Moodboard Monday – Colour by Nature

One of the things that was reinforced last week during Blogfest was that inspiration is everywhere.  Barbara Barry spoke about how she finds inspiration in the little things and how her new line of fabrics was influenced by her travels through Asia.

One of the best examples of this and one of my new favourite blogs is Design Seeds. Jessica takes beautiful photos as inspiration for the most spectacular colour palettes. They’re not the usual colour palettes one would expect, but then again, who is a better artist than Mother Nature?

 All photos via Design Seeds

Blogfest 2011 Recap: The Places

As I was editing my 300+ pictures from Blogfest, I couldn’t help but reminisce a little not only about the fabulous and interesting people I met but also about all the great spaces I saw.  While not everyone was super-friendly (and you know who you are) most people were there to network and chat with as many other bloggers as possible.

The Ace Hotel in New York is part hipster club, part industrial chic apartment.   The lobby seems to be hopping no matter the time of day (or night!) and the rooms have interesting touches like Pendleton blankets, Smeg fridges and vintage looking bathroom fixtures.  We even had a guitar in our room in case we decided to break into song (although not likely).  While the hotel is super cool, the lighting could have been just a tad bit brighter. Makes doing your make-up every morning a bit of an extreme sport! Photos via

Our first stop on the Blogfest extravaganza was Hearst Tower.  I can only imagine what it would be like to work in this building.  Super cool architectural details and a killer view of the park (so I’m told as it was super foggy in New York) would make heading off to work a little easier.

The Elle Decor Modern Concept House was no house at all but rather two apartments with rooms designed by 10 designers to watch as  noted by Elle Decor magazine.  You can get a sneak peek into some of the rooms here.  The rooms were a really interesting mix of great furniture and arty pieces which created a unique look for each space. 

There’s something about Lily Pulitzer fabrics that makes me happy.  This room at the Lee Jofa showroom is like looking into a kaleidoscope with its myriad of patterns and colour.  It’s hard to see from these photos but the walls are upholstered in the most fabulous embroidered check fabric.  And I am loving the monogramed chair backs.

 The Traditional Home party paired renowned designers such as David Easton, Thomas O’Brien and Eric Cohler with a vintage Lee Jofa fabric and asked them to create a room based on the fabric.  The first two photos are from Suzanne Kasler’s room and let me tell you, it was absolutely stunning in person.  My favourite space of the night bar none.

One of the last spaces we toured and perhaps the most behind the scenes was the Kravet/Lee Jofa Design Studio.  We looked at everything from digital printing to product development to how new colourways are developed.  For someone who loves fabric as much as I do, it was absolute heaven.  By now you’re likely tired of hearing and reading about Blogfest.  All I can say is that it was an amazing experience, one that I would love to repeat next year.   Sponsors, are you listening? 😉

All photos are by eye see pretty unless otherwise credited.

Blogfest 2011 Recap: The People

If you’ve been following along with the Blogfest 2011 posts and Twitter stream you likely know what I and approximately 120 other bloggers were up to the past few days.   I’ve decided to take a bit of a different approach and rather than rehash it day by day, I’ve decided to talk about what I found interesting.

To start, Blogfest 2011 was truly an amazing experience.   I’ve never been to a blogging ‘conference’ (for lack of a better word) before so I was unsure of what to expect.  The truth?  Blogfest 2011 was strangely exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.  The itinerary was jam-packed with presentations, information and social functions but for me it was the chance to meet some of my blogging friends that I only knew virtually and also be exposed to bloggers that weren’t in my Google reader. As one blogger put it, I had found my people.

If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought that this was a fashion bloggers conference.  Everyone was uber stylish although I’m still not sure how some made it through in four inch heels!   The super chic Beth Greene and Jennifer Powell (of Kravet) did an amazing job putting together the agenda.  Here is a photo of Beth in the Lily Pulitzer section of the Kravet showroom flanked by two models.  Hard to tell who is who right?

On Tuesday afternoon, we had the privilege of attending a presentation by Barbara Barry.  It was a sneak peek into her design process and how she finds inspiration in the everyday.  She is my latest design crush so watch for a more in depth post next week as there was too much fabulousity for her to share a post with anyone else. Here is a photo of Barbara and I after her presentation.  I’ll be honest, I was a little star struck.

