Misterarthur and I are hosting a business shindig in a couple of weeks. There’s nothing like the thought of semi-strangers wandering through your house to light a fire under one’s fixer-upper. Which is why I think this will be a garden party. And that got me thinking about our garden - specifically the gravel pit that runs along the side of our house (sorry no pix - too embarrassing).

The pit was supposed to be an elegant alleé of potted trees. But somehow we took a wrong turn down Lazy Street and it remains a barren pit de gravél (French makes it sound a little nicer don’t you think?). Anyway, the invites are out and time’s a wastin’, which is why I’m implementing Operation Garden Storm.

 I’ll send Misterarthur down to the Eastern Market for some pots and trees. Easily done. But to give the gravel pit that extra zip that Martha (gag) would approve of, I was thinking of adding some benches. This antique bench probably isn’t meant for the rain and snow of Michigan. But I came across it in my bench shopping journey today and thought I’d feature it anyway. It’s pretty cool - an antique reproduction of an English railroad station bench. I dig it. Do you?

I promise to publish photos once the gravel pit becomes splendiferous. Give me a week.

Mary-Kate is the 9 year-old daughter of a Sarah, a good friend of mine. This sophisticated fourth-grader was ready for a change to her personal space. She’s a girl after my own heart because she has always understood the importance of decorating a room that’s uniquely one’s own. By that I mean, no theme rooms covered in Disney characters.

Mary-Kate’s Room “Before”

Her before look was terrific - a Lilly Pulitzer style that was bright and cheerful. But Mary-Kate’s mom sells marked-down Lilly at an online shop. So she sees it everyday and got bored; she wanted something that set her apart. And let’s face it, when it comes to kids defining who they are it’s (a) very important to them, and (b) changes often, and (c) is best defined by the space they inhabit.

This means that parents should be prepared for change within reasonable limits. Start with basic furniture that can carry off different looks. Look for bargains and shop carefully for things you know won’t be around forever. Finally, take a tip from Mary-Kate’s Mom. Once your child has really outgrown something, try selling it on Craig’s List. (I’ve had success with this, too).

Mary-Kate’s room: “after”

Mary-Kate designed the room’s basic look by herself. “I wanted a more modern look,” she said. “So I picked out black and green for the colors.” She chose a bright green paint for the walls - Chopped Chive, from Ace Hardware.

Sarah sold her old furniture on Craig’s list and bought a more contemporary daybed from West Elm. It’s covered in a polka dot duvet cover from PB Teen. The toss pillows, floor lamp and art hanging to the right of the bed are all from Target. The area rug is from Lowe’s - what a fantastic find. Sarah is a woman who knows where to find a bargain. She amazes me.

Sarah’s best trick is the art hanging to the left of the bed. She took a white frame she already had and used gift wrap for the artwork. (Sarah, you need to start your own blog. Call it Design on a Penny!)

The Parson’s desk is another find from West Elm. White is a good choice for a girl growing into her teenage years. It’s a good basic that will take her through high school. The shelves and desk chair are from IKEA.

Now for the best part - the window treatment. Sarah has a fantastic seamstress who made up this Roman shade with Mary-Kate’s monogram in the valance. I think that’s such a great idea. Matching pillows tie the look together. The fabric and ribbon are JoAnn Fabrics. They were very inexpensive and you don’t need a lot of yardage with this type of shade. I love that monogram.

Mary-Kate, you did a great job on your first decorating job. I love the color choices and the way all the patterns work together. I can’t wait to see your next project.

It’s been raining too much here in Grosse Pointe. I needed a bit of sun today, so I tool a virtual trip over to Marrakesh via My Marrakesh - one of the most visually inspiring blogs around. She takes awesome photos and writes beautifully about her life in Morroco. 

I invite you to skip the expensive plane fare and join me today in a cybertrip to My Marrakesh - where the sun in always shining.

