Crystal Clear Interiors

While pulling together a design scheme for my preteen daughter’s new room I found myself excited at the thought of finally using the Philippe Starck Louis Ghost Chair. If you have never seen it then feast your eyes. It is just too damn sexy; I may have to reserve it for myself.

Like all acrylic furnishings you retain the gracious lines of the piece while leaving the area feeling light and airy. When you find yourself working in a tight space consider employing these transparent pieces. I do not mean for you to limit its use to small confines only.  These stunning offerings add so much to even the most gracious of rooms. From a sophisticated college town bungalow to a metropolitan penthouse, from a little girl’s chic bedroom to a big girl’s savvy home office the uses are limitless.

Got any acrylic furnishings? Show them off, I would love to see them. In the mean time here are just a very few fabulous furnishings to covet. 

amsterdam media and blogs Iris

                                                                     Houzz.com

Amy D Morris Interiors, Atlanta Homes Show House 2010 The Mansion

Above is one of my absolute favorites. I saw it in person last winter and fell in love.  It is not just the desk, although it is amazing, but the entire room composition. The rich sexy walls, stunning chairs, the clean lines of the shelving and the whimsy in the artwork...ENJOY! 

Megan Blake Design

Amoroso Design

Joie Wilson

LDa Architecture & Interiors

Brandon Barré

Elad Gonen & Zeev Beech

Mark English Architects, AIA

Entertaining Alfresco

Summer is coming on strong here in Georgia, the urge to be outside every minute possible, even stronger. Before the sultry southern heat really sets in take time to do a little outdoor entertaining. I always look forward to getting together with family and friends and even though the push to pull out all the stops is strong there is nothing that says elegant cannot be easy. So here are a few tips to jazz up your next event, from a backyard picnic to a party with panache, in no time.

Table toppers can bring so much life to a party. They add a pop of color to the landscape and help in setting the mood for the evening’s festivities.  With little time and money purchase 1 ½ yards of fabric per table to be covered  then cut and hem into a 50” square for clean and simple toppers. For those with a little more bang in the budget R&R Designs is a must for the most sumptuous toppers available. The best thing about R&R is they offer custom creations for their clients and matching pillows to really spread the love. With an array of colligate color schemes available in sophisticated swatches they are perfect for game day parties and tailgating alike.

Invest in seating options.  I personally love the folding chairs offered up by Ballard Designs. Their Germaine, Montello and Louis are my favorites. If you are not in a hurry I also find the charm of mix matched chairs collected over time quite irresistible. Tag sales, estate auctions and flea markets are great places to unearth such fabulous finds.  If you want a more cohesive look simply add the same paint finish to your eclectic collection.

Add ambience with an assortment of lighting.  From light bulbs strung along a cord to glass hurricanes thoughtfully adorning a tree to unique vessels grouped on tables and ledges. Mason jars are such a chic way to spread a little light on the subject. Found in an array of shapes, sizes and colors they fit in perfect from barbeques to weddings. Another option, West Elm located at Atlantic Square or online, offers up a few sexy hurricanes that may strike your fancy.

Simple floral arrangements can make a big impact on your tablescape. No need in going too large or too complicated. Choose a stem from your yard or flowering bush and instantly tie the landscape into your theme. If you lack blooming plants many local grocery stores often carry fresh cut alternatives. An unexpected place to find unique bouquets that are surprisingly affordable is your local Whole Foods market. Once you have the flowers you are going to use select a small low vase. This will keep the table from getting too crowded and conversations from being intruded upon. I found these great vases in square and round versions for a whopping $1 each but the painted tin cans below are another fun and sophisticated container I cannot wait to use. Next dazzling hydrangeas from my yard were added and clippings from a hearty shrub were employed for filler. Wow, see how easy it can be!

Get creative when serving up your guests. I love how Southern Living magazine did a spread using the tailgate of an antique truck as the buffet table.  I did just that for my mother’s 50th birthday and it was a huge success. Look around the house, attic or garage and see what interesting items you may have that you can use.  I love bringing vintage coke crates into play as trays, centerpieces and for setting up a bar. It holds perfectly mixers and a variety of liquors while adding a shot character to the party. This is another one of those items you can pick up at a roadside antique store or online at one of my favorite spots, Etsy. If you are like me and just hate the thought of coolers strewn about then consider using a wheel barrow, brightly colored buckets or old tin washtub to ice down your favorite libation. 

I hope this encourages you to host your own soiree and soon. You do not need a reason to gather with friends under a starry southern sky. I will be looking for my invitation!

Where to get it…

R&R Designs Table Toppers www.rinneandreese.net
Folding chairs www.ballarddesigns.com
String lights found at www.Modernoutdoorlighting.com
Mason jar grouping from www.Weddingbee.com
White porcelain votives www.westelm.com
www.Countryliving.com shows off these fabulous tin can floral vases
www.SouthernLiving.com eye-catching  truck layout
Etsy Coke crate http://www.etsy.com/listing/63330036/vintage-wooden-coke-crate

Some Like it Hot: How to use 2011's "Color of the Year" in your home, office and wardrobe!

