Saturday, October 25, 2008

"Where has she been?" Eddie Ross

Photo by Brandon Barre
Okay, I admit it, I am hooked on Top Design! I never, ever watched reality shows until Top Chef came along! Last week's episode really got me! When India Hicks came out with the comment that she had not seen a sofa used as seating around a dining room table while judging Eddie Ross.. He was shocked as was I !

Photo by Timothy Street Porter
Really, does anyone believe that?? Daughter of famed designer David Hicks has not seen a sofa used as seating in a dining room?! Well, my dear India here's a few examples of this concept.
I rather like the use of a sofa or banquette in dining room. I feel it changes things up a bit and adds dimension to the room. In most cases, it is unexpected...well of course it is! India Hicks has never seen this before!


Photo by Erik Johnson
If the room is not very large, using a sofa against one wall gives the room a little extra breathing room.


Photo by Colleen Duffley
The sofa in this dining room sort of wraps around the table. I think it is very elegant! The blue seat covers add a subtle pop of color and what appears to be a Murano glass chandelier adds the "Oh, La, La" effect perfectly. Many may thing this room is too dark. I really like the contrast between the dark and light/white.

Photo by Antoine Bootz
Now, India my dear, this of course is not a sofa, but a banquette. Great way to tuck in some seating when space is at a minimum. I feel that banquette seating is very cozy and comfortable. Your guests are sure to sit a spell and enjoy!
So there you have it, the concept of a sofa as seating in a dining room. Do any of you readers really believe that India has not seen this before? I sure don't!
If you haven't see Top Design, check it out. It is nearing the end of the season where they pick the winner. It is amazing how inconsistent the judging is! Margaret Russell, Jonathan Adler, India and Kelly Wearstler are the usual judges...they all seem to want the contestants to be just like them...they make up the "rules" as they go... so when Ms. India was so shocked to see a sofa by a dining room table..I just had to comment!
If anyone currently has a sofa in your dining room and would like to send me a picture, I will feature in an upcoming post. Wouldn't that be fun? The holidays are fast approaching, and entertaining and parties and dressing up our dining rooms will soon be in the fore front of our minds !

19 comments:

pve design said...

leave it to eddie.
so much for the couch potato!

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Thanks for coming back by again. I've been watching Top Design by DVR & just got caught up on the last episode on Friday. I was amazed at that comment too...yes indeed, where has she been?! Eddie is a hoot, just the drama factor with him alone is worth watching the show & he is quite talented. It will be fun to see who wins. I liked Andrea too, but can understand that she missed her family. I can't even imagine the stress they must have been under on that show.

I totally agree with you on the judges making up the rules as they go along. They seem to have such an air about them.

Brilliant Asylum said...

Surely India is mistaken. Maybe she meant she had never seen one the way Eddie styled it. I thought his room was all wrong for the light fixture, but I did not think the design was that bad on it's own. I like how Eddie keeps things symmetrical and I really want to try the sofa as dining seating too.

That said, the judges were right that his design cheapened the light fixture. I thought this was a fun challenge--and I loved the Jonathan Adler pop design.

Ivy Lane said...

Brilliant Asylum, I agree, Eddie's design around the chandelier was a total miss this week.Every designer ..even the very best designers have a miss now and then...Look at Kelly Wearstler's spread in the last Domino issue...OUCH!! Eddie's "pop design" on the other hand was a total hit! Did you see the show? India really seemed like she had never seen the sofa concept...no joke! Any way you slice it..the contestants are all winners in my book! Something to learn from each of them.

Fifi Flowers said...

I sooooooo LOVE these dining rooms!
ENJOY your weekend!
Fifi

SGM said...

What about Andrea's breakdown? I wanted to shake her and say "get some confidence, girl!" Top 5 in Top Design is not too shabby.

Yeah, what was up with India? Crazy.

Fifi Flowers said...

I'm BACK! I forgot to mention a little thing... you are a STAR on my blog tomorrow/Sunday! RUN... don't walk!

Linda Merrill said...

I too was shocked and skeptical about India's comments on sofas as the dining table. Very stange. I have one!
http://chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com/2008/08/diy-weekend-upholstering-settee.html

Linda Merrill said...

btw - everyone is invited to enter our contest on bloggingtopdesign.blogspot.com!!

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Wow...You showed her, eh? Great pics!

I am having fun watching the shows (tivo) Was disapointed in Andrea. I am continually amazed with all they do in such a short time. I think if someone handed me 22k and told me to go design a room I would be left just standing there and stuttering. Inertia.

Fun blog...Thanks for coming by and checking out our little Casita!

Ivy Lane said...

linda m... Thank you for stopping by! I went and looked at your beautiful settee that now has a place of honor aside your dining room table!!! It looks lovely. I love the fabrics you chose..came out spectacular!!

Ivy Lane said...

sgm, I agree, being in the top 5 on Top Design is a great accomplishment. I guess Andrea really did miss her family. I think it was brave of her to make the choice to leave...alot of people blogged about and said she wasted a coveted spot...I don't agree..I really don't think anyone knows how they are going to react until they get there!!


Fifi, You are SUCH a dear heart! Thanks for featuring me today on your blog! I promise, I am going have you create a special momento from my next trip in January!! :)

Anonymous said...

Even if Eddie were to lose (but my money is on him) he's a winner and does not need Design Star. He is one already. He's worked for everyone except Edith Wharton!

I agree about the sofa, and since you pointed out the banquette, I'll give another idea. We took a set of French doors out of our dining room exterior wall, because we never used them. Instead, we had two bookcases on either side of the new windows with a windowseat under them. We gained two more seats at the table when whe need them. The 6 chairs can now be spaced evenly around the table without us having to have more than 6 around when we need them. If you have a boring dining room, try that! We also love having bookshelves in the dining room and making it do double duty!
Great post. Thanks for stopping by and drooling over my panini post!

cotedetexas said...

have you seen simplyseleta's breakfast table - die! hha - it's so gorgeous.
love this post.

Ivy Lane said...

Halcyon, Great idea!

Joni, Heading to her site NOW!

Heather said...

i got hooked on reality through bravo too. i used to like survivor, but never watched anything else...then bravo came out with top chef, top design, project runway...and i couldn't stop... :)

i'm a fellow ohioan and thought i'd stop by!

Bridget said...

I haven't been following the show but I saw that episode and yes, I too was shocked!

cj said...

I have had a built -in next to my dinning room table for years. When we moved into this 40's era house it was the perfect solution to use a small space. I also had book shelves built around the sitting settee. I'm off to take a picture right now! Love Eddie's blog, and I don't get all the disrespectful comments about Martha on the show. However, the whole thing is so over the top I love it!

cotedetexas said...

Simple Seleta owns one of the cutest ones I've seen - check it out on her blog.