The Neutral Sofa

I’m willing to bet well over 50% of every sofa sold in the USA is a neutral tan-beige-ish color.  It’s typically one of the more expensive pieces of furniture to acquire and one of the largest ( unless of course you play the piano ) and most people want it to last a long time…  And they do, if you buy a well made sofa to start and cover it in a fabric that will A. hold up and B. not look dated years from now.  Because the sofa is so big “playing it safe” means keeping it neutral and less obvious in a room, “make it disappear” or at least, make it less obvious than say something half its size.  All of these theories have merit.  You can change the look of a room with art, throw pillows and accessories, on a whim.  Re-covering or slip-covering a sofa is a more expensive and timely endeavor.It’s actually funny to me as a designer that most people was to make a statement with their furnishings, especially if they have a professional guiding them away for any wrong decisions.  I am all for making a statement, and if bold and playful is your thing I’d happily find a pattern or bold color or woven texture for your upholstery, but neutral can be a “look” not just a default.  Because there are fewer distractions in a room full of “quiet” furniture, scale, form, quality and floor plan become even more important, neutral isn’t always easy to pull off.  I think the room above works largely because the ceiling and floors a deep warm brown, creating contrast and interest, the floor plan is good and the lines of the soft-goods are pretty and the additional furnishings suit the look and maintain a calm tonal look. Here’s a neutral sofa that’s holding its own in a more bold setting.  The tufting of course adds am element, an additional detail giving the already stylish sofa a boost.  Throw pillows in bold colors and patterns wake up the sofa and give balance to the  Danish armchair covered in a strong geometric.  So this proves that a neutral sofa can go bold, you just have to layer in some changeable accessories to make it work for your look.  My last word(s) on neutral sofas (and chairs)…  Neutral doesn’t have to mean boring!  I’m not advocating for one fabric stretched from one side of your living room to the other.  Neutral can be any color from white to cream to beige to tan to camel to taupe to grey to mushroom.  Mix it up and give your upholstery some interest by varying the shades, add texture and even pattern – like neutral stripe, and play with combinations of colors greys and creams for instance.  Want a red sofa? Go for it! …just be sure it’s something you can live with for a very long time, or set aside a bit of cash to help pay for the recovering when it you get sick of it.

White Kitchens

Not quite white but close enough, this is a really beautiful space.  love the giant stone tiled floor what a statement maker and a perfect foil for the small tiles on the back wall and the board ceiling…  texture everywhere but nothing fights.  I’m a fan of the low window sills at the sink and covet the Chicago style goose neck faucet.  The inset doors on the cabinetry are also a high-end choice but make the cabinets so elegant and streamlined.  Maybe the table is a bit small?  Love the charm and warmth of the wood, a great choice for middle of this space, use what you have it creates a less planed look, but make sure what you use in a kitchen is user-friendly.  lastly, the sink and countertops… not sure what type of stone, but LOVE the sink made from the countertop material.  Perfect.

totally different vibe from the last one but there is so many good things about this kitchen.  Starting with the wall of slab material. So, so pretty.  Clean, simple, dramatic, modern, expensive… yes it’s all of those things but in a simple kitchen like this with sleek shiny cabinets and minimal hardware the dominance of the movement in the stone is perfect.  And would you look at the detail in the pattern of the tiled floor?  Love that they didn’t just do a 12 x12 or for that matter a 12 x24 or any other popular choice for tile floors these days.  The varrying sizes and interesting pattern give interest without overwhelming the small space.

Not sure how useable the stool are without an overhang… but love this kitchen and the coffee station built-in to the wall of open shelves.  The idea of wallpaper on the back wall is a nice touch, it adds a bit of color without making the room too busy.  This kitchen also sports inset cabinet doors and what looks to be Carrara marble.

Last but not least, the humble kitchen.  Tiny in size and traditional in materials this little kitchen was designed to pack it all in and still give as much counter top as possible.  That’s probably why they went with a glass top range, it allows for prep space when not in use.  not a lot of storage here but upper cabinets would have really closed the space in… I think they made all the right choices here except I’m not sure if I’m loving the pillowed subway tile.  With the board walls and the bead-board cabinet doors there are a lot of lines in this tiny space.  I might have liked the soapstone? counter top material as the backsplash and added a lower shelf (not as deep as the top shelf) so the slab didn’t have to be as tall and there would be another place for utensils, spices or dinnerware.

