Life is not Black & White

But black and white decor can look pretty good from time to time!  Apparently the contrast of black and white is super hot right now.  Some good, some bad.  Personally I couldn't live in a space that's just black and white.  This girl needs some color but let's explore, shall we?

I've always loved this entry way by Rob Southern.  The high gloss walls are stunning. 

Robert Couturier designed this living room.  The room dividers are really cool but I don't think I could live in a room like this. 

WOW. That's quite a wild backsplash.  Black and White. Chevron. Trend alert. By Anne Marie Midy. 

This is monochromatic but I love all the textures: Furs, woods, twigs. Love it. 

I am obsessed with what this painting might be.  Also, the shades of black, white and grey add many layers to this cool but comfortable looking moment. 

So yeah, theres my view on Black and White interiors.  I think the way to accomplish a successful one is to make sure it has many layers, and textures are key.  Add a little fur in there, some raw unfinished woods, and a high gloss piece of furniture or painted walls.  Or just add a splash of color and go crazy with it!

Alicia B. 

A non zebra rug? YES, they do exist!

I do love zebra rugs but sometimes they don't work in a certain space or home. I know, hard to believe that I'm not advocating for something fur, right? Anyway, often times my clients inspire my posts and this is one of them! As I've mentioned, I'm working on a client's master bathroom and as pieces are coming together in the master bedroom area too, they mentioned they want to replace the rug as well (though perhaps further down the line). Immediately, I envisioned a large faded antique carpet with pinks, creams, and golds. I've been seeing antique oriental and Turkish rugs everywhere lately and loving it.

From Lonnymag. A small rug can help define an area. In this case, it really draws attention to the funky chunky coffee table. It looks like you can just sit down on that pillow and play a board game. Life, anyone?

From Clover mag. This one, by Rob Southern, helped to separate the desk area from the rest of the room. It's like a little desk island.

I love idea of a layered rug; a smaller one on top of a wall to wall sisal like this one by Phoebe Howard.

Or many different rugs dividing up different seating areas in this large living room by Weissman Fisher via Point Click Home.

How sweet is this lavender room? This is how faded I envision the carpet for my clients. By Phoebe Howard

Here is a bold one with golds, blues, and reds that really unites the room. And this room is so beautiful! By Michael Smith.

James Michael Howard. Okay, so this one is a geometric but it's soft tones are wonderful.

A bold pattern in a faded tonemakes a beautiful statement but doens't take all the attention away from the other amazing parts to this room. Charlotte Moss via Cote de Texas.

I think this one is my favorite. The soft blue/green and cream tones throughout are so lovely. My client's bedroom has many pink tones everywhere so I think a faded pink toned carpet would be beautiful there. Elizabeth Dinkel.

You don't see many oriental or turkish rugs on the blogs. Many are geometic and striped, which are great and I have 2 striped rugs in my apartment, but often times you need a carpet that will bring together a room, not stretch it out. I hope I find the perfect rug for my clients, but I may just go with a simple plain one. A subtle faded carpet would certainly be perfect though. I can't wait to show you how everything comes together--more on their wallpaper soon!


Alicia B.

Friday Faves

Happy Friday to Everyone! I actually took a vacation day today to install my show in West Hartford, CT that I've been gabbing about for the past week! It's a lot of work; gathering together your work, signing and numbering everything, matting it, and making the labels. I'm pretty excited for this long weekend because I sure do need a rest. Here are a few of my favorite things from the past week.

Though I miss many magazines that have folded in the past year and a half, the online design mags are quite impressive. Clover Magazine had the most incredible Rob Southern spread. I love this intimate but exciting little sitting room and I'm seeing these gorgeous Oriental rugs everywhere.

Have I mentioned that I'm helping a client re-wallpaper their master bathroom? I'm looking for some fun pink and white prints and this one by Katie Ridder might just work. I love the shape and the pinky/salmony color.

