Anthropologie 101

While my wardrobe may be primarily neutral and revolves around a few pairs of dark wash jeans, the colorful Bohemian paradise known as Anthropogie doesn't totally lose my patronage, because they ingeniously stock equally covetable housewares alongside their beautiful apparel. And color anywhere but in my closet is totally welcome in my home. These newer pieces in their home collection are as gorgeous as they are vibrant. I will take one of everything please, and no need for a fitting room!!

Images above:

1. The inviting collection of La Versha Chairs from Anthropologie look like they are straight out of a Parisian Sweet Shop.

2. The combination of colors in the Flutter Pattern Rug is perfection.....and even I would likely wear this if it came in a shirt!! (Instead it comes in 7 standard rug sizes and is 100% wool.)

3. Tropical flowers in delicious assorted colors on the Flights and Fancy salad plates would make me finish up my greens that much quicker.

4. Everyone already knows I am a burnt orange lover, but this new Boehme Sheet Set in Coral takes me over the moon!!

Smitten with Seahorses

Ever since I was a little girl staring wide-eyed through the glass at the local aquarium, I have been enraptured with seahorses. I thought I'd make today's post an ode to one of my favorite little aquatic creatures.

Images above:

1. This seahorse has three other equally cute oceanic buddies in the Sealife Collection Set of 4 Dessert Plates by Thomas Paul, available through Burke Decor.

2. The genius designers at Hable Construction lent their aesthetic to a whole collectino of hooked wool rugs, exclusively for Garnet Hill and, of course, my particular favorite is the one featuring the round-bellied chartreuse seahorse.

3. Hand-printed with non-toxic inks on organic cotton, these Seahorse pillows from Humble excite both the environmentalist and the seahorse lover in me.

4. I love the charming, muted gold tones of The Necklace Aquatic, available through www.modcloth.com.

5. The graphic simplicity of this Seahorse print by Eleanor Grosch, available through Poster Caberet, echoes the uncomplicated nature of seahorse life.

6. This set of proper hand towels features a whole family of aquatic imagery, including a sweet little seahorse, all in beautiful, vibrant aqua hues on natural linen. Sea Life Linen Hand Towels - Set of 6 from Clayton Gray Home.

Homegoods = good for the planet

Those who know me are aware that around the time I moved to the suburbs, I became a tad obsessed with discount shopping. The meccas I make regular pilgrimages to are TJ Maxx, Marshalls and of course Homegoods, all located within a few miles of my house and always sure to satisfy the bargain hunter in me. I recently stopped into Homegoods to pick up some things for a client but remembered I had my own list I keep ongoingly of needed housewares tucked into my bag (if I don't stick to lists in places like these, I fear I would go home with half the clearance isle and all the designer bedding marked under $19.99!!), so I whipped it out and hit the jackpot. The list was 1) dish towels, 2) new bathroom soap dispenser and 3) pillow protectors. It was a joy in itself to walk out with a receipt totaling just under $30 but I also managed to make somewhat eco-friendly purchases in each category, right there under the florescent lights of one of the big box retailers I hate to love.





My new 3-pack of dish towels by Eco Home (similar to photo) are 70% recycled cotton and 30% recycled polyester so they are soft, yet absorbent and quick-drying. Mine say "Recycling Heals the Planet" in soft, monochromatic beige text, but I like the bright green eco messages too.

I had my last bamboo soap dispenser for years and it matches a set of other bamboo bath accessories, so it didn't take me too long to opt for form over function again. I supposed a ceramic model might last longer, but wouldn't have the same appeal to me or the same sustainability quotient. A similar dispenser is available (for twice as much!!!) at allmodern.com -- or feel free to ride along with me on my next Homegoods outting!

The pillow protectors were made of organic cotton from Calvin Klein; when I opened the package at home, I stuck my nose right in them and inhaled the sweet sent of....cotton! Conventional bedding, and especially products in the protective category, usually carry the stench of toxic additives that takes days to fade, but these had nothing of the sort.

Monday Color: Slate Blue

Influenced by the misty gray-blue skies that are framed by each window in my home this morning, I have chosen Slate Blue as today's Monday Color. I frequently use blues in my design projects and am always struck by the vast range of hues that exist, a palette as seemingly infinite as the very sky it colors. I love all blues from bright to light, from green-tinted to inky, and the sleepy, soft drama of Slate Blue is no exception.




