IKEA

I admit it, I’m a snob.  I prefer high quality, flawlessly designed furniture (and clothes).  I am of the school that “you get what you pay for” and my favorite line is: BUY THE BEST, CRY ONCE.  But, for the record IKEA really impressed me on a recent visit.  It’s down right CHEAP, it’s really well designed and they have their look “down pat”.  I could have spent $1000.00 – and in the world of home furnishings that’s not a lot – and left with a car load, ok maybe two car loads full of groovy stuff.

I would have spent the majority of my money on rugs, lighting and small rigid frame chairs.  I’m leery of IKEA’s upholstery, convinced it will not be comfortable.  And, I don’t like many of their case pieces – I don’t want to have to build it, and I’m sure it will fall apart in a year – But… the before mentioned rugs, lights and occasional chairs (and maybe even some window treatment options) looked like they would hold up, add a modern twist to any space and leave you with enough in your wallet to buy a quality sofa.

I Look At Porn

freecabinporn.com

Trends in Handbags

Not a typical blog for me, I thought I’d share my opinion on trends in womens purses and bags as a favor to someone I know.  I think color blocking is big, both tonal combinations and strong contrasting patches of color are popping up on many designers handbags, wallets and other luxury leather items.

To be honest, I’m not sure what this shape is called but this bag and many others like it are a double force.  Not only are they color blocked, they are the shape of the season – and many to come I predict.  This shaps comes after the tote, popular for many years, this is really a corss between a Kelly bag and a modified tote with a more secure top… plus this bag converts (it folds in its sides) to become a smaller more elegant bag.  

Speaking of the tote… it’s still everywhere!  Women have invested in quality bags and this shape is going nowhere because of it.  Louis Vuitton is/was the leader in popularity when it comes to the tote.  Many have followed suit and you can find this shape in every color and texture.

Above are some color blocked and animal skin totes and below just one example of the Louis Vuitton tote.

…And here is what Vuitton and other designers are moving toward this fall and winter: Straps, Sporty Stripes and Fur.  Bags will be confident in size and bold in style.

Country Living in NYC

I think I promised a post for Manhattan.  Well yesterday was absolutely beautiful in the city so my husband and I took a ride down the west side of the island along the Hudson River, past the Chelsea Pier, the Frying Pan down the Hudson river greenway, past the pier 62 sake park and all the way to Battery Park and back.  Along the way we stopped by an installation of 3 modular homes put on by Country Living and sponsored by Benjamin Moore – among others.

Country Living is currently presenting their 2012 House of the Year building project, Room to Spare, on display at New York City’s World Financial Center from May 17-23. Built by Affinity Building Systems, this year’s project is a first for the magazine; rather than one house, they are featuring three micro-cottages, all styled by Country Living editors in conjunction with guest designers and experts — including Thomas Paul, Marcus Samuelsson and Ruard Veltman.  The cottages are nicely appointed and details were all done quite nicely.

Room to Spare taps into a growing trend: highly versatile micro-cottages. Separate from a main residence, these little buildings enable homeowners to add square footage without the inconvenience of major construction. And, they can be customized to suit any need, including the options Country Living chose to high-light: outdoor kitchen/dining room; guest room; and entrepreneur’s studio/home office.

Read more: Room to Spare Cottages – Country Living House of the Year 2012 – Country Living

If you’re in or around Manhattan in the next few days, check it out!

HORNE

I love Facebook.  This morning when I was checking in I saw a post from an event a friend had tagged or liked – an image of the table setting is what i was intrigued by , with really great flatware and china.  So I clicked on the image and lo and behold the original poster of the image mentioned that the flatware is by a company from Portugal called Cutipol and the pattern is GOA.  So Googled that and was directed to a website called… Horne.  OK, so Horne has furniture, lighting, dinnerware, well a bit of everything actually, all modern and cool. Not cheap but a great resource for all things contemporary.  Among the modern coolness were these:shophorne.com

The Mix Boxes return a lo-fi interactivity to a world made busy by complex devices and objects. The set includes six well-crafted boxes of varying size that allow you to create compositions based on your unique design and storage needs.

Life is fluid: When circumstances change, The Mix Boxes change with them. Sideboard, bookcase, bedside tables or media storage – the uses are endless. This is not a static piece of furniture that dominates a room. The set encourages interaction and lets you bring your own personality to the product.

• Free Shipping
• Dimensions:
  2 Small Boxes: 17.25″w x 10.5″d x 5.5″h
  2 Medium Boxes: 17.25″w x 14.25″d x 12.5″h
  1 Long Box: 38″w x 12″d x 7″h
  1 Large Box: 38″w x 15.5″d x 14″h
• Birch Veneer – Strong Dovetail Joints
• Direct Made in Pheonix, AZ, USA.
• Easy No assembly required.

