Powderoom Project Finale

Well, you have seen the orchid sink that inspired this project. Then you followed us as we paired it with a beautiful bamboo faucet and then we found a lovely tropical floral paper with a dramatic chocolate background. The exquisite Harbin Ice marble counter top was the perfect solution to surround our sink. But what has happened since?

As the design unfolded we wanted the feeling to express an Oriental Chippendale Garden style but where would we find such a vanity to reflect that? I decided in order to get what we wanted I would have to design it myself and have our cabinet maker fabricate it. So that's precisely what we did. I sketched several options to show our client and she made the ultimate decision. We found bamboo hardware for the doors as well as the custom mirrored bifold doors that conceal a washer and dryer. We framed them to look like just a pair of doors and accented the corners of the molding with the same motif as the base of the vanity.

Our final decision was the mirror. This was tricky. Many of them were either too big or small or in an inappropriate color. But then we came upon a mirror that was totally different than the original concept. The color was great and tied in with the gold in the floral wallpaper. It was just the right thing to break away from the matchy- matchy look that sometimes feels contrived. This elegant mirror reminds me of a great antique discovered in the attic.

This project was a collaboration with my partner Ellie and Caimano Interiors. We had wonderful contractors who made us look really good and terrific clents who were such a pleasure to work for. It was truely a team effort. It is so important for the successful outcome of any design project to have a team of professionals who can help see the project through from concept to completion.

I wish were able to take a photo of the whole room but photographing bathrooms is difficult, especially with all those mirrors! Any tips for me? What kind of renovation projects have you been challenged with? Did you have a team to work with? How did it turn out?

More Fashion Inspired Design

I had the pleasure of discovering a great new fashion item yesterday. Shoes! Of course shoes are not new but these are a new twist on an old shoe...the sandal. Check out http://www.junoshoegirl.com/ These look like an ordinary sandal....but wait there's more! Created by an artist the devine decorations that accessorize these sandals are interchangeable. Snap them on and you have a totally new look.

Two things come to mind when I think of these fun fashion items. First the designs of the snap on doo dads are fabulous and could easily inspire the interior design of any room. There are turtles, starfish, bows, sailboats, flowers and bejeweled designs. A seaside cottage or hip garden room or elagant dining room could all be inspired by these beautiful shoe ornaments. The flowers could be enlarged and used as a pattern on pillows or rugs or on drapery hardware or as wall art. There is no end to it!

The next thing that I think about is why not make interchangeable decorating accessories. Of course you can always change out accessories or art but what about taking it a step further. Why not a removable skirt on a sofa or chair or changeable fringe on draperies or pillows. What about ...... You fill in the blank.

If you are old enough you may remember changing decor with the seasons, especially summer. White or floral slip covers on upholstery offered a welcome lighter look. We took down heavy drapes and left the sheers. We rolled up rugs and left the bare wood floors or put down sisal area rugs. You could take it a step further. Change the lampshades, change accessories, even artwork. I can see living in warmer climates a lighter cooler feeling interior would certainly be welcome in the dog days of summer.

But I am going to think about taking the idea of snap on ornamentation of Juno Shoe Girl a step further.....no pun intended.

What do you think?

Fashion Inspiration

In my last blog I wrote about how fashion designers can be equally talented at interior design, a la Coco Chanel, but fashion itself can be an inspiration for decorating. Take the recent winner of HGTV's Design Star, Emily Henderson. Her whole design theory is that you can create an interior based on your wardrobe. On one of the final episodes of Design Star she created an interior based on a man's wardrobe. One of the ways she accomplished this was by doing a navy pin stripe on an accent wall. She incorporated the feel of the clothes with texture, color, pattern and accents. It was great! See more on Emily at http://www.hgtv.com/


On a recent visit to Rodeo Drive I saw an incredible store front display at Prada. Here are maniquins dressed in blues and blacks....navys, turquoise and soft blues, with ribbons, lace and plaids and prints. Now this could be a great inspiration for any decor. I can imagine it as a coastal cottage or urban loft, sophisticated or just fun.



You could use bits of lace as trim on pillows, a bold plaid rug on the floor or how about a band of color all around the room like the waist bands on the dresses. I can see lots of white with splashes of brilliant blues in lamps, art, glass, or tile. Yes, in a kitchen with white cabinetry and countertops a dramatic cobalt blue glass backspash, table settings with plaid napkins and blue goblets, or the backsplash could be a fun mosaic of multiple shades of blue. The feeling I get from these chic frocks is casual sophistication so that might be what I would strive to express.

How would you interpret these dresses in decorating a room? The possibilities are endless.

Coco Chanel in Black and White

How much more classic can you be than Coco Chanel. And how much more classic can an interior be in black and white? I had the pleasure of seeing the movie Coco and Igor recently. It is the story of the love affair between Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky, a struggling composer at the time......and married with a family too.

Coco invited the Stravinsky family to stay in her French chateau. As she was showing them around the incredible home I could not help notice the amazing interior design. The setting was in the 1920s but the decorating was so contemporary and wonderful I was really taken by it.

Every room she showed the Stravinskys were done in black and white. Mrs. Stravinsky commented.....don't you like color? Of course replied Coco...as long as it is black or white.

As far as color schemes go there is nothing more failsafe than black and white. It can be contemporary or traditional but either way it is mostly a very dramatic result. Black lends formality and contrast lends drama. So if you are wondering how to decide on a color scheme, are looking to make a statement and want to keep it simple, nothing beats black and white.

Of course there are many components to a successful interior design. Color is just one. To pull it all together there needs to be a careful balance of line, form and texture. There can be pattern as in a fabric but pattern can ocurr in flooring such as carpets, rugs, or hard surfaces like wood, stone or tile. Wall treatment like wallpaper or a specialty finish can provide pattern as well. But don't forget the pattern that art and accessories can achieve, too. Sometimes just the interplay among the various elements of the room can be the pattern.

