Garden and Gun Featured Designer: Melissa Rufty

My friend Amanda is one of the most stylish and trendy people I know.  She is also one of the most generous.  She's always bringing me little gifts because they make her think of me.  A few weeks ago she brought me my first issue of Garden and Gun Magazine.  Love. 

They did a spread recently on new Southern designers and I loved looking through their portfolios.  I thought I'd share with you a few of the designers over the next few posts. 

Melissa Rufty of MMR Interiors is our of New Orleans and I am obsessed with her designs.  Check them out.

This was one of the rooms featured in the Garden and Gun issue.  As they pointed out, it is awesome how she took such modern prints that are on the setee (and how about that corner setee, btw) and mixed it with the old portraits.  As you'll see below, she uses portraits a lot in her designs.  I love mixing antiques and traditional pieces that are passed down to me from my family with more modern pieces.  No wonder I love her.  The other thing that I think I love most about her is her fearless use of color.  Keep going...

Bold wallpaper in a tight space only makes the hallway more of a feature than just a plain old hallway.  I love the two light fixtures that she also uses to dress up the space.

Another portrait, another corner setee.  Love the position of the artwork but it is that little lucite table that is really doing it for me in this picture.  I'm in the market for one if anyone has any good suggestions.  I want it to be pedestal and sturdy.  Am thinking bed side tables maybe...

I adore the furniture in this room.  The found chair is so unqiue and I love how the portrait colors pick up that fantastic rug.  The rest of the furniture is neutral but their shapes give them visual interest.

Not only did she go bold with the wall color choice here but check it - it is so high gloss that it reflects.  And she didn't shy away from color in the rest of the room.  Bright pink and yellow and bold graphics.  And she still manages to use a bright rug.  Amazing that instead of looking over the top, it makes me want to move right in.

She's got a thing for shaped, fabric covered headboards and bold graphics in bedrooms.  I prefer it in the twin guest bedrooms that are a few pictures later.  (Do you see the leopard print rug?  Beautiful.)

More color.  Don't know which I like more:

1. the lime green and white fabric on that chair

2. the blue velvet sofa

3. that stunning coffee table

Here are the twin beds I was talking about.  Love the wallpaper and the shape and color of those headboards.  And how about that lamp? 

More awesome twin beds.  This time the fabric headboards are forgone.  Bold graphic fabric adds drama and height to the room.  I want those black and white pillows. 

Heeeey.  Somebody else likes animal print on their dining room chairs too!

Really?  A patent leather bench with an antique looking table.  Yes!!!