Two more lovelies… Janell of Isabella and Max Rooms and my roomy Vanessa of Decor Happy.

Me and the adorably cheeky David Easton at the Traditional Home party. He is such a cutie with a wicked, and I do mean wicked ;), sense of humour.  It was great to meet some of the designers from the new Inspired Styles book and get a glimpse into their personalites.  Someone should have told me to powder my nose before this photo!  Just me keeping it real I guess…..

Eric Cohler is such a gracious person.  He made sure he spent a few moments chatting with each person and then wrote a personalized message in each book he signed.  Here he is with Vanessa of Decor Happy and Vitania of Verdigris Vie.

Although not part of the Blogfest 2011 agenda, I (and a few other bloggers) had the privilege to be invited to the House of Brinson (#Brinsonfest2011 on Twitter) otherwise known as the live/work loft of Susan and William Brinson.   Their loft is even more amazing in person and really expresses the warm and welcoming personalities of William and Susan.  They are the type of people that you feel as though you’ve known forever even if you only spend five minutes chatting with them.  Here’s a shot of Vanessa of Decor Happy, Susan of House of Brinson, me, Vitania of Verdigris Vie, Nyla of Nyla Free Designs and Nero also of House of Brinson. You can check out their blog and see more awesome pictures of their loft here.

Last but not least is the talented and gorgeous Margaret Russell. Teeny tiny in person, she is incredibly stylish and was rocking an ankle injury even in sky high Louboutins.  She chatted mostly about the history of Architectural Digest and the new direction the magazine will be going in.  She shared with us an upcoming tribute on Elizabeth Taylor in the magazine and told us how they were actually shooting the story the day she passed away (the feature will run in the July issue of Architectural Digest).  She also talked about how they were updating the Architectural Digest website and about their new AD Amazing Kitchens app (available in the iTunes store).

All in all, it was an amazing experience that surpassed all of my expectations.  There have been a few rumblings here and there from various bloggers who thought there should have been more two way dialogue.   I, for one, am grateful for the opportunity to listen and learn from these incredibly accomplished people and for the time and effort they spent to participate in this event.

So, now back to reality and the process of editing my 400+ pictures.  I’ll be writing some more posts on my Blogfest 2011 experiences so y’all come back and please don’t step on any of the names I dropped in this post! 😉

All photos via Eye See Pretty.  Please feel free to use as long source is credited.

New York, New Adventures

Yesterday I arrived in New York for what I suspect may be one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I’m attending Blogfest 2011, which if you’re a blogger is like the promised land.

Sponsored by Kravet and Lee Jofa, the event takes place over three days in New York City and will be attended by some of my favourite bloggers. The itinerary is ambitious with impromptu events popping up left and right. There’s everything from a social media panel with the editors of House Beautiful to a DesignTV party sponsored by Joss and Main to breakfast with Margaret Russell, the Editor in Chief of Architectural Digest.

I’m getting ready to head off to the social media panel which you can watch live here!

Toodles from NYC!

Guilty Pleasure-Pinterest

I have a confession. I’ve been spending a lot of time lately with my latest obsession. No, I’m not having an affair or curled up with my new iPad (although that is a close second!) but I’ve been spending a ton of time on Pinterest.

For those not familiar, Pinterest is a website where you can create inspiration boards, grouped by theme or by no rhyme or reason whatsoever. It’s your choice because you’re the curator.  The best part? There’s a nifty little bookmarklet which allows you to ‘pin’ any web image to your pinboards and it also maintains the link to the image source,  which as a blogger is invaluable.  I have a ton of images that I’ve collected over the years BB (before blogging) that I have no clue where they came from. 

You can also follow other people and they can follow you.   Some of my favourite bloggers have the most amazing Pinterest boards.  There is so much great inspiration out there, it’s hard to know where to find it.   This keeps it all contained in a very pretty and easy to use little package. 

 

 Photos 1, 2

 Pinning is strangely addictive.  It’s also time consuming (like I need anything else to keep me online!).  Hubby complains now that he only sees me behind my laptop.   What can I say, a girl’s got to blog and shop and read other blogs and keep up on Twitter!

