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.]

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.]

5 Easy Ways to Freshen Up Your Home for the New Year

Every year after we haul our Christmas tree out to the recycling bin and pack away all of our decorations, our house looks a little, well, sad. Add that to the regular new year push to make everything feel fresh and brand spanking new, and we're ready for something new at home.

Fortunately, giving your home a bit of a facelift doesn't have to cost a million dollars, or take months and months to complete. We're a fan of simple, easy, inexpensive changes - like these:

1. Change That Wall

We love the hallway at the left - it's very pretty and calming with it's sky blue door and sweet little bench. But wouldn't it be even more fun to walk into a punch of bright paint, or even a single wall covered in fun wallpaper? We'd play off the blue door, covering the wall that's visible to the outside with Maven paper in Gray, Baby Blue, Light Spring Grass, and Sand Dollar:

The paper is fun and punchy and the colors strike a perfect balance between energetic and muted. We love it.

2. Sweep off the Table

Check out the tables around your house. The kitchen table, the living room coffee table, the dining room table - even your nightstand. What's on them? How long's it been there?

One quick way to change the look and feel of a room is to straighten up those tables (put away that stack of magazines!) and to swap out tired accessories for something new. Bud vases, coffee table books (bought on sale), shallow bowls, even new coasters - these all bring new life to a space.

2. Turn the Light On

Whether for the table, the floor, or the ceiling, new lamps and lampshades can add a whole new feel to a room. Take the kitchen at the left, for example. It's a pretty, clean kitchen with great natural light and a fantastic floor. We love the green accessories. But it feels just a little boring, right? A little underdecorated?

We'd swap out those simple globe pendants for something that's a little more fun and a lot more colorful, like Linoak on Seventh pendants in Spring Grass, Light Spring Grass, and White:

All of a sudden, spring doesn't feel so far away, does it?

4. Throw It Down

It's easy to forget about the floor. After all, we walk all over it. But adding a new area rug to a room is a fantastic way to change both the mood and organization of a space. Consider a new shape - round rugs are hot right now - and don't be afraid to add color.

5. De-clutter

Easier said than done, we know, but removing clutter should be on everybody's new year's list. There's nothing quite as refreshing as waking up to a house that's blissfully empty of mess. Take this room for example: Imagine how much nicer it would look with about 50% of those books donated to a favorite charity - a few fairly empty shelves would go a long way towards making this space more peaceful. We'd also switch out the plain white pillow for something a little brighter, like the Crosshatch pillow in Cantaloupe and Aurora Red: Fun, but not overwhelming.

What are your plans this new year? Any big projects in the works? Little ones? Please leave a comment - we'd love to hear about them.

[Photo credits: Rooms from Houzz.com. Wallpaper, pillow, and lamp 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: Weathered and Treasured

This week and next we're looking at some of our favorite design trends for 2010 (check out "have some fun" right here). Today's trend comes to us courtesy of the design folks at Sherwin-Williams, who have predicted a couple of cool new trends for 2010. Our favorite? They call it "treasured."Here's how they describe the treasured look:

"Treasured" is the third trend, where natural aging and weathering enhance the design. Jordan cites the Rough Luxe Hotel in the United Kingdom, where the original layers of peeling paint and ancient wallpaper are still visible on the walls. This "less-than-perfect aesthetic" also includes the use of distressed leather, vintage tapestries, found objects, and patina.

Pretty cool, right? We love the mix of luxe and rustic, the fading star-Grey Gardens aesthetic.

That's why we fell in love with the kitchen at the top of this post. It's modern in terms of technology- the stainless steel confirms that - but all that rough wood just looks like it has a story behind it. We'd pair it with a pendant lamp in a pretty print that might look old-fashioned, if it weren't for the very current color scheme, like the Suzani pendant in Cream, Blueberry, Light Spring Grass and Gray.

Sometimes we think that Paris has a corner on the "treasured" look. The city does, after all, lay claim to one of the greatest flea markets in the world in La Marche aux Puces. And where better to find items that bear that fabulous patina than at a flea market?

Plus, Paris is home to rambling old decaying mansions with rooms like this one:

The room above is in a Parisian home that's used these days mostly as a movie set. Easy to see why, right? We love the look of faded luxury. It's almost as though you can see the years peeling away from that majestic mantle.

A space like that demands equally regal lighting. Our vote goes to a three-pendant lamp in Silver and Sage Modern Damask:

The treasured look isn't all about rough wood and damp chateaux, either. Consider this antique sugar chest, topped with a vintage cocktail shaker and a very bright, modern (and funny) painting:

The chest has definitely seen its fair share of use, but careful care has helped it retain luster that makes it a good match for bright colors and a fun, Jetsons-like mid-century aesthetic. (We admit, we're a little stuck on this sugar chest, since it's in our own dining room!)

We'd love to see the wall behind the chest papered in something just as bright and fun and with the same retro vibe as the cocktail shaker - something like Maven in Light Spring Grass, Caribbean Sea, Pink Berry, and Sand Dollar:The bedroom is a perfect place for a single piece of furniture that's both treasured and repurposed, like this amazing bed made from antique doors:
The bed is such a showcase piece, we wouldn't want to overwhelm it with lots of accessories. But wouldn't that warm wood, with all its age, look fantastic with a couple of Napa throw pillows in Cream, Hampton Blue, Light Spring Grass, and Dark Goldenrod:

We especially like the way the Dark Goldenrod picks up the warmth of the wood.

What do you think about this trend? Are there any pieces in your homes that fit the "treasured" profile? Please share in the comments!

[Photo Credits: Rustic kitchen from Apartment Therapy. Paris apartment, sugar chest, and wooden bed from Houzz.com. All product photos 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.]

Pendant Lighting in the Bedroom

The other day we were having a talk with a close friend about lighting for her bedroom.  She was saying she wanted to get matching table lamps for her bedside tables, because that seemed like the easiest route.  We interjected and showed her a few options that we now want to share with you.



We really like the idea of using pendant lights for the side of the bed.  They will provide enough light for reading and will free up some space on those smaller bed side tables.

For the first room, I chose to go with a White Linen drum pendant because there was already so much red and green.  The White Linen will brighten the room when lit, but won't be over powering.  The white also helps play with positive and negative light, which is always an eye catcher.



The second room, I chose to go right along with the colors in the room.  The drum pendant fixtures in Commonwealth don't overpower the room; they serve as functional accent pieces!