.

My illustration is all about composition and symmetry. Regularity, especially using columns and other motifs in pairs, is a neoclassical look. Even the chair provides a symmetry of viewpoint, and everything is lined up.

Arrangement and furniture

Neoclassical style works best when there is space and symmetry. It is framed around order and balance, and there is a certain military precision to the setup of its interiors (not surprising given these empires of antiquity were massive military powers). Panels and columns mimic the formation of Greek or Roman troops in battle. Architecture, too, influences the arrangements, which tend to be columnar, square, rectangular, or triangular.

Other militaristic elements include symbols of war and victory, such as classical palm leaves and laurel wreaths. These symbols often enveloped other imagery and made a direct visual connection back to the power of the Ancient Roman emperors. Other plant arrangements often associated with the neoclassical style include the acanthus leaf, symmetrical box balls, and individual plants that need arranging or trimming into a structured shape or that lend themselves to topiary.

A detail of the cabinet (see opposite, top). First, I painted it in Graphite. Over the tabletop, I put a layer of Florence—a bluey-green color inspired by malachite. Then, when it was dry, I varnished the table with lacquer. Next, I painted Aubusson Blue all over the top, creating the finish with some strips from corrugated card. I “combed” them over the surface, pulling, curling, and turning them to create fan shapes.

The idea of trying to make a piece of furniture resemble a scale model of a building underlines every revival of classicism—from the Renaissance to the 1980s to contemporary twists. The Renaissance was inspired by classical antiquity, and from that period onward the ancient ruins were excavated and studied for the secrets of classical beauty. Classical architecture became the direct reference for neoclassical furniture and interiors, as little firsthand evidence remained, apart from the ancient buildings themselves. So obelisks, columns, and plinths, for example, became chair and table legs, lamp bases, and door frames. The chief reference was the Ancient Greek and Roman ornamental Doric column. This is made up of a pedestal and plinth at the base, supporting the main column or shaft, and topped by architraves, friezes, and cornices. Accordingly, you will find miniature columns on freestanding furniture, especially chair and table legs, as well as on bookcases, lamp bases, door and window frames, interior walls, fireplaces, and door panels. Fixtures and fittings, including dado rails, baseboards (skirting boards), architraves, and cornices, are pretty much defined by moldings in the neoclassical style.

These three chairs were designed by Tim Gosling (see page 24) and are modernized versions of traditionally shaped pieces. The “gondola” chair [left] features a classic architectural drawing design (for a more traditional gondola chair, including the swan armrest so beloved by Empress Josephine, see page 22). The red and white leather padded chairs [center and right] are modernist takes on neoclassical styles.

I drew these chair designs with Regency stripes, and added a palette of greens. From left to right: Antibes Green, Antibes Green with Old White, Provence, Old Violet, and Florence.

Neoclassical furniture is really any piece that has an added classic architectural element or material. It might be chair legs modeled on Ancient Greek columns or a dressing-table mirror supported by obelisk-shaped stands. Popular pieces of neoclassical furniture include the chaise longue—often depicted in scenes from antiquity on murals. These “long chairs” could consist of two parts with a large stool. They are based on the daybed often pictured in Ancient Greek and Roman scenes.

Consoles, which are basically any type of wall table, are also popular. Originally, a console might be fixed to the wall and supported only by the front legs or an eagle or other figure. Wall tables allow you to display an attractive collection of ornaments.