Bold Strokes

Paul Smith fr The Rug Co.

The ombré trend has given way to ~ Brush strokes.  Bold and beautiful or light and airy, this artistic aesthetic is having more than its moment.

Black Crow Studios

Being in a room with hand painted wallpaper from Black Crow Studios is like being in a water color dream ~ truly dreamy.  It conjures up so many images for me.  I would love to use this in a client's home.  It's swoon worthy.

From fashion to interiors, fabric to papers, the look runs the gamut from graphic and modern to vintage or romantic.  It's all in the hand:  heavy or light, precise or freehand.

Imogen Heath

Everyone (OK, maybe not everyone) will have some kind of painterly pattern in their collection come spring.  Street style extends once again to the home front.  While many textile designers have their signature hand painted looks, seems others are jumping on the band wagon for a season or two.

via Textile Candy

It's a beautiful infusion of layers, textures, and colors dancing across a canvas of your choosing.  Table top or throw pillows are great ways to bring a little "Picasso" into your casa.  There is a plethora of options in the marketplace.

Marimekko

 Paola Navone @ Create and Barrel

Bee Line Home

The impressionistic look easily fits into any scheme, making a big splash or more of a soft whisper.

Harlequin

Rainbow bright or black and white ~ we see an abundance of florals, but the graphic, linear lines add an unexpected twist that really captures and enthralls.

Porter Teleo wallpapers

I love the color in these sheers.  They would make incredible window treatments!  Just so happens, I am using the Donghia, barbatos:  It's going to be smashing!

Zimmer + Rhode

Donghia

Chanel, 2014

There is simply nothing that doesn't feel special or look hand made with this application.    I love the fact that light plays a part in the look and movement of the pattern in some cases.   The pattern starts dark and grows lighter as the paint is absorbed giving way to shadows and depth.

Reed Krakoff

From a Jackson Pollack-esque splatter look to vibrant, short, purposeful strokes to a long winding freeform application; each feels fresh, modern.

via Lonny

Designers Guild

Proenza Schouler

Could you see bringing the painterly effect into your decor?

Sexiest Man Alive at Home

I remember seeing Adam Levine's gorgeous 1940's mid century ranch home in AD some time ago.  I think it time to revisit it.  It gets better with time, just like Adam.

The Hollywood Hills home is filled with classic 20th century iconic furnishings and an impressive art collection.  With help from Mark Haddawy, great care was taken in making every decision about the materials, objects and stylistic nuances in this swinging bachelor pad.

Adam thinks of the decor of his home like he thinks of his music ~ “You want to make sure you’ve pared down all the extra details so that in the end, every stitch has a context uniquely yours.”

A knoll table with Arne Jacobson chairs makes a pretty picture in the kitchen.
A Warhol hangs above an Art Deco cabinet.  Along with a Rusha, a Basquiat, and photos of models and rockers all round out the picture.

Grammys are at home on a George Nelson cabinet.  I love all the black walls.

Lenny Kravitz had an AK-47 bedside lamp and it took Adam months to track one down for himself.  That's so rock star esque!  Heavy curtains ensure sleeping in is no problem.

I would have loved to have seen sexiest man 2011 Bradley Cooper's house.  I think that should be included each year as part of the package, I mean story!



ph: Roger Davies

Mobile Me

Kinetically speaking ~  mobiles' high wire act and subtle graceful movement floating in mid air speak the language of  relaxation.  They offer balance.  Watching one soothes the soul and has been considered a remedy from stress; akin to watching a fish tank or ocean waves rolling on shore.

Diamond Barettta

Alexander Calder created these "puzzles of balance," or moving sculptures, some 80 years ago.  They were like modern feats of engineering and incorporated mathematical laws of the universe at the time.

Scott Salvador

A mobile by definition, is when weighted objects hang from rods that maintain a horizontal plane.  The objects can be anything, but the most beautiful are the irregular shaped colored sheets of metal that we have come to know and love.  By their very nature they never touch and may move together or independently of each other.  The tabletop version is nothing less than a mathematical marvel as well.

Jacque Grange

Inspired by abstractionism, many artists have called upon Calder's creations to inform and inspire their own aesthetic.  People like Joel Hotchkiss, Julie Frith, Brad Howe, and Marco Mahler.

Rose Tarlow

Delphine Krakoff

Calder considered mobiles poetry in motion, and I don't disagree.  They are so visually compelling and what a great way to utilize space overhead in an unexpected way!  These witty wonders work in any room as well; no matter ~ contemporary or traditional.

  This art in motion lays in wait trying to catch the wind.

The Art of the Table

The Holidays are once again upon us.  As we begin to think about entertaining friends and family our thoughts, or at least my thoughts, turn to the all important question, "How will I decorate my table?"  I always advocate a low stress, high drama tablescape.  How do you achieve that you ask?  Here are some tips that yon can apply any time of year.

I love to add natural elements:  gourds, moss, fruit, branches, etc.  You want the look of the table to enhance the food and mood.  It's all about the composition.  Think of the food like a painting; the plate is the canvas.  Each plays a part to create a balanced relationship, one to another.

Blend old and new ~ we all have family heirlooms that are under used and under appreciated.  Pull out  that silver ice bucket and put flowers in it, or shine that set of silver candelabras and give your table an instant air of old world glamour.  The beauty is always in the mix.  The humble and the ornate, the polished and the aged, the mix of metals, and mismatched plates and/or glasses can create a multitude of different looks.  The fun (and challenge) every year is to see if I can come up with a different theme, or by adding one new element, can I take my table in a different direction?

Big cloth napkins always up the ante and go a long way in making the table look and feel luxurious.  More is better when it comes to candles.  Always think about mood lighting.  Everyone looks good in candlelight.  Remember to use unscented candles, though.  You don't want them to compete with the food or offend quests with a scent they find unpleasant.

Incorporate unexpected elements as part of your decor.  Perhaps include some of the decor in the nearby bookshelf, or hanging above the table within the chandelier to move the theme through the room.  It's a great conversation starter.

Include a small gift at each place setting.  Everyone loves a takeaway, and if it does double duty like these starburst napkin rings that are ornaments, kudos

This tablescape says Happy Holiday but not specifically Christmas or Hanukkah ~ sometimes a safe choice.

It is like anything else.  Done right it looks effortless, done wrong ~ well, let's not think about that as an option

A great table design engages guests, brings out the ability to create an element of surprise, imparts ambience, and becomes the backdrop to a beautiful evening spent with family and friends.  After all, isn't that what is's really all about?