Nine By Design: Episode 4

It seems like all signs are pointing to the beach. In this episode of Nine By Design, The Novogratz's head to the Hamptons for a new project. They also have to deal with the daunting task of hiring a nanny. I honestly can't believe they don't have one already but, more power to them if you know what I mean. Also, how can you not love this family? They put chocolate on their waffles!!

I love this episode because we get to meet Courtney's design assistant, Helen who I went to prep school with and she looks gorgeous! She is helping them with the Hampton's house for the VIP anonymous client. OOOO Intrigue!!

Courtney has so many great ideas for this slightly dated house. She wants to open up the floor plan, change all the sliding doors to french doors and make a floating staircase. The budget is only $300, 000 and they have 7 weeks so complete it.

Before-ish.

After!

While they were busy designing, the crew pretty much gutted the whole home. For the lighting on either side of the front door, they are doing a custom light box fixture with the map of LI. I love how they think outside the box for everything. It's so much fun. Hit up this video of the gutting.

Robert and George start to work on finding a nanny for the little Novogratz's! It.....gets weird. And really really funny, see this video here. They ended up hiring this super cute lady from Hungary--I hope she survives these cute little animals's antics.

Next, Courtney and Helen head on out to the Hampton house and tried to make sense of all the furniture that the client had delivered and the pieces that they ordered. I think they sure pulled it together, yes?

There are some disasters which are fixed, and some major successes like the light boxes and some other amazing light fixtures. It looks fresh and amazing, don't you think? This oven in a line that has 190 color options. Yellow is a nice choice.

Here is the dining room. Some mismatched chairs and a dramatic horse photo makes for a nice eclectic look.

So have you all been watching?? Thoughts? Let's talk.


Alicia B.

Outdoorsy Types

I'm not really the "outdoorsy" type, but I love to be outside when the weather is nice. These rooms definitely are the outdoorsy types though, I'd say. They are the nice happy medium between outside and inside. Some of them are outside, but decorated like an interior. Take a look.

This is a "summer house" from a country house tour on Martha Stewart. I love the simplicity of it and how you focus on the architecture and the details instead of fabrics and furniture. Check out the height of that door.

Here is a terrace that is decorated much like a living room: sofa, two chairs flanking, coffee table, and two end tables complete with lamps on each one. I assume they are purely for decoration and they don't really work. LOVE the pink hat on the right chair. I could have used that at the Derby Party over the weekend! Kemble Interiors.

This is the dining room of the same outdoor setting. I love the faux bois dining table and chevron pattern on the dining chairs. Both are by Kemble Interiors.

Jay Jeffers created an incredibly welcoming covered porch with amazing seating with beautiful botanical fabrics and floor to ceiling soft pink drapery.

Here is the rest of the room! How beautiful is this? The shingles on the wall are a nice contrast to the interior aspects like a gallery wall and floor lamps. Jay Jeffers.

I would LOVE to walk out of my front door and walk out onto this wrap around porch. The lanterns are gorgeous and I love the massive columns as well. G P Schaefer.

An outdoor space isn't complete without lighting. If you can't hang a lantern outside, make sure you get these little floor lanterns with candles. There are some really beautiful ones at HERE. By Gary McBournie.

What do you all think? Are you ready to be outdoorsy? I don't have my own personal outdoor space to decorate but I can enjoy the park and my parent's terrace in CT. Do you have outdoor space? How do you decorate it?

REMINDER: This is the last day of the giveaway contest for the super adorable nautical tote bag. Click HERE to get to the contest or scroll down 2 posts. I wish I could win but, you can instead!!

Alicia B.

Friday Faves

Enter my awesome give-away to win this adorable beach bag!! ENTER HERE. Now.

This week I went from wearing wool sweaters to flip flops, and now this weekend is going to be Summer weather! If you know me, you know I'd rather be in a sundress and flip flops than anything else so let's just say I'm excited. I've been rather lonely without my sister here (to clutter up my apartment), but I've been super busy anyway. Class, studying for my final next week (HAH), and making pillows!

