Screen Team

I was instantly smitten by the 900 square foot one-bedroom Chicago apartment featured in this month's House Beautiful (right) and recalled another old favorite that used that same screen as a show-stopping backdrop, in the bedroom of actress Ione Skye (left). This little design trick, credited to the legendary Jean-Michel Frank, creates visual depth and instantly punches up the interest level. I love the way it works in Ione's California bohemian bedroom as well as it does in the casually sophisticated executive's apartment.

I drifted off to sleep last night dreaming of ways to incorporate this into one of my current projects. Have you used a screen in this way? Or seen another great example?  

P.S. To get the scale of the zig zag right on those side chairs in the Chicago apartment, they used Madeline Weinrib rugs for the upholstery. So creative!  

Left: Ione Skye feature from Domino Magazine September 2005; Photo by Paul Costello

Right: Interior Design by Richard Borries and James Shearron; Photo by Ngoc Minh Ngo

Rainy Day Rut

In Los Angeles it's hard to complain about the weather. Although, despite our rep, it's not always happy, sunshine days. Today is actually rather rainy and gloomy. So, when I sat down at my desk and my eyes landed on this inspiration that I had clipped from Lucky Magazine a couple of months ago, it was like an instant pick-me-up. 

Wouldn't it be just as satisfying to wake up to such a cheerful room each morning?  This example from Domino Magazine shows you how it's done in a fun, yet sophisticated way.

Is the poppy orange and pale pink color combo that we're seeing in recent fashion mags going to make its way back around to inspire our home decor in the coming months? Do you have a favorite orange and pink room to share? What do you think of this palette - Fresh or failure?

Nursery Know-How

Last Friday, I posted some of my favorite nurseries and promised to share the resources with you, so that you can pull some of those looks together.  First up, a favorite from the March 2007 issue of Domino magazine.  I'll provide all the links to those exact products. Then, I couldn't resist having some fun of my own, using the Serena and Lily houndstooth crib sheet and green and turquoise color palette to inspire my design.

This room is totally baby-safe and easy to care for, with no-VOC paint from Olympic (Faint Flicker #D64-1), organic materials, and sensible selections like the carpet tiles ("Toy Poodle" from Flor) that allow you to simply replace individual tiles, instead of the whole rug, when stains happen.

Sustainable-wood 'Sam' crib and stool from Duc Duc, Ceramic-earthenware 'Early Bird' pendant from Perch Design, 'Butterfly Jubilee' fabric for roman shade from Mod Green Pod, 'Natural Lee' chair from Lee Industries, Organic-cotton 'Ticking Stripe' from Mod Green Pod, Collapsible jute basket at 2KH, Vintage wallpaper giraffe from Inke Heiland at Romp Store.  'Mini Library' storage unit from Oeuf, 'Eco-Sheepskin' rug from Kaiser can be purchased from Child Organics.

For my design, I wanted a space that would easily grow with the child.  A convertible crib and sophisticated storage were a must and I wanted a unique color palette that didn't revolve around traditional nursery colors.

Take the turquoise and celadon from the inspiration photo above and add a twist, using black as an accent throughout the room.  Paint the entire room a soft celadon and save the bold turquoise for a surprise splash of color inside the closet or paint the back panel of a white bookcase to add depth.  Pull the turquoise into the rest of the room through accessories like the adorable owl pillow.  Add an orange rug for an unexpected pop of color and position the mother and her ducklings waddling across the wall above the changing table.  Use the black and white fabric for floor pillows that offer a soft place to sit during playtime.  The bentwood wall sconce casts a soft glow that is comforting to baby and adds just enough light to navigate the room during those late nights.

Clockwise, from top left: Offi 'Nest' Crib, Not Neutral 'Seasons' rug, Dwell Studio 'Owls' pillow, 'Habibi' fabric from Rubie Green, LZF Orbit Sconce, Blu Dot 'Modulicious' Storage, Dvider ducks wall decal, Serena and Lily's 'Rory' Bedding, Dunn-Edwards Paint (DE5829 Frozen Wave) and Serena and Lily paint in 'Sprout', Luca Glider by Monte

Oh Baby!

With so many new parents in my circle of friends, I thought it would be helpful to round up my favorite nurseries.  What do all these inspiration rooms have in common?  Fun patterns and colors, furniture that children can grow with, and they don't go over the top with a theme.  Skip the theme!

