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.]

6 Strategies for Getting Organized in the New Year

The start of a new year is an ideal time to make - and keep - a resolution (are we sick of those yet?) to really get organized. Even if an Apartment Therapy-style "cure" is too grand of an aspiration for you, there are lots of smaller, more manageable ways to make the organization thing happen at home.

We found that these six simple steps are inspiring us to look around, clean up, and stay organized in 2010:

1. Take It One Room at a Time

There is nothing more daunting than trying to organize an entire house all at once. Break it down into smaller pieces, though, and it's not so scary. Start with an easy room - a guest room, maybe - and move on to bigger challenges (the hall closet - yikes!) as you gain confidence.

2. Beautify As You Go

Small changes can be just the thing you need to stay motivated. We incorporate very easy decorating in with our hardcore cleaning to stay motivated - it helps when the end result is something really pretty! For example, if you're rearranging a cluttered bookcase (like the one above) why not line the walls with fun wallpaper at the same time?

For that bookcase, we'd add the Avalon wallpaper in Light Spring Grass and Baby Blue:

A little paper goes a long way towards creating a fun - and organized - space.

3. It's Only 20 Minutes

Reorganizing an entire house, or even just a room, takes a while. If you've got a spare week to tackle it, that's great. But if you, like most people, have a lot going on, consider setting aside just 20 minutes a day to accomplish organizing tasks. You'll be amazed at what you finish in one week - and you won't even miss that time!

4. Toss, Donate, Store, Save

Be honest. You need to get rid of some stuff. It's hard parting with your things, though (especially those jeans you've had since college). We won't lie - saying goodbye is always difficult, but the process is a little less painful if you're very straightforward about it. In each room, create four piles. One to save, one to store, one to donate, and one to throw away.

As you go one, you're likely to get less and less sentimental, too - so consider reviewing the "save" pile before you finish!

5. Move Those Lamps

One great space-saving technique involves removing floor and table lamps and replacing them with hanging pendants. We love the way this red shade brings out the warm elements of the room below: But we might love the room even more if that lamp was gone. We'd replace it with a Marseille pendant in Brick Red, Burnt Orange, Hampton Blue and Blueberry:
We like the way the pattern ties together the cool blue of the tile and the warm terra cotta shades in the rest of the room. By eliminating that standing lamp, the room would feel just a little less cluttered.

6. Treat Yourself

Nothing motivates quite like a treat. Promise yourself something great - for the house, for your family, or just for you - and set a goal, such as "all the bedrooms reorganized." You'll be amazed what you can accomplish with that goal in front of you!

Do you have any additional organizing tips to share? Any success (or horror) stories? Please share them in the comments. And happy organizing!

[Photo credits: Bookcase and Room from Houzz.com. Wallpaper 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.]

Bottoms Up! Celebrating the New Year in Style

The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is, historically, one filled with parties and fun outings, culminating in a big bash New Year's Eve (and quieter brunches and open houses on New Year's Day).

Our favorite celebrations are the ones that take place not out in a bar or restaurant, but at home. And our favorite homes are ones that are well-stocked for entertaining, with pantries full of fun snacks (we love these bacon-wrapped dates and these potato chips topped with goat cheese, red pepper jelly, and bacon) and well-stocked bars.

So in honor of the new year, we're checking out some of our favorite bar set-ups, like the one at the left. This room, which is designed by Amy Lau, has such a cool, retro look and - wow - what an amazing bar! We love the way it's hidden from view, but totally convenient. Love that cocktail cart, too.

We think the room is cozy as it is, but it would be even cozier with the addition of a throw pillow or two. We think the Kenya pillow in Brick Red, Burnt Orange, Blue Iris, and Ginger would pick up all the great colors in the space (check out the inside door of the bar) and give the room a little extra warmth:

Cocktail carts have such a great vibe, don't they? We love this one for its sharp angles and 1930's feel:

We also love those crazy birds (the owl, especially) on the black laquered plates hanging on the wall. They're perfect next to the strong red chair. We think they'd be even more perfect with an intense pendant lamp, like the Granted pendant in Black and Dark Goldenrod.

The goldenrod perfectly complements the warm elements of the pictures and the black keeps the overall look strong and powerful.

