Hello. My name is Jennifer M and I’m a Scrabulous addict. I’ve got five games going right now and want more! I just can’t stop. Maybe if I lounge on this sofa designed by Stephen Reed I’ll be better able to…

think of seven letter words which contain X, Z and Q. On second thought, I’d better stay away. I think I’d just spend my time rearranging the pillows.

Have a good weekend. And keep those cards and letters coming.

via: bedzine

Once again it’s snowing here in Detroit. We’ve got about a foot of snow on the ground already. And it’s freezing. I mean {bad word} freezing. Perhaps you can imagine my envious longing at finding this beautiful, sunny beach house in my mailbox this afternoon. Oh how I wish I were there.

This photo is from one of four rental properties from around the US being featured on Coastal Living’s site. Think of the tour as a kind of visual vacation from the snow.

photo credit: Jean Allsopp

Stroll over to Design Sponge to get the details on this fun Before and After post. One of her readers sent in this project, complete with instructions.

Before

I wish I had the time to do projects like this. If only there could be just a few more hours in each day. But then, I’ve mean meaning to do more sewing, soooo…

After

maybe cloning is the answer. Do you like to do these sorts of projects? Here in my little Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, estate sales are all the rage. Furniture that has make-over potential is naturally a hot ticket. How about in your neck of the woods?

In his 33 years, Todd Bracher has managed to live in some of the most important metropolises of the world when it comes to art and design. Born in New York, he moved to Copenhagen at the age of 24 to study design in the city where idols like Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjaerholm had lived. He later moved to Paris, then Milan and London, to return this year to where he started out in Brooklyn.

His travels have helped him form his personal take on what makes good design, and this approach is reflected in the new table he’s designed for Fritz Hansen, suitable for business meetings as well as dinner parties.

“Design is about striking a balance between the over-designed and the under-designed,” he explains. “I like the fact that the table appears as if it could never have been anything different. It seems as though it was born out of a single, long and natural movement. When you take a closer look, though, you notice the construction, which is in fact quite complex. With this table we strived to make the frame as delicate as possible in order to give it an elegant streamlined look.

To me it’s important that the design doesn’t require too much explanation. There’s nothing to understand, really. - it’s simply a frame with a surface. The form has a dramatic quality, despite its simplicity. I think it’s in tune with the times, although I make it a point of honor not to be governed by passing trends.”

While Bracher was born and raised in New York, but his work has a strong flavor of the Scandinavian design tradition. It was this fascination that brought him to Copenhagen in the first place to complete his master’s degree at the Danish School of Design. And his table for Fritz Hansen makes reference to the icons of Danish design, both in terms of form and choice of materials. “I’ve had many different reactions to the table, and personally I also find it has a dualistic quality. The table’s language is a balance between the Fritz Hansen heritage and its future progression. To me this table is the right balance of the two.”

via: Fritz Hansen

The new online shop, Always Mod, is dedicated to all things Marimekko. Check out their fantastic fabric selection.

Today is the last day to take advantage of their 15% off everything offer. Just enter the promotion code “designhole” when you check out.

I bought this handy toiletry case. Love it! I actually needed an extra one. Plus, it was too cute to pass up. They have great gifts. Also, big thanks to Always Mod for supporting Design Hole.

First, I have to apologize for few posts today. Clients beckoned, but mostly I had to get my taxes finished. Thanks for understanding.

Okay, you have to tell me if you like this chair or not. I can’t decide if you could actually sit in it without having to lean forward. So I want everyone’s opinion. It’s the Sue Chair, from Casamania (which has a really fun site BTW).

The back rest does slope. But the forward slant of the back gives the illusion of discomfort. I love the chunkiness of it and I love the colors. It’s stackable and can be used outdoors. I think these would be great in a garden where the scale of them can be better appreciated.

Casamania is exhibiting at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, in Milan. I just got my press pass for the event. I’ll have to report back after I get to test drive it myself.

I’m thinking of having some Plynyl rugs made for our North Carolina beach house. It’s one of my current favorite materials because it looks like fabric, but is made of vinyl. So it’s perfect for places like the beach - especially a rental house like ours, which can take a beating. If someone spills their wine you just mop it up.

I’m waitng for a price from the local rep (keep your fingers crossed for me). I need a large rug, but I found several sites selling ready-made Plynyl versions. You can find them at Unica Home, and Lumens.

I’ve just reconnected with a fellow former College for Creative Studies student, Lesleyanne . She’s opened her own Etsy shop where she sells her jewelry and fashion designs. She graduated with a degree in Interior Design and Fibers and is a genius with a sewing machine. Here’s a look at what’s up for sale at Pink Graffiti.

This embellished T-shirt has its own front pocket. $35

A vintage sweater with Lesleyanne’s awesome applique work. $55

Vintage button earrings. $15

These goat earrings are from the Farmyard Collection (love that idea). $24

Jigsaw puzzle pieces made into earrings. Cute! $14

I don’t know where Lesleyanne finds the time to make all this. Her day job keeps her busy designing things like showrooms for Ellen Tahari. And if that weren’t enough, she also writes her own blog, Pink Graffiti. But then, she is a CCS grad.

Introduced in 2006, Thomas Moser’s Edo Collection designed by David Moser, is largely Asian-inspired with detail and construction that plays with minimalist form. David, who I interviewed last year, is now a new father and this life-altering experience contributed to his idea of adding a rocker to the collection.

“It was actually fairly challenging to come up with the logistical elements for this rocker,” says Moser. “The idea of the cantilever gave me the liberty and flexibility to make this piece as light and minimal as possible, so that it became a natural extension to the collection.”