But for now I am just so inspired by the elegant and dramatic interiors of Coco Chanel. It is no surprise that such a cutting edge fashion designer also have a talent for interior design. Even today many fashion designers have expanded into home furnishings. Think, Ralph Lauren or Oscar de La Renta.

Has fashion ever been an inspiration for an interior decorating project for you? I would love to hear about your experience.

Granite, it's all natural

Choosing granite for a counter top can be very tricky. If your counter is small, like a vanity, a remnant is the way to go.

If you need more material then you will need to select full slabs. What? When you go to a showroom they will have small samples to show you but many times they are old and from slabs that are not available. Also many marbles and granites have a lot of variation and you need to see the whole slab. Some are very dramatic and have a lot of "movement" or large strong pattern. Some will have areas you do not like and many times the fabricator can work around that. Others may have flaws. It is really important to inspect every slab you are going to use.

Looking at slabs for me is great fun. It never ceases to amaze me that these slabs are cut out of the side of a mountain somewhere in the world. It is Mother Nature in her glory. When you go, bring anything that will help you make a good decision....they might even be an interior designer, a friend who has experience with choosing a counter top ....but also a drawer or door or sample of your cabinet finish, sample of your wallpaper or floor tile or even a photo from a magazine of your inspiration room. Can't bring samples? Take a photo.

Where to go? Ask your contractor or get a referral to a fabricator. Don't have one? Stop in several marble and granite showrooms and they will refer you to one. Go prepared not just with your samples but many times these granite yards are outside.....if you are wearing sunglasses....take them off when you look at the slabs so you can see the true colors. I like to bring water to drink...or sometimes they have bottled water for you to drink. Not only can it be hot but dusty.......and don't wear black, like I sometimes do, because the dust gets all over you!

Have fun! I would love to know your slab selecting stories and send photos of the end results.

Decorating with pets

I just finished vacuuming cat hair....floors, furniture, window blinds....it can be anywhere. Cats, more than dogs, hang out in the tiniest of spaces where I would never think to look for fur, like window sills and sliding glass door track. We had dogs for 30 years and have recently acquired a cat, a long haired cat at that. Living in Florida we have our air conditioning on all the time. My how her fur loves to fly. Even when I just pet her it floats through the air like it had little feather wings. And what does that mean? I must have cat fur on every surface of my home. Do I dare put on my glasses and see the truth?

So this brings me to bring up the subject of decorating with pets....that does not mean using fabrics and wall paper with little puppies and kittens. Of course I am referring to how having a pet or pets can influence your decorating. There are lots of things to consider, not the least of which is fur. What kind of fur? What color of fur? Have a white cat or dog? ...don't get a navy or black sofa, rug or floor. No polished black marble or black lacquer for you! The same could be said for black fur shedding creatures and white surfaces.

I have often had clients who caution.....don't forget my furniture needs to be pet friendly. That could mean practical and easy to clean or no loose weaves that might get caught in little claws. It could mean using window treatments that can be raised up so a curious pet can look out the window or door. Or using a vertical treatment so the sliding door can be drawn open slightly so the door can open slightly to let a furry friend go outside. And, watch out for the cord operating systems that could get tangled in a frisky pet.

Got delicate porcelain figurines or personal treasures that are fragile? Best to keep them off the surfaces where kitties are prone to tip-toeing. I think the situations are as diverse as the personalities of our pets. One thing is certain, if we have pets they are part of our family and will definitely have an impact on how we design our home.

Designing for our pampered pets

Creating a fun environment for a beloved pet is a great "pet project".

I remember seeing a laundry room in a showcase house that was actually turned into a dog room. Dog dishes, dog beds, dog crate and places to store dog food and leashes, a place to give doggy baths or to groom your dog. I am going to assume that this was not a laundry room that saw much laundry being done but the idea was great.

Cat lovers might like to have a little kitty room too where they can hide the litter box or provide interesting climbing condos and scratching boards so they don't ruin your upholstered furniture. (See the "city scape" room above, or should I say "kitty scape".) Most of us don't have the luxury of having a space that can be totally dedicated to our pet but I have heard of people who have turned a spare bedroom into a haven for their pets.

The room in the photo was designed for a kitty play area for a San Diego designer showcase house.

Don't forget that dogs, in particular, may also spend time in their crates. These less than attractive items can also be large space invaders. I have been thinking of creative ways to incorporate them into a home's decor. My partner Ellie and I have come up with some great ideas. We were also selected by Pierre Deux to be in a design contest for a new pet product. We designed the most amazing convertible sofa bed....a recamier.... which is a fancy word to describe a type of French lounging sofa. There are many pet beds on the market. Some elegant canopied creations fit for a princess, a furry princess. Many are very basic cushions that come in the basic colors and fabrics. As a designer I think if a pet has a bed or a crate in a beautifully decorated home, then they should be part of the design too. I am wondering if there is a market for that? We could incorporate the fabrics and color schemes and make these items accent the decor instead of detracting from it. They would be customized to not only compliment the colors of the interior but also the style, formal, informal, contemporary or classic, coastal or country, urban or shabby chic. The possibilities are endless. This fun to think about.

I found some unique pet crates and cat beds on line...see above pics. Look how fun and attractive these pet accessories can be.

How have your pets influenced your decorating? What design challenges are you faced with as a result of having a furry friend in your family? Of course there are lots of kinds of animals besides the typical feline or canine and they can have an impact too. Suppose you have a pot bellied pig, monkey or ferret, or something a bit more creepy crawly? I hope you will share your solutions and challenges with me and my "bleaders" (blog-readers). Photos of cool pet beds and crates courtesy of http://www.digsdigs.com/