The Glammest End Table. Ever.

I just got home from San Francisco and my mail was scattered all over and so I left all of my luggage at the front door, reached for the June issue of House Beautiful and vedged on the couch. (Can you believe we already are receiving June publications!?!)

So - in this issue I came across the chic-est end table, The Rickman triple strand end table from http://www.mothdesign.com/ It's pretty fierce and I love it!

So, after discovering this find, I went back and found some great pieces. Shannon Shapiro is the designer for this site, she does quite a focus on lighting, but I loved her accessory pieces. Her pieces are whimsical and are pretty magical. She uses lots of different materials including plastics and different metals. I love gold metal accents in a room - it makes everything glow! Moss Design has beautiful gold options, that to me, are glamorous pieces of art .


Ramona End Table - http://www.mothdesign.com/
Rickman end table http://www.mothdesign.com/

Rickman Triple Strand end table http://www.mothdesign.com/ (featured in House Beautiful - June 2009 issue)

Accent Furniture - the show stoppers

I think every room needs show stopping pieces that are a little off the path and add "wow". Something that "isn't part of the set" and mixes it up. Its a piece that can stand on its own and deserves the attention, but works with the group.

You can find a fantastic flea market piece. Recover, repaint, whatever it needs... and voila! You have an accent piece. Keep in mind that your "show stopper" can be whatever you want it to be - whether its a collection, or a fantastic chair, or a gorgeous rug or pillow - just make sure to give it that attention.

Also, you can have more than 1 show stopper in a room. It all just needs to be harmonious. Interior Designer, Gary Spain does an amazing job with combining multiple "wow" pieces in 1 setting and not taking away from any of them, Remember this - Show stoppers love drama! San Franciscon Antique Mall. I absolutely love this chair. EVERYTHING about it!! I love the cobalt suede, I love the interesting shape of the back and the nail head details. It's good.

This room was designed by the Interior Design Team Woodson and Rummerfield. There are several show stoppers here: The bench, wallpaper, headboard, and chandelier - yet it all works harmonious!

Another Woodson and Rummerfield. Now, they could have used the arm chairs that match the side chairs used int he dining room above. But, instead W&R went more fun and bold.

www.wandrlust.com

Kelly Wearstler - www.kwid.com

Interior Design of Gary Spain. Chek out that clock! Drama!!!

This room was designed by Devecote in Conneticut. The show stopper here is the use of the color orange. From the garden stool, throw blanket, zebra orange print pillows and the background accessories. This room truly knows how to play it up with orange.

San Francisco - an inspiration

I am in San Francisco for the next few days and have been so inspired.

The bridges are fantastic and inspire me to think of modern, masculine, steel, Eames modern-vintage, straight lines, and industrial pieces. But then, you also have wine country - Napa and Sonoma with sprawling land, rolling hills, and rows and rows of vineyards. It makes me in the mood for shabby chic meets glam, flower baskets, louis XIV chairs, chesterfield sofas, beautiful pillows, etc.

Now - combine these 2 elements together, and I think you have the chic-est combination ever. Style and taste is about mixing all of the elements of the things you love, making them all coincide peacefully in the same setting. Just because your entire places screams for Rachel Ashwell doesn't mean you can't have the masculine touch there. It's about mixing, matching, and pulling it all together for the sole fact that you love it all together. Not because "it goes together."

www.customsofadesign.com

www.lampsplus.com

www.jaysonhomeandgarden.com

www.sonrisafurniture.comwww.lampsplus.com

www.sonrisafurniture.com

Past Perfect - 2230 Union Street. San Francisco, CA 94123 (415-929-7651)

The Antique Mall (America's Best Secret)

All over the United States are thousands of Antique Malls filled to the brim with antiques, vintage finds, rare pieces, and a little bit of junk. But you never know, someone's trash could be your treasure.

Antique Malls are usually broken down into mini shops with many different dealers inside (like a shop-in-shop). Some have 10 dealers, others have over 200. You never know what you are going to find, and that's the beauty of it. There could be one dealer who focuses on mid-century modern and has funky pitchers, swag lamps, and Eames furniture. Another dealer could specialize in depression glass and antique china. Or you may have a dealer who has a mish-mosh of stuff where you have a hunch your jewel is there.

Tips:
1.Google "Antique Malls" in your city (and bordering cities) and find out their hours and how many dealers they have. - The larger, the better because there will be more for you to look thru.
2. Ask if there are any sales going on, or when do they generally have their sales.
3. Make a list of things that you are looking for before you go so that you are not overwhelmed - ie: Tray to go on dining table, lamps to go in guest room, accessories for....
4. If you know specifically what you are looking for, ask the people that work there to help you. Sometimes there is so much to look at, it can get overwhelming. And the sales associate might be able to lead you into the right direction.
5. Don't forget that a sewing machine or quick paint job or a new frame can make all the difference in your fantastic find - so don't be afraid if you love something but need to alter it.
(Poplar Antiques - Memphis, TN) Love this desk = a little pricey, but an amazing find in Memphis, TN. This would be gorgeous in a foyer as your entry piece. So rich!
(Grandma Darlings Antique Mall - Long Beach, CA)

( Antique Mall of Summerland, California) I adored these lamps - they are a pair from the 1940s. I loved the frosted, milky grey/green background with the chic gold dots. This screams glam all across the boards. The pair was $100. Whomever picks these up -- scored!

(Grandma Darling's Antique Mall - Long Beach, CA.) They have exceptional prices on their vintage glass from Viking, Blenko and copies from the time period.

Elan Collection - Long Beach, CA

(Grandma Darlings Antique Mall - Long Beach, CA) This lamp is pretty damn cool - very retro feeling with gold accents. The price was perfect too - $50!

