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| illustration by Karen Greenberg |
CAPRICORN: Capricorns are strong leaders and often workaholics. Her home office is usually a focal point, and her living room may double as a conference room with a large table and carefully chosen chairs. Ergonomically correct furnishings, among them Herman Miller’s Aeron chair, are essential. Black, grey, and maroon in the finest grade of Edelman Leather help make Capricorn feel productive. Granite and marble are found throughout the home and work areas. Capricorn loves to take the lead and does it so well that her decorator must always stay on the cutting edge. Her business head prevails—if it’s not a good deal, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it is.
Designers who share your sign: Walter Lee Culp, Julio Quinones, Cynthia Nash Hughes
AQUARIUS: Aquarius loves eclectic, eccentric, and odd items, especially brightly colored glass. She has a knack for mixing traditional and contemporary furniture, and she’ll acquire exquisite antiques at Art of Old India and shops along Slocum Street. Look for Oriental details on pillows and throws in brilliant reds in her pad. She will live in parts of town that boast little funky shops and quaint restaurants, so expect to meet her in the Bishop Arts District or the more bohemian parts of Lakewood.
Designers who share your sign: Joseph Minton, Kimberly Miller
PISCES: Because Pisces loves water, she’ll reside along Turtle Creek or White Rock Lake. In her quiet hideaway, you’ll often find an aquarium or fountain; outside she’ll have a custom gazebo or a serene garden surrounding a pond. Sky blues, sunset yellows, and seafoam greens are present throughout her home, especially in the bedroom. Pisces is a flexible, peaceful sign, and she’s willing to live in most any part of town that her family or work requires. She’s a decorator’s delight, as Pisces makes redecorating a breeze.
Designers who share your sign: Cheryl Van Duyne, David Corley, Tommy Bishop
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ARIES: Aries needs to be in the middle of it all, so she’ll buy a condo in Uptown where she can walk to the shops and restaurants in West Village. All the bold shades of red—especially rich maroon tweeds—are a necessity in Aries’ home to keep up her enthusiasm. Aries is spontaneous and needs a decorator who can let her take the lead. She loves to be stimulated by different choices and will change out fabrics and colors frequently to avoid being bored. “Get it, got it, gone” is Aries’ motto, and she will surely want her orders filled yesterday.
Designers who share your sign: Joanie Wyll, Beverly Field, Jan Martin, Josie McCarthy
TAURUS: Tried and true Taurus loves expensive traditional decor. Rich earth tones with hints of greens and rusts, as found in nature, create the kind of ambience that Taurus requires. When she buys art or furniture, she indulges in the finest quality because she’ll keep it for life. She covets expensive, heirloom-quality furnishings and is especially fond of anything custom-made. Music, art, and cooking are what her psyche craves, so you might find her serving gourmet in her Wood-Mode kitchen. Because Taurus prefers a stable, quiet part of town with little hustle and bustle, she’ll live in the suburbs. Real estate is likely to stay in her family for generations.
Designers who share your sign: Jan Showers, Nancy Leib, John Phifer Marrs, Cathy Kincaid
GEMINI: Gemini, the twins, must have two of the newest everything, especially when it comes to home technology. She was the first to buy a BeoLiving from Bang & Olufsen and orchestrates her sound system, television, lights, and curtains seamlessly by remote. Gadgets from Williams-Sonoma often make their debut in Gemini’s kitchen. When redecorating, she gathers a plethora of information from everyone, but as a talkative extrovert, she’ll end up more confused than before. Decorators and architects need to encourage Gemini to make decisions. But when it’s all said and done, she’ll go for a colorful contemporary style—bright citrus oranges, greens, and yellows, or delicious blues.
