There are no words...

...with which to describe the awesomeness that is Max Azria (of BCBG fame) 's house . It would be like living in a colorful fantasy land. Thank you, Harper's Bazaar for printing this! And... talk amongst yourselves.

Got Storage?

If you're anything like me, you have a lot of, for lack of a better term, crap hanging around. This is probably the chief complaint my husband has with our small, one-bedroom apartment. I have too much stuff and not enough places to hide it all. That's why I find myself dreaming of these cabinets that I pulled from an issue of Domino...

Literally, a place for everything! Store the kids' stuff on the lower shelves. Leave some door-less to display your good-lookin' books and knick-knacks. Then, when the threat of visitors looms, hide it all behind closed doors. I think my favorite thing about this is that the family made this themselves! Now, that's impressive. I'll be sure to add this to the honey-do list...

Tiers of Joy!

Ruffles and Summer go together like me and Starbucks: best of friends. Ever since I blogged about this jacket from Anthropologie...

...back in January, I've been hooked on tiered sleeves. Since then, it seems like I've seen them all over the place.

For instance, Daniella whipped up this tiered coat for The Fashion Show (I am hooked.)...

Then, I spied this Moschino trench within the pages of Marie Claire...

What a shame! It's 2900 bucks. Oh well, scrap that one. I also spied this Anna Sui jacket with little mini ruffled sleeved at ShopBop.

On sale for $300?! Still pricey, but more my speed.

Please, oh please, say that tiers are here to stay!

Across the Threshold

Doorways are, in general, a spectacular disappointment. I mean, they're usually quite boring- off-white trim, standard molding, blah, blah, blah. That's why I've fallen in love with the two looks below. They've taken an area that most people neglect, and given it purpose. They've made it the focal point. Doorways across the world, rejoice. You have a calling.

via House Beautiful


via Elle Decor

The Perfect Sofa: Oprah

Nate Berkus gives some great tips on how to the pick the perfect sofa. Mainly, buy the plainest, most neutral, and most classic sofa you can find. There are two reasons for this. One, you'll get sick of a patterned, crazy color sofa. Two, you can have the flexibility to transform the look of a sofa with accessories (throws, pillows, etc).

Here are the perfect sofas from Oprah:

You can't go wrong in your formal living room with a Chesterfield style sofa. I'm a little partial to our Chester Sofa. But if I had to pick one, I like the bottom sofa. Unfortunately, it retails for over $11,000.

For your traditional sofa, you can go a multitude of directions. The Century Furniture piece in the middle retails for $2800. It's their petite take on a camel back sofa.

Slipcover sofas. I've owned one, and I loved it. You can't go wrong with the Alexa Sofa from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams at the top. My sister has it in her house. I can testify that it's comfortable from the amount of times that I've crashed on it. Plus, it's a great value at $1299.

In our tailored sofas category, I'm a big fan of the top two. The top one is the Petrie Sofa from Crate and Barrel. Great mid-century modern sofa. It was the sofa in "The Break Up" with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. The middle sofa is the Lampert Sofa from Jonathan Adler. The frame is beautiful. The white lacquered based is a refined touch.




With your minimalist sofas, you can't go wrong with the Klippan Sofa from Ikea. You get 98 inches of sofa and it'll only cost you $499.



In the ultramodern sofa category, always bet on Vladimir Kagan. The Hahn Sofa (at the top) is a stylish piece that will look just as beautiful floating in the middle of the room as it does against a wall.

Genius Decorating Ideas: Oprah

We decided to heed Oprah's advice and reinvent our Louis Dining Chairs with a fresh turquoise fabric. If you ever visit Red 8 (Great food by the way. Try the Potstickers.) in the Wynn Las Vegas, they upholstered their booths in the same fabric (in a red color way).

See how some classic designs mixed with modern sensibilities turn familiar home furnishings into some oh-so fresh.

The Louis dining chair frame is so classic. When you blend it with some unique fabrics, it makes it eclectic, cool, and new.

Thomas Paul pillows taking classic silhouettes and infusing some fashionable colors.

