Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Style & Grace

Speaking of old Hollywood design, look at this insanely beautiful sofa Grace Kelly is lounging on!  I'm simply smitten with the black and white ticking stripe and fringe.  Apparently using this humble fabric for decorative items other than mattresses is not a recent phenomenon. Sister Parish started the ticking craze in the 1940s when she used the fabric for upholstery.  After looking at this picture I now understand why the ticking trend has stuck around, it has the potential to be so chic!  All you would need to recreate this look is a thrift store sofa, inexpensive black and white ticking, and some black fringe

As a designer I try to make helpful connections between the past and the present.  While I think it's important to have a formal education, sometimes sifting through seemingly frivolous old photos or watching old movies can lead to a broader understanding of design and its future.  This sofa would look just as modern in a room today as it did 50 years ago, it is indeed past perfection!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Merry Moose

This year, to save money, I'm making my own holiday cards.  I've been playing around with this typeface moose drawing I did for a 2D design class a few semesters back.  I scanned the original marker drawing into Illustrator, changed a few colors, created a holly wreath, added a dash of glitter and ta-da!  A more traditional red moose for family and a punch of pink for friends!

Hepburn at Home

I spent my holiday weekend recovering from the stomach flu and watching old Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly movies on TCM. So, when I came across the March 2006 Architectural Digest Hollywood at Home issue with Audrey Hepburn on the cover I was tickled pink (or red).   I'm dying to get my hands on a copy so I can read about Audrey's domestic life...I'm hoping it's as perfect as I imagine.  But one thing's for sure, a long, cozy sofa like the one in Audrey's Beverly Hills home would have made my lazy weekend all the more enjoyable.

Beverly Hills circa 1956
Beverly Hills circa 1958

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Doggie Ascot

I plan to get my dog into the holiday spirit with this Martha Stewart felt holly ascot....an easy to make Christmas outfit I know she'll love ;)

'Tis The Season

I love the new  J.Crew Holiday ad campaign created in association with Andy Spade, one half of the duo behind the always clever Partners & Spade. In keeping with the Holiday spirit of giving, the ad features a curation of Holiday themed websites J.Crew admires such as Living Christmas, a rentable Christmas tree company in Southern California.  If this ad doesn't get you in the Holiday spirit, nothing will!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Vélo Noir

I'm kind of obsessed with this Rue Montorgueil Bike print from Little Brown Pen, a fine art photography Etsy boutique.  In January of 2009, the photographer and her husband left behind a New York "live to work" mentality and bought one-way tickets to Paris.  Sounds heavenly, right?  Luckily you can have a piece of their idyllic Parisian life for about the price of a croissant and a cappuccino! 

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Indulge

Golden pretzels, teapots, spoons, and mugs. Kühn Keramik's products are a fantastic fusion of the classic, the contemporary and the bizarre. I am particularly smitten with the Pretzel paperweight and the Coco Chanel cup with it’s irregular edges. For under $100 they’d make for one incredibly indulgent Christmas gift that won't break the bank.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Rita Konig's Manhattan House


Designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft in 1950, Manhattan House, a historic landmark building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, was recently renovated into luxury condominiums without a lot of character.  In an effort to increase sales the Manhattan House enlisted the help of several well-known designers to turn three otherwise plain-vanilla model apartments into stylish, enticing spaces for potential buyers.  Last week, Rita Konig, along with two other designers, revealed her cozy space.  My favorite?  Rita's design for the master bedroom.  Wallpaper, a mix of linens, books and a beautiful headboard add up to a homey, move-in ready space.  I love the bold, ethnic blanket at the end of the bed mixed with the white blanket cover and pastel pillow shams.  Mixing bedding textures and weights make the space feel less new and more acquired over time...just the way I like it!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Festive Feathers


My front door is yearning for this Anthropologie Season's Fleeting Wreath.

