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.

Nine By Design: Episode 3

Tuesday night was a FAB night for tv. I normally don't watch a lot of tv but Glee was incredible and 9 by Design gets better and better with every episode. I'm so in love with this family; they are quite endearing.



IN this episode the Novagratz's were challenged to design a gym in Hoboken for wrestlers (HAHA) and basketball players for only 50 grand (BAHAHA). They manage to convince the developer to up the budget, phew.

The other thing going on is Major's baptism. The newest member of the family, Major, is so insanely adorable. Each baptism has taken place in a different home and they seem to get bigger and bigger (about 200 people!?). Suzanne Vega even sang a song for them! VIDEO HERE. It's SO cute!

I loved "going shopping" with Bob. He loves to shop vintage and he took his cutie little son Breaker with him. They bought Courtney a cross necklace which she super loved! So sweet.

Back to the design. The main problem with the gym is the tacky bar in the kitchen (watch the video HERE). They end up trashing and opening up the space, and putting in a pastel Smeg fridge, this fabulous purple geometric wallpaper, and some cowhide rugs.

In the gym area, they designed a space with vintage gym equipment, large metal letters on the wall, and oversized blown up vintage wrestling photographs. It was VERY well received and was really incredible.

Did you guys watch the episode? What do you think?



Alicia B.

Nine By Design: Episode 2

I'm so sorry that I never posted about the first episode of 9 by Design on Bravo but here I am for Episode Two! I have to say I really love this show. Most reality show are all about how rude or mean/dysfunctional you can be but this family is so real and absolutely hilarious! The kids are relatively normal kids and Courtney and Bob Novogratz are really a practical couple.

They are amazingly creative, for one thing. IN this episode they move into an old sex club! Talk about taking on a challenge, but this house is incredibly unique so of course they couldn't pass it up. The house boasts a basketball court, movie theatre, huge windows, and great views of the Hudson!

This is Courtney and the contractor climbing the stairs. She said that they love to make the stairs the statement of the home. Mission accomplished, I'd say. SEE BELOW.

These stairs look sleek and gorgeous! Look down at how many floors this is.

I love this queen stamp artwork that Courtney installed over her tub. This looks so relaxing.

Robert bought this really cool desk by Zaha Hadid which looks amazing in this bedroom. The contractors and workmen were making fun of him for buying such a large piece of furniture.

They also have a great sense of humor. Check out this video of a REALLY MEAN April Fool's joke that they pulled on the family. The best part is when they tell Bob it's a joke and he calls them all animals. HILAIR. Have you guys watched the show? What do you think? DISCUSS!


Alicia B.

9 By Design

9 By Design is Bravo's latest design show to entertain us all--this time with the huge Novogratz Family of Sixx Design. The Novogratz family is made up of Courtney and Robert Novogratz and their seven beautiful children. Not only do they have amazing style, which I've shown on this blog before, but they seem like practical designers; taking into account a budget and the fact that living with children, you can't make everything very formal.

The couple started out just buying houses, living in them, re-designing them, then selling the house and moving on.

They then went on to work on other people's homes and countless hotels! I love their eclectic mix of modern and antiques/vintage throughout each space they design.

I watched a few of the videos on Bravo TV.com and the gorgeous couple seem really down to earth and surprisingly personable. The kids are hilarious and it's clear that their parents have a great influence on them because of their amazing personal style!

Most reality shows are all about being loud and mostly obnoxious but this one seems to be a great balance of fabulous style and much needed practicality when it comes to design and raising SEVEN children. You all MUST go to Bravo right now to watch some clips (I've done that about 5 times so far so you better catch up). Sixx Design also came out with a book Downtown Chic a few months ago, so this hot design team is on a roll right now! The show starts on April 9th and I don't know about you, but I'll be counting the days, so stay tuned for my reviews!!

Alicia B.

Zippy bedrooms want your attention.

