Betsey Johnson to Retire

I am at a loss of words right now. Fashion Designer, Betsey Johnson plans to retire after her September 2009 fashion show. She plans to hand the reins over to someone else, and be a "mega-consultant."

I may not wear much Betsey Johnson now, but in 7th and 8th grade, my dad would drive me to South Beach to go to the Betsey Johnson store on Washington to pick out dresses for the Bat Mitzvah season. You don't understand the frenzy it led to... Shopping in that store with the bright pink walls, the vinyl couch my dad would sit on, the black and white checkered floor, the weird sales girls with more tattoos and piercings than I could count! It was THE coolest store in the world.

How could one forget Betsey's bleached chunky hair, and bright red lips, and kookie - outfits? So -- here is a tribute to the woman that introduced Fashion to me! Here's to you, Betsey!

Her vacation home "Betseyville" in a small fishing town in Mexico

The flooring... the floral curtains... would you expect anything less?

Her kitchen in her Manhattan Penthouse. If you don't see Betsey Johnson in here, I feel like you could possibly end up seeing Barbie. Ha! Ha!

Betsey in her Manhattan Penthouse.

Rosanna Inc.

Finding the perfect gift can be so difficult. Clothing can be too personal, a picture frame is sort of lame, and a gift card is completely impersonal.

So, leave it to me. I found the perfect site. Rosanna Inc. http://www.rosannainc.com/ is a fantastic site for the girly people in your life... Mom, Sister, Best Friend, Cousin, Grandma, etc... Or even, the perfect hostess gift. The site is filled with different types of tableware and entertainment serving pieces that are fun, feminine and best of all... not outrageous on price.
Here are a few of my favorites:


Rococo Noir Collection - I would love to see this collection mixed with whites and hot pink!
La Patisserie Collection.

Calling Birds

White Pedestals

Red Dots Collection

Kings Road Collection - this collection is also on sale - 20% off.

Cioccolato collection.

Silhouettes

Ah, the classic silhouette. I remember being in nursery school, and having our silhouettes made for an art project. Now, I adore them in a room - whether it be a pillow, a large picture, or a series of pictures. They are fun, can be modern or soft, and add a bit of whimsy.

Jonathan Adler design

From Canadian House and Home. Pretty glam, huh? Stunning.

These small, oval frames are so Victorian and darling. I would love to see a wall of these in a super-modern room.

My Inspirations

I was asked the other day, where do I get inspiration from. I have so, so many sources, Its so hard for me to narrow it down. But, I thought I'd share my top 10 (not in any specific order)with you, and hope that they will bring inspiration to you as well.


1. Canadian House & Home is pretty awesome. They have fantastic on-line photo galleries where you can get a ton of ideas. http://www.canadianhouseandhome.com/
2. Domicilium Decoratus - Kelly Wearstler. This book features her previous Beverly Hills residence. I am completely fascinated, and if you look at this book properly and take ideas from it, and not entire rooms - you can be 100% inspired. Her layering techniques and pairings are awesome.
3. Modern Glamour - Kelly Wearstler. Another KWID book. I love Kelly Wearstler. I think she is brilliant and no one does Interior Designing the way she does. This book shows some of her most creative works from hotels to private residences.

4. House of Turquoise - My favorite color is Turquoise and this blog by a chic named Erin is one of my favorites. http://www.houseofturquoise.com/

5. Long Beach Flea Market at Veterans Stadium - This place kicks a**! The prices are great, the selection is awesome and, its a lot more manageable than the Rose Bowl Flea Market.

