So Haute!

Antiques at the Armory

_{The 69th Regiment Armory, Lexington Avenue @ 26th Street, Downtown New York City}

Last weekend I headed downtown to check out the annual Antiques at the Armory show. Not to be confused with the Winter Antiques Show which is held uptown at the Park Ave Armory, this show is held downtown at the Armory on Lexington and is much smaller than the other show, with only about 100 vendors exhibiting. Still, it didn't disappoint with beautiful American and European furniture, art and collectibles on display along with lots of of inspiration. Below are a few photos of some of the vignettes and individual pieces that caught my eye. 

I loved this little vignette with the plush forest green velvet bergere chair...

This vignette was from the same vendor, Margaret Doyle Antiques. The modern looking cowhide covered chair next to that beautiful marble top chest is such a lovely contrast.

One of my passions is cooking and I'm obsessed with cookware so when I saw all of these gorgeous antique copper pots and pans my jaw dropped. These were from Eve Stone Antiques out of Connecticut. Most of these pieces are from the 18th and 19th century and are in pristine condition. Absolutely beautiful!

I also loved this Chinese Chippendale style china cabinet from Jeffrey Beal Heknel Antiques and Design.

Drucker Antiques had some beautiful antique jewelry from Tiffany, Cartier and more on display...

Recently become interested in vintage and antique silver serveware and this early 1920s Georg Jensen tea set, also from the Drucker Antiques booth, caught my eye...

I LOVE this faux bamboo armchair from Brennan & Mouilleseaux...it was one of the few pieces I could actually afford. One might assume this is painted mahogany or some other wood but it's actually made of cast aluminum painted a soft bronze color. And my photo came out a little bright so it's hard to tell but the seat is uhpolstered in a beautiful ecru colored fabric with cream vine embroidery. I considered making the impulsive slpurge for a second, then practicality set in and reminded me that I have no place to put the thing...plus I should be saving, not spending in these tough economic times. Sigh. Maybe one day me and the beautiful chair will cross paths again!

This interesting contemporary diptych also caught my eye. The pieces are made of vintage comic book pages with various brush strokes and the words "blood king" painted over them in white and scarlet red. A little dark for my personal taste but very intriguing and I think these would look beautiful in the right space.

Last but not least, I thought this set of Italian dining chairs was amazing. Sadly, I can't remember the vendor that was selling them but I'm pretty sure they were based in the Hamptons somewhere. Hope you enjoyed the tour! Tomorrow, I'll be checking out the Winter Antiques show on its final day so stay tuned for a recap very soon!

_{Click on any of the photos to see details enlarged.}

New Eye Candy from Antony Todd

I absolutely adore the work of designer Antony Todd. He has such great taste! His website is updated with new photos that I find very inspiring so I thought I'd share them here.

This little sunroom is fantastic...love the green rug's fat stripes and all of those ethnic inspired fabrics are yummy!

Here, another beautiful photo with many striking contrasts that create strong visual interest...the texture and pattern of the wood paneling, zebra rug, bold patterned pillows, rattan ottomans, shiny mercury glass lamp...all mixed together perfectly! I also love that wooden urn on the floor. Looks like something one would have picked up while traveling...

This tablescape is beautifully arranged...simple yet stunning. I'm a fan of x-based stools and the one propped underneath is a perfect addition. The photograph of the lone man walking on the beach is also very intriguing.

I believe this is a photo of Todd's event space which he often rearranges. All of Todd's spaces are sophisticated and polished, with a slightly masculine quality. The grouping above with all the seating is definitely designed for entertainment. The long armless sofa is one of Todd's custon-designed furniture pieces which can be purchased through his eponymous store in downtown Manhattan.

Here's a new arrangement in Todd's store. That golden yellow sofa totally lights up the space and there are so many fun contrasts here...like the turquoise vases, mod-looking coffee table and the large black and white photo of Todd with his mother as a child.

This is definitely a bachelor's kitchen...a very stylish bachelor! With the artwork and horn sculpture right behind the range I'm lead to believe that the owner of this kitchen must never cook! 

Here's another angle...

Another beautiful space with more of Todd's custom designed furniture. If you can't get to his store, you can check out his selections on 1stDibs.

The giant tortoise shells atop this secretary make a strong statement...beautiful!

I love the casual arrangement of this artwork on the floor, illuminated by a very chic brass lamp.

I also love the silver cup filled with boxes of matches. and that preserved beetle is definitely a conversation piece!