1. Pops of goldenrod, stark white, and wood tones balance the somber blue walls beautifully in this room.

2. I love the mix of raw natural textures with cream and slate blue. (room by architect Tom Scheerer, photo by David O. Marlow)

3. White ceramic pops against this soothing slate blue kitchen backdrop. (photo from Gast Architects, via My Sweet Savannah)

4. Slate blue feels warm and cozy on the walls and textural pillows of this room by Kenneth Brown, found on Decor Pad.

5. This is work-in-progress photo of the media room of one of my former celebrity clients, for which the color palette was based on the smoky colors of the Hudson River and New Jersey skyline that span every view.

6. A denim-esque gray duvet cover rom Coyuchi's Deep Woods Collection.

7. Alexandra Side Chair in Slate Blue silk by Hickory Chair.

8. Blue Scrap Leather Rug from Viva Terra.

9. Tiago Slate Blue Porcelain Dinnerware Set by Thomas Obrien.

Etsy Love: Whitney Smith Pottery

I've always had a thing for birds and lately quite a thing for ceramics, so of course I'm smitten with Whitney Smith's collection of handmade pottery. Inspired by natural plant forms and our little feathered friends, her whole line has a laid-back yet vintagey-sweet feel.












Images above:

1. Bid Cupcake and Ceramic Stand in Robin's Egg Blue

2. Three Nesting Lotus Bowls in Milk White

3. Poppy Ceramic Serving Plate in Yellow

4. Bird Ceramic Bowl in Milk White

5. Set of Eight Nesting Lichen Ceramic Bowls

Brushing Up

I am well aware that there is an aisle in every drug store across America overflowing with dental care products, including dozens of candy-colored plastic toothbrushes with hi-tech bristle patterns, emblazoned with large company logos and packaged up with promotional endorsements from 9 out of 10 dentists. I just don't buy it.

For many years, I have figured that all you need is a regular toothbrush and the discipline to brush twice daily. And a good flossing habit too. And with my attraction to clean, simple design, it's no surprise that the bulging orange handle with comfort grips attached to a blue and white head that fades over time and makes false promises does not have a place in my toothbrush holder.

Plus, I'm also an avid environmentalist, looking for every small opportunity to make a difference. So therefore I've been a Preserve Toothbrush fan for many years. I switch back and forth between solid white and blue, but they have a few other colors in their assortment, all appealingly clean and modern. They are made from 100% recycled plastic and are completely recyclable (you can even buy brushes with a mail-back program to ensure the next stage in the recycling loop), as well as free of BPA and all gimmicks. All these feel-good attributes contribute to total brand loyalty. I don't even accept free toothbrushes at the dentist's office.





While I don't plan to alter my teeth cleaning tool choices any time soon, I must admit that I am tempted to fill the overnight guest supply basket with these lovely bamboo toothbrushes from Izola, which are just as appealing in eco-friendliness and design. My guests will be enjoying the philosophical messages like "Ruminate" and "Contemplate" however 4-packs featuring months of the years or numbers 1-4 imprinted on the bamboo handles are also available (sets of 4 start at $11, from Velocity).

Monday Color: Kelly Green

Ok, so it's no longer Monday. But this celebration of Kelly Green had to be postponed one day so that it could see the light on my friend Cat's birthday. She is the world's biggest champion of Kelly Green, from her sassy green Chanel bag, to her trusty emerald colored wallet, to the vibrant accents of the hue throughout her Manhattan studio apartment. If Kelly Green were a man, she would marry him.

Speaking of marriage, the color also happens to be prominent in the Spring-inspired palette of another friend's upcoming wedding so I've been deeply ensconced in a Kelly Green bridesmaid dress search. And then there's St. Patty's Day just around the corner, and in the West End of Long Beach, NY that's bigger than Christmas.





















Images above:

1. A close-up of a master bedroom I designed with my former re:place staff in Watermill, NY featuring Schumacher's House of KWID Imperial Trellis in Trelliage/Ivory.

2. The signature color of one of my favorite hotels, The Viceroy Santa Monica, Kelly Green is used in small pops and large doses throughout the property, including the lobby bathrooms that make a strong green, black and white statement.

