10 Slow + Simple ways to Pamper yourself on a budget

It's the weekend. The long, exhausting week is finally behind us - Why not take a little time for yourself this weekend, treat yourself to something nice or pamper yourself. There's no need to break the bank. There's no need to spend a lot of time - a little pick me up can go a long way! After doing so much for so many others, why not do a little something for yourself?!

1. Treat yourself to a Manicure and (or) Pedicure
2. Have you tried Reflexology? If you don't have time for a massage you might want to try this.

3. Pamper yourself with a massage.

4. Enjoy a blowout.

5. Go to the movies with a girlfriend or your love, sneak in a bottle of bubbly!

6. Now that the weather is getting nice enjoy a power walk or a good run. Download some new tunes.

7. Buy yourself some fresh flowers.

8. Go to your favorite bakery and treat yourself to a special treat (you may then want to proceed to #6!)

9. Take a cooking class.

10. Go out to a nice leisurely lunch or dinner.


I wonder if I could try to fit in a little of all of the above! ;)

Have a great weekend everyone!

*all images via Pinterest

DIFFA, Dining by Design at the Architectural Digest Home Design , Part 2

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids - DIFFA - Thirty years of providing treatment and care to those who are living with AIDS. Each year at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, design leaders and visionaries create the most spectacular tables for a wonderful event called Dining by Design. If you've not read my other piece about DIFFA's Dining By Design do scroll down after reading this to see some of the other magnificent tables featured.

What do Maya Romanoff, Pinocchio and King Midas have in common? Read on to find out!

In this visually stunning display Kara Mann plays tribute to Maya Romanoff , artist and philanthropist, who recently passed away. Here Kara uses hand-dyed fabrics for which Maya was so well known, and emphasizes the the way he believed color should be seen, and the craftsmanship upon which he founded his studio.  Bold and vibrant color appears throughout which play off the rich velveteen, leather, and silk-paneled draping which anchor the space. The space becomes a textural delight that appeals to all the senses. 

Mann said that she "wanted the space to have a bohemian feel and to pay tribute to the fact that Maya's business was built upon his tie-dye art... And though the company has evolved greatly, true artistry remains at its core."

I haven't seen too much written about this next table that was created by Jes Gordon with The Fashion Institute of Technology. As I walked along from one incredible table to the next this next amazing display had me stop dead in my tracks. I looked at it.... It looked like the inside of a fish... And as I looked I got it almost immediately! It was a fish, but not just any fish. It was the inside of a whale! But it wasn't the inside of just any whale, it was the inside of Pinocchio's whale! 

I just love the message that was posted next to the display:

"Believing in yourself is the first step in bettering your life. Even when we cannot find hope, there exists a desire to reach higher and find the bravery within ourselves.

When Pinocchio enters the belly of the whale he is lonely, lost and afraid. He is trying to run away and is trapped inside his own battles. He gains courage and the strength to emerge. His positive outlook towards change helps him escape his negative thoughts and feelings.

Just like Pinocchio trapped inside the belly of the whale, the most challenging times of our lives can lead us to a more positive journey. We can fight our own battles, we are strong and determined to take on anything standing in our way. All we need is a little bit of courage."

I encourage you to look at the images below very closely so that you can see all the detail as it pertains to the story.

Below we have the table by Arteriors. Here they explore the concept of Midas walking through the jungles of Bali, transforming natural elements with his touch. They created a unique fusion of Indonesian materials and textures with golden finishes. Eye-catching lights that resemble fireworks shine down on the moody darkness of the organic table and sculptures. Whimsy cannot be overlooked as gilded ants scuttle along the tablescape. 

I hope you enjoyed my selections, and I encourage you all to stop by if you are in the New York City area next year during the Architectural Digest Home Design Show!

Of the tables I have showcased, which was/were your favorite/s?
What elements did you like the best?

I hope these gave you some inspiration for your next gathering!

DIFFA, Dining by Design at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids - DIFFA - Thirty years of providing treatment and care to those who are living with AIDS. Each year at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, design leaders and visionaries create the most spectacular tables for a wonderful event called Dining by Design. Taking center stage was Ralph Lauren's spectacular spring table, both rustic and elegant, here one can imagine having a casual yet sophisticated meal, a luncheon perhaps. The garden-like setting was punctuated by the magnificent Evalina Chandelier dressed with cherry blossoms.

My love for entertaining, dining and food come together here... As I walked through and admired each lovely table display, I could easily imagine myself and a few close friends sharing a lovely evening filled with good food, good wine and lots of laughter.

I will be showcasing 4 tables today with more to come tomorrow. I hope you the images captures by these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!

Some tables were decadent, ornate, fun, over the top and others were simple and serene like Calvin Klein's zen-like setting with natural and Japanese influences which were expressed through warm woods, green moss, the most subtle of gold accents and a serene milieu.

By contrast we have the table designed by Kati Curtis - a sensory delight, with so much detail you can spend hours gazing and amazing at this fun and whimsical creation that illuminates the masculine as well as the feminine as she poses the question, which one dominates you? Which one guides you? Intrigues you?

Through her table Kati expresses the interplay of the boy and girl in us all - playing with the stereotypes we so easily fall prey to. Here a fantasy world is created using the many wonderful materials and playful elements of the New York Design Center that are used in such a way that while unexpected, they make perfect sense. Kati asks us to look closely, things aren't always as they seem!

