Cooler Than the Debt Ceiling

YUP, I got a little political. I don't care for political talk on blogs, but I'm going to make it about design, so roll with it. I don't even know anything about what "Debt Ceiling" means but I've heard it thrown around a lot...I saw some gorgeous cool ceilings a few days ago and wanted to see more.

I've become borderline obsessed with fabric ceilings. This showroom has one with a looping fabric ceiling interacting with the lighting etc and almost ruining it with boring furniture. From HERE.

Mollie Johnson blows me away with this undulating black and white ceiling. I love large exposed beams and the way they are painted here with a contrasting black and white is amazing.

This simple weather wood ceiling is subtle but incredibly beautiful. With all the action going on with textiles and the chandelier its nice to have a calming light ceiling. Andrew Racquet.

Intricately painted ceilings are rarely seen except for if you go to the Frick, but Tobi Fairley takes the painted ceiling and makes it appealing and more modern. It looks like an abstract painting.

Need a place to put some wallpaper? How about the ceiling? Am loving this paisley pattern on the ceiling. From this Pinterest place.

Allison Caccoma gives us more black and white detailing with these arches leading into this sitting room.

I saved the best for last. Need I say more? Benjamin Noriega Ortiz

So did you forget about the debt ceiling? Did I distract you with the cool ceilings? Good. Since I live in a blah rental apartment it's fun to see all that you can do to the ceiling with a high gloss paint, or a fabric treatment. Putting wallpaper on the ceiling is a fun idea too. If you ahve some left over (as I do) putting it in a small room certainly adds another dimension. Happy Saturday!


Alicia B.

Time to Hang Out Outside!

Trina Turk HERE.

Now that the temperature in New York has dipped below 95, I think it's safe to go outside again. I love summer and I love hot weather but I don't love not being able to breathe because it's so hot. Mid 80's is my favorite temperature and since I live in a mini hi-rise, I'm dreaming of some lovely outdoor spaces.

Why even bother dealing with your outdoor decor when you have a view like this! Still, flowers, and placemats/tablescaping is important. A Columbian home from Veranda Mag.

The furniture is MEH, but the architecture with the loggia and slatted ceiling are pretty good looking. That dog needs to beat it and let the light fixtures get a little attention, too. From HERE.

Gary McBournie has some fun rattan furniture with preppy striped cushions but the eye catching feature (am I a real-estate agent or something?) is the movable shutters. They let in air and some very beautiful light.

Living Etc. This one my first pin on pinterest and it's gotten a LOT of action! I love the swaying fabric panels. Isn't the pink so tropical and gorgeous?

This image, which was on the cover of Elle Decor last summer reminds me of New England. I can't remember exactly where it is though--could be on the Hudson somewhere. Anyway it reminds me of a cool summer night in CT.

Sixx Design designed this wonderful wooden slatted deck. The most impressive part are the beautiful shadows that it casts.

My first thought in the morning...

Are you the type of person who wakes up in the morning and their first thought is a tiny decorating idea? If so, you and I should be friends. My first thought yesterday morning as I opened my eyes, was of my overwhelming desire to put trim on my lampshade that sits on top of my dresser. Is that weird? Or does that just make me an awesome designer? I think the latter. Anyway, check. It. Out.

First I had to pick out which fabulous trim to put on the lampshade. Since I worked in the D & D building I sometimes got free trim from fabulous places like Scalamandre. No ivory braid this time.

No fringe, I wanted it to look more crisp.

I LOVE this one but not for a lampshade.

And FINALLY, I found the one (the one) I was looking for! Next I had to measure it and glue it on. When I say measure, I mean wrap it around to see that it fits and then cut it. Obvi.

I got this awesome glue for fabric at my favorite art store on the Upper West Side, Lee's Art Shop and went to town on the lampshade.

Wooo! I put it on the top and bottom and I think it looks fresh and finished! The lampshade was from BBB so it was in expensive and I can switch up the trim on a new lampshade, come fall.

Close up.

What do you all think? I love mini projects like this. I have zero time lately with work and my wedding being in TWO WEEKS, so doing a quick creative project (craft time!) makes me feel good. Do you all have any mini projects like this? Do you have a lamp that needs some action?


Alicia B.

Throwing at a Wedding

Our wedding is now in less than three weeks and all the little pieces of it are coming together (thanks to my mom!). My mother asked me what I thought people should throw as my future husband and I are leaving the wedding and of course I want to do something special and different. Take a look at the fun ideas I've seen. Don't worry I omitted the releasing the butterflies idea--not my style.

Bubbles are fun and very beautiful--my friend (that works HERE) had them at her wedding 2 years ago and I saved the bottle because it's so cute and romantic! From this cute photog blog.