Expecting a little girl?  Don't be afraid of pink!  Just use it on more grown-up pieces like the chinoiserie-inspired screen featured in this Serena and Lily room or choose an unexpected shade, such as....

In this example from Domino magazine, pale blue walls are soothing,

while a hot pink rug captures baby's attention at playtime

Hot pink pops up again in this Duc Duc nursery

Want to steer clear of pink and blue?  Green is a great option, that's also gender neutral.  This Domino nursery is the perfect shade of soft green.  Try Perfect Pear (DE5519) from Dunn- Edwards.  Also, notice the storage shelf under the crib.  This Netto Collection design makes the most of usually under-utilized space.  Brilliant!

Is it a crib?  Is it a toddler bed?  It's both!

This is another smart and stylish solution from the Netto Collection

Here's a fresh color combo from Serena and Lily.

I'm loving that green houndstooth crib sheet!

Baby spends a lot of time staring at the ceiling, so paint something inspiring like these yellow stripes.  This is another great nursery from the pages of Domino magazine.  (Oh, how I miss Domino!)

A beautiful focal wall in this room from Duc Duc offers an unexpected pattern for a nursery and the yellow and white color combo steers clear of being dainty, by adding black to the palette (just as in the Domino nursery with the yellow stripes).

This orange Eames rocker is perfectly placed in

 this polka-dotted nursery from Design Sponge

The Apartment delivers a creative space in this nursery.  A stencil was used to achieve the border and what makes this room even more fun is that the lower portion of the wall is chalkboard paint!

'

Here's another creative space from Style Files 

that allows the little ones to sprout into artists

Hope this inspiration helps you create the perfect nest for your new addition!  Which room was your favorite?  Please, leave your comments and I'll pick one room next week, break down the design, and give you resources to pull the look together!  (Just like I did with this week's post about the rock 'n roll bachelor pad)  Have a great weekend everyone!

Feeling Blue

A certain shade of powdery blue keeps catching my eye lately while browsing through my inspiration files. Maybe it's the hot weather and the color seems so cool and inviting, like a refreshing sip of water or a sparkling swimming pool.

One of my all-time favorite sneak peeks on Design Sponge is the home of Jill Roberson from The Office. The minimalist design with its white wainscoting and hint of blue give the room a dreamy quality, as if you're floating in the clouds. The punch of red in the poster helps ground the room though and remind you that gravity does indeed exist. Sigh.

These blue and white zig zag floors in the home of interior designer Mary McDonald are a fun statement and the graphic pattern provides a nice contrast to the more feminine tufted sofa and valances on the windows.

This Santa Monica CA bedroom from Woodson and Rummerfield would certainly give me sweet dreams.

For a similar look, opt for this upholstered headboard from Jonathan Adler

The blue wall in this room provides the perfect canvas for original artwork from interior designer Jill Crawford. If you're not as talented with a paint brush, try a wall decal from Ferm Living.

A light blue Eames rocker would be like a breath of fresh air in any room.

This kitchen from Domino magazine is a just a bit more turquoise, but still has the same dreamy qualities as the others. The black chandelier is a perfect focal point. If it were any other color, it would feel too dainty.

A similar statement is made in this room from the home of Jill Crawford. With its blue walls and sofa, the one black chair mixes things up a bit.

Last, but not least, here's another blue bedroom from the home of Nicolette Camille. With the daylight streaming through those gorgeous windows, you can't help but want to crawl into the bed and daydream. Or grab a paint brush and start transforming your own bedroom into one of these serene spaces.

If you were feeling blue from a long week at work, I hope these blue rooms added a bit of inspiration to your day! Happy to help :-)

Dress Up Your Walls

Danish company, Ferm Living,  just branched out to the U.S. last year and we just celebrated their one year anniversary at this month's Designer's Networking Group at Vanessa De Vargas' Turquoise showroom.  Ferm offers wallpaper and wall stickers in a variety of delightful patterns and whimsical silhouettes.  

 

The stickers are great for minimal commitment (i.e. apartment dwellers) because they leave no residue.  They can add instant drama to any space; small areas such hallways, entries, and stairways.  The products are also washable, so even kitchens and bathrooms are fair game. Check out Ferm Living's Clever Spaces blog for more ideas on how to use their product.  Also check out Domino's Guide to Wallpaper  for more great patterns to dress up your walls.