GLAMOUR GAL MISS MARY MCDONALD CHANNELS THE CLASSICS FOR F. SCHUMACHER

  Photos courtesy of Schumacher

Los Angeles - based interior designer Mary McDonald knows a thing or two about glamour.  She adores fashion and accessories as well as creating interiors with an old-world luxe decorating details. She first garnered attention with her neo Hollywood Regency femme style in 2001.  Ingrid Abramovitch wrote a story on her LA home for House and Garden, and it graced the cover. Her chic/femme gray and white bedroom set the glamorous stage for what was to come. When Bravo came calling with Million Dollar Decorator, she was ready. Now legions of adoring fans know how fun, endearing and fabulous Mary is. Anyone with 7 pugs has to be, right? 

Mary recently launched a classics-adapted-for-today fabric and trim collection for F. Schumacher. Looking to Chinoiserie motifs and couture details she often uses in her work, a collection was born. Graphic geometric patterns with prints, climbing flowering branches, re-colored Bargello flamestitch, combined with fretwork applique elements and more, this line that is an ode to all her favorite things, especially spectacular color.

Schumacher's launch event for Mary's fabrics included large blue and white vases filled with fabric bolts, pillows made up in her designs, and framed images of her trims.

Floor to ceiling length screens were covered in her Chinois Palais floral scenic fabric

A peach and cream interior showcasing a variety of designs used together

Panels of Chinois Palais with a wonderful wide border used on the leading edge

HERE IS AN ASSORTMENT OF COLLECTION STANDOUTS:

Chinois Palais with a wide geometric tape trim in a darker shade of orange.  Reminiscent of a painted Chinese tea paper, the classic climbing flowering branches with birds recall English and French rooms of the 1960's and 70's, like Pauline de Rothschild's Paris apartment Horst photographed in 1969.

 Chinois Palais in Lettuce is a favorite

 Chinois Palais in Tangerine

 Chinois Palais in Blush Conch

Chinois Palais in Aquamarine

The chic combo of navy and cream

Garden of Persia in Bleu Marine, a mirror image print of stylized leaves and flowers inspired by a Persian carpet

Garden of Persia in Bittersweet

Garden of Persia in Blush Conch

A dramatic paring of red and black is so Mary

A rich cut velvet adds texture and pattern. Vanderbilt Velvet in Noir is a geo with incredible punch

Sometimes you need a solid with texture with a subtle pattern. Honeycomb Matelasse in Ruby has an all-over woven hexagonal pattern that can be applied in a myriad of ways

Honeycomb also comes in this vivid Lettuce green

Shades of Dove grey mix well with minty Aquamarine

Bargello in Blush takes this classic pattern to a new place.  The pattern used to be seen as fuddy duddy, but in fresh updated colors, it gets a new lease on life

Inspired by a 17th Century document fabric, Villa de Medici is a linen damask with climbing branch and stylized flowers. Shown in Blush

As a soft feminine pattern, this can integrate well with other pale pastel hues that are big this season,  such as this Aquamarine

The addition of appliques to the collection provides a nice way to get creative. Mary is a big fan of  passementerie, so it is fitting to have a capsule collection of pieces with a host of versatile uses.

Shanghai Applique used on a fabric

Shanghai Applique in Bittersweet

Madame Wu Applique on a chair skirt is an unexpected way to add a graphic detail

Utilizing her favorite graphic motifs, wide tape trims play on the classic Greek Key and interlocking geometrics in fun colors

BRING HOME THE HOUSE OF HERMES TO YOUR HOUSE

With the same joie de vivre and panache as it's signature silk printed scarves, Hermes has made it's first foray into fabrics and wall coverings. Since 1937, the storied French house that began as a saddlery has garnered a loyal following for among other things, multi-screened many-hued silk scarves. The same painstakingly involved artistic process of hand-printing comes into play in their newly launched fabrics and wall coverings. Capturing familiar sportif aspects through equestrian and nautical motifs as well as tropical and exotic themes, the highly detailed novelty patterns are great for those that want to add a sense of fun and beauty in their home. Available through Dedar showrooms around the country, the captivating collection will cure even the most severe case of wanderlust.

