Go West!!

The days of limited eco-friendly bedding choices are behind us and the future keeps getting brighter! The new organic cotton bedding patterns from West Elm boast colorful, artistic, nature-themed designs that can transform your bedroom.....and the planet! Their two new 200 thread count organic cotton collections are made from certified GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standard) fibers - as are the older patterns featured below - and are part of West Elm's vision to bring greener home design products to the mainstream (read more here). These bedding options can help us all rest more soundly. Here are a few of the highlights:


NEW!! Organic Reflections Duvet and Shams


NEW!! Organic Lilly Pad Duvet and Shams


Organic Bloom Duvet Cover and Shams


Organic Dandelion Duvet Cover and Shams


Organic Cotton Pintuck Duvet Cover and Shams (the longest running style in their organic cotton collections, offered in 8 different hues).



Organic Butterfly Collage Duvet and Shams (available in Cactus and Ivory; both on sale!)

Monday Color: Chartreuse

Defined as "halfway between green and yellow" by Wikipedia and named after the color of a French liqueur, Chartreuse has shed its dated retro stigma and now has a new reputation as a classy, happy, and timeless accent color. A few of the home office pieces in cb2's current collection (see example below) came to market in white, gray and chartreuse, affirming that the masses are ready to embrace this hue once again, and not just in French bars. It is these very chartreuse filing cabinets that inspired the whole color palette for a small office I'm helping to pull together right now, so it was a natural choice for my Monday color post. Voila!!

P.S. As I set out to find all the inspiration and objects for this post, I realized how many different tones of green actually get referred to as "chartreuse," from lime green to apple green to variations of yellow. I'm relying on Wikipedia, the French and cb2 for the version of chartreuse found within.
























Images above:

1. and 2. In a nod to the hue's vintage roots, I decided to start out with a couple chartreuse velvet sofas, that have managed to transcend time in a modern way.

3. A happy chartreuse and white kitchen.

4. A dapper chartreuse and gray room from Coastal Living (photo by Tria Giovan).

5. Chartreuse chairs against a dark, smoky backdrop create a more serious feel (as found on the Tudorks blog).

6. A chartreuse painted table amidst whites and neutrals is airy and fresh.

7. The Chartreuse Mini Dot Suitcases from The Paper Source make for clever storage in a kids room or add a whimsical touch to a home office.

8. Thomas Paul's Love Bird Rug, available in 3 sizes from Design Public (note: the color states "corn" and "cream" but it's really a chartreuse and cream as pictured)

9. TPS Chartreuse File Cabinet from cb2.

10. A lovely chartreuse and gray sateen print designed by Ty Pennington for Free Spirit.

Elledecor.com Featured Designer!!

Forgive me for tooting my own horn just a little.....but I'm honored to announce that I am the featured designer right now on Elle Decor.com's online Designer Registry, a directory of national interior designers intended to pair those seeking design help with the right professional in their area. I'm hoping the seekers start beating my door down any minute!!

Etsy Love: Down Home Amy

What's not to love about organic cotton and hemp materials, lovingly screen-printed and crafted into handy snack pouches, baby burp cloths and dinner napkins with clever utensil pockets?!? Today's featured Etsy shop, Down Home Amy, is a collection of handmade, parent-friendly eco-housewares that are as adorable as they are useful, solving some key parent dilemmas in true style. Freely feed, burp and dispose....Down Home Amy has got you covered (literally)!!


Machine washable, recycled organic cotton and hemp Snack Pouch makes a great eco-friendly substitute for some of the plastic containers and baggies that most of us parents stockpile by the dozens.


Unbelievably adorable Set of 2 Organic Cloth Napkins with Pockets (several designs available).


Organic cotton Diaper Pouch with a waterproof lining, essential for cloth diaper users but also handy for wet swimsuits after summer day camp or romps at the beach.


Set of 2 Organic Burp Cloths are incredibly soft yet absorbent.

Must read: Undecorate

As a decorator, I was a little hesitant to check out a book called Undecorate. What, are they trying to put me out of work?!? One review claims that Undecorate "emboldens readers to push aside stuffy, professionally-designed décor, showing them instead how to infuse their own personality into their home." Well, this was a relief. NO interior I've ever designed could be considered "stuffy" and the goal of personal, individual style is exactly what I help every client achieve. Phew! The bottom line is that some can do it on their own, some need good inspiration from a book or two and voila!......and the rest (thankfully) need a designer like myself to help execute their unique interior visions.

