My Version of Heaven

I just experienced the most heavenly room.   

Dina Bandman's nursery at this year's SF Decorator's Showcase has the one thing I love about great design - it tells a story.  I'll cover the showcase in my next post, but I wanted to highlight and discuss this one room today as it really had my heart.

One of the first things I tend to notice when I enter a space is - how does it make you feel? And "Lemondrop Lullaby"  felt like I'd just stepped into a cozy, comfortable, zesty wonderland.  It really just envelops you.

Dreammmmmy wallpaper,  a lucite crib that looked next-level amazing, perfect hardware, lattice work on the ceiling, a revitalized vintage dresser, and the most adorable scalloped curtains evers. Flawless right down to the last detail.

I know guys, take a moment. Just take a moment. 

LOVE with the crib. There could not have been a better choice  & it complements the lemon tree wallpaper (custom designed with de Gournay) to perfection. 

A close up of bead work on the wallpaper. It's great how de Gournay aims to surprise and delight with a new technique each year! (last year it was with embroidery)

Impeccable handmade linens by Julia B. 

Super pretty Tiffany wall sconces (designed by Sabrina Landini). Cinched with a band of mirrored glass. 

I loved the gingham in different parts of the room.  On the changing tray and inside the closet.

Who wouldn't want to play,  nap or read with baby in this cozy corner?  :)

The gold & lucite hardware throughout felt cohesive and gave it a touch of glam. Holdbacks & light controls. 

A wardrobe right out of my nursery dreams! The onesies are adorable. And did you spot the lemon dividers?  I love that they went the extra mile on every last detail.

Who else wants to now move into this room? Maybe we can petition our way into it :P

The showcase runs until May 29th so if you want to experience it in person, hurry, hurry.. The house is in a great location too, in the Marina.  Here's details!

I was thoroughly inspired by a lot of the rooms this year. More coverage in my next post, stay tuned! 

Fall with Flair! My Event with The Pierce & Makers Market

Last weekend I had a ball doing 2 super fun Fall entertaining events! One with The Pierce in San Jose and the other at Makers Market on Santana Row.   At the events I shared ideas on creating fresh and vibrant table settings for the season and did a live demo on how you can bring flair, color and a story to your holiday entertaining this year.  Be it a cozy meal for 4 or a lively dinner for 20!

I had a blast sharing design ideas and styling secrets with the lovely ladies that came! For intros, I asked everyone to bring / share something from their home that they absolutely love, and it was great seeing people's favorites - from an iridescent blue Buddha statue given as a gift,  to a vintage Moroccan armoire passed on from mother to daughter!

I had the best time designing and creating this festive, layered table setting. Here's a glimpse into it and some of the ideas I shared! The pictures are a mix from both days.

The perfect setting for our get together - under a canopy of trees!

A standout table starts with a vibrant table cloth! You can get totally creative with your tablecloths - go with fabrics that inspire you. This here is a modified duvet cover. I loved the deep Hermes orange and the pattern, and felt that it had great potential for a fall table.

Next, I added a pair of turquoise candles on vintage brass candlesticks.  Candles are SUCH an easy way to bring fresh color to your table. Experimenting with offbeat colors like turquoise, lilac, lavender, a deep pink, or even black brings that extra something to the setting.

You can change the look of your table with small adjustments! For instance, I switched the place setting on this table to take it from modern to country. I switched the pleated white plates & ruffle soup bowl from Crate & Barrel,  with vintage Perkin Hammer country-style salad plates & beautiful turquoise dinner plates!

Going from country to a more formal, luxe look: These vintage Italian salad plates that I found at an estate sale looked amazing and totally complemented the setting.  Starburst napkin rings bring in an extra element of festive luxury  (found these super pretty ones at Z Gallerie for an amazing price!)

The idea here is to MIX. Mixing a treasured vintage find with a newer purchase. Pairing brass flatware with silver or lucite napkin rings

It's all in the details!
- adding something fun & offbeat to your table makes it uniquely yours! I added this elegant Chinese figure playing an instrument that I'd found at a vintage shop. 
- little favor boxes for your guests with a delicious truffle in it? :)
- footed candy bowls to reinforce color & also have something for your guests to munch on. Fill 'em with little pieces of candy or fruits and nuts.
- glitter pine cone place cards bring in a personal touch & some seasonal charm!

Some more place card ideas... a dandy turkey place card or small white pumpkins with the initials of your guests !   

Acrylic napkin rings are great when you want a contemporary feel.

Speaking of something unique for the table, these candles that I found at Makers Market, are made from recycled bottles. I was told that the makers can make a personalized momento too, say using a bottle from your wedding. How cool is that!

The winner of our "bring your favorite thing!" contest - wonderful Schanelle. She brought this beautiful iridescent blue buddha which was given to her as a going away gift and as a harbinger of good luck. She won the footed candy bowls! :)

Me concentrating as I set and test it all out on day 1. Also, can I just say - I LOVED the lobby of The Pierce. It was open and bright and well lit.  The framed art on the walls were the original plans for Firestone Tire's first tire center from the early 1900s - which is what this building was many years ago. How cool is that!!

