Design Inspiration: India Hicks

With most of the U.S. covered in mid-January gray gloom, it's time to start thinking about something a lot more fun: the beach! This time of year, as the "resort" bikinis make their way onto racks at the store, visions of Caribbean jaunts, complete with sunny days and balmy evenings dance in our heads.

We want a pina colada.

This is also the time of year when we look around our houses and think, "Why can't I be more like India Hicks?" Hicks, the host of Bravo's Top Design, creative collaborator with Crabtree and Evelyn, young mom, and former model, is the embodiment of cool, beachy style. The daughter of celebrated designer, David Hicks, India has twisted her dad's style a bit to make it her own, outfitting her Harbour Island, Bahamas home with lots of white, plus splashes of color and patter. She mixes comfortable furniture with heirloom pieces and her one concession to living a the beach is wood floors.

In short, she's great design inspiration, especially during the gray days of winter.

This shot of Hicks' Harbour Island living room shows off her commitment to white mixed with interesting pieces and little shots of pattern. We love those chairs in the back of the room on the left. They provide just the right amount of action in a mostly serene room.

In our own houses, we like the idea of simple chairs, covered in a fun, but understated fabric, like Giraffe in Chocolate and Sand Dollar:

In one corner of the room, Hicks added a bright pink chair. We love the way it contrasts with the lime green plant life (we love that dog, too!) and the shot of color it adds to the space.

At home, it's easy to add that shot of color with throw pillows. We love the Maven pillow in Cream, Pink Berry, Classic Pink, and Tutu:

We love the sunny pink color - it always makes us happy!

In the bedroom, Hicks continues the serene, beachy palate with white linens, white accessories, and a pretty upholstered headboard. We love the addition of bright red flowers, too. Wouldn't they be great to see first thing in the morning?

That gorgeous headboard might be out of our league, but we'd create the same feel with accessories, like the Pamda pendant in Ochre and White. The clean pattern is calming and the simple colors are all about the sandy beach.

We're still waiting for India Hicks' personal invitation to visit her family on Harbour Island. Until that day comes, we'll relax ourselves by incorporating bits of her style into our own homes.

[Photo credits: Hicks home: Domino magazine courtesy of Mimi and Meg. Fabric, lamp, and pillow from Alluminare.]

How to Go Crazy with Patterns

Occasionally, when I'm feeling sentimental, I'll dig deep in my my pile of home magazines to read something from the past. Last week, I ran across an issue of the late, oh-so-great magazine Domino from February 2008.

What were we dreaming about just two years ago? Lots of stuff we're still dreaming about, actually - like exuberant color and energizing patterns.

One of the better features from the magazine was a profile of three rooms, each covered head-to-toe in an aggressive pattern. The rooms were accompanied by a few tips on how to decorate with serious patterns without overwhelming.

The room at the top right, covered in Vivienne Westwood-inspired red and white wallpaper and matching black and white upholstery, is in the London town house of lingerie magnate Serena Rees (she owns Agent Provacateur). Rees' advice for decorating with pattern? "I just keep adding, adding, adding!" She explains that when the room was wallpapered and filled only with furniture in the same pattern, it felt hard, but with the addition of a couple of rugs, it evolved into an unusual sort of calm chaos.

If you like the look, why not try it with Pearl District fabric and wallpaper in Classic Red and White:

On the much more feminine side, Domino contributing style editor Chassie Post went wild for butterflies in a Manhattan loft. She covered the walls (and doors) with a busy butterfly wallpaper, then topped that with large artwork. On the advice of her childhood friend Miles Redd (also a favorite designer of ours) she also painted the floor and ceiling a delicate robins-egg blue, offering a bit of a respite from the pattern:Her advice is this, "If you are using a small pattern, consider the background carefully, because that dominates. The white behind the butterflies is calming - purple would have really changed the feeling."

She's right. We also love how she balanced the busy, sweet pattern with accessories in black and white geometric patterns, like her fabulous zig-zag rug. We'd add a pillow or two into the mix - maybe the Linoak on Second pillow in Cream, Black, and Hampton Blue:

The third space featured is the animal print haven of LA decorator Mary McDonald. She's outfitted her home in floor-to-ceiling leopard. The tiny print covers the walls, the curtains, the furniture -everything. With small spots and gradual variations in color, the print is positively hypnotic.