 

A lovely little tablescape arranged atop a bone inlaid piece. I've been dying for that book on Rudolf Nureyev (who by the way I will be posting about very soon-one you don't want to miss!).

The contrast of the rich turquoise velvet against the green textured  artwork is striking here.

And this photo is absolutely gorgeous! I love that neoclassical console with the bronze goddess and the claw feet...so beautiful!

R.I.P. Domino

The other day when I posted about Domino folding I was in the midst of a business trip. I wanted to spread the news as soon as a colleague emailed me the press release so I posted it from my BlackBerry and didn’t really have time to share my thoughts on Domino's untimely demise. And since it was my favorite magazine ever I couldn’t go without sharing my two cents. So consider this post a eulogy of sorts…

 

I loved Domino. Seriously. I looked forward to it in my mailbox every month. And sometimes when it would take too long for my subscription copy to arrive, I’d buy it on the newsstand because I just couldn’t wait to pour through its pages which were filled with so much inspiration.

Domino had a voice that spoke to me. It was upbeat, youthful, stylish and fun. The magazine felt like a friend that I could always trust to steer me in the right design direction.

Domino inspired me with gorgeous photography and enlightened me by offering so many great ideas and clever tips on how to pull a room together. And for the most part, the products featured on its pages were affordable and attainable...never too far out of reach like the items featured in most other shelter publications.

Although I’ve always loved design, having grown up with a decorator for a mother, my interest was always something I kept quiet…a hidden passion that most people weren’t aware of.

 

When I discovered Domino, it fueled my excitement and passion even further and inspired me to start this blog so I could share my point of view on design with the world. It's hard to believe that such a constant source of inspiration will very soon no longer exist.

So Domino, I echo the voice of design junkies around the world when I say with all sincerity that you’ll be missed! 

Above is the cover of the last issue of Domino that will be published. I will await the arrival of my copy with bated breath. And In case you’ve never read it, below is the text of The Domino Manifesto which truly captures the spirit of the magazine. Farewell Domino!

THE DOMINO MANIFESTO

• Home Should Make You Happy!
• We swear by the 3 R's: repaint, repaper, reupholster
• Steal ideas from other people's houses
• Even the insides of the closets & cabinets can be beautiful
• It's ok to NOT BE finished
• TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS—ALWAYS!
• A chandelier is as timeless as a black dress
• Renters need not be second class citizens
• Sometimes your mistakes become your greatest inspirations
• DON'T BE AFRAID TO MIX STYLES (Louis XIV and Eero Saarinen should hang out more often)
• When traveling, skip the snapshot and buy something unique for the coffee table
• HAVE FUN! 

_{Images Above: A collection of my favorites from dominomag.com}

Michelle-O Style

 

If you've been following the fashion of Michelle Obama and are as fascinated by this incredible woman as I am (and probably the rest of America too), you'll probably enjoy a great blog I recently discovered. The blog, titled "Mrs O", seeks to "Follow the Fashion of Mrs. O: Who and What She's Wearing." Check it out here and enjoy!

_{Photo above via The Fashion Bomb}

Domino Just Folded. Say It Ain't So!

Sadly, its true. Today, my heart hurts. "This decision to cease publication of the magazine and its website is driven entirely by the economy,” Condé Nast CEO Chuck Townsend says in a press release that went out just now. “Although readership and advertising response was encouraging in the early years, we have concluded that this economic market will not support our business expectations.” More to come...

Want to Know More About Me? Check out Allure.com!

 

I often hear that blog readers always want to know more about the person behind the blogs they read. Well, the other day I was featured on Allure's street style blog, StyleStakeout. So if you're curious to learn a bit more about me, click here to check it out! 

Meet My New Camera and Join Me on My Next Adventure!

As a late Christmas present to myself I recently picked up a new camera, a Canon G10. It's a high-end digital point and shoot that offers many of the manual settings available on an SLR, but with a more compact frame that doesn't require the purchase additional lenses and at a much lower price tag. Once I learn how to use the thing correctly, I plan to to take lots of pictures and start documenting my adventures here on So Haute.

My next adventure will take me to Santa Barbara...I'm flying out this morning for a quick work trip. Above is my idol Oprah's 42-acre, $55million estate in the posh Santa Barbara community of Montecito. Maybe I'll do a tourist style drive by so I can brush up on my photography skills with a test shoot at Oprah's casa! Ha! I'll be staying here and also visiting a beautiful botanical garden during my trip so even if I don't get to swing by my girl O's house, I'll still have lots of photos to share...Stay tuned!

