I know we are all pouring over Domino. Fresh, young, hip, exciting. I love it because it’s bright and cheerful and exciting.
There’s another magazine. I don’t think you’re reading it. It’s old, staid, and, I’ll say it, out of touch. Unfortunately, this doyenne of the design tomes carries the work of a few designers you would love.

Mariette Himes Gomez is one of the best. Gomez opened her own shop in 1975; her interiors are classic and sophisticated and still, remarkably fresh.

Her rooms are balanced and focused. I struggle with furniture placement and have studied her rooms memorizing each detail.

Clean and crisp they give you room to breathe. While these rooms are super stars, they allow their owners to be the focus of the attention.

They don’t over power.

And while many of Gomez’s interiors are neutral, she uses color with aplomb.

Deep and rich with an enviable attention to detail.

No fool, Gomez is a business woman, too. She designs two lines of furniture. One, Private Collection is available through her web site and her store, The Shop, in New York.

The other is a collection with Hickory Chair.

I love this ottoman; Gomez uses this egg shaped work horse in many of her projects. It’s so much more interesting that a rectangle, graceful and chic.

Next time you are standing in the grocery store line, pick it up. Every now and then there is a treasure.

post-script: StyleCourt reminded me that Gomez has published a book, “Rooms; Creating Luxurious, Livable Spaces” and a new book coming out soon, “Houses Inside and Out.”

I approved the cutting for office chair’s reupholstery yesterday. Even when things are in stock, it all just seems to take too long. I guess if it takes you months to choose a fabric you shouldn’t be too impatient when your fabric house takes ten days to ship.

In the meantime, while working on another post, I started coming across all these great rooms that have that soft aqua and sharp red. I can’t believe it took me so long to see the light.

This image and the one top, Courtney Haas’s home by Joe Nye, House Beautiful, Oct. 07.

The upholstery on this day bed is spot on what I am after for office chair. I was almost bummed when I saw it here; I wanted to be the first on my block.

Elle Decor, Oct. 07.
As it turns out, this combo has been around a while. Here it is used in “Dior’s favorite room.” I love the way the architectural elements are highlighted in the different colors.

From Southern Accents on Color, Frances MacDougall.
Many of these rooms have gold accents, which might have been my sub-conscience’s inspiration for the nail head trim.

Alexandra Champalimaud’s kitchen, Rooms to Inspire, Annie Kelly.

There is something so appealing to me in the chalkiness of the blue and the richness of the red.

Elizabeth Locke’s entry, House and Garden, Oct. 97.

You might remember this cover from Southern Accents. Jackye Lanham used this stunning collection of intaglios in the master bedroom of an Atlanta home published in the January ’06 issue. When I see things like this, sometimes I think, “Oh, I like those, maybe I’ll get some.” Then I start doing a little research.

Tiberian Intaglio #17 ” Mars and Venus”

From what I understand, intaglios were originally used as seals to identify property. Seems to me if you had property to identify in ancient Rome, you were probably doing ok. They are often made of precious stones or ivory or some such yummy substance. I think a lot of what we see now are casts of the originals.

I love the way they are often framed en masse; many in a frame and, again, often a series of frames on a wall.

That being said, they are quite dear. You don’t just “get some.”

A collection of (12) Painted and 23Kt parcel gilt frames having ten Intaglios in each frame; Tiberian Design

And while I like the idea of staggering these up my staircase, it seems unlikely that it will happen any time soon.

A collection of (12) Painted and 23Kt parcel gilt frames having a single seal in each frame; Tiberian Design

Tiberian Intaglio #54 ” The combat between Idas and Apollo “

However. What if we twist things around a bit? Instead of framing something precious and unique, what about something common. I’d love to use my ever-growing collection of shells in just this manner. Each frame with the same type, but varying size of shell. The same paper background as Ms. Lantham used, or perhaps different colors for each.

What about marbles? Fabulous.

Mr. Gambrel did something similar with eggs.

As The Peak of Chic pointed out recently, framing is not an inexpensive project in itself. But I think it might be telling to take something you have jars and jars of and mass them together on a wall.