The Dark Side

Don't be scared of black!  Associated with halloween and all things spooky, the color gets a bad wrap this time of year.  Well, here are a few examples were black is beautiful.

Images from: Living Etc, Design*Sponge, Remodelista, Domino, Casa Sugar, Style Files

Happy Halloween to all!

Happy, Chic and New!

Here are the latest and greatest items from decorating guru and potter Jonathan Adler.  Each item has his signature 'Happy Chic' style.  The Shelter Island collection has some mid-century flare, with a chair that was most certainly Bertoia-inspired.  Then there are the truly unique and quirky, "only Jonathan would go there" pieces.  Seriously, a shoe butter dish?  Where does he come up with this stuff?

                          

Top to Bottom: Shelter Island Collection (from left to right) Large Catch-all, Chair, Floor Lamp (go to the webshop to see the small catch-all and table lamp), Utopia Man/Woman Menorah, Shoe Butter Dish, Pill Carafe (available in five colors) and Ceramic Trivets

Hanging Around

The winter coats are coming out of storage, even in Southern California, where the temp has dropped drastically the last couple of days.  When you walk in your warm and cozy home from the chilly weather,  be sure to have a place to hang your coat (and hat, umbrella, scarf....all those winter essentials), so they don't end up tossed over an armchair or who knows where else.  Here are several options that reach way beyond function and are so stylish, there's no need to put them away during the warm months.  They can hang out all year long!

Collapsible Coat rack?  Perfect for parties, where you can bring it out just for those extra guest coats

Loop Coat Rack from Hay, Erich Ginder Ghost Tree, TC Studio Knife Wall Hook, Classic Eames Hang-It-All at Room and Board, Coaterie from Atwood Woodworking via Etsy, Merkled Coatrack, Hut Ab Collapsible Coatrack

Project Update

Okay, so I've been crazy busy the last few days and have so much to catch you up on.  There's plenty of great new products, events, and inspiration still to come this week, but first I want to share the major progress that was made on the Eichler office install last week.  All the custom cabinetry is finished!  More photos to come soon, but here's a sneak peek.

Thanks to John and Ivan from Handmade for their wonderful work and impeccable attention to detail.  Now it's time to add the final touches to this space.  Some classic mid-century touches with some modern  accessories and art will finish it off and then we can move onto the living room, so that the clients have a place to hold that holiday soiree that they are planning!

Bring on the Holidays

Just in time for holiday entertaining, Amenity Home has released the Arroyo Collection, wood serving pieces and accessories that are sure to add something special to your table.  Made from FSC-certified walnut, each piece is handmade by artisans in Los Angeles and oiled to enhance the beauty of the wood grain.  Don't forget to also snag some soy pillar candles to go with the sustainable candle blocks.  Soy will smoke less and burn twice as long as paraffin candles and they're hand-poured right here in Los Angeles.  And did I mention that the napkin holders also have a notch for place cards?  I love items that serve dual functions!

Your Very Own Bucky Ball

This is one heck of a treehouse!  According to Wired Magazine these domes have been popping up all over Hollywood.  This unique structure, first built in 1922, was not officially coined a 'geodesic' dome until the late 1940's when Buckminster Fuller popularized the design after conducting field experiments with Kenneth Snelson at Black Mountain College.  Now you can have this classic design in your own backyard, just like the own here that belongs to Doors guitarist, Robby Kreiger.  Just visit O2 Treehouse or you can read the full Wired article here .

Photo by Brent Humphreys via Wired Magazine

Buckminster Fuller in front of one of his geodesic domes

Photo courtesy of You-Are-Here

Hello Yellow!

