Rando Design Inspiration Friday

I'm still riding high from the mention in the Washington Post, but also, it's Friday! Every single day this week I thought it was Friday, even Monday, so this day has been a long time coming! Enjoy my random pictures for the day.

I just adore this bathroom by Amanda Nisbet. Who needs a mirror when you can say, "Dahhhling, you look maaahvalous!"

This is by amazingly talented Siskin Valls. I love the use of antiques and the distressed doors here.

After a late night last night, I'd so love to curl up in one of those gorgeous ikat upholstered chairs and read a book. The rug is exquisite--I love the color and how it is contrasted on the deep soot brown walls. From House Beautiful.

I am in the city for the weekend and might head down to Prospect Park to spend quality time with my cousins and their (semi) new baby! Have a lovely, fun, creative, and relaxing weekend! Big plans? Tell me!


Alicia B.

Thank you Terri!

I'm so honored once again to be included in Terri Sapienza's Blog Watch in the Washington Post. Thanks so much!

www.aliciabdesigns.com

Also among the honored are Habitually Chic and Color Me Happy! Congratulations to them as well!


Alicia B.

Reader Question: What is Bobbin Furniture?

A few months ago, a reader asked me a very good question. What are these bobbin chairs that I keep referring to and praising? Originating mainly in the 1800's in England, the furniture ornamentation changed to a lighter look with bobbin or spool ornament. Bobbin furniture is mostly antiques and you can find a lot of beautiful ones on 1st Dibs and some less expensive ones on Ebay HERE, for example.

This gorgeous corner bobbin chair is one that I found on 1st Dibs from Yew Tree Antiques; one of my favorite antiques stores. A corner bobbin chair is quite rare.

These dining chairs are especially pretty as you can see the finish is worn down revealing the wood. By Victoria Hagan (her house on the Hamptons!)

Isn't this painted bobbin bed AMAZING? The answer is yes. By James Michael Howard.

The beauty of these chairs is that you can see their framework and they are still quite comfortable. The room by Mollie Johnson is very elegant yet very inviting.

Dan Marty, who has his own showroom, sells bobbin chairs as well! I love the upholstery on these. As a side note, how gorgeous is the color of these walls?

In searching I noticed that Martha Stewart also makes a bobbin chair HERE. Can you blame me for getting excited when a designer uses a bobbin chair in their work? They are so pretty and versatile. Thanks for the great questions--keep them coming!

Alicia B.

Felt Adventure at the Cooper Hewitt

Last night I decided to really take advantage of my Cooper Hewitt Museum Membership and I went to a Felt Workshop! I know, felt. It's weird. It's for weirdos with too many cats and people who do crafts on the subway. Well, it is kind of, but it's also incredibly fun (with super cool people too!) and creative.

The workshop was taught by Jessica Franks, from Brooklyn who just opened her own Etsy Shop, June Bug Felts after her incredible success at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. She taught us that felting is creative, and a very physical process as well.

The designs can be very intricate or an abstract design. You can make pretty patches or bags as well. I personally think the bags are a little bit to indie, Brooklyn, I ride my bike everywhere to save money etc. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that I'm not cool enough to pull it off.

You can also do text! This Kiss More patch is only $30.

I was finally convinced a few weeks ago at one of Cooper Hewitt's Friday night garden parties after a few (one okay!?!?) glasses of wine that felt was actually really pretty and there was so much that you could do with it as a material. It's really just wool!

Also felt can be made into furniture. This one is at the Cooper Hewitt, too.


I did a big cursive A for mine! Amateur looking, but I really like it. Felt isn't always weird rock pets, right?

Alicia B.

Painted Floor Love

Diamond Baratta LOVES custom painted floors. They always have such inventive patterns based on the clients interests!

I've always found something very charming and sweet about painted floors. Wide planked wood floors are gorgeous but a painted floor is just something different. Take a look at some of my favorites.

I'm going through the Southern Accents website very thoroughly so that I don't miss a thing before they sadly close their doors. I love the simple stripe leading you through the hallway to the bedroom here. By Bill Ingram Architects.

Shannon Bowers painted a simple wide diamond pattern on the kitchen floor. I love that she chose a dull brown/red.

Nancy Bozhardt, genius that she is, used different stains to pattern this gorgeous floor.

Mary McDonald made this soft blue and white bathroom a little bit jazzier with a zig zag blue and white pattern. I adore this bathroom.

Domino Mag had a guide on how to stencil your own floor with custom patterns! I wouldn't do a spiral but this pattern is whimsical and fun, as decorating should be.

I think that when I have my own country home in CT or up in the Hudson Valley, I"ll have a painted floor hall in my historic house. HERE are some fun reasons why you should have a painted floor. Do any of you have a painted floor? Grow up with one?


Alicia B.

Julie & Julia: Food and Fab Set Design

Like a lot of people this weekend, I saw Julie & Julia. I LOVED it. It was so inspiring not only as a blogger, but as someone who is trying to overcome their fear of cooking (I mean cooking more than ravioli from the store). I love cooking but I guess i just need to be more like Julia and be fearless (stab lobsters with more gusto or something)! More than anything I loved the set design done by genius, Susan Bode.

Julia at the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris. I loved the white walls, copper pots and the incredible brown and white tiled floor. A nice switch from the usual black and white (which I still adore).

This is her Paris kitchen. Again, I love the copper pots. I'd love to have tile work on the back splash like that.

I can't remember where Julia is now but I think this was one of my favorites because of the grass cloth on the walls which you can see slightly in the background. This apartment was much lighter than the others and that wall paper is so pretty.

Julia's kitchen in Cambridge MA is usually everyone's favorite. I love it too. I learned in the movie that she had the counters raised a few inches because she was so tall! I can't believe it but I adore the robin's egg blue with the light-ish wood in this kitchen.


My favorite part about seeing this movie (besides wanting to go cook after) was that they handed out the recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon from Julia Child's cook book! So cute. What did you guys think of the movie? If you haven't seen it, feign sickness at work and go see it.


Alicia B.