I love the Martha Stewart Windsor armchair. The table is from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

Modern cuckoo clocks. Urban Outfitters' silvery version and Anthropologie's powder-coated metal ticker reinterprets clock.

Ralph Lauren brings a Southwestern flair to towels.

Reichenbach porcelain service by Paola Navone, Anthropologie. Vintage porcelain dishes glazed in platinum, Clio.

Jonathan Adler's homage to era's past with his funky pillows.

L.L. Bean Pineland cube covered in Paradise Background linen.

Cicatrices de luxe 5 by Philippe Starck.

The Galleria Madness Continues...

Not wanting our area to get stale, we switched out the furniture for a fresher, lighter, Spring look for April! What do you think?

For arguments sake, let's call this the front. The Melina Bed in natural, earth tones flanked by two side tables.

A very rustic Louis Bookcase conjures images of Springtime antiquing trips!

I love the blue velvet used to cover these chairs. It adds a good dose of color to the neutral Louis Dining Table.

We wouldn't dare get rid of the Teak Root Coffee Table! It pairs perfectly with everything, including the Chester Sofa.

The very cool Dome Chair actually blocks out some of the noise when you sit in it! It would be an excellent book-reading chair!

Continuing the "Natural" theme with Tree Stump Sculptures atop the 9-Drawer Sideboard.

The fabric on these chairs is so soft. People couldn't help but touch them!

I think this area is my favorite. Adding a little greenery is always a good choice, whether it's real (in the mini-greenhouse) or fake (on the chair). The Bowling Desk is a great little writing desk, too!

Passers-by in the Galleria seemed to like the pieces we chose for the area. Hopefully, we'll impress them even more with next months vignette! We'll keep you posted!

Sleep Tight

I'd never given it much thought before, but I love the look of upholstered headboards. They give the bedroom a certain softness that a big piece of wood can't. I've been surfing the Domino website a lot lately, pulling inspiration photos before they shut down, and I found a lot of headboard eye candy...

Grey moire and navy floral- calm and collected. Check out the ceiling, too!

Is calm isn't your thing, there is always fiery hot pink!

I love the sweet, classic shape of these headboards, and I love the throw pillows they put with them!

Sometimes, more is more.

I think neutrals are beautiful. You don't have to feel bad for not using a lot of color!

Headboards are a great place to use a big pattern because you know it will be seen.

A lot of amazing pattern going on in this bed.

I saved my favorite for last. It's a headboard fit for a queen... quite regal, no?

Doin' It Yourself

I came across this picture on the Domino website (not sure how much longer it'll be up, be here's the link regardless). I'm not wild about the fabric choices, but I spied the top of the drapes and thought, "How cool! It's a four poster bed without the four posters!" Not only would this look lengthen your room, you can hide away within the fabric on cold nights, and you will never have to worry about banging your foot or elbow or any other body parts on the posts. Add this one to my dream home checklist...

Zip Up Your Candlesticks!

Solid candle sleeves in a plethora of colors!

Here's a random little tidbit for your Monday afternoon...

Do the candlesticks in your chandelier or sconces seem a bit...blah? Want to do something fun, but not spend a ton of money? As I was flipping through House Beautiful the other day, I came across Candle Sleeves by KarrsKoker. Seriously, why didn't we think of this before? It's so simple. Plain chandelier/sconce + Candle Sleeves = Badass light fixture.

It's the toughest chandelier on the block.

This one is my favorite. No wonder it's their bestseller!

NY Times: 25 Holiday Gifts for Under $25

Everyone is out scouring for gift ideas. It is always a bonus when you can find the perfect home decor gift at a great price. The New York Times released their top 25 Holiday Gifts for the Home for under $25. Here are my top 5 favorites.

$16-24: Mercury glass birds; West Elm

$16: Ornate alarm clock; Urban Outfitters

$5, Kallt decorator set; Ikea

$20, Tea Forte Cup: It was a featured item in Oprah; Bloomingdale's.

$10: Vintage camera photo album; Anthropologie.