Here's a shot of yellow to jump start your week!  See how this cheerful color can perk up your home and put a skip in your step.  See if you don't feel a bit happier after browsing these products:

   

Top to Bottom: Henry Road 'Gloria' Tablecloth, Etched Leaf Tealight Holder available at Yolk, CB2 Bamboo Bath Towels,  Blu Dot 'Sprout' Cafe Table, Painted Floors by Lori Dunbar from Fin and Roe, Feista 75th Anniversary Mixing Bowls in Marigold, Pillow from Linea Carta, YLighting Task Lamp, Kelly Moseley vignette via Design*Sponge, Kartell Eros Chair

The Bedroom: Make It Beautiful and Light It Right

Before you drift off to sleep each night, your bedroom is the last thing you see and when you wake in the morning, guess what?  There you are in the same room and it's just the way you left it.  People tend to worry more about the public spaces in their homes, but the bedroom, where you rest your head every night, deserves some special treatment.  Make your space a visual treat, so when you open your eyes each morning, you're inspired to start the day.  Try this design, with one chocolate brown focal wall behind the bed and a mix of modern textiles, and my tips on creating the right atmosphere with lighting.

Clockwise from top left: West Elm Slatted Rocker (new!) , John Robshaw Jala Khaki Duvet Cover and Shams ,  Twenty2 'Silt' Pillow, Twenty2 'Afterglow' Pillow,  Kartell 'Cindy' Lamp, Brave Space Design 'Planar' Amoire , Dunn-Edwards Paint in DE6063 Black Walnut, Vers iPod Alarm , Inhabit Living Stretched Wall Art , MVOS 'Heavy Guy' Chandelier , CB2 Alpine Bed , The Shade Store 'Float' Roman Blind from Maharam , Angela Adams Peony Rug

Light It Right! No matter how luxurious the textiles or how comfortable your mattress might be, the right lighting in the bedroom is crucial.  Follow these tips to get it right:

1.) General lighting is important, but one ceiling-mounted fixture in the middle of the room won't cut it.  Layer in mood and task lamps to achieve a relaxing atmosphere and reduce eye strain.

2.) Good general lighting will bounce off the ceiling and wash the walls with light.  A fixture with a glass or fabric diffuser(s) over the bulbs is the best option, so that you don't get glare while lying in bed.  Otherwise, just be sure to put the light the light on a dimmer, which brings me to tip #3...

3.)  Put all fixtures on a dimmer!  It's important to be able to adjust the light level as needed.  Who wants to turn on a bright light if you have you get  up in the middle of the night?  Dimmers are generally easy to install, but I love these dimmers (available in black and white) cause they're a bargain and effortless to add.  

4.) If you like to read in bed, you need the right light to reduce eye strain.  Choose a table lamp that has a diffused white shade.  Something with an adjustable arm is ideal because you can direct the light right at the page, no matter what position you're lying in bed.  For a space-saving solution, opt for a swing-arm, wall-mounted fixture.

5.) Add one lamp, like the Kartell 'Cindy' above, that's sole purpose is to set the mood with a soft glow and a fixture that you'll admire as much as your favorite artwork.  I'm going to have an eco-unfriendly moment here (please forgive me earth) and advise that a mood light is a good time to use an incandescent bulb.  I know there have been many improvements with CFL bulbs, even some that can be put on a dimmer, but the warmth you get from an incandescent is unmatched and when you're trying to set a mood, quality of the bulb is oh-so-important.

Hope these tips help and that the design above provides some inspiration for your bedroom.  Here's to a good night's sleep!

Grey Days

Today I'm sharing some rooms that match the current weather in "sunny" Southern California.  It's been awfully grey and rainy this week, but however you feel about the weather, these rooms will remind you that grey can be a beautiful thing!

From top to bottom: British designer Abigail Ahren's Living Room, Hallway from Living Etc January 2009, Tom Filicia's Showhouse Entryway for House Beautiful 2009, Living Room of Molly from Life and Limb, Emily Robison from the Dixie Chicks via Met Home Nov 2009, Portland home of Heather from Quince, Living Etc, Domino May 2008 (photo by Tara Donne), Blue vase with berries via Design*Sponge, Kitchen from Living Etc June 2006, Cathy and Erik's Brooklyn Bedroom