3. The color feels fun yet sophisticated in a baby's room, as seen in this nursery on decorpad.com.

4. What a surprising pop of color on this porch featured in Coastal Living (photo by Jean Allsop).

5. Kelly Green brings a retro feel to this kitchen (found on Apartment Therapy Chicago) sans the avacado or orange.

6. Last year, Electrolux teamed up with Kelly Rippa for an Earth Day promotion, featuring a giveaway of this cheery Kelly Green front-loading washer and dryer pair. The color is sadly no longer available, but Red Hot Red, Mediterranean Blue and Turquoise Sky are close runner-ups.

7. The stunning Hollywood Bed in green from Room Service in Los Angeles.

8. Kelly Green Waverly Cross Section Decorative Throw Pillow from Asmus Home Interiors, on Etsy.

9. Not ready for Kelly Green kitchen cabinets? This dish rack brings fun to a commonly futile function, adding just a touch of green to any kitchen. Dish Doctor by Magis, available through the Conran Shop.

10. Maybe for Cat's birthday next year?? Personalizable iphone case by Pantone, available in an assortment of colors.

From Ebay to Etsy

In my more materialistic yesteryears, I recall getting foolishly lost on ebay for hours. The genius who developed the "you might also like...." online shopping concept really knew what he/she was doing, as each click led me further into a virtual window shopping maze, gazing at item after item that, sure enough, I did indeed "also like." Sometimes I was on a genuine hunt for a new wardrobe necessity, other times I was just after another designer handbag at a fraction of the retail price (this always felt like such a victory). And often I just clicked around for entertainment, utterly fascinated by the strange goods that people actually sold - and bought, for that matter - in ebay land. Fortunately, while I had a long "watched items" list and occasionally caught the ebay auction fever resulting in some great bargains and invigorating victories, those years ended without too much regrettable investment. And I'm sure Salvation Army was thrilled to benefit from all my ebay follies that collected dust in my closet corners for years.

These days my virtual browsing habits are fed by Etsy, an online store, craft fair, art gallery and flea market rolled into one. Etsy was founded in 2005, the same year my son was born, and coincidentally the same year I kicked my ebay habit. I guess motherhood brings perspective and a Marc Jacobs handbag, even at $200, just starts to lose its luster. Etsy is guilt-free because my browsing and eventual purchases are supporting one of 1000's of crafters and artists, not some fashionista clearing out her closet for the next Spring Collection. And there are no auctions. I think a big part of my ebay habit was rooted in the thrill of the chase, strategizing, watching, waiting, attacking at just the right moment, with just the right bid. Etsy is just one big happy pool of awesomely creative people looking to sell the results of their talents for what always seems like such a reasonable price.

What's the point of my little confession here? Well....today, and every Saturday from now on, I will be posting treasures from my favorite Etsy shops, things I wish I had the talent to make myself or items I have proudly purchased (or wish I could). My first Etsy tribute goes out to Prince Design UK, a collection of beautiful handmade ceramics by Elizabeth Prince.









Images above:

1. Flock Ceramic Wall Art Set - 3 Flying Ducks (shown in teal, but available in several other colors)

2. Lacy Bird Bowls

3. Grace - Wall Sculpture in Porcelain

4. Caribbean Leaf Ceramic Dish (with recycled glass inlay)

What Ryder would do if he ran the world....

Last night at dinner, my little boy asked me what I would do to end pollution if I was in charge of the world. What a great question! I started in on my long list of missions including alternative energy, corporate responsibility, recycling laws, etc, but then my internal mothering voice prodded me to turn the question back on him. I guess my bagless quest has rubbed off, because his first answer was that he would ban plastic bags. Glowing, I asked him why he thought that was important. He said he doesn't want to see them in our ocean or stuck in tree branches anymore. Great question, great answer.

So we decided, in our sticky booth at the West End Pizzeria, to make a single-use plastic bag ban our mother-son mission, starting in our small oceanside city of Long Beach. Just because the most environmentally progressive state of California failed to legislate such a ban last year (for more details on this setback and why plastic bags are so awful, click here), we're not deterred from taking our best shot at a local effort. There's a pop song on the radio right now by Katy Perry in which the opening line refers to feeling like a plastic bag drifting in the breeze. Sadly, this is a common image and pretty much any listener can relate to the symbolism. In Dylan's era, it was the answers that were blowing in the wind, not toxic waste. So if I really were in charge of the world, plastic bags would be gone and Dylan would be back on the radio. We walked out of the pizzeria with a new mission and without a plastic bag for our leftovers.

Stay tuned for updates as we take our bagless mission to community level.