Grisaille

I'm sort of craving some grisaille.  I'm picturing a large single panel to rev up the volume on my white slipcovered furniture.  Grisaille is a term used to describe the painting of walls and wallpapers in monochromatic shades of grays and browns.  For me, it is the most sophisticated and elegant style of mural painting.  Covering the walls of an entire room or just a single framed panel, grisaille adds drama, dimension and depth to a space.  

Designer, Suzanne Rheinstein via Elle Decor, photo by Roger Davies
Designer, Suzanne Rheinstein via Elle Decor, photo by Roger Davies
Image via Cote de Texas
Martha Stewart's Home Turkey Hill via marthastewart.com, photo by Eric Piasecki
Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

Merry X-Mas xoxo

Liz and I worked until almost midnight Wednesday night on the design I created for her shop, Mason & Madison's holiday window.  I shared in an earlier blog post, my inspiration for the window was Marilyn Monroe.   I took my inspiration from Liz's love of old Hollywood based on all the black and white vintage photos of Hollywood starlets that line her shop walls.

Mason and Madison's focus is gifts with style.  Liz has fantastic style and is such a savvy buyer that her product selection is truly unique.  Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday.  Be sure to drop by and check out Mason & Madison in Middleton.  The shop is located in Middleton Green, the shops at the corner of Route 114 and Route 62 in Middleton.  Her website is below for directions and more information.













Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

Style File: Rustic Chic

There's a chill in the air.  Actually, to me, it's freezing here...as my friend Matt, checking in on me from sunny California confirmed to me yesterday.  I'm a Boston girl but I'm just not designed for this weather.  Honestly, the only thing I like about cold weather is cute knee high boots and cold weather inspired design....stone fireplaces, worn leather pub chairs, velvet down filled pillows and warm wool throws. 

I find that clients are requesting what I would describe as a tailored modern look with a touch of glamour.  When I first started designing professionally years ago, the trend in home design at the time was much more casual.  Slipcovered down filled sofas, long pine farm tables, rustic European antiques like old French shop signs or distressed English dish dressers in layers of old paint.  Like in fashion, home design trends are always changing.  However, good design is timeless.  Textile and interior designer, Kathryn Ireland is a master at designing spaces that are so beautifully pulled together but are casual, comfortable and inviting.  I featured a couple of Kathryn's designs below along with some other season inspired spaces.  ...I so want Pocahontas's belt below.

Happy Thanksgiving.
via hippiecouture.com

Designer Kathryn Ireland via House Beautiful
Designer Kathryn Ireland via House Beautiful

Elle Decor
Elle Decor

Vogue Nippon via

Ralph Lauren Home

Ralph Lauren's Ranch

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

Color & Design: Red

The color red symbolizes love, passion, courage and danger.  In China, the color red symbolizes fire and is associated with success and fortune.  Research shows that men find women that wear red more attractive.  Go figure.  Years ago, I designed a dining room for a client and painted it Rasberry Truffle by Benjamin Moore.  It was a gorgeous cool shade of deep red.  This space below designed by Mary McDonald inspires me to use red walls again.  I especially love the high gloss red door. 

When I think of red, I think of Christian Louboutin heels, lipstick, that great scene in Pretty Woman when Vivian wears that red dress to the opera...and oh, my red sequin prom dress.  Head to toe tight red sequins with a slit up the leg and long white gloves...how appropriate.  My friends and I crack up now when we see this photo of us all lined up in my backyard.  We thought we looked fabulous.  Now I think we looked more like Vegas showgirls.

Designer Mary McDonald via Elle Decor

via http://www.agiftwrappedlife.blogspot.com


via Elle Decor

via Elle Decor

Designer, Martyn Lawrence Bullard via
Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman via instyle.com

Designer, Mary McDonald

High School Senior Prom.  I'm the girl on the right in head to toe red sequins.

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

Inspiration Overload

I'm on inspiration overload.  My head hurts.  This design thing is a sickness..no joke.  I need to get my hair done, go shopping, file paperwork, stop eating carbs....the list goes on.  Instead, my brain is running on overdrive with design ideas.  I have every design project mentally done.  I even have the store holiday window display job done...and I haven't even agreed to do it yet.  It might kill me.  I can see it now, crying while I lug my cast iron urns in the car.   Spray painting urns and branches, I'll be covered in white paint and glitter from head to toe and swearing like a truck driver.  I won't sleep.  This is why in the past I have graciously declined invitations to do showhouses and the holiday home tour this year...sheer torture.  Every designer knows this feeling, doubt.  Doubt is the killer for a designer.  For that reason, I'm doing it, hoping for the best and repeating this mantra, "There is a fine line between holiday and Liberace.".

