Lounging Around the Bedroom

Bunny Williams.  This room is so beautiful and serene and the distressed leather sofa looks inviting and unexpected.

Having a bench at the foot of your bed is a look that I really love and I look forward to the day when I have a bedroom big enough for that.  If you do have a large enough bedroom, you could put a bench or better yet, a small sofa.  The look is charming and creates a great seating area in the bedroom.

In this lovely farmhouse designed by Scott Sanders a small settee is placed at the end of the bed. Its small and simple but the nailheads add character and looks like a great place to have some coffee while getting ready in the morning

This room doesn't exactly look spacious on the sides, but if you have the room, it might be a great idea if you have a studio apartment.  

I love the contrast of the dark structured looking bed with the soft slip covered sofa at the end. 

Lots of grey velvet going on here but it creates a unifying and luxurious look with the gentle curves of the sofa reflected in the headboard. 

Another four poster bed with an upright settee at the end.  Looks like the perfect spot to perch.

I don't love the color scheme in this room by Nate Berkus but I love the art.

Apparently I'm supposed to convince my sister that putting a sofa at the end of her bed is a good idea (lawyers, right!?) so I hope that this posting has convinced her.  Take advantage of your space and make your bedroom not just a place to sleep but a place to sit, relax, chat and read.  You can find more amazing bedroom inspiration HERE on my Pinterest.

Alicia B. 

Cabin Fever

Thom Filicia's newly published cottage up in upstate NY.  Panelled walls, cozy sofas and blankets, and a stone fireplace make me want to escape NYC right now.

As is most of the Northeast right now, I'm trapped indoors due to Hurricane Sandy.  I have my refugee sister from Zone A (Battery Park City) staying with us and after what seems like days of Storm Sandy Watch, we all have cabin fever...and it hasn't even been a day yet.  In order to amuse myself, I'm going to blog it up with some fun cabins and cottages.  See what I did there...cabin fever?  YEAH.

Nothing sets an autumnal mood like plaid upholstery.  And as trendy as they seem I still love a good animal hide throw.  Dransfield and Ross (hot).

Antlers collection!  And I'm DYING in love with that table.  Spectac!  Also, amazing hide throw.

I'm really obsessed with navy blue walls right now paired with accents of creamy whites and brass.   In our imaginary guest room I'm thinking of painting the walls navy blue--too extreme?  This is from Lonny. 

I can't even count how many times I've posted on this room.  This is Bunny Williams's cottage up in Litchfield County.  Look at al the fantastic details in this beautifully decorated room.  Every piece was chosen with purpose, not just clutter.  

Here is a simple moment in a library from Martha Stewart's Lily Pond Lane home.  The yellow on that chair is warm and inviting looking.  

Exposed beams also give a cabin type look.  Too bad our mod NYC apartment doesn't sport exposed beams.  Lame.  By Shawn Henderson. 

Hudson Bay blankets, so hot right now, make up the uber high draperies on this windows for this Michigan cabin. Totally cottage chic.  From Country Living.

What are you guys in NYC/LI/CT doing to amuse yourselves today?  Are you all "hunkered down" today as they keep advising on the news?  Watching TV? Reading a...GASP...book??  I haven't quite gotten that desperate yet.  (Just kidding, reading is awesome).  Hope you all are staying safe!!


Alicia B. 

Mirror Mirror on the Bed

Mario Buatta.  The bedding is better than anything ever but what a gorgeous bed. 

I've never been a huge fan of mirrored furniture, but I've learned that they have a time and a place--not like this.  A mirrored buffet in a dining room can take up less visual space while holding a lot of storage.  I was inspired to find some mirrored beds when I saw this article in the Wall Street Journal about designers being inspired by one another.  Hard hitting.  Intense.  

This is a fun modern mirrored bed.  I love that lamp though on the nightstand. 

This one might be a wee bit too much for me in terms of mirror but I appreciate the fun pink walls and the glam direction its taking. 