Classy Gift Ideas That Won't Break The Bank

Our team got a peek at Domino Magazine's gift ideas for the holidays. During this economic crunch, its nice to find a break where ever we can when spending heaps of money on our loved ones. In the December/ January issue, Domino has given us a plethora of ideas for under $25!!

Here are my top five favorites:

This Tsubota Pearl Japanese Chrome Lighter for $21 is a great gift for the candle lover in your life. As if there weren't enough things taking up space in the junk drawer, a clunky chunky lighter is not one of the things you need when it can be sleek, skinny and smaller than a pen. (This would also take up less space in a purse or pocket.)

I'm in love!! These cute and quirky French reprodutions of student notebooks are really sweet. They are only 6 ⅜" x 8 ⅝" and $3.95 a piece! Anyone who has an eye for international style would love to take notes in these. These aren't just functionally appealling, but think of your home decor! My apartment is covered in French Art Deco paintings, I'm considering framing some just for myself!

Along those vintage lines are these really cool Neo-Victorian soaps. They are "infused with carob, myrtle and marine mineral salts and smells a bit like the ocean." Sounds pretty fantastic to me. Black goes with any color interior, and they are only $7 a bar, so its win win!

The hand written note is a lost art. So is the usage of fun stamps. I think we should try to bring it all back. And this $9 1920's style stamp is just adorable. It reminds me of the old black and white Laurel and Hardy movies. I think this would be a great gift for anyone who thinks plain white envelopes are boring!
And lastly, these very classy heirloom-style reusable polycarbonate flatware. Hot!! Nothing like high-gloss black to make your holiday dining elegant and chic. For only $15.50 for four place settings, this gift will delight the hostess in your life.

Well, I hope these gifts will charm and impress all the classy people on your list. For more inspiration that won't break the bank, check out the rest of Domino's amazing gift idea's for under $25.

Happy Holiday's until next time!

//R

Oprah's Fall Bargains!

From Oprah Home's Fall Bargains for $50 or Less, here are a couple of nice items to pick up for the Holidays.

A cool glass vase with a flamenco lace etching. Maya Star: 512.912.1475.

Vintage etchings on a pillow with a forest on one side and a bird on the other for $24. West Elm.

A cool decorative frame with a chalk board interior for $20. Kikkerland.

A Domino Love Affair...

I couldn't help it when I saw the cover of this month's Domino- I fell in love. Then, when I flipped through the pages, that sealed the deal. I saw dark, nearly black walls everywhere and it's a look I know I love! It may be a lot of deep color at first, but it looks so chic, so antique. Charcoal grey paired with white trim or accents is very elegant, and every bright color is multiplied by a thousand against a dark wall. A dramatic commitment? Yes, but totally worth it. Check out the inspiration pictures I gathered, all via Domino, of course.

That's All Folks!

These screen captured shots, taken from the end of old movies, really caught my eye. I would love to get some printed and framed to make a unique grouping for a small space. Check out the entire series via Flickr and contribute your own if you have some. Enjoy!

A Different World

A full view of The Great Indoors by Aurora Robson.

I apologize in advance for telling you this on such late notice. There is an amazing exhibit at the Rice Gallery and I've only just seen it. Aurora Robson has created a new world inside the Rice Gallery. You might remember the blog I wrote about another exhibit entitled Dans la Lune by Kirsten Hassenfeld. This was another one of those experiences- the kind where every direction I turned there was something new and beautiful to look at. The artist literally transformed the small gallery space into, what I would describe as, a colorful planet in outer space.

Every piece of the 15,000 plastic bottles she collected was used to create something beautiful.

At first, you walk in through a vibrant tunnel, with each section looking unique from the one before. In the center of the tunnel, you come to a small cave, centered around a solar-powered, LED-lit, vivid red ornament resembling the heart of the world. Outside the tunnel are free-hanging configurations that conjure images of alien creatures.

I couldn't get enough of the free-hanging heart within the center of the tunnel.

One of the lavish creatures hanging outside of the tunnel.