For those of us who love Diane Von Furstenberg will instantly recognize these next tables. Her unmistakable style - her play on color and pattern, needs no introduction.  Here the designer's expertise in color, prints and mixing unexpected patterns and scales are at play in the garden, under large umbrellas, making us yearn for the Spring that so far seems so very far away. This is the designers first fabric collection for Kravet. 

I hope you enjoyed these unique and wonderful tables and please come back tomorrow for more!

MADE at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show

The Architectural Digest Home Design Show took place on Pier 94 on Manhattan's Upper West Side last week. I had the privilege of attending again this year. I noticed some significant and insignificant changes. The greatest, in my opinion, was the fact that there seemed to be virtually no furniture. Where had all the furniture companies gone to? Kitchens, baths and hardware seemed to me to be the show's main attraction this year, whether intended or not. I hadn't noticed that many changes in kitchen design and technology from the preceding years. Last year introduced color and this year seemed to bring those colors forth even more. Beautiful, large, colorful kitchen appliances seemed to take center stage. Though there were plenty of neutrals out there too. We saw a movement towards more streamlined kitchens, with European and Scandinavian influences with a wide selection of larger, more traditional, classic pieces with modern lines and a vintage feel. Are we Americans becoming more colorful? Or are neutrals still selling more? I will never really tire of seeing and learning about kitchens and kitchen technology. But my favorite part of the show has always been the MADE section.

The MADE section features artists and designers of limited edition and one-of-a-kind objects and furnishings providing them with an opportunity to showcase their creations. Artisan work has always been a part of the Show’s offerings, and MADE's unique galleries highlight this work and shows the most talented artists and designers working in the world of design today. The MADE galleries feature hundreds of designers from local artisans to international craftsman--from lighting and art to fine crafted furniture and furnishings.

Below are just a select (few - and I use the term loosely) images from the MADE section. 

Images (3) above from Next Step Studio and Gallery. www.nextstepstudio.com

Details of these incredibly mesmerizing water and glass creations reminded me of an elegant rendition of a salt water aquarium... with none of the hassle or mess! By Alison Sigethy, www.alisonsigethy.com

Several artists had their own renderings of colorful stacked stones. Elegant, whimsical and slightly edgy. Axiom Glass, by Robert Madvin, www.axiomglass.com

Incredibly intrinsic and delicate. Like glass lace. I was mesmerized by this piece "Tensio" by Micah Evans, Chesterfield Glass Art

These fantastically fun and whimsical Wild Chairy re-purposed chairs by Andrea Mihalik made a cheery appearance once again in the MADE section. www.wildchairy.com

These wonderful Daniel Levy porcelain plates and bowls immediately jumped out at me! Are they not spectacular? For more on Daniel Levy visit his website, www.daniellevyporcelain.com

I tend to gravitate the to silly, sensational and whimsical as opposed to the serious - These fun and fantastical wall papers really jumped out at me. What an energy they would add to a space! Of course, it takes a certain bold personality to hang these. I do think they are such fun and they indeed make your walls come alive! Wallpapers by Voutsa, www.voutsa.com

I'm not sure whether it was the bed itself or the strategic and fun placement of all the apples that captured my photographic eye, but I loved both by Brooklyn Based Palo Samko, www.palosamko.com

This speaks to me! Where would I put this? This vintage inspired creation by Fred Sanders was one of many fun metal and neon creations. For more visit www.toddsandersart.com

Patrick Weder has been busy as a bee creating these Honeycomb lamps, www.patrickweder.com

The light bounced and danced off the bits of glass in this delicate light fixture by Elizabeth Lyons, www.lyonsglass.com

This springtime inspiration was absolutely remarkable by Canadian designer, Lori Morris. It took 300 hours to install! www.lorimorris.com

I love elephants. I forgot to grab this person's card! Sigh....

The above mirror was amazing. Look at the top photo for the detail! 

The above couch was one by Natuzzi. They had several installation/seating arrangements and many exhausted attendees sought refuge on these for a few moments to rest their weary selves. This should have been a huge opportunity for Natuzzi. Their sales rep should have welcomed the visitors. He should have asked them if they were comfortable, what they thought of the leather - the softness, colors, etc... Instead he was busy shooing everyone away. Such a shame, really. 

If you've never been to the show and live in or near the New York City area... or plan on visiting the area next March, you should absolutely make this part of your visit.

Tomorrow I will share with you, what in my opinion, was the highlight of the show - Dining by Design, DIFFA, Design Industry Foundation Fights AIDS. This years tables were truly spectacular!

Decor, NYC :: Luxury Home Furnishings Repurposed with a Purpose

With features in The New York Times and ElleDecor (and now The Entertaining House!)  Decor NYC, founded by Bruce Tilley in 2011, was born of a desire to create a high end furniture consignment store. As any good businessman is apt to do, Tilley researched and researched, and scouted out the competitors. To his amazement he would learn that there were no competitors. How could such not exist? It seemed that Tilley had discovered a previously untapped market. Decor NYC, located in the heart of Chelsea, is filled with all sorts of finds from antique to midcentury to modern. 

