dwellings and décor

So going off subject of Thanksgiving decorating I decided to show an amazing Hotel called Faena located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The genius behind the design of this stunning hotel is Philippe Starck and conceived by Alan Faena. The article from Architectural Record says “The designers conceived of the Faena Hotel + Universe as a temple that invites guests to participate in a world of passion, transformation, beauty, and adventure.” I think they nailed it but I might have to check it out myself to make sure. You can read more about this fabulous Hotel here.

Images from Architectural Record

To add to the Thanksgiving table Inspiration here are ten of my favorite table vases that can look great all year round. I tried to choose vases that were more unique then your standard looking vases like number 5 is really cool and very different looking to me with the openness and curvilinear architecture. Number 7 you can hang from the ceiling which would look amazing when the light hits it. I also think number 9 is a really creative design and quite beautiful. I think all of them have their own character and appeal. I am going to say number 3 is my favorite and I can see myself purchasing this one for my home mainly because its neutral and I just love the texture and shape. Which one is your fave?

From top; 1. Cottage and Bungalow 2. Anthropologie 3. Inside Avenue 4. Kohler Interiors 5. Opulent Items 6. Crate and Barrel 7. CB2 8. Debenhams 9. Bodie and Fou 10. Kate Hume Glass

So as I promised here are some beautiful inspiration imagery for your Thanksgiving table settings. I love the natural look of these inspiration imagery and hopefully they will inspire you when you decide to decorate your dining table. I also wanted to let you guys know that on my other blog Design Lovely I will be featuring a place setting design freebie that you can print out and cut to make place settings for your Thanksgiving feast. Happy Decorating!

Clockwise from top left: 1. Omni Arte Design 2. Better Homes & Gardens 3. Inspiration 4 U 4. Pietere Stersohn

Clockwise from top left: 1. Inspiration 4 U 2. Apostrophe 3. Inspiration 4 U 4. Zara Home

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If you are having Thanksgiving at your house this year than you probably know how much work is going to go into it. Not only do you cook, clean, host and entertain but you also get to decorate which is my favorite part. My advice would be to try to coordinate your existing colors and decor of your dining room to more of a warmer, autumn, natural feel. For example if you have blue in your existing space warm yellows can really compliment the room. (see first image number 3) Or if you already have a warm tone like a red or an orange than I would use these for accent colors for the table decor. I tried to give a variety of styles below including minimal, country, traditional, contemporary and coastal and I will have more Thanksgiving table decor to show you tomorrow. If you have more inspiration to share please leave a link below. Thanks!

Clockwise from top left: 1. John Paul Urizar 2. Inspiration 4 U 3. Better Homes & Gardens 4. Loyall Sewall Photography

Clockwise from top left: 1. Better Homes & Gardens 2. Amanda Prior 3. Pottery Barn 4. Dubois

Thank you Modern Gear TV for mentioning dwellings and decor yesterday in their Great e-Roundup. You can see more about it here.

If your thinking about purchasing a new dining table for your Thanksgiving feast than you might be interested in buying a fancy leg dining table. I have noticed a trend of dining tables that are pretty clean lined and modern on the top and very decorative on the bottom. Below are my favorites ones. In the next couple of days I will posting inspiration for your dining room thanksgiving decor and also some lovely place settings for the upcoming holiday. I can’t wait to share them with you!

From top: 1. Conran USA 2. Robert Austin Gonzalez 3. Jayson Home and Garden 4. Robert Austin Gonzalez 5. Maisons du Monde

I am really loving spaces that are mainly black and white with rich wood tones throughout. The decorator did a really nice job with the design of this house and I really like how they incorporated both modern and traditional elements in a nicely balanced way. For example they placed a mid century modern Wassily chair next to a traditional looking fireplace and built-in. In the bedroom they chose a vintage white iron bed with a Hollywood glamour mirrored console. How fabulous is that? They did a great job in the kitchen and I love that they painted the flooring white in there but kept it in its natural state for the rest of the house. I can really imagine myself living in a space like this because its realistic yet so well put together.

Images from Shoot Factory

Bloomingville creates a wide variety of products that brings warmth and coziness to homes and gardens. They have fabulous holiday decor but unfortunately it doesn’t look like they have a store in the states. When myself or a client is on a budget often times I look for inspiration from higher end or European furniture and decor stores for inspiration and then I either make my own or find something comparable from inexpensive stores. My mother taught me this and I think its a great idea and it can be a lot of fun and a creative thing to do. I hope all of you have fun decorating for the holidays and hopefully this furniture company can bring on some inspiration. Check out their catalog here.

Images from Bloomingville

As you may have noticed I am kind of on a gray kick lately with design elements so I am keeping it up with gray furniture and decor. Gray really puts me in a winter mood even though it still feels like summer here on Maui. I love gray because it lets other colors shine and you can really dress it up without it feeling overdone. There is usually a lot of negative feelings toward gray because it seems to bring on depression in people. Gray for me brings on a different feeling. Its more of a cozy calm feeling that I really love. I don’t think I could decorate an entire house in gray because that would just be too boring to me. I need my fun colors but I can see myself doing one room in the house in mostly gray. What feeling does gray bring on to you?