Pantone, the authority in color and color forecasting, chose honeysuckle as the color of the year for 2011.  It is a stunning bold pink, not too hot, not to cold. I am sure it is catching an eye or two beckoning from a favorite store window, house wares shelf, furniture store and even the jewelry case. It is the perfect color for spring and summer especially when set against all the lush green landscapes or popping alongside the rising steel in any metropolitan setting. Men and women alike can benefit from adding this sexy color to their wardrobe and even the home; it’s not for little girls any more.

Are you fashion forward sporting your pink in savvy ways? We would love to see how pink is incorporated into your home or give you ideas how to do so.

1.     Try these fun Kate Spade fabric puff rings with golden band. $55

2.  The Kravet Turin Chair with it’s clean lines and classic pink upholstery, contact for pricing.

3.  For him, Salvatore Ferragamo enamel Gancini cuff links to spice up any business attire.$180

4.  In a chair, on a sofa or the swing outside. These Trina Turk embroidered pillows are super hip. $125

5.   Stunning Pink Womb chair, contact for pricing.

6.   Add a dash of color to your wardrobe with Jimmy Choo’s Domino in eye catching fuchsia suede $795

7.  Cozy Lands Downunder pink brushed mohair throw. $269

8. Marc Jacobs Tunic dress will certainly turn heads. $795

9.  A custom tufted headbord is sure to kick it up a notch in any bedroom, contact for pricing.

10.  A stunning chandelier is like jewelry for a room, contact for pricing.

11.  Keep dry in this sexy Anthracite by Muse Ruffle Trench Coat only at Nordstrom. $108

12.  Pantone’s color of the year, honeysuckle, sexy on the walls, upholstery and yes, You!

Travel Inspired Design

 Upon reading Kravet’s newsletter this week I felt the urge to share with you how to be inspired as you travel. So many times I have worked with clients who come home from a trip and choose to revamp a room with what they have seen.  While traveling this summer pay attention to the surroundings that inspire, calm or excite you.  Following these design cues and infusing them in your own space will serve to take you back to a sugary white beach, lofty mountain peak or a far away exotic land.

After spending a month in Asia Interior designer Barbara Barry came home inspired to create yet another stunning line of textiles for Kravet. Stirred by the sumptuous palettes in the foreign architecture, I am excited to see what will come to life in her fabrics. 

A client of mine upon returning from Venice was inspired by the rich colors of the buildings there. We instantly created a guest suite that brought these colors to life. With opulent textiles, a sumptuous wall color and the infusion of a bright and earthy orange the color scheme she was drawn to abroad was brought to life. To finish the space we hung framed photos of the many clotheslines taken on her trip. It is an instant getaway that takes her back to drifting down watery canals whenever she walks in the room.

 For those with an exotic nature think of how more than the colors but the architecture of a country can be brought into your home. Morocco is bursting with design inspiration. The tile work alone can keep the creative juices flowing and is an easy addition to most any space. Then there are the signature arched doorways. This wonderful architectural detail breathes life into a set of unique built-in book shelves. See how easy that was.

Colors found in nature are always a driving force in design. From the russet oranges, warm browns and golden yellows of fall an inviting atmosphere is created. Maybe you have just returned from the wintery slopes of Telluride and its crisp whites, blues and grays of the landscape are what speak to you. Then again there are all the vibrant colors of spring found in the flowering trees and bushes lining any golf course in the south this time of year. Summer is coming on strong with a saturation of green in all its many hues recalling a Zen spa. It is easy to see how quickly a room can be built around what nature has to offer. It doesn’t have to be a specific location. Whatever inspires you as you travel, bring it home and make it a part of every day. It can be as simple as a paint color as broad as new furniture or as daring as a change in construction.  What favorite locale have you been trying to bring home?

Where to find it…

www.BarbaraBerry.com

www.kravet.com to the trade only, give me a call.

Photo’s Courtesy of…

www.inspirebohemia.blogspot.com

www.getmorocco.com

www.destination360.com

www.stuytownluxliving.com

www.fiji-realestate-taunovo-bay.com/

www.hawaii-picture.com

www.johnsonsdepot.com

www.playwinterpark.com

www.generaltravelinformation.info

www.stockphotos.it

My new favorite color

I typically do not share project photos until everything is installed and pristine. However, the color choice for my latest client is just begging to be shown off. It is without a doubt, my new favorite hue. Feast your eyes on the sexy, sultry and sumptuous Kendall Charcoal HC 166 by Benjamin Moore.  Perfect for the music room in this home. The super black glossy finish of the baby grand resonates against the deep warmth of charcoal.

Select pieces from the family's personal art collection are arranged to create a gallery space within the music room.  Notice how crisp the white frames, mats and crown molding looks against this bold color choice.

Beneath the Picasso, in charcoal no less, is space reserved to mount an antique violin. A violin that, sadly, I am still in search of.  Let me know if you have one you are willing to part with.

The project will be posted in full in the next 3-4 weeks. I am so excited for you to see the entire room. In the mean time here are a few stunning settings drenched in gray. Certainly a color worth considering, I am glad I did!

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

Room Seventeen