Easter Interiors

Easter is only three days away and am definitely ready for some jelly beans. I love Easter for many reasons but I really love the pretty pastel colors. Purples, greens, pinks, and yellow are a nice harbinger of Spring and warm weather. These interiors are like beautiful pastel Easter eggs.

I don't wanna brag but I have this rug in my bedroom. Its so cute but a little bit softer than the one above because it's faded. I'm a huge fan of painted furniture so I pretty much can't find anything I don't love about this S. R. Gambrel room--except that I'm not in it.

How great are these shades of blue and green. Like a vibrant robin's egg and a faded celery. The light in this bedroom is generous--designed by Phoebe Howard.

One of my favorite parts of Easter is when they show the local news reports of farms giving away little yellow chicks on Easter. They are so so cute but I'm definitely not allowed to bring home more baby chicks (Long story short we thought it was a hen, it grew up to be a rooster. Not a pretty scene). Anyway, this yellow wall and then the strategically placed Hunters are the perfect dose of yellow. From Country Living.

I wish I could get this color of seafoam green on my eggs when I dye them. This bathroom is simple but has so much going on and so much to look at. Designed by Kerry Joyce.

Perfect beach colors: sand and sky. This living room of a beach house from House Beautiful.

I think the color green is really growing on me. It is a color that reminds me of nature and plants so can be really fresh but also gives a feeling of coziness. I love this little bedroom from Coastal Living.

Yellow is really one of my favorite colors. I adore this little breakfast nook with yellows and whites and the organic elements like the faux bamboo chairs and the flowery chandelier. I will be doing a little DIY project involving yellow next week so GET JAZZED. This yellow gorgeousness is by Celerie Kemble.

I'd never put a shag carpet in any interior but I love the blue stripes running up the wall and the ceiling. I'd also love to have double doors leading to a terrace. So rip out the shag carpet and switch out the bed frame to a white painted country style frame and I'm there. By Betsy Burnham.

Don't you just love pastel rooms? I'm sure even if you're not a celebrator of Easter, the colors and the spring feeling, yes? I'm now at home in CT and I've been instructed that I must dye all the eggs, but I'll be helped when the boyfriend joins us tomorrow. My sisters are also dying eggs in Chicago and carrying out the silent competition of who can dye the best (funniest, too. I know, we're wild!) eggs. What are your Easter Plans? Non-Easter/just a gorgeous weekend plans? Tell me!


Alicia B.

A non zebra rug? YES, they do exist!

I do love zebra rugs but sometimes they don't work in a certain space or home. I know, hard to believe that I'm not advocating for something fur, right? Anyway, often times my clients inspire my posts and this is one of them! As I've mentioned, I'm working on a client's master bathroom and as pieces are coming together in the master bedroom area too, they mentioned they want to replace the rug as well (though perhaps further down the line). Immediately, I envisioned a large faded antique carpet with pinks, creams, and golds. I've been seeing antique oriental and Turkish rugs everywhere lately and loving it.

From Lonnymag. A small rug can help define an area. In this case, it really draws attention to the funky chunky coffee table. It looks like you can just sit down on that pillow and play a board game. Life, anyone?

From Clover mag. This one, by Rob Southern, helped to separate the desk area from the rest of the room. It's like a little desk island.

I love idea of a layered rug; a smaller one on top of a wall to wall sisal like this one by Phoebe Howard.

Or many different rugs dividing up different seating areas in this large living room by Weissman Fisher via Point Click Home.

How sweet is this lavender room? This is how faded I envision the carpet for my clients. By Phoebe Howard

Here is a bold one with golds, blues, and reds that really unites the room. And this room is so beautiful! By Michael Smith.

James Michael Howard. Okay, so this one is a geometric but it's soft tones are wonderful.

A bold pattern in a faded tonemakes a beautiful statement but doens't take all the attention away from the other amazing parts to this room. Charlotte Moss via Cote de Texas.

I think this one is my favorite. The soft blue/green and cream tones throughout are so lovely. My client's bedroom has many pink tones everywhere so I think a faded pink toned carpet would be beautiful there. Elizabeth Dinkel.

You don't see many oriental or turkish rugs on the blogs. Many are geometic and striped, which are great and I have 2 striped rugs in my apartment, but often times you need a carpet that will bring together a room, not stretch it out. I hope I find the perfect rug for my clients, but I may just go with a simple plain one. A subtle faded carpet would certainly be perfect though. I can't wait to show you how everything comes together--more on their wallpaper soon!


Alicia B.

Lighting Obsession: Round Pendant Edition

Globe Pendant. Pretty and simple from West Elm.