Bibliotheque shows a library's worth of equestrian books

The chunky links of the Chain D'Ancre bracelet are translated onto a surface pattern of wallpaper with chains that come from a bot anchor line called Circuit 24.

Another great chain pattern with curved chains in the Circuit 24 fabric

Fils D'Argent fabric takes its loopy interlocking chain pattern from horses bridals

Up and Down wallpaper is an alternating thick and thin strip playing with the H motif

A parade of elephants march across  Beloved India fabric that captures the exuberant colors of the country

Rows of cotton striped saddle girths line a railing in Les Sangles wallpaper

Toucans and Parrots mingle with other exotic wildlife in Equateur, a wallpaper

With a  blue background

PAINTERLY PIZAZZ

Reminiscent of Jackson Pollock's iconic, out sized drip paintings, a new crop of painterly inspiration is emerging.  The abstract surface pattern, trending on fabrics as well as ceramics, is appreciated as much for its randomness as it is for its hand - created feel. Adding an energetic zing, splatter can kick it up a notch when pattern is called for.

Pierre Frey's Leo, named after the large scale canvas painter captures the artist's hand with slashes and drops of paint.

There is also a striking black and white combination that prefer the strong contrast.

A ceramic dish from Mrs. Howard has spatter, brushstrokes and dashes.

Beeline Home's newest lamp, The Spatter, with splashy blue glazes covering the entire white ceramic form.

Dransfield and Ross debited their new Tozai Home collection at High Point that featured a classic Louis Chair covered in a mad splash of black and white splatter paint. The natural cotton fabric the paint is applied to looks just like a Pollock canvas.

Bunching cubes also get the paint treatment.

Vaughan Design took the classic amphora shape of the Aegina Vase and added a dynamic spatter and brushstroke glaze to the ceramic lamp.

Providing a casual rustic feel, porcelain coated enamel pieces in spatterware from Crow Canyon are popular for picnics. 

IN FULL BLOOM: CHARLOTTE MOSS FABRICS

Photos courtesy of Fabricut and Charlotte Moss

Finding endless inspiration in her Long Island garden, Charlotte Moss' new fabric collection with Fabricut has blooms aplenty. Ever busy, with her latest book including her fabulous collage style inspirations and showhouse rooms, she has recently created wonderful ikat rugs with Stark, sweet accessories with Halcyon Days and is due to launch Century furniture in the spring. How does she do it all?
The fabric collection, influenced by Moss' vast archival collection and decorative accessories collected over a lifetime of travels, includes wovens, prints and patterns that all coordinate, with palettes ranging from the palest icy blue to the brightest spring green. An approachable price point makes it possible to surround yourself with a bit of Charlotte's classic blooms and elegant prints. The Charlotte-styled chicly done brochure provides a peek into how she would use the refined fabrics, and provides inspiration to create feminine, warm and timeless interiors, all in an easy, breezy summery lifestyle. Charlotte is currently working on her eighth book, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store!

Going green, a graphic woven geometric Charlotte hangs in the window panels and is paired with Caroline, a novelty vase print in Grass on the sofa and paisley on an armchair.

A winding vine fabric, Violet in Ivy at the window and Claire printed floral in Red Eden on the seat cushion at a desk vignette.

Setting the table in tons of blue and white, a Moss signature, she combines her favorite china patterns to work with the floraly tablecloth.

Thalien, a periwinkle blue and rich purple paisley in an alternating stripe is such a great color pairing.

A cozy dining room with upholstered walls in rich reds show Thalien paisley in Melon and an upholstered chair in Violet, Watermelon. The leading edge of the paisley print makes a nice border at the top below the trim.

Strewn bright pink and green carnations, Lucia reminds me of one of my favorite Porthault prints, and I like that these carnations are priced to move.

Violet, an all over floral upholstery fabric with gradient shades of Watermelon has a nice aged look to it, like an Italian Renaissance fabric.

Taking faux bois to a new place, Fanny, this abstracted print can look animal, bois or like a sketchy linear pattern.

Looking fresh as a table skirt, the softly undulating pattern of this print gives it a versatility for a variety of applications. It is one of my favorites.

A blue and white chenille woven Harriet in Mist looks almost sponge printed.That mini cane chair is beyond!