Interior Design Trend: CB2 Is Seeing Red This Fall
An age-old rule in the interior design world is to always place something black in a room. Well I say, “Let it be red.” Please? After all, it’s my favorite color. Here are three red design items from CB2 that I’m loving for Fall.
The Fyrkat charcoal grill is a must have for any tailgate party. Cook up some brats or burgers in the lower level and veggies on the top. Add some beer and everyone’s happy. This grill roasts up at $179.99.
Who wouldn’t love this cute table lamp from Faroles? Place it on a desk, a side table, or your kitchen counter. At only 18″ high, it will look great just about anywhere. Take it home for $99.00.
Last, but certainly not least. I totally love their Rig bar stool. It’s made of sustainable mango wood. Whatever. I love good design that doesn’t cost the moon. In this case, you can be sitting on this stool for $149.00.
Living Room Interior Design: The Final Floor Plan
Why is it that we tend to put ourselves last? In my case it’s because I’m so busy designing other people’s homes that I run out of time for my own. Then, of course, there’s my family life, which always comes first before anything. So, I’m really thrilled that after a couple of years I’ve finally begun to work on my own living room.
Previously, I’ve used my living room as a template for two interior design companies that offer an online service. You can read my reviews of Designer At Home and and RoomJuice to see their solutions. The upshot is that, while I think this is a growing trend, it can’t yet compare to creating the best interior design solution without actually seeing the space. Read my reviews to see exactly what I mean.
I thought I’d share my interior design plans with you.
Here is the horrid picture of the living room “before”. I know, it’s a sad tale of woe.
I’ll spare you the gory details. But it involves no time and not enough parties. I definitely need to change all of that. Anyway, I did enough interior design work so as not to totally embarrass myself. The art placed along the floor was not part of the plan. I wonder how it got there?
Getting down to business, the major problem with the interior design of this long and narrow (23′ x 14′) room is that the coffee table is out of scale. It’s way too big. Basically, this is called Trying to fit the furniture from your old house into the new one. The sequel is called Then I got too busy to fix it.
The room is long and thin. That makes it very hard to create one seating area without wasting a lot of space. So I divided the room into two groupings.
Are Canopy Beds the Most Romantic Style?
I sort of think so. Maybe it’s because you feel enclosed in all the fabric that might hang around it. It becomes a private hideaway, enabling you to let go and get your groove on. A 12-foot ceiling, French windows, Paris, and some chilled champagne wouldn’t hurt either. And, since we’re having fun, I’ll throw in Guy Pierce.
Okay, so here of some of my top picks for canopy beds.
I really love this bed designed by Annie Selke for Vanguard. I wanted to use it in a client’s home, but the ceiling was too low and for some reason they weren’t willing to rip out the roof. This bed is so stylish, it would rip off the roof all by itself (I am such a cool writer, no?) Anyway, I love the gold. It’s super hot right now. Read More…
Important Interior Design Trends from the Salone del Mobile: New Colors Rule the Day
The Salone del Mobile celebrated its 50th birthday this year. Furniture companies, and the designers who work for them, stepped up to the plate with terrific new designs that pay full attention to the economy and current lifestyle changes. This was by far the best show I’ve seen in the years I’ve attended. Let’s take peek at what’s coming your way.
The typical straight lines and black and white colors that we think of when it comes to contemporary furniture are still on hand, but say hello to soft pastels and vibrant colors. They were everywhere and not just in lighting and accessories. Color is a major trend in furnishings.
Patricia Urqioula’s Klara Collection for Moroso. This was one of my favorites. I love the soft pink and the knit pattern.
More pastel colors, a soft blue, were a hit with me. I love that toile in the background. The juxtaposition with the contemporary against the classic is terrific.
Salone del Mobile 2011: The Best Designs for Earth Day
Today is Earth Day. I’m beginning my Salone report today because eco-friendly designs were one of the major trends at this year’s show in Milan. Here are a few of my Earth Day favorites.
Emeco has created one of my top favorites – forgetting the eco-friendly element. Each of their new 111 Navy Chairs, is made from 111 plastic bottles, 65% recycled PET plastic and 35% glass fiber and pigment. This year, the chair has diverted 3.5 million bottles out of landfills. 111Navy is made in the United States, beginning in Tennessee and molded in North Carolina. Love it!
I’ve always loved the soft, buttery woods from 1920R. A few years ago, they had a small, lonely space. This year, their space was huge and business was booming. Their Briccole di Venezia collection was the star of their show. Made from Briccole, the posts standing in the lagoon from time immemorial. The old posts are replaced every year and 1920R is using those to create some beautiful tables and chairs. Venice is my favorite. See the rest on their site.
My other fave is their Aukland table made from Kauri trees that have been buried, due to earth quakes, under the earth for centuries. The wood has been preserved, not fossilized. Super cool. You can see a number of their Kauri designs here. Read More…