When we think about wet bars, our thoughts often go to spaces with a decidedly retro vibe - but bars come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. We think this serene butler's pantry makes for a great bar area: We love the cool color scheme and the subtle texture of the linen walls. Can you imagine a more peaceful spot to fix a New Year's morning mimosa?

In a space like this, lighting is especially important. After all, you need to see how your cocktail looks! We love all the natural light that huge window brings in during the day, but at night, we'd brighten up the spot with a three-pendant lamp in Robin's Egg Blue:

We love the way the blue works with the vase tucked in the corner of the room and we think the simplicity of the design complements the room as a whole.

We love making the most of every inch of the house, so we're always excited to find useful nooks tucked away in surprising places - like this small bar area, nestled in a large built-in armoire. We think the space might have been originally intended for a big TV, but the owners repurposed the spot when they upgraded to a flat panel.

Whatever its original use, we think turning the space into a bar is a fantastic way to turn "dead" space into something useful and attractive.

We like the dramatic black paint, too, but would like the walls even more with a cool pattern on the walls, like Yin Yang Paisley in Black and Silver:We think the paisley is even more dramatic than black paint alone - so it's perfect!

Whatever your plans for New Year's, we hope you have a happy and safe one!

[Photo credits: Bars from Houzz.com. Lamps, pillow, and wallpaper from Alluminare.]

Design Trends for 2010: Global Harvest

2009 is rapidly drawing to a close and we're busy exploring all the great new design trends we're likely to see in 2010. We've looked at the trend towards fun, lively interiors and the trend towards incorporating "weathered and treasured" items in the home. But those are just the tip of the iceberg.

A number of trends we're seeing for 2010 are likely to take hold in part because they really work together. When designing rooms, we can incorporate two or three trends at once without the room looking weird or overly decorated. In fact, in these cases, two trends are even better than one.

Two of our favorite new design trends offer the perfect example. The first, Global Village, is all about desigining with, well, global themes in mind. Our friends at Sherwin-Williams call this trend "rooted" and describe it this way:

"Rooted," embodies the rich, earthy colors associated with African, Aboriginal, and Native American cultures. Jackie Jordan, the director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, says inspiration comes from members of Ethiopian tribes who paint their bodies with green and red pigments sourced from volcanic ash, as well as weeds, grasses, and shells. The deep teal and ash gray of African wildlife and landscapes, as well as the bright designs of the locals' textiles and beads, also serves a launching point for new designs.

And the San Francisco Chronicle reminds us that a carefully curated "well-traveled" look works on a lot of levels. We like it best when globally-inspired items are mixed and matched with simple and traditional pieces, so the room doesn't look overly "designed." The comfortable sitting room at the top left is a great example of this style working. We might even add a little more color with a Bridgehampton Strip pillow in Ochre, Hampton Blue, and Pumpkin:We love the way the strong colors in the pillow complement the rug, but the simple stripe doesn't overpower the rug's elaborate design or any of the amazing pieces in the room. In fact, it lends a little bit of a preppy edge to the space, keeping it from veering into kitschy territory.

We think Global Village is a match made in heaven with another trend - Harvest. While it sounds a little hokey, this trend really got to us. Here's how the UK publication UpWorld describes "harvest" in the home:

Natural - Innocent - Conservative. Think white linens with attention to detail, restrained but textural, sentimental. Wholesome and innocent, this style will have a slightly sophisticated edge through the use of neutral colours such as beige, ivory, black, taupes and caramels. Formality is mixed with informality. This style is all about family and acknowledges where our food comes from. Think rural, wheat fields in the sunshine, farm houses - abundance of an earthy kind. The current ‘Classic Contemporary’ interior style will evolve into this.

Since we're always designing with family in mind (after all, isn't that who uses our spaces?) this trend appealed to us. We love clean lines and calm colors in comfortable, family-friendly spaces like this one:

And wouldn't this space look great accessorized with a Linoak on Second pendant in Pumpkin, Cream, and Light Hampton Blue?

love the way the warm colors are set off by the cooler shade of blue. Overall, we think it conveys that feeling of home and harvest - in a cool, modern way.

Best of all, of course, would be to mix the two styles. Pepper a room with souvenirs from fabulous family trips, like amazing rugs or framed artwork painted by roadside artists, then accessorize with big cushions and warm throws to encourage family lounging. Add a low table and a bunch of appetizers (inspired by those trips abroad, of course) and you've got yourself the perfect mix of a couple of great design trends.