Bunny Williams.  A neutral room with a little bit of sparkle from the mirror and a drop dead amazing headboard is a yes for me.

Another mirror valenced bed by Jonathan Berger.  I love how the top side of this is upholstered...amazing and stripey.

Most of these have been pretty neutral and the same goes for this.  I suppose when you have a statement bed like this you need to let it speak for itself.  Another Bunny Williams. 

A huge headboard and a fur throw?  So glam, Miles Redd.

Remember when I did a blog about mural wallpaper?  Well here is some more PLUS a mirrored bed--this one has such modern lines that it could be a nickel bed frame.  From Elle Decor.

How are we feeling about mirrored furniture?  Scared like I was?  Feelin' it?  Do you just look for another chance to see your reflection in something like I do?  Just kidding, I don't do that.  I just blog and look at fabric.  And love Bunny Williams, clearly.

Alicia B.

Summer Dining

Industrial Dining Chairs.

As a Pinterest connoisseur (slash can't look away), I've been obsessing over cool looking dining chairs lately.  I'm sick of the whole Chinese Chippendale chair, or the upholstered chair with a different fabric on the back and the front.  Not to say that those aren't great looking but I"m looking for something more right now.  Something out of the ordinary.

Lynn Morgan Design used these blue grey wicker chairs in a beach setting. 

From Elle Decor, I've always loved French Bistro chairs in any form; dining and bar. They are beautifully constructed but casual and comfortable.

Look at these Macintosh inspired dining chairs in this Marrakesh interior.  They are super beautiful chairs but possibly uncomfortable.

Carrier and Company designed this soft light-filled dining room and used a French Linen fabric on the chairs.

This is a peaceful looking breakfast table in a Hollywood Hills Home.  These woven chairs look comfortable and beautiful.  Nate Berkus. 

Might I have an obsession with woven chairs?  Probably.  Designed by Edwina Hunt.

I LOVE these chairs and I actually selected the side chair version for a client at my previous job at house in the Hamptons.  This Sea Island house is by Bunny Williams.

I can't wait to have my own dining room (I don't have one now), and to pick out chairs for our new home.  Whenever that is.  I think comfort is an important factor and so I'd prefer to sit in it before buying.  Also, you have to think practically.  If you have fabric, will it hide stains?  Will it be seasonally versatile?  The pictures above are mostly from summer homes so they have a less formal quality, but I prefer that actually. Which one is your favorite?  

Alicia B.

Antique Book Nerd

I love love love design books. I have them everywhere around our apartment: on the coffee table, in the shelves, on my desk, you get the idea. I really love antique books, though. I don't have a ton, but the ones I do have are arranged strategically in my bookcase so that they look like art--which they sometimes are.

From Houzz. I have collected antique books from thrift stores or tag sales and have received some as gifts.

Recently while I was shopping for gimps (yeah you know it!) at Claremont, I spotted this AMAZING screen with a bookcase display on it. It is a Piero Fornasetti screen designed in the 1950s.

Nate Berkus designed this classic but not stuffy looking living room with bunches of books arranged strategically on the bookcase. They are quite chunky so it is nice to break up the books throughout the bookcase.

Kathy Abbott designed this sweet little room in the Kips Bay Showhouse in 2010. She stocked the bookcase with beautiful encyclopedias.

Of course, Bunny Williams has some gorgeous antique books. This bookcase is packed full with no room for objects or sculptures. Just the books in all their glory.

Robert Kime has set you up here with this traditional bookcase and displays it with a set of encyclopedias or antique books.

I know you can buy books by the yard but I find that...tacky. Books should be selected for personal reasons, not by the yard, for looks. I HAVE bought books because I thought they were beautiful and DID judge them by their cover but also for their content. My favorite is a book with marbled paint on the inside of the cover and a book my friend bought me called "Book of Etiquette Volume II". Amazing.

Alicia B.

