Last November, FLOWER magazine took their showhouse series to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where they turned a custom Georgian home into a magnificent showhouse decorated by fifteen high-profile interior designers. “Ivy House,” the classically-styled 6,000 square-foot home was designed by Baton Rouge native Andy McDonald and Ivy Residential Concepts, a third-generation design/build team also based in Baton Rouge.
FLOWER magazine founder and editor-in-chief Margot Shaw prefaced the showhome opening with her vision of “A celebration of design in the deep South and all of its lush landscapes, unique architecture, vibrant colors, and rich flavors.”
Designer Veronica Solomon brought the upstairs bedroom and adjoining bathroom of Ivy House to life with Bella Notte’s bedding and living lines, and tells us about her inspiration and process.
MEET THE DESIGNER - VERONICA SOLOMON
Veronica Solomon, the genius behind Casa Vilora Interiors, believes that luxury should be accessible and individualized. Over the last 19 years, Solomon has amassed an arsenal of some of the most prestigious awards and nominations in the interior design space.
Ranging from eye-catching and eccentric to time-honored and enduring, Veronica’s design philosophy touts an adept use of colors, textures, and layering. She attributes her comprehensive style of vibrancy and naturalness to her childhood in Jamaica. This is evident in her renewed and energetic creations for the upstairs bedroom and bathroom for the FLOWER Magazine Ivy House, where she used Bella Notte’s linens to complement her designs.
BELLA NOTTE BROUGHT TO LIFE
Influenced by one of her favorite Alexander McQueen rugs and the name of the show house itself, Veronica developed a flower and butterfly motif and fabricated a bedroom you never want to leave. “Where there are flowers, there are butterflies,” Veronica stated simply when discussing where her inspiration came from. She expressed the deep-rooted desire for the room to provoke “natural curiosities” knowing that flowers would be central to the theme of the house.
Veronica brought Bella Notte Linens to life through carefully engineered design and curations for the Ivy House. Dressing the bed in Eucalyptus and Winter White colorways nursed the “natural curiosities” theme by composing a bed that was layered in various earthy tones and textures.
Solomon's design features a combination of luxurious textiles to create a dreamy but elegant cocoon using a Silk Velvet Quilted Coverlet and Paloma Pillowcases in Eucalyptus with Seraphina Sheets, a Paloma Duvet Cover and Taline Shams in Winter White. Atop these sumptuous fabrics, Veronica chose the Carmen throw pillows and blanket in Bella Notte’s soft green hue, Eucalyptus, to provide the perfect finishing touches on a chic arrangement.
When asked how combining various shades of greens and whites and a variety of elegant textiles for the bed captured, Solomon articulated the importance of sleep for our well-being.
“Good sleep is essential, and we spend a lot of time doing it, so it is worth investing in quality textiles.”
THE DESIGN PROCESS
Interior designers play an integral role bridging the gap between functionality and aesthetic wonder. Working their magic, these designers bring someone’s personality and individuality to life through color and texture to create a space that is not only harmonious in its design features but also comfortable and cozy.
We had the privilege of sitting down with Veronica Solomon, the mind behind the decadently designed upstairs bedroom and bathroom for Flower Magazine’s Ivy House, to learn her secrets behind crafting a space full of creativity and passion for each individual. This exclusive interview reveals how Veronica goes from blank canvas to final design.
Q: What was your primary inspiration in designing the Butterfly bedroom?
A: I was inspired by the beautiful Alexander McQueen rug from The Rug Company. It has always been a favorite of mine.
Q: Which came first – the idea of the Butterfly, or one of the furnishings or art that includes the Butterfly motif?
A: The rug came first. As soon as The Rug Company said yes, I started thinking through the "theme" of the room. I wanted it to feel appropriate with flowers, since I know that Flower Magazine would bring fabulous flowers.
Q: What is essential to achieve in bedroom design?
A: I think it is essential to feel comfortable in a bedroom. I also think it is one of the rooms in your home that is more private and you can express your individuality and things that you enjoy being surrounded by.
Q: Your use of color is vibrant and dramatic. How do you find the colors that resonate with the person you are designing for?