McDonald says that one of her big design influences is Scarlett O'Hara - she loves how the character would "get knocked down, get up and just keep trying." She points to Scarlett in her own home, saying she's still got plans for the ceiling, and to paint some cream-colored columns ebony so they sink into the background a bit more. She recommends that no matter what, you just keep going!

We love animal prints and would like to see a room designed around this Flinstones-meets-Rock Star pendant in Sand Dollar, Chocolate, and Croissant Tiger:

Of course, every space, every pattern, and every personality require slightly different treatment. How do you go crazy with patterns? Any tips?

[Photo credits: Rooms from Domino magazine (February 2008). Fabric, pillow, and lamp from Alluminare.]

Calm It Down: Blue Bedrooms

Who doesn't love blue? It's a calming force, physiologically, slowing metabolism. Symbolically, it's associated with trust, loyalty, intelligence, and stability. It's intellectual and it imbues spaces with a feeling of cleanliness and peace.

It's all those traits, plus the fact that its different shades work with design schemes from classic to modern, that makes us simply love blue in the bedroom.

On the classic and simple end of the design scale, we love the pretty wooden daybed in Wedgewood blue in the photo on the right. Combined with pristine whites and cool grays, the room feels beachy and calm and very, very relaxing.

We'd accessorize with lighting that's similarly simple, playing up the color's neutral properties with a three-cylinder pendant lamp in Bungalow Dots in Cream, Hampton Blue, and Chocolate Milk:The simple pattern works with the pillows' stripes, while the cool combination of colors is in sync with the rest of the room. Calming, from start to finish.

One of the things we love about blue, though, is the variety of shades and the different moods they can convey. The electric blue headboard at the left, complemented by a fish with bright blue accents, has a coastal vibe - so that's calming - but its coupled with preppy energy.

We'd add even more color, taking a cue from the bright pink monograms on those pristine white shams. We think a Signature Leaves lamp in White and Crimson would be a perfect addition to this room's strong feminity:

We're all about the eclectic look right now and we think blue provides a great base for funky, interesting spaces. The bedroom at the right is the epitome of "eclectic," from the oversized Expressionist painting on the wall down to the rug and its Middle Eastern influences.

We think the lapis wall acts as a sort of neutral in this space, providing a calming respite from the intensity of the patterns and painting. But that doesn't mean we wouldn't tie that blue into even more accessories.

In a space like this one, we say, "Load up on pillows!" We love the pile on the bed already, but we'd also add one of our own - Folk Heart in Cream, Hampton Blue, Chocolate Milk, and Sage:

Another of our favorite blue traits is the color's ability to work so well with a variety of accent colors. We especially love how pale, pale blue looks next to intense, pinky reds - like in this smart spare bedroom:

Pale blue, black, and red don't necessarily sound good on paper, but neither does that crazy combination of super-symmetry, stripes, and butterflies. And in the end, all of it works, and the blue provides a background that keeps the rest of the room from venturing into harsh territory.

We might even swap out the fussy throw pillows (though they are pretty) for something a little more tailored, but add a lamp in a similarly feminine and busy pattern, like Napa in White, Gray, and Aurora Red (at right).

Blue - it's as diverse as colors get. But from the most electric to the sweetest and calmest...what a color for the bedroom.

[Photo credits: All rooms from Houzz.com. All lighting and pillow images from Alluminare.]

5 Unexpected Ways to Use Upholstery Fabric

Fabric...it's not just for sofa covers anymore.

We still love it on sofa covers, of course, and used in all the traditional ways, like fashioned into Roman shades (as the Serendipity fabric pictured above in Sage, Light Spring Grass, Tutu, and Classic Pink has been).

We just don't think fabric's usefulness stops with the traditional uses. That's why we've compiled this list of six great alternative uses for upholstery fabric:

1.Table Linens

Most upholstery fabric is a little thick to use as a tablecloth, though it works nicely as a cloth for an outdoor table (think picnic, plus the table). Plus, table linens don't start and stop at "tablecloth." With just a little cutting and hemming, you can make great placemats and runners out of just a few yards of inexpensive upholstery fabric. Crate & Barrel, eat your heart out!