Extremely particular about his selections, Tilley will only accept donations of top quality, in good condition that fit in with current trends. Consignment pieces that are not in good condition, are dirty or stained will not be accepted. A large shipment had just arrived as I entered the store. Tilley ran over to us and apologized for the mess. I saw no mess, just a pleasing organized chaos as his team worked diligently to get the new pieces situated into the store in a way that would enhance or complement the already existing vignettes. From Barratta to Boardman, from Swarovski to Van Der Rohe, from Adler to Starke, from Hunt to Pucci to Valentino, Decor NYC has all the top designers and brands.

The 6,000 square foot showroom is perpetually changing as goods come and go. In addition to furniture, you'll find all sorts of accessories for the home on consignment - everything from photographs, artwork, sculptures, lighting, rugs, mirrors, china, and stemware. Below the expansive showroom is a large basement that's not only used for storage, but allows Tilley to keep the showroom from getting too cramped and cluttered. The impressive inventory allows him to be able to change and create new vignettes on a regular basis to keep the space fresh and new. 

Decor NYC works much like any consignment shop. Tilley will receive the high end furniture in good condition and list each piece at a very competitive price. As is typical, store will keep 50% of each sale. What does not sell after a certain amount of time will either be returned to the consignor or can be donated to Housing Works - with whom Tilley has an established relationship - and the consignor can get the tax write off. Consigning is a socially responsible and lucrative way to get rid of those unwanted items. Conversely, it's an inexpensive way to for those seeking to enter the high end furniture market who might not ordinarily be able to afford such pieces. It's a win-win situation for all parties. There's a purpose to repurpose. There's a sense of responsibility involved. 

Tilleys consignors vary in description - Many are older couples who are downsizing or shifting from 2 (or more) homes to one. There are, as well, divorces and families on the move, and there are those who simply want to refurnish their apartments with a fresh start. Tilley told me that many people are streamlining these days. He compared today's modern decor to modern technology. "Look at technology," he stated as he pulled out his iPhone. "People are streamlining. They want small and compact just like this. We're getting the big bulky dressers, desks and bureaus. Many don't want these oversized pieces any more. There's no more paper. People just need a place to park their laptops." Armoires are no longer very desirable says Tilley and he is certain that the new, larger but trimmer flat panel has a good bit to do with this. Empty nesters and older Americans, in their 70s, are trading in their pieces for those that are sleeker, more modern, and more streamlined. He said the same is true for hutches and cabinets. Because this older generation is paring down to just the basics, in addition to their hutches and cabinets, they're also getting rid of their china. Our elders are about practicality and function. After all, who really needs 2 sets of plates, especially when one set rarely or never gets used? Tilley consigns their fine china as well. 

Decor NYC sees a great many decorators, designers, stagers and realtors walk through its doors, but the store is open to absolutely everyone. His furniture travels well beyond New York City and the surrounding boroughs -  He ships often to Ecuador and Miami and will ship anywhere. 

Decor NYC has a fabulous, informative and interactive website that is constantly changing to reflect the merchandise on the showroom floor. Most of the items photographed for this piece can be found on the site. But Tilley really prefers his customers to come in to the shop. "Furniture is tangible," he explains. "The buyer should be able to come in and inspect each piece closely - touch it, sit in it. There may be markings or paint chips that are not apparent online." These markings may be seen as an imperfection to one person, and as perfection to someone else. 

African artig

Avery Boardman sectional

Marilyn Monroe by Veronique Aonzo

(detail of mirror below)

Biedermeier style 

Tilley inspects a Karl Springer table in the basement below the showroom

A rare Mohamed Ali photograph by Annie Leibovitz 

Above: Bruce Tilley, Founder/Director

For more information please visit the Decor NYC website or better yet and stop by the showroom in person.

Decor NYC is located at 159 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001
212-488-4977

Jessica

*All photographs property of The Entertaining House/Jessica Gordon Ryan

A week of Design/Art/Living...

Property Jessica Gordon Ryan/The Entertaining House

Aren't these tulips positively spectacular? Don't they just scream springtime? Don't they make you happy? Put a smile on your face? How I feel when I see these flowers pretty much sums up how I felt about this past, most incredible week. It started off with a special tour of Decor, NYC by owner/ founder Bruce Tilley (post to follow this week), followed by an amazing day at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, followed by another amazing day spent at Bunny William's uptown store, Treillage (post on this to follow as well), then to Central Park where I met up with friend and photographer extraordinaire, Marcy Feld of Feld Photography for much needed and long overdue headshots and the day ended with a bang at Bemelman's Bar at The Carlyle. It was a week of incredible inspiration - sharing, learning and laughing. I came home exhausted and incredibly refreshed! (All the tulips were from Treillage.)

Jessica Gordon Ryan/ The Entertaining House

Jessica Gordon Ryan/ The Entertaining House

Jessica Gordon Ryan/ The Entertaining House

Jessica Gordon Ryan/ The Entertaining House

Jessica Gordon Ryan/ The Entertaining House

I'm rarely star-struck - I grew up in New York City, after all, and summered at my grandmother's house in the South of France where she entertained her socialite and celebrity friends. I might have been just the tiniest bit when I met the talented, iconic Bunny Williams. She is friendly, warm and so gracious. It was truly an honor and a privilege to be in her presence, to hear her speak and to learn from her. 

Jessica Gordon Ryan/ The Entertaining House

Jessica Gordon Ryan/ The Entertaining House

Pictured above, Bunny and her husband John Rosselli, co-owner of Treillage and owner of John Rosselli Antiques. John is absolutely charming as well. Aren't they just the cutest couple? I'll have more on both of them and their stores in the next couple of weeks... so stay tuned!

