I know I'm supposed to love this, but...

I just can't. As a (wannabe) designer, I realize that this is a very important house, revolutionary idea, etc., but I feel sad instead. This is from the NY Times article, Surrendering to the Landscape and is built by architect Tom Kundig and his wife (also a designer) in southern Idaho. Take a moment to look at that view; isn't it incredible? Then you look down at that cement and glass BOX of a dwelling and you say, OH COME ON. Take a look at the rest of the house:

I'll admit that if I were there where she is standing I'd be just dying over that view, but what if you were on that mountain behind her? She's blocking the view!!

Big block cement wall.

This is their garden. Beautiful rose garden with thick cement walls on either side. What's the point?

I love the idea of the windows on either side of the fireplace. That's amazing.

View of the modular living room.

AMAZING view of the mountains while they make me dinner. This is the kitchen, btw.

Lots of books. For some reason though, that fabric on the chairs doesn't really say contemporary/ modern home in the desert.

This isn't part of the article but it's a picture of an uninterrupted beautiful landscape in the same area as the home above.

I do love some aspects of this home, however it just doesn't feel right to me to place that little block in the middle of something so majestic and beautiful in nature. Is there a way that we can have a neat looking house in the middle of a gorgeous landscape without making it look like that? I get it; it's the juxtaposition of the two forms, but I think it's too obvious. I'm over it. Also, doesn't it seem strange that people are railing about destroying our environment, animal's natural habitats etc, yet we're supposed to be in awe of this home? Up by my parents' home, there is a house that is partially underground. It's SO cool looking and there's just a simple silo coming up from the ground (the rest of the house is built into the side of the hill--and it doesn't destroy the view of the Berkshires. Thoughts? Please don't yell at me.


Alicia B.

Etsy Shop: Drippy Ice

I think I have the most creative and talented friends. When I was up in Saratoga for New Year's with my friend whom I met in Florence, she showed me her Etsy Shop. She hand makes jewelry: necklaces, earrings, bracelets etc. Take a look at some of my faves!

Big Bad and Bold! They also come in the funky colors below and a soft grey HERE.

How cool are these? So funky and made of re-purposed wood! $56

Pretty Danglies.

Evil Eye Earrings for $92. I love that blue color. So pretty!

This might be my fave thing. I love long necklaces like this and the stones are gorgeous.
The Colors of Fall Necklace $39

She showed me some of the silver etched pieces shes been working on and also some work with feathers! SO NOW! I am expecting some feather earrings in the mail soon--AHEM. Contact her HERE for more info and pictures. Word on the street is that I have boring jewelry and the pearls aren't going to cut it every single day of the week.


Alicia B.

Striped? Solid? or Patterns? So many Choices!

OY. Sorry Horchow, but you're scaring me. Yuck.

I love buying new sheets, so I've been on a mad hunt for the perfect sheet-set. This means, affordable, good quality, and good looking. All of the sheets I have now are solid (pink) or white with a pink embroidered stripe from the late Hold Everything. Tear. Anyway, I've had my eye on some cute blue flowered patterned sheets. I haven't had patterned sheets since I was a girl and they were flannel with little pink roses (I think) and it's time to bring them back. Here is a mini guide to some fun/luxurious bedding; some striped, some solid, and most patterned.

If you're going to go with a solid sheet, you had better go with something high end. Sheets of Egyptian cotton? YUP. These are 100% cotton sateen from Frette--the Doppio Ajour Bedset. And guess what? They're on sale starting for $450!


Or, if you have a soul or a conscience or something, you could go for eco friendly bedding at Cuddle Down. I think they have more affordable eco/organic bedding at Target or The Company Store.

A menswear inspired stripe for this Ralph Lauren bedding. Cole Brook Stripe and they're on sale too! These look quite comfortable; like those button down cotton menswear pj's!

Classic Ralph Lauren dark but cozy looking patterned sheets. Cote D'Azure.

Imagine yourself in these...OMG how soft and luxurious! Sferra Flores Jacquard bedding made in ...Italy. YUM.

These are fun yet delicate looking sheets from Schweitzer Linen. Schweitzer Linen is probably my ultimate goal in bedding. Their stores are so pretty with nice clean white lace sheets and pillows....These are Ascot in Sorbet color.

I like the trellis-y pattern on these from Gumps. Or maybe it was the huge pillows that caught my eye...whichever. Lulu DK Bedding HERE.

