After hearing the sad news that Metropolitan Home would be the latest in a long string of shuttered shelter mags, I checked out the latest issue, which features “Kelly Wearstler’s Ultra-Glam Beach House.” Kelly Wearstler is a well-known designer and one of the judges on Bravo TV’s Top Design.
You know I love looking at beach houses–heck, I have an entire blog dedicated to them at Beach Cottage Love! But this one left me cold, so I thought I’d see what you think about it.
That funky French chandelier is made with “splayed copper branches that suggest seaweed.” (If you say so!) There’s one in the dining room, too:
According to the magazine, the wallpaper in the bedroom is hand-painted “with lines as jagged as shattered slate.” The vintage headboard is bracketed with gilded spirals. On either side of the bed are pyramid-shaped lamps and vintage chairs that are “all about comfort.”
All I could think about was the time that Hildi glued pieces of straw to a poor homeowner’s walls on an episode of Trading Spaces.
Photos by François Halard. You can see the entire gallery of photos in Metropolitan Home. Head over to The Skirted Roundtable to hear an interesting podcast about the alarming number of decor-mag closures.
Visit my Celebrity Houses page for links to all of the others I’ve featured, from Gwyneth Paltrow to Charlie Sheen.
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I like warm homes…I couldn’t live here, too cold feeling. Different strokes for different folks I guess
Wow, those light fixtures are too strange. I thought they looked like loose wiring hanging from the ceiling! Each room was just strange. On a positive note, even though I didn’t like how they looked, the chairs in the bedroom did look comfortable.
Christi
Christi at A Southern Life´s last blog ..Southern Trooper
Ick. I wouldn’t call this ultra-glam OR a beach house.
I’m really not a Kelly Wearstler fan anyway, but this house really does NOT give me any kind of beachy vibe at all. I’m trying to find at least one positive thing to say about it…. ummmm…. well, the chair in the last picture looks incredibly uncomfortable, but it’s a pretty cool & funky shape
Kelly
DesignTies´s last blog ..A little kitchen sneak-peek
I just think her “new style” is horrible. The 80s (with a trange 70s vibe) are not that far away, and I’m not ready to see her bring it back already. I also think the stupid brass chandelier is ridiculous looking.
Dagny @ Beautiful Living´s last blog ..Did you like the Fabricadabra pillows from yesterday…? / Likte du Fabricadabra-putene fra i går…?
Oh, I remember that Trading Spaces episode, my mouth was hanging open in horror for the homeowners. Well, I think Kelly W. is a great designer in part because she doesn’t let herself become comfortable recreating the same look time after time. She pushes and experiments…I really admire that about her work, though with that comes risks. I think this house demonstrates that risk quite well, I am not a fan of it.
Janell
Janell Beals´s last blog ..A Detour Of Sorts – Holiday Decorating
I don’t like it AT ALL!! Hildi has definitely been there! Definitely!
Lou Cinda
Lou Cinda´s last blog ..A Gift and a Tease…
Yeah. I have to say I don’t like it at all and I’m kind of surprised that this is her beach house. Those light fixtures do nothing for me and, in fact, look too small for those rooms {seaweed looking or not}. I’m all for keeping things casual and non-fussy in a beach home, but this does nothing for me at all.
Does not feel like a beach house.
I am not sure how she sleeps in that bedroom? So busy! Just looking at the pic gives me a headache but, to each is own..
Melissa Martin´s last blog ..Personal Creations Coupon
This home is very disturbing. To much movement in each room. Nothing calming. These rooms would leave me anxious all of the time. All elements of the rooms compete with each other.
…so over Kelly Wearstler… she tries way to hard…the “funky French chandelier” is wrong in so many aspects, scale, function, application…and I would hate to enter that bathroom after having one to many the night before…Arrrgh!!
Janet´s last blog ..Holiday Gifts and Decor
I agree with Dagny on the weird 70s-80s mixture. The bedroom in particular is bringing up a lot of my not-favorite memories.
The rest of the house really isn’t my style either, but the bedroom is just wow.
PlantingOaks´s last blog ..Plant Lust
I think there is way too much symmetry and way too much going on to be a serene beach house. I would definitely never want to live there!
Sarah @ Dream In Domestic´s last blog ..Create Your Own Book of Possibilities
Oh … my … goodness … that’s just awful!