[Photo credits: Family rooms from Houzz.com. Throw pillow and pendant lamp from Alluminare.]

Design Trends for 2010: Let's Have Some Fun!

It's the end of the year and we all know what that means - lists and predictions. We've seen a million lists predicting all sorts of things for interior design in 2010. Some we agree with, some are no-brainers, some we question. But they all get us thinking.

From now until the end of the year, we'll highlight some of our favorite trend predictions for the design world, starting with this one: 2010 will bring us a lot more focus on fun.

Bright colors, crazy designs, and a devil-may-care attitude will dominate design next year, and the timing couldn't be better. It's tough out there these days, so why not add a little levity to your surroundings?

We'd get the party started with a funky Folk Art pendant lamp, in Caribbean Sea, Coral, Purple and White (at left). The lamp's trippy vibe and cool color scheme would add some peace, love and fun to any space. It reminds us of this energetic space, where pattern and color work together to create a vibrant room perfect for hanging out (whether you're canine or human): Fun need not be confined to the interior either. We love Arakawa + Gins' East Hampton Bioscleave House, an ambitious building, is dedicated to fun both inside and out: We love the Bauhaus elements of the building - it's boxy shape and intense colors. We'd match it with a Commonwealth lamp in Pale Buttercup, Classic Red, and Basil:Strong colors and geometric shapes add up to a fun, modern look.

On the other hand, we're finding decidedly un-Bauhaus inspiration in the stills for Tim Burton's new Alice in Wonderland movie:
The movie, like the story, is sure to have some dark elements, but it also incorporates a twisted shot of fun. We'd recreate it inside with a floral Serendipity throw pillow in pastels (Light Spring Grass, Bab Blue, Pink Berry) with just a touch of shadow (Chocolate Milk):

We like a side of whimsy with our fun, too, which is why we can't get enough of Vanessa de Vargas and her design company, Turquoise (pretty apt name for 2010, too, huh?).

Her spaces are bright and feminine, with cheeky touches, like these fancy silhouettes painted in bright colors on plain white walls. In our house, we'd accessorize with simple, but bright and fun lighting, like the Duo pendant in Pink Berry and Light Spring Grass:

There are a million ways to inject fun into home design - these suggestions are just the beginning. What's your favorite fun design element? Please share in the comments.

[Photo credits: Dogs on sofa from Apartment Therapy, Bioscleave House from Inhabitat, Alice in Wonderland still from Dalliant & Dainty, Vanessa de Vargas rooms from Houzz.com, All lighting and pillow from Alluminare.com.]

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.]

Pantone Names Turquoise the Color of 2010

Just last week, we were waxing poetic about color trends - specifically, trends of the past, with a look ahead to what the future holds for blue and brown. Well, the color experts at Pantone must have felt their ears burning because this week they've announced their "color of the year" for 2010: Turquoise!

We're not surprised, of course, and we heartily approve. Turquoise is fun, it's lively, and it's a great foil for so many other shades. We love turquoise mixed and matched with other blues, and with sweet or fiery pinks, purples and reds, as in this pendant lamp in Serendipity in Turquoise, Baby Blue, Twilight Blue, and Pale Lavender:

Turquoise is perfect for a feminine pattern like Serendipity because its girlish, but not terribly saccharine. This particular lamp is perfect in a young girl's bedroom or for a pretty living room or master suite, but the color itself would work nicely in boys' rooms and casual family rooms, as well.

We love turquoise paired with other shades, but we like it on its own, too, or matched with crisp white, for a preppy, beachy feel. Wouldn't the Parkside pendant in Caribbean Blue and white look perfect in any Palm Beach condo? Preferably one decked out in Jonathan Adler furniture, with a splash (or two) of Lilly Pulitzer in the closet, of course.

You can be sure that we'll have our eyes out for any new and innovative ways to use turquoise in the year to come.

What do you think about turquoise? Any favorite spots for the color? Or favorite memories (of that great Caribbean vacation, maybe)? Does Pantone's choice surprise you? Please tell us your turquoise stories in the comments.

Brown & Blue: Hot or Not?