From top: 1. Hickory Chair 2. Marc Phillips Rugs 3. Anna Whitford 4. Mi-Sha 5. Hickory Chair 6. Paco Capdell 7. Bliss Studio 8. Aimara Masterpieces 9. French Bedroom Company 10. Kohler Interiors 11. Shop Plastic Land

A dark gray color may not be what most people look for in a Bathroom but I couldn’t pass up showing these gorgeous dark gray bathrooms. I especially like the ones that warm it up a bit with rich wood tones. I think the dark gray keeps the bathroom clean and timeless and it’s also a really nice way to bring in a natural feel with the dark gray stone. I also think that dark gray in the bathroom can really work well if you get a lot of sunlight coming in so it doesn’t feel too dark. Hopefully these images will provide some inspiration for people considering going the gray route for their bathroom. Enjoy!

Clockwise from top left: 1. Living Etc. 2. Tripod Agency 3. Wayne Vincent 4. Metropolitan Home

Clockwise from top left: 1. Interior Design Magazine 2. Kenneth Brown Design 3. Tamara Magel 4. Location Works

As most of you may have noticed tree branches are all the rage in home decor whether it be a textile design, motif or a tree branch itself. Below are some of my favorite finds and this is the perfect time of year to show it off. The tree branch trend looks great in modern and natural styled interiors with coordinating colors in white, black and rich wood tones. I recommend checking out the links below for some more great products from these companies and artists.

On another note I wanted to let everyone know about a new feature on the blog. You can now click on the links under “pages” to see thumbnails of all the dwellings and decor posts!

Clockwise from top left: 1. Melissa Borrell 2. Urban Outfitters 3.  N.Sybrandy 4. Myoung Ho Lee

Clockwise from top left: 1. Brondesbury Villas 2. Rockett St George 3. Martin Tessler 4. James Merrill

Clockwise from top left: 1. Fototiller 2. John Lewis 3. Kindling Shop 4. IAFR

Clockwise from top left: 1. Colico Design 2. Brown Design Inc. 3. Bliss Living Home 4. Dodeci

For my thesis project in Interior Design school we had to put together what the industry calls case studies. We had to pick three types of places for example; hotels, retail, residential, etc. One of my options was a hotel and one of the case studies I used was the Hard Rock Hotel. We needed to pick spaces that had images and floor plans so we could study how spaces were layed out. I wanted to also have my design have a retail shop and restaurant on the ground floor so this floor plan was great because it gave me an idea of how it could be layed out in plan view. Another aspect if this building was that it had been renovated and I too was having to renovate an old building for my school project. What I liked most about the interior decor is that it brought in a little bit of the Rock and Roll style but the designer kept it more modern and not overdone like most Hard Rock Cafe’s you see. If I am ever in Chicago I would love to stay her and see it in real life. For more information please go to http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/bts/archives/hotels/04_hardrock/overview.asp

Some of the words that I think of to describe Harbinger would be traditional, fun, chic, unique and quality. I especially love all of their one of a kind looks and fun upholstery. I am not usually a fan of eclectic but I think there is a nice mix of modern colors and textiles with the traditional furniture and decor. If you are in the Los Angeles area I would stop by their store and check it out. To see more images go to their fabulous website at www.harbingerla.com.

The inspiration image below provided so many elements that inspired me to design a room around. First of all the colors are soothing and interesting and the textures are elegant and sophisticated. I started my inspiration board by finding a drapery that is similar to the texture of the backdrop in the inspiration image. I also wanted to incorporate a soft pop of the red color of her gorgeous hat and a diamond shaped mirror and decor that reflected the jewelry of the model in the image. To tie it all together I added a clean lined sofa in the same fabric and color choice of the dress and also a rug in the same texture and color as her jacket. After all clothing fashion and home decor relate to each more than most people think. The fashions usually follow each other and you are still working with the same elements of design.

Rug: West Elm
Table Decor: Beach Dwelling
Mirror: Morris at home
Pillow: West Elm
Drapery: The Shade Store
Sofa: Room and Board
Inspiration Image: Conde Nast Store

As you may have noticed this season is all about purple whether it be in fashion or home decor. Below are some wonderful examples of living room spaces with the right amount of deep purple to make it elegant and timeless. From wall color to pillows you can find the right inspiration image to introduce the deep purple into your space. Enjoy!