MissCaron´s last blog ..Admissions 101
No, Kelly! Just NO! You are a famous designer, how?
Mom in High Heels´s last blog ..Random Thoughts Tuesday!
It’s not my taste at all, but it fits her. It’s almost exactly what I expected when I saw your post title.
Susie´s last blog ..At The Top Of My List
It seems like they were trying too hard…doesn’t have the beach house feel.
desiree´s last blog ..Vicki’s Vintage-inspired Holiday Party Favors
Julia,
You already know how much we love it! We think KWID truly gets what was great about the ’80’s. Most of us get the ’60’s and ’70’s, and just aren’t “there” yet with respect to the ’80’s. Just wish you offered voters the choice to say we love it even if it’s not something we could live with every day! :^)
–CDHQ
Celebrity Digs HQ´s last blog ..VIDEO: Forbes on Celebrity Real Estate Woes
I’ve not heard of this girl before – but I don’t like it. Those chairs in the bedroom remind of old papason chairs that we had when we were kids!
~angela @ peonypatch
Angela´s last blog ..Dream Job
Yeah, not so much!
Sunshine´s last blog ..Living Rooms & Baths
Not my style at all…seaweed lights??? It just looks like someone let the designer do whatever they wanted and there’s nothing personal around. I can’t stand that you-should-like-this-because-it’s-done-by-a-great-designer style! How’s that for an opinion?
Kim
Kim @ Everything Etsy´s last blog ..It’s All About Buttons {and Fiber} — Giveaway
The light fixtures may have been remants of a tree that crashed through the roof and the painter carefully painted around the damage. I hope she didn’t pay a premium for lighting…..
thecincyblog´s last blog ..Record Setting Year for First-Time Home Buyers
I’m dizzy…I feel like I just went through a Fun House at the fair.
I used to think I could like anything if it was well done…this may be the exception. To each his own!
Oh yes, I remember Hildi putting the straw on the walls. Those were the good old days! I miss that program..this original one.
By the way, at the risk of showing my age and ignorance, who is Kelly Wearstler?
Pat´s last blog ..TODAY’S THOUGHTS
……really wacky…..but not in a cool way……I actually feel sorry for her…..I hope she didn’t spend a lot of money on that decorating job…..yikes. The Hildi comment made me LOL!!! Oh gosh that was classic!!
Thank the Lord I thought it was just me. I cringe every time I open up a magazine and have to look at one her interiors. It is me or do they all look like the set of Barbarella?
The Countess of Nassau County´s last blog ..The Kingdom is Bruised and Battered
The great thing about design and home decor is that everyone is an individual and can express that through their home. Okay, that’s all I have to say that is nice and my mother taught me well, so I’ll sign off.
Beth@The Stories of A2Z´s last blog ..Stare at My Staircase Party!
Oh wow. Some of those features are actually laughable! The chandelier is ridiculous, and even if it *were* fab, it much to small scale compared to the room.
The “jagged slate” on the wall is scary. How could you sleep peacefully when you have that to look at!
The wooden chair in the last picture is just a mess.
When I think of beach homes, I think calm, relaxed, cozy, light, flowy, etc. This does not even come close to a beach house……….except maybe that it might be by the beach.
Amber´s last blog ..Do your ears hang low?
Ugh. Honestly – I hate it. There is nothing inviting about it and I think that I would rather stay put in my little apartment!!!! To each, his own however.
Jocelyn Stott´s last blog ..Wind Wind, Go Away…
Yuck. And Janet is so right about the bathroom! Ha!
Very different house….not my kind of style…but to each it’s own!
Stephanie´s last blog ..You Capture , wordless wednesday post …our life in sunsets ….
Was it just me? In every picture, there were items in pairs that looked like either creatures or eyes. The ottomans in the first picture, eacb looked like an alien with 2 eyes. Looked ready to roll forward & emit some computer-generated sound. The light fixtures look like a spewing of wires from the ceiling.
Ha, Paula and I have already had a discussion about this spread. I like Kelly is a talent but I’m not loving this. I would never have pegged this as her work
There is no way you could convince me that this was a beach house. You also couldn’t convince me that anyone actually lived in that place. What in the world is going on with that house? Those light fixures? Seaweed? Really? I think not. Just looks like copper tubing sticking out of the ceiling! Once thing I did like… those big ol’ comfy looking chairs in the bedroom. Yea, I’ll take those.
