Design Aphrodisiac

...SOMETHING TO PUT YOU IN THE MOOD...to decorate!

I run across design aphrodisiacs all the time. I suppose it is one of the hazards of my job. Or maybe I am just easily sidetracked. Whatever. I just love a good design idea, a pretty little something, or crazy creativity.
Here's something to jumpstart your designer brain. I happen to own a lot of books, the kind you like to curl up in a chair with, by Mary Carol Garrity.
She is the owner of 3 stores in Kansas, the most famous of which is Nell Hill's. Her style is a mix of classic and vintage looks. Mary Carol is a master of display.
Every time I thumb through one of her books, I want to rearrange a tabletop or create some kind of floral arrangement. She is the queen of the tableau or tabletop vignette. Whenever I am creating a little scene, I say that I am vignetting. This is a great way to use some of those smaller decorative items you might have. Another thing you will notice from the Nell Hill library is her love and use of books in decorating.
There is also a to-the-trade collection of accessories that I have used extensively for clients and gifts. You can see these items on her website, but please know that we sell them, too. In fact, if you have ever been to my home, you will recognize more than a few of these items.

As you peruse the website or one of the books, be on the lookout for the following:
Mary Carol's dark navy blue dining room, the video of the Christmas tour, beautiful table settings, multiple uses and holders for candles, great entertaining ideas, bouquets of branches and foliage, and so much more.
She is a kindred spirit. Did I hear someone shout "Field Trip!" ?

Laduree

Well it had to happen sooner or later. My beloved Parisian tearoom has opened new doors in one of my other favorite cities, New York.
I was at the Business of Design '11 conference in NYC last week and took a long walk up Madison Ave. to see the new Laduree and buy some of their fabulous macaroons. Lo and behold - and I SHOULD have expected it - there was a line out the door, as is often the case with cool places in NYC or cool places anywhere. As I was to meet a friend shortly for cocktails, I couldn't wait. Boo hoo, I didn't even get to peek inside to see what the tearoom was like.
Which was probably good as I would not have been able to handle the disappointment. There is no tearoom, no comfortable place to put up one's feet (as if you would ever put your feet up! on what?!)You can only buy your goodies retail, like a bakery. But Laduree is currently looking for a space for a tearoom. I learned all this from another dear friend who DID wait in line, and DID buy me a box of macaroons. Now that is a good friend indeed! Check out the beautiful box I was able to add to my collection. And I would like to confess that the caramel flavor was close to a spiritual experience.
For more information about Laduree, go here

Lighting - with a Twist

Study this photo for a second. I took this picture at a restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Such an interesting, inspired kind of lighting. I wouldn't call it a lighting fixture. It's more of a design element than a fixture. What I think they did was run plain light bulb sockets along a ledge and cover them with random lampshades. There were no lamps up there - the shades sat right on the ledge. So much fun! My hat is off to the creative person who thought of it.

The Greenbrier - A Visual Feast

I have been doing a lot of travelling this year. Whenever I can I love to stay in big historic hotels. Back in February I finally made it to the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, WV. It is over the top beautiful.
The hotel interiors were originally designed by Dorothy Draper. In 1923, Draper established the first interior design company in the U.S. She invented a style called "Modern Baroque", which is particularly suited to large public spaces and modern architecture.
Draper used vibrant colors in never before seen combinations such as pink and aubergine, with a bit of chartreuse and a touch of turqoise. Her dictum, which I love because of it refusal to enforce any design rules, was "if it looks right, it is right".
When my friend found out I was visiting The Greenbrier she sent me this message: "Gotta love big flowers!" to which I would add: "and big stripes and big chandeliers!" Of course, I love them all.