Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2025 i MILIEU

I am proud that I have been a part of the design industry for so many years, as both an interior designer and a shelter magazine editor-in-chief. And while I have seen decorating fads come and go, I am excited by what is happening in the industry. The best designers working now are routinely returning to the “older” forms of sourcing. Rather than shopping online and simply “adding to cart,” leading designers are attending antiques fairs and design centers, traveling to different cities to take tours to see historic architecture and iconic designs. They are literally seeing, feeling, and trying out the very furnishings they are using in their projects. Augmenting this change, though, are the advantages of ecommerce, social media, and online merchandising. The reach that interior designers now…

“I can’t say we needed a potting shed, but after two years of designing our cottage, I wanted to keep creating, and this structure gave me an opportunity to do so,” says owner Kevin Brost. “Apart from storing our tools and keeping our old pots safe from the winter cold, we have tea parties in the shed with our young nieces, Claire and Anna.” During the summers, Brost and Hamilton have a glass of rosé in the shade of the shed—while pondering the idea of doing chores.…

Tara Shaw is a direct descendant of talented shoppers, a pedigree that has led to her recent collaboration with Century Furniture, itself a third-generation family-owned business. “My grandmother had a Ph.D. in shopping, as did my mother,” says Shaw with humor from her New Orleans showroom, her whippet Sister Lucca nestled against her (named for one of her favorite Italian cities). “My grandmother would literally take me out of school for the day when I was growing up in Baton Rouge so we could go shopping for pearls. We’d do comparative shopping expeditions when buying eggplants. And my mother was a talented real estate agent and painter. I feel that I was surrounded by strong women.” For decades, Shaw has been what she calls a “guerilla antiquer,” scouring antiques markets…

When Samantha (“Sam”) Sacks was asked to renovate a majestic 1887 manse in Hamilton, Ontario, she never considered hewing to Victorian design conventions. “Lots of people approach historical homes too seriously,” says the Toronto-based interior designer. “That can make things feel unlivable or unfriendly—as if all of the rooms need to be roped off.” No chance of that happening here. Inspired by the informal, family-oriented lifestyle of her clients—a doctor and a speech pathologist with three young children—Sacks preserved the home’s Queen Anne–style architecture, but cast aside its floral wallpapers, billowing curtains, and crystal chandeliers in favor of pristine white walls, contemporary furniture, and casual lighting. This stripped-down aesthetic complements the 19th-century architecture without compromising the needs of its 21st-century inhabitants. “The goal was to be functional and fun, but…

Although she lives and works predominantly in Northern Europe, designer Melissa Vale is enchanted by the relaxed spirit of the Spanish isle of Ibiza. “My family began wintering there when I was just a child,” says Vale. “When I first visited Ibiza as a young person, I noticed a kind of spiritual, Zen feeling—everyone is in love with each other—and that island vibe is in my blood.” So, when a young family from Holland tapped her to turn an old farmhouse into a cozy getaway home on the island, the Dutch-born, Belgium-based designer welcomed the opportunity to bring her talents to a place she loves. “One of my favorite things about the island is that it’s so quiet and removed that you can really hear nature—birds singing, pine trees rustling…

“Great blends of pattern, like great dishes, must be carefully tasted. And constant tasting is what teaches a cook how to taste.”— Billy Baldwin When William Williar Baldwin, Jr., decided to leave his native Maryland in 1935 and move to New York, he was in his early 30s and in pursuit of a dream. Ruby Ross Wood, a leading lady of the interior design world, had offered Baldwin an invitation to work with her for $35 per week (“I feel I need a gentleman with taste and I have found him in you, wasting away in Baltimore”). Despite the mutual esteem for each other, little did either know that the relationship would endure until Wood’s death in 1950 and that Baldwin would become a design master in his own right.…

“They could host a party or host a wedding. It’s as beautiful and functional as any barn could possibly be."”—SHANNON BOWERS “Barn Beautiful” p. 98 “The house had to function for a young family in 2025 without losing sight of its history.”—SAM SACKS “Balancing Act” p. 112 “The house feels very historical, but it’s not too overly specific about that. It’s about a house of today.”—MICHAEL AIDUSS “Returning Home” p. 124 “With fewer elements in a room, you have to pay a lot more attention to how important each piece is.”—MICHAEL DEL PIERO “Meeting in the Middle” p. 138 “After decades of neglect, this house needed to breathe again.”—MELISSA VALE “An Island Vibe” p. 150…

Flora Soames FLORA SOAMES Flora Soames is involved in a constant conversation. “I don’t know what a fad is or what a trend is, but if you’re able, as a designer, to achieve longevity or timelessness, then you’re doing your job well. I think my interiors, my fabrics, and wallpapers reflect my interest in having a conversation between past and present.” The prolific London-based designer continues to look to historical precedents as a way to inform what she makes today. Among the influences that inspire her are Jacobean ones. When developing her products and furnishings, Flora is able to use a fragment of the distant past to create something wholly new. “I love the drama, the theatricality of taking something Jacobean and using it as a fresh element in a…