Kelly Wearstler for Sferra

 

This Spring interior design darling Kelly Wearstler will deliver her signature style to the masses with the launch of a new line of bedding, tabletop linens and throws in collaboration with Sferra. The collection will exude all the glamourous  details  one would expect from Kelly Wearstler-luxe cashmere throws, hand embroidery, gorgeous silk fabrics with metallic threads, beautiful beading and more.

Here's a peek at some of her tabletop items. The "twig," "twine" and "cuff" napkin rings were inspired by pieces of vintage jewelry in Kelly's personal collection. The napkin patterns you see here, called "sand strie" and "confetti" are similar to some of the patterns in her existing upholstery fabric line for Lee Jofa. The bedding will feature a soft color pallette and two signature styles, "Tracery" and "Raked Sand," printed on 400-thread count, 100% cotton sateen. The Kelly Wearstler for Sferra collection will be available exclusively through Neiman Marcus stores, catalog and website beginning in March followed by a broader distribution into other specialty stores late Spring. For more info visit http://www.kellywearstlerforsferra.com/

Winter Antiques Show and a So Haute Reader Giveaway!

If you're in New York between Jan 23rd and Feb 1st be sure to check out the 55th annual Winter Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory. The show, which bills itself as the finest antique show in America, features 75 dealers exhibiting furnishings, art and other objects from antiquities through the 1960s. The show benefits a charitable organization here in New York called the East Side Housing Settlement. Here are the details:

The 55th Annual
Winter Antiques Show
Jan. 23 - Feb. 1, 2009
Park Avenue Armory
Park Avenue at 67th Street
New York City

Open Daily
12 noon - 8 p.m.

Except:
Sundays & Thursday
12 noon - 6 p.m.

$20 Admission
includes catalogue

I have a ticket to the show good for admission Jan 23rd-25th only but I can no longer attend so I've decide to do an impromptu reader giveaway! Here's the catch: You must be able to meet me in the West 50s sometime before 8PM today (Friday) to pick up the ticket or if you're close by, I can deliver it to you. Entering is simple: Just send an email with "Giveaway" in the subject line to sohauteblog@gmail.com and the lucky 7th person to email me is the winner. Good luck!

Runway to Change...Fashion Designers for Obama

_{CHANGE Racerback Tank by Alexander Wang, $45.}

The fact that President Obama had a huge outpouring of support during his campaign from top Hollywood and music industry celebrities was highly publicized but there was another highly influential group of Obama supporters that was talked about far less...the fashion community. Of course throughout the campaign everyone fixated on what and who Michelle Obama was wearing but the fashion industry's support for the First Family goes beyond the notion of dressing our First Lady. Back in August the official Barack Obama website introduced a collection of merchandise called Runway To Change that was designed by leading fashion designers, both well known and obscure. The collection included tees, totes, scarves and other accessories that were sold via the Barack Obama online store to support the campaign. The list of participating designers included Donna Karan, Derek Lam, Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Rag and Bone, Zag Posen and Michelle Obama favorite Narciso Rodriguez among others. Recently, a new collection benefiting the Presidential Inaugural Committee was introduced in honor of Barack Obama's inauguration and there are still some amazing pieces available...

Like this OBAMA tote bag by Tory Burch that just purchased. At $70, it's a steal compared to Burch's typical prices. Plus I now own a piece of American Presidential campaign history.

I also bought this CHANGE tee by Narciso Rodrigurez which is stamped with President Obama's campaign catchphrase. Below are a few more of the items from the Runway to Change collection that I think are So Haute!

Rachel Roy I Heart My President Tee, $45

Rachel Roy Be The Change scarf, $95

Derek Lam Obama Flower Tote, $75

Zac Posen Innauguration Date Tee, $45

Marc Jacobs Obama '08 Button Tote, $75

Crushing on Windsor Smith

I first learned of Windsor Smith after seeing a feature on her LA home in the August '07 issue of Domino and I immediately became a fan. The opener of the Domino story included a shot of Smith wearing a colorful shirt, white jeans and classic, cognac colored riding boots and I remember thinking to myself, "she looks like a cool chick." Her choice of outfit seemed to be a mirror reflection of her design style which epitomizes California cool. In a nutshell, Smith takes traditional furnishings and design elements and injects fresh color and interesting patterns to create interiors that look classic, feel modern and are completely livable. Her interiors also posesse a sense of glamour while simultaneously evoking her understated, laid back sensibility.