According to the artist, her landscape was based on the human body, explaining the warm color palette used. Perhaps the coolest part of the exhibit is the materials she used: recycled plastic bottles. Any green you see is a Sprite bottle. For the ribs of the tunnel, she used only Poland Spring brand water. Most of the plastic is airbrushed with water-based paint giving it an impossibly consistent, tinted look.

A closeup of one of the hanging ornaments. I can only imagine how much time it took to create just one of these detailed masterpieces.

See the Rice Gallery website for more information, but keep in mind that pictures don't do this exhibit justice! If you have time to check it out before it closes on Sunday, October 26th, prepare to be amazed!

Met Home/Showtime House Tour: Weeds

If you've never seen Weeds, I suggest you give it a shot. A suburban mother dealing pot is not your average plot line, but Mary Louise Parker is great in the role. No doubt to the reason why they made her home look so, ahem, organic.

Lots of muted colors and materials bring nature indoors.

This freeform Vladimir Kagan piece is fits in seasmlessly. Check out the huge beach ball pillow!

The fabric and the style makes the chair a true standout! I love the simple drawings displayed above.

Oops! She's done it again.

Kelly Wearstler, the ultimate trendsetter, has managed to land on the cover of this month's Domino (big shocker!). I just can't get enough of Kelly, so here are some nice pics from this interior design diva:

The vintage brass lamp screams sophistication.

That wall panel is ridiculously awesome. The blue leather chair provides some serious pop!

Most people play it safe. Ms. Wearstler is not afraid to incorporate modern prints.

Kelly's twist on black and white design that comes off warm, not cold.

Before and after proof positive that she can turn any bland room into something glamorous.

Met Home/Showtime House Tour: The L Word

Another stop on the Met Home/Showtime House Tour brings us to The L Word. When the show is about women, you expect the decor to be feminine and sensual- and that's what we got.

There is so much texture mixing in here- velvet, satin, leather... It jumps out of the picture!

How many women do I know that would kill for a shoe closet like this one? Let's just say, more than one.

Huge mirrors look great leaning against a rough tiled wall, and bathtubs like this one are so sexy!

The silver legs add modern edge to what would be a traditional chair.

Met Home/Showtime House Tour: United States of Tara

Moving right along, we have the designs from United States of Tara. The purposely disjointed decor feels like falling into a Salvador Dali painting. It is dreamlike and surreal (perhaps like the title character's life as a woman with multiple personalities).

My eye is drawn instantly to the art on the walls. It's hard to look away from them! Notice the eye above the fireplace?

The furniture is very minimalist, but it's accessorized well, so that it feels like a home- not a museum.

This could almost be an entirely different room! I love the shape of the legs on the console table.

The art is provocative, but I'm more interested in the sexy chair. Unique shape, and I always love a button tufted cushion.

Met Home/Showtime House Tour: Dexter

Next up on the Met Home/Showtime house tour, Dexter! There is a lot of white/off-white backgrounds with a strong punch of color. It gives off a fine arts museum vibe.

The red orb chair and blue paintings just jump out in this setting!

This is a kitchen to-die-for. Curved cabinetry with soothing earth tones makes for a kitchen that you might never want to leave.

Vivid imagery. Stark white with splashes of red. If you look close, you'll see the red-filled test tubes on the table. I'm not sure if I'm excited about the decor or scared....

Really subtle wall art that makes a big impact! Looks like something you would see at the Delano Hotel.

Met Home/Showtime House Tour: The Tudors

As a continuation of Metropolitan Home's tour of Showtime's biggest shows, we have moved on to The Tudors. The half of episode that I've seen was pretty intense, and the set design is no different.

I just love the chandeliers, sofas, and the rug that just happens to be the size of my house.

This chandelier is remarkably transcendant. It's both contemporary and very traditional at the same time.

The shape and size of the sofas is great. Bold print, cross red pillows, and the punch of gold just screams royalty.

Met Home/Showtime House Tour: Californication

Metropolitan Home has the insider scoop with a home tour of Showtime's biggest shows. I've never seen Californication, but the home decor alone might be enough to make me a loyal viewer. The interior design just oozes a laid back, yet hip vibe. Check out the photos below:

The high back blue chair is just crazy. Love it.