Marilyn Monroe images via, editorial on left - Angela Lindvall Harper's Bazaar, editorial right - Numero via, drapery right Herve Pierre, editorial red - via, Tiffany boxes and Rockettes 1944 via google images

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

7 Simple Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas

I have collected seven Thanksgiving decorating ideas that are so simple you can easily pull together last minute.

1.Bittersweet Wreath. This large bittersweet wreath would look amazing hung by a wide chocolate ribbon over your dining room mirror. It's actually pretty simple to make.  I included the link to the instructions below the photo.  The key is to make it large and use lots of bittersweet for fullness.  Even more simple, call your local florist to make one for you.
via marthastewart.com

2. Add a touch of holiday to your place setting without the Turkey motif.  I love the Carolyn plate by Ralph Lauren.
Ralph Lauren Carolyn Dessert plate via ralphlauren.com
via elledecor.com

3. Amber stemware adds warmth and color to your holiday table.
Williams Sonoma Amber Swirl stemware via williams-sonoma.com

4. Pheasant feathers.  Pheasant feathers make a simple and chic centerpiece. 
Photo: Domino magazine

Photo: countryliving.com

5. Branches of Fall leaves.  You can use chicken wire or floral foam to easily arrange the branches or just place the branches in a tall glass cylinder or bottle neck vase.  I recommend placing a large centerpiece like this on your sideboard instead of your table simply so you can all see each other during dinner.  A large footed urn is a beautiful container for this arrangement. 
Photo: CarolyneRoehm.com

6. Paint some pumkins white and group them in the center of the table. 

Photo: Elle Decor
7. Decorate with pears.  I think pears are beautiful grouped together as a centerpiece in a large low footed urn or placed on each individual plate as a place card as below.  They also make a delicious dessert.  I can't wait to make Giada's recipe for poached pears in honey, ginger and cinnamon.  I included a link to the recipe below.
Photo: marthastewart.com

Giada de Lauretiis poached pears via foodnetwork.com

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

Sleeping Beauty

Bedroom design should be about comfort and beauty.  A touch of silver, luxurious Italian linens, down pillows, soft lighting, a silk and wool rug,  scented candles ..... I just love a glamorous bedroom.  Sweet dreams. 


"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” - Dr. Seuss
Marilyn Monroe via

Rita Hayworth via google images

Designer Susan Ferrier via House Beautiful

Designer Susan Ferrier via House Beautiful

Designer Susan Ferrier
Designer Kelly Hoppen


Designer Benjamin Noriega Ortiz, Mondrian Hotel via Elle Decor

Designer Benjamin Noriega Ortiz via Elle Decor

House Beautiful via

Designer Gary McBournie via House Beautiful

Ralph Lauren Home Mayfair Collection

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

Ideas for Displaying Family Photos

Incorporating family photos in a design is important to personalize and add warmth to a space.  When you decorate with small picture frames grouped on tables around your home, it often feels cluttered and honestly, the photos are so small, unless you are sitting next to them, you can barely see them.  I prefer to display collections of photos on the walls and incorporate them as part of the overall design.  Here are some ideas.


Of course, I favor this image below since in my designs I often use this technique of framing a collection of images in large square frames with large matting.  The large mattes and simple frames draw the eye in to the photograph. 

Image via Decorpad

If you have little wall space or surface space to display photos, hanging a collection of frames between two windows is a great solution.

Photo: Designer, Darryl Carter, Traditional Home via


Ralph Lauren via Elle Decor via


Creating a floor to ceiling gallery wall is a fantastic way of displaying your photos.  This long upholstered bench along this photo wall is another great idea.  I have had eight foot and nine foot upholstered benches made for clients.  I imagine a gallery wall like this with a beautiful long tufted bench.

Image via Elle Decor

The image below of India Hick's dining room is one of my favorites.  Although the photos are varying sizes and the frames are different, continuity is created by using only black and white images and keeping the display ledges white like the walls in order to not compete with the photos.

India Hick's Dining Room via

I love the photo ledges behind this sectional sofa.

Image via Lonny Magazine


Including an over sized image, such as this vintage photo used by Designer, Windsor Smith, adds such impact and design to an otherwise ordinary staircase wall.

Designer, Windsor Smith

Creating a black and white wallpaper from a photo like this is so fun and adds style to a playroom or child's bedroom.


via

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.
 
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