As I mentioned last Friday, I headed over to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show on the west side. I love going and seeing the new trends and the huge kitchen stoves that I could never afford. Once you get past the boring overly smooth reconstituted go-green wood furniture and literally come on to people SIMPLY because they have their own 1st Dibs shop (I'm shameless for a good antique), it was pretty good. Some of it I was literally bored out of my mind--yes I know, you made that in Vermont and it's low VOC but IT'S UGLY AND BORING. Now that I've gotten that out of my system, here are some of my favorite things that I saw!
This is from the
Bob Williams & Mitchell Gold display. I really liked this mirror but otherwise it was your basic sofa and lamp display. They are really great for a low cost sofa and coffee tables though.
The only saving grace to this horrid beige round chair (The Jeanie Round Chair) with karate-chopped pillows (shudder), is the mini stuffed animal bulldog. So cute!
I love these antique up and down lights. They were all a little bit different--I couldn't decide which was my fave. This was part of the 1st Dibs area and the shop was
Country Gear Ltd.
Vol 1 Antiques was one of my favorites in the 1st Dibs Pavilion. I love these glass display domes.
I loved this birdcage sconce with little crystal flowers on it. I know, terrible picture--
here it is on 1st Dibs. So cute!
How can you
not be taken in by a GIANT skull on a distressed wood painted pedestal? I just don't know, but I could barely look away.
As a jar lover, I was obsessed with these antique mercury glass jars. Yes, I just called myself a jar lover. What.
This is one of those very high finished wood pieces I mentioned above. I have no idea what kind of baby would like that. By
Laren Algren Woodworking.
I am a traditionalist for sure but I loved this display by
FurtherDesign. The glass pieces they had were beautiful.
If you read my blog, then you know how I love colored glass jars and lamps. Don't you love that mini one off to the left? I think it knows how cute it is.
Drippy glass large sconce. Crazy but kinda cool and organic looking.
Cocobolo Design had some cool light fixtures, too. This large pendant had a gold mottled sort of interior finish but the fun part was that they had sculpted a spoon into the interior to block your eye from seeing the light bulb.
Also
Cocobolo, this hanging pendant looks like a giant pea pod...or an eye.
I believe this was
Cocobolo too. Pretty neutral colored wall sculpture.
I super loved this installation by Libby Ware Studio. They are small spheres and boxes made of ceramic. Check out the website
HERE for more.
These glass lights were
hand blown and so pretty! They were modern, came in clusters or as a table lamp (above) but I loved the organic quality to them.
Glass ball chandelier.
Suzanne Lovell's room was inspired by Henry
James's Portrait of a Lady, so I was instantly taken by the scene. I love Henry James and this room was elegant and soft with pops of color. This shot is of the ceiling; a canopy of delicate grey silks.
The bed was simple but I love the lights on the nightstand and the pattern on the quilt was very interesting. I liked the pops of red on the bed and head board.
Before I started to pass out from exhaustion from this show, I saw a panel about kitchens! My fave speaker was William Diamond of
Diamond Baratta Design. They use bright fun colors and their interiors are amazing. I was very intrigued about their obsession with painting the floors, too. Sounds like fun.
Alicia B.
Easter is coming up in about a week and I'm so excited. It's just yet another sign that Spring is (finally) on its way! When I think of Easter, I think of pastel purples, yellows, greens, and pinks. Today I wanted to focus on purple though. It's a color that some people I know have an aversion to. They might say it's too obviously girly or cliche feminine but sometimes it can be happy, relaxing, and romantic. It can range from a deep rich purple, to a light lilac. You can create a room full of purple, or just a bright punch of it will do, as well.
From Living Etc, this moody pewter room has just a bit of purple in the throw pillows but it sure makes the difference.
Light lilac walls (California Paints Faded Lilac) and a sweet chair upholstered in a soft purple make this room light and relaxing. I'd love to read on that with the fur draped over me. Let's make that happen, shall we? By Kim Gilhool of Pimlico.
And speaking of color mongers (nothing wrong with that), this room by Diamond Baratta is PRETTY MUCH all lilacs, grapes, and......um.....purples!
Lots of times, purple is used in a traditional setting. Here it is in a more contemporary look as a sort of greyish purple. Isn't it neat how it makes the WHITE stand out? By Betsy Brown.
This comfortable looking sitting room is by (my idol) Amanda Nisbet. My favorite part is the throw pillow--I adore that fabric!
Sullivan is the architect who coined the phrase "Form ever follows Function" (form follows function), probably what he is best known for today!
This past weekend I was able to head to the newly remodeled Smithsonian American History museum and saw Julia Child's kitchen!
It is amazing how kitchen design has changed. Even the most amateur of us (or even people who don't cook at all!) have fancier kitchens than this. It goes to prove how we just don't need all of that fancy kitchen stuff! 
The space was very special to her as it was designed by her husband with extra tall counters to make up for her stature! She filmed a total of 3 different tv series from this TINY room! 
I loved the homey feel: painted cabinets, lots of personal touches, and splashes of color everywhere! This is a great example of a kitchen where everything is within arms reach. I love the idea of the pegboard walls to hang everything: so practical! 
Notice the paintings hung on the front of the cabinets below? What a great idea!
And here we are together :-) Hope you enjoyed the tour!
This is from the Bob Williams & Mitchell Gold display. I really liked this mirror but otherwise it was your basic sofa and lamp display. They are really great for a low cost sofa and coffee tables though.
The only saving grace to this horrid beige round chair (The Jeanie Round Chair) with karate-chopped pillows (shudder), is the mini stuffed animal bulldog. So cute!
I love these antique up and down lights. They were all a little bit different--I couldn't decide which was my fave. This was part of the 1st Dibs area and the shop was Country Gear Ltd.
I loved this birdcage sconce with little crystal flowers on it. I know, terrible picture--here it is on 1st Dibs. So cute!
How can you not be taken in by a GIANT skull on a distressed wood painted pedestal? I just don't know, but I could barely look away.
As a jar lover, I was obsessed with these antique mercury glass jars. Yes, I just called myself a jar lover. What.
Look how many!! From Linda and Howard Stein's spot in the 1st Dibs Pavilion. They have a shop in Bridgehampton.
This is one of those very high finished wood pieces I mentioned above. I have no idea what kind of baby would like that. By Laren Algren Woodworking.
I am a traditionalist for sure but I loved this display by FurtherDesign. The glass pieces they had were beautiful.
If you read my blog, then you know how I love colored glass jars and lamps. Don't you love that mini one off to the left? I think it knows how cute it is.
Drippy glass large sconce. Crazy but kinda cool and organic looking.
Also Cocobolo, this hanging pendant looks like a giant pea pod...or an eye.
I believe this was Cocobolo too. Pretty neutral colored wall sculpture.
I super loved this installation by Libby Ware Studio. They are small spheres and boxes made of ceramic. Check out the website HERE for more.
These glass lights were hand blown and so pretty! They were modern, came in clusters or as a table lamp (above) but I loved the organic quality to them.
Glass ball chandelier.
Suzanne Lovell's room was inspired by Henry James's Portrait of a Lady, so I was instantly taken by the scene. I love Henry James and this room was elegant and soft with pops of color. This shot is of the ceiling; a canopy of delicate grey silks.
The bed was simple but I love the lights on the nightstand and the pattern on the quilt was very interesting. I liked the pops of red on the bed and head board.
Before I started to pass out from exhaustion from this show, I saw a panel about kitchens! My fave speaker was William Diamond of Diamond Baratta Design. They use bright fun colors and their interiors are amazing. I was very intrigued about their obsession with painting the floors, too. Sounds like fun.