At the wedding I was in a few weeks ago for my bestie from college, we all got sparklers. It was very summery and fun. (I took this picture)

Lavender is a classic thing to throw at the new couple. My sister and her husband had that and it's very beautiful and doesn't hurt the birds like rice might. From HERE.

This is a super patriotic idea of everyone waving the stars and stripes as the couple heads off to their honeymoon. This could me a cool idea to bring all the flags from different countries represented at the wedding or of the two families background if they are different. From SMP.

This is my favorite idea--throwing pom-poms! I love the colors and it could be a really cost conscious idea too. This would also make amazing photos! From this fab pinterester.

I still don't know what we will be throwing...or do I? Maybe I'll have 100 white doves released as we run out of the wedding--I know my fiance would love that...and my dad too. HA. Does anybody else have any cool ideas?? What did you marrieds throw?

Alicia B.

Orkney Chair Love

My favorite part about my job is the shopping part--surprised? Recently I was asked to find some accessories and other items for a beach house. Though my idea was rejected I thought an Orkney chair would be fun in one of the bedrooms; perhaps the guest room. I was wrong but I decided to take a look at how else they are used. As a bit of history, Orkney chairs come from a small Scottish island of Orkney and were made from the materials that the inhabitants had readily available. What started out as a small stool covered in straw, became a unique looking hooded chair to protect them from the drafts.

Through my search, I saw them used as dining chairs. Mixing chairs at a dining table looks eclectic and collected and I love the Orkney chairs at the head of the table. Found this awesome image HERE.

I love the white washed body on this Orkney chair--it makes it softer. This room is just lovely and the Orkney chair is less predictable. By Phoebe Howard.

I love this image. This is like the book "Goodnight, Moon" where you try to find the little mouse in every picture. Try to find the mini Orkney chair in this one! What a sweet accessory in a child's room. By Shannon Bowers from Veranda.

This is a lot of wood tones for my taste but it's interesting to see the entire table surrounded by Orkney chairs. Heavy. By Mark Boone.

Here is another white painted chair in a beach house--perfect for a beach house like I thought! I'm loving the idea of an Orkney chair in a pool house--and I love the drapery fabric too. By Phoebe Howard again from HERE.

A chair at a stair landing is a perfect use of space. It's a nice focal point and usually you just walk by that area. I'm not saying that you'll sit in that but its a very beautiful chair and therefor the perfect spot for it. Orrick & Co.

The amazing thing is that these chairs are all handmade (if you buy right) and unique. You can find them at antiques stores--I was first introduced to them at my first job HERE. So, are they becoming ubiquitous? Do you like them? In my imaginary house on Nantucket, I think I'll have an Orkney chair somewhere in there. Maybe in the guest room...hmm.

Happy Friday (this day can't be over fast enough)!



Alicia B.

Bunting Flags in Real Life

SO my life lately has been all wedding all the time as I am getting married in less than a month now (YAY!!!) and somewhere in between there I was surprised with an amazing bachelorette party and my younger sister popping into town all in one weekend!! I've been busy and it's not going to change for a while, but I'd like to show you some of my inspiration right now. I designed the basic look for the rehearsal dinner before the wedding and it will have a bunting banner in it. I was perhaps a little overly ambitious when I said that I'd make it, so that's now I'm spending my Sunday afternoon.

I am obsessed with these nautical ones. The rehearsal dinner will be at a boat house and i've designed it to be very nautically inspired so I'm using all blue and white patterned fabrics. I guess I could buy these from Etsy...but what's the fun in that?

From Country Living, these are very summery and sweet looking.

Yellow and white has a very special place in my heart. Checks, stripes, and polkadots all look great as long as they are all yellow!

I feel like the colors should be consistent and thought out in advance but I suppose as long as they're not drastically different, it'll look good.

These little ones are super nautical and i love the yellow! The rope as a napkin ring may or may not be something we will be doing, too. (I thought of it first.)

Hay bails and balloons make this a very precious and "country" looking party! I love the action shots of people hanging the banners. It's going to be good inspiration when the time comes!

Burlap banners are looking pretty good right now. They are one sided, and you don't have to color coordinate...hmmm.

A little twist--combining a paper lantern and bunting flags! Is the trend going overboard here? This looks way too labor intensive for me...

So I'll let you know how it goes and show you my step by step. Trust me this isn't going to be super easy. I'm starting with a template of a triangle and looping it around a white rope. Also I fell into a time sucker called Pinterest. Check out and follow my Pinterests HERE. If you haven't joined, go for it! You can see all my sources there too...

Alicia B.