You're So Vain

Everytime I pull my desk chair into the bathroom to flatiron my hair, I wish I had a vanity. First of all, there's barely enough room in the bathroom in which to put the chair, and if hubby and I are trying to get ready at the same time, it's downright impossible. I'm hoping I'll be able to make another small change once we move into a bigger apartment (and after that, a house!).

Jolene Modern Chic Vanity Table by deerdane on Etsy.

I found this photo on Apartment Therapy, and I think it's perfect for my needs. It's compact, inexpensive, and clean-lined. It doesn't hold a lot of stuff, but I'm not exactly what you'd call high-maintenance. My makeup drawer consists of a tube of Maybelline Great Lash and some concealer. Since I'll be losing my desk to a dining room table, this will be a great alternative location for my clear Ghost chair. All that's left is finding the perfect mirror and I'm all set! I love it when things go my way...

Under the Disco Ball

Put on your dancing shoes because you might find yourself facing a disco ball- in the bathroom (or the fireplace, or a jacket). Mirrored tile is making its way into some very unlikely places. It's fun and glamorous, and we're all a bit vain, so it works. Here are some of my favorite random uses of mirror...

Shiny mirror tile + Earthy wood counter = Eclectic perfection. via Elle Decor

Teatime just got a whole lot badass-ier. via Elle Decor

Forget the standard trim... add a reflective surface instead. via Elle Decor

If you're not going to use the fireplace, you might as well make it shine. via Domino.

At least you won't have to go to the bathroom to check your makeup. via Elle.

The (Not So) Secret Garden

Florals and butterflies were a major theme in fashion for the Spring season. Pair that with bright colors and you've got yourself a bona fide garden party! Fashion and interiors frequently mirror each other, so let's take a look at how the two are intersecting...

From left: Collette Dinnigan, John Galliano, Oscar de la Renta, and Moschino Cheap & Chic.

(click picture to enlarge)

Top row: Woodland Organic Duvet & Butterfly Embroidered Napkins @ Pottery Barn; Flower Mirror @ High Fashion Home; Sunflower Flock Pillow @ CB2.

Bottom Row: Light Within Bowl @ Anthropologie; Azha Wallpaper @ Trove; Spiral Vine Curtain @ Anthropologie; Butterfly Print Napkin @ Crate & Barrel.




From left: Luisa Beccaria, Wunderkind, Collette Dinnigan, and Temperley London.

I think I've made my point... Butterflies and flowers are everywhere! And why not? They're cheerful, they're free, and they're oh so fun!

Fashion photos via Style.com.

More Bang for Your Buck

On The Rocks Sofa from Moss.

Harper's Bazaar ran an article recently entitled "Gucci or Gas?". They discussed the effect our economy is having on consumers' ability to purchase big-ticket items or "investment pieces". Accompanying the article, they showed how you could purchase an entire outfit for the cost of one pair of Louboutins. So I decided to do a little experiment.

Take a look at the sofa above. Cool? Modern? Minimalist? Yes, yes, and yes. It's also $21, 170. Now, let's see what else you could get with that much money...

Lemme break it down for you.
21,170 dollars will buy you one sofa from Moss or...
The Dexter Sectional $4599
An Antiqued Gold Mirror $316
Two Arden End Tables $718
An 8'x10' Clyde Rug $1479
The Dylan Entertainment Console $3299
Two Exposition Leather Chairs $2658
The Hector Cocktail Table $2069
An LG 52" LCD TV from Best Buy $2600
A Mercury Glass Lamp $309
A Meurice Pendant Lamp $339
The Ventana Vista Bookshelf $1349
Three Polar Cream Pillows $129
A Wool Trenchcoat from BR Monogram $500
A pair of Ebony Boots by Via Spiga $375
A Madelena handbag from Hobo International $388
And a one-hour massage at Massage Envy for all of your hard work $39.
And you'd still have enough left for a Starbucks.

You do the math.

All items are from High Fashion Home unless otherwise noted.

Higher (Design) Education

Soon the kiddies will be back in school and that time always bring up fond memories for me. Wearing the perfect outfit (complete with tights even though its 90 degrees outside) on the first day, a new Trapper Keeper (oh yeah!), putting together my Lunchables before chowing down. Those were the days! This working stuff with no summers off... I just don't know (kidding, boss!). I want to relive those glory day without resorting to enrolling in high school again. So I turned to a few of my favorite shops and design magazines to help me bring back my ABC's and 123's.