Smith's foray into the world of interior design isn't exactly what you'd expect.  Her career began with stints in theater and dance instruction as well as entrepreneurship when she launched a line of baby clothes. Those stints took her to Texas, Tokyo, New York and LA and through all of those transitions she maintained a love for the decorative arts. After living in LA for a while and starting a family, Smith eventually realized her true passion and became an antiques dealer before finally settling on a career as an interior designer. Now, with a number of high-profile projects under her belt, Smith helms a design empire that includes a line of fabrics and carpets for Kravet as well as signature line of furnishings and accessories called the Windsor Smith Home Collection. I'm anxious to see what she has up her sleeve next. Until then, I'll share a few images of my favorite Windsor Smith designed rooms. Enjoy!

 
 

For an added bonus, click here to see a video tour of Smith's LA home on Dominomag.com.

_{Photos via Dominomag.com, Western Interiors and Windsorsmithhome.com}

Congratulations Mr. President!

_{AP Photo by Frank Franklin II}

Lead us well and continue to make history!

More on Decorating the Obama White House

If you missed the Today Show this morning here’s a look at the segment on decorating the Obama White House which features sound bites from Domino Editor-in-Chief Deborah Needleman plus an interview with Elle Décor Editor-in-Chief Margaret Russell. The segment provides an overview of White House décor in recent years along with background on America's new “Decorator-in-Chief” Michael Smith. Enjoy!

Michael S. Smith Chosen to Decorate the White House!

Since the election of Barack Obama as America's next President, rumors have been swirling in the design community about who the Obamas were going to hire as decorator for their private quarters in the White House. Last week on the Peak of Chic, there was a lively discussion about whether or not it would be LA based designer to the stars Michael S. Smith. Well...the rumor mill has been put to rest as yesterday Domino broke the news on their website that Smith had indeed been tapped for the job. Among the names that were tossed around, Smith was definitely my first choice. He's one of my favorite decorators and his work is definitely White House-worthy. He has impeccable taste and his rooms are classic, stately and visually interesting. He's already begun working on the project and I can't wait to see the end result. Congratulations Michael! I'm so happy that your beautiful designs will forever be a part of our country's history!

_{Photo via dominomag.com}

Wild Thing

I always keep an eye out for chic new paper goods and I'm loving these "Wild Thing" note cards from Nieman Marcus. With their leopard print lining and  hot pink script font, these are definitely for someone who wants to show off their sassy side. I just might have to add these to my ever growing collection of stationery! $148 for 50 personalized cards & envelopes. Available here.

Kenneth Brown's Design Directions

QVC seems to be following in the footsteps of HSN's designer home decor collections with the introduction of a new designer line by Los Angeles based interior designer and HGTV star Kenneth Brown. Tonight on QVC Brown will debut his new line of bedding designed exclusively for QVC called Kenneth Brown Design Directions. The line includes duvet covers, comforters, sheet sets, throw pillows and other decorative accents for the bedroom. From what I've seen, the look of the collection is definitely more on the traditional side. Be sure to tune-in tonight to QVC at 10PM ET/7PM PT to watch Kenneth debut his new line. And in case you can't wait, here are a few sneak peek photos of the line. What do you think?

<sub>400 TC Signature Sheet Set with Olive Branch Embroidery. $69.96 for a set.



"Bayville" Decorative Pillows. $49.75 for set of 2.</sub>

My Trip to Virgin Gorda

Just before Christmas I escaped to the beautiful island of Virgin Gorda for 5 nights and I'm really excited to share a bit of my trip with you. If you're not familiar with Virgin Gorda, it's located in the Caribbean just East of Puerto Rico and is one of the British Virgin Islands. It's a tiny little island that spans just 8 square miles and has a small population of around 3,000 people. Getting there was a bit of a journey. I flew from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico which took just over 4 hours and from there I took 45 minute flight on a small propeller plane to the island of Tortola. Once I landed in Tortola I took a short van ride to a nearby boat dock where I was picked up by a ferry that took me to Virgin Gorda. The ferry ride was about 20 minutes long.

I snapped this beautiful photo of the sun setting from the boat. During my trip I stayed at a beautiful resort called Little Dix Bay. The ferry I took belonged to the resort and the great thing about it (aside from the rum punch served!) is that it took me directly from the dock on Tortola to the Little Dix Bay property. While on the ferry, I was checked in and handed the keys to my room so that when we arrived I was all set to go. Such a great service as it was nice to not have to go to the front desk to check in.

 

This is the dock at Little Dix Bay. Upon arrival I was greeted by several friendly hotel staffers who took my luggage and since my room was on the farthest end of the resort property, they gave me a lift on a golf cart.