A: I often ask clients what color they would not like to see in their home, and steer clear of that. Everything else is fair game. I do pull color inspiration from a textile or wallpaper that I plan to use in the room. Also the mood and feel I am trying to achieve helps to dictate the color choice.
Q: We imagine that there are some people who love the “idea” of color but may be reluctant to incorporate it into their homes. What advice would you have for them?
A: One of the pieces of advice I give them is to use the neutral or earth-toned version of the color. Every color has a more grounded version of itself that is easier to live with for most people who are afraid to go with a bold color. For example, we could use an olive green instead of a bolder primary color green. I also encourage them to use a bit of color sparingly - maybe in the artwork or some pillows that can easily be switched out later.
Q: How did you decide on the Eucalyptus and Winter White palette of the Bella Notte dressed bed?
A: I wanted to keep the bedding soft and soothing to the eye, and the neutral palette of the bedding did that while tying into the various versions of green I used in the room. I love to layer varying shades of the same color for depth in a room.
Q: We noticed that you also chose a beautiful variety of textiles for the bed, including silk, velvet, and charmeuse. These are all luxurious fabrics that together created an elegant cocoon. How do textiles contribute to a sense of well-being for our beds and bedrooms?
A: Bedding should be as luxurious as possible. Good sleep is essential, and we spend a lot of time doing it, so it is worth investing in quality textiles. I love to layer the bed covers so the sleeper has options depending on the room's temperature. For example, using a coverlet instead of the duvet in the summer.
Q: We loved seeing all the wonderful details, the bird leg lamp, the reptile embossed bed frame, the butterfly art, the dragon mirror, the tassels on the Taline throw pillows. It feels like your design is a meticulous gathering of unexpected layers and textures. Even though the room is elegant, it also has a wonderful element of surprise. How does whimsy play a role in your design process?
A: I strive to bring in a touch of whimsy into every room, but done at a high-level and not cartoon-like. The result has to be elegant and luxurious. I believe rooms should be fun and not too serious. I love conversation starters and interesting details that keep the users engaged and curious. The bedroom was all about natural curiosities, which I felt was appropriate for a Flower showhouse.
Q: Everything at Bella Notte is handcrafted. What are your thoughts about artisan crafted design? What do you believe it adds to a home?
A: I think that makes a home that more special and unique when some heart and good craftsmanship goes into the pieces curated for the decor. Handcrafted adds just another layer of richness and Bella Notte bedding provided that lush, richness in the bedroom.
Q: The adjoining bathroom is equally dramatic in a symphony of black and white accented in strong colors like the Mattine Guest towel in Fig from Bella Notte. We especially loved the ceiling with its black and white stripes because ceilings are so often overlooked as a canvas for our imagination. When designing a bathroom to ensure your mantra of “conscious living” what are the most important design elements?
A: I love for bathrooms to have personality because they can often be designed simply for its function. Not only should you feel nurtured and relaxed, the bathroom should feel stylish and layered like the rest of the house. You shouldn't feel like you walked into a public space in your own home. Materials for a bathroom need to be carefully selected. It's one of the private spaces where you get to design for you.
Q: Your rooms for Ivy House feel very inspired. Who is the conceptual client that you were designing for?
A: I often jokingly say that my rooms design themselves. But the truth is I usually let the room or home and the inspiration piece speak to me and then I develop it from there. For the Ivy House, I knew I wanted the room to feel like "natural curiosities" since I knew flowers would be a big theme in the house. Where there are flowers, there are butterflies, so it felt like the direction to go. Also, since I was designing a secondary bedroom, I imagined that it would be for a teenager or young adult, so I wanted it to feel youthful and fresh as well.
Conscious Everyday Luxury from Bella Notte Linens
It was a joy for Bella Notte to work with Veronica, and to be featured in the Ivy House. We love to work with designers to achieve the perfect spaces for their clients. If you have not worked with us before, but would like to, we’d love to hear from you!
If you are designing your own space, we can help! Reach out to us to take advantage of our complimentary design services to help you create the perfect space in your home.