Les Femmes Formidables: Decorating with a Feminine Touch
When I was a little girl, my bedroom was pink, pink, pink - on top of an explosion of Laura Ashley. I loved it. But as I got older, my taste gravitated towards more gender-neutral looks and today, if anything, my home might be a little masculine.
This week, though, as I was checking out the Kips Bay Show House photos over at Habitually Chic, my love for all things feminine came rushing back. Charlotte Moss' master suite, which includes an ultra-femme sitting room (plus bed) that opens to a somewhat more gender neutral bedroom, is undeniably gorgeous.
It got me thinking: just because my taste has evolved past cotton candy pink and rosebud border, can't I still incorporate some feminine touches into my home? Of course I can! So I went in search of some inspiration:
This week, though, as I was checking out the Kips Bay Show House photos over at Habitually Chic, my love for all things feminine came rushing back. Charlotte Moss' master suite, which includes an ultra-femme sitting room (plus bed) that opens to a somewhat more gender neutral bedroom, is undeniably gorgeous.
It got me thinking: just because my taste has evolved past cotton candy pink and rosebud border, can't I still incorporate some feminine touches into my home? Of course I can! So I went in search of some inspiration:
This vignette in the Moss sitting room is so pretty. While the table is a little too feminine for my taste, I love the way the simplicity of the chairs tempers the ornate table. Plus, the Asian triptych is incredible. Love the colors and the design - it's perfectly at home in this ultra-feminine space, but would add just the right amount of soft touch to a more severely decorated, masculine room.
Heather from Habitually Chic suggests that this Jansen desk would be perfect for writing thank you notes - she's exactly right. I love the busy tableau, too. It looks well-used and well-loved - and it's a great reminder that lived in can be chic.
Pulling back, the wide shot of this wall is stunning. I love the assortment of artwork and the casual, yet beautiful, arrangement. Also, the tailored sofa nicely balances the fussy bed. It's a room with a lot of uses and a space that's feminine but not saccharine.
Taking a page from Charlotte Moss's gallery look, this cool blue room combines great art organization with little feminine touches. I like, though, the way the black and white of the artwork balances the more feminine aspects of the design.
This simple space is feminine in its curves and the delicacy of the lines and color, but it doesn't go too far, thanks to neutral drapes and a lack of fussiness. The lines might curve, but they're not overly ornate - I like that.
Pink is undeniably feminine and, truth be told, I still love it. What I really like about this space, though, is the way the girly-girl colors (and the drapery) are balanced by very clean, straightforward lines and simple art. It's an excellent example of combining the masculine with the feminine.
This room is so pretty it just makes me want to sigh. It's soft colors, interesting textures, great light and gentle and feminine from start to finish. In my house, I'd place a room like this right next to a more masculine study or living room, just to maintain the overall balance of the home.
If the room above is soft, this bathroom is screaming "I am woman" right out loud. I love this brand of over the top femininity - it's ladylike, not brassy, but the woman who uses this space is no shrinking violet.
I love the idea of this space as a lady's bathroom off a master suite - to be balanced out by a super masculine men's retreat on the other side.
I love the idea of this space as a lady's bathroom off a master suite - to be balanced out by a super masculine men's retreat on the other side.
In a different imagining of the feminine bathroom, this space embraces the girl - a pink tub! - but it's minimal and straightforward design doesn't say "no boys allowed." It's the kind of femininity that anyone can be comfortable in.