Christine´s last blog ..Yes, Please! *Friday Night Lights*
Oh THAT Kelly Wearstler!
Pat´s last blog ..TODAY’S THOUGHTS
This home is straight up ugly.
I guess I’m not a high-end designer who can appreciate Kelly Wearstler’s artistic bent/style… it could be argued that she’s a designer who pushes the envelope; gets us thinking about challenging the norms of design; is an artist more then a designer.
What it comes down to for me is that I don’t enjoy her “art” or style. I’m open and prepared to be inspired by a designer’s interpretation of a room, but anything I’ve seen from Kelly has left me turning the page. No inspiration found.
Victoria @ DesignTies
I totally agree. There isn’t a room in there that I like. ugh.
christy´s last blog ..Big sister, little brother
I am so glad someone did a post about this house. I was too much of a chicken ! I looked through and read the entire article and was just appalled by the complete sillyness and just plain yucky stuff in Kelly Werstlers home.
I know she is the “it” girl of television designers but come on people. The magazine showed a photo of her little boy playing in front of these two male busts with these silver orbs in their arms and I thought that would give the poor kind nightmares! Way way way too weird.
She must also have gobs money to burn and not need any more clients!
Kelley~*~ the polished pebble
It’s not my style and doesn’t look beachy and inviting.
But it doesn’t leave me “cold” except for the dining room, which is really cold. The other rooms are not as bad but are still not my style.
Oh well. Different strokes for different folks, as they say.
Just when I thought I had seen the worst designs ever, I see this. That has to be the weirdest ugliest looking home I have ever seen in my life.
That bathroom and bedroom probably carrys on a converstion with Kelly everyday. Thanks for the laughs, it made my day!
I never liked trading spaces. I am glad that the show ended.
The bedroom looks like a “toon” having a nightmare! And that ugly wire handing out of the ceiling – what were they thinkin’? It proves even the rich can have no taste.
I remember that episode of trading spaces! They did some of the strangest things on that show. Hildi especially. Genevieve did every now and again but her ideas seemed a little more subtle than that episode you mentioned.
I always thought Kelly’s taste was yuk! How did she get to be so popular???
Suzy´s last blog ..CranApple Crisp
Oh my….I do believe the people voted.
For wahtever that counts??
Fun Julia!
linda@LimeintheCoconut´s last blog ..A magazine??? Really???
I think the bathroom actually looks pretty nice. Not my taste, but it would be cool to see at a hotel or something, lol. It looks like she lives in New York or some other concrete jungle and not in a beach house. :/ I think the dining room is the room without an inviting soul. I wouldn’t mind visiting the other rooms but definately would not want to live there.
I remember that Trading Spaces episode like it was yesterday! I loved that show (sigh).
I do not love Kelly Wearstler. Her designs are headache inducing for me.
Ann´s last blog ..Tomorrow Is A Special Day
I think the chandelier (if that’s really what it is) is far too small for the space and it looks weird. I am not in love with it but to each his own.
Jessica at Lavender & Lilies´s last blog ..OMG
I think…maybe it’s just a house on the beach. Not necessarily a beach house.
not my style
Vicki´s last blog ..GoComics.com
Hi Julia,
I do like some of Kelly Wearstler’s designs, particularly with hotels like the Viceroy. Her bold use of colour and scale is interesting, and although I personally would never go to some of the extremes she does, she does inspire me to experiment a bit further with colour and scale in my own design. I am not a huge fan of this beach home, particularly the chandeliers, but some elements, such as the use of interesting sculpture, geometric shapes, weathered wood and symmetry of unique objects are appealing. Good or bad, I appreciate seeing the evolution, because I’m always wondering what the next trends are going to be
Jillian@housewears´s last blog ..Holiday Inspirations and Bathroom Renovations
I enjoyed seeing the pictures, although this is not my personal favorite! I wonder if this is really ‘her’, or if this is a way for her to experiment with finding the next best thing – without the scrutiny of a client? Great post.
Things That Inspire´s last blog ..My favorite architect
Wow! I see a gutt job in this homes future….very cold and unappealing. They say a home is supposed to reflect the homeowner….hmmm.
ugh. I have two words for her house… butt ugly.
LOL
rue´s last blog ..Birthday trip~ part 3 (the historic tour)
No! No! No! I do not like this on the beach. I do not like this anywhere.
This is modern and edgy gone wrong. ick.