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.

I bet you were wondering...

I bet you were wondering how my show is looking! I'm so intuitive that I can tell what you all are thinking though I've never met most of you. Over this past weekend, I went to Cosi's in West Hartford to install my show. If you are nearby I'd love it if you checked it out but for those of you who can't make it because you live far, here are some pics!

I don't know this woman but she was so cute and smiled for my photo!

These are in the front of the cafe and that's my artist's statement off to the right.

In the back, this one is visible from this huge mirror. Placement for this one is super important and strategic.

As I mentioned, the show is mainly black and white photographs, although I added some of my favorite color photos here and there.

BTW I realize that the place looks empty but I had to install them when nobody was around! It's called strategery.


I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour but of course, everything looks better in person. Everything looks better when you have an order of smores on the way, too. Check out more on my website www.aliciabdesigns.com

Alicia B.

Bachelorette Jillian Harris Designs

Once again, my awesome sisters are informing me of tiny little bits of knowledge that somehow slip by me. My older sister, a fellow Bachelor/Bachelorette fan, sent me a clipping about former bachelorette Jillian Harris's latest career move, working for the Dobbins Group in Chicago. Ever since I heard she was an interior designer, I'd been curious about her work. I checked out the Dobbins Group, who specializes in hospitality and commercial design, and I found a link to Jillian Harris Designs!

Shes had quite a few years of experience, starting under Scott Morrison, a restaurant designer.

Maybe all the work shes done in restaurants helped to develop her famous "hot dog theory"! It's a theory about men and what they put on their hot dogs.

Nobody puts Jillian in the corner...but they DO put a chair in the corner with black and white fabric behind it!

Miss Jillian also has her own custom furniture line which includes ottomans, wing chairs and Louis XV chairs.

I realize that watching the Bachelor is pretty awkward and doing a blog post on it is even worse but I don't feel bad about it so don't bother judging me. Anyway, I'm really excited for Jillian and anxious to see what else she designs. Chicago is the perfect city for her too. It has such a great history of architecture and design. Yay Jillian!


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.

Black and White amazingness in The Hamptons

Black and white has been a huge part of my life all of a sudden. I'm having a black and white photography show that I mentioned yesterday and I've falling IN LOVE with black and white interiors. It all started with this S. R. Gambrel house on the Hamptons that is different shades of black, white and grey with little pops of color here and there. I love the contrast with the classic elements in the house.

Check out the window frames painted in black; it really makes them stand out. I love the super traditional gilded mirror with the other more structured elements.

I'm not sure what that chair is doing there but I am LOVING the ebonized headboard and the black and white pillows.

Woo, all that travertine marble is making my head spin with delight. I love it.

The living room is so beautiful. The greys, blacks, and whites are very nice but the reason this all works is the pop of red in the lampshades and the greens which you'll see in the next image.

As a color girl, I LOVE how these colors pop in this neutral but NON beige base.

Aren't these chandeliers fun?

The main reason that I fell in love with this home is the kitchen. I love the graphic quality of this floor and the tiles on the wall. The benches and the rustic table read a little country (NOT a bad thing) and the floor makes it look more modern.

See what I mean about the graphic quality of the kitchen? I'd DIE to have this oven but this floor is like Escher came in and did a little art project on the floor. I usually hate oven hoods but this one is so impressive here with the pottery on the shelves against the black subway tile background.

I started this post out as a collection of great black and white interiors but I clearly changed course and couldn't stop looking at these pictures again once I started. I think these are a great example of a neutral not having to be a boring beige but a graphic exciting and surprising backdrop of creating something wonderful in an old home.

Alicia B.