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Also, this week, Pinterest launched a new iPhone app for pinning on the go.  It’s a great little tool that also allows you to take and upload your own photos for even more pinning fabulousity.   Available here. 

So, if you’re interested to see what I’m loving lately or maybe what the next blog post will be about, then please head over to Pinterest and see where I’ve been wasting spending my time.

 

Moodboard Monday – Rock On!

I love, love, love the use of rocks and crystals in decor.  We usually see them as decorative objets placed at a jaunty angle on a shelf or perhaps used as a very smart (and heavy!) paperweight.  But I love to think outside of the box and use these natural treasures in interesting ways. 

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

The countertop in the centre photo is so unique and different.  It has almost a fossilized look with the agate slices.  This is a statement counter and not for the faint of heart.  It is a major commitment both aesthetically and financially. 

If you’re looking for bang for your buck but have less bucks to bang (say that one ten times fast!) then you may want to consider some smaller but still unique accent pieces.  

The lighting on the left has a glitzy quality without being too over the top.  Imagine the sparkle and shadows they would produce.   More practical items include accent tables, bookends and tableware.  These agate slices would make fantastic cheese boards.  And, no bookshelf is complete without decorative boxes.   I like to stack them on shelves to create interest and they are also a great place to hide all those little bits and pieces.  I have remote controls hidden away in mine.

My favourite use of the agate slices has got to be these church windows in Zurich. 

  

Photos 1, 2, 3

There are seven windows that are being replaced and I can only imagine how spectacular these will be with the light streaming in.   Truly a religious experience. 

I Do, I Do, I Do Love a Royal Wedding Party

Everyone seems to have developed a case of royal wedding fever…. I for one can’t wait to watch the whole thing (can you say slightly obsessed?) but due to the time difference, the wedding will be broadcast very early on Friday morning. Rather than setting your alarm, why not have a viewing party at a more civilized time?

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

And for the all the girls who are upset that Wills is off the market?

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Moodboard Monday- Waterworld

I’ve been a bad blogger.  Chalk it up to a busy week.  I’m hoping my inspiration for this week’s moodboard will make all of you forgive me!  XOXO

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I love the soft, soothing look of watercolours.  Whether it’s in decor, in fashion or on the wall, watercolours have a fuzzy, unfocused quality that makes me feel as though I’m looking through rose coloured glasses.   I’ve always been a fan of the abstract so the less than perfect lines and mix of colours really appeals to me.   Perhaps it’s a metaphor on life, no?

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

These rooms have a dreamy, ethereal quality.  Colour is still used, however it is a watery, greyed down version.  Utter perfection.

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Can’t you just feel yourself relaxing by looking at them?  Sigh…..

Moodboard Monday – Ebony and Ivory

There is something so graphically alluring about classic black and white.   At different ends of the spectrum they are polar opposites that play oh so very well together.

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Elegance personified, black and white may seem like a stark colour palette for some, but for me it will always be one of my favourite combinations.   It works equally well with soft accents like ballet pink or strong colour like cobalt blue.

Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

So now I’m curious, what are some of your favourite color palettes?  Do you prefer neutrals or strong colour?

The Girly Room I Never Had….

I always wanted my own room.  As a child, I shared a room with my younger sister, so the first time I had my own room was in university.  Shortly after graduation, I moved in with my husband so I never did have the girly bachelor pad I always wanted.

Although our condo is fairly large by today’s standards (1200 sq ft), every bit of space must be functional and usable.

Since we don’t have guests very often, I’ve taken over our former guest room as my own space.  Part office, part dressing room and occasionally a guest room, the space needs to be multi-functional and have great storage.  Currently the space has two large armoires (one with mirrored doors), a pull-out sofa which needs to be recovered and two short bookcases.

I’ve put together some inspiration on how I want the room to look.  Shades of cream, pink and warm metallics give a very girly, feminine feel.  I am on the look out for a small curvy desk to refinish to complete the look as well as some vintage brass accents and hardware.

Photos (clockwise) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

I’ll reveal step by step as the room progresses so stay tuned for future posts!