Friday Faves

Fun doily tin decoration for all the cookies I'll be making (eating) this Christmas season!

It is the last Friday before Christmas and the second to last day of Hanukkah! I have nearly all of my Christmas gifts purchased and the last of it I will do this weekend when I finally have time. I have finished my class for the semester so that stress is behind me and I did pretty well so I'm quite happy about that. Here are the Friday Faves!

This year my family used a photograph that I took for our Christmas card! If you like it and want to buy one, I'm offering 20% off until next Monday. Time is limited and deals are GOOD. www.aliciabdesigns.com for more!

While I am a huge fan of antique or vintage ornaments, these little crocheted ones are so sweet! Its very cold today in NYC and these are making me feel warm already. From Etsy shop, Amy Gaines.

I love this warm interior by Miles Redd and the different mixes of patterns. I love how he put the Asian art work in the little mirror niche on either side of the fireplace.

Now I have to get cracking on my gifts. I have lots of ideas and I'm finding it so hard to narrow it down. I just love to GIVE (I also love to shop)! I might be going to a carol-sing this weekend with the beau, might play some squash, might get some more Christmas decorating done, and might have some egg nog! Egg nog anyone?

Alicia B.

Need a little Oomph? Here you go!

By now, most of us have been lucky enough to be familiar with Oomph, the fun furniture and accessory line run by three best friends, and if not, well here is your chance. It's a semi new line of furniture, including cocktail tables, coffee tables, gorgeous pillows and lounge chairs. What is different about these pieces is that they add a vibrant pop to your room. I was instantly drawn to this line because of the zippy colors; and we all know I'm a sucker for bright colors. I was fortunate enough to be able to interview the women, architect Louise Brooks, Amy Rice, and Patty Hoppel, who own this company and learned quite a lot!

What inspired the line Oomph?

The three of us were sitting on a beach, discussing how we would love to do something creative together. We came up with the concept of one-stop-shopping for totally revitalizing an otherwise lackluster room for a reasonable amount of money, but of the highest quality and the most current design and colors. However, a few too many rum drinks in the sun may also have had something to do with it.

Why the name Oomph?

Who couldn’t use a little more oomph?

This is just one of many fantastic pillows at Oomph.

Do you plan on expanding Oomph's line?

Yes! More oomph is always better. We have a new line of pillows for the spring (all coordinated with our 16 table colors!) and a couple new table designs both of which will debut at the New York International Gift Fair in January 2010 (booth # 41009,42010 for anyone that would like to come by!) We always remain true to our design aesthetics while working closely with clients, retailers, and design trends to create new, enticing products for oomph. There is much more to come from oomph!

What is your favorite thing in your line?

We all love the coffee tables - they are so beautifully made and have so much personality – I wish I could find a place for one in every color in my house. And if I had to pick one favorite, it would be the Southport, which was inspired by my grandmother’s garden gate. {The Southport Table is above.}

The 'Tini Table with zig zag Quadrille fabric inset on the top! I'm in love!

What seems to be the most popular item for customers?

The `tini tables (named for our favorite drink!) are by far the most popular. It seems there is a spot for one in every room from the most formal living rooms to tub-side in a bathroom!

What suggestions would you have for someone starting their own line?

Be prepared to give up your life for a while! It’s fun, exhausting and very satisfying. Stay true to your own design concepts – do not let others persuade you from designing what and how you want. And know it’s impossible to do everything yourself.

What are your predictions for new design trends in the next year or so?

Oomph thinks color is making a comeback after years of the beige room. Get ready – a splash of oomph is all that room needs to make it au courant.

Thank you to the ladies of Oomph (and Whitney!) for answering my questions, and with such inspiring answers! I know I'll definitely be at the New York International Gift fair this year to see more of the preppy creativity! These three ladies are so enlivening and so full of energy, you can't help but fall in love with their product. Another plus is that all their products are made in the USA! Which do you think is your favorite? Check out their website for more information (they also have a blog and you can friend them on Facebook) and to see more of their line HERE. What could be better than furniture inspired after a few rum drinks on the beach? I'd say, nothing.


Alicia B.

Popping Red Bedrooms

Barclay Butera's paisley fabric he designed for Kravet.

As I've mentioned about a million times I'm working on a very modern corporate residence for school and I'm nearly finished--my presentation is tomorrow! I must say, I'm pretty pleased with my work. The rooms are full of round features, circular beds, Kyle Bunting fur rugs (LOVE), and insanely modern fabrics. I need a break though. I need to go back to, as my teacher calls it, my safety zone. I am feeling so festive now a week and a half before Christmas. I keep seeing red everywhere and it's making me feel tres cozy. Here are some cozy and festive bedrooms that can be warm all year round.

Via Verdagris Vie. I'm in love with these oversized red striped pillows! If you need to add some red or something festive a throw pillow is the perfect thing because you can easily change the covers whence the season changes. Yeah, WHENCE.

Velvet is so hot right now, and really makes this headboard look soft and luxurious. I've always loved this bedroom from House Beautiful by Stephen Shubel.

How country fabulous is this bedroom by Kathleen Rivers? I love the faded red window pane plaid bed skirt. I'd die to have a fur throw on my bed. I love real fur but if you want the top faux fur throw, go for Bunny Williams's "Miss Naughty Bunny Throw" from her BeeLine Home collection. It looks so cozy!

This is such a simple room and I'd like to take that tiny television and hurl it out the window but the red doors for some reason make me stop. Almost made my heart stop, if you know what I mean. By Coco Raynes from Veranda.

