{inspiration} Going Green

I love the rumpled chicness of this apple green slippered chair. Adding the turquoise pillow and elegantly distressed accents gives it just the right amount of  sophistication & playfulness. (image via Fresh Home)

Turn up your wild side with this Jaguar print rug by Safavieh. How unexpected is the punchy green print and barely there aqua spots! Very fresh. (image via House Beautiful) 

The Olivia Headboard decal by blik combines the best of timeless design and modern sensibilities. Great classic shape & totally hip apple green. Love the white bedding and mod pillow. (image via House Beautiful) 

Do something out of the box and try a little apple green in your decor. It is fabulously fresh and makes nearly any color pop against it. I am particularly fond of it with white and turquoise but orange and fuchsia are pretty exciting partners in their own right. Very cool.

{products+love} Colin Cowie is Masterful with Coral

Leave it to Colin Cowie to make such an exquisite statement in coral. Each piece of his chic collection is bold yet delicate, providing that extra something special to help you create a perfectly appointed table or room. Such taste... Have a wonderful weekend!

(Coral Appetizer Plates Set of 8, Beaded Pearl-Style Napkin Rings & Set of 2 Decorative Pillows available for purchase at The Home Shopping Network)

*photography via Home Shopping Network

{products+love} Come Camp for a Bit of Fun

It's product day at nss&i and I am so excited to show a sampling from the super fun Swedish design company Camp Cirrus. With their roots in the Scandinavian design tradition, they pay a lot of attention to details – creating bright and cheerful accessories for both your home and for yourself. Their pillowcases and bags are hand printed and infused with juicy colors to add just the right splash of style to your day.

*photography via Camp Cirrus

{inspiration+designer} Lucas Studio, Inc.

Lucas Studio, Inc. is a boutique interior design firm founded by LA-based interior designers Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat. Their style is a dynamic combination of classic meets cool; refinement with an air of West Coast ease. Traditional Home magazine took note and named them as one of the "Top 20 Young Design Firms to Watch" in April 2009. What I enjoy most about this duo is how they use traditional design elements to create very pleasing rooms yet juxtapose this restraint with pops of modern, often funky, details (i.e.: the settee fabric as seen above). In addition to their design firm, the pair also owns Harbinger, a West Hollywood retail shop that showcases trend-resistant decor (think slippered chairs & pedestal tables), eclectic antiques, lighting, art and a chic selection of wallpaper and fabrics.

*photography via One Kings Lane

West Elm 2010 Fall Relaunch

I am excited to announce that West Elm is relaunching its brand this Fall with a distinct new look and decorating strategy. To loyalists, do not dismay, the brand will continue to build upon their familiar looks (the Modernist and the Naturalist) while adding a third and fourth decorating style to the mix. The new identities will be focused on a modern interpretation of vintage-industrial and an eclectic, bohemian, style they term the Globalist. Overall you can expect a warmer West Elm, less stark with more feminine touches. I can't wait!

*photography via West Elm

{inspiration+designer} Perfectly L.A.

To begin with let's start with the where; Los Angeles, California, my absolute favorite place in the US besides New York. Where the sun is always shining and the trees smell of orange blossoms. Love it! So while I was flipping through my library of Instyle Magazines for new inspiration I came across a feature on Kristen Bell's Spanish-style L.A. home.

The decor was created by L.A. designer Stacey Vuduris and the work couldn't be more lovely. It is a wonderful and whimsical blend of sleek, modern lines, bold colors and feminine accents. The perfect example of what I feel is great design. Take a peek inside the Dining Room which features faux-suede-and-chrome chairs from CB2, a custom wallpapered ceiling and a clustered globe chandelier from Shades of Light. It is relaxed and pretty but sophisticated. For the Living Room they used yummy, creamy, white upholstery (my favorite!), a fantastic custom ottoman by Plantation (covered with Chiang Mai Dragon pattern fabric) and added contained pops of turquoise, yellow, green and metallic gray. It is simply PERFECT!

*photography via InStyle

A Restored Inspiration

Restoration Hardware is known as a great source or traditional decor with a vintage reference; stream-lined hardware, crisp linens, classical silhouettes. They know what they do and they do it really well. So, I have to admit that upon my recent review of their site I had some very unexpected "wow" moments. In a new web section entitled "Design Gallery" they offer an array of vignette inspirations for their viewers. Bedrooms, Living Rooms, one after the other, gorgeous living spaces filled with interest, drama, richness and beauty. (All things that are so vital to the success of a room.) Yes, I could still feel the Restoration aesthetic abounding in each shot but the heartbeat was much more intense then I have ever seen. Just take a look above at the piled rope coffee table lit by that fabulous pair of chandeliers. Bravo to this new life and wonderfully inspired direction!

*photography via Restoration Hardware website

{products+love} Happy Memorial Day!

The official beginning of Summer is here! With a raised glass of lemonade and the sound of the waves hitting the sand take a relaxing minute & check out this great moment from Wisteria, one of my favorite shopping destinations. They offer the perfect decor for summertime living; slightly quirky mixed with a great globe trotting, flea-market vibe. Here's to the long, happy days of summer!

French Country Dining Table $1999
Cooper's Small Colored Stools: $159
French Folding Chair $179
Pendant Cage Lamp $129
Striped Cushion for French Folding Chair $24
Starfish Garland $24
Red Rim Metal Wire Basket $79
Iron Wine Bottle Holder $69
Multi-purpose Wooden Box $39

*photography via Wisteria.com

{product+love} Hip Vintage Is the Style

I am just getting back from a fantastic trip to Colorado where I am decorating a fantastically-cool 1970's ranch. The house has been scraped and basically rebuilt in the amazing vision of it's darling owners. I have been tasked to create a space that is a mix of farmhouse chic, industrial cool and mid-century hip. Hmmmm... well, I love a great challenge! So I will keep you posted along the journey but for now take a look at this great wall lantern I discovered for their reading nook by GO Home Ltd. It's a classic silhouette with hand-finished details, the perfect dynamic for a modern home.

*photography via one kings lane

{product+love} Graham and Green

Across the pond there is a lovely company call Graham and Green. They opened their doors in 1974 but are as relevant today as anything I have come across. With a style that oozes with glamor, quirk and global appeal they add that extra special something to any room. I simply adore the pink mercury lamp and the black & bone inlay ram's head chair. A contemporary mix of old and new- which I personally think is simply fantastic. And if you are not in the market for furniture or lighting they also carry a deep selection of mirrors, home accents, kitchen wear & kids decor. Why not bring a bit of Parisian flair or Moroccan chic into your life via our friends from the UK? Now that's global!

*photography via grahamandgreen