Delft, Updated

This new line of china from design team Lovegrove & Repucci knocks my socks off. A modern take on the classic (and highly collectible) Dutch Delft china pattern, this version keeps the color but does it all in graffiti. I love the hot dog cart on the New York coffee cup!

From top: "New York Delft" and "London Delft" 5-piece place settings ($90)

from Lovegrove & Repucci

How fun it would be to mix on a tabletop with the flora and fauna of the original:

Royal Delft plate with peacock design ($235) from Blue Delft.com

Or maybe with this new folksy design from Iittala:

"Taika" Dinnerware collection plate ($25) from Unica Home

A New Look for Evening

3.1 Philip Lim (from Style.com)

My big gala is only 4 weeks away, but I haven't yet put too much thought into what I might wear. I often do vintage for black tie events - I like spectacularly vivid prints from the 60s and 70s, something unusual and one-of-a-kind. I have a dress that fits the bill - white one-shoulder jersey with a belted waist and a dramatic black splatter print with bright pink watercolor flowers. But then the other day, I saw this look from the spring '08 3.1 Philip Lim collection.

Now I'm thinking that a more fluid, relaxed, I-didn't-think-too-much-about-my-outfit kind of look would be fun. I love the skinny belt and the little cashmere sweater. I might add some flash with a vintage beaded evening bag or an armful of bracelets, but other than that it's perfect.

The Bell Jar

I'm dying to do a display of bell jars, or cloches, like this - showcasing a variety of treasured and/or everyday objects...

(from Living, Etc.)

West Elm currently has a selection on it's website... the differing shapes and heights make for an interesting look when combined...

Bell jars at West Elm

Figural Lamps

The parrot is particularly fantastic. But what I'm really looking for is one shaped like a poodle.

Parrot table lamp from William Sonoma Home

Koi Fish Table Lamp from West Elm

Horse head lamp from Neiman Marcus Collection

White Objects, or, The Power of Spray Paint

Groupings of white objects have been popular in home decor for a while, but I like this new idea for placement...the bathroom:

(From O at Home)

A collection of white objects, like the one above, is the easiest thing to assemble. Personally, I like to find inexpensive and interestingly-shaped items, no matter the color or material, and give them a coat of glossy white spray paint. Ten minutes and $3 and you have a cool little objet d'art. Some great places to find items ripe for spray painting are your local thrift/junk shop, the home sections at Marshalls or TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, or your local Chinatown gift shop. Even a branch from your backyard could make for an interesting object when coated in white paint!

The DIY pieces you create can then be mixed in with various vintage items, Jonathan Adler gourd vases, KleinReid flower-adorned containers, Roost sea urchins, or whatever white items you've managed to collect over the years -- making for an eclectic and completely unique display!

J.Crew Accessories

Such cute shoes for spring...


...and jewelry too...

Artist Beach Towels

From O at Home

The Target-sponsored beach towels from the Artist Production Fund have been around for a while now. Featuring works of art by Alex Katz, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman and others, these towels are completely covetable and collectible.

Recently though, I found this new way to showcase them -- as a shower curtain! What a great way to enjoy their beauty during the non-beach-going months. I like the idea of using this one, featuring a work by Elizabeth Peyton, in my black and white bathroom...

Topshop Prints

I'm torn between being incredibly excited and a little bit sad that Topshop is finally opening it's first store in NYC this fall. Torn because, while it is absolutely my favorite high street place to shop, it will be a bummer to have to share it with everyone else in the States.

Anyway, they have some great printed dresses for spring that hit all the important trends, and they are all available online, so we don't have to wait until the store opens in the fall...

The partridge embroidery is so sweet on the little smock dress;
with tall gladiator sandals, the floral dress will have a great Balenciaga-for-spring feel;
the ombre dress at left will be great with tough, black leather sandals;
and the vintage graphic print on the apron dress is the perfect thing
for knocking around on the weekend.

Jude Buffum Synthetic Paintings

"Eggplant Democracy" (from the artist's website)

These super-cool pixelated prints by Jude Buffum are some of recent favorites (I have the one shown above hanging in my kitchen). The socially and politically-informed works are printed on art canvas and sold as flat prints or stretched on a wood frame. I love the old-school video game look combined with the political commentary. Jude and his wife Amy happen to be my neighbors and they are both super talented - Amy is an artist as well as a floral designer - and they always seem to be working on some exciting new project.

