Nursery for Baby Boy

This post is dedicated to my baby Bradley, who just turned one.  He really is a joy.  Life just got really busy after I was surprised with my pregnancy, and now I'm getting back on track.  Great things to come... but a lot of work to get there.  I hope I can stay on track to make it happen!

Now on to his nursery!  This was one of the most exciting part of being pregnant. I came across a vintage photo and used it as my inspiration.  I wish I had the photo!!  It was of dozens of hot air balloons soaring over Manhattan.  I worked on a concept early on, thinking I would purchase everything toward the end of my pregnancy... Bad idea!  I had to search for new pieces due to things being sold out or discontinued.  Three main things I wanted:  grey crib, grey + blue color theme, striped ceiling, and hot air balloons.  

The original concept board.  I was trying to decide between striped ceiling or walls.  I'm really glad I chose the striped ceiling.  I love that it's a little different.

Grey crib and vintage chair I bought years ago, reupholstered and cleaned up.  This photo was taken while his "nice" bedding was being washed.  I'll post a new photo in the near future.

Striped ceiling and hot air balloons.

Dresser.

Some frames I made and his little bookshelf.

I had a lot of fun putting together my little buddy's nursery together over the year.  I didn't have it completely finished until a few months ago, but it was definitely worth the wait.  I'm the type of person that will wait until I find the exact piece I want.  Furniture pieces especially are not things you would change out often, so for me, I would rather be patient and find exactly what I have in mind.  

Elle Decor - Favorite Rooms of 2011

I know it's well into 2012, but I was clicking through Elle Decor's Favorite Rooms of 2011, and found a few I loved...

Keri Russell's kitchen/ breakfast area in her Brooklyn home.

Lynn Nesbit's library.

Claiborne Swanson Frank's study.

Courtney Cox's living room.

All very different from each other... 

(Images via elledecor.com)

I heart - DOMINO Magazine!!

I am so excited!  I JUST found out one of my favorite home decor magazine, Domino, is being resurrected!  I was so incredibly sad when the economy spiraled downhill and Domino was cut.  I was a subscriber for years, and so happy I saved my favorite issues.  I'm a little behind with this news, but a special edition issue hit the stands on April 17th, with the next issue sometime in the fall.  I will make sure to pick up my issue tonight!

Thank you for bringing Domino back!  I hope you're here to stay :)

(image via washingtonpost.com)

Spare Rooms

It's a luxury to have a spare room in NYC... I've come to realize, our second room is somewhat of a wasted space.  Which is horrible right?  Especially since space is so precious.  So far, it's only been used by our guests, and my occasional freelance design work.  After an entire year here, it looks exactly the same, other than my bookcase purchase.  Therefore, I decided to narrow down my options and start purchasing, piece by piece to put together a fabulous room I love to be in.

I've been in search of a desk for a while now.  I have a small table that fits my iMac and loose papers, and that's about it.  When I work on plans, they are pretty much on the floor with me hunching over from my chair to look at drawings.  A desk will be my first purchase - and I narrowed down my choices...

Parsons Metal Wrapped Desk - West Elm.  Iconic design, but very unique hand applied metal cladding.

Parsons Mirror Desk - West Elm.  Same iconic design, but mirrored.  Nice reflective quality that'll be great for a dark room, but mirrored furniture has been done so many times.  Maybe because I worked on so many designs with mirrored furniture, maybe I'm tired of it?  It's a love/hate (not so strong) relationship.

I have my eye on a piece... I don't have any photos.  I can't stop thinking about it!  That's when you know it's perfect, and you'll keep it for years to come.  A little pricey, but maybe I'll go for it?  I'll keep you posted!

Anthropologie Retail Stores

Have you ever shopped at Anthropologie?  Yes their clothing and accessories are great, but there's nothing quite like their retail store design.  I walked into the Rockefeller Center location and I was blown away, it was beautiful!  The stone flooring, the row of chandeliers near the main cash wrap, the window displays, the furniture and fixtures, the colors, the textures... I can go on.  I took a quick picture of this little room with my cellphone:

It was a little room off to the side on the main floor, it looks like it could be someone's very well put together living room, but the room itself was used as art.  The creative minds that conjure up each area are masterful... I wonder what their homes look like...

Beautiful Bedrooms

Bedrooms should be a place of rest and relaxation.  A great mattress is a must, ambient and accent lighting (task lighting as well if you have a writing desk in your room, or read in bed), beautiful furniture, and your favorite paint color, and you'll love your place of relaxation after a long day of work.  I'm not a fan of having a TV in the bedroom because it can get loud, disrupting the peace, and I just feel like it belongs in the family room... but that's just me.

Most bedrooms are designed with muted, neutral colors that won't compete with each other, but I love how the last bedroom used a pop of color on the orange headboards to make a bold statement.  I think it works perfectly because the designer used crisp white linens with an equally bold accent pillow and painted walls; your eyes dance from the headboard to the pillow to the wall.  

Kitchen Design

A lot of the budget on a home renovation or new build goes into the kitchen.  Meals are made, families gather around before and after dinner, and I feel like everyone's just drawn to the island (if you have one!).  You always remember a great meal mom or dad made, and the conversations you had around the dinner table.  I have great plans for my kitchen one day, and so I'm always on the lookout for inspiration.  Here are some looks that I've been loving these days:

Open storage - would look great if you have one or two colors for dinner plates, serving dishes, and cookware.  Very simple, and probably the most cost effective solution for storage.