We got super lucky with our location on day 2 as well. At the last minute we had a snafu and couldn't do it in our original spot. But then we ended up HERE!  This gorgeous urban oasis style setting in the midst of Santana Row. A huge shout out to the generous manager at EMC for making this happen. We ladies had a blast!

And that's a wrap!

Drop me a comment below and let me know if you enjoyed that!   Anyone else getting creative during the holidays? How?!

MET Gala Inspiration

The MET Gala happened last week and of course it was a fashion blitz and a media extravaganza. Everyone who's anyone pontificated on all that went down on the red carpet! What caught my attention though was the interior decor and the TABLESCAPES :)

This year's gala celebrated the work of designer Rei Kawakubo. I liked that the decor was graphic yet very elegant. That gorgeous blue & white china was THE perfect complement to the popping pinks & reds. Also, the sake cups were a nice touch.

I thought it' be fun to pull together a tablescape inspired by the gala, but one that's easier on the purse strings. Have a look at the pictures and then check out my take on it below!

My take on it - a little classic, a little modern & a lotta fun:

1  The china at the gala instantly reminded me of these blue & white appetizer plates. 

2,3  Pair them with gold & white chargers & dinner plates and you have a winner. Can't go wrong with the classic blue, white & gold! 

4,11  A red table runner  & fuchsia pink napkins ($10 for 6!) bring in that pop of color. You could pair the runner with these placemats which make for a nice neutral base for the setting. Or you could totally just go with a red tablecloth if you REALLY want to bold it up!

5,8  These gold hammered napkin rings (love these from Target) & sparkly confetti flutes, are perfect for bringing in hints of gold.

6,9  Fresh flowers would obviously be amazing, but these faux roses  and candle ring centerpieces get the job done :)

7  And my absolute favorite - marbled candles!  I also found these tapered candles on Etsy which actually work better as a centerpiece, but I prefer the color of the former. 

10  And finally this navy blue planter, taking inspiration from the black sake cups & gorgeous navy blue & gold flatware at the gala. (love this Cutipol Goa flatware. the price tag is a bit insane but they are real cool).

Image Credits: Vogue
 

Color of the Year

"It's not easy being green...."  Well it is this year!  Green is the color of the year, and I'm loving some of the green accents I've been seeing in the design world lately.  Thought I'd do a roundup of my favorites & maybe there's something in here that inspires you too!

I discovered  de Gournay's hand painted wallpapers just the other day and now I'm obsessed. My love affair with botanicals continues.  On a visit to their showroom last week, I saw their various collections & the different materials they paint on, from tea paper to silk & their exquisite catalog of paintings. In love with their mural wallpapers, particularly the chinoiserie.

Fiddle leaf fig trees create such a spot of joy in any room. I've seen people pot them in wicker baskets or seagrass baskets like these at Target, and it looks pretty great. You could get the nearly natural version too if you're not the best plant mom! :P 

here, here,  here & here

Banana leaf / tropical leaf pillows give a room that relaxed, breezy vibe. And they're very on trend.  Love the pairing with beige, black & white.

here, here, here & here 

Agate coasters...I've only recently become aware of how fantastic of a design element agate can be. I saw these coasters at a friend's place in a tray & loved them touch! I tried to look up if there were any sellers on Etsy who'd make these at a budget-friendly price, and lo & behold, I found one -   309DesignCo . They'd make for GREAT hostess gifts for someone who's into modern/eclectic.

here and here

Green & gold seems to be a hot trend right now with furniture, and I gotta say, I'm kind of in love with it. I saw this gorgeous green & gold color palette in the Wayfair catalog. Very modern luxe. A bold move to go with a non-neutral sofa, but it could pay off.

More green & gold -  this dresser spotted at High Point Market last week. I love the details - the gilded bamboo and the pinwheel knobs.

I also found this DIY green & gold nightstand by Maggie Overby Studios. Using a slide under sofa table as a metal base to give it height is GENIUS!  And the end result looks great.

I saw pictures of this Alabama cottage in House Beautiful that has beautiful interiors and exteriors with different shades of green throughout. The lamp in the indoor dining makes a statement, and that outdoor dining terrace submerged in nature, is something else! THE perfect setting for a meal.

Painting kitchen walls & cabinets is one of my favorite decor ideas right now. It's cool to see before & after pictures of remodeled kitchens, and it's craaaaazy how paint can transform it, bringing in a sense of space and light. Here's a few paint colors I thought were impactful but not overwhelming.
 

Modern rustic... 

Elegant.

Industrial chic.

Image Credits: de Gournay, Greenery NYC, Houzz, Etsy, Wayfair, classicremixchicago, Maggie Overby Studios , House Beautiful