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.]

5 Easy Ways to "Green" Your Life

Going green is about more than just adding some kelly, lime, and forest to your decor. While we can't resist the color (how about that Mallory pendant in White and Margaritaville? We love it!) we're also all about incorporating the other kind of green into our homes and our lives.

Adding a little environmental friendliness into your daily routine is actually pretty easy. It's just a matter of changing little things, one at a time. If you're looking for a place to start, here's a great list of six simple things you can do to make that change:

1. Put Your Computer to Sleep

We'll be honest here - we don't turn our computers off every night before we go to sleep, and that is a huge waste of energy. There's a very simple way to get around that, though. We've changed our computers' power settings so they "go to sleep" if they're left alone for 20 minutes. That's long enough that the computer won't power down when we don't want it to, and we save some energy (and money!). Check out the "systems and maintenance" section of your control panel to adjust your power settings.

2. Dim the Lights

Along the same lines, you'll save energy if you put your lights on dimmers (every little bit counts) and even set them on timers. Timers are a great resource, too, if you travel a lot and need lights to turn on and off, so your house doesn't appear empty.

3. Take a Shower

A 10 minute shower uses about 25 gallons of water, while the average bath uses between 30 and 70 gallons. That's a big difference, especially when you're heating the water! While we certainly appreciate the restorative powers of a nice hot bath, there's a lot to be said for showers, which can be invigorating or relaxing. And then there's the outdoor shower, like the one pictured. That's a real treat!

4. Trickle It then Turn It Off

When you're washing your face or brushing your teeth, you really don't need to leave the water on full blast! This habit is an easy one to break -it's just a matter of remembering. Consider sticking a little note on your bathroom mirror ("turn it off!") as a gentle reminder. Soon enough, you'll be turning that faucet without even thinking about it.

5. Plug It

Speaking of faucets, if you've got a leaky one, it's not just annoying, it's also a water-waster. Fix those random drips and drabs and you'll be doing yourself - and the environment - a favor.

These aren't the only easy energy and water-saving tips out there. What are your easy green strategies? Please leave them in the comments!