In the latest House Beautiful I was completely taken by Mary McDonald's home that she designed in LA. In regard to the incredible bedroom she said, "People have rules about bedrooms, that they're always supposed to be soft and pastel. Why can't they be zippy and vibrant?" I thought to myself, "You know Mary McDonald, you really have a point there." Here are some zip-tastic bedrooms.

Vibrant yellow and busy wallpaper everywhere, I've always loved looking at this bedroom. Via Ooh La La Blog.

In this somewhat simple bedroom by Sheila Bridges, she uses a bright green to jazz up the room. The contrast of the black, white and green makes this room quite exciting.

This color blue is gorgeous! I especially like the bold color wall with the busy bedspread. I bet that allows you to use more than one duvet cover and change the room if you so desire. From Living Etc.

Leave it to Jamie Drake to deliver a bright bedroom. Pinks and purples are everywhere you look.

Sixx Design. The bare bones of this room are quite tame, but with the drapery fabric and upholstered bed and the large scale color filled painting over the bed you are not bored.

At first glance, these rooms do nothing but delight me. There is so much to look at and bright colors to distract me. Personally though, I prefer a calmer color palette in my own bedroom. I have blue/grey walls and a simple white matelasse bedspread. There is still plenty to look at: books, pretty lamps, photographs and art work on my walls. I think Mary McDonald makes a valid point. We see so many whimsical and calming bedrooms, why not have an energetic and jazzy one? It certainly stands out.


Alicia B.

Pink Drapery Adventure

Here are only a few of the pink fabrics that I was working with. We ended up going with a soft and sweet silk taffeta.

As I mentioned before, over the weekend I was going to visit a client's to advise them on new updated pink drapery for their bedroom. As pink is my favorite colors, the fabric shopping I did for this was incredibly fun for me. Here are some pictures of rooms with pink drapery that I think are just fantastic.

Sixx Design. This is a sweet and fun kid's room with fun flowery drapery. Also please note the wall of pink red and yellow flowers. A living wall? In a little girl's room? LOVE.

House Beautiful. I think i might have posted this before but it is true perfection for me. This guest room has the perfect relaxing shade of pink and I can't resist a Dash and Albert rug. I love how the light shines through the pink curtains.

House Beautiful. Again, pink and green had me at hello. This is a more subtle shade of pink and certainly lightens the room.

Country Living. I love nearly everything in this room except for the powdery pink cabinet on the left. Too much. I think the pink stripe drapery though is fabulous.

Bierly Drake. I saved this one for last because it's to DIE FOR. Everything in this scene is just lovely and perfect. I love how high the drapery is hung, the choice of furniture which has dark accents to counter act the light feeling in the room, and how the curtains are all cinched together at the top and flow out at the bottom.

Needless to say I'm excited to see the pink drapery when it installed in a few weeks. My clients instantly loved the pink that I picked out and the fabric is on it's way! I'll show a before and after sometime soon.


Alicia B.

Random Design Inspiration Friday

Even though I gave myself a four day week this week, it was jam packed with busyness. My class just kicked into high gear and I have just about everything due next week, I'll be showing drapery fabrics to my client this weekend up in CT (SO JAZZED), and I'm working on decluttering my apartment. Hopefully I'll get a moment this weekend to just breathe. Here are some pictures that are helping me do just that!

I saw this amazing series of balloon pictures on You Are My Fave. Aren't they incredible? It reminds me of the hot air balloon races that used to happen when I was younger; all of a sudden you'd look up in the backyard and there were masses of balloons floating above you. (Btw, this has nothing to do with those lunatics who lost their son yesterday in a balloon. Weird.)

I love to photograph balloons whenever I get the chance. These are my latest; taken in Central Park a few weeks ago. Picnic Balloons.

Sixx Design is one of the most intensely inventive design firms right now. I'd just DIE for the garage door opening into the space. I wonder how that would feel to be in a space that open.

Keith Scott Morton. Everyone knows I love a good Windsor chair. The color of the door is perfect for fall right now.

In a few hours I'll be off on the train up to CT in this icky rain. I haven't been home in a while so I'm really looking forward to this. Rumor has it that we'll be eating dinner HERE! SO delish. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Alicia B.