Harlow Restaurant--a delicious food & quality English paint by Farrow & Ball

A great start to my week with a delicious lunch at the stylish Harlow restaurant 
then musing about quality paint and paper 
with Farrow & Ball...
I'm inspired!  

I met with the ladies from Farrow & Ball paint  and Susan Magrino public relations who were in town for a full press line up in order to debut their fabulous new colour selection from their paint collections, as well as sneak peeks at a wide array of wallpaper patterns making their debut in January.  I joined the group for a delicious lunch at the hard-to-get-a-reservation hot spot in New York City, Harlow.  

First, let's just talk about the jaw-dropping, simple elegant decor of Harlow.  These photos show you the incredible work of the architectural and design firm,  Meyer Davis Studio, Inc. MDSI is a full service, award-winning architectural design firm based here in the city.  Will Meyer and Gray Davis have established the firm as one of the premier high end practices around the country.  Some of their other famous restaurant designs I adore include MAS Farmhouse, the former Nobu in Southampton, Bar Blanc restaurant, and the Paramount Hotel.  All the firm's projects are quite different but the similar thread that weaves throughout is elegant, edited spaces with a narrative.  Harlow is a Hollywood glamour story with a very moderne approach to boot. The food is divine -- fresh, innovative and delicious!

 now onto the paint...

Farrow & Ball's Pitch Blue is a lovely in-between 
moody purple and blue

You may have read my stories about Farrow & Ball in the past, and they generously invited me last fall to the opening at the MET museum of their collaboration with the Matisse exhibit.  Or, in Dan's Papers magazine where I wrote about the brand's commitment to historical colours while working with artists.  Or, lastly  when I painted a chair for our IFDA Take A Seat charity event last spring and proceeds went to Hurricane Sandy victims.  Farrow & Ball generously donated the paint for me to transform this second hand Baker chair to a sea-inspired design.  
Please read the Sea Inspired Chair transformed. 

my chair for charity...

using Farrow & Ball paint color Pitch Blue No. 220 I transformed this chair for the auction.  I decoupaged antique shell prints onto the rushed back and utilized Robert Allen fabric and TrimQueen's orange trim, custom Spoonflower fabric I made from the shell prints added to a Robert Allen fabric to create the lumbar pillow.  

In a nutshell, Farrow & Ball is a forward thinking company while holding on tightly to history.  Many of their colours are taken from historical architecture and design, and with these new announcements, they bring even more to the painting table -- bright hues and some whisper soft ones as well.  The wallpaper collection takes it up a notch as well, so keep on the look-out for these incredible, varied patterns to add lustre to your home.  I love hearing the behind the scenes stories of how the company values the artistic and creative process and their employees -- they even named a color (a fiery orange) for their creative talent, Charlotte Cosby -- color, Charlotte's Locks.

Samples of Farrow & Ball's 

new colour collection...

StiffKey Blue No.281 - Farrow & Ball

Nancy's Blushes No.278 - Farrow & Ball

St Giles Blue No.280 - Farrow & Ball

Yellow Cake No.279 - Farrow & Ball

In our goodie bag, I found a very chunky gorgeous coffee table book which illustrates the beauty behind the brand.  Please check back the week after Thanksgiving to see my review of this book to be included in my Holiday Coffee Table Round Up series -- just in time for your holiday shopping!

Decorating with Colour

by Ros Byam Shaw

Happy Nesting 

XO Tamara