Jane + Kate


When it comes to interior design I think the easiest way to find your personal style is to dress your home like you dress yourself - down to the smallest details.  For fashion and interiors I love the idea of relaxed luxury.  My style is layered and livable with a mix of classic, vintage, and modern elements - much like this outfit worn by Teen Vogue Editor, Jane Keltner De Valle.  Jane's tailored Gryphon Vintage Schoolboy Blazer and golden yellow skirt have a vintage vibe that immediately made me think of Kate Spade's super chic guest room.  Blue, black, white, and yellow - a striking color scheme I'd love to recreate at home, either with a gallery wall of gilt wood frames or with a vintage golden throw against my crisp, white Frette linens.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Palace Stacking Porcelain

Seletti and Alessandro Zambelli recently collaborated to design this tableware that, well, doesn't really look like tableware when it's not in use.  We’ve all see how stacks of dishes appear when neatly arranged in cabinets - not so interesting. The clever idea behind these dishes was to make each set (dinner plates, small plates, soup bowls, and small bowls) into a Florentine-inspired Renaissance building when stacked. Even the roof, flipped over, is a dish.  These porcelain palaces certainly provide some structure to the kitchen and would be the perfect gift to help someone get deliciously organized.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Power of Paint


Painted floors, doors, dressers and chairs.  One of the easiest ways to add interest to a cookie cutter space is to add color.  The glossy gray walls in this Miles Redd designed apartment are the perfect backdrop for the bold doors, fabrics and furniture.  It's a little 90s, a little Lichtenstein, and a whole lotta fun.  I must admit, I thought using bold, primary colors was a thing of the past (think house from Problem Child) but when mixed with traditional pieces like Louis XVI-style chairs, Wedgwood Jasperware,  and Oscar de la Renta jewel toned ikats it feels very comic-book chic.

Read the complete NYMag article here

A Sketchy Look

A de Gournay swathed teen dream designed by Grant K. Gibson

Master bedroom suite by Jay Jeffers

Dining room by Palmer Weiss

If I lived in San Francisco I would have definitely cleared my schedule this past weekend to attend the opening of the first-ever ELLE DECOR Showhouse. I've been eagerly awaiting the big reveal ever since the designers' sketches were posted on showhouse website.  There is something about a beautifully rendered room that makes my heart flutter.  Thus far, the pink “teenage dream" by the extremely talented Grant K. Gibson is my favorite - it's just as lovely as his drawing.  According to Grant's blog the headboard and bedskirt were made from zebra sheets found at Target.  I love the idea that he mixed the expensive de Gournay wallpaper with more budget friendly items.  Have you seen the house?  Which room is your favorite?

(Images via Elle Decor, Simplified Bee and Stylenik)

Monday, November 8, 2010

Design Hunter: Jayson Home & Garden Warehouse Sale

I've been busy at work on my new apartment all month and while it's hardly close to being finished I wanted to give you a little sneak peek of my new sofa!  Ahh, thank you Jayson Home & Garden for holding your much anticipated warehouse sale and for making this girls sofa dreams come true!  What do you think?!?

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

More Miles


I'm so glad former Domino editor Dara Caponigro has taken over as editor-in-chief of Veranda.  I absolutely love what she has done with the magazine.  It's younger, brighter, fresher, and more beautiful than ever.  With that said, I was pleasantly surprised to see this Miles Redd designed Houston abode in the November/December issue. Yes, I know, I'm a wee bit obsessed with Miles, but after looking at these pictures can you blame me? 

(photos by Fritz Von Der Schulenburg)

Cocktails Anyone?


I love a glamorous home bar, and I'm not talking about a leftover stash of liquor in your kitchen cabinet.  I like a bar that is both functional and beautiful. Once you have a nice variety of liquor there are so many fun things you can add to your bar: a great array of mixers, gorgeous glassware, a beautiful tray, colorful cocktail napkin and chic bar tools. While it may not always be practical to give up precious real estate in an apartment to a bar, with the holidays right around the corner I can't think of a better time to make the space for a few of these "gilty" pleasures.

A Beautiful Fall Foyer

This entryway feels like fall!  Here in Chicago, where it feels and looks more like winter, boot weather is most definitely on the way.

(image via this is glamorous)

Monday, November 1, 2010

Fleur's Flair

''I believe it's the most beautiful drawing room in London.'' Fleur Cowles  (author, painter, ambassador, hostess, philanthropist, raconteur and most famously, editor of Flair magazine)

I couldn't agree more Mrs. Cowles - this is one of my favorite blue rooms.  Located at The Albany, the room, originally a ballroom, dates back to 1780 when it was designed by the architect Sir William Chambers.  It's said that the grand chamber is crowned by a ceiling of lacy plasterwork that's like a Wedgwood box.  Doesn't that sound divine?  For me though, it's all about that glorious shade of blue (and Fleur's Balenciaga dress).  I don 't know when this room was decorated but it looks absolutely timeless. 


(images by Robert Trachtenberg)