This warm weather makes me wish I had a beach house or a house out in the country. My parents house in CT is sort of like that, I suppose. I love the wood floors in this country house in upstate New York. Isn't the light that floods into the next room amazing? Gil Schafer.

Here is one of the pillows that I sewed last night. I love the soft green color of t he vines in the fabric. The back of it is a soft natural linen fabric.

Do you like this fabric?

Horses are everywhere lately in design. How cute is this little Jonathan Adler ceramic horse sculpture? I'm so excited to be going to a Derby Party this Saturday. I love the Derby so much and I've only gotten into it in the last 4 years, since I moved to New York. My family and bf all choose a horse solely based on the names. It's tres fun.

Any weekend plans? Which horse do you have your bet on? I'm going for Awesome Act. It's all about the power of positive thinking, right? If you have a positive name like that, he's bound to win!

Alicia B.

Thursday Give-away: Simply Bags

Today's give away is right up my alley. Simply Bags is a cute company that sells...BAGS. They sell pretty much any kind of bag: from totes to animal print bags to diaper bags. The giveaway bag is this great nautical style tote bag. You all know how much I love nautical motifs so my jealousy of the potential winner certainly is rising. This bag is perfect for a picnic trip the the park, or an afternoon at the beach. It's a great size for a beach towel or in my case, a big blanket to bring to Central Park!

The winner can have it embroidered with their name or company (maximum 12 letters). I will randomly select the winner from random.org.

To win the Stylish Tote bag, you must be in the lower 48 states of the U S of A. No anonymous entries will be counted. If you don't have a blog, please leave your email so I can contact you if you win!! Please leave a comment to enter the contest and tell me where you'd be taking this awesome bag. It's just in time for Summer!

The contest ends on Tuesday at 5 PM. Good luck!!


Alicia B.

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.

Well Played, Town & Country

Everyone's seen the big news. I think Town and Country made a genius move hiring Stephen Drucker. I've always adored him, then I met him and my adoration only grew. He's a real gentleman and I love his positive attitude and commitment to innovative design. So Mr. Drucker will be moving from House Beautiful to Town and Country, and while I'll of course still be a subscriber to HB, they've just gained one more subscriber at T & C.

I've purchased the magazine from time to time when something in it interested me but I just know that Stephen Drucker will do great things with it (not that it's not already great). They have lovely spreads of delicious fragrances.

I picked up a copy of it over the weekend and it just happened to be the Home Issue! There SO MANY great articles featuring great homes and great designers. Here is a page of design trends!

They even managed to endear me to Swarovski crystal designer, Nadja Swarovski and her family. A little overboard on the zebra but I still like it and I love these adorable pink paisley pillows up on the sofa.

My favorite spread in the May Issue was the Michael Smith home that he designed for his friend Katherine Chez. Michael smith managed to make a 625 square foot living room seem cozy and the tiny bedrooms seem large but the whole home is cohesive and comfortable. Note the swoon worthy de Gournay wallpaper in the dining room which is also in the bedroom.

This is part of the living room. I'm enamored with the Beauvais carpet and the french doors leading to the hall. Notice how the lantern in the hall reflects the dining room table.

Yes, those are my fingers (and chipped nail polish) to the left. This aaaamazing hall with the most beautiful salmon pink painted walls is designed by Gil Schaefer.

The other incredible spread that caught my eye was the home that Katie Ridder designed for her parents. She designed their 4th or 5th home; this time on the Coast of California. She infused her signature classic style with an Eastern influence into this home set on a golf course.

Sorry for the icky pictures (except for the hot one above), but I don't have a scanner so I had to photograph them my digital camera. I've read this issue cover to cover twice and I'm not embarrassed. Anyway, my point is that I adore Stephen Drucker and I think he'll be great at Town and Country. I also think Newell Turner is going to be great at House Beautiful. What do you guys think? Are you in? I just sent in my subscription card for Town and Country--so excited!


PS- There will be a giveaway later this week! It's going to be great!!

Alicia B.