Feeling less threatened, I dove into the pages of Christiane Lemieux's new design bible and was smitten with image after image (much like I am with pretty much everything in the home textile and decor line Dwell Studio that she founded in 1999). "The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design" is perfectly in line with my personal and professional philosophy on good design. Melanie Acevedo's photographs are stunning. The 20 American homes profiled offer endless inspiration in an era when creativity is more abundant that design budget dollars, and undecorating is the new decorating.








All photos in Undecorate by Melanie Acevedo.

Monday Color: Yellow

Inspired by the brave daffodils that poked through the still-frozen soil weeks ago, withstood the premature spring showers, and are now blooming brilliantly in front of my house, I have chosen their vibrant yellow hue as the featured color for my weekly Monday post. If you've read past posts, you know my own front door is also bright yellow, which never failed to lift my spirits every day of this seemingly endless winter. Oddly I don't have a photo to share, but have included two bold yellow interior doors below that give me the same inner joy when I look at them. I was happily surprised at the abundance of yellow design inspiration I stumbled across in my web searches, only a fraction of which I was able to share below. Enjoy!!























Images above:

1. An example of the guest rooms at The Viceroy Palm Springs designed by Kelly Wearstler, to which I once made a pilgrimage just to be surrounded by the spirited yellow, white and black color palette.

2. Vibrant yellow interior doors posted on Remodelista. For more inspiration as an accent color, check out their brilliant post here.

3. Barn-style interior door in the same yellow hue.

4. A sunny breakfast nook created by designer Palmer Weiss.

5. An innovative use of color on the risers of a traditional staircase, via design blog Live.Like.You.

6. A genius wall art idea: ceiling medallions dipped in yellow paint.

7. A shot of a wall in Superette, the restaurant that is solely responsible for making me want to visit Capetown, South Africa.

8. Bright yellow ceiling fan, available from Sears.com.

9. Recycled Veranda Planter in Sunshine Yellow from Amazon.com.

10. DwellStudio's Facet Rug in Cream/Citrine (8'x10' shown; other sizes available)

11. Carpenter Lamp in a hi-gloss yellow powdercoat finish from cb2.

Etsy Love: Bird Mafia

It's Saturday and spring has decided to visit us again! Birds are returning from migration, the air is fresh and my to-do list is getting lots of checkmarks today! My happy energy and spring fever led me to an Etsy shop called Bird Mafia today, where I promptly fell in love with every offering. Adorable printed organic cotton pillows (including ones shaped like assorted wildlife), organic cotton toddler tees, funky handmade scenic shadow boxes, and innovative coffee cuffs (the eco beer cozy!) are all equally lovable. Astonishingly, every screen-print and shadow box starts with artfully cut paper, the basis of Bird Mafia's intricate crafts.


This is the cut paper printed pillow that drew me to Bird Mafia initially: organic cotton Star Pillow in Marigold (also available in Teal).


"Ever Green I" cut paper shadow box featuring vintage maps.


Organic cotton Owl Pillows (also available in the shapes of raccoons and bears).


Handmade organic cotton Coffee Cuffs.


Organic cotton Kids Owl T-shirt (several other designs available).

Shop Japan: Yaginoyama

The pervasive news coverage of the catastrophe in Japan may have subsided a bit, but it's up to everyone to continue the prayers, the support and the generosity we've shown to date. So much more is needed. I heard on the radio yesterday that Gwen Stefani donated one million dollars to Japanese relief efforts. Amazing.

As mentioned in previous posts, I'm using my retail powers and blog roll to aid the cause (in addition to giving what I could monetarily through Global Giving). One quaint little online Japanese store called Yaginoyama has gained worldwide recent exposure, including a post about their wares by Anne Sage, editor of Rue Magazine and The City Sage. Click here for her piece on the unique retailer, who is currently giving 10% of every purchase to the Japanese Red Cross. Be sure to check out their website; it's adorable and minimalist in a way that only the Japanese have perfected. Here are a few of my Yaginoyama favorites:


Sora Tea Pot


Handmade pottery Jug


Soy Sauce Pot


SyruRo Tea Canister


Painted Wooden Childrens Plates