I know many of my favorite blogs have been snarking on Lonny Mag but I really like it. I can't get enough of the adorable and creative interiors and the links that are attached to EVERY object. It's quite a dream for someone with ADD/loves to shop for home stuffs. This light sweet bedroom is one of my favorite rooms in the newest issue of Lonny. This room was by Sara Gilbaine.

Alright, ya'll (I just downloaded about 10 new country songs on itunes. Don't judge me). I have to go get ready for this show! I hope if you're in the area you'll drop by. It's at Cosi's in West Hartford, CT and runs from today for just 6 weeks! I hope you have amazing long weekends and fun/romantic/special Valentine's Days!!

Alicia B.

Black and white and awesome all over.

To continue my interest/love in black and white interiors, here is a nice collection of more gorgeous b&w rooms. My apartment is full of browns blues, yellows and greens so this is a nice little fantasy for me.

LOVING this black and white splatter wallpaper made by Hinson. Black and white looks great with that wooden cricket table too. By Tom Scheerer.

EH to the bedspreads; just not my style. BUT I do enjoy a flashy pop of color like that turquoise chair. This dark grey paint is gorgeous and even makes the radiator look pretty! By RJ Thornberg from Point Click Home.

From the late and great Metropolitan Home, I love this dining room by Kelly Hoppen. Zebra rug, yup. Black painted floor, mmhmm. Black and white photographs? SCORE.

I love the drama of this staircase and the pop of bright yellow in the wing chair.

I saw this on Cup of Jo (via Lonny mag) a few days ago. This is the bathroom for the uber glam J Crew on Madison Ave on the Upper East side (where I love to shop). The vertical stripes are very bold, but if you look closer there are many beautiful details: the mouldings, the little ledge with frames on it, and the scalloped mirror. What a simple way yet creative way to make a small bathroom more exciting.

This mostly white kitchen from House Beautiful has wonderful pops of black. The black tiles help to frame out the cabinetry and counters.

Carleton Varney, in true Dorothy Draper style, uses the black and white vertically striped wallpaper in this sweet dramatic front hall. Also, check out the zebra on the stairway.

I know this isn't TECHNICALLY black and white, it's chocolate and white but at first glance, it could be right? This Rob Southern (adore) interior from Clover Mag is traditional but so fun and youthful. The wall covering is actually chocolate and white crewelwork--isn't it AMAZING? I'm just in love with this whole house.

Isn't this fun? I think I may start to incorporate a little graphic black and white-ness into my apartment. I came to New York with NOT ONE piece of black clothing, and look at me now ( I own lots of black now)! Sort of kidding but really, color looks really bright and fun against a more monochromatic background, yes? Black and white can be super dramatic and glam too!

Alicia B.

Coat of Arms in Design

A coat of arms or a family crest is a symbol used to represent your family, your country, or your military as a means of identification. Everyone knew which crest belonged to which family or even individual. They are seen as quite regal and filled with history. Today, although they are less common, they still show up in family rings or in homes as heirlooms passed down from prior generations. I've been seeing a lot of them lately in design in pillows, as wall decoration or elsewhere. It could be a nice way to add something different and personal to a room.

In Rob Southern's latest spread in House Beautiful he painted these chairs white but you can see on the back of them they have a carved coat of arms. The black and white contrast is gorgeous in this front hall.

Michael Smith found this extremely large coat of arms to put in the stairway of this California home. It definitely draws your attention upwards.

Like I said above, many stores have them as pillows. Even though it might not be your family crest, they still look important. By Joanna Poitier.

Christopher Coffin designed this elegant and traditional sitting room and put two small crests over the doors.

These are the most modern and daring looking coats of arms I've seen thus far. I just adored this entire spread from Elle Decor by Badgley Mischka. This room with the monogrammed pillows is so bold yet nonabrasive.

Monogramming has become so popular, perhaps it's time to go with something more subtle? An old family crest? I think one has to be careful not to use it in a pretentious manner-like all over the place. I still love monogramming, of course--it might be awkward if I put the Alicia B. family crest on an LLBean tote, right? One of my favorite crests is the Medici one HERE.


Alicia B.