Lockdown Diaries Day 1: Art sets & series

With the extended shelter in place deadline, and some uncertainty still ahead, I’m starting a lockdown series and will share 30 posts over the next 30 days. Design, art and beauty can definitely lift the spirits, so here goes!

Today’s theme - Art Sets & Series. A series of prints, paintings, photographs or objects can be a great visual element in a room, and tell a great story. It can also unify and create connections between spaces. Here’s a few ideas and examples.

A set of (what appears to be) oriental battleship paintings spotted at SF Decorator’s Showcase last year. You’d have to see them up close to really appreciate the detailing. I tried to capture it in the closeup below!

design by Alexis Humiston, photography (above) by Christopher Stark

A set of vintage car prints by Leslee Mitchell, in a room designed by Erin Gates. This is her son’s big boy room and the little fella loves cars and trucks. This was a cool way to capture that in the room.

Minimalist botanicals in antique brass frames

Lee Radziwill’s 5th Ave apartment (maximalism done right!)

A still life series by artist Susan Hable.

An abstract art series by the same artist. Love the archival paper & gray matting.

A set of gentleman prints unifies the space

An entry that would make you take a pause. Love the ribboned hats!

via Design Sponge

Beautiful gold medallions in this bedroom designed by Anna Burke Interiors.

Framed vintage Vogue covers

Dana Gibson’s iconic leopard motif

Giclee watercolor portraits by Mary H Case. Love the depth of the faces!

Cubist faces by Hayley Mitchell. So chic.

A cheerful color block series by Pen & Paper Co.

Project Reveal - A Chic Eclectic-Glam Bedroom

You guys, I’m excited to share this project with you today - a recent bedroom design I worked on for a sweet client! She’s a lovely young lady with a zest for life and wanted to transform her bedroom into a beautiful, inviting space. We worked on it over the fall and I finally have some good pictures to share with you. Thank you to her for being a total rockstar as we had to shoot the room twice due to lighting snafus. (seriously, you're awesome.)

We wanted to make the room a cozy, comfortable space for her, without compromising on style. It needed to feel chic and exciting.  Based on our discussions and the inspo images she shared with me, here’s a few things I kept in mind when designing out her space

• reflect her personal style (eclectic-glam)

• bring in elements that bounce off the natural light in the room (mirror/reflective surfaces)

• a comfortable bed & mattress

• a desk to browse or catch up on work

• smaller storage pieces in addition to the closet already in the room.

• lightweight seating for when friends visit

Overall, she wanted it to be a bright, happy space she can look forward to coming home to everyday.

Here are before & after pictures!

Before

After

I love how it’s shaped up :) A fun, cozy space for her to retreat to.

Love the ikat pillows. They were the first element I pulled for the room, and became the jumping off point for the rest of the scheme. The sunburst mirror and stacked ball mercury glass floor lamp are great for bouncing off the natural light entering the room.

A chic white desk serves dual purpose - as a bedside table and a workspace. I really like the details on the desk - faux bamboo legs and brass drawer pulls. The lucite chair complements the desk perfectly & proved to be comfortable for her too.

A light grey diamond pattern rug to ground the bed.

One of my favorite finds are these pretty masonry gray curtains. They make the room feel cozy & the fabric has a subtle glint to it which makes them look expensive.

2 good rules when hanging your curtains: 1) hang them as close to the ceiling as possible (this adds height & can make the room feel more spacious) 2) leave about a 10-12” gap on either side of the window when hanging your panels (this allow for as much light as possible to enter the room when the curtains are open).

My current obssession (ikat pillows)

The scalloped headboard with the nailhead border is a winner. The bed is a great place to bring in interesting detail.

And finally, we added touches of fall throughout the room, as it’s her favorite season!

A tasteful arrangement of white pumpkins, bay leaves, berry branches & a vanilla pumpkin candle by the window. And pomegranate and berry branches in a vase on the desk.

We also created a gallery wall to go up on the wall facing the bed. It includes all the things she loves - sport (particularly tennis!), travel, adventure, and of course, pictures of family and friends. She is going to piecemeal it out, and buy and install the frames over the next few months.

Here’s the scheme that was presented. (naturally, like any design process, a couple of items ended up changing a little)

I couldn’t be more excited with the way this room has shaped up. A huge shout out to her for being a joy to work with - decisive & trusting me with her space. We are both thrilled with the outcome :)

I hope you enjoyed this post. And if you’d like to have me design a room like this for your home - I’d love to. Please email at zeenat.arsiwalla@gmail.com for more information.

Splurge vs Spend - A Coastal Retreat

I don’t know why it is, but I always find myself being drawn to soft, soothing spaces, calming textures and colors, this time of the year. Maybe it’s just my state of mind - wanting calm before the storm that is the holiday season!

So when I came across this peaceful bay side dining room by Erin Gates Design, I was instantly drawn to it. This room feels marvellous to me. A place to catch a breather & a perfect blend of casual and formal. I thought it’d be fun to explore how to get this look in 2 different ways.

