Vignettes: Which is your favorite?
I don’t feel like writing today, which makes it the perfect day to take a look at vignettes. Thanks to Buckingham Interiors + Design LLC’s Julia Buckingham Edelmann for contributing a photo to the Strange Closets vignette photo set and answering the question, What makes a good vignette?. Norwegian heritage be damned, I’ll admit I felt a bit heartbroken to discover that Julia was the only reader who made the effort. Julia, thank you a million times. And as for the rest of you, haven’t you read about how isolation experiments drive people mad? I tell everybody I have the coolest readers ever, and I stand behind it, but please participate. Have a little fun. Contribute a photo. Heck, take a photo.
There are many Strange Closets Flickr groups where you can upload photos of your spaces: living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, home offices and more. There’s even one for photos of you (and which is now populated exclusively with real-life costumed crusaders true believers!).
You can even add notes to the photo. I know I’d enjoy looking at other reader’s photos, and you might find that you do too. And I very well might use them in future posts. Absent that, please leave comments. Tell me if I’m full of crap. Or that you heart me. Whatever. By the way, here’s Julia Buckingham Edelmann’s vignette:
Julia says:
Any good vignette starts with a common thread- color, size, shape, sex-appeal or anything that is visually stimulating. With a vignette one wants to make the viewer say..”I like this…” Whether one is going for impact, emotion or just a “Wow” moment a successful design vignette is worth its weight in gold!
Amen, well said Julia. I’ve never been good at assembling the right combination of items with the right balance, etc, but if these photos are any indication, many of you are. Enjoy folks.
Do you guys like this one? I think it’s brilliant (especially considering its in a basement laundry room). Which is why I put it together (sorry Mom, sorry aunt Linda).
Being a comic book geek, this Apartment Therapy post made me very happy.
Designer Hilary Bailes home. Click here for Hilary’s Open House.
My back kitchen counter. Listen, I like the paint-by-numbers horse, which I bought at Andersonville’s newly expanded Roost, but I know I may be alone. Am I? (crickets)
Richard Norton Gallery’s Beth Robinson-Juhas was one of my first Open Houses, and this vignette was my inspiration for Decoratus Absurdum.
Click here for Dan’s Open House.
Click here for Decorator Dave’s Open House.
I added a marble top to this vintage French bistro table, which I bought from Jeanne Steen’s excellent Figaro Antiques to use as a writing desk in my living room.
Ted Harris’ work at Scout.
Click here for Bret’s Open House.
Click here for Mark and Jeri’s Open House.
My guest bedroom.
Fine Diving in Chicago’s Diana Durke knows her way around a piano. Click here for her Open House.
KitchenLab and Design In a Bag owners Nick and Rebekah’s place is amazing. Click here for their special dinner party Open House.
Do you remember this bedside vignette from actress, musician, writer and artist Cady McClain’s Manhattan Open House.
Click here for Ken’s Open House.
Click here for Eva’s Open House.
This vignette’s from a future Open House.
This kitchen vignette’s also from a future Open House.
What Is James Wearing blogger and interior designer James Andrew’s Open House featured several beautiful vignettes. Be sure to check out James’ blog What Is James Wearing.
Click here for Seth and Marc’s Open House.
Click here for Frank’s Open House.
Click here to see more of this Handman & Associates project.


11. Nov, 2009 


































I like this post and I like the definition of a vignette. My two favorites are the Jesus statue one and the palmistry one.
I heart you AND you’re full of crap. I really like Julia’s definition of what a vignette is. It, and your photos, make me want to go arrange some of my stuff and then photograph it.
Well, I never! My portrait in your basement?
Your portrait would look good anywhere, Pat
OMG!!! How to choose? They are all amazing.
the laundry vignette is brilliant, love your mother’s portrait!! I also love Hilary’s vignette!