Maria Beatrice and Leonardo Ferragamo’s Villa Le Rose

Oh how I want to be Margaret Russell, the Editor of ELLE DECOR. In addition to her unparalleled editorial skills, she must have about 8,000 cocktail dresses that look fabulous on her. In the foreward to my new favorite book, So Chic: Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces, she defines what makes a space chic:

But what exactly is chic? Webster’s defines the word as “cleverly stylish; smart; a woman who adapts fashion to her own personality.” When it comes to interiors, chic is that and far more. A chic space can be razzle-dazzle glamorous or quietly unpretentious, seriously sophisticated or unapologetically bohemian. The unifying thread is indisutabley confidence, no doubt boosted by splashes of joie de vivre and flair.

Jaouad Kadiri’s Moroccan Country House

Kenneth Jay Lane’s Stanford White Designed Park Avenue Townhouse

This is a really good way to describe ELLE DECOR. They offer a wide range of styles in their spreads unlike any other magazine, from over-the-top opulence of say, Kenneth Jay Lane, to the lived-in rustic look of Ralph Lauren; from the eclectic vibe of Anh Duong to the elegant Grey Gardens-esque decay of John Derian; from the vintage but modernly crisp Thomas O’Brien to the exotic shapes and textures used by Jaouad Kadiri. This book culls the best examples from the magazine’s archives, and the range of styles is remarkable. The common thread is that they are all, undoubtedly chic due to the designers’ individual styles, whether they be influenced by the Ottoman empire, mid-century modern, vintage, Hollywood Regency, Morocco, the eclectic mix, et. al.

Ranjana & Naeem Khan’s SoHo Loft

For example, I took note of the different wallcoverings in the book. There were crisp white walls, classic murals, antique Chinese wallpapers, grasscloths, ethnic tiles, genius artwork arrangements, mirrors, bold stripes and luxurious printed fabrics.

Muriel Brandolini’s Upper East Side Townhouse

Tamara Mellon’s London Flat (O.K., I want to be her the most; she has every Jimmy Choo shoe in her closet!)

Sheila Bridges’ Harlem Apartment

Thomas O’Brien’s Wall of Inspiration

Delphine and Reed Krakoff’s Southampton Home

Anh Duong’s West Village Loft

Sarah Jessica Parker’s Hamptons Home

John Derian’s Lower East Side Pad

It was impossible to pick favorite photos from this book, but I thought these were some great examples. Here are the photo credits, in order, from the elite group that shoots for ELLE DECOR:

• Pieter Estersohn

• Henry Bourne

• Pieter Estersohn

• Simon Upton

• Pieter Estersohn

• Simon Upton

• William Waldron

• William Waldron

• Reed Krakoff

• Simon Upton

• William Waldron

• William Waldron