A “Splurge” version with luxury furnishings and fabrics. As you’ll see, the $$ start to add up real quick! And a “Spend” version - which is by no means cheap, but definitely lighter on the budget & more accessible to all.

Who else wants to sit at a table like this and take in a view like that right about now? :) Pacific Palisades or San Clemente anyone?!

Source: Erin Gates Design

Source: Erin Gates Design

Source: Erin Gates Design

Source: HoomDsgn

And here’s how to get the look

woven roller shades / dining table / side chair / host chair / lumbar pillow / chandelier
/ sideboard / framed art / vase / lanterns / centerpiece - footed vase, hydrangeas

wooden roller shades / dining table / side chairs / host chairs / lumbar pillow / chandelier
/ buffet / landscape art / chinoiserie vase / lanterns / centerpiece - footed vase, hydrangeas

2 recent finds

I recently came across 2 cool lines that I thought might be useful to anyone taking on a kitchen remodel in the near future. The first is GE’s new luxury appliance line - Cafe Appliances. And the other is a cabinetry source - Cliq Studios - that not only has refreshing cabinet styles and colors, but is well priced too. Thought I’d share in case anyone out there’s looking for recommendations on what’s new & exciting in the market and a quality product!

I’ve bookmarked these out & ordered samples - will update once I have ‘em.

Have a look!

1. Café Appliances
A few months ago I saw this ad on TV of these suuuuuper snazzy looking appliances by a brand called Café Appliances. I hopped on to their website and was surprised to find that they're actually GE's new luxury appliance - well done on the branding!  GE isn’t known for appliances that are particularly high on style, so this was quite the surprise. 

I’m happy to report, it’s a great line. I checked out their french door stainless steel refrigerator in person - it had a nice, clean look & was quite spacious. But what I’m particularly drawn too, is they’re matte white appliance collection. And some fun hardware choices to go with it. How sweet would it be to pair matte white appliances with brushed bronze hardware (like pictured below!)? It’s a winning combination!

When compared to other luxury brands  (Viking, Sub-Zero etc), the white definitely stands out in a sea of stainless steel.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison to give you an idea -

cafe / bosch / viking / sub-zero

Onto the next one.

2. CliqStudios
Isn’t this light-filled kitchen sublime? It’s a small space kitchen that shines because of it’s material & paint color choices. Reaaaaally easy on the eye with that rustic-modern aesthetic. Love those gorgeous cabinets! Crisp, clean & a great color. They're from Cliq Studios.

source: Style by Emily Henderson

Here’s a close up

I really like Cliq Studios’ modern cabinet styles and understated color choices. I ordered samples of the “Dayton” in White and Harbor colors. Will share a picture here once I receive ‘em.

Definitely great sources to bookmark out for a future kitchen remodel!

Feral & fabulous

Clever, edgy, irreverent - that’s how one might describe Simon Doonan. He’s the world’s most famous window dresser, creative-ambassador-at-large at Barneys, and the author of several books on his experiences in the world of high-fashion & glamour (Confessions of A Window Dresser & more).

I got introduced to Simon through the podcast Design Matters, and his interview was such a clutter-breaking delight to listen to, I had to share! Wicked, fun, bold & tongue-in-cheek - much like his approach to life.

Sharing 6 of his iconic window displays on the blog today! From metal scraps to Louboutins, to everything in between - have all found their way into a Simon Doonan display. “Try things that other people aren't doing and they'll automatically have some kind of impact."

Here’s links to Simon’s hugely entertaining TED Talk (on his unconventional career) & his talk at Moth (on being invited to decorate the White House Christmas Tree).

Onto the displays. Feast your eyes!

”Swimming with Louboutins”
To mark the opening of a new floor at Barney’s, dedicated solely to shoes, Doonan created this display of fish swimming amidst suspended Louboutins.

Pretty x Provocative
A mannequin in a dress perched on a pile of branches from the streets of New York.
“I was running out of money for the season, and I noticed they were cutting down trees,” said Simon.

A Creative Spin on the Ordinary
Starburst displays made from pantyhose.
“Everything was made out of something else, and that’s a signature thing I started doing that gave Barneys an edge,” Doonan said.

“Andy the Compulsive Collector”
When Andy Warhol died, Doonan created a display as a nod to the pop culture icon (and to the fact that it became known he was a bit of a hoarder!)

“We love SIR Paul Smith"
A nod to when designer Paul Smith was knighted by the Queen. Reams of ribbon were used to design the queen’s face.

“And The Awards Goes To” - To mark the partnership between hair care company Nexxus x the Tony Awards, Doonan created this display of a glamorous woman on stage, presenting an award. Her hair was made entirely of Nexxus hair care bottles, while her dress was designed out of Tony Awards posters.

Creative, absurd, weird & wonderful - wouldn’t you agree? Who else is inspired?

Image Credits: Art Observer, Zimbio, Pinterest, Pinterest, Getty Images