Mecox Gardens

 

 

Hey Everyone,

Just made a stop into Mecox Gardens a couple of weeks ago, such a great place to find different one of a kind items.  Today I am focused on their Vintage Blue and White Ceramics - tried and true pieces that you will never tire of.  These vases are spectacular with the foo dogs running around the collar and the bowl already looks like its sitting on my foyer console with my car keys inside.  Regardless of what your design aesthetic is these will complement it.

 Enjoy!

 

Crate And Barrel

Hey Everyone,

Found this little rattan stool - thought you might want to take a look for yourselves.

The chevron weave is different and the price point is great!

Red Delicious

Hey Everyone,

Hope all is well with anyone who takes the time to read my blog.  It has been a while and I apologize once again for that. 

So... I am in the middle of a large redesign and it got me to thinking of all of the influences that guide my likes and dislikes.  Obviously my time working for Meg Braff has been a huge influence on me, some of my designs styles I had developed way before ever hearing her name - which is what drew me to her.  I think the depth of exposure has been the largest benefit, she is amazing.  Along the way I have developed my style, which is a compilation of Meg, Miles Redd, Jamie Drake, Brian McCarthy and countless others.  I see myself in so many designs that I cannot tell if I thought of it or saw it and stored it in my head.  They are of course the masters.  I know you all know what I mean! LOL!!!

RED,RED,RED

Red is as bold a color as any, and I love it!  I love all versions of it, coral, pink, burgundy.....
Here are some of the design elements that are tried and true and will be relevant today, tomorrow, and for many tomorrows to come.

 Worlds Away - Helen Gred Console

Meg Braff Designs - Roxy - Red on White

Used this in my powder room in apple green

 - everyone comes out smiling - they love it!

 Meg Braff Designs - Brighton Your Pavilion - Sage on Persimmon

 Hwang Bishop - KOI Lamp -

 I always push these lamps because for the $ they are so worth it!!!

Hwang Bishop - Empress

 I had to include this one as well, just beautiful.

 Brunschwig & Fils - Bamboo Trellis - Red  (Once saw a complete set of draperies in this fabric and it was a show stopper)

 Quadrille - Les Indiennes Multi Colors - Red/Blue/Olive/Green

This fabric has been haunting me for years, you cannot find it in stock and can only be ordered in 5yds and more :-/

Here's a little Redd on red! Fabulous!!!

Mary McDonald shining bright!!!

  Hey Everyone,

         Hope all is well with anyone and everyone!   Busy, busy, busy....Which might I add is a good thing!  All is well with the family and I can honestly say I love my clients.  I have had the pleasure of working in some of the most beautiful homes in my area and I promise pictures will soon follow.  Working with clients as a new designer can sometimes be challenging.  You have to work especially hard to earn their trust and since you do not have a reputation to lean on you often have to compromise your aesthetic.  Many of the final results are probably not 100% my design - but I try my best to make sure that my client is happy and comfortable with the end result.  I will be doing a disservice to them if I create a space that they are not comfortable living in - regardless of how I would have liked to see it.  We as designers are a fearless lot and enjoy going the max every time.  It's the nature of what we do and why we do it.

         I recently took a beginners Interior Photography class at 200 Lexington Avenue which a fellow designer located on Editor at Large.  It was a two day overview of how your camera operates and how you can obtain a beautiful interior shot of your work.  ISO, F-Stop, Shutter Speed.... Whatever happened to point and go? Walla! a beautiful picture!  I long for the days when my flash bulb rotated with every shot or all I had to do was blow on the Polaroid every time I took a picture.  Well no sense longing for the past, the future is here and I had better get on board.  To be completely honest, I enjoy complaining, its fun to reminisce  and  - truth be told, I love learning new things and always had an interest in photography.  Great class, I highly recommend it. Here is some info on our wonderful instructor Emily Gilbert.

Emily Gilbert Photography

tel: 917-816-0690

emily@emilygilbertphotography.com

Carini Lang's Capri

  Hey Everyone,

        I am in search of a great timeless carpet and my eye keeps going to the same one!  A silk totally transitional carpet that has an ethereal feel and look to it.  The one I am presenting today is from Carini Lang, is 100% silk and I am sure is soooo out of my price range....but, Country Carpet sells a variation of them in silk and wool as do many other sell to the trade shops.  They can be custom colored and you can save by omitting the silk for an all wool version.  You may lose some of the lustre which I am not crazy about but I have a 110lb dog and a snarky cat so if your in my situation you might want to consider being cost effective.

Carini Lang

This is named Capri for obvious reasons and comes in 4 additional colors. 

 Beautiful to look at and to feel under your bare feet.  

Transitional to say the least, you can infuse this into any decorating style

 and it will be a show piece for years and years to come.

HWANG BISHOP

  Hey Everyone,

          Recently on a trip to the Schumacher showroom I was admiring a pair of lamps that were on the clearance table.  As usual, my "No Luck" policy prevailed and they were the only items that were not on sale....but as I was inquiring I came to learn that they were part of a collection from Hwang Bishop (aka Felicia Hwang Bishop).  Schumacher has decided to carry her line of lamps and they are beautiful.  They have a Spitzmiller look at a fraction of the cost.

     Hwang Bishop has been designing lamps and other furnishings since 1994, all pieces are made to order and can be customized.  Here are some pics I pulled for you. I chose some staple pieces that we can use anywhere and a couple of what I consider more specialized.

Felicia Hwang Bishop

 Lotus

 Portico

 Leila

 Abacus

 Sumo

Linen Fold Side Table

LuLu Side Table

Mandarine Side Table-Hobnail

The Fabulously Devine Miss M!!!

  Hey Everyone,

       I hope everyone is doing well, it has been way too long since my last posting.  My Apologies!!!

      This posting is focused on the Penthouse Apartment of the fabulous Bette Midler,  Architectural Digest had the foresight to know that if a woman is fabulous in life she must have an equally fabulous abode.  And she most definitely does!  This photo spread truly inspired me and I will be going back to look at it again and again.  This month's entire issue is beautiful - go out and get it if you have not already.

Take a peak at the June photos of Miss M's Manhattan Penthouse-

 it is truly a dreamy place!

 I love the tile on this fireplace. 

Simple yet architecturally interesting.

BTW-She looks Great!

 I love this room, the pops of color in the carpet keep the monotone

 furnishings from fading away and gives them the air of sophistication the designer intended.

  This lovely room leads out to one of the many garden balconies, 

which overlooks the Central Park reservoir. 

 Only in NYC!!!!

 This penthouse has garden balconies that wrap around 

giving each room light.  

This kitchen has a beautiful casual and whimsical feel to it. 

The hanging pendants over the table are giving off a clean, delicate affect.

 Lovely!

 Upholstered Doors!!!

 OK, I don't know that I love it in relation to the size of the headboard.

 Sometimes the staging of a room gets under my skin.  

The dresser or whatever that is at the foot of the bed cannot possibly work well there

 - so why photograph it that way?

Who am I to judge. 

 It's in AD, enough said!

 What can I say about this balcony? 

 Perfection

OK, Truth be told I have instructed my boys to cremate my body

 (when the time comes, Lol!)

and scatter my ashes from 49th to 95th along 5th avenue - thru the park and so forth. 

 But honestly, anywhere in these gardens would suffice. 

 I am redesigning my yard immediately!