These caught my eye at Crate and Barrel and I believe they are on sale too! I love this pattern--super busy and fun and they're Marimekko! There are a few other variations, too.

What sort of bedding are you drawn to? I'm sort of straying from the hotel style bedding. The clean and crisp feeling of it is wonderful but lately I'm drawn to a busier pattern. Something about it feels super cozy.

Alicia B.

Small Space Dilemmas

Jay Jeffers in the San Francisco showhouse in 2005. Woah, pattern.

So, now that I'm moving, I have to downgrade to a smaller space: a studio. I know. Woah. This evening apres work, I went around and saw a few of these studios, and boy do I have a challenge ahead of me. It got me thinking of how to divide the space so that it looked the biggest and also how to carve out each area; living, sleeping, eating, and baking. Fortunately, I like challenges like this. Also, fortunately for me magazines (that I worship) like House Beautiful and Domino have little guides for this sort of thing. Among other things, one of the tips that sounded the most interesting and intense was Amanda Nisbet's advice of covering everything in the same pattern. Wallpaper, fabrics, lampshades etc. Let's see how this plays out...

The shades and wallpaper are the same beautiful chinoiserie pattern. The desk is gold leaf and it floats right into the space. Designed by Philip Gorrivan, who, btw is amazing.

Ah, Katie Ridder, you never cease to amaze me. This canopied day bed blends right into the gorgeous wallpapered back wall. Matching throw pillows and the mirror add depth to the room.

This small study in Atlanta from Traditional Home looks quite a bit larger with the large scale geometric patterned wallpaper and roman shades. I think the overly tall pedestals with the lamps also play with the scale of the small room.

How much do you want to curl up on that blue chair covered in that soft white cable knit throw and read a book? I know this is a relatively large space but the wall paper and corresponding fabrics really do lighten up and open up the space.

Designed by Ashley Whitaker in the Hamptons.

This is also a large open space but I wanted to show it because it literally has the same fabric on everything: chair, ottoman, roman shades, bedskirt, and ....lampshade! It's such a pretty house-- this image was featured on Architectural Digest about a year and a half ago

(designed by Alexa Hampton).

I think the uber patterning has the same sort of effect that painting a room a dark color has. It seems to eliminate the fact that you're in a small space by not letting you define the space on your own. If the shades, the drapery, and the walls are all the same pattern then you lose your sense of depth. And lets face it, wallpaper is fun.


Alicia B.

Designers, make it work.

Patchwork sofas look ultra chic and diy in a recession.

I just read the most amazing and hope inspiring article ever (for the recession) in the New York Times today. It's called, Design Loves a Depression. Now, I know design blogs are all about pretty pictures, but you're going to have to read a little. We're smart people so let's do a little research, shall we? Anyway, the article is basically saying that even in an economic downturn, design thrives. It's one of the few markets that doesn't completely crash during a depression. Design gets more creative and less frivolous and lucky for us, the quality improves. Ahem, the Eames. They even said that the piece of rickety pressed cardboard that you might buy at a future date from Ikea or Target may just be better quality than in the past. Designers get creative at solving problems too. They see a challenge, like people not wanting to spend much money, and they work around it in creative ways. Yay! So, I hope this article is right. I love finding creative ways to save; I made most of my gifts for my family for Christmas (hotpads, photographs, headbands etc) and it was super fun!

So even if we're in for a rough ride ahead, we have good quality and creative design to look forward to. A neat sounding book they mentioned in the article was Livable Modernism: Decorating and Design During the Great Depression(above). Things are about to get creative.


Alicia B.

First Snow of 2009

Well, It's back to the grind. No more holiday or New Year's Eve parties, Christmas cookies, or Yule Log from the fridge at midnight. It wasn't me, I swear! If you were in the Northeast of the U.S. though over New Years, you experienced an amazing and beautiful snowstorm! It made for some rough driving for me as I went up to Saratoga to spend New Year's with my dear friend from my semester abroad in college. On the upside, I got to take some really pretty pictures! I hope you enjoy them...shameless plug to myself.

Amazing faded yellow barn on the side of a country road upstate in New York. I love how patriotic they are.

Some little red berries poking through the intense and VERY cold snow. I think I still have frostbite from going out in the snow.

I was amazed at the silhouetted silo of this classic barn. Also amazed at my timing!

This is a near white out. Normally you can see the Berkshires from this spot where I took the picture.

Then, I enjoyed some (maybe too much) Champagne to ring in the new year! 2009 is going to be great. If not, at least my attitude is!

Alicia B.