Meandering around the internet, I stumbled on to the delightful eye candy that is Janet Hill Studio. The classic furniture, rendered in both bright and muted tones, looks comfortable and charming. I love comfortable and charming.

Janet Hill refers to her paintings as "oil sketches", since they are small and done quickly. When I saw the rendering of the desk above, I had to post it. It looks like I'm starting to collect desks and chairs on this blog, doesn't it?

Wander over to her blog and scroll through the delightful interior renderings and still lifes.

If you haven't seen Chair Couture, run over and take a look. We're not a big fan of the new green line, but the whimsical sensibility of their original collection makes us happy. Bright chartreuse lacquered chairs upholstered in turquoise wool might not be for everyone, but the authentic interpretation is refreshing. We are particularly entranced by the chair above: black and white modern, graphic dots keep the chair young, and contrast with the well-maintained original patina. This chair is a new classic, and would fit with almost any decor, in any space.

Image courtesy of Chair Couture.

Every room needs a touch of black--that's Whitney English Design Philosophy 101. It anchors a room. The above has more than just a touch; the neutral tones seem grounded by the black wainscoat, the dark wine bottles, and the neutrally-framed chalkboard. I'm particularly fond of kitchen chalkboards, especially when they are in the reach of children. Nothing sparks the imagination like the opportunity for spontaneous creativity.

Image courtesy of Coeur de Beurre.

I've always loved that perfect shade french blue. A little bit gray, a little bit green, a little bit blue. Restoration Hardware's Silver Sage is a perfect shade for walls. When it came time to choose colors for our Oklahoma home, I chose Pratt and Lambert's Contemplation for the living room and master bedroom. (It was just a little less blue than Silver Sage.) While I've used shades of yellow and brown to make the living room a little bit more spicy, I wanted nothing but peaceful serenity in the master bedroom. So, I've gone with all shades of aqua, french blue and white.

Our Aqua Damask Note Card is one of my personal favorites, and it reminds me of the perfect color palette for our master bedroom. In the shot above, you can barely see dust skirt on the bed, but it is classic aqua and ecru damask. I found it on clearance because of a slight color variance, and bought all three remaining bolts. I think I'd like to do an upholstered headboard out of it as well.

The room itself is a work in progress, so this shot illustrates just a corner. My mother is an excellent resource for all things furniture. She has an estate sale habit that translates into great deals for us. The chest is a piece by Milling Road, so while not a true antique, definitely has the crackled appeal of one.

A recent post on Cote de Texas just took me back. If you will allow me the indulgence of recollection, I'd like to share my memories on a brief three months of perfection.

It was the summer after my junior year of college. As an interior design major, I had drooled for years over Charles Faudree's work. He is a cousin of an uncle, and uncle made the necessary call, and my internship was established. I made arrangements to stay with my cousins in a small town just outside Tulsa, but not far, so I could make the drive in each day. I felt like the luckiest interior design major in the entire country: I had an internship with Charles!

Years before, we had actually been to Tulsa to see his "Chateau Debt" (as he fondly called the money pit that was his dream house, now sold) when I was probably only 14. I remember walking through the front door, and feeling like little orphan Annie the first time she walked into the Daddy Warbucks mansion. On returning home to Oklahoma City, I insisted on painting my room a Pratt and Lambert butter color, and swooning over Ralph Lauren's sage green Charlotte floral, the closest thing I could find to a Bennison fabric on a 14 year old's budget. (I have a picture--I'll try to find it to post.) So, yes, that was me. A fourteen year old in love with interior design and chateaus and toile.

I can't even begin to describe the months of my internship. I don't remember my first day, but I do remember walking into house, after house, after house, of perfection. Nothing out of place. Dreamy antiques all over the place. Sarah Brightman, Frank Sinatra and classical music in rotation on the shop's stereo. Meandering over to T. A. Lorton to smell the candles when it got slow. Riding in the van to deliver furniture, to the lamp shade shop. Cleaning out the fabric room, ordering fringe for my first custom made silk pillows. Walking into the shop one day to see Charlotte Moss sitting in Charles' office, collar popped in crisp perfection. Every time I turned around, there was more fabulous.

I know life is never perfect, but looking back, that summer FELT like it was. Everything was beautiful--all the way down to the milk in the glass jar in the refridgerator. If I learned anything from Charles (and I learned a ton!), it was to take the time to savor the small things, the details, the littles. Maybe the beauty of that summer lied within the details he surrounded us all with. Charles continues to remain an inspiration to me, not only for his design work, but for his heart for humanity, and his divine sense of humor.

So let me throw the question back to you: do you mind sharing a time when 'life was perfect'? Maybe just a moment, or maybe a season, but a time when life seemed to have it's own soundtrack of bliss? If you don't want to comment, feel free to email me at whitneyenglish at yahoo dot com.

There is nothing preppier than a monogram. So, when Julie over at Lemon Tree Paperie sent me this photo of her newborn's nursery, I had to share it with you. Don't you love the green walls? Isn't the striped border crisp and elegant? Check out the Serena and Lily bedding! Are you drooling? Me, too!

When her son was born, Julie selected this note card for his thank you notes. Buzz on over to Lemon Tree Paperie and check out more of our stationery selection. You'll find Julie's customer service far above excellent! Her attention to detail is evident in the execution of this nursery design, isn't it?

For another preppy baby idea, check out this Lacoste stroller by Maclaren at Neiman Marcus. Little alligators, galore!

A peek into the living room at our Oklahoma home.