How to make a Room More Gender Neutral

 

Mary McDonald

I love Graciewallpaper (De Gournay too of course but come now).  It is so timeless, elegant and graceful.  But although we are a household of 3 ladies to 1 gentleman, I would worry that it would feel to delicate or girly in the home.  Here’s an easy way to eliminate that:

Geometry!  Geometric shapes read more masculine because of the rigid proportions and hard lines.  Also, they are often used in modern designs, which as lends itself to more masculine aesthetic in general.  For me, I zeroed in on the hexagon. By incorporating one or two of these elements into a space, it immediate makes it seem less “fussy” with the introduction of clean lines.

Mary McDonald’s a designer who uses this idea in many of her rooms . . . check them out below.  Wouldn’t the room seem so stuffy and old fashioned (well sort of . . . they’re pretty cool in general) if it weren’t for the geometrics?  She uses hers mostly on the floor, but doesn’t mean you have to as well.

Mary McDonald Rooms:

Hexagon Inspiration to Make the Look Your Own:

To flip the scenario - - I like the idea of using the David Hicks wallpaper but pairing it with traditional chintz window curtains in the same hue.

​Alternatives to the Popular Chinoiserie Patterns

The 1700’s have been back in a major way for a while now.  Not so much the powdered wigs but the explosion of Chinoiserie textiles.  I say bring it on!  But be forewarned, the popular patterns are getting more exposure that Gigi and Bella Hadid.

Here are some alternatives to try to achieve the same look while maintaining a little uniqueness.  

If you like Jim Thompson “Enter the Dragon”

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Try Carlton Varney “Puff”

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(okay this next one definitely does not fit the them but I included it because so often it is paired with chinoiserie prints....)

If you like Brunschwig & Fils  “Les Touches”

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Try Alan Campbell (Quadrille) “Rio”

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If you like Schumacher “Chiang Mai”

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Try Design Legacy “Mandarin Brights”

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If you like Dana Gibson “Canton”

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Try Brunschwig and Fils “Gillian Zebras

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OR Duralee “Chilipepper”

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If you like Lee Jofa “Oriental Fishes”

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Try Jeffrey Alan Marks (Kravet) “Upstream”

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My favorite?  Not classic chinoiserie but I think it could still fall into that category.  It was designed after an 1850’s drawing from Udapur (Google says that’s in India). 

Jim Thompson “Wedding Parade”

​​Endnote:  Would I use one of the more popular patterns in a client’s house?  Without a doubt.  If you love them, you love them  - - we’ll make it work to be amazing and original. Their awesomeness is why they became so popular in the first place!  I would just advise to do the prints in pillows rather than curtains or chairs to maintain flexibility in case you get bored or they become too oversaturated.  

Color Combo Crush: Blue and Green

Maybe because spring is soon here or I'm missing my Christopher Farr pillows (it is really a toss up . . .) but I am loving the color combo of blue and green.  Though not revolutionary, it is so crisp and timeless.

Christopher Farr's Carnival . . . 

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We have been seeing so much royal for a while now - it is a classic that particularly lends itself well to the chinoiserie chic trend (think ginger jars) but the addition of green to blue and white makes traditional look much more modern.

Though not a true Kelly green, this sideboard beautifully contrasts against the multi-shades of blue in the room.  I think that's the trick . . .  like with any color scheme, you want to vary your shades.  Without the brighter blue of the hydrangeas, the room would look almost flat.  But with the hydrangeas, it is simply stunning. 

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Here's another example  . . . I would change the sheets though as the bedding reads almost periwinkle and fights with the royal.  Like the idea though. 

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Doesn’t this room just ask out loud for accents in royal blue to make it pop?  Even just doing the bolster (which I think is Leotine Linens  . . . the most glamorous linen company ever to exist) in blue would make such a difference. 

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It is a wonderful way to update any room for a clean, fresh feel.  OR better yet - your table setting.  Though not traditionally “Easter,” how pretty would a table setting look with blue and white china and green accents?  So springy.

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I'm totally inspired . . .   stay tuned for a follow-up post of fabric combos in blue and green!

Steals & Deals: March 7th

Check out these finds on Chairish!    If you're interested, contact me and I have a $30 gift certificate I will happily pass along to you!  

Here are two bentwood-style rocking chairs for $100 -  for both!

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While I use to hate (HATE) this style, I am now seeing the vintage coolness.  Especially paired with an awesome custom cushion to modernize the style . . .  maybe something like Brunschwig & Fils' Les Touches

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And also check out this bolster pillow from Chairish . . .  Only $60!

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Outdated Design Rules - bye bye!

Just like in fashion, rules of design come and go.  Here's a cheat sheet to what can and should be broken for a modernized look to even the most traditional homes.

1.  Don't Mix Metals

Eeek . . . this is a common misunderstanding.  My rule is always to view metals in a room as you would jewelry.  You would never think NOT to wear a gold bracelet if your watch metal was silver, would you? (That is an honest question - - I have a leather Cape Cod watch and always wear it with gold bangles . . . hopefully I'm not missing the boat on this one!)   Okay but let's think bigger picture . . . brass and chrome look great together in the room as long as there are multiple of each object.  For example, if your sconces were brass and you had a chrome bar cart things may look a little Wacky Wednesday (mom joke - sorry).   But if you had 3 things that were chrome-toned  - say your bar cart, a decorative bowl and a picture frame - your mixing would look intentional and fabulous.

 

 

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Why this works:  the warm tones of the island's wood echo the copper of the pendants.  And notice the accessories. . .  a series copper pans echos the warm element as does the island hardware.  At the same time, it is not copper overkill due to the faucet, large hood and backplash in stainless.

2.   Don't Mix Wood Tones

Eeek . . . I was at a furniture store once and the salesperson asked me if I wanted different legs to go on a sofa to match the coffee table.  Um no thanks.  Elements in your room should speak to one another not match.  Think of those My Bob's commercials where you can get a 7-piece set of everything you need for a living room.  That matches.  But for your house, you want to layer and different shades of wood add interest and give a curated feel.  

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Why this works . . .  the spindle chair's mahogany back, arms and legs breaks up the beige.  At the same time, the light server behind the couch compliments the mirrors and doesn't allow that wall to feel too dark. 

3.  Don't leave a wall blank

Eeek . . . . not always.  A fundamental principle of design is object/void (in architecture school I wrote a 30 page paper all about that . . . a real page turner let me tell you).   You need void to allow the object (say a painting on another wall) to shine.  Void also allows the eye to rest, which is important for a room not to feel to busy or cluttered.    It is interesting to look at large gallery wall . . . ever notice how some of them feature large mats?  This allows the wall to have multiple focal points while giving enough void for the eye to rest.  For home design, if you have a statement piece on one wall, feel free to let that shine. 

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Why this works:  There is a lot going on in this space. . .  just look at the back wall . .  a dresser, oversized art and a large window (perhaps a door?).  However, it all works because of the wall behind the bed.  Even more so actually because is is painted black -  by allowing that large space to essentially disappear, the busy wall becomes a focal point that is not disrupted.   Spoiler alert:  I will do a post on black ceilings too. . .  I would LOVE LOVE LOVE one in my kitchen but my traditionalist husband says no :(

Fav. Beds - - Break the Bank and Similar Value Buys

 I love me a good spindle bed.  Not the Jenny Lind kind with all the spindles equal like beads (though I do love that for my daughter) but a modern take on the classic.  Scroll over the images to see if you can tell which one is almost 4K more!

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