Good Pouf vs. Bad Pouf

As you know, poufs are ALL the rage. I rarely go along with trends, but I'm pretty charmed by these little Moroccan stool/ottomans. I've been looking high and low for an affordable and attractive one and I've seen some awful ones and some awful(ly) cute ones.

I've seen a ton of these types of poufs at Jonathan Adler and we actually bought two for a client in yellow. I sat on one yesterday at an installation and it was rather comfortable! This room is by Daniel Pafford from Lonny.

I love the old leather and kilim type poufs. I feel like they were put together with remnants--they feel casual and beautiful. From Bohemia Design. Good pouf.

I saw this on Style Hive. I'm going to go with a resounding BAD POUF. This is like taking all those felt rock that were so "cool" a while ago and mashing them together like a bunch of dirty socks and telling someone to sit on it. Was that too harsh?

Houzz. I LOVE these little crocheted poufs! They are like warm chunky sweaters in this cold scary room.

Katie Ridder's room designed for Design on a Dime has two raspberry poufs that are a fun pop of color and look tres inviting!

Christien Meindertsma designs these poufs. What do you all think of them? They are like the sweater poufs on steroids...

Besides the felt rock one from above, I think this one from Urban Outfitters gets my award for worst pouf. As Raina pointed out, it could work in a kids room maybe but I'm just not feeling it. It looks cheap and if you get that, you might as well get a small bean bag and call it a day, you hipster. BAD.

And for the last, this was absolutely the best pouf I have ever laid eyes on in my entire life. Guess where I saw it! Bunny Williams Garden House tour from Trade Secrets. Isn't it beautiful? You're one in a million, pouf, and Bunny has two of them!

I'm still mixed on whether I should go with a modern or metallic pouf for a bit of fun and contrast in my apt or go with a kilim style pouf as they look the most authentic and they are certainly less ubiquitous. Tell me what to do!!


Alicia B.

Trade Secrets Book Signing

If you know me (you know me by now), you know I LOVE a good book signing. I love to have all my precious design books signed by the designers. It makes it special. Above are just a few of my signed books: Bunny, Bunny, Albert Hadley, Barry Dixon, Vicente Wolf, and Celerie Kemble. Anyway, enough about me. When I heard that there was going to be a book signing at Trade Secrets, I was SO JAZZED. There are EIGHT designers who are going to be there at the Johnnycake Books table (could that name be cuter??) between 10 and 1 to sign books. Besides Bunny Williams, I'm most excited about Carolyn Roehm because I've never met her and love her classic style. I own one of Florence de Dampierre's books as well and adore her. I can't wait to see the garden designers though as well. Gardens and landscape design is something I don't know a ton about but I find it totally fascinating. A beautiful landscaping job can make a home when you first approach it.

For more info about this, visit the Trade Secrets website. Okay, off I go to tour the gardens and see all the beautiful people!

Alicia B.

Trade Secrets Weekend!

This weekend I'll be doing what I do EVERY YEAR on this date...going to Trade Secrets! If you don't know, it's an annual garden tour and sale in beautiful Sharon, CT in which the proceeds go to Women's Support Services, a non profit organization to help victims of domestic violence. Design idols like Bunny Williams (who actually founded Trade Secrets) and Martha Stewart have been spotted there as well.

Bunny's house is on tour every year and her gardens are spectacular and incredibly charming. I'll give you an update after I see them! This year the new designer is Lynden Miller, a landscape designer who specializes in public gardens.

Intriguing, I know. If you live in NYC (of if you've been there), you've probably been to a park that she helped design or rehabilitate--Central Park is one of them. She heads up the Conservatory Garden of Central Park. Above is a shot of a garden at Battery Park City in lower Manhattan.

Who knew there was such a garden in NYC? Above is the British Garden at Hanover Square.

I'm excited to tour her garden home up in CT--don't worry I'll report back to you all! Have any of you been to Trade Secrets?


Alicia B.