Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Tassel Turn Around

So this tote, featured in the new issue of Rue Magazine, has helped confirm a slow turn-around in my attitude toward the tassel.


Truly, how cute is this?!


I used to equate the tassel with stuffy, over decorated, too formal spaces - "no touch rooms" as my husband calls them.  But I'm realizing that a little tassel goes a long way, and when used with restraint, they can be a fun accent!

For examples...

via Lonny

Elle Decor

via Pinterest



MUST get these earrings!


Cheers,
Deb
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Kate Walsh's Evolving Home Style

Did you happen to catch Private Practice star Kate Walsh's 1920s Los Feliz home in People Magazine a couple of weeks ago?  If it looked familiar to you, it might be either because you and Kate hang on the weekends, or because you saw the same pad featured in InStyle Magazine back in 2009.

The 1920s Spanish style home has been on and off the market in the wake of the end of Walsh's blink-did-you-see it marriage.  Between People, InStyle, and the MLS listings, there are plenty of photos of the spread, and it's interesting to compare how the same rooms have been staged and styled differently.

In the understated dining room, Walsh experimented with a variety of tables in various shapes and sizes. The first strikes me as way too massive and cold, and you'd need a conveyer belt to pass the salt to your good friend across the table (no playing footsy here).  


This one, while cozier, seems a bit too diminutive, particularly in relation to the size of the chandelier.  And I really dislike the white chairs which strike me as too contemporary (and too bright) as they relate to the gorgeous rug.


Love this table as a compromise, with the circular wooden base cutting the cold edges of the glass square table top...  


The living room has endured a change in carpet, and several changes in layout (who doesn't love rearranging their furniture when they get bored?).  In the first shot, the furniture feels a little "top heavy" to me against the back wall.  I LOVE this coffee table, but it's weird to have the three low pieces (side table, coffee table, ottoman) in such close proximity.


Hey, where did the overhead lighting fixture go?  I liked it!  I do prefer the two facing couches layout - feels more balanced - but I miss the old coffee table.


Best layout yet!  Moving the baby grand to the left helps balance the heft of the sofa.  The professional styling and lighting by the folks at InStyle aren't hurting things, either.


Oooh the ceiling fan.  Ugly as heck, but practical in LA no doubt.  You won't catch that sucker in InStyle for sure, and notice how realtors photograph it powered on, to diminish the unsightliness of the blades.  What a beautiful and serene room otherwise, right?



I do prefer the contemporary lines of the Barcelona-esque corner chair in the InStyle shot below to the  chair in the MLS photos.   Just a little edgier to match the vibe of the stunning agate lamps and Walsh's  brother's abstract artwork.


Have you done any furniture rearranging lately?
Deb

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Monday, February 27, 2012

Purple Reign

Did you watch the Oscars last night?  I at least made it through the Red Carpet, where I couldn't help but notice the abundance of purple, in a variety of hues from the bright and bold to the subtle and sublime...

Virginia Marsden

Bo Derek

Maya Rudolph

Sarah Highland

Last month, the Golden Globes' Red Carpet featured even more purple princesses...

Madeline Stowe

Ariel Winter

Brooke Anderson

Julianna Marguiles

Octavia Spencer

Truth be told, purple is actually my least favorite color, and always has been.  So it's been interesting to be brought in on a couple of design projects lately where purple is the reigning theme, so to speak.  It's actually been a healthy process for my relationship with purple, as I've been able to search for the "best" in the color in terms of fabric, paint, furnishings.  And I'm coming around!

We found this gorgeous fabric for a client who had slipcovers made with it for her Crate and Barrel swivel chairs.  They're show-stoppers!



We're also working on a "tween room", for which this was our initial textile mood board...

As a courtesy to our clients, we do not reveal the specific sources appearing on mood boards...

What do you think?  Do you dress your room or yourself in purple?
Deb

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Friday, February 24, 2012

For the Love of Pink!

I am having  a serious "thing" for pink lately. Perhaps it is because it is 55 degrees in February and spring seems imminent, perhaps it is because I live with all boys, but every time I see pink, I just want it.  Or perhaps it is because these images just rock!

Lovely pale pink hues tempered with neutrals...









To more saturated pinks...


To fabulous, bold pinks!






What do you think? Love it? Hate it?

Cheers!
Becky

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Golden Age of Train Travel!

I LOVE when old, beautiful buildings are restored to their original grandeur - especially civic spaces.  I worked next door to Grand Central Station when it was being restored in the mid '90's and I was amazed on a daily basis. When pieces of scaffolding came down people would just stand in awe - and yes, I was one of those gawkers. Perhaps I am just a romantic fool, but when you set foot inside one of these amazingly restored buildings, it is like stepping back in time.  So much so that you barely notice when other people are bumping into to you to catch the next train! 





The latest to be added to the "saved" column and restored is the Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey.  This beautiful Beaux-Arts-style building has been brought back to life by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners—the firm behind masterful restorations at Grand Central Terminal.




I hear that Penn Station is up next and can't wait to see what they do, given the original iconic Penn Station was torn down in the '60's!



Can you imagine tearing that down and replacing it with this?




Yeah - they got that right... not.

- Becky

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Extreme Tufting!

Looks like Restoration Hardware has hopped on the extreme tufting bandwagon with their lavish Soho Collection...


I've been noticing the tufted-all-over look popping up everywhere lately... and I LOVE it (though I think I prefer it on smaller pieces of furniture versus an enormous sectional as above).

What do you think?








I'll take one for the road!


Deb
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