Jessica

Stylish Notes in Decor :: Kitchen Library Crush!

Tom Dixon

In my mind as long as I have a great book, great food and a great kitchen I'm in heaven! If I can't have the latter, give me a great book and great food. I love books - I don't have the time I once did to completely lose myself in them, but I love them nonetheless. Give me a great story where I can lose myself in the plot, admire the scenery and fall in love with the characters. Or give me a book filled with beautiful photographs, that I can savor and enjoy. Or give me a cookbook. Give me a cookbook that I can read from front to back and all over again. With pages that are marked from notes in pencil or flagged with bits of paper to mark my favorite recipes or recipes that I must try... or marked from spatterings of whatever dish it is I am making or wine I am pouring. I love beautiful, image-filled cookbooks, as well as the instructional, informational varieties a la Fanny Farmer, Julia Child and Joy of Cooking. In my mind, I've created my own kitchen library. Mine would have copious amounts of books, and of course a library ladder - No library is complete without a ladder!

One day I was scouring various websites for images for an article I was writing and I came across the image above. There isn't a thing I don't love. The lighting is fantastic, isn't it?! But look at the shelving with all the books. Isn't it positively magnifique? I am sure I would spend 95% of my day in that very room! From that image I was inspired to find others. I will one day have my own kitchen library. I will lend you my books... as soon as I find a beautiful old card catalogue!

Better House and Gardens

Pinterest (original source unknown)

via Ikea

Tiffany Shrader-Brown

Faith Durand; Paule Caillat via Apartment Therapy

via Houzz

via My House Idea

via Digs Digs

via Decorpad

Small House Design

Marion La Folger via archdaily.com

via Ikea

ElleDecor

Jessica

Stylish notes in decor :: Green with envy

House Beautiful

 In honor of St. Patrick's Day I thought I would talk about green. It's a color that's grown on me, or perhaps I have simply grown into it... To me kitchens should be green - natural, earthy, peaceful, calming. Perhaps that's because I grew with in green kitchens. My mother's varied in different shades from olive to chartreuse. My grandmother's were seemingly more formal in deeper, darker greens, and my last kitchen was Benjamin Moore's Leaf Green. Very much like the color in the kitchen above. We had this wonderful eating area under an expanse of skylights and huge bay windows, so during the warmer months our kitchen simply seemed an extension of the backyard and often it felt as though we were dining en plein air. It was wonderful! I have no green in my current, temporary, rental house, but the images here have inspired me and my next home will certainly have green in it again. Will it be the kitchen or another room? I have no idea as much will depend on the house and the layout. Wishing you all a Happy St. Patty and hope these images inspire you and don't leave you green with envy!

Meredith Heron Design

Adriaan Louw Photography

via Coastal Home

via Houzz

Better Homes and Gardens

 

via Frederick Sweger

Avenue Lifestyle

IMM Cologne

Staatsgallery Stuttgart

Pantone

Nate Berkus

Jessica

Stylish notes on Decor :: Mirror, mirror on the wall...

via Apartment Therapy

I'm very much influenced by my grandmother's taste, style and sensibilities - well, sort of her sensibilities! My grandmother was a huge fan of color. She was a master at finding everything at a bargain - she knew where to skip and where to splurge. She had an old fashioned style with a modern touch. She was timeless and everything she touched became timeless. To see her homes of yesterday photographed in various magazines you would think they were all very current editions. And so her thoughts and opinions on decor, style, interiors and architecture are relevant today... I'd share some images but I am hoping one day that they will appear in a much larger publication, so I can't. But I can share her philosophies. She was a minimalist. She thought the furniture ought to compliment the architecture of a room. She was a minimalist in the truest sense of the word. I'm less of a minimalist but I adore color and have a great appreciation for the architecture of older homes. My grandmother was also a huge fan of the mirror. She believed in them completely. They open up spaces, making small rooms seem larger. They can brighten up spaces, especially when strategically placed to let natural daylight bounce off of them. Placed across a window, a mirror can seemingly double the light and size of a room. A feng-shui expert may feel differently about placing mirrors across from windows, however. Mirrors can also serve as an elegant and affordable means to add decor and art to your space.

My favorite mirror was in one of the bathrooms of my grandmother's Manor House in a small village called called Great Haseley. (If the town sounds remotely familiar you may be thinking her her dear friend, Nancy Lancaster, also an American expat living in the UK who lived quite literally down the road in Little Haseley.) In the Manor House there was a bathroom that looked out over the front of the house with views of the expansive front lawn and the endless fields beyond. There were white wooden shutters that we could draw to a close, and did once the sun set, but other than that I always left them open. Directly across from the window was a deep, old, claw footed bathtub and the wall against it contained an enormous mirror. So if you bathed during the daylight hours, as I often did, you could pretend, as I did, that you were in the middle of an endless English field with no one around you for miles and miles and miles. For my incredible view was reflected in the vast mirror. Only thing missing? A few sheep and cows in the fields! The sunsets, needless to say, were positively magnificent from that vantage point!

Really, there's no room that's not a perfect place to park or perch your mirror. As you'll see from the images below, a mirror is striking in any setting from kitchen to bedroom to living room, entry way, and bathroom. What's best about mirrors is that they complement any style. They're perhaps the perfect accessory for your home.

