I've decided to start a new cycle of posts. It'll be about designers, which work I really admire, and which inspire me. And an interior designer Sheila Bridges will be the first to go.
She's an incredibly talented woman. Her many accomplishments include having her work featured in numerous magazines from House Beautiful, House & Garden to The New York Times, Elle Décor and In Style. She also has been named America's Best Interior Designer by Time Magazine. She's hosting a successful TV show on the Fine Living Network titled Sheila Bridges: Designer Living, authoring a wonderful decorating book titled Furnishing Forward: a Practical Guide to Furnishing for a Lifetime, designing her own lines of home textiles and outdoor furniture and working with clients such as former president Bill Clinton. Clearly there's lots to admire.
Another thing I love about Sheila is that she has an eye for color, flair for fabrics, and incredible sense of style.
Style:
Her style is eclectic - fusion of the modern and the classic. She flawlessly incorporates them, in such a way that when you walk into a Sheila Bridges' designed room, it's very sophisticated and in the same time calming and relaxing. She brings a simplicity combined with style to her work, a balance that's hard to achieve. “I enjoy mixing different styles and periods of furniture as well as combining different textures and patterns” says Bridges. "Drawing from a diverse range of styles is inherently interesting in decorating - it brings the space to life. I think it is also one way that you can make a space authentically yours.".
Color:
"I am especially fond of blues and greens. I like to experiment with different color combinations. On one project, it may be greens and grays, the next it may be pinks, yellows, and blacks, or blues and browns."
Inspiration:
“I’ve always been greatly inspired by the beauty of nature—things as simple as the texture or color of moss on a rock or the stripes of a bird’s feather. I always try to incorporate these elements into my work. I’m also greatly inspired by my travels. Some of my favorite design inspirations have come from Morocco, Southern Italy and parts of Asia—but I can also find inspiration in local destinations like South Beach in Miami or in New Orleans. I am like a sponge - soaking up all the visual cues and color combinations."
And one of my favorite projects of Sheila Bridges is her apartment in Harlem. It is spacious, airy and elegant. I adore especially the living space, painted in soft muted shades of blue and green, flooded with light and filled with antiques, fine art and many personal touches. Her study is also very interesting, where she painted the walls with quotes from her favorite books - just brilliant. Below are several photos which really give you a sense of the space. Harlem chic indeed!
And here are some things, inspired on Sheila Bridges' apartment in Harlem, which I love the most:
