Table of contents for Blissful Style 2012 in Victoria

“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams." —DR. WILLIAM A. WARD Decorating a living space is among the most satisfying endeavors we can undertake. Every step throughout the process has its own rewards, and often the crowning achievement is realizing what is most important to our sense of well-being. My preferences in home décor have evolved as I have studied the works of well-known interior designers and amassed a carefully chosen library of books and magazines as day-to-day references. Many of my first loves, such as blue-and-white china and hand-embroidered textiles, have remained constants. But I have grown to appreciate the experimentation that comes when a wall could benefit from a refreshing new coat of paint or when a favorite chair…

DREAMY RETREATS Wrapped in Softness The bedroom is a place of warmth and refuge, a haven tucked away from the distractions of the world. Day after day it summons us, this chamber of irresistible comfort—downy and plush, piled high with pillows, and draped with coverlets and hand-stitched quilts. For the quintessential bedroom, whether boldly embellished or sweetly spare, is expressive, sentimental, and fit for a queen. “And if tonight my soul may find her peace in sleep, and sink in good oblivion ... .” —D.H. LAWRENCE BATHED IN LUXURY For Mind, Body & Soul Undoubtedly the most private space within a home, the bathroom invites peaceful solitude, generous pampering, and restful rejuvenation. It is here we seek solace at the end of the day with a relaxing soak accompanied by…

EASE OF LIVING The Quaint Cottage The word cottage evokes a stream of dreamy and romantic imagery—a modest cabin by the lake, an elaborate garden home in the city, a rustic farmhouse set against the rolling hills of a verdant countryside. No matter the setting, the cottage is a landscape of endless possibility and a place of deep comfort and familiarity created by personal style. Traditional and refined or lived-in and imperfect, the cottage always nurtures and is our best recollection of home. “Where we love is home, Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." —OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES SR. COUNTRY STYLE Rooms of Rustic Beauty There is undeniable strength of character in the well worn. Remnants from the past—cherished and storied—radiate incredible warmth and a sincere sense…

SEASIDE STYLE Light & Breezy Living at the water’s edge offers endless views of windswept beaches, clear blue skies, and mesmerizing waves breaking along the shore. Hence, our seaside interior spaces tend to take cues from the environment when it comes to the colors we choose and the ocean-themed styles we like to emulate. Ethereal whites mixed with bamboo and wicker or refined neutral shades paired with seashells and impeccable antiques—these timeless looks are forever soothing to the eye. Never a ship sails out of the bay But carries my heart as a stowaway." —ROSELLE MERCIER MONTGOMERY “Though inland far we be, Our souls have sight of that immortal sea . . . ." —WILLIAM WORDSWORTH ON THE VERANDA Garden Inspired Our natural urge to bring the outdoors inside is…

QUIET MOMENTS Serene Sitting Areas Our most captivating spaces often take on lives of their own amidst the trappings with which we furnish them. Created with light, shadow, and shapely objets d’art, these soulful compositions can capture our most intimate personal style. Varying textures and complementary colors in juxtaposition have the power to initiate divine visual balance. Such are the graceful curves of a tufted love seat and the slender cabriole legs of a nightstand situated against the sharp slant of a rustic bead-board ceiling or the classical refinement of a vanity table, chair, and mirror alongside surfaces of rough exposed brick. “Sit in reverie and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind." —HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW TIMELESS DISPLAYS Lovingly Collected The…

CLASSIC STUDIES Libraries & Writing Nooks A traditional library is a place of scholarly distinction. Outfitted with walls of glass-covered bookcases stacked with leather-bound tomes, this handsome enclave offers a sanctuary for study, contemplation, and thought-provoking discourse. Bathed in golden lamplight and dressed with tailored seating accented with nail-head trim, this beloved refuge has long been a favorite among the well educated, the well traveled, and knowledge lovers of all kinds. If space is a prized commodity, an elegant desk situated within a quiet nook of the house provides a sophisticated writing station for the novelist or the passionate letter composer. “A letter always seemed to me like immortality because it is the mind alone without corporeal friend." —EMILY DICKINSON TRADITIONAL LIVING Rooms for Sitting & Serving The grace with…