With much anticipation, attendees were welcomed to the 35th anniversary of the Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville. MILIEU was proud to be the national media sponsor of the opening keynote address, “Cultivating the Character of Home,” with actress Brooke Shields and her longtime collaborator and friend British designer David Flint Wood, moderated by humanitarian, designer, and author India Hicks. Their conversation revealed Brooke’s passion for home renovation and interior design, as well as the immediate bond made when the three first met one another at David and India’s home in the Bahamas. The presentation felt intimate, even in a large lecture room with a sold-out audience, and proved to be a spirited conversation among the three. Following the presentation was a book signing for Brooke’s latest book, Brooke Shields…

SKELTON CULVER STEFFLEN Skelton Culver Stefflen is a direct importer of fine antiques, lighting, custom furniture and accessories, focusing on Continental Europe yet reflecting a broad world view. Our Houston showroom features clean-line furnishings that create strong foundations across a variety of interior styles. skeltonculver.com FAUSTINA PACE In her namesake shop/studio in West Palm Beach, Faustina Pace offers a fresh mix of modern and soulful furnishings and accessories. A place where elegance meets creativity. She specializes in featuring French and Scandinavian antiques, which create special and unique settings in a home. Her stylish shop on what is known as “The Row” always includes something you want to collect—or want to start to collect. Call 305-495-0784 @faustinapaceantiques CASA GUSTO Introducing Gusto Bed To Blouse Finishing Spray. Without the help of your…

There’s an art to the making of trims. The sculpted florets and leaves, the tasseled ropes and delicate laces of trims are the result of designers whose talents lie in fashioning such detailing. And proof that attention to detail adds the biggest effect.…

When old houses are renovated in Sweden, fragments of the past often come to the surface, notably scraps of the original wallpaper. It’s a practice akin to something that might be called domestic archaeology. “These historical patterns we uncover tell the history of the house; it’s as if they’re a greeting from those who lived there before, what they liked, the colors and patterns that mattered to them,” says Sara Lundström, a principal of the Stockholm-based Handtryckta Tapeter Långholmen (which translates from the Swedish as Handpainted Wallpaper Longisland, the latter word referencing their namesake island locale). She humorously and proudly refers to herself and her colleagues, Mats Qwarfordt and Hilding Lindåker, as “wallpaper nerds,” given their collective passion for uncovering vintage wallpapers and recreating them in their studio. “When we…

Behind the wheel of a tiny Fiat, climbing a steep, curvy hill, I’m certain I’m lost. But as I round one final curve, my destination comes into view—a sprawling villa called Torre del Tartufo (Tower of Truffles). This is one of four villas offered by Tuscookany Cooking Vacations, and I’m already in awe. But nothing can prepare me for the delicious magic that lies ahead—a week of cooking lessons, exceptional wine, impeccable service, one-of-a-kind experiences, and the birth of a love for all things Tuscan. The Tuscany Cooking Schools of Tuscookany are located in villas on large, secluded estates at Bellorcia, Casa Ombuto, Torre del Tartufo, and Bellancino—all four featuring lovely views of the Tuscan countryside. When I reached my room, fresh flowers and a cookbook dense with recipes awaits.…

Interior designer Michael Del Piero didn’t always see eye to eye with client Jenna Saltzman when it came to the design of her house. Jenna craved a home filled with color and pattern and drama, while Del Piero is known for spare, ethereal spaces that usually manage to avoid all three. Still, the designer felt sure they could come to some kind of agreement. After all, she’d known Jenna since birth. “I always care a lot about pleasing my clients, but I guess it was a little more so because it was my daughter,” admits Del Piero, whose Chicago office (she also maintains one in Wainscott, New York) isn’t far from the 1929 English brick Tudor in Glencoe that Jenna shares with husband, Brett Saltzman, and their three small children.…

THE FULL PICTURE Written by: Ann Levin Page 86 Sally Michel, Single Palm, 1951. Oil on board. 21 x 12 1/2 inches. Courtesy of the Michael A. Mennello Estate. Photographer: Noel Allum. © 2024 The Milton Avery Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Pages 88-89 Sally Michel, Untitled (Gaspé Hillside), 1938. Gouache on paper. 17 3/4 x 24 inches. The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation. Photographer: Argenis Apolinario. © 2024 The Milton Avery Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Page 90 Sally Michel, Untitled (Sally & Milton), 1965. Oil on canvas board. 18 x 24 inches. The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation. Photographer: Argenis Apolinario. © 2024 The Milton Avery Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Page 92 Sally Michel, Orange Beach…