6. Domino: The Book of Decorating: I probably look at this book at least once a week. It truly is a favorite - and with the magazine being put to rest, this is the closest thing there is. I love how it shows all different types of furniture, and gives examples and breakdowns on hot to get certain looks. It's brilliant and I suggest everyone picking up a copy. http://www.amazon.com/

7. Antique Malls - Yes, I am a serious nerd who loves walking thru an enormous Antique Mall. There is such a collection of so many different things from so many different vendors -- you never know what you are going to find. Wandering thru an Antique Mall is one of my favorite things to do. The best thing to do is google searches. Example: Miami, Florida Antique Mall

8. Material Girls Blog - This is such a fun blog - I can't tell you how much I enjoy getting their daily emails. They always keep you posted on the most up to date Interior Design trends. http://www.materialgirlsblog.com/

9. Elle Decor Magazine. There isn't much to say, everyone reads this! It's beautiful. It's hasn't replaced Domino, but its close. http://www.elledecor.com/

10. Design Wonderland. Another fantastic blog that I loooove! This blog has fantastic ideas, and very innovative and inspiring. www.designwonderland.com/blog

Inspiration Sunday...

I've been doing a lot of at-home spa treatments lately. Ya know... face masks, hair treatments... So, I thought I'd show a couple of my favorite Home-Spa-Retreats. A.K.A - The Bathroom.
Enjoy!

So Glamour! I love how girly this is. I really do love the baroque mirror and the antique side chair.
Not really a lover of pedestal sinks, but I love how this bathroom felt like a real room, not just a bathroom.

Love the wainscotting and yellow and white wall paper.

It's a little more country french than I personally like, but its warm and I love the dressed up feel of the chandelier. I bet at night the chandelier alone would be such a wonderful accent to a long bath.

White Never Goes Out of Style

To me, white is: clean, refreshing, traditional, modern, fashionable, crisp, organized, layered... the list can go on and on. It looks like it would be hard to maintain, but I have this feeling that it isn't. See, I will only have a white duvet. I have a dog.... I need to know that I can throw it in the washing machine with some bleach and call it a day. So, how hard can white be?? Well... Unless the fabric isn't bleach friendly.



How serene is this?? I love the chaise lounge. I'd make someone sit there with my and talk to me while I took a bath.

I absolutely adore this. I love the traditional white/gray marble counter top with the modern square sinks. Yet the sinks don't look that modern - it's like they almost have a farm-style feel to them. And of course, I love the 3 crystal pendant lights hanging. Perfection!

Chesterfield Headboard. Chesterfields always look so forward and modern in white, I think. It look great.

Stunning. I love the black flooring here. I don't know if its an epoxy or a hard wood, but It really sets the stage perfectly.

Glamour.

Pearl River - Top 10 Favorites.

If you are in Soho anytime soon, make a quick stop at Pearl River (or if you aren't near by - http://www.pearlriver.com/. It's a fun Asian marketplace of all types of products from China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia...... They have fun home accessories, lighting, rugs, serving pieces and everything here is super cheap!!

Here are my top 10 favorites.
Wire Gauze and Linen Lantern $25.50 - fushiaWire and Gauze Linen Lantern - $25.50 - white

Plastic Acrylic Serving Tray $29.50

Marble Vase $17.50

Lace Design Vinyl Placemats $1.25 each

Artistry Cameo Hanging Lamp $275

Garden Stools $155 (lovin' those garden stools!)

Linen Placemats $2.75 each

Colorful Foo Dogs $25

Apple Marble Paperweight $5.95 - so very Twilight... LOL.

The Best Eco Products!

I am naturally an eco-friendly person. One of my most favorite hobbies is antiquing and thrifting - and that is the best form of recycling there is. But, I am starting to do more. I've been using my own cloth bags to the grocery store, been trying to buy organic food products, have become a fan of Method cleaning products, and have just recently started to pick up more on the eco-friendly interior home pieces.

Here are a few of my favorites:


http://www.vivaterra.com/ Lotus Flower Chandelier
http://www.potterybarn.com/ Jute Braid Pillow Cover

http://www.vivaterra.com/ Recycled Oriental Rug

http://www.potterybarn.com/ Woodland Organic Duvet and Shams

http://www.moderndose.com/ Helix stool made from Blond Mango Wood