Decorative Painting

Thought I would share the work of a very talented decorative painter I've worked with on a few of my projects, her name is Ellen Brown.

I initially contacted Ellen for a client in Beverly Hills who was looking to do some custom decorative painting in both a ceiling alcove off the entry and the adjacent living room wall. Both the client and I had some definite ideas in regard to what we were looking to achieve. We came to Ellen with some inspiration pictures, she provided some concept sketches, and the end result is seen in the pictures featured here.

Ellen was great to work with thru the process - conception to completion. Both the client and myself were happy with the end result. I just contacted Ellen again to provide some murals & ceiling decoration for a nursery.

The pictures here show the inspiration clippings, the process sketches, and the completed work.

What's under your feet?

Check out Merida Meridians carpet and rug collections.  They offer rich textural and patterned floor coverings made from jute, wool, paper & abaca, and lots of colors too!  Most everything they use is from rapidly renewable resources,  A+ to that!  

Cool Tiles!

A client badly needed a makeover for his dated bathroom in his condo. He wanted clean, modern, and color. Leaving the existing layout of the bathroom in tact, we simply tiled one entire wall of the bathroom in cool blue glass tiles and a white porcelain tile for the floor. The wall tiles are what really makes the bathroom standout in addition to making it appear much larger of a space than it was before (see before and after pictures at: Jill Seidner Interior Design).

Overall, it wasn't a major makeover but with the installation of wall tiles, floor tiles, a new counter, sink, & mirror - it turned into a major transformation! The glass tiles are from Cool Tiles,the floor tiles are from Crossville,countertop is CaesarStone, and all the fixtures (sink, faucet, & recessed medicine cabinet) are from Kohler.

Check out some other great tile finds from Ann Sacks
and Walker Zanger that are modern and graphic.

Time for shoe design!

A pair of pink Louboutins to get your creative juices flowing...!

Last year I did a post on the Baylor Hospital/Saks Fifth Avenue Pink Passion Shoe Design and Decorating contest. It was so much fun for me to participate in that I had to let you all know about it again this year!

Runs from September 26th until October 27th....all entries must be submitted by 10/27...All you have to do is submit a shoe that you creatively decorated in PINK to show your passion for fashion and battling breast cancer.

Submit right shoe only in a shoe box to Saks at the Galleria or Baylor. See more details about the contest here. Win a Saks shoe shopping spree valued at $750!

Here is a photo of the shoe I made last year as "booties" were just coming in style, houndstooth was a big thing, as were pink and green, and then I found the perfect fabric that mimicked the Breast Cancer awareness pink ribbons.

"Before and After" shots (can't say I've ever taken those of a shoe before!)

Believe it or not, this shoe took me FOREVER to make- I probably wouldn't advise anyone to make a bootie and I probably wouldn't ever make a bootie again either! (glue= everywhere)

I hope you get a chance to participate or even just go up to Saks to see the other entrants- some of them are pretty creative and wild!

Desire to BE Inspired!

I keep seeing Suzanne Kasler's Alexandra chair for Hickory everywhere and am currently obsessed. I just can't get this chair out of my head...maybe because of the quatrefoil motif and the fact that I am Irish...looks like a four leaf clover- my ancestors would want me to have this chair and not to mention, don't quatrefoils bring good luck? My dressing table needs all the luck it can get- my current iron vanity bench is looking pretty shabby right about now.

However, the price tag for a young girl like me is what's holding me back of course...maybe we can count on Target to recreate it in about ten years...

On another note, I have a terrible case of the Mondays...and thought these beautiful photos of Suzanne Kasler designed rooms would bring inspiration and motivation to start a productive work week for everyone..Enjoy!

A favorite room of the Material Girls.....a Suzanne Kasler dining room

Suzanne is quickly becoming one of my favorite designers who I admire very much- she creates beautiful and timeless interiors that I can gawk over for hours and has been featured in countless design publications for her outstanding work

This Atlanta based designer surely has a lot ahead of her!

Don't miss Cote de Texas' wonderful post on Suzanne Kasler in her "Top Ten Interior Designers" list- featuring Suzanne as #8!

Ok I feel a bit more inspired now....have a great week everyone!

Images from Suzanne Kasler website and Cote de Texas

Time to take your dose of modern medicine!

After Jill's post of all things white and light from Oly Studio, I had to go to the "dark side". It's a company I've been meaning to share- one that has recently been featured in O at Home and whose furnishings are sinuous, sultry, and positively stylish. Dubbed the place for "affordable modern design", Modern Dose, has everything sleek and chic on its online "showroom"- including free shipping on all items!

Estela Lugo, an Interior Designer started this company in hopes of becoming the go to place for affordable and stylish modern decor. Products include ones from private designers as well as a handful from Estela herself.

This is my favorite piece in her collection- The Aphrodite shelf- designed by Estela!

This octagon shaped Diana mirror is sure to stir up some conversation in your home

The Maison bench- with its tufted seat and graceful legs, it's definitely a showstopper

How could you forget the Mies Brno chair from design school? Its lustrous stainless steel and black Italian leather seat is much hard to forget

I love this light fixture. Just its name "Bora" makes it more exotic- hidden crystals beneath a black shade provide a high level of glamour and that touch of sparkle that each room needs

The traditional antique chair does a 180! Looks like a piece that Helena Bonham Carter might paint black and re-upholster for a more daring unexpected look!

These lace coasters help add some panache to a girly cocktail party

Cue Beyonce's song, "I'm feeeeling sexy......" in the background...

These pieces will stop someone dead in their tracks....must get this console table! But is it a console table? Nope- it's a shelf! Stack these shelves on top of eachother on the wall while the bottom "console's" legs rest on the ground. Large and small shadow table shelves. Great for narrow corridors

This fireplace shelf made of acrylic comes in black or white

OLY! Oly! Oly Studio!

I just have to say I love EVERYTHING from Oly Studio. I discovered them several years ago when working for another designer, they seemed to be new around that time, from Northern California (Berkeley). Since discovering Oly Studio and their great collection of furniture, casegoods, lighting, mirrors, & accessories I've seen their items in magazines such as Domino quite frequently. I continue to source Oly for client presentations, have had a few clients purchase their items.

Happen to really love everything on their website but here are some of my favorites! I also love checking back from time to time, seems as if they are always adding new furnishings to the collections.