Usually I make a face like a two-year old threatened with cabbage when I hear the words "Country" and "Style" used consecutively. Tragic images of 'quaint' from the 80s haunt me, the kind with rustic (read:new with bad faux paint job) signs that say "Home is Where the Heart Is", wooden barnyard animal attached. And a putrid floral pattern or nineteen thrown in to complete the look.
* Yech *
~
Then I stumble upon this beauty by designer John Loecke and his partner, and my Country world is rocked. This 1840 Federal-style converted schoolhouse they've christened "Monkey House" is located in New York's Catskills (wherrzzat?).
Comments on inspiration from the article in Country Living, written by Sara Bliss:
"The overall design was meant to harken to the classic interiors found in the English country house of a century ago--rooms filled with antiques, sculptural furniture pieces, and botanical patterns and prints on the walls. John and Jason reinterpreted the look, however, by introducing some decidedly offbeat pieces, including silver scallop sconces, giraffe print pillows, and a tropical-inspired chandelier."
On the use of patterns according to John:
"The trick to combining many patterns in a room is to choose a common color scheme. A variety of bold patterns won't clash when linked by a limited palette." To avoid overwhelming the space, John advises using no more than two large-scale prints and keeping other patterns geometric."
Photos are by Lucas Allen, article by Sara Bliss
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