O'Brien Ironworks

I found a great company that works mostly with Iron and a little bit of glass and marble and I truly think their pieces are functionable yet beautiful and completely make a sophisticated statement. Make sure to check out www.obrienironworks.com

Another great thing about this company is that they do a lot of custom work, so you can play with color and textures to make sure you find the piece that works perfectly for you. I personally love the Neo-Classic Writing desk, which I think would be a beautiful entry way piece.

O'brien Ironworks can work with whatever your style of home decor is. Another perk. :)

This is the Neo-Classic Writing Desk. I would love to see this painted brown with some sharp desk accessories in gold and bone colors.

Love this bar stool. It's glam and easy, but yet not over the top.

Kelly Wearstler has a similar table in high-gloss black in her Beverly Hills Estate . I love the bamboo here. This comes in a variety of colors.

Inspiration Sunday

Each Sunday I will be blogging about some inspiring rooms I have seen over the week. The rooms for this week have hits of color that I am just falling for!! They also have strong architectural substance - see the molding in the image below, and the hand-painted molding design in Steven Miller's pink room. Also, see the great use of lighting and hardware many of these rooms use. It's all in the details!!

For some reason or another - these rooms made me smile! Enjoy!

DP Riehl sitting room. Lily Pulitzer threw up in here, and I love it. Off to the golf course I go!

Interior Designer, Vanessa De Vargas from www.Turquoise-LA.com designed this room with such flair and interest and still keeping a soft color palette. I adore the chinoise/bamboo style chandelier and the zebra print chairs as glammed up accents.

Another room from Vanessa De Vargas and I love it. Couldn't you picture your self having the best night's sleep!? I love the symmetry of this room, the use of orange to add punch for table lamps and how she didn't hang the art work, but rested them on the back of the end tables.

This girl's room was designed by Steven Miller and is the epitome of girls fun and PINK! I love the silhouette pillows being pink and white, instead of the typical black and white. The 2 long bolster pillows are great too. Another plus - this bed looks super easy to make. Which is a definite bonus for the parents! I adore the white framing painted on the wall (very inexpensive to do!) And the toile chair in lilac and pink.

This room was desinged by the design team at Devecote in Conneticut. This is high glam at its best. I love the use of hot pink and zebra. There are a lot of bold pieces in this room - but none of them fight for center stage. You've got the pink, the zebra, then the 2 gold lamps, the naked male structure, the horse head, and the gold chandelier. BUT - it works!

Check this out! www.BURKEDECOR.com

Last night I stumbled across the most fantastic website - www.BurkeDecor.com. This site is like a department store for the interior designer. They have wall paper, pillows, trays, lighting, dishes, shelving, fun accessories; you name it - from all different designers and price ranges across the boards.

Besides the great selection, the site is also extremely user friendly. You can search by category or brand. Or better yet, you can "Shop by Boutique." They have made the site moron-proof! So do you want "Hollywood Regency" or "Victorian Divine" or even more dummy proof - "Boyfriend Gift Guide" or "Girlfriend Gift Guide."

This would be a fantastic site to purchase gifts from (email me for my address and the specifics of what I want - and you can buy me something fabulous)!!! by Two's Company

xia li shelf by House Eclectic

I adore these white plates. I think this grouping would look fantastic hanging in a baby room or above a stove in a kitchen that didn't have a back splash of tile or stone behind it.

by Koko Company

Indian Rose shower curtains - I kind of want these! Pretty Glam, huh?

How fun are these to jazz up your morning breakfast! Burlap and sack fabrics are showing up all over the place (I will be blogging on this in a future entry.)

These 3 pedestals would be great for serving food buffet style at a party. I imagine one filled with cupcakes, and another filled with brownies and another.....

Kitchen Decor

I like tidy and clean kitchens with not too many appliances on the counter tops. Lose the knife block - We know you have a fancy set, now stick it in a cabinet. The blender, mixer, chopper... It's great everything matches in stainless steel, but it truly makes the kitchen look like a factory.

When I am thinking of a design theme in a room - I always start with one focal and work from there. Kind of like a jumping off point. Canisters for a kitchen are a fantastic place to start. This can state the vibe of your room, or what color palette you will use. Will your room be fun and quirky and retro, classic and antique-y, formal and sophisticated?

Besides the possibility of predicting a style for your kitchen - they also are very functioning. You can use them for the basics - pasta, flour, coffee grinds, etc. Or, you can use them for measuring spoons and cups; dog food or treats. Or depending on their shape - take-out/delivery menus. Jonathan Adler at http://www.unicahome.com/ . These are tongue-in-cheek hysterical. Pull this off in a black and white themed kitchen and use 1 accent color to make it pop (of course - I would say turquoise, but purple or orange would be pretty cool. Just make sure to keep a mental note of which canister is holding your sugar, and which is holding your salt! ;)

www.target.com These are classic, simple, and complete no brainers!

Mottahedeh at http://www.neimanmarcus.com/ . Could these be any more glamorous?!?!? I love love love. 3 of these canisters on a counter top would be insane together! Since I am on that gold kick with my dinner ware - I should own this.

Fiestaware at http://www.macys.com/ . Good Old Fiestaware. These would be great in a cheery kitchen. There are so many color options to choose from too.

http://www.etsy.com/ Go kwirky! Go vintage! Find some great green vintage kitchen towels, and you are good to go. A happy blue and green stripe rug wouldn't hurt either.

http://www.zgallerie.com/ These are beautiful. I am not sure if you are allowed to put food in these, but they are so pretty, and would give such a classy antique vibe. You could go shabby chic with this.

http://www.etsy.com
http://www.zgallerie.com/ . Hollywood Glam at its best! Make sure that you can use these to store food before purchasing!