The colors are so soothing. The mosaic tiling that looks like burlap is awesome.



Don't you feel at ease from this picture.



This has automatically become my favorite bookshelf.

How cool is that? Who thinks of these things?

Your Chair is Hairy!

Rather than the requisite throw pillow on a chair, people are getting hairy by throwing fur throws on seats. My findings began here...

...at the Absolut Icebar in Copenhagen. These fur covered seats serve a purpose- prevent frostbitten drinkers...

I spied this furry little pillow in our store- I can pick one up after work!

I wouldn't mind being Julianne Moore's stylist- she got this almost $2000 chair as a gift from the actress. Photo via Domino.

The cream fur is a striking contrast to a vibrant plum chair. Photo via Domino.

Chartreuse deuce (or should I say, Two stool with chartreuse fur cushions). Wild.
Photo via Elle Decor.

With winter coming up, now is the perfect time to move your decor into cold weather mode. And a fur throw is the purr-fect place to start.

We *Heart* Chair Silhouettes!

I'm a sucker for graphic and industrial design. When my two loves are combined in images of classic furniture or architecture in simple and lovely 2d renderings, I am giddy happy. Here's a roundup of some cool and simple chair images perfectly suitable for framing and dressing up your walls... or your coffee tables or letters or decoupaged furniture.

Alphabet Of Design Classics poster $35.00 Available at Blue Art Studio

Pottery Barn as mentioned in Apartmenttherapy

Designer Chair Cocktail Napkins $26.00 on Etsy

And of course, how can we forget the Eames postage stamps?

Sprig: Good Wood for a Green and Gorgeous Home

Legian Bed: Harvested mahogany combined with a stunning design.

Sprig.com was kind enough to highlight our Legian Bed. If you haven't checked out their site, it's pretty cool. Sprig.com's mission is to find eco-friendly alternative products without compromising great style and design. If you like shopping green, think of Sprig.com as your very own personal eco-shopper.

Blogs We "Heart": Notcot

I have a confession. I am addicted to the blog notcot.org. It is not a secret to anyone who knows me well, or those who pass by my desk at work and catch me drooling over every new post. I am equally as smitten with the sister sites tastespotting.com and notcouture.com as well as the original notcot.com.

I am almost too greedy to post this in case everyone else has the same reaction as me and I have to share my love with the world. What makes these sites so great is the layout. Each new post is represented by a pic displayed like a poloroid in a contact sheet. You see them all at once. And even though I am familiar with some of the products from other sites and publications (yes, yes... I am free with my design site lovin'), it is nice to see everything in front of me. I am all for visual stimulation.

Notcouture is fashion and accessories.

Tastespotting is dedicated to food blogs and recipes.

Notcot .org is a design and graphic wonderland.

Not only do I check all these sites first thing every morning, I refresh the pages multiple times a day as the postings continue. I did mention it was an addiction... right? Now, shhhhhh... don't tell everyone how fabulous this site is. A girls got to keep her secrets on where she finds the best gadgets, stylish clothing and killer scone recipe on the hush-hush!

Notes From The Design Team: AT Smallest Coolest Home Shout Out!

Jennifer's Houston Hottie Hideaway

The HFH design team is obsessed with all things design, especially design websites and blogs. One of our favorites, Apartment Therapy, is currently in the last phases of their 2008 small cool apartment contest. And... (drum roll please!), one of the finalists in the midwest category, Jennifer from Houston, has listed High Fashion Home as her favorite resource for the home. She said "High fashion home in Houston has the coolest selection of fabrics and furniture, its like a candy store for interior enthusiasts." Thanks for the shout out Jennifer! Check out more pics from Jennifer's entry on the Apartment Therapy website. She has an awesome trainer collection and I think I spied one of our Buddha statues in her bathroom!