The new rocker, priced at $2,700, will be available starting next week at their stores across the country.

My friend Peter is a master of the bedscape. By that I mean knowing just the right style, number and placement of pillows on a bed. I was thinking about this last week when my mother and I toured some model homes at Lakewood Ranch, in Florida, where I took these photos. I thought I’d explain Peter’s theory while we take a tour of some interesting bedscapes. Ready?

I like the matching headboard and pillows,
as well as the use of fabric tape on the coverlet.

Peter says that, “Beds are like desks. Too much stuff on your desk and you can’t find anything. Not enough stuff and you can’t get your work done.”

This is my favorite of everything I saw that day.
I could slip right between those sheets and go to sleep.
It looks really inviting.

Peter says NO to a mountain of decorative pillows. “They’re annoying and serve no function,” he says. However, he’d make an exception with the bed, above, because the three European shams take the place of a headboard (which he’d prefer). Next come two king-sized pillows and one little guy. The matching duvet looks nice with the sheets. Peter suggests staying away from a mountain of throw blankets, too. “You just have to throw them on the floor.”

This bed flunks Peter’s test. Too many decorative pillows.
Not enough for sleeping ones.
But it looks nice! I took this photo because I liked the art arrangement.

Peter goes on to say that each bed needs two pillows per person for actual sleeping. Then you need an assortment of rolls, and boudoir pillows for different functions. But not too many. The type of pillow depends on what you do in bed.

“Rolls and small pillows are good for supporting your head while you read or watch TV in bed. But please don’t over-do it,” adds Peter. “Figure out what you need and leave it at that.” It’s nice to mix up the patterns to keep things from looking too matchy-matchy. Oh, and don’t forget to iron everything. If you don’t iron your sheets, at least do the pillow cases.

The bed, above is the perfect Peter Bedscape.
The pillows all serve a purpose and coordinate nicely.

Okay, so what about the covers? Peter has some tips there, too. He likes a coverlet over an ironed, turned down sheet. Top that with a covered duvet that’s either tri-folded at the foot of the bed, or folded once with the coverlet and sheet folded over it.

Ouch! The paneled wall is so beautiful.
But the bed is lumpy and the pillows look sad.
Love the lamps and art placement.

“I guess it’s personal,” Peter adds. “But I don’t like those padded quilts you often find in hotel rooms. They don’t allow for comfortable sleeping because they don’t mold to your body.” I’ll add that they feel horribly synthetic - even when they’re topped with cotton fabric.

This room looks really fresh and inviting.
I don’t think I could ever talk Arthur into a canopy like this.
But it looks so pretty. I guess it’s a girl thing that will have to wait for the right client.

If you live in a warmer climate Peter suggests a light-weight duvet as well as opting for a light-weight coverlet. He likes seersucker. “Personally,” says Peter, “I like the feel of covers, so I always have a duvet. Others might prefer just the coverlet and maybe a blanket folded at the bottom.”

One final thought concerns throw blankets. Peter says throw blankets are for sofas and chairs not beds. “You’re always talking about scale, and that’s the problem with throw blankets on beds. They’re too small. Buy the big one and you’ll thank me.”

Simply put, here are Peter’s rules for the perfect bedscape.

• Limit the use of decorative pillows. He prefers a padded headboard.
• Two pillows per person for sleeping.
• Use small boudoir pillows, or rolls, for specific purposes such as reading.
• Mix up the pillow patterns for visual interest.
• Layer your bed with a top sheet, coverlet and covered duvet. Fold each over the other, or…
• Tri-fold the duvet cover and fold the top sheet over the coverlet.
• No throw blankets.
• Iron your sheets, or at least the pillowcases.

What’s your favorite bedscape tip?

I received the new Spring catalog from Judy Ross and want to share her newest designs. She’s focusing on metallics - a trend we’ve all been watching.

Judy’s pillows are hand-embroidered in India. It’s difficult to appreciate the handwork that goes into these from just looking at the pictures. (Maybe one day we’ll have feel-o-net capabilities.) Anyway, I love the asymmetry of her designs.

You can buy her pillows and rugs online at Greener Grass Design. If you live in New York, her collection is sold also available at ABC Carpet & Home.

I’m so glad that wallpapers are back. They have so much design impact. And there are so many creative ways to use them. They’re an easy and beautiful way to add an extra layer to a room.

Here’s a peek at the new Glamour Collection from Anna French.

Regal: 9 colorways

She’s pulling out all the stops with this line. It’s bold and colorful. Designs are done on a grand scale. Did you ever think you’d actually like a flocked paper? These are fun.

Elegantine flocked: 6 colorways

I love the way Anna uses color to create impact. The bedroom, above, looks like so much fun. Maybe not on all four walls. You’d go blind. One wall gets papered and paint the others - add some more paper in accent spots, like the back of some shelves, and the look is tied together.

Etched Leaf: 7 colorways

This little leaf pattern is cute here, but check it out in black. Anna’s site is nicely designed. You can change the color of the background, which changes to appearance of the papers.

Firework: 5 colorways

I’ve been seeing a lot of foiled papers. These designs aren’t a throw-back to the ’70’s geometric LSD patterns. They’re fresh and fun.

Lavinia: 10 colorways

Oh, and colorful. Anna is well known for her expert blending of bold, bright colors.

If you’re interested in samples, or pricing, shoot me an email. Or leave a comment here. Share your opinion, too. What’s your take on foil and flocked papers? Like ‘em? Hate ‘em?

Photo Source