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[Oznell]

Homeworthy is doing a series on mothers and daughters for Mother's Day.  These two, Katie Brickman on the left, and Coco Powell on the right, live close to each other in suburban Chicago.  Do you think they have certain similarities in the way they decorate?

Coco's Living Room:

Coco is 88 or 89, and has a lifetime of well-honed preferences, treasures and mementos.  Her wall color she described as a 'pink-rose-red', and she had it in her previous dwelling too, she loves it so much.

 

Two of my favorite things are her huge brass and glass hurricane, and the dark wooden "wheel back" chairs of which you can see one on the right.  I love that lacy intricate back to them:

Coco's family photos, ranged on this pretty secretary, clearly mean a lot to her.

Her late husband is the baby in this picture, pictured with his brothers and his uncle on the left.  She casually mentioned, "His uncle was a movie star".   I did a double take, and sure enough, that's Hollywood crooner of the Thirties, and later, film noir great of the Forties and Fifties, D ick Powell! 

While I agree that her living room color is perky and warm, my personal preference is always for paler, more chalky colors, so I love the pink in her dining room below.  On the lower part of the wall, she has a sand-colored grasscloth.

Speaking of pink, here we are a few blocks away in Katie's entry now, and I like her use of a pink ceiling here in this charming space.  Beautiful frosted glass wall sconces:

  

Katie is a free-wheeling artist, who has chosen to accent her living room with a lively green--

While it's fun and cozy, and she has beautiful fabrics throughout, her living room was a little too 'visually stimulating' for me, esp. with the patterned wallpaper she installed in the bookcases.

The wallpaper made it too overwhelming for me!   I do like her Venetian mirror, and playful frog.

Very cool, casual family room, with its framed "Interview Magazine" covers--

Her kitchen is a dream.  She and her husband designed it themselves.  The video is well worth watching for that kitchen alone--

Very interesting idea of Homeworthy's to do mothers and daughters.

These two were close and loving.  My take on them is, they're both traditionalists.  Coco is the more sedate, with her Hepplewhite furniture, lovely china and glass, etc.  But she likes color.  And Katie is color-mad too, but looser and more eclectic.  Definitely more risk-taking.

They're both more bright and preppy in their style than I prefer.  I need more of a mix, and some dark and crumbly and "visibly aged"  elements stirred into the pot, I guess.  But I enjoy their vitality within their chosen styles.

Just shows that even traditionalists can be coming from quite different directions in the way they want to live in their spaces.

Do you think your preferences are similar to your mother, or are they not?    

[mildoo]

I like them both; however, don't care for Mom's rose colored paint.  And I think if the daughter was wearing a different sweater I could have appreciated her decor more.  That sweater draws way too much attention away from her home style.

[Kachina624]

@mildoo. The daughter definitely need help with her wardrobe.

I love the rose pink living room color.

[on the bay]

I do like them both.

The mother's reminds me of my mother's which I was just looking at the other day. Not because it is the same but because everyting is elegantly and intentionally placed. The things she loves to have and look at.

Yes, I agree about the daughter's sweater

[shoptilyadropagain]

The style both mother and daughter decorate in are just not my favorite so neither one appeals to me.  I would probably like the daughter's kitchen if I were to see the whole thing though.

BTW, the daughter's sweater doesn't bother me but it's the combination with that bold Paisley or Floral skirt that gives me a headache.  That alone tells me I'm probably not going to like her decorating style.

[Desert Lily]

Although they may be close, IMO Katie rebels against some of Coco's ideals. Coco's living room screams symmetry with its precision in placing each item. Her living room is very lovely but very controlled.

IMO Katie's living room (from the pics) appears to be more eclectic & free-spirited, and turns away from more controlled exactness (but is also controlled). Katie's kitchen makes me think that she knows which side her bread is buttered on with the counters, faucet, very traditional table setting, etc. & doesn't wander too far away.

Are my preferences similar to my mother's? I have several beautiful pieces in my home from my mother. Our styles & appreciations crossed. My career began in my family's home & decorative accessories business. My first buying trips after college were with my mom.

I valued much in my mother's style, but I include some more modern & eclectic aspects. My mom liked rose color influence, French Provincial & Italian Provincial furniture, crystal, gold, lots of detail in accessories in her home. I embrace cool colors, art glass, & add some grandmillennial style.

I think it's normal for daughters to branch out with their styles. Otherwise, we'd be living with the same style for centuries.

Sometimes an older generation's style can feel stale to the next younger generation. A daughter has new experiences, has access to new materials & fabrics, lives in different world times, & has different influences.

But, a daughter's generation can grow to feel stale to her own daughter. The granddaughter may find treasure in what the daughter had rejected from the mother and blend it with her own new style. Synthesis can happen.

I think the same theory applies to art, apparel, etc. We continue to create & evolve and learn from the previous.

[Oznell]

Love your detailed, insightful analysis, @Desert Lily !  It makes looking at the interiors a rich experience, when you take an informed look as you have, and try to devine the motivations and influences that might be at work.

Fun to hear how you built on the foundation of your own design-savvy family, and branched out from there with your own ideas...

[We rescue cats]

I appreciate mom's decor other than the rose colored walls, I'm a cream/white/ivory wall gal. I love Katie's kitchen, and I very much like Coco's decor, especially the botanical artwork and those beautiful sconces. I just cannot get past Katie's choice of clothing. . .nor the wallpaper in the book shelves.

[Citrine1]

I far prefer the mothers home to the daughters home.

As far as my family goes, my mother and I have (and have always had) very different taste when it comes to furniture and decor.  

I like tradtional, farmhouse, shabby chic, eclectic.  My mother is strictly modern.  

[Kitlynn]

They both have some interesting things and looks. I feel like the Mothers is much more serene. You can see yourself sitting down and enjoying a nice up of tea. The daughters is more busy feeling.