When people ask me for design pointers, consider the Pandora’s Box officially open. Where to begin? Honestly, sometimes the easiest place to start is with what not to do.
When you select an area rug, make sure you get one that is large enough for the space. All of the furniture in that particular area should fit ON the rug.
Hang your art so that someone of average height can look straight at it. A common mistake is to hang art too high.
It’s better to invest in a print from your local print house (such as Paulson Bott Press or Crown Point Press) than a cheap, so-so painting. Another wonderfully affordable option is to purchase a poster from a modern art museum (www.moma.org) and frame it up!
Don’t go on a buying binge at one retailer. You don’t want your home to look like a catalogue. Better to look around a bit and pull from different sources, adding interest and variety to your abode.
Everyone has it but if you can’t hide it, corral it. Find chic trays, bowls, baskets and boxes to pull miscellaneous items together instead of letting them free float and clutter your space.
At a young age my dad the economist drilled into me the importance of staying abreast of the financial news. The Wall Street Journal was his read of choice and it’s how I start each and every day.
I was overjoyed when they began adding more lifestyle content and even more ecstatic to have one of my very own projects featured this past Friday.
Read the full Wall Street Journal article
One should never shy away from a strong graphic statement in a room. One way to do this is through custom word art. It’s fun, unexpected and chic.
Word art transforms a simple idea into a high-impact visual statement. In my Napa living room, I love watching my guests react to the Ulrika Andersson word art which reads “No one knows I am a girl.” Indeed I am. Word art can also bring to life one’s personal identity and history. Maybe it’s a phrase in Celtic and Yiddish that bring a knowing smile to family members.
There’s a fit for every budget. Use reclaimed signage lettering in a flea market or yard sale and regroup them to form words on a coffee table. For an edgier look, design your own layout and have it laser-cut at a signage store. PVC, MDF or even Plexi-Glass comes in fun colors that will add pop to a neutral wall. Just don’t forget to watch your language!
Doug Aitken’s 1968 (black) 2011
Sculpture of tinted mirror, auctioned this week at the SFMoMA Modern Ball 2012
It’s a happening week in San Francisco. I’m feeling like a social butterfly and why not flit about a bit when spring is in the air. The San Francisco Decorator Showcase opens its doors this week…hoorah! I didn’t do a room this year but look forward to marveling at what other designers have created. Even better, all proceeds benefit the University High School’s financial aid program. For you localites, take a gander.
To add even more flair to this week, the SFMoMA hosts the always spectacular Modern Ball. It’s a super chic fundraiser for our beloved modern art museum (and superb people watching). I wouldn’t miss it for a thing in the world. Now I just need to pull together a suitably outrageous outfit.
Here are some pics of fabulous 2012 SF Decorator Showcase rooms. For some live action entertainment from the SFMoMA Modern Ball make sure you follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
SF Decorator Showcase April 28 – May 28, 2012
2020 Jackson Street (between Laguna and Octavia Streets)
Ryan McGinness ǀ Geometric Primitives
March 30 ǀ May 5 @ Pace Primitive
Oh l’amour fou. As you may already know from last week’s post I was in Marrakech attending the Design Leadership Summit. The days started with sunrise yoga followed by foolishly strong coffee at breakfast and then a delightfully packed day of keynotes and meetings.
You know how much I adore travel. I am nuts about it! I was determined to explore Marrakech and unveil its secrets. Nothing summons the dramatic contrasts of Marrakech quite like Jardin Majorelle, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé’s gardens surrounding what once was their Villa Oasis.
Within the limits of their villa, this lifelong couple designed their sanctuary of unfettered luxury. It is here where YSL created some of his most exotic and dynamic collections inspired by the lusciousness of Western Africa and his Parisian sensibility.
L’Amour Fou, a documentary narrating the auction of their jaw-dropping art and furniture collection, is a bittersweet and intimate peek into their robust lives. It’s worth an evening.
Now I’m back in San Francisco, refreshed, reinvigorated and awash in inspiration.
L’ Amour Fou
The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975-85
Photo: Wolfgang Volz
© 1985 Christo
Christo + Jean Claude
This week I am posting from a place that captures my heart and spirit.
Why I’m in Paris, of course. I’m en route to the Design Leadership Summit in Marrakech (lucky me). Naturally, I had to make a pit stop in the City of Lights for a dose of inspiration.
The boutique Colette is first on my list of places to hit. It’s a veritable epicenter of all things hip. Situated on the quite fancy Rue Saint Honoré, Colette is not your usual store. It can honestly be said that what first appears here can instantly spark a global trend.
Karl Lagerfeld himself stops by for a dose of daily inspiration.
Colette is a one-stop shopping destination with its ever evolving inventory, ranging from skateboards to casual wear, to jewelry, accessories, books, art, music and home décor. Oh la la, say no more!
In celebration of the boutique’s 15th year anniversary, an ongoing exhibit and sale features Darcel Disappoints’ 150 portraits of darcellized celebrities in the world of fashion, music, design and photography like Anna Wintour and Marc Jacobs.
A few more days relishing Paris and then off to Marrakech. A bientôt mes amis!
Colette