1, 7. Review your primary colors courtesy of CB2: 1. Hotline Dining Table, $399 7. Sol Pendant Lamp, $100
2. Reminisce about evenings in the stacks with a classic tufted library sofa: Chester Sofa by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams at High Fashion Home, $1949
3. Get the lofted bed minus the annoying dorm roommate: photo from Apartment Therapy New York.
4. Don't let things slip through the cracks- paint a small wall with blackboard paint (we got our from Benjamin Moore) and remember to keep the chalk nearby!
5. You always did get gold stars on your work. You've earned this gold star, too: Mini Sunburst Mirror at High Fashion Home, $130
6. Tartan plaid conjures images of school uniforms- before Britney went and ruined them. A warm tartan throw on the end of your bed is perfect for chilly fall nights. Muted Blue Stewart throw from The Scottish Weaver, $70
8. Hit the books, or at least keep yours organized. I love the recessed, arched bookshelves with the books organized by color. Photo from Elle Decor.
9. This has to be my absolute favorite desk from our store. I can picture it perfectly: Sitting on a Ghost chair, typing blogs on my laptop with a pretty bud vase of peonies sitting closeby. Someday... Shelby Desk by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams at High Fashion Home, $1595

Mosaic Model Apartment

This past week, the renegade interior stylist team at High Fashion Home was let loose upon the Mosaic, a new high rise residential tower in Houston. Yours truly the D*signAddict along with SarahWithStyle were given an empty model apartment to decorate with High Fashion Home furniture and accessories.

We had a blast picking out paint colors and putting together the two bedroom model. We wished we didn't have to leave when it was over and we could move in! Success!!!!!

A night view of the ambient lighting in the living room.

Apartment 120005 Living Room

View from living room to dining.

Another view of living room at night.

Dining area and desk. The wall paint is marigold by Benjamin Moore.
Chalkboard wall in kitchen with a recipe for blueberry pie. Thats D*signAddicts hand. Thanks SarahwithStyle!

View from living are into guest bedroom.

Guest Bedroom.

Guest Bathroom.

Accent wall also painted in marigold.

Dining area looking into master bedroom.

Serene master bedroom.

Master bedroom.

master bath

The HF List: High Point 2008: Best of the Rest!

For my final installment, I'd just like to show y'all a few things that really caught my eye. Market is a time when people bring out their best creations. For some companies, that is the new "It" sofa. For others, it is something creative and wacky that they just had to create. But whatever it is, market is a time for showing off. Here are my favorites:

I am obsessed with this ottoman. I know my Weekly Obsessions are usually things that I see in the store, but I am still obsessed with this ottoman- just from the pictures. It's the perfect size for coffee table use, the fabric is so cool and fresh in a vintage way, and the legs are the icing on the cake. I may have to hunt this one down if it doesn't come to our store.

Talk about urban cowboy. This rug is just awesome. Squares of hide patched together to create a hide over rug look. Pure genius.

I don't think this picture does this desk justice. But put this desk in a room with white walls and delicate slipcovered sofas and something magic happens. Great for a beach inspired home.

We already have a piece similar to this one in our store, but the antique white finish doesn't have the bang that the dark finish with pink interior piece does. You can even use this piece as an inspiration for something you already have.

Antiqued mirror is my best friend lately. I would love to put the Donnabella Chest in my entryway with this mirror over it. Too much? I think not.

While I wouldn't consider myself modern by any means, I love adding modern touches to my home and this light fixture would be a nice addition. It looks ethereal with the light streaming through the slits. Hot mod!

Flower Power!

It's amazing how a mention from Domino about a Flower Mirror from High Fashion Home has caused such a craze. Ever since the February issue came out, we've received countless calls from all over the country for this 40" painted gem. It comes in both white and black. I remembered seeing the mirror from somewhere else, but I couldn't quite place where until a customer mentioned that the same mirror is at Williams-Sonoma Home. Of course, it always helps when we are retailing the mirror $150 cheaper.

Flower Mirror - Black from High Fashion Home, $445

Ribbon Mirror from Williams-Sonoma Home, $595