The Inspirational Michael Taylor.

A Tribute to Michael Taylor

Despite passing away almost two decades ago, Michael Taylor's work is still revered by many.

His designs were a mix of eras, styles, color and form.  The most essential aspect was always scale and proportion. The rooms he designed were light and airy, often utilizing varying shades of white.  He is best known for creating the "California Look", which I fell in love with when I first began studying design in California.

Taylor's simplified design palette often risked becoming too sparse which is why he always played with scale.  He believed that when you remove something from a room, you must increase the size of what is left.  This resulted in his famed voluminous sofas and chairs as shown above.  The room's palette incorporates varying shades of his infamous white, then pulls in vibrant color through art.

This neutral living room is warm and cozy.  The furniture and art are large scaled to mimic the stature of the fireplace.  The restrained color palette is infused with numerous textures to add interest.

Part of his design philosophy was to bring the outdoors in through the use of plants.  He believed this prevented the room from looking overdecorated and helped filter the natural light.  The bedroom has a sophisticated and serene vibe.  I love the enormous Venetian style mirror above the fireplace.

Michael Taylor often brought in stone boulders, along with plants, to infuse his designs with nature.  Their texture beautifully plays off the glossy white molding.  The side table also has a lovely patina which adds age and authenticity.  A black and white sketch keeps the composition simple and allows the shapes and lines of the elements to stand out.

I adore this dining room!  It beautifully showcases some of his furniture designs which were always so graceful and elegant.  The look is refined, but not stuffy.  The textures give the room a relaxed, yet stylish aesthetic.  The limited color palette allows the lines, shapes and textures to take center stage.  The chic crystal chandelier is simple, yet luxurious.  There isn't anything I would rearrange or do differently.

The graceful curves of the bed add elegance to this bedroom.  A mirror bounces light from a nearby window around the room.  The look is timeless.

A large four poster bed in the center of the room demands attention, yet doesn't overpower the other elements.  The desk has an organic nature and form to it.  A large tree in the corner blurs the boundary between inside and out.

I couldn't do a post on Michael Taylor without including an image of his Portuguese Side Chair.  I have been in love with this chair for 20 years!  I first saw it in the San Francisco Design Center and have adored it ever since.  The patina is downright gorgeous.  The scale is tall, dignified and statuesque.  The curves are so graceful and elegant.  If I could afford it, I would have a dozen of them throughout my home.