Clockwise from top left: 1. Amanda Nisbet Design 2. Urban Pad 3. Jezebel 4. Sarah Kaye

Clockwise from top left: 1. Mary McDonald Inc. 2. Irina Graewe 3. Borastapeter 4. Graham Brown

Clockwise from top left: 1. Janne Peters 2. Jessica La Grange 3. SPG Architects 4. Kenneth Brown Design

Last week I was talking about how something can be turned into something so fashionable and great by adding a small thing to a simple object. The stools below in the bottom right hand image are just stumps with a thin circle painted and then attached to the top of the stump. I love this idea and its great because you can practically make it yourself. I have always loved the idea of stumps as stools or side tables in a modern or natural styled interior. The tall branch divider is so cool to me because its bringing a sense of the outdoors in and there is this really magical feel for me as well. The other two wood pieces are also really fun and stylish and I am especially loving the take on the tête à tête in the top right hand corner.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Bleu Nature 2. Hidden Art Shop 3. Bleu Nature 4. ECC

One of my favorite looks right now is black and white with rich woods. I think it is so stunning, clean, modern and chic. The black and white give the space a clean minimal look and the rich woods really help to make the space feel warmer. I love how the warm wood tones with the clean black and white give the space such a beautiful balance.

Note: I believe that this Apartment isn’t in the state Alaska, its in Alaska somewhere near London.

Images from Shoot Factory

The owners of Day describe their style as Bohemian Modern or “haute boheme”. After reading that in their “All about Day” page on their website I began thinking about their description and I would say they definitely nailed it. The Day company started with stylish fashion apparel and branched out to home decor. Their focus is on the revival of craftsmanship with the idea that modern glamour could be worn every day. Check out more of their fabulous designs over at www.day.dk.

I have been wanting to do this top ten clock post for awhile now and I finally came across these 10 that I love. Clocks can be that perfect addition to your empty wall space whether it be modern, simple, coo coo, or elaborate. Not only do these wonderful clocks serve an artistic purpose they serve a functional purpose that has been around for centuries. I would have to say my favorite one is number 8. Which one is your favorite?

From top: 1. DWR 2. Benjamin Hubert 3. Unica Home 4. Anthropologie 5. Decoy Lab 6. Conran USA 7. Hidden Art Shop 8. Velocity Art and Design 9. Impressionen 10. EQ3

Whether your looking for a modern or traditional kitchen a brown kitchen can work. A kitchen with brown can make it timeless and beautiful and I love the warmth of the rich wood cabinets of these interiors. There is such a clean and inviting look to them.

Clockwise from top left: 1. David Dalton Inc. 2. Wish 3. Michael Delpiero 4. Architectural Digest

Clockwise from top left: 1. Habitat 2. Jessica La Grange 3. Rogers Marvel 4. Guillaume de Laubier

A wire framed chair or stool usually has a distinctive outdoor look. But not always. The pieces shown below are a great examples of wire framed seating that looks fabulous indoors and out. So now that its getting colder outside and most people aren’t enjoying the backyard, lanai, or rooftop terrace you can bring these guys in for now and out for later.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Moooi 2. Jules Seltzer 3. Saba Italia 4. CB2

For this Room in a Book I decided to go with this beautiful burgundy color to warm the space up and tie it with her cherry cabinets in the kitchen which is the adjacent space. I previously designed her kitchen and she went with design 2. Click here to see her Kitchen Room in a Book. She just recently painted and put in the wood flooring and she also had a large black leather sofa I needed to work with. She also picked out the dark sleek ET Center which balances nicely with the black sectional. She has a young child so I chose a dark rug to hide possible spills. I also chose an adjustable table lamp so the user can create adequate light for the space. I came across the artwork first while searching my Aunt Paula Scaletta and the rest of the decor followed. My aunt is a well known graphic designer and her artwork can be found in most major stores like target and art.com. All in all I think the design came out lovely and the client is pleased which is most important. Check out Room in a Book for more information.

Click on images to enlarge

I also want to let everyone know about my new group I created in Flickr called Digital Mood Boards. Check it out here and add some if you have any. Have a wonderful weekend!

I just love this clean soft natural look of the items below. There are so many creative individuals out in the world and I find it interesting that you can do something so small to a simple object and make it incredibly beautiful with a touch of craftsmanship and imagination. I love when I come across an object of design and think to myself how unique and different that object is. At times when I am designing or creating something I feel frustrated because I want to create something so unique and different and just feel like everything has been done. I have to remember though there are so many ways to design something and to keep at it until the pieces come together and to build upon these frustrations to create something even more incredible.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Small Place Style 2. Edge Reps 3. Wasara 4. Caroline Swift

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday of Halloween I thought I would post some more black images and this time its furniture and decor. Like clothing black goes with everything in the home. It especially looks good if you have at least three black pieces across the space for a better color flow. Black gives furniture like dressers and tables a sense of weight so they look very substantial and heavy which can really ground your space. Black is also a great color for a rug because it will hardly ever look dirty.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Anthropologie 2. John Lewis 3. Hidden Art Shop 4. Hickory Chair

Clockwise from top left: 1. Jo Meesters 2. Downtown 20 3. Tonic Home 4. Property Furniture

Clockwise from top left: 1. Shop Plastic Land 2. ECC 3. Bernabei Freeman 4. Madeline Weinrib