Coastal Living

coastalliving.com

You all know that I’m happy to use color in my designs, but I do prefer to apply color sparingly.  These pictures of someone else’s work resonate with me because of the massive amounts of white that give the colors room and a place for the eye to rest.  Love, Love, Love these happy bright rooms.  I’d be proud to say I had designed them, and I’d happily visit them on a vacation or summer home… but I would need less “cheer” for my full-time residence.

White Kitchens

You know I love em…  Gonna just throw down some really beautiful images today and skip the palaver.  You know the drill, if you’re new to BILLblog, search White Kitchens over on the right and catch up.  Hope you all have an amazing weekend!  I’ll post tomorrow from Manhattan. Cheers.

Jar of…

…hearts, or candles, or plants, or flowers, or desserts!  They aren’t just for preserving jam anymore the “Mason” jar has risen to new heights in recent years.  Wedding centerpieces, tree limb hung lanterns, you name it, the mason jar is an inexpensive and easily found vessel for anything you can imagine.  No doubt the “old timey” feeling they give is a draw.  What I mean is folks like the found quality, and the antique feeling of them… they remind us of a simpler time.  

I’ve been invited to a 12 course French picnic in a few weeks and I think dessert in a mason jar sounds perfect.  Easy to transport, perfect portions (no messy cutting or serving) and an individual serving is just more chic than a slice I think.  They can hold your collection of marbles, sea glass, pebbles or what have you but the mason jar works nicely as a casual drinking glass, votive holder, vase, and even a snow globe.

 

House Paint Update

It’s been decided.  I have committed to a body color and a shutter color.  I thought because I design for a living that choosing a paint color for my own house would be easy… it wasn’t.  It wasn’t really hard either, but because I care so much the decision took several trips to the paint store and many test patches.  So what colors did I pick?  The house will look a lot like the one in the image below.  Maybe my body color: Dove Wing by Ben Moore is a bit less yellow, and I’m using the same color on the trim only in semi-gloss… so no lighter trim for me.  The Shutters: Briarwood by Ben Moore will read slightly darker than this houses, but over all a similar vibe.  I picked all my colors and then found this image, it would have been too easy to start with a photo.  

We are all primed and the painter has given me a very large test patch of the Dove Wing, I love it.  That’s good because I already invested in a 5 gallon bucket of Aura (that’s the fancy eco-friendly version of Ben Moores paint line) paint.  BTW, New York State of Mind is the front door color.  the dark corner poking up on the top of the paint chips is the porch floor color, forget the name of it, and HC-173 is Revere Pewter… I was going to do the window sashes that color but I think I’m going to keep it simple and nix that color.   

Here she is all primed up… The planters are full now, by the time the paint job is finished the pots will be filling in nicely and I promise one final up-date. Can’t get over how different the house looks not green and without shutters… I miss the shutters, not the green.

Maybe the coolest thing ever… (borrowed blog)

Originally posted on beachbungalow8.blogspot.com on May 8th, I just saw this and had to re-post for my readers…  is this not Awesome!?!

San Francisco

Paris

New York

What a great idea for anyone celebrating their couple hood – an anniversary, or wedding. Is Paris where you met during your Semester Abroad? Or was it that summer in New York City when you fell madly in love as you ran around that place like you owned it? Cities, can hold for us, certain pivotal chapters in our lives and no matter how far we move or how suburbanized we become, we always hold that particular environ close to our hearts. Hand stitched by certified fair labor partners in India. Cray. Hand stitched, with some serious power eyesight. There are a lot more soft map blankets with other cities (even baby blankets) check it out at Haptic Lab. 

White Bathrooms Naturally

I started to look for and collect images of white bathrooms with natural roman shades and before I knew it I hit the white bathroom jackpot on a fellow bloggers site trishatroutz.blogspot.com. Trisha had done a blog on architect John B. Murray – his work is flawless – and there they were, not one, not two but three beautiful white bathrooms, none had natural roman shades but all are charming, perfectly appointed and not over done.  Here they are…

Traditional yes, nothing too “out of the box” but so comfortably livable and simply sweet.  I love them. The beautiful mosaic floor, the subway tiles, the built-in medicine cabinets, the old-fashioned light fixtures, the bead-board, and all the other charming details speak to me.  WANT!

More of the same, mosaic floors, footed vanities, white on white and they are warmed with natural roman shades made from bamboo, woven grasses and wood.  For me, a natural roman shade is a great choice for a bathroom, it reads clean and fresh, it warms up the room and stays crisp looking over time.  With or without a natural roman shade, a white bathroom with never look dated, keep your details classic and it won’t go out of style either.