I have said before that I have a great love for really great lighting. There is so much out there but what I've really fallen for lately are round pendants. They are simple and beautiful. There are plenty of amazing lanterns out there, so lets take a look at something a little bit different, shall we?

Pheobe Howard. Is this floor of the hallway not fabulous? The glossy black walls, the floor and of course, the round glass pendant together are so glam.

The orange is surprising, but they look like fun light balloons bouncing along the hallway. By Katie Ridder.

I think this kitchen designed by Joan Schindler is a complete and utter masterpiece. There's no two ways about it. With marble countertops and a custom refrigerator I'm pretty sure it was House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year two years ago and for good reason. I think without those gorgeous antique pendants that it wouldn't have won.

Hamilton Design had an amazing space with high ceilings to work with. I love that they chose open fixtures like these to add to the open look of the room.

Again, if these fixtures had been taken away, the room would have looked incomplete. The round aspect adds an element of surprise and something unexpected. Unfortunately, I have your typical boring flush mount lights in my apartment so I have to make do with pretty table and floor lamps! I'll have a little run down of some fun table lamps coming up in the next few days if you're a renter like I am, or need a table lamp!


Alicia B.

A look at my weekend through a French door.

After spending most of the weekend thinking about gallery walls and French doors, I thought I'd share some French doors with you. I think we already had a huge craze of gallery walls about a year ago and the blog world has probably had its fill. In any case, I'm wild for these french doors. They look so inviting and gracious. French doors are usually wood framed doors with glass panes and are often found in pairs. Pairs are my favorite kind--the more the merrier!

Typical Phoebe Howard: elegant, comfortable and sweet. The French doors look like they open out onto a welcoming terrace or back lawn.

Wouldn't it be nice to have high ceilings like these? Mario Buatta was lucky enough to design this space; a 98 room Beaux Arts masterpiece in California.

Living Etc. Usually I shy away from purple, because it can be too "pretty," but these French doors are so gently framed by the periwinkle drapery that I can't help but adore this room.

Gil Schafer. This narrow porch is expanded with french doors into the adjoining room. I love the light blue paint on the floor and the walls.

I think I like french doors so much because they let a lot of light into a room. I love the way the room looks with all that light streaming in and if there's a gorgeous view that doesn't hurt either. I hope you enjoyed seeing a snippet of my weekend without having to do all the semi tedious drafting and leaning over a drafting table. More to come!

Alicia B.

Rando Design Inspiration Friday

YAY, it's Friday again! Though it's raining now, we have a great sunny/warm weekend to look forward to. Here is your weekly fix of lovely design brought to you by... ME!

I've officially fallen in love the Thad Hayes for this living room. What a soothing color palette and I great choice of antique furniture (bobbin benches).

Phoebe Howard could not be more of a genius with these adorable brass turtles on a side table. What a great accessory/how cute are turtles??

A good man is hard to find. And when I say man, I mean bookcase display. I'm still trying to find an attractive balance between all my books, and fun accessories that I want to display. This office is by KAA Design.

KAA Design also designed Hotel Oceana in Santa Monica. I love that wall of fabric behind the table/booth contrasting with the fabric lampshade.

From House Beautiful, this little moment of blue and white is absolutely mesmerizing. I'd love to sit here with a book and read my whole day away!

Do y'all (yeah I said y'all, what of it?) have any great weekend plans? I'm having my housewarming party finally so I have lots of planning to do tonight and Saturday but I'm super looking forward to seeing spending time with my friends and enjoying my new home. Happy Friday!


Alicia B.

Clerestory Story Time

Traditional Home. Look to the left to avoid the TV over the mantle (ugh) to the clerestory windows!

A very loyal reader asked me yesterday what clerestory windows were. For those of you who didn't have a proper art history education, clerestory windows, which originate in churches, are a narrow band of windows placed up high, to let light in from above. Here are some great ones that I found in residences, not churches.

This is from the Golf Digest Showhouse by Suzanne Kasler. If you can get past the astro-turf patch, there are gorgeous clerestory windows in the kitchen. The kitchen is a great place for them if you don't have an amazing view from your sink or you want privacy but still want light to come in, then these are perfect!

The light that streams in from these windows is so beautiful/ethereal. By Suzanne Kasler.

These next two are used as decorative elements on the interior of the room. This bathroom was designed by Robert Young for Traditional Home. These windows let you know that there is another room behind those slatted doors.

By Phoebe Howard, these almond shaped clerestory windows are placed above closets and add a great architectural element to the room.

These are more reminiscent of a church setting, as the windows are placed very high, and the ceiling is slightly pitched. By Christopher Coffin.

There are so many different kinds of windows out there so it can be confusing. I love clerestory windows because they remind me of my early days in art history classes, which eventually led me to interior design. Sigh.


Alicia B.

