Furniture vs. Fashion: Naptime

We spent one-third of our lives in bed, so surely the piece of furniture on which we rest says something about us. And wouldn't you know it, a bed screams your style as much as, well, you.

Call me crazy, but I fell in love with this simple silhouette as soon as it arrived in our store. The Paul Bed is a perfectly tailored shape paired with a luxurious fabric, and that equals simple style. And who else knows simple? Calvin Klein, hands down. I also love Doo.Ri's elegant, simple shift.

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Ever long to be from another time? Remember the days when ladies dressed up to do errands? Behnaz Sarafpour and Rachel Roy do. And Anthropologie is making antique style new again with their Italian Campaign Canopy Bed. Bellissima.

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Nothing Martha Stewart does is ever sloppy. She is the Queen of Put-Together and the Irvington Nickel Bed is no exception. The same is true of Michