Lonny To The Rescue!

For those of you who are still in mourning over the loss of Domino... your prayers have been answered. Enjoy!

Chanda-where?

I love it when chandeliers are put in unconventional places, like hanging from a tree branch at an outdoor party or in a bathroom. It makes them that much more interesting to look at because they don't really belong, but they look good.

A giant chandelier in the middle of a small kitchen? Why not? I love the way the white pops against a black wall.

Not a chandelier, true, but the idea is fantastic.

What a cool place to stick a chandelier, and much more interesting that two lamps.

Bathing is way more fun with pretty lighting.

This one is my favorite. A green backyard, cool weather, and a shimmery chandelier. Perfection.

All photos are from Domino.

Art Education: Working with Patterns

Part of what I love about wallpaper is that it can negate the need for art. It can be visually dynamic enough to run the whole show. That said, some well=placed clusters of art on a busy, patterned wall can look fantastic.

It's important to start with a strong base. In the photo above, the black-framed pieces provide a base on which the other pieces can build.

The pattern of the wallpaper is also important. All of these are relatively small prints. Small frames would get lost in a larger print.

I think the most important factor is unity. There has to be some unifying characteristic in the art. This is perfect, because the frames are all the same and the color red unites the entire room.

I also like how the placement of the art seems intentional, but also somewhat random. They aren't placed in a perfect square or rectangle. Some stick out at the bottom and some are placed farther apart that others. In this photo, it even seems to incorporate the sconce and the intercom.

The first photo is via Vogue, and the rest are via Domino.

Cha-Cha-Chartreuse

I suppose I'm slightly biased. I even like to say the word chartreuse. It rolls off the tongue so nicely. Chartreuse.

It's a good thing the color itself can back up all the hype I'm giving it. It's punchy yellow with an undertone of green. Sounds like a winning combination to me. Perhaps you should try some on this summer...

I like the unexpected pop of chartreuse behind the striped pillows. Loverly! Photo via Domino (r.i.p.).

I kind of want to buy this clock. I'm trying to resist the urge! Innermost Eclipse Clock, $184 @ High Fashion Home.

The company is my new obsession. There will be further posts on Casamidy, but for now, you can enjoy the Almidi Arch Table. It can be painted in any Benjamin Moore color!



I fell in love with this Rory Beca top that I found in Lucky. So swingy and airy for a summer night out.

Beachside sexy. via ShopBop.

I really wish I had a pair of chartreuse heels. It would perk up my outfits oh-so-much! Photo via Coco+Kelley.

Got Storage?

If you're anything like me, you have a lot of, for lack of a better term, crap hanging around. This is probably the chief complaint my husband has with our small, one-bedroom apartment. I have too much stuff and not enough places to hide it all. That's why I find myself dreaming of these cabinets that I pulled from an issue of Domino...

Literally, a place for everything! Store the kids' stuff on the lower shelves. Leave some door-less to display your good-lookin' books and knick-knacks. Then, when the threat of visitors looms, hide it all behind closed doors. I think my favorite thing about this is that the family made this themselves! Now, that's impressive. I'll be sure to add this to the honey-do list...

Open Sesame!

I was totally inspired by this page from Traditional Home! My main complaint about my small apartment is that it literally has no entryway of which to speak. Insanity, I tell you! Someday, I'll get my hands on a spacious entryway and jazz it up my way. My first step will be to wallpaper it in a vivacious, colorful print!

This one feels very gardenish to me, but not quite in the literal sense. The walls are floral, yes, but the legs on the table add an organic, surreal quality. From House Beautiful.

I just noticed that the wallpaper picks up the teal tile below. What a prime example of exploding pattern into a small space. From Domino: The Book of Decorating.

How hard is it to pull off neon wallpaper in a home? I don't really know. But this works. All subsequent photos from Domino.

Compared to some of these entryways, this one almost seems tame, but there's just enough pattern to not make it just another house.

I love the very thrown together quality of this. The geometric paper is very precise and linear, while to stacks of magazines muss it up just enough.

I would use elements of this in my own decorating, like the shabby chair. It's a very rustic, eclectic look.

I love that she used the pattern on three walls instead of the usual two. I really grabs your attention!

And then you see this and it commands your attention! Although this feels a bit clubby to me, it is a very cool look and the other elements in the room are subdued enough to keep it from going off the deep end.

This one is so sweet and serene. The pattern isn't overwhelming, keeping the spaces light and airy, but saving it from being blah.

Cool Nurseries! (Is That An Oxymoron?)

First of all, let me preface this blog by saying that I am neither pregnant, nor intend to be in the near future. I say this for the sake of my mom and sisters who faithfully read this blog.

While perusing through pictures pulled from the Domino website before they took it down (still upset about that, by the way. Sniff!), I noticed a lot of really cool nurseries. As in, I would decorate my adult bedroom the way they decorated their kids' room. Each photo had its own little inspiration...

The very pale aqua offsets the awesome wallpapered ceiling wonderfully. What a novel idea! Wallpaper on the ceiling!

These ebony-stained wood walls are breathtaking! And not a pastel in sight!

If I was to do pink, this is how I want to do it- fiery, in your face, unapologetic! That Amanda Peet sure does have style...

I like this one solely for its space saving ideas. The fuzzy throw rug is fun, too!

Obviously, I'm on a linen kick lately (see my last blog!) Wrinkly linen drapes are pretty for baby.

I love the idea of using a blown up picture of the kids as their own work of art. The fairy light chandelier is a playful light fixture.

File This Under...

"Things You Played With As A Kid That Have Come Back As Good Design"

Item One: Beanbags. Once part of a childhood game in which the participant attempts to throw said beanbag through a small hole, thus winning a prize (P.O.S.). Now, made of sumptuous leathers by one Sophie Nova, the beanbag is used for the purpose of propping up books and adding a dose of color and style to your bookshelves. Said item has been featured in Domino and House Beautiful. It just goes to show you, good design always finds a way.

Confessions of Shopaholics

Isn't Spring the cliche time to get something new and great? I suppose it goes back to getting a fancy new Easter dress as a kid, but I always get shopping pangs around this time of year. The weather is warming up, it's nice to go outside to get to the shops, and the shock of holiday spending has faded from memory. With that in mind, I asked some of my very stylish friends one simple question:

If you could splurge on one thing this month, what would you get?

I didn't place any limits on them. Anything, any price, anywhere. Here's what they said...

My friend Stephanie is finishing up her last year in college, so her desire to splurge on a beach vacation makes perfect sense. Finally, a chance to relax without a textbook in sight!

Marian is the lady with the shoes (or Choos, really). So I was actually surprised when she said she wanted a brightly colored handbag for Spring! Of course, when you're talking about Valentino, I would forget about shoes, too.

My very stylish interior designer friend, Kelley, just bought a home in the Heights. Needless to say, she's in a decorating frenzy, but the one thing she wants more than anything is artwork a la this print from 20x200.

Perhaps the most extravegant request came from my boss, Jeff. His major splurge? A drum set. Well, Jeff, I hope your neighbors are heavy sleepers.

If you want shopping advice, you go to Cynthia. She has impeccable style (and she's an amazing artist. I have a mini-gallery of her work in my apartment). She was very specific about what she wanted: A pair of tough heels to rock out all of her flirty skirts.

I suppose a lot of my friends love shoes. I lived in New York with a shoe-aholic named Allyson. Everytime she came home with a new pair of shoes, I would literally drool. I wasn't surprised to hear she wanted a new pair of Manolo Blahniks for Spring.

My friend Amber is also on a decorating binge, but she's looking for a very specific coffee table. She wanted something "solid and thick with a natural look, nicks and all". I'd say the Beam Coffee Table fits the bill.

My coworker friend, Jennifer, is dying to redo her kitchen. She picked this one from Domino as her inspiration because she liked the combination of open shelving and closed cabinets.

I couldn't forget to put in my two cents. I'm lusting after the Dulce Sequin Skirt from J. Crew. Paired with a slouchy t-shirt and some leather flip-flops, it's the perfect summer night out outfit!

Sweep Me Off To Paris!

via Elle Decor

Something about a summer in Paris is really appealing to me right now. Maybe it's the dreary, rainy weather we're having in Houston. Maybe it's the small and architecture-free apartment I've been in for close to two years. Maybe it's the constant reminder of our declining economy from TV to radio and magazines that's finally getting me down. Either way, I need a vacation, and a trip to Paris would be just lover-ly.

via Domino

Of course, that involves quite a bit of funding that I just don't have at the moment. I'll have to make do with these Parisian (and faux- Parisian) interiors which are tickling my French fancy.

via Domino

Apparently, the ingredients for a Parisian interior are as follows: 3 parts chevron patterned wooden floor, 1 part ornate fireplace with large mirror overhead, 2 parts French doors with balcony and iron railing, 1 part simple floor-to-ceiling drapes. Voila!

via Domino

Until I can cross the pond and get over there, I'll be dreaming of French architecture, French fashion, and (my favorite) French crepes! Au revoir!

Still Loving Suzani!

Elle Decor had a little suzani on it's cover. Love the sofa!

I'd love to add some suzani to my living room. Beautiful, colorful fabrics add a touch of bohemian to even the most classic room. The patterns are so gorgeous that just a little bit will go a long way. Suzani has been in for a couple of years now, but it doesn't show any signs of leaving, so grab a little bit where you can!

Portobello fabric from Rubie Green.

Rebecca Chair in Zankari Rhubarb by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams at High Fashion Home.

Photo via Rooms We Love on Flickr.

Carolina Herrera, Jr. obviously has a thing for Suzani. She used it on a table in one home for Domino and as drapes for another home in Vogue Living.

Suzani Sunburst Pillow from Anthropologie.