Large Islands (if you have the luxury of space) - you can use the large surface as a secondary prep area, teach your kids (or friends) to cook and bake, and create a casual eating area for breakfast and family dinners.  Made for memories.

Most importantly:  a great kitchen has selling power!  I would allocate a little more of my budget into the kitchen and cut back on other parts of the home.  Just a thought... 

(Images via elledecor.com)

Cost Effective Sofa Options

Recently, a couple of people asked me for some options on cost effective sofas, so I decided to put together a quick post on where I would look.  As far as websites/ retailers go, I would check:

West Elm
CB2 (very modern with low profiles, minimalist designs)
Pottery Barn - has a "Sofas $999 and lower" section
Crate and Barrel - narrow down your options according to price, fabric options, and size
Ballard Designs - although you can't visit the store...
Macy's - there's also a Macy's Home location in Costa Mesa, and the Midtown location in NYC has an entire floor dedicated to furniture

Other options:
Plummers
Costco - if you have a membership
Ikea

Here are some options I thought were nice:
West Elm - Henry Collection.  76" sofa starting from $699, and 86" sofa starting from $899.  Very classic, can't go wrong with any decor.

West Elm - Essex Collection.  84" sofa starting from $1,299.  Very chic, sophisticated.

West Elm - Lorimer Sofa.  81" sofa starting from $899.  For those seeking a sleek, minimalist decor.

Crate and Barrel - Petrie Apartment Sofa.  76" sofa starting from $1,499.  Mid-century modern look, bonus:  the fabric is stain resistant.

Crate and Barrel - The Nines Sofa.  85" sofa starting from $1,099.  Sleek and contemporary.

Pottery Barn - Buchanan Sofa.  87" sofa starting from $899.  Another classic sofa, not as contemporary because of the rolled arms.

Pottery Barn - Dylan Sofa.  83" sofa starting from $899.  Another sleek and contemporary sofa.

My thoughts:
1.  I usually don't like slipcovered sofas because once you wash the cover, it will no longer fit like a glove due to shrinkage, regardless of what the sales associate says.  Plus, upholstered sofas look so much nicer and tailored.
2.  Down wrapped cushions are slightly more in terms of cost, but very comfortable.
3.  Faux suede/ Microsuede is a great fabric option, I highly recommend it if you have children, pets, or a husband.  It is very durable, stain resistant, and small spills will bead on the surface allowing you to wipe it right off.
4.  Some fabrics have a stain resistant coating, it's probably best to ask the sales associate about the wear.
5.  Rolled arms lean towards the more traditional.
6.  Straight arms and lines lean towards the contemporary/ transitional.
7.  Low profiles lean towards the modern.
8.  Purchasing a big item such as a sofa in a neutral color allows you to design your home around other focal points instead of your eyes drawn straight to the sofa when you walk into the room.  If you want a brighter color, decorative pillows are a great option!  Plus you can change out the covers according to the season.
9.  If the smaller retail stores don't work for you, try Macy's.  They have a huge selection, great promotions... worth a try.
10.  Go to the store and sit on it!  Sofas are a huge investment, if you're like me, you have to touch and feel the real thing so you don't regret your purchase for years to come.

Happy hunting, and good luck!

Top 10 Lounge Chairs

My list of anything Top 10 changes from time to time, depending on what I'm into and what I see going on in the industry.  Usually I have my loves, and then a few outliers that I'm feeling at the time.  Here is my list of current top 10 armchairs, not in any particular order:

Tom Dixon - Wingback Chair.  Inspired by the 18th Century British Gentlemen's Chair.

Hans Wegner - Papa Bear.  1950, Denmark.

Ray and Charles Eames - Eames Lounge Chair.  1956.

Arne Jacobsen - Egg Chair.  1958, Denmark.

Oly Studio - Sophie Armchair.  Updated Louis XVI style, late 18th century.

Oly Studio - Allston Chair.  Updated Louis XV style, early 18th century.

Updated Victorian Balloon Chair (also known as hooded armchair), 19th Century.

Holly Hunt - Tesoro Lounge Chair.

Jean de Merry - Ulm Chair.

Arne Jacobsen - Swan Chair.  1958, Denmark.

Any of these lounge chairs would make a fine addition to a home.  I can picture so many ways to use them in a home:  a pair of Tom Dixon Wingback Chairs flanking a fireplace in a study/ library (or a chic man cave!), the Jean de Merry Ulm Chair in a formal living room, the Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chair in a family room... the list goes on depending on the style.  Comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and maybe even better with an update like an embossed leather or textured fabrics.  I left out some of my modern lounge chair favorites by Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier because they deserve an entire post... future post to come!

(Images via 1stdibs.com, jeandemerry.com, hermanmiller.com)

Rug Options

I've been on the look out for an area rug to put downstairs for quite some time, something with a bold pattern to cover up some of the ugly tile flooring.  I tend to go lean towards the bold black and white print rugs, but sometimes, yellows and blues will catch my attention.

West Elm.

CB2.

Z Gallerie

I have a slight obsession for black and white zebra print, by the way.  I thought it would be a short phase, but it's lasted several years now...  The blue peacock one is a little too bold for my taste, but I still like it.  If only I can find a large scale houndstooth print rug like this one:

Maybe I need to keep searching...