1stDibs Desk Shopping

I’m shopping for a desk for a client and 1st Dibs has many to offer.  I have never bought something via 1st dibs before but I do love the idea of getting something that feels special and original – more one of a kind – for this particular space.  You sort of have to take what you find when you’re not shopping new or custom, a finish might not be exactly what you had in mind, size might need to stay negligible and condition is always an issue, but buying vintage and mixing it in always gives an immediate always been there vibe.  This 60′s Executive Rose Wood Desk I’m loving… Guess the desk chair would want to be chrome and zebra?  Sexy!

This 1970′s custom-made parsons style parquetry desk with two small drawers feels very Jean-Michel Frank.

Not what I need – i am planning on floating the desk in the middle of the small room, but cool none the less.  This Omni wall unit by George Nelson & Associates is so cool.  Made in the USA in the 1950′s it features five uprights, two cabinets with drawers,two cabinets with sliding glass doors,two open cabinets, one cabinet with a drop front desk, three shelves with book divider channels, two slanted presentation book shelves, and four enameled task lamps.

Very rare but magnificently beautiful designed desk by one of Belgium’s most renowned designers Jules Wabbes. His experimental ways of approaching wood and techniques used during producing his furniture were far ahead for its time.  This Belgian desk circa 1960-something… this executive desk shows a slight curved top that makes the desk highly rare and exclusive.

The use of european craft traditions combined with the exotic wood make this desk very collectible.  Here are a few others I looked at, do you have a favorite?

This last one in a high gloss lacquer finish mixed with shagreen is the front-runner, I love the prettiness of this piece and it’s for a womans office, but because you walk into the front of the desk not the side – I guess I could change the floor plan – it won’t show off the desk at it’s best angle.  but it’s pretty isn’t it? …and the last few:

Check out these and 100′s others on 1stDibs.com

Ferguson & Shamamian (Buzzin on Pinterest)

So we can’t deny the popularity or “power” of Pintrest.  1000′s of people look everyday at what everyone else is pining… but what does it really do, really?  I am not a fan of social media marketing.  When I’m on Pintrest, I don’t want to be sold something, I just want to see whats “trending” what people are liking, things like architects Ferguson & Shamamin.  Click, click, click and I was faced with a dozen project they have worked on including this beautiful house in Malibu, CA.

Maybe it was a recent trip to my home town of San Mateo, CA that has awakened my love for Spanish Mediterranean homes, maybe it was these images from a strangers Pintrest board but either way you have to agree this house is beautiful.  Beamed ceilings of my dreams!

Do I love the interior design?  Well maybe not love, there are some great details and the house looks fresh and bright, young and cool.  But I would have treated it a bit differently from the perspective of furniture and accessories.  The colors feel good but I would have liked a softer more relaxed vibe.  To me it looks like the furniture wasn’t picked with the house in mind.  just sayin… sorry to be so critical.

Kelly Wearstler for Lee Jofa (KRAVET)

I’ve done a blog before about Kelly and here great taste, her apartment and interior design projects are beautiful, original and fresh.  Funny… so are her fabrics for Lee Jofa.  There is a traditional element to most of them but they are all updated and current. Patterns of natural stone – malachite is a favorite of hers – mix with Bo-Ho chic prints and wovens that are part old school and yet very much new school.  

It’s hard to imagine a snake-skin pattern that it’s tacky but Kelly pulls it off and makes it look better than good.  I love her inspired work and unique perspective.  To see more click here: Kelly Wearstler

White Kitchens

I have honed in on the look I love to the point where every time I post a white kitchen image I think “have I posted this one already?”  You can guess that the open shelves, wooden counter tops and farm table island are some of my favorite elements.  I also think the high-gloss ceiling is very sexy and adds an element that feels slick, clean and a bit modern in this very country kitchen.  Not sure, but there might be a few too many lights in this room for me, but I understand the need for an Island light, counter top light and something over the sink.. so, maybe they should have been white to minimize their strength in the room.

Jeffrey Bilhuber – Summer Style

Leave it to Jeffrey Bilhuber to create the dream house of all summer houses.  He has always been an inspiration to me, his designs are typically layered perfectly to give depth and interest without overwhelming a space or room.  He does color well but excels in soft tonal rooms that celebrate form and shape.  This magical little house ladies and gentlemen is my dream house.  I keep looking at the photos looking for something that needs a tweak or fix to really make it as I would want it, and the only thing I can come up with is maybe roman shades vs the pinch pleat curtains he chose for the windows… but I get why he did them.  It’s so old school, so East Coast.