Earth-Friendly Upholstery by LEE Industries

You've probably seen or heard about LEE Industries. It's hard to get away from these guys. They are featured in every home decor magazine imaginable. Everything from Domino to Metropolitan Home to Elle Decor has featured Lee Industries' eco-friendly, high style, high quality furniture.

Domino Magazine: The Green List / Living Room

Metropolitan Home: Green Solutions

Lee Industries has been working with Crate and Barrel for a while now. The Ross Sofa, Lockport Sofa, and Azure Sofa have been recently featured and heavily promoted by Crate as their eco-friendly upholstery frames.

Crate and Barrel: Ross Sofa - $2299

Our buying team first saw the Lee showroom back in 2004. Back then, they mainly did a lot of cottage furniture. Oh my, how things have changed. They went from outdated manufacturers to upholstery trend-setters. In a few weeks, we will proudly bring Lee Industries into our stable of great American upholstery manufacturers.

Every piece of LEE furniture is made in the USA by craftsmen that are experts in their field and take pride in their workmanship. They only use steel coil springs in their eight-way hand-tied seat decks. Their frames are certified, select kiln-dried hardwoods. The joints are double-doweled and every corner is blocked, screwed and glued. That means that your furniture will not creak, sag, split or warp, no matter what. LEE has a massive selection of fabrics with more than 1000 fabrics and 80 leathers to choose from.

Also, while many companies are adding the "green" label to their name, LEE has a long track record of eco-friendly manufacturing. They use naturalLEE soy-based cushions, certified frames, recycled filling for pillows, water based stains, and offer many organic and natural fabrics. Just by using the naturalLEE cushions, in 2007 alone, LEE Industries has saved over 10,000 gallons of crude oil and has eliminated 54,000 pounds of CO2 emissions.

With their unparalleled quality, style and love of the environment, their introduction at High Fashion Home is highly anticipated. Check out the photos below to see what's coming in:

Gorgeous tufted sofa in a velvet.

The fabric is beautiful up close. Looks close to the Azure Sofa from Crate.

This right-sized club chair features beautiful nailhead detailing on the back and sits great!

A very distinct sectional that looks like it belongs in the lobby of a boutique hotel.

Luxurious crewel fabric in a frame that is very Anthropologie-esque.

The down-seating is phenomenal on this piece. We're bringing it in a rich, khaki linen fabric.

Very handsome piece. We'll floor it as shown.

The Real World: Hollwood Thinks Green

Furniture: The Santomer Bed has never look so good!

The Real World: Hollywood just premiered a few weeks ago. The show is typically all about drinking, fighting, regretful hookups, jealousy, backstabbing, cavorting, and a whole lot of family therapy. Now you can throw in eco-friendly trend-setter.

In a groundbreaking initiative for MTV, this new season will go "green" and introduce their young viewers ways in which they can incorporate environmentally-friendly household items and make eco-friendly lifestyle choices, as seen on "The Real World" into their everyday lives.

"The Real World" house will include everything from solar energy solutions to bamboo flooring, recycled glass counters, some sustainable furniture and recycled vintage decor, energy star appliances, a solar heated swimming pool and energy efficient lighting.

MTV worked with a wide range of environmentally-friendly manufacturers, including Environment Furniture. The Santomer Bed, shown above, uses reclaimed Peroba wood from old barns, house, and bridges in Brazil. It's furniture that sets the standard for aspirational interior design with an eco-friendly twist. You can also check out some of their other great, eco-friendly furniture products such as the Santomer Dining Table, Laurel Dining Table, Santos Dining Table, and Santos Coffee Table.

MTV is also allowing fans to interact in a Sims-like fashion with the Virtual Real World. In the Virtual Real World users can create their own avatars to learn about environmental facts, create eco-friendly virtual clothing and share stories about what they've done to better the environment.

Everything from the blue throws to the mint leather sectional makes for a dramatic statement.

The Real World House is all about bold colors!

The Eames Chair and Ottoman in a unique color.

The Santomer Dresser

Another shot of the Santomer Collection.

The coloration with the geometric patterns is nice!

It looks very close to the Ethan Bed.

The wall sconces are intriguing.