Produced, written and directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio and Lauren Rubinstein

You know that saying about shoemakers spawning eternally barefoot kids? Yeah, that saying doesn’t apply to photographer Lauren Rubinstein, like AT ALL. The southern beauty [by way of Pa.] is a master with decorating, food and entertaining not only for her editorial assignments but also with her own southern abode.

Our day at the sharp shooter’s charming home was somewhat of a fish-out-of-water experience. Lauren is accustomed to photographing the subject, not BEING the subject. Role reversal came into play not once, but twice: as portrait model and as featured decorator. For nearly 10 years, this lady-of-the-lens has picked up just about every trick of the trade. From color palettes and symmetry to accessorizing and texture, her own home rivals the designer spaces in her stunning portfolio. In fact, many of those images helped shape her country-infused coastal style. After stepping foot inside her three-story southern traditional, it was evident that both Lauren and her home were ready for their closeup.

Chasing waterfalls [LAUREN'S HOUSE]

Azure trickles calmingly throughout Lauren’s home starting with modern art by Scott Upton above a blue-grey French console table at the first floor landing. In the dining room, linens in a soft blue grace the table as a turquoise ladder-back chair sits pretty in an adjacent corner. Aged rustic textures and sea life are a common motif from atop a hallway storage trunk to a collection of framed coral fans above a guest room bed.

Blue print [LAUREN'S PORTFOLIO]

Both a living room vertical and a kitchen vignette from Lauren’s portfolio inspired the decorating blueprint for her own home: casual and coastal styles with accents of cool blue.

On the job training

After 10 years shooting cuisine, Lauren has become quite the chef herself. Amidst our day-long shoot, the photographer and her mom, Pamela, whipped us up a magically delicious, foodie-caliber Caesar salad. Too bad we forgot to photograph it – doh! An assortment of images from Lauren’s body of work demonstrates her up-close-and-personal relationship with gourmet dishes, comfort foods and to-die-for desserts as well as the spaces in which they’re created.

Food for thought [LAUREN'S PORTFOLIO]

Anyone familiar with editorial photography knows the inexplicable amount of set-up and execution that goes into lighting, styling and shooting food and kitchen spreads. Lauren makes it look effortless. Often paired with top stylist Annette Joseph, the dynamic duo cook up something visually delectable every time. From the exact mason jar in which to showcase iced tea to rare imported fruits for color and texture, everything is meticulously pre-selected to be picture perfect. Ever spend 45 minutes watching condensation form on a San Pellegrino bottle before? For food photographers and stylists, its the norm.

Lighting issue

We opted to wait it out as murky clouds stole our f@%&$ natural light. While our makeup artist, Nancy, dolled Lauren up for her portrait, I pondered plots with which to steal her trio of Norwich Terriers. Jack [10] , Isabelle [8] and Lizzy [12] are so remarkably trained, it seems as though photo shoots are part of their daily routine. Although weather prevented us from photographing Lauren’s exteriors, she provided us with breathtaking outdoor spaces from her portfolio.

The great outdoors [LAUREN'S PORTFOLIO]

Part of being a great photographer is finding the perfect angle. Shoot me from the side and I look like a neckless water buffalo; snap the shot straight on and magically I become a slenderized, dark-haired homosapien. While this is exceptionally tricky with humans and interiors, it’s often more difficult with exteriors and architecture. A facade shot from too far back may include unsightly power and telephone lines. Entryways shot too close up may lose grandeur in relation to a grand home’s scale. Get it? Well, Lauren does. Her exteriors tell stories. For example, a picture window perfectly framing a tree at dusk invites you out back for a glass of wine. The family dog asleep outside a backdoor entrance suggests someone is peacefully keeping watch. Dappled afternoon light gracing a boat house deck evokes the feeling of a laid-back summer day. A shaded vine-clad garage welcomes you home from a long day of work. You get the point.

The green grass grew all around [LAUREN'S PORTFOLIO]

Timeless green-inclusive spaces from Lauren’s portfolio act as inspiration for her own home. Not only would the grassy hue reappear in the photographer’s guest room but so would a similar effortless, organic-inspired style.

The color of money [LAUREN'S HOUSE]

Lauren personalized an upstairs guest room with her part country, part coastal aesthetic. Vintage glass jugs seen in a portfolio dining room shot translate to the guest room in the form of a clear glass table lamp. Assorted shades of the lucky color appear in framed photography, a metal side table, bed linens and a vintage spool of ribbon.

Read all about it

Our leading lady’s work appears in two new entertaining books: Tea with a Twist and The World in Your Teacup. Salivate over more of Lauren’s stunning images [both food and square footage related] at LARphotography.

Written by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography courtesy of Burnham Design

Betsey Johnson may have written the book on layering frocks, but Betsy Burnham holds the reigns to its’ use in interior design. Each of the LA-based designer’s spaces has a multifaceted look rich in texture, pattern, ethnicity and shape. Equally stimulating is her tailoring of curtains, upholstery and accessories — a skill that most likely stems from her formal background in menswear design [one she is totally over talking about]. Design enthusiasts rarely associate tailor-made or glamorous with bohemian, but the expressive trio is well-suited in Betsy’s case. There’s a sophisticated eclecticism in each of her designs that defies age, gender and geographical boundaries.