 The bedrooms exposed framing and board walls are the perfect color, crisp whites mix with classic stained dressers – necessary storage, high style –  and the simple bedding keeps the room from looking over decorated.  Love the bench, love the garden stool, love the bed.

 I love the dark chocolate-brown walls of this living room…  perfect to put a big color in a small room.  White painted floors help the room not feel to dark and light upholstery and natural accents all create the perfect balance of light, medium and dark.  In this room the curtains – love the banded bottom – really work for me, the long narrow shape help celebrate one of the rooms strength, its height.

 OK, OK… one more tiny complaint. This room goes a bit Golden Girls for me, I’m not a fan of peach and tufted sofa and slipper chairs both look a bit “tight”.  I’d like a room that feels a bit more loose and easy… too fussy for me, but it’s still a very pretty room.  Walls, windows, accessories, flooring, lights… LOVE.

Summer Textures & Neutrals

I love neutrals,they don’t have a shelf life… (pun intended – around my family maybe too much this weekend, they love a pun)  Neutrals never date, , they are rich and beautiful in their own natural and subtle way, they allow textues to stand out and important things like art, views and people to stand out… not to mention forms and shapes of furnishings.  The idea of hanging nesting baskets on a wall to create storage is so simple but it works so well and looks so good, I had to post this shot.  But, of course I have to take it a bit further and add a few beautifully done interiors to really push the look of natural and neutrals tones.  Just look at howe interesting a tonal room can be…

Ignore the green in that last one – even though it’s really pretty.  Loving the way they hung the art lower than the desk! Grass cloth always chic! Below: Headboard, coverlet and night stand become contrast pieces in a taupe against the creamy whites in the bedroom below.

Back dating this post for yesterday, sorry I missed a day but was traveling back from California!

More Than A Hint of Thomas O’Brien

I don’t remember where I got this image, it could be a promo shot from Hickory Chair, it might have been in Elle Decor, or House Beautiful (their images usually have a watermark) but no matter… it’s the masculine yet pretty stylings of this room, the layers  and playful details that make me love it.  This room goes a bit 5th avenue for me, old school with a twist.  Urban sophisticated.  My style icon Thomas O’Brien is responsible for much of this furniture.

The exceptional lattice work on the back of the side chair is O’Brien’s refining and reworking of a simpler antique Georgian chair that he had seen at auction. An elegantly extended high back and more complex carving give the chair a scale that works for today, both as an occasional and a dining room option. In all, this is a caliber of chair that is increasingly hard to find from new furniture makers, which demands absolute finesse in fabrication. The Side Chair is designed two ways, to be used independently, or mixed together. A carved wood version with the lattice work back can be grouped ensuite with the arm chair for a more traditional dining room presentation. A second variation offers a fully upholstered seat and back, with the same distinctive, graceful shaping of the chair top. Standard nailheads front and rear help to outline the unique silhouette of the seat back. Also available is the Sebastian Arm Chair and Sebastian Upholstered Back Side Chair. Shown in optional Oxford finish.  Also in the shot – one of many pieces this season to feature paw or claw feet – the diminutive side table with a big personality is named after Thomas O’Brien’s dog Jones. It is a close translation of an antique occasional table found in upstate New York, with a charming, unusual, triple paw configuration of each foot. The paws are on such a bold scale that the design seems more gutsy and whimsical than nostalgic. Elaborate acanthus leaf details join each leg to the tabletop, and the carving overall is very true and fine. Shown in standard Dark Walnut finish, but this piece looks amazing – and a tad less serious – painted in the image above.

I could be wrong but I’m almost sure the armchair in the photo is the Paolo.  This continental-style design is based on French and Italian forms of the late 1930’s, with echoes of clubby origins on a luxury liner or Pullman car. For those who like a more angular style, flared arm panels reach beyond the high back, while distinctive block feet give the chair a dressy carriage. The Paolo Ottoman (2203-29) serves well in pairs and shows the same clean piping detail as the chair, a Thomas O’Brien trademark.

This low, three-drawer chest couples a spare 1950′s design with Neoclassic Brass Hepplewhite knobs. The evenly proportioned drawers, with blind parting rails, create a level, measured face, while the thin case, inset apron panel, and subtly flared legs impart a late mid-century sophistication. Standard in Antique Ivory with Neoclassic Brass knobs as shown above. Available in dozens of optional finishes and in Customer’s Own Hardware. To visualize optional finishes and hardware visit “Customize Your Furniture” on the Hickory Chair website.