Z Gallerie

I sometimes forget how impressively on-trend Z Gallerie is when it comes to home furnishings and accessories, especially at their very reasonable price points. My friend Colin texted me the other day to say he found an amazing twig-shaped coat rack on their site for $99 (he's spraying it metallic gold, to make it even more interesting.) His message got me browsing around their site, and I found so many goodies to share.

Instead of a random grouping of favorites, I thought I would "recreate" some of my favorite interior looks...

Room #1

A surprisingly classic (for my tastes) room from the March 08
cover of House Beautiful. Despite the need for a few jolts of color,
I love the quirky accessories (like the white ceramic fox),
the lacquer table, and the zebra stool mixed in with the more conservative pieces.

The round mirror from Z Gallerie nicely mimics the version over the fireplace,

but for only $139; a large zebra ottoman adds flair to any kind of space;
a classically-shaped lamp is perfect for a side table, but this one is more
current in glass; a fantastically funny crocodile for $28 -
I would spray him glossy white and let him rest of the coffee table.

Room #2

Clean and bright, with bursts of citrus color and an interesting
collections of accessories (from Domino)

An identical velvet slipper chair, this time in pale aqua blue, reflects the bright
color palette from the room above; a horse figurine and some glossy green
foo dogs would be perfect on the shelves; an Asian-inspired ceramic stool
works as an occassional table.

Dressing Rooms

The thing I want most for my home right now - more than a fancy kitchen or a spa bathroom - is a dressing room. A space dedicated to clothes and shoes and jewelry, and nothing else. It doesn't have to be big, it just needs to exist. I want unabashedly girly wallpaper, a big mirror, an ottoman or stool for sitting, and a soft, fuzzy rug...

Gorgeous wallpaper and shelves for everything (from Domino)

So glamorous, and I love that huge gold-framed mirror (from Domino)

Totally girly, with pink-flocked paper and sparkling chandelier (from O at Home)

Decorative Plates at Velocity



Velocity Art and Design has always been one of my favorite sites for modern home design. I particularly love to check out their sale section for a good deal. These Thomas Paul plates (part of a set of 4) are currently marked down to $22. Perfect for one of those eclectic wall displays of mismatched plates (are you listening, Lisa?)....

Furturtle Show Prints

I love concert posters, particularly when they are as fun and graphic as these are, by Utah-based artist Travis Bone.

Spring Showers


It's not quite April, but I'm ready for a bright new umbrella to chase the rain away. One of these Marimekko examples from Finn Style is just what I'm looking for!

Subversive for Target

Target's next limited-edition jewelry collection is coming from Justin Giunta, designer of the spectacular Subversive Jewelry line. Called Subversive for Target, it will be in stores in March. Talk about a bargain -- the pieces will retail for between $14.99 and $59.99; his designer collection runs in the thousands!

"Gold Tone Cluster Necklace" from the Subversive for Target collection ($59.99)

"Cluster Bracelet" by Subversive Jewelry ($1,800) at Vivre

Fashionable London

A design lover's dream, the Hotel Mandeville in London has everything going for it -- super stylish decor, a chic restaurant, and a location mere footsteps from Selfridge's and the shops and restaurants of the Marylebone district. I had the opportunity to stay there on a trip to the UK and it was a real treat.

Colin Baer Events

For all the events I put on at my day job, the only event decorator I use is Colin Baer Events. He is truly the best at what he does in Philadelphia. Based out of NYC, Colin comes from a fashion background, having been a successful designer there for many years. He brings that creativity to his work with event decor and floral designing. He is great to collaborate with and knows how to develop your ideas into something really special. I could go on and on.

Dreamy Zara for Spring

I love these images from Zara's Spring Catalog...

Christian Louboutin Spring 08

I'm fairly certain Monsieur Louboutin is trying to kill me....

Cutout bootie sandal at Bergdorf Goodman

Fuchsia sequin "Very Prive" peep toe from Net A Porter

Mosaic sandal from Bergdorf Goodman

Bad-ass platform sandal for everyday from Neiman Marcus