As we mentioned earlier this week, we cannot stop talking about decorating with brown and blue. It's been holding strong as a trendy color combination for the past few years, but has its time passed?
Well, we for one still think it looks pretty nice. The wedding industry still agrees with us, too. Brown and blue are holding strong as popular wedding colors, with brides choosing flowers, decor, and dresses in sweet and bright shades of both. And at home - wouldn't the Duo pillow, shown above in Baby Blue and Classic Brown, look fantastic in a little boy's nursery? The shades are soothing and comforting, but still feel pretty hip.

But while the color combo isn't exactly out, it might be drifting toward the less trendy end of the scale, as yellows and bright greens take over blue's spot in the, well, spotlight, and cooler neutrals like grey bump brown off the scene. According to color experts from Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Pantone, 2010 will be all about those cool neutrals, yellows, and some surprising new shades.

If you love the brown and blue combination but want to update it, one way to do so is to brighten it up with a little bit if yellow. We like the Linoak on Seventh pendant in Baby Blue, Classic Brown, and a shot of Pale Buttercup:

We think it's got all the good things about the brown and blue palette, plus a little energy from the yellow.

But if you're not tied to brown and blue specifically, but like the muted + bright tone of the lamp, lavender and gray are great to play with. Here's the same lamp, still with Pale Buttercup, but adding Charcoal Gray, and Light Plumb in place of the blue and brown:

The lamp has the same vibe, but a slightly fresher feel. Perfect for 2010 (and beyond).

Gray and yellow alone are a great pick, too. One of the nice things about the brown and blue combination is that, depending on the specific shades, it can be energizing or calming - or somehow both at the same time. Gray and yellow have the same magical capabilities. We think Tribeca wallpaper in Bright Yellow, Silver, and Gray would be perfect to fall asleep to or to wake up to:

Of course, if it's still really blue you're after, all you need to do to freshen it up is to make sure your palette is bright...because 2010 is all about aqua and we love it. The Granted three-cylinder pendant in white and Caribbean blue is exactly why:

It's bright and fun and exciting. Beachy, but perfect for a winter white landscape, too. And most of all - it's blue.

Where do you fall in the blue and brown debate? Still fresh? Feeling stale? What colors say 2010 to you? Please share in the comments.

Lighting in the Kitchen

6-inch Drum Pendant Light: Kenya, Silver, Robins Egg Blue, Turquoise, Blueberry, Large Scale. 10-inch shade length
Lighting in the kitchen is important for obvious reasons, and we really don't need to be stuck with ugly lighting just because it's a necessity. Pendant lighting makes a lot of sense in the kitchen because it offers a lot of light, and hey- the shades are pretty easy on the eyes.

6-inch Drum Pendant Light: Napier, White, Spring Grass, Light Spring Grass, Sand Dollar, Medium Scale. 10-inch shade length
A lot of people have islands in their kitchens. A great place to do a lot of cooking prep, hanging out or serving food. Obviously great lighting is key, because we eat first with our eyes. These 6-inch Drum Pendant lights are an excellent option because they're not only decorative, but effective as well. Placing three of them in a row will give enough light to illuminate the entire area.

6-inch Drum Pendant Light: Metro Circles, Silver, Gray, Charcoal Gray, Large Scale. 10-inch shade length
Another option that has been around for years, but has just recently become popular again is wallpaper back splashes. Wallpaper is really easy to clean and maintain- especially when compared to just a painted wall back splash. Wallpaper also adds a much needed pop of color.

Crave: Mod Rooms

I've been coming across a lot of Mod inspired rooms lately, and I'm getting a little jealous (and inspired!) I may not have been born until after the Mod era, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate it.

We've recently added 'Mod' to our custom materials section; and I'm in heaven. The colors, the shapes, the sizes- oh my!  Our custom design StopDrop would look great in a Mod themed room (shown above).  It's a great design to mix with stripes, and flowers.

The great thing about Mod design is it's all about the colors and shapes.  You can go as big and bold as you want.



Our Tulip design (shown above) would look right at home in this Mod/Asian inspired bedroom.  Pendant lights look great above 4-poster bed frames.  this Mod/Asian inspired bedroom is another great examples of how great Mod themed rooms can be; you really can get as creative as you want with it.

(Images: PorterHouseDesigns.com, Blog.BaxterDesignGroup.com)