We love the idea of turning Tribeca fabric, pictured at the right in Crimson, Silver, and Gray, into festive holiday table coverings.

2. Transform a Party Space

One of the quickest, simplest ways to transform your home from the place you live every day into a fantastic party space is to drape your walls - any walls - with fancy fabric (such as the classic Duo in Silver and White). Creating an indoor tent, you'll hide all manner of messy sins and create a really special place that will wow guests.

This is a perfect way to dress a house up for a grand-scale New Year's Eve party, or even a wedding.

3. Kids Crafts

Save all your scraps - even the tiniest ones - and share them with your children, or donate them to local childcare facilities or preschools. The collage art kids can make with leftover upholstery fabric would make even Marcel Duchamp smile.

4. Purse It

Upholstery fabric is hardy and pretty and that's a great combination for an everyday bag or purse. Follow these basic instructions, adjusting for your own size preferences, and maybe add a different material, such as wood, for a handle.

We'd make a fun, summery bag out of Maven fabric in Crimson, Tutu, Light Spring Grass, and Classic Pink. Perfect for the beach, the boat, or daytime margaritas on the deck!

5. Flowery Fun

We love the blogger and Etsy shop owner This Recycled Life. She has tons of suggestions for making use of stuff we find ourselves left with - like leftover upholstery fabric. Of all her suggestions for fabric, our favorite is her pretty fabric flowers. They'd make great gift-wrapping or decoration, and they're a fantastic way to use those leftover scraps (or even to buy fabric for, actually). We like the idea of making flowers out of Rose Leaves fabric in Silver, Cream, Blueberry, and Baby Blue:

Leaves on fabric - it just works for us!

How do you use your leftover fabric? Any fun projects to add to our list? Please leave suggestions in the comments!

5 Creative Holiday Decorating Strategies

What's your holiday style? Traditional or uber-modern, there's no wrong way to decorate for the holidays - it's just fun to make a space festive and jolly.

Generally, our holiday decorating styles gibe with our everyday decorating styles - modern sticks with modern, traditional with traditional. But there's no rule saying you can't mix it up.

We've identified five holiday decorating themes that are pretty great on their own, but are also mix-and-matchable.

1. Traditional All the Way

There's a lot to be said for the traditional red and green, for loading the tree, the mantle, and every shelf around with greens and shiny balls and fake snow. Pottery Barn offers fantastic inspiration for this type of decorating. Their more-is-more seasonal approach is classic and pretty - and just short of over-the-top.

We especially like the little touches from Pottery Barn, like these engravable stocking holders: We'd add a pretty, festive throw pillow to the mix, too, like the Fan Leaf pillow (in cream, Classic Red, Light Spring Grass, and Army) at the top of the post.

2. Trendy with Color

Turquoise is the color of 2010, but it's already showing up all over the place - including on Christmas trees. This turquoise and silver tree is pretty and fun, and the silver elements tie the look back into traditional holiday style:

And wouldn't that tree look nice in a beachy room that's home to a Cottage Garden three-cylinder pendant lamp in Caribbean Sea and white? We think the lamp also strikes that great balance between vibrant and traditional:

Perfect for a beach house where the whole family gathers to celebrate the holidays.

3. Fun and Funky

You know what else would work at that beach house? Bright colors, unusual textures, and out-there objets repurposed as decoration. We love the feather wreath and trees in the photo at the left - they remind us of boas (always fun!)

We'd love these trees even more with crazy decorations, like colorful Mardi Gras masks or colorful vintage postcards.

4. Pale and Shimmery

Red and green aren't the only Christmassy colors out there. We love interiors decked out in gold, silver, and white, like this pretty fireplace crowned with blooming paperwhites:

We think this room would look even lovelier with drapes made of Mallory fabric in ginger and white:

We love the feminine pattern in gold and white - it's fresh and festive and pretty (plus, it works after the holiday season, too!).

If pale and shimmery is your style, and you're feeling extra festive, why not try to emulate the stairway from Chanel's Spring 2009 show? The oversized paper flowers aren't terribly complicated to put together (though maybe a little time consuming). And they certainly are pretty!