I love the new lines of paper and fabrics from Jane Churchill. They’re a contemporary departure from her more traditional patterns. Lonsdale embraces the return of foils - something that was quite popular in the 1970’s. If foil isn’t your thing, her Calder and Caro Collections works with Lonsdale and come in a wide choice of colorways.

I find that some of my clients shy away from bold wallpaper patterns, fearing they’ll overwhelm a room. I feel quite the opposite. Large patterns can really make a room zip. Here are some tips on how to get it right.

• Flat surfaces will always show an over-sized design to its best advantage, so avoid using it on a wall with lots of picture molding that will break up the image.

• An intense, large pattern will look lighter with a diaphanous fabric on the windows.

• Carry the design through-out the room. Use the print from the walls on things like upholstery or bedspreads or a bedskirt. This will create an intimate feeling.

• Use a large print on the walls, ceiling and at the windows. In a smaller room, such as a bath, this looks great.

• Use large graphic motifs to create artwork by framing it. Or to create the illusion of a headboard.as works of art in their own right by framing them.

• Strong contemporary colours bring traditional prints such as damasks and toiles up to date.

Jane Churchill designs are available through your favorite designer. Don’t have a designer? Send me an email and I’ll get them for you.

This chair remind me of bridge construction. It was designed by Marcel Wanders for Droog in 1996. It’s now produced by Cappellini.

It’s made of macramé knotted carbon and aramide fiber cord with an epoxy resin finish. Each chair is shaped by gravity and the hands that made it. Sort of like a suspension bridge - right? You can find it at Unica Home for $3,890. Cheap!

I have a graphic designer friend who would love one of these trays from Carolina Cottage. These decoupaged beauties are made of wood, measure 9-1/2″x6″  and are covered in a variety of papers.

You can find then at her Etsy Shop where they sell for $21.00 each.

Sorry Misterarthur, but I’m in love with someone else. He’s Lazy, but has long…. lines. And he’s too good looking to pass up. I could lay on him all day. Yes, I’m going to marry this sofa from Swedese. 

My bridesmaids will be Catifa Chairs. And my flower girl will be an Aalto stool. In a few years we’ll have several side chairs - maybe some that match! So I’m off to Mezzanine to arrange the happy occasion.

The spacious, contemporary interiors in this classically designed beach house offer a nice juxtaposition of styles. You can mix the two and still create a harmonious atmosphere. This Martha’s Vineyard home was featured in Coastal Living and I thought I’d share it with you today.

“The interiors defer to the spectacular scenery with low-profile furniture, muted fabric colors, minimal window treatments, and a neutral hue for the walls, trim, and ceiling.

Ample windows embrace a breathtaking panorama of Vineyard Sound, the Elizabeth Islands, and Cape Cod.

In the sun-soaked master bedroom, a webbed chair and bench recall outdoor furniture, uniting the room with its surroundings.

The adjustable sconce for nighttime reading and a shelf that fits neatly over the headboard eliminate the need for a bedside table.

Soft blue and gray glass tiles continue the house’s subtle color palette in the master bath, echoing the ocean hues that can be seen from every window.

The house’s open floor plan allows for views from every living space, including the dining area, which features a classic old farm table that was brought over from London.

Visitors can soak up sun in modern chaise lounges that outfit the side deck, or descend the long wooden stairway to the sandy shores of Vineyard Sound.”

I need a Chum Bucket vacation!

via: Coastal Living
photo credit: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Here’s something that I thought would be fun and get a good conversation going. Take a look at this room and tell me what you think. Specifically, I’m wondering whether you think the room should be repainted. Are the faux vines too Last Century? Or, considering that the windows allow the garden to become part of the room, perhaps the vines still work - even though this sort of faux thing is really an out of date trend.

Here are a couple of other things to keep in mind. This house will be sold (assuming the mortgage crisis is resolved by then) in about four years. And, the price to have this room painted could feed a small nation for a year. Is it worth the money to repaint? One suggestion I’ve already received is to paint only the doors and leave the walls alone.

What would you do if this were your house? What color would you paint it? There is no right or wrong answer.  I hope everyone will have fun, cast their shyness aside and weigh in with their opinions.

Kirsty Anne Powell is the creative genius behind textile designs from Oromono. In the eight years since she graduated (with a first class honors degree in textile design) from Loughborough University in England her career has taken off like a rocket. More about Kirsty in a minute. But first, she’s kind enough to offer Design Hole readers a 20% discount. Details at the end of the post.

Kirsty began her career as a freelance textile designer and stylist in London. After styling within the industry for a year, she moved to Amsterdam. Living in such a creative city surrounded by such inspirational design, Kirsty decided start her own label and set up her own textile design company. Now that takes real guts in a city so devoted to design.

Paper & Ruffles Collections

Kirsty designs three-dimensionally with textiles to create sculptural forms. By manipulating fabrics with various techniques Kirsty created a range of individual collections that add their own unique style. Each textile design concept was then developed into home and fashion accessories.

Texture Collection (my favorite)

The Oromono label was launched in 2004 at the Maison en Objet Fair in Paris, where it immediately sprung into the limelight by winning the award for the best newcomer in Textiles.

Blooming & Stitch Collections

Can Kirsty make a wrong move?
No! Especially because she’s offering all Design Hole readers a special 20% discount on all orders.

Just enter the word HAPPY when you place you order online. You can also order via phone by calling 917-338-7568

Personally, I love the Texture collection and the slippers. What’s your favorite?

For the third time international design and art galleries are presenting much sought-after design classics and exclusive products as part of the Design Miami exhibition at the Art Basil fair in Switzerland. This year, they’re focusing on limited editions of contemporary works. It’s all in the attempt to further the notion of design as fine art. It receives a lot of attention in the specialized press. I think Brad Pitt recently bought some of these pieces and, of course, the press made a big deal out of that. At any rate, there are now few designers who don’t offer their works for sale in art galleries or auction house. Which brings me to today’s chair.

Archiduchaise is a creation by the Belgian aluminium specialist Xavier Lust, who has already created a stir with his ingenious designs for MDF Italia. “Elegant as a baroque crinoline,” says Lust. “The lower structure of this cantilever chair stretches well beyond the seat, which gives this sculpture its figure-like appearance.”

I’m not sure how I feel about design as art. I absolutely agree that some designs belong in a design museum. And a chair can certainly lend itself to being an object d’art if it’s placed and lit properly. I just hope the whole movement doesn’t get carried away into total pretention. I hate a poser. I don’t want to hear an interior designer try to talk a client into buying some ego-laced sofa because “it’s high art.” A sofa will always still be a sofa - no matter how groovy it may be.

I’ve been putting this off for as long as I can, but I feel it’s time to let everyone in on something personal. I have a wonky hip that might need replacing. But maybe not. The surgeons (3 of them!) are trying to figure out exactly what’s going on. I tore the cartilage in my hip socket a few years ago and then walked around on it while I shredded it to bits. I had surgery last year to fix it and it worked like a charm. But the pain has returned.

How could someone so young be in this position? Well, it’s because when I was younger and even younger than that, I did a lot of this (below) starting at age 5.

I wasn’t as good as these girls, but all the pounding and stretching took a toll. Beyond dance and gymnastics, if you name the sport, I’ve probably done it. Then I discovered yoga and started doing this.

Really! Though that’s not a picture of me! I could put my legs behind the head and everything. I thought I was totally too cool for school.

Until the day…

I moved something heavy and my cartilage snapped. Anyway, the point of this is to let you know that I have to undergo a bunch of diagnostic procedures in the very near future. I’m also in some pain, which gets very annoying and makes it hard to concentrate and sleep.

Which means there will be days (sort of like today) when I won’t be able to write. However, I also expect that this be resolved soon and I’ll be back to my normal life before you know it.

I hope you guys will stick with Design Hole! I’m not going anywhere and expect to be writing almost every day. I just don’t want you to wonder where I’ve gone when I miss one.

Anyway, now you finally know why I’m an expert on chair comfort.