Aside from objects, Ms. Burnham is an authority on the layering of patterns. Ikat and floral with zebra? Well, of course! Leopard paired with snake and chinoiserie? Why not? Variations in sheen and scale allow multicultural materials to play quite nicely together. From Uzbek textiles to Spanish woodwork, this top American designer garnishes worldly aesthetic with a splash of Hollywood glamour.

Bohemian rhapsody

Forget the fine wine. The intoxicating guest experience in Betsy’s own dining room is brought on by the design itself. From the leopard print chandelier shades to the snakeskin upholstery, the Burnham-Stern dining room offers an organic buzz without the hangover.

Black, white and red all over

Red asian floral wallpaper, ikat, oushak, union jack, red leather upholstery, zebra and blue-white ceramic work well together? Duh. This happy marriage of patterns officiated by Ms. Burnham is the perfect combination of layered prints.

Best all around

Who needs a trip to Epcot when a global trek can be experienced in the dining room? The aesthetic seen here contrasts Asian inspiration with island touches. If invited over for dinner, I’d be quick to request Polynesian chicken and hot sake followed up with fortune cookies.

The big finish

Burnham’s spaces often include mixed finishes which enhance one another. Here the ebony tone of the arm chair contrasts gorgeously with the taupe-ish fretwork console. Finishing touches don’t end with paint and stain. Betsy’s unique accessories work as the missing link between her larger not-meant-to-go-together pieces.

Less is more

When color is concerned, Burnham knows when to turn the dial to the right or, as in the two examples above, to the left. Her muted palettes pack a good punch yet fade just enough into the background to let textures and patterns take center stage.

Window dresser

Change is good BUT but when windows are concerned, I’ve stuck to a window treatment routine of fan pleats and flat roman shades. But Betsy opened my eyes and my black-out lined drapes to new options. A powder blue living room design shed a gender-neutral light on the traditional London shade [seen in the three windows]. While working with Betsy on a shoot in the Hollywood Hills, she turned me on to her dearly beloved tailored box pleat. Moving forward — when it comes to tailoring  – I’ll have what Betsy’s having.

Reward your retinas with Betsy’s full portfolio at Burnham Design. But don’t stop there. Check out her new economy-friendly design project, Instant Space.

]]> http://www.decordemon.com/2010/01/11/burnham-notice-2/feed/ 6 http://www.decordemon.com/2010/01/10/bonnie-clydesdale/ http://www.decordemon.com/2010/01/10/bonnie-clydesdale/#comments Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:44:30 +0000 decordemon http://www.decordemon.com/?p=445 The Real Horsewife of Morgan County : artist Bonnie Beauchamp Cooke and her equestrian masterpieces

Produced, written and art directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio

You can always tell the character of a person by the company they keep. While this is defamatory for friends of Jon Gosselin, others may find it a complementary two-way street. Artist Bonnie Beauchamp Cooke is in the company of horses so it’s plain to see why she’s a majestic beauty herself. The Southern Belle, whose work can be seen in Atlanta and online at Huff Harrington Gallery, brought us up close and personal to her farm in Madison, Ga., for a look past the brushstrokes.

From the moment I laid eyes on Bonnie’s equestrian diptych hanging on a designer friend’s wall, I was smitten. The horse fascination is rather unfitting since (a) I’m horrified of horseback riding and (b) I didn’t even make it halfway through Seabiscuit or The Black Stallion. But after all, I am a decorator and therefore instinctively drawn to well-crafted beautiful things.

Writing text about art is like breakdancing to algebraic logarithms. The subject loses its impact when you’re not experiencing it first-hand. To avoid being verbose in relation to Bonnie’s work, we decided to tell the story visually — from the artist herself to inspiration and technique to medium. My photographer and I decided to spend an entire afternoon down on the farm to assure nothing was lost in translation.

Saw horse

Simply writing about Bonnie’s horse paintings won’t do them justice. We thought y’all would get a better understanding if you SAW them in their own environment. From the stable to the bales, inspiration is everywhere. Notice the random hay-like strokes against the white background. Coincidence? I think not. Rustic textures from Bonnie’s farm are very much a part of her style. Grainy brown tones reminiscent of fences, soil and planks of barn siding are present in almost all of her paintings.

Cooke’s recipe

Each equestrian piece is painted with acrylic and oil tones of chocolate, ochre, rust, olive, sky blue and antique white. Since Bonnie moves back and forth from the farm to her house in the city, the materials are kept mobile and can be set up anywhere inspiration strikes. Just like a good journalist, an artist never fully reveals their source; however, Bonnie did share the overall genetic makeup of her famous texture. Wire is used to create rough textures and lines in unique materials such as loose mica [which creates much of the orange tones in Bonnie's work]. Gel medium is also thrown into the mix to add a malleable thickness.