House Beautiful

via Saligo Design

via Esspey Inc

via David Hicks

original source unknown

via Tumblr

Veranda

via ebanista

via Sandra Nunnerly

via giesen design

Vogue

Jessica

Choosing my religion :: Converted Churches

via New England Home

I wrote, last week, about my love of lofty spaces and my desire to own an artsy yet elegant and eclectic loft in downtown New York City where I could entertain elegantly and write and paint and photograph casually. A free spirit who doesn't much like to be confined by walls, rules or anything for that matter, the loft is a perfect space for a personality like mine. I've always thought it would be such fun to transform an old abandoned church and turn it into a lofty peaceful living space. It's got nothing to do with religion, for I am one of the least religious people you will meet, but much more to do with the space and the architecture. There's no room for confinement as in these wonderful conversions you can literally spread your wings and fly. In the images that I have chosen many have chosen to stay true to the building's original architectural style and many others have done a total conversion, adding a modern, minimalist touch. To keep the stained glass or to remove it to allow daylight to pour in from outside? To remain true to the original architecture or to modernize it? To fill the spaces or to keep them open? While I admire the modern touch and new life breathed into these old edifices, I prefer the old architecture, for what attracts me to these spaces is not merely their size and expanse, but the sense of history both within and beyond the walls. Can I have both, I wonder? I'd love a loft in the city and a converted church in the country... I'd love to have you as my guest. Which would you prefer to visit?

via Exterior Portfolio

via Curbed

via Visi

via Knoll

via Gossip Rocks

via Curbed

via Inhabitat

via CNN

via Maison Belle

via Howes and Rigby

via Blue Room Architecture

via The New York Times

via Pinterest, original source unlocatable

via Chameleon Interiors

via Nicholas Matheus

Jessica

angels among us...

On Sunday we lost two incredibly amazing, strong and dynamic women. While I didn't frequently interact with these women, they both had a huge impact on me, and my life.  They were taken from us much too soon. There are now two more beautiful angels in Heaven... I'm at a loss for words but I can tell you that Heaven is now a better place. My heartfelt prayers and condolences to Ruth and Ellie's families.

Jessica

Stylish notes in decor :: The Eames Chair

Better Homes and Gardens

I have a thing for chairs. All sorts of them. Lately, I've been noticing Eames chairs all over the place, or so it seems - perfect pops of color punctuate all sorts of different styles in decor. I'm seeing them in rooms that are both formal and casual - kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms- every room, really. When I think of these chairs I think of my youth - the days I spent with my mother at work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. They weren't the most comfortable to sit on - from what I can recall. But even as a child I found them visually striking - bright pieces of molded plastic sitting atop of thin metal legs. I spent a fair amount of time, during my younger years, at the museum, both in the offices and wandering through the exhibitions. I recall these chairs mostly in the museum - I don't think anyone I knew had them in their homes. I have a fondness for these chairs that are a perfect combination of design, architecture and function. They just make me smile. My grandparents were dear friends with the Eames, and therefore it seems only fitting that I should write a post about the iconic Eames chair. There are several versions, rockers, leather, and lounge chairs but it is the simple plastic chair that has captured my memory and my heart.

via Vitra

Charles Eames was born 1907 in St. Louis, Missouri and studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis. He opened an office with Charles M. Gray in 1930 and 5 years later, in 1935, he founded another architectural firm with Robert T. Walsh. After receiving a fellowship in 1938 from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, he moved to Michigan and assumed a teaching position in the design department the following year. In 1940, he and Eero Saarinen won first prize for their joint entry in the competition "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" organized by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. During the same year, Eames became head of the department of industrial design at Cranbrook.  He married Ray Kaiser in 1941.

Ray Eames, née Bernice Alexandra Kaiser, was born in Sacramento, California in 1912. She attended the May Friend Bennet School in Millbrook, New York, and continued her studies in painting under Hans Hofmann through 1937. During this year she exhibited her work in the first exhibition of the American Abstract Artists group at the Riverside Museum in New York. She matriculated at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1940. 

via Vitra

The Eames were among the most influential designers of their era with major contributions to furniture, architecture, film and graphics. They were pioneers in the molding of plywood which was developed from their experiments and projects for the United States Navy during WW2. Their association with the museum dates back to the 1940s. 

via Indulgy

via Houzz

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Refinery 29

via Lonny

via Design Sponge

via Soho House Berlin

Ilse Crawford

Jessica

Stylish notes in decor :: Lofty ideas

Houzz

I've always had a thing for lofts - those wide, expansive spaces that have a modern, airy industrial feel to them. I fell in love with them when I was in my early 20s. They seemed to me to represent all that I was not yet at that point - They represented a certain amount of success as lofts in Manhattan are pricey. They represented elegance and sophistication and they represented artistry, creativity and freedom. In my early 20s I wanted and aspired to be all that. Still a bit awkward, having not left my teen years that long ago, I wanted to be sophisticated and "grown up" one day. I was doing my best to conform to what I thought society expected from me but I was a creative - an artist with an incredible imagination and more than anything I was a free spirit who hated to be confined to anything. I suppose, though I am much older now, with double the years and a certain amount of sophistication, I am still an artist, a creative, a free-spirit and I still hate to be tied down and confined. I would still love to have a loft somewhere high in the sky. A loft with great, tall ceilings, with exposed brick, beams and ducts. A space that is raw and sparse and industrial and rather harsh but can be transformed and softened and manipulated into anything at all... I'd chose elegant and artsy. I'd bask in the light of the oversized windows... I'd paint... I'd write... looking down at the great city below me, I would be inspired... and sometimes I would sit and just stare at the world around me and below me and I would just soak it all in. Of course I would have lovely dinner parties in my open, expansive space with great food and drink and friends and laughter... and I wouldn't worry about the dishes after they'd all leave late, late, late into the night hours... I shouldn't as living in a loft brings with it a sort of carefree attitude... Maybe I should pick up a lottery ticket...

original source unknown

via Polyform sofas

via Houzz

Lawrence Architects

via digsdigs

via apartment therapy

  

via Indulgy

David Closes Architects

via Steven Volpe

Do you have a dream space?