5. Classically Minimal

We started this list with the maximalist, Pottery Barn approach to holiday decorating, so we're closing it out with traditional's other extreme - simplicity. That's exactly what we see in this comfortable room, dressed with just a few fresh greens: Add a gorgeous lamp in holiday shades, like the Ever After pendant in white and Classic Red, and you've got a perfect, and perfectly restrained, holiday-themed room. Whatever your style, enjoy decorating - and happy holidays!

[Stocking holders from Pottery Barn. Turquoise, feather trees, fireplace, and greenery from Coastal Living. Chanel stairway from The House that Lars Built. All other photos from Alluminare.com.]

Don't Be Afraid of Color!

I've said it before and I'll certainly say it again, don't be afraid of color! White walls certainly have their place in the world, and hey, I have a white wall in my house. Color doesn't necessarily mean the brightest color you can find at Home Depot, or on Alluminare.com, you can choose something subtle and it'll be just as great (sometimes even better!)

A really easy way to incorporate color into your home is with fabric and wallpaper choices. They are a great way to add a pop of color that won't be overwhelming. A few really great throw pillows on a solid colored couch will add character and charm to your living room - they also make for great conversation pieces. Guests will want to know where you got those amazing pillows from, or how you chose such a fabulous color! A great fabric and color combination I recommend from Alluminare.com is Fan Club in Basil and Light Spring Grass. These colors are neutrals and will go with the majority of other colors that are in your house.


Another great way to add a splash of color in your home is to reupholster an old sitting chair in your living room, or your set of dining room chairs. A great thing about textile designs today is that they can be mixed with older furniture to provide an updated look. If you're working with traditional furniture, try to choose a color that you can relate to yesterday and today. Kingston in Twilight Blue is a great option that combines a modern color with a traditional pattern that helps bridge the gab between an outdated piece of furniture and a modern home. How great would this fabric look on a wooden traditional chair that has been painted white? Super chic and modern, and it will hardly cost you a thing!

If you have trouble committing to a paint choice or wallpaper, a great way to add color to a room (and not feel like it's a life sentence) try putting fabric on the wall! I used fabric as a wall covering in my guest bedroom and it was so easy! A fabric and color option I recommend for wall use is Pearl District in Ginger. It's a classic design with a classic color, and it leaves a lot of room for furniture selection. Black, white, dark or light wood would all look great. All you'll need is a tape measure, staple gun and scissors- afterwards you'll wonder why you never thought of it before.

Don't Be Afraid of Color!

I've said it before and I'll certainly say it again, don't be afraid of color! White walls certainly have their place in the world, and hey, I have a white wall in my house. Color doesn't necessarily mean the brightest color you can find at Home Depot, or on Alluminare.com, you can choose something subtle and it'll be just as great (sometimes even better!)

A really easy way to incorporate color into your home is with fabric and wallpaper choices. They are a great way to add a pop of color that won't be overwhelming. A few really great throw pillows on a solid colored couch will add character and charm to your living room - they also make for great conversation pieces. Guests will want to know where you got those amazing pillows from, or how you chose such a fabulous color! A great fabric and color combination I recommend from Alluminare.com is Fan Club in Basil and Light Spring Grass. These colors are neutrals and will go with the majority of other colors that are in your house.


Another great way to add a splash of color in your home is to reupholster an old sitting chair in your living room, or your set of dining room chairs. A great thing about textile designs today is that they can be mixed with older furniture to provide an updated look. If you're working with traditional furniture, try to choose a color that you can relate to yesterday and today. Kingston in Twilight Blue is a great option that combines a modern color with a traditional pattern that helps bridge the gab between an outdated piece of furniture and a modern home. How great would this fabric look on a wooden traditional chair that has been painted white? Super chic and modern, and it will hardly cost you a thing!

If you have trouble committing to a paint choice or wallpaper, a great way to add color to a room (and not feel like it's a life sentence) try putting fabric on the wall! I used fabric as a wall covering in my guest bedroom and it was so easy! A fabric and color option I recommend for wall use is Pearl District in Ginger. It's a classic design with a classic color, and it leaves a lot of room for furniture selection. Black, white, dark or light wood would all look great. All you'll need is a tape measure, staple gun and scissors- afterwards you'll wonder why you never thought of it before.