Category: Inspiration

Surprise floral inspiration

11/22/2013

The Met Museum always has the most gorgeous floral arrangements that are like snapshots of the season; cherry blossoms or forsythia in spring, peonies in summer and this beauty, made with berries and Japanese lanterns for fall.

The best part is that you can do something similar at home for Thanksgiving since the design scales down and uses preserved components. This makes is possible to assemble in advance.

A pretty container filled with foam serves as the base for curly willow, berries and the Japanese lantern flowers. You could also add some preserved leaves for a fuller arrangement. The addition of some small pumpkins or gourds and candles would finish off a table scape perfectly.

I've got the blues

5/25/2012

Blue is one of those colors that never really goes out of style. After years of teal, peacock, and Tiffany blue, however, there's a resurgence of cobalt and royal blue in design. I got some great ideas from ZGallerie's site and found lots more browsing online. Most people gravitate towards nautical, but cobalt is beautiful with red (Tobi Farley did a beautiful room in a Richmond show house with this palette), canary yellow or even orange, if you're feeling brave.

Guess the source

3/19/2012

As a consumer, it's very easy to get locked in to certain stores as "the" place where you buy a particular item. Some people only buy their groceries at Whole Foods or only buy their clothes in Macy's. That brand has earned your business, which is great, but it probably means you're missing out on some interesting alternatives by not shopping around a little. Take the board below, which features items from an unusal source to create a Jonathan Adler inspired "happy chic" look. I found everything at Pottery Barn Teen and almost all of it was on sale.

Now that's some proud design

5/12/2011

I'm still thinking about the peacocks from my visit a few weeks ago to Grounds for Sculpture. Perhaps it's because a peahen just fled the Bronx Zoo to go enjoy springtime in NYC. More likely, I can't get the sight of that stunning plummage out of my head. You've got to love a creature that knows just how fabulous it is and isn't afraid to show it. And I really love when it provides some design inspiration.

Get the look

2/26/2011

I had mentioned in a previous post about a great look book received in the mail when Ralph Lauren opened up his new flagship on the Upper East Side. I still refer to it for inspriation because it offers something a little different. Right now, I'm seeing interior design that's either too rustic or too slick--which doesn't suit everyone.
Pictured left is a presentation I pulled together with some designers at the day job. It's a traditional Tudor home and, as always, it makes sense to work with the architecture. Some keys to achieving a sort of Ralph Lauren inspired hunting look are: tobacco colored leather, wool (note the red pillow with leather trim and the cream throw), plaid, antique brass, equestrian accents and nailhead. Don't just look to home magazines for interior design inspriation, fashion magazines and store windows have a lot to offer, too!

Inspiration-beautiful banquette

10/4/2010

I saw this picture in this month's issue of House Beautiful and was immediately drawn to it. First off, the color--to die for! A rich jewel-toned velvet is almost never a bad idea. Second, the nailhead trim. Seriously, look at how stunning that is. I'll wait.

The animal print pillows are classic and still very fashion forward. And finally, the bamboo and glass table is just terrific. The perfect size, shape and slightly modern foil to the banquette. I even like the wall mounted lamp.

What I'm not loving is the artwork. The oil paintings make what could be an amazing space feel a little dowdy. I'd love to see some great wallpaper in either a bold pattern or something with texture to compliment such a charming little nook.

Inspiration-Kravet

6/23/2010

It's hard to flip through a home and garden magazine without coming across one of Kravet's ads that show the everyday item, like a black and white cookie, acting as the inspiration for some beautiful fabric or furniture. I like to poke around their site from time to time since it is chock full of good ideas.

Inspiration pages

6/10/2010

I wanted to share a great site that is chock full of room photos from both designers and homeowners. If you're looking to make some changes, this is a good website to check out since room photos are conveniently organized by both room use (bedroom, dining room, etc) and color.

Sex and the City-interiors

5/27/2010

image courtesy Elle Decor

I got to see a prescreening of the new Sex and the City movie Tuesday night with my friend Vallnez. The movie was comparable to an "okay" episode. I found the interiors much more interesting than whose marriage is on the rocks and even more interesting than (dare I say it?) the fashion. Perhaps it's just the design nerd in me,but I am very glad there are helpful articles and pictures online detailing the set design. If you find yourself missing the flea markety goodness of Carrie's old apartment (featured on the television program), you can still indulge here.

NY Times-mid century modern in the Catskills

5/20/2010

I was so impressed with the makeover featured in the Times today. The owner purchased a house on a lake in the Catskills but wanted to stay true to her style. But how do you have a more modern, clean-lined look in a setting that generally lends itself to a more rustic, country look? Like this.

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