This was my cute little room. The decor was simple...nothing to write home about but it was comfortable and had the most beautiful views of the bay. It's definitely a place designed for relaxation. None of the rooms have televisions and I didn't even miss it. In fact, I didn't even notice there was no TV until my third day there! 

Here's another shot of the room where you can see the gorgeous ocean view just outside my window. It's hard to tell from the photos but the room was almost octagonal, with a pitched wood beamed ceiling...it kind of reminded me of a yurt. My room was on the second floor but right on the beach. So perfect.

This was my balcony....

And this was the view from my balcony....so beautiful to wake up to every morning.

I didn't snap any photos of the bathroom so here's one from the resort's website. Mine looked exactly like this.

The property was beautifully landscaped with lush trees and beautiful flowering bushes and shrubs everywhere. I snapped this photo walking along the resort's main road.

Here's shot of the main road where guests walk or ride via golf cart to get from place to place on the resort. Little Dix Bay offers an array of amenities from amazing restaurants and a gorgeous pool, to a world-class spa, a great gym, tennis courts and a variety of water activities.

The hotel has two formal restaurants as well as a Beach Grill which is a bit more casual. Above is the Sugar Mill restaurant which is the "nicer" restaurant at Little Dix Bay. I ate there on my first night on the island and the food was amazing.

This is the Pavilion restaurant where I ate breakfast and lunch every day as well as several dinners. I'm not much of a fan of buffets but one day a week the Pavilion has this ridiculously over-the-top buffet. It was amazing...I consumed so much seafood I'm surprised I didn't get mercury poisoning! The pavilion is also where I went for a drink most nights and was great for people watching. I can't resist telling you that during my stay I spotted Orlando Bloom as well as Nick and Drew Lachey who were all staying at Little Dix Bay too!

This resort is situated on a long strip of gorgeous white sand beach which you can see pictured above. Isn't it gorgeous?

This is the pool at the resort, also very beautiful. I loved Little Dix Bay. Aside from being insanely beautiful, I give the place an A plus on service as well. The staffers couldn't have been more friendly and accommodating. After my wonderful stay, Little Dix Bay is definitely on my Haute Hotels list! For more on the resort visit their website.

Virgin Gorda is definitely a destination for people who want to get away from it all. The Island is small...there really isn't a central town and if you want to shop you'll have to hop a ferry to nearby Tortola or St. Thomas. Pretty much the only thing to do on VG is go to the beach, eat and drink which suits me just fine and is all I did when I was there. Above is Spring Bay beach. I spent the first three days of my trip hanging out there during the day. The thing I love most about the beaches of Virgin Gorda is that they're empty! There were less than 10 other people at any of the beaches I went to at a given time...so peaceful and serene.

Here's another view of Spring Bay beach.

Another beach I visited was Devil's Bay. This is a photo of the path to get there. I was surprised to see lots of cacti on the island because I usually equate cacti with desert locations, but there was cacti abound on Virgin Gorda.

Here's more of the path to the beach. It was about a 15 minute hike down a hill, through trees and bushes...it was a beautiful hike but also kind of scary because I was all alone walking through what felt like a jungle!

When I finally got to the beach this is the beauty that awaited me.

There was a lovely Canadian couple walking nearby who saw me taking photos of myself and offered to take my picture. I jumped at the offer since all of my pictures from the trip are "self-portraits" with my extended arm visible in the shot! I usually don't like to post photos of myself but this is the only one I had that showed a broader perspective of what Devil's Bay looks like. Isn't it beautiful?

While I was laying out there were some chickens that tried to encroach on my territory!

It was pretty funny to see chickens on a beach! This one had such beautiful coloring.

The island is best known for all of its beautiful natural rock formations. These are some of the rocks at Devil's Bay but just nearby is perhaps one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the Caribbean...a beach called The Baths that has the most beautiful natural rock formations I've ever seen.

<sub>The Baths

 
The Baths


The Baths</sub>

The Baths is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Virgin Gorda. People often take day trips from nearby islands just to experience this unique beach. The giant rocks and boulders form many natural caves with shallow pools of water that are so much fun to explore. I took this photo above inside one of the caves.

I only ventured away from the resort for dinner once and that was to go to The Rock Cafe. The Rock is considered by many to be the nicest restaurant on the island. Inside is a lively atmosphere with a bar and a band band while outside is a serene dining area surrounded by large rocks (hence the name) with fish ponds and waterfalls adding to the ambiance. The service was great as was the food...I had lobster spaghetti...so good!