All the pretty horses

NINE full-time models reside on the farm — Bonnie’s horses. Breeds include one Appaloosa, one Thoroughbred, two Tennessee Walkers and five Quarter Horses. The amber glow cast on the horses during sunset is similar to the hue from loose mica in the equestrian art. Although the horses are family to Bonnie, the farm’s kindred spirits are not limited to equus. Her mom and dad live a stone’s throw away. Literally — like eighteen feet from the door. For decades they’ve owned farm property in Madison. Over the years the property has been upgraded and expanded to a current ownership of 1000 acres. But it’s not all fun and games. Bonnie, George and three staff members raise and maintain over 150 grass-fed cattle. They market their healthier form of beef through Cooke Cattle Company. In addition to this, they create their own hay. Many thanks to the Beauchamp and Cooke families for (a) making me feel like a major lazy-ass and (b) pointing out that hay comes in BALES and not BAILS. Technically, I had a spelling error prior to copy editing.

Dog day afternoon

While Bonnie is all eyes on the canvas, her four-footed quintet of canines have all eyes on the property. Two of man’s best friends, Sugar and Barbi, go back and forth from the farm to the city while the remaining three — Mama, Honey and Gus — stand guard in Madison. Barbi, a black and white Border Collie, is the breakout star of the pack. The playful control freak is just as good at wrangling cattle as she is playing security guard to Bonnie’s paintings and easel [as demonstrated above].

Figured out

All horses aside, Bonnie’s sophisticated figure drawings sell at a lower price point than the equestrian collection. These paper masterpieces play nicely in groups. Each figure is brought to life with graphite pencil. The orange shimmer is the result of loose mica which Bonnie applies directly with her finger. For shading, Bonnie adds touches of a silver-toned loose Chinese graphite [in plastic container pictured above]. Framed drawings are for sale online through Huff Harrington Gallery.

The finish line

Afternoons at the easel come to a dream sequence-like end as Bonnie bids her cavalry their nightly farewell. Tristan and Kyle [Bonnie's sons -- left and center] escape to cyberspace following their real-life version of Farmville as Mom prepares dinner. And tomorrow the real horsewife of Morgan county will wake up to do it all over again.

Sara Ruffin Costello is beauty, bad-ass and brains.  When it comes to the world of shelter magazines, this New York City girl has worn every designer hat on the vintage couture rack.  Creative director of domino?  Check.  Book author?  Double check (she’s written two!).   Stylist and decorator?  Um, duh.  But above all of this she’s Mom to Harrison and Carolina and wife to husband Paul.  And did I mention she’s $@!*& hysterical?  Sara could easily be that best-all-around girl you love to hate but instead she’s inspiring and totally awesome.

I asked the funny girl if she’d be up for giving me the rundown on objects she can’t live without.  She said yes!  Go figure – the list [and her email itself] was anything but boring from love of peacocks to her 10-speed method of transportation.  Here are some of her must-haves shot beautifully by her husband, top shelter magazine photographer, Paul Costello.

Taking it to the Streets

Transportation or decoration?  Both!  Sara prefers a vintage bike both in and outside the home.  Her reasoning – “It cost like $100 and is a kind of fountain of youth, pre-driver’s license feeling. I ride around town on it”.  New York’s secret weapon for scoring restored vintage bicycles just like Sara’s is www.landmarkbicycles.com.

Taster’s Choice

Addiction never looked so chic.  Most coffee or tea addicts incessantly DRINK their caffeinated culprit; however, Sara is in no need of a twelve-step.  The fashionista is simply drawn to the percolated pewter pieces of the tea sets themselves.  Why old-school servingware in the modern world?  Sara comments “a little old guard, but a civilized way to start the day.  Do I use it?  Yes……..maybe…”.  Looking for a tea set yourself?  Check out the silver plated Reed and Barton Gadroon 4 piece set at www.silvergallery.com/sgRB-S2600.html.

Technicolor Dream Coat

From peacock or navy to Yves Klein, Sara finds blue to be the most haute of hues.  She describes the piece above “this used to be a heinous white traditional garden bench pilfered from my father’s house…2 coats of outdoor paint…shazam!…the best thing I ever did in my garden”.  For the perfect Yves Klein blue, check out C2 Paint “Electric” C275 www.c2paint.com.

She Was Framed

Sara on art in the home : “just like bad presents with pretty wrapping, even BAD art looks decent in a GOOD frame. Not that I endorse camouflaging bad art”.  Is your current frame making your art look more like trash than treasure?  Larson Juhl’s user-friendly site is a great resource for finding the perfect frame online at www.larsonjuhl.com.

Self Serving

To contain herself and her accessories, Mrs. Costello uses a serving tray.  On the must-have item “don’t ask me where I got this, but it’s the most practical beautiful design…i use it for everything. It sits at the foot of my very low bed (on the floor) and I use it for literally anything you can think of. Sketching in bed, computer in bed, drinking in bed, stack of books in bed?”.  For a bolder, playful approach, check out Parker by ducduc http://www.ducducnyc.com/productdetail.php?navid=5&categoryid=29&productid=183.