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

Things I want to do this spring

I've been very motivated to spring clean this past week and now that I've done some of it, I have to say, best decision ever. I got rid of so much "stuff" that was just taking up space for no good reason!

It's also the season for renewal and freshening things up. For me this translates to new inspiration, new experiences and new habits. I decided to make a list of things I absolutely want to do before spring/summer comes to a close. Here goes! 
 

1) Go visit The Getty. I've been wanting to go for months! I definitely want to check out their decorative arts collection and the Getty Villa. It looks like they have a great calendar of events at both the Getty center and the villa. Also, I didn't know this but admission is FREE. I think it's unbelievably cool that everyone has full access to so much fantastic art, culture and inspiration! A wonder.

2) Take a nature hike and see the fantastic spring bloom up, close & personal. A dear friend sent me pictures of the super bloom at Carrizo Plains National Monument and I nearly died! I definitely want to get outside and BE with the wildflowers.   

3) Get back into my yoga practice. I love me some yoga. I feel so much more healthy and relaxed when I hit the mat 2-3 times a week. I can't do a headstand to save my life (respect for all the lovely yogis who can!), but I can hold the pigeon pose for a good 8 minutes. And it leaves you feel you amazing. I really need to get back into it.

(p.s. This picture of the Amansala in Mexico is blowing my mind on so many levels. Sun, palm trees, water, yoga mats... heavaaan!)

4) Leave my phone outside the bedroom so I can resist the urge to check my phone first thing in the morning. I know this is just not healthy. Get a table clock so there's absolutely no excuse to keep my phone by my bedside.
 

5) Spring clean!  I've already begun doing this and I gotta say, it feels amaaaazzzing to purge. I started with my much dreaded coats / shoe closet. Earlier I'd look at the amount of things in there and just get stressed out. A dedicated 4 hours and it's a whole new space!

I have a super basic approach. It's either an easy yes or a hell no!  

For shoes that are off-season or occasion wear, I took a small snapshot of each pair and stuck 'em on the boxes so we never have to search through a pile of boxes again. 

The before situation (piles of stuff) /  the after situation (organization ninja Z to the rescue)...

And I just could not do away with this beautiful pair of slip ons! They're so fab and fun. A gift from a friend who'd visited Kenya, but I've never worn them since they're a size too small. 

Busted out this beautiful black and white tray. One of my favorites. It was stored away for a bit but now it's back in favor :P

And that's a wrap!

What 1-2 things you're looking forward to this spring / summer? Anything that you're looking to refresh / renew / change up?

Image Credits: The Getty, John Arackaparambil, Amansala

Marthe Armitage's Inspiring Wallpapers

I recently discovered a wonderful English wallpaper artist - Marthe Armitage, from reading this article about her in the Wall Street journal. Marthe has only recently gained acclaim for her beautiful botanical wallpapers that she still makes by hand in her riverside home & studio in England. And here's the kicker - Marthe is 86 years old! "Success has arrived for me late in life, and no one is more surprised than I am", she says. Talk about inspiration!

Her most vital inspiration? Nature. “My eyes are always open to it.” 

I'm in LOVE with her hand-printed wallpapers! You can see her entire collection on the website of historical wallpaper dealers, Hamilton Weston. And there's a cool video as well if you want to see what her design process looks like.

The mug in this picture caught my eye too. Absolutely beautiful.

Her collaboration with luxury perfumers, Jo Malone, a pattern called Summer Afternoon.

Image credits: Vogue, Elle Decor, New York Times, Daily Mail, IMAGE, The Telegraph, Hamilton West, Nick Balloon photography

Wallpaper Obsession (25 Beautiful Objects, No. 23)

I'm officially obsessed with this wallpaper. 

It's by Cole & Son and it's called Fontainebleau. I love the colors & delicate-ness of it! The exotic birds and those blues. It might be too dramatic for a large wall, but I think it looks lovely in a small space or done as a panel (like in the 2nd image).

There's a cool story behind how this pattern was designed. The designers from Cole & Son found a vintage French document pattern that was in fragments. They filled in the gaps with their imagination and created this beautiful bird & floral pattern, naming it after the lovely gardens outside the Palace of the Fontainebleau. There's a picture of the original fragment at the very bottom.

I think it's great how a piece from the past can inspire present design. You never know where you're going to get inspiration from!

No. 23 on our list of 25 Beautiful Objects

23. Cole & Son's Fontainebleau Wallpaper

                        Original document pattern