Blog Archives

Cube to Dinner for 4

10/31/2009

Problem: You live in a tiny apartment and don't invite friends over for meals because there's no space for a table.

Solution: The Packet Table from Pure Design.

Is it the most comfortable seating? No, but it doesn't pretend to be. This isn't meant for a fine dining experience. It's able to go from 25"x25" footprint to up to tabletop surface for 4 (43"x43"). It would be terrific as an end table, laptop table or for eating. You have a choice of white, charcoal or orange for both the table and chairs. So cute.

Kitschy and clever

10/30/2009

There are few things I love more than a clever joke. A humorous, intelligent take on a topic is one of the fastest ways to endear yourself to me. While browsing Apartment Therapy this morning, I found a link to this artist on etsy. Adorable, affordable, and very funny artwork referencing movies, tv shows and literature. Here are a couple more fun ones I found. There's a nice selection but FYI-several will be deleted by mid December so get a move on.

Nobody puts baby in the corner

Casablanca

Field Trip-Hell's Kitchen Flea Market Part II

10/27/2009

I had to do a second entry on the flea market because there was just too much good stuff to share. Like these lamps, for instance. They would great with a simple round shade (no trims) in a room painted a deep color (maybe a peacock blue?) so the white base really pops. One note, matching lamps work best on end tables that are the same height to create a more cohesive look. These would also work on a console or dresser, too.

Field Trip-Hell's Kitchen Flea Market (Part I)

10/26/2009

I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday and took a trip over to the outdoor flea market in Hell's Kitchen to do a bit of browsing. I was pleasantly surprised by all the treasures I found there. First off, ladies, if you are looking for jewelry (costume)--this is the spot! But I was looking for some things for the home. These antique keys here could be framed in shadowboxes, for a less expensive version of what you can find at Ballard Design.

The Designer/Client relationship

10/22/2009

There's a very interesting article in today's New York Times that talks about the relationship between an interior designer and a client. In this case, the client was on a very limited budget and entering a new phase of her life. She also worked in a creative field, so it was a challenge to relinquish some control to the designer. The end result was a satisfied client but the road getting there was full of pot holes, speed bumps and traffic cones.

Classic or overdone?

10/21/2009

Designer Daryl Carter's dining room

When does something stop being classic and start being trendy? After all, we'd all like to invest in furniture that qualifies as classic--especially expensive furniture. But lately, I feel like I keep seeing the same things in shelter magazines--linen, mohair, neutral colors like grey or mushroom, weathered woods and nickel are just a few examples. It used to be that I'd consider furniture with these features classic; Belgian linen drapes in a stormy grey, mohair sofas in a soft mushroom brown or an old farmhouse style table that's clearly been "loved."

Project: Wall arrangment

10/19/2009

What to do with that long sofa wall? It's something a lot of people struggle with. One piece of artwork alone (even if it's hung at the correct height) is not going to cut it. In this family room, the sectional is across from large windows featuring a beautiful yard and adjacent to a fireplace flanked by built in bookcases (see previous entry). The best way to address this wall is a grouping of items, preferably something that works with instead of detracting from the view.

Project-Rearranged Built In

10/18/2009

I've added a new project to the Redesign page. I worked with one of the designers at EA to add some accessories to help fill in the built in bookcases in the client's family room. Take a look to see how we used their existing pieces and added some new ones to freshen up the look. There are future plans to line the back of the bookcases with grasscloth wallpaper, which will finish it off beautifully.

Get on it: Etsy.com

10/15/2009

Perhaps I am a bit late to the party, but have you all heard of Etsy? It's a fabulous website that features handmade work from artisans and craftsmen. After my "scolding" a few weeks ago about mass marketed antiques, I thought it only fair to provide an alternative.

Day Job: create a gallery

10/14/2009

The job of a visual merchandiser changes from day to day. At it's core, the job is basically "make it pretty so people want to buy it." Obviously, a lot more goes into it than that. One of the best parts of what I do is getting to create room settings and vignettes. I get some direction from corporate, but I often have to adapt their design to my space and product constraints. For the next three months, my location will feature gallery quality artwork in the front display windows.

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