BLOG - January 1, 2011 - January 31, 2011

We have been a little quiet because we have been up to our ears in work, between several new projects and scouting for a showroom space (more on that later!) the blog has taken a back seat for the last two weeks.  I wanted to share a few of the inspiration boards for several of our new projects.  Look forward to sharing the finished spaces and keeping you updated along the way.  Enjoy!!!

We are busy working on our new collection of fabrics and home accessories. Recently I have been inspired by natural textures and patterns as well as beautiful decorative papers. These are not final designs but rather a glimpse at the process.

Faux Bois is very popular right now and I thought it would be fun to create a new twist on the use of wood grains in textiles and papers. 

Inspiration Image above and two variations below.

Trifon has recently introduced me to the wonderful possibilities of decorative papers. These papers can be found at many art supply stores and he seems to get the best things from New York Central art supply.  Below is a paper I found online. The second image below is my interpretation of this design.

I love  the image below. It reminds me of a painting my father gave me by the artist Paul Jenkins.  The colors are just so rich!! This design inspired the final picture below. I can't wait for the new fabric samples to arrive!

I can't count the times that I have seen images of orderly (and often color coordinated) home offices and thought why can't my space look like that? I consider myself somewhat organized but of course wish I could somehow do it better or at least have it look good!!!  My New Year's resolution last year was to get my home office in order. This included my filing system.  I used to have files for everything. And when I needed to find something it took forever because I had to search though so many files!!! While I may not have accomplished getting my space completely in order, I think I have found some clues to how this could happen for me in 2011!

Over the past few years I have become a full convert to the binder organization method. Georgia was the one who gave me this idea. It is nice because you don't need a large filing cabinet and you have the added bonus of easily moving from one year to the next or from project to project. New project means new binder. Finished projects and expired calendar years get stored.  Binders come in a variety of colors so it is easy to keep work files separate from personal files and so on. I love the entire semikolon line of products (seen below) but if you are looking for a more price conscious option no need to worry. You can find binders in every color at any office supply store.

The great thing about using Semikolon products is that they have a full range of office products that are colorful and pretty. I love this new collection in blue and white (below). I have found their business card, magazine, and document boxes very useful.  I use the document boxes to store momentos and letters from family and friends.  I also use them for my ever-growing collection of design inspirations. Whenever I tear something interesting out of a magazine or want to keep that perfect paint chip but don't have a place or project for it yet, it goes in the box. When I am looking for inspiration, the box comes out and I have all these beautiful fragments to get my mind thinking creatively.

Through my use of these boxes I stumbled across my next tip for staying organized-open bins and baskets.  While the binder system is great, I don't always have the time or ambition to immediately file something and there are always those things that won't need to be filed but can't be throw away yet.  Having baskets for these items is so helpful and an easy system to use (below: top right). 

And my final suggestion for staying organized in style....our everything pyramid. The greatest thing about the pyramid is that it can hold over-sized documents that binders cannot accommodate.  I can't wait to get two of these for my new apartment....I'm going with green!

Love this little red side table, color was even better in person it was somewhere between a red and an orange

One of the best parts of LA are all the flea markets.  They seem to have a better selection than what I find in NY Flea markets and there are just more of them.  I also have a bit more patience out here as the weather is almost always perfect for a day at the flea market.  The other great thing about LA is if you find something that needs a little TLC, like a coat of paint I can go out my front door and sand and paint it and voila! As most of my friends know I have exceptional stamina when it comes to shopping.  I can start at 9am and go until its dark with hardly a break for lunch, which is why I think I do well at flea markets. I can spend hours hunting through the good, the bad, the ugly and the down right scary in search of that perfect object or piece of furniture.  

I generally don't go to flea markets for clients when I'm on the east coast, but I really think these will be a great resource for projects out here. Nothing I saw was over $500.00! See below for my not only my favorite finds but also the quirkiest! Enjoy.

Love the pulls on this.  Paint it just about any color and its a great dresser.  White, Red, Black?!

Again a coat of paint and you have a great little side table.  Stack some books or a great object on the bottom shelf.  I wouldn't do these and the dresser this is an either/or situation.  Sorry folks not into sets!!

Pretty Mid-Century blue glassware.  Crazy for the pitcher and wouldn't the piece on the right look great on the shelf of the above side table?

I couldn't resist the vintage musical notes.  Love the notes, love the frame!  If I stick with my guitar lessons I'm buying them for myself.

Incredible brass and stone pitcher from El Salvador

Wacky mirror with brass lizards, but I want it!

This is actually one of a pair, how great for a kitchen

Loved this red coffee table.  The material was almost like a parchment

Fun 3-arm shell light fixture

These amused me.  Supposedly from a 1950's Chanel makeup counter at an A&S store in New York, but not sure I believe that.  Coco would have been horrified! White pleather ICK!!!

Reminds me of something Diana Vreeland would have worn.  I LOVE this! WANTING!

Wouldn't be this be fun as a bar somewhere....OR perhaps when I have a dressing room I could do something cool with all my jewelry and accessories....

1950s hair dryer.  Why on earth do I want this?!

Sweet little bench just needs some new fabric, maybe a dark green velvet or an orange

I told you things could get scary!

I think these could be really pretty in the right space.  Maybe the pair in an entry hall or one in a dining room.

One of the best things about being out here in LA is all the great new finds I'm discovering.  I'm still working on lots of things on the East Coast so my day starts at about 6AM which means I'm done with with all my busy work by about 2:00 so it leaves the afternoon free for exploring.  Yesterday I decided to head over to the Pacific Design Center to learn my way around and pull a few fabrics for a client here.  Its not nearly as overwhelming as I expected! After the PDC I went to check out the new Michael Smith Showroom, which is really its own free standing shop, in hopes that they would have this bed I have been lusting after that they don't have on display in the NYC Showroom.  Well unfortunately they didn't have the bed on the floor here either, but what I did discover was this fabulous line of fabrics call Tulu Textiles.  It is a Turkish Company based in Istanbul, but the designer Elizabeth Hewitt is English. I had never seen them in NYC and I'm just crazy for them! A lot of the patterns like the one above are available on linen or a raw silk. They are available in NYC through and independent rep called Annika Studio's, which explains why I hadn't seen them.  Some of her bedding is available at ABC Home so I will have to check that out.

I just got off the phone with the rep and she will happily mail samples to you.  I can't wait to present them for some new projects.  I love that they are the first fabrics I have seen in awhile that really feel fresh and different and the line really seems to have a great range.  There is something for everyone!  I keep thinking how a lot of them would be great for wall upholstery, maybe she will start doing them in wallpapers soon if we're lucky!  See below for a few favorites.

So cute for a kid's room although I love it for myself too, and I'm not a PINK person!

So pretty for pillows

Love this for a little girl's bedroom

For my birthday and anniversary present, my husband took me to Paris during the Thanksgiving holiday.  It was an amazing trip and we had a great time visiting the museums, antique shops, galleries, and flea markets. Architecturally, Paris is one of my favorite cities and I love how the winding streets lead to open plazas and parks.  At night these urban vistas are breathtaking and I did my best to capture these moments when I could....

At night, the city truly comes to life.

As you can see below we were lucky enough to have walked by the Eiffel Tower at 8pm, right when the lights start to sparkle. I believe this happens only during the holiday season.

One of the best parts of being in Paris over the Thanksgiving Holiday was that the streets were already lit up for the Christmas Season. 

The trees below were my absolute favorite!!!

The lobby of the George V hotel was equally as festive and unlike anything I had ever seen before. A member of the staff told me that more than 1,000,000 Swarovski crystal were used to create this installation.