Jessica

Stylish notes on decor :: Headboards

Sometimes there's not a perfect spot in a room for a bed and so one must be created. Oftentimes a traditional headboard won't fit or look right against an oddly sized wall space.  I'm funny with where and how I place my beds. I do not want them directly opposite the point of entry. While a bed can be the room's focal point, I don't want to trip on it as I enter, and sometimes the wall that's best for the bed is also the worst. Placing a bed in the middle of a room, particularly a small room breaks up the space and can make the room feel smaller than it actually is. I tend to tuck beds into corners to open up and allow for as much space as possible - especially in children's rooms. I can't have traditional headboards in my boys' bedroom. The two beds are aligned against the far room separated only by a bedside table. The wall behind one bed is larger than the other and so one bad shares space with a wall and a window. A headboard would block the window and block much desired sunlight from entering the small space. The bed in my room, the master bedroom has the same issue. I wanted the bed placed as far away from the door as possible and I also needed wall space for a large dresser and an oversized armoire. In lieu of traditional headboards, I have used pieces of art to mimic an actual headboard. My old masterbedroom had Cathedral ceilings - it was such a lovely room. To accentuate the height of the room I hung two long, white heavy cotton curtains from a wrought iron pole across the top of the wall, directly behind the bed. This acted like a headboard and accentuated the dramatically high ceiling. The room itself was not very wide and a headboard of our king sized bed would have made the room seem smaller in size instead larger. 

Below are some clever ideas that steer away from the traditional. Turn an old wooden headboard into something more up to date by covering it with some fabric. Use mirrors, maps, and frames. A hand painted wall creates a lovely headboard for a child's room, as do antique doors and mantels. Below you'll see a lovely headboard created from a wall of Spanish tile and another from a simple curtain. For those on a budget, these are beautiful, cost effective alternatives.

Jessica

Stylish Notes on Decor :: Unexpected places to hang your art

via realestate.msn

It's not unusual and almost expected to walk in to a living room or dining room and find some lovely pieces of art hanging on the wall - perhaps a lovely, scenic oil landscape inherited from a parent or grandparents who may or may not have had ties to the land or the artist. It's not at all uncommon to find family portraits of family members both living and deceased hanging from these walls - either a single powerful portrait or a gallery of them. We find art in bedrooms, even in nurseries, but we don't often see art in kitchens or bathrooms. Hallways and stairways can be bare and bland. There's nothing that commands your attention, captures your interest like art on a wall. Often times it is the focal point - the statement - the piece de resistance. Why not add a little glam to your kitchen and bath as well? See how art in some unexpected places will completely change the tone of your room. Have a walk-in dressing room? Dress it up with some fun and unexpected art! Art needn't be fancy or expensive. It can be anything you like - a piece you've picked up at a consignment store, a lovely print you brought home from Florence, something bold and funky you found at a flea market, even some of your children's' artwork elegantly framed. Fill your home, fill your walls with art. Let your walls tell a story... What story would they tell? Below take notice of how a few framed pictures completely warms up a space, whether it's a singular large piece, several grouped together on a wall or casually arranged on a few shelves. 

image via Houzz

image via Houzz

via Vanity Fair

via Giesen Design

via Stainless Steel Kitchen

via Traditional Home

via ElleDecor

via This Old House

via Google Images

via Houzz

via Design Boom

via ElleDecor

Jessica

Stylish Notes on Decor :: How to add instant color and a touch of Spring to your home right now!

via expressdecor.com

Another snowstorm is coming. I can hardly stand it. I can't take anymore cold wet and white. I can't take anymore shoveling. I can't take anymore muddy, sandy, grimy floors. I can't take any more of these layers. I want it to stop! I want it to stop right now! But it won't... Mother Nature's playing with us - and she's not playing fair in my opinion. And so today is the 1st day in March. They say that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. Lambs sure are cute... but I digress. I'm in a rush... I'm in a rush to get Spring here. I wish I could hurry it along but alas I cannot. I can sit and wait patiently. I can sit and watch the snow fall... again! But before I do, before I rush out to the store to get more milk, wood and wine, I will pick up some flowers. I will add some Springtime to the inside of my home. It will make it look better. It will make me feel better! I adore flowers. They are nature's perfection - a quiet and simple magic, if you will. They can lift our moods and our spaces. They add instant color, pop and appeal to any space. So, why don't you add some flowers to your shopping list? They needn't be expensive or elaborate. A simple trip to the grocery store or Trader Joe's will do!

via Mark D Sikes

via Cottages and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

If you have some cherry blossoms or forsythia in your back yard, cut some branches and bring them inside before the snow falls. Watch as they bloom indoors over the next couple of days!

