Category Archives: interiors

08.16.11

East -vs- West.

I love to peruse the virtual pages of Vogue’s website for inspiration.  I recently came across this feature on Minnie Mortimer’s Malibu home. I was immediately smitten.  I love the sophisticated yet laid back vibe that she has created.  It’s eclectic and fun, but still relaxed and functional.  Art imitating life? The juxtaposition of her style seems to imitate her journey.  When asked if she was an East Coast girl or a West Coast girl, refusing to choose, this NYC transplant replies “Both!”
Minnie has succeeded in her quest to stay true to her roots.  Despite the house’s laid-back Cali vibe, you can spot little tributes to her home back east.  As she states “I’m in a New York State of Mind.”  I love how these pictures depict the tranquil environment that she and her screen-writer husband, Stephen Gaghan have created for themselves and their daughter, Tuesday.

07.11.11

Designed for Dogs.

Upon doing some research for a kitchen project, I came across an amazing phenomenon.  People are actually designing their homes around their dogs.  Now- I love my girl, don’t get me wrong, but I am not quite sure that I would have her bed built into my kitchen counter… Perhaps if I had more space?
 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

07.05.11

A Blank Slate.

I am currently working on a kid’s playroom and found this one designed by Westbrook Interiors.  I love that the walls are covered in chalkboard paint.  It’s like a blank slate to allow creativity to thrive.
I adore everything about it.  Notice that the main color is black, but there is no lack of color.  This is a lesson I have tried to impart on many people.
 Just perfect.
Here’s my budget-friendly version:

06.27.11

To Replace, Or Not to Replace….

We are soon refinishing the surround on our fireplace.  I am counting down the days to get rid of those hideous doors.  After several attempts of finding a suitable replacement, I realized… I actually like fireplaces better without the doors.  And to be honest, I can’t wrap my head around paying $1,200 plus for something that’s just “okay” So, my question is, how horrible would it be if we had no fireplace doors… Obviously we would have to close the flu when the fireplace is not in use.  Has anyone done this and regretted it?
 

06.21.11

My Very Own Butterfly Collection.

If you have been reading this blog for sometime, you are well aware of my love of butterflies.  You may also have known that I was working on a wall of butterflies for my (work in progress) living room.  Well, here they are:
 While I wanted a wall of butterflies, the whole idea of dead specimens creeped me out.. and ….. I wouldn’t want any of these beautiful creatures killed for my benefit.  Beleive it or not, these little guys are cut out of plastic.
After a long deliberation, I decided to arrange them by color.
I inherited this piano from my parents, and they inherited from my grandmother.  I took lessons on it as a little girl, and soon, E will be too.  We plan to move the piano on the wall to the left, and put these two chairs under the butterflies once they are reupolstered in turquoise linen.
They were so easy to put together… Here’s all it took:
6 of these cases from Michaels (I got them 50% off.)  They have a great grey linen backing.
16 Butterflies in each color.
And last but certainly not least, my trusty glue gun.
Because the cases are an irregular size I had to get custom mats.  I love the way the black inner mat finishes everything off.
And I also love that I now have my own collection of butterflies, and that not one single butterfly was harmed in the process.

06.09.11

Molly Loot.

She may be one of the design world’s best kept secret. Meet Molly Luetkemeyer (pronounced loot-kah-my-er) AKA mollyloot.
 
1. Isn’t she the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?  2. You are going to DIE if you haven’t seen her work.
LOVE this wall hanging.
Love me a good red chair.
 This bathroom takes me back to 1979.
I’m always a sucker for a good gallery wall.
What a great shade of orange…
Peacock Mirror, anyone? (I have the $199 Pier one version, couldn’t swing this one.)
Simply adore these ceilings.
Notice the perfect mix of patterns that most people would have never paired together.
Molly started her career working for design legend Kelly Wearstler.  You can see many common threads in their design style.  Molly’s work is truly a throwback to the 70’s.  What I love most about her design is the bold use of colors and mixing and matching of fabrics.  As I was looking through her portfolio for this post, I realized the other thing that I love about her– her creativity when it comes to new uses out of old spaces.
I have been saving this in my inspiration file for months for our basement built-ins.. I love the depth that the green builds into otherwise plain white bookshelves.
The drawer pulls and the pops of emerald give this otherwise “standard” closet a whole new life.
I would have never thought to encase a piano.. and I love the tortoise shell backing on the shelves.
I want to nap here, now.
This was my favorite– so many people have that awkward extra bedroom that they’ve converted into an office.  Notice how she built the bookshelves into the closet.  Love the lighting, love the sliding door.
So, I may be a bit of a Molly Loot stalker at this point.  I’m okay with that.  I’d like to think that if I lived in LA, we’d be friends.  But then again I’d like to think that I’d be friends with a lot of people in LA if I lived there.  Come to think of it, in my own head.. I’m pretty f$%king cool.

06.02.11

Maps.

I have been working on a few little boys rooms as of late, which makes me giddy, because I get to use all of the inspiration that I had been saving up if we ever had a boy.  Here’s one trend that has stuck with me through the years- maps.  I love the idea of a world map on a child’s wall.  Not only is it beautiful and educational, it symbolizes the art of exploring– which will always let creativity thrive!
All of the rooms above were done with this wall mural.