Rando Design Inspiration Friday

A photo I took of a gorgeous tulip on Park Avenue.

It's Friday again! How excited are you all for the weekend?? I am, too. Here to help you through your Friday are some fun images of gorgeous interiors, and one new dress that I super want. AHEM.

Jay Jeffers super know how to do Hollywood Glam up nicely. I appreciate that he didn't put two of the same lamp on those side tables but I'm most attracted to this space by the window mouldings. Swoon at those circles.

I think I've developed a bit of an obsession with Jim and Phoebe Howard. They are just so incredibly talented, that it's hard not to. I really want a precious pink room like this and a precious mini sofa to display.

Axel Vervoordt is also one of the most talented designers. Ever. How light and airy does this room feel? I feel like I'm about to step into an old colonial house in New England on a cool summer day and then walk into the kitchen and get a glass of lemonade. Woah, I think I'm ready for summer...

Oh, I almost forgot (yeah right)! The adorable Lorelei dress that I want from J.Crew! I just love how structured it is and it has pockets. POCKETS!

What are your plans for the weekend? I'm molto excited to be going home to the country for the weekend. Tennis? Sailing? Who knows?? I hope to get my usual antiques store shopping in a little bit as well. I'm just happy that the semester is over at school and I can enjoy myself a bit.


Alicia B.

Shell-licious

From Elle Decor, Reynolds Staub Interiors designed this funky tropical room but check out the intense shell encrusted mirror. It's definitely the centerpiece of this room.

Woah, I've been so busy this entire week! Last night was the Art Shmart auction that I mentioned earlier and it was a great turn out and someone won my photograph! Congrats to whomever it was! Anyway, in terms of design, I've been noticing tons and tons of shells everywhere. Perhaps it's the coming of summer? I've always loved collecting shells and seaglass; they're so beautiful and each one is different. Shells are a great natural accessory but I've been seeing them in mass amounts as well as encrusted onto mirrors, tables, boxes etc. Check me out.

From Mrs Howard Personal Shopper blog, they are showing off centerpieces but I couldn't help but notice the mirror in the background. This is a more subtle neutral group of shells covering this mirror.

Elizabeth Martin's masterpiece for the Stephanopoulis Family featured in Elle Decor is full of gorgeous shells and coral. I loved nearly everything about this house; even all the purple.

Tom Scheerer placed three pretty conch shells on this table in a seaside cottage. I love the very natural feeling to this room and that it doesn't look shabby, it looks polished and neat. How can I get a nubby bedspread like that?

In Country Living, here is another dramatic shell encrusted mirror. I really like the straw pouf under the nightstand! And I'm a sucker for pink.

You can't see the full box in this living room by Phoebe Howard, but there are gorgeous seashell bits covering this box. I love how even the discarded bits are used and they look beautiful!

I love the texture of shells the most. When they are put all together they look crusty and rough but then when you get closer they are precious and polished from years (centuries?) of being tossed around by the waves. I will admit that an entire mirror is a bit much/ostentatious for me, but I love shells arranged on a coffee table, or in a bowl. I have a really pretty one that I made into a candle! How do you like that?


Alicia B.

Rando Design Inspiration Friday

Gorgeous tulips from a story on John Willey in HB.

I've been thinking about this for quite some time now, and I've decided that we're going to have a moment each Friday of pure design inspiration. It's the end of the week, we've all been working very hard, so this is just pure enjoyment. No theme, no point, no shopping--just design. Well, I guess the only theme would be that I like it. Enjoy!

This room is by Tom Scheerer which I found when I was on a hunt for a round rug for my new apartment. I love the blue and brown combination there. Also I am trying to catch my breath over those exposed beams in the ceiling AND the walls.

This sitting room is by Phoebe Howard and I just adore the color palette. Greens, blues, browns, and that soft light flowing in from the window. I wonder what that is in the glass part of the hutch.

I think I was drawn to the uber patterning in this room by Martyn Lawrence Bullard Designs. Everything in here is just absolutely delightful. Isn't the coffee table fun, too?

More exposed beams! Maybe I did have a theme for today and just didn't know it. Also, I'd love to have a large door with a huge old fashioned handle like that one opening into my bedroom. From Living Etc.

I hope you all have a lovely Friday and an even lovelier weekend! It's supposed to be 73 degrees here in NYC tomorrow! What do you all have planned for the weekend? On Sunday, I'll be getting a delivery c/o my parents of the little hutch for my foyer! Then comes the project of fixing it up. YAY!

Oh and btw, if you're EVER having a "down" day, watch THIS VIDEO and you'll be happy for the rest of your life. Just watch it anyway, especially if you love The Sound of Music. (Thanks to my baby sister who just turned 21!)


Alicia B.