Designers who share your sign: Charlotte Taylor, Cheri Etchelecu, Mil Bodron, Turner Duncan
CANCER: Cancer, the crab, has things tucked away in every cubbyhole imaginable. The zodiac’s most loveable pack rat rarely tosses anything. She is in desperate need of an organizational expert or a coordinator from California Closets. The bedroom is her haven with a soft down comforter and duvet cover in a rich earth tone, such as terra-cotta, in cashmere or fine Egyptian cotton from Anichini. She loves linens, but crisp white percale is not for her—her bed will be dressed in soft, 300-plus thread count sheets in earth browns and light beiges. When adding the finishing touches, Cancer should throw in sky blues and rich foaming sea greens so the crab will be reminded of her life on the beach.
Designers who share your sign: Eric Prokesh, Jacklyn Butler Caveny, Stephen Dunn, Stephanie Moore
LEO: Leo’s home is her palace. You’ll find regal furniture with hints of gold throughout and gilt mirrors in every room so she can admire her lioness mane. Leo will host lively parties, seating guests in her luxurious, comfortable Natuzzi couches or at her impressive Dessin Fournir dining table. She’ll take note of design and entertaining tips from notable Leo Martha Stewart. A showoff, she will light up her yard at night and plant lush, perennial flowers for the neighbors to admire.
Designers who share your sign: Sherry Hayslip, Ann Schooler, Barbara Daseke, Rick Rozas, David Salem, Emily Summers
VIRGO: Virgo is the perfectionist. Because she is clean and orderly, she’s the first to buy all the new organizational widgets and obsesses over whether her air and water filtration systems are up to date and working. On the weekends, she can be seen prowling at the Container Store or reorganizing her Ligne Roset cabinets. Clean lines, subdued beiges, and earth tones are what Virgos crave. She enjoys a quiet, studious life (unless Leo is present in her chart, and then it’s chaos), so expect to find a comprehensive library with all the classics, alphabetized, of course, and bookshelves throughout her home.
Designers who share your sign: Alice Cottrell, Bev Heil, Donn Bindler, David Cadwallader, Marilyn Rolnick Tonkon
LIBRA: Libra wants everything to match perfectly. The slightest deviation will throw her right off balance. Her best colors are lavender, blue, and soft green; she prefers fine textures, such as Old World Weavers’ velvet, Fortuny silk fabrics, and is crazy about Aubusson pillows. As artwork is often the highlight of Libra’s home, it’s no surprise that David Dike shares this sign. Libras often live near museums and art galleries, so expect her to have an apartment near the Arts District. Libra’s indecisive nature needs a strong decorator who can
guide her.
Designers who share your sign: Adrienne Faulkner Chalkley, Paul Duesing, Patrick McElwee
SCORPIO: Secretive Scorpio loves a place to bury treasures. Hidden closets, jewelry boxes, and safes to outwit criminals are her idea of fun. Scorpio has champagne taste like no other. If her budget (a word she detests) permits, she’ll splurge on all the finest for her home. You’ll find her shopping for luxuries at Forty Five Ten, Ceylon et Cie, and Stanley Korshak. Sensual, provocative colors such as deep, hypnotic red, black, and navy are her favorites. Resistant to change, she knows to buy the best of everything from the onset—either that or nothing.
Designers who share your sign: Michelle Nussbaumer, Stacy Sawyer, Mary Anne Smiley, Kathy Adcock Smith
SAGITTARIUS: Oh, how the Sag yearns for wide-open spaces. Her symbol is the centaur, so she needs the outdoors and may have a passion for horses. She’ll want a large yard, and acreage just outside of town in Colleyville may be ideal. She’ll splurge on teak outdoor furniture and Viking grills, and she might paint her walls sky blue. Don’t open her cabinets (unless you are Capricorn), because they will be in complete disarray. Her decorating style is fast, fun, and free spirited. She has strong opinions and makes decorating decisions quickly—a decorator’s dream.
Designers who share your sign: Loyd Taylor, Paxton Gremillion, Ike Isenhour, Nancy Anderson Ross
Elexis Rice can be reached at 214-616-5950 or [email protected] for your next gathering or chart update.