This is a deeeeeep rich red. I am in awe over the wall paper--isn't it gorgeous? I love how the little tole lampshade subtly emerges from the darkness of the wall. By Casey Design Planning.
And who can resist fresh crisp red and white bedding? The is the kind of bed that only Santa can deliver (I know, I went too far there). From Pottery Barn.

I think that even just a pop of red is sufficient to make you stop in your design tracks. I know I have a fear of red, but I'm coming around. It doesn't have to be super aggressive, it can be fun, festive, and sumptuous. Or it can be tartan!

ALSO: Stay tuned tomorrow for an extra special interview with the owners one of my favorite new stores! SO EXCITING!


Alicia B.

Alicia B. Christmas Decorating

This is the sort of thing that I do when I'm not doing homework lately. I'm loving decorating for Christmas with little pine trees scattered about, my advent calendar and my latest addition: this gorgeous little fir tree with a tartan accent! Next stop is hanging the lights.

This is the before shot. This fabric is actually a Lee Jofa fabric sample and the ribbon is a red gros grain that I keep on hand.

And voila! I think it looks perfect on top of my little stack of antique books. I think the plaid adds a very old and cozy feel to my Christmas decorating this year.

If you need more tartan inspiration, check out Eddie Ross's bit on HGTV (one of the rare moments that I was really inspired by HGTV--sorry!!) where he decorated Kathy Lee's home in Greenwich CT, and Claire at High Gloss Blue's tartan tablescape. Both are fabulous!

Alicia B.

Living Room Decluttering Project

As I've mentioned many times before I like to collect stuff: small objects, books, design mags, vases, etc. This is all well and good but I have a minuscule living space so from time to time I have to reassess and make things look a little bit neater. This time, I had to take a look at my open bookshelf that is full of DVDs do something about it. I also have a huge chest full of fabrics in my front hall that is getting quite full so I decided to make a "door" for my open shelf.

I'd been dying to use this gorgeous Matthew Patrick Smyth fabric from Schumacher for something and thought it too neutral for throw pillows but for this purpose, it's perfect because it's subtle. The green is faded enough to coordinate with the green of my bookcase.

I love to iron! I had to iron it, then fold in the edges and make sure they were crisp and perfect before I sewed it into a rectangle to cover the bookcase.

Woo! Late night sewing!

I had to get these little hooks and screw them into the frame of my bookcase in order to hang my fabric panel up.

Next I had to put these little grommets into my fabric. Before you do this on your fabric, take a scrap and practice. You need to make a tiny hole about the size of an eraser tip in the fabric, then put the bottom half of the grommet down, put the fabric hole through it, then put the top of the grommet on that, take a hammer and whale on it. Funny moment: I did all that except I wasn't hitting the hammer hard enough so I had to go back to the hardware store to see what I was doing wrong. I wasn't hitting it hard enough so the burly hardware store guy just told me to "put some muscle into it."

How perfect does that little grommet look? I know. So.......

Here it is! (Don't judge my TV. Clearly I have other priorities.) I may still have stacks of magazines around but at least they're organized (Martha Stewart in one pile, Domino, Blueprint, and House and Garden in another etc). And whats that on the floor?

It's the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

I know this doesn't change the fact that I need to edit a wee bit in my living room/my life, but I think it simplifies that area of the room and and pretty fabric so what more do I need right now? Now I'm off to collect glass tiles for my project because I finished the floor plan last night! Modern is still not my preferred style but it sure is fun to see what other materials are out there--I'm learning a lot.


Alicia B.

Dining Table Gossip

This is the dining table that Bunny Williams designed for the Kips Bay Showhouse.

I was so sorry that I couldn't make it to the Holiday House 2009 Showhouse; a tablescape show house on the Upper East Side, but I read a fun article about it in the NY Times. It sounded like a glamorous event to be sure but the main thing that I took from it was a fabulous quote from one of my favorite designers Bunny Williams. In regard to dinner and seating she said, "First off, hosts need to separate husbands and wives. Nobody does that anymore, and I think it’s disgusting. I don’t want to sit next to John (her husband), I want to get in the cab with him later and gossip." Oh Bunny, you are too hilarious! And of course, she's right. Bad form. Anyway, here are some gorgeous dining rooms that you can all gossip about later in the cab.


Here is Bunny Williams's table that was inspired by the Summer Solstice! So gorgeous and I love the colors--they look delicious. If you want to see more pictures, Heather from Habitually Chic was lucky enough to attend the gala and take amazing shots of everything there. Check it out HERE. Also, oddly enough she did a post on dining rooms today too...weird.

A simple X-based table with two benches, this dining room is simple and glamorous with the glass top on the table. By Tom Scheerer.

I normally hate a skirted table (yes, it's not a popular opinion, I know.), but for some reason this one is really working for me over this round table. Maybe it's the cheery yellow fabric in the otherwise muted, soft shaded room. By John Peixinho.

This traditional looking design by Eric Cohler is soft and unstuffy. I think that shade of blue freshens up the room that is fully antiques and plush fabrics.

I'm not sure why all of a sudden I'm drawn to round dining tables, but I am. I especially love the pewter vase full of flowers. Barry Dixon.

Not LOVING the rug there that Barbara Westbrook chose, but how can you not love the shade of grey against the gilt wood frames. Swoon.

Just a little flash of what must be an incredible dining room by Bunny Williams, I'm loving the yellows and that rug is exquisite. Yes, exquisite.

This post really makes me wish that my kitchen table didn't function as a dining table, craft table, drafting table, and counter top. It would be amazing to be able to throw a dinner party in a formal dining room but for now, I can blog. These are sure inspiration enough and now I must get back to my drafting table which is covered in fabric swatches right now! You can gossip in comments, thanks.

Alicia B.