"His husband". Why gay men make interesting homes

At first, it was quitely spoken. Softly. 

As in "his life-long partner", when speaking of Christian Dior and Marc Bohan. 

Hush! 

Then came Tom Ford. He is married to a journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Hommes and they have a son. 

As time passes, same-sex men-couples are openly dispalying their relationships. What is more, they are redefining the meaning of household. And they are good at it. 

It is not an exageration to say that the most homey looking homes I find in interior design magazines are made by men-couples. 

They are elegant. But that's to be expected. Alot of gay men are of an exquisite and accute taste. 

What is more, however, is that they create homey homes. 

Is it that women grew too indefferent, too busy, too tired of home life or work/home (im)balance?

Is it because men really know what they expect from a home?

Is it that making a home comes from the deepest depths of the soul, and same-sex male-couples have done their soul work alot in order to get to where they are?

Featured in the September issue of Architectural Digest, there are three same-sex men-couples and their respective homes. Every one of them a delight in its own style and right. 

Quite interestingly, there are two man-woman couples' homes featured, too. 

Watch the body language of those couples. 

Then compare with the men-couples above.

"Scary like a man eating crow". How to describe what this image of a  relationship communicates?

Cramed as they are in this narrow corridor, they couldn't be further apart...

 In a way, that comparisson may answer my rhetoric questions I asked above. 

"Traditional", -read conventional-, doesn't rhyme with "Happy" anymore. 

I am falling for these homes and wish their owners happiness every step of the way. 

Happiness comes in all shapes and forms. 

If it glorifies Love and Creation, then let it be blessed for all.

xoxo

Eastern promise

Дом Леонида Парфенова в Подмосковье

 

Gosh, I don't know what that means, but it sure looks beautiful!

 

 

What a strong, masculine house this is.

 It's full of strength and personality

 as you' d expect from the Slavic heart.

 

 

{via}

Mario Buatta: A man after my decorating heart

Mario Buatta

"To be a good decorator, you have to be three things: an actor (you have to pretend you like the person, their house and their things!), a psychiatrist (you have to figure out what the client wants) and a lawyer (to collect your money)!"

This phrase from an interview Mr. Boatta gave to AD started me on this post. 
It is so true and realistic, it reflects someone who's been in the business and who is confident enough and honest enough to distill his experience in a phrase. 


 That made me admire the person who is dearly known as the Prince of Chintz, 
but is to me the Prince of professional decorating. 
If a person is true to himself and his ideas, then he is true to his work. 


I grew up in a maximalist home of velvet curtains and upholstery and armchairs covered in chintz.
I shaped my aethetics in the flowery South of England.

I work for a company with natural, contemporary aesthetics.
I had a long affair with Designers Guild.


Life shows me that I'm growing into a modern maximalist,
an archaeologist, universitarian and gardener by DNA, 
and I am embracing the person that I am,
a work in progress.


As I am looking into who I am growing to be, in this start of the year, I find this serendipitus insight resonating to my heart and mind.

Some of Mario Buatta's decorating maxims:

“The best time to look at a room is the day after you’ve had a party because you see the way people used the space.”

Every room should be a different color. Each space should have its own mood.

Three perfect colors are lemon-yellow, leaf-green, and Prussian-blue.

These color combinations always work.

 For a living room: 

yellow walls, a pale-blue ceiling, and white woodwork. 

For a kitchen:

 off-white cabinets painted robin’s egg–blue on the inside (it makes the dishes look great) with a lemon-yellow ceiling. 

For a bedroom: 

apricot walls, a pale-blue ceiling, and off-white woodwork. 

For a library: 

red walls, squares of silver tea paper on the ceiling, and brown accents".

A few of my favorite rooms, decorated by Mr. Buatta.

I love the warm glow of this room.

I love the Brunschwig & Fils chintz with the rose and buttermilk velvet.
I like plenty of different types of sitting, too.

In this room, I can smell the warm, fragrant air bringing in the perfumes of the rose garden. 
My favorite room of all!

This is a bathroom but it could well be my home office.

Elegantly feminine.

Gracie, Mr. Buatta.

Read more on Mario Buatta's views on decoration, homes and life, as it were, 
 here, here and here. 

 Listen here.

AD Viewer’s Choice

Architectural Digest, the leader in stylish, international, upscale living, is hosting its first-ever online design contest. I appreciate the plethora of styles and choices. These are my favorite designs.

Cosy and welcoming.

Chic and upscale.
Cheerful and elegant.



Original and fun.
Artisitc and special.




All different, all interesting. Cast your votes here. The winner of AD Viewer's Choice will be announced on July 31.