The day before I headed back to New York I took a taxi tour of the island so I could finally get a chance to see more than just the beaches. Above are the Copper Mine ruins.

Up until the late 19th century, Virgin Gorda was rich with copper and this used to be the mines where the copper was extracted. The Copper Mine ruins are now a national park.

For Virgin Gordian's this is the equivalent of the Rockefeller Center tree in New York. While I was there, the island had its tree lighting ceremony. I didn't go but I heard that many of the islands residents attended and each year it's quite a big event in town.

My taxi driver Andy was nice enough to drive me up up the tallest mountain on the island so I could see the view from the highest point. This is a zoomed in photo but the far island in the shot is Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson's luxe private island which is a popular vacation destination for the uber rich and famous.

As we were coming down the mountain the sun was starting to set so I had to stop and take a photo. One of the most gorgeous sunsets I've seen and a perfect ending to a perfect trip!

Canopied Beds...

Lately I've been loving the look of simple four poster canopied beds. Perhaps it was this photo from an old issue of Domino that first ignited my canopy love...

This steel campaign style canopy bed was featured in one of my favorite rooms designed by Miles Redd. Before settling on a custom upholstered headboard for my own bedroom, I considered getting a bed just like this one but at the time I felt my room was too small to pull it off.

Here's a similar bed in a room designed by Carrier and Company. Even with the simplicity of the thin wrought iron frame the bed still has a feeling of grandeur.

I also like this one in a stylish bedroom by Kim Alexandriuk.

This canopy bed in a room by Peter Dunham feels very strong and architectural. I used to think that a canopy bed in a small space was too grand of a gesture but since seeing this photo I've changed my point of view.

In this room, also by Peter Dunham, the addition of light airy draperies to the canopy lends a romantic feeling to the room.

Dunham often incorporates this look into his bedroom designs and the above photo is yet another example. I LOVE this bedroom....so pretty!

This is Domino style editor Dara Caponigro's room as featured in the recently released Domino Book of Decorating. Without actually having a traditional four poster canopy bed, Dara created the look by mounting drapery rods to the ceiling and attaching drapes at each corner of the bed...an ingenious idea that produced a very modern, yet romantic looking result.

If you love this look as much as I do and are looking to update your bedroom, here are a few accessible options for you to consider:

Anthropologie sells this Italian Campaign Canopy bed that's very similar to the beds pictured in the Miles Redd and Carrier and Company designed rooms above. A queen size is $1698. Available here.

 

Interior designer Annie Selke just released a new collection for Vanguard Furniture which includes this Chinoiserie inspired gold leaf canopy bed that I absolutely love. It's $2997 for a queen. Click here for more info.

Another source I love for beds in general is Charles P. Rogers. The company has been around since 1855 and although they're best known for their iron and brass beds, they offer a vast assortment of beds that includes a wide range of styles and materials. All of their beds are hand crafted with exceptional attention to detail and best of all they're very reasonably priced. The company also carries an impressive selection of beautiful antique beds sourced from around the world that date as far back as the mid 1800s. Their only showroom is here in New York but you can purchase direct via their website or catalog and they ship worldwide. Charles P. Rogers has the best selection of canopied beds that I've seen in one place. Above is their Campaign Canopy Bed that has lovely brass finial details. A queen is just $1199. There are other finial options and it's also available without finials. Here are a few more canopy beds that I love from Charles P. Rogers:

Cairo Canopy Bed. $999 for a queen. More options here.

This is another version of the Cairo Canopy Bed but with a bell top. A queen with finials is $1299. More info here. 

If you want to add the romance to your canopy bed a great DIY option is to purchase inexpensive drapery panels and simply attach them to your canopy. Your drapes should be  long enough to just touch the floor. The Vivan drapes above are from Ikea and cost just $14.99 for a pair! You can fasten these to your canopy with simple drapery rings that have clips attached.

Tab top draperies are another great option as they don't require any hardware to attach them to the canopy. The ones above from Pottery Barn are just $6.99 per panel!

Happy New Year!

_{Photo via inslee.net}

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's already been a year since I started So Haute and I'm amazed at how quickly my little blog has grown. I'm so grateful for all of my readers and I'm also thankful for my fellow bloggers who support So Haute and constantly keep me inspired with their own creativity. The end of '08 was crazy busy for me so I had to slow down on blogging a bit but it's a new year and I promise there will be lots of great things to come for So Haute in '09! Stay tuned!