Jessica

Stylish notes on decor :: Nice knockers, baby!

 

Before your guests enter your home they will have a sense of what the inside is like. Perhaps it's the front yard, your walkway, or the beautifully planted flower boxes. The exterior of your home is often an accurate representation of the inside of your home. If your lawns are well manicured, well planted and pristine, most likely the inside of your home will be well cared for as well. 

But sometimes, the best indication of your style, home and personality might just be the very thing that announces the arrival of your guests - your door knocker! A door knocker can let your guests know whether you are whimsical and fun loving, passionate about sports or animals, or anything else for that matter. Your knocker may make someone feel very welcome or may put a smile on someone's face... someone may be so inclined to tell you that you have nice knockers!

 

We hope this put a smile on your face!
Happy Monday!

Jessica

Stylish Notes on Decor :: "Love how you live" - My interview with Lillian August

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a special press event for design bloggers to celebrate Lillian August's 25th Anniversary. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the person and the brand, here's a brief introduction.

It all started in the early 1980s when Lillian started selling crafts and patchwork quilts. Tapped by Imperial Wallcoverings to design a wallpaper line with an iconic American Country look, her career soon took off. Shortly thereafter Lillian moved to New York City to continue to build on this success and to begin the search for a retail location for her home furnishings and textile business, and would end up calling tony, Westport, Connecticut home. The store opened and a family business was founded. The year was 1987.

Since then, under the leadership of her two forward-thinking, visionary sons, Dan and John Weiss, Lillian August, the brand, has become a trend-setting resource for designers, homeowners and all design enthusiasts. There are currently 6 Lillian August stores, 3 of which are in connecticut;The Flagship store - The Norwalk Design Center, the South Norwalk outlet store, and the newest member of the family in Greenwich. There are also stores in New York City and in Los Angeles. Each location carries many notable brands as well as her own, the Lillian August Signature Collection, and as well as one she recently introduced for Hickory White, which is available throughout the United States. Over the years the Lillian August brand has become synonymous with unique home design and home furnishings.

After meeting Lillian and touring her flagship store in person I wanted to get to know more about the woman behind the brand. I was thrilled when she agreed to an interview.

JGR:

What inspires you everyday?

LA:

My family and my family business inspire me everyday. I work in a wonderful field with the word home in it - Home furnishings. That inspires me!

JGR:

You're now celebrating your 25th Anniversary. Where do you see your company and your brand in the next 25 years?

LA:

We're ever changing and ever evolving. Entrepreneurship means constantly reinventing yourself and your brand. We want to continue to bring the fashion and design sensibility we love to all and to keep adapting and changing to accommodate the needs for home and fashion.

JGR:

What's your favorite trend of the moment?

LA:

Today's decorating is so expressive and a mix of many periods and styles. It's the era of the interior designer. People want an extremely well put together home but very few can pull it off themselves. This is hard to do if you are not a professional. We offer our clients access to the best designers.

JGR:

What's your least favorite trend at the moment?

LA:

Beige fabric for a quick fix.

JGR:

What's been your company's greatest obstacle?

LA:

I don't think we've had many. We've been very lucky. When I think about the ability to change and adapt, we've done a pretty good job. My sons have been the driving force for us. In most family businesses the company's founder is generally the decision maker but I let my sons make the decisions and our stores really reflect their visions - the excitement of their generation. They have reinvented retail that way. I have been very open to their visions. I hope we are a family of good listeners. That's most important in business and in life today.

JGR:

What has been your greatest achievement?

LA:

The fact that we're still in business after 25 years is our greatest achievement especially since many furniture companies have not survived. The constantly changing business world is something that is a challenge and we have been able to keep up with the needs and demands of the times.  Being involved with the design process, the manufacturing process and all the shows has opened our eyes and we've been able to see beyond retail. We've gotten a dynamic view.

JGR: 

When did you realize that you'd really arrived, that your name Lillian August was synonymous with a well respected brand?

LA:

When I had a quilt business I was asked to do wall coverings for Imperial which became #1 in sales. That is what launched my career - it was the early 1980s. With every wall covering book I needed come up with a fabric line and that established me and my brand in the textiles industry. I literally started on my kitchen table. Laura Ashley was so popular back then and I used that as my model. Our store in Westport was right down the street from theirs and both stores were so tiny. We had some clothes in the front of ours that I designed. They were made in Canada. When Joanne Woodward came in and bought some fabric I knew we were going to make it! Westport was very good for us. We were in the right place at the right time.

JGR:

If you could do anything in the world, or be anything in the world, other than what you're doing now, what would it be?

LA:

I don't have any dreams. Work is fine - I believe in hard work. As a divorced woman I always encourage women to think of themselves financially - you never know when you are going to have to support yourself. I love the people I work with.

JGR:

What's the one thing you can't live without?

LA:

The New York Times. I must read it and I must read it outside. I live in Florida during the winter and I make a point of getting outside with my paper. I get my vitamin D that way! The rest of the day I'm inside and working or in front of the computer. 

Lillian also told me that social media is very important to the company and the brand. She hopes that they soon will be a destination site for information as well as shopping. An ecommerce site is set to be launched momentarily. "We live in an age where people want information so desperately and they want to have the right information. We have that information and we have a lot of it, and we will find a way to get it all out there for them."

***

If you live in the area or plan a visit to the area we hope you will stop by one of the locations. They are fun and magical and will appeal to all of your senses. Whether you are looking for something small or something large, Lillian August has just what you are looking for. Please visit their website

for more information on their lines, products, stores and in-house designers. They also have a wonderful digital magazine filled with ideas to further inspire you!

I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Lillian for taking the time from her hectic schedule to talk with me.

Jessica

* all images courtesy Lillian August

How to live graciously when there's a snow day :: Slow + Simple living

Winter is exhausting.

While the days are shorter, they're really just longer, never-ending darker extensions of themselves.
Snow is beautiful.
Snow is exhausting and relentless.

But I will take the snow over the sub-zero temperatures and ugly grey landscape any day. I don't much love winter... I don't much care for it to be honest, but I do find the snow to be beautiful. I am a visual person and so give me something pretty to look at and perhaps photograph and I am happy.

But snow is inconvenient. It creates havoc with our lives, messing with our schedules, trapping us indoors, forcing us to put a halt to meetings and plans that we may have. A couple of years ago I would have complained about this. I did complain about this. But I don't any longer. Maybe it's because my oldest is leaving the nest in 3 short years.

Now of course these are my views as a working parent whose life is greatly impacted by the weather.
There's not much we can do about the weather, is there?

We can do the best we can.

We can reschedule meetings and try to work from home.
We can try to replace meetings with conference calls.
We can take advantage of emails and our laptops.
We can enjoy our children and our time with them.
We can send them out to play.
We can have the older ones help with the shoveling.
We can gather 'round the fire.
We can read in bed and encourage the kids to as well.
We can spend some time together interacting and playing board games.
And we can demand some peace and quiet for work.
We can make it work.
Do we have a choice?
We can slow down.
What's wrong with slowing down?
When did slowing down become a bad thing?
When did living graciously become a bad thing?
Maybe it's time that we all learn how to live simply.
Maybe it's time we all learn how to live graciously...
Like our parents did when we were children.

I can't do anything about the weather but make the most of it and I intend to do just that...

after I toss a log onto the fire!

Cheers to slowing down living simply and graciously!

Jessica

all images via Tumblr

trEATs :: Delicious food gifts to make at home

Cherry and Cinnamon Bundt Cakes Photography by Danielle Wood for Rizzoli USA

One of the perks I get for blogging is that I get a lot of great stuff to review. My two most favorite items to review are books and champagne. Last week I was delighted when a small package from Rizzoli landed at my front door. Inside was a delightful little book called trEATs written by April Carter, a fellow blogger who created Rhubarb and Rose. 

There's nothing like giving, or receiving for that matter, a homemade gift from the kitchen. It's personal and it's filled with meaning. It can lift someone's spirit and make someone's day. Celebrate a Birthday, a milestone, an accomplishment, or celebrate nothing at all. Whether you're at home in the kitchen or a novice behind the counter, there's something in this sweet volume of recipes for everyone. Peppered through the book you will find plenty of tips and tricks on baking, wrapping and packaging. There are recipes for those with the sweetest of sweet thooths and plenty for those who prefer something more savory.

Raspberry Rose and Chocolate Cupcakes Photography by Danielle Wood for Rizzoli USA

Liberty Print inspired chocolate hearts Photography by Danielle Wood for Rizzoli USA

Chocolate Rose Truffles Photography by Danielle Wood for Rizzoli USA

Black currant and vanilla linzer cookies Photography by Danielle Wood for Rizzoli USA

Other incredible recipes include: Tiny lemon meringue pie cookies, Plum crumble in a jar, Savory fig and goat cheese cakes, Infused oils, flavored salts, Salted caramel truffles and Apple cinnamon compote, just to name a few.

"Whether it's a gift to say thank you, a way of celebrating happy news or something sweet to cheer up a friend, thoughtful, beautifully presented trEATs that taste as god as they look have a way of making people feel happy." April Carter

Meanwhile tomorrow's Valentine's Day so why not bake a sweetie for your sweetie?

Here's the recipe for the above-pictured Black Currant and Vanilla Linzer Cookies:
Makes 24
9 oz unsalted butter
1/2 Cup superfine sugar
1/2 Vanilla pod, split lengthwise and seeds scooped out
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 Tsp salt
4 oz blackcurrant jam or jelly
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Preheat your oven to 170 C or 350 F, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In your food processor with the beater attachment mix the butter, sugar and seeds from the pod until smooth and combined. In a separate bowl add flour and salt that have been sifted together and gradually add to the butter mixture beating in the food processor until the ingredients are well combined.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly until dough is smooth. Wrap half the dough in plastic wrap and set aside. Roll some baking paper/parchment paper onto your work surface and roll the dough until it is about 1/5 of an inch. Chill the rolled dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to cut.

Remove the dough from the freezer and cut out in circles using a crinkle cutter. Cur holes in half the circles using a smaller circle cutter (3/4 inch). Transfer the circles back into the freezer. This helps the cookies to keep their shape. Then bake for 6-8 minutes until the cookies are firm put pale. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining cookies.

Dab a half a teaspoon of jam in the middle of each cookie and place the circle with the hole on the top. Dust with confectioners sugar and store in an airtight container for up to a week.


trEATs will be published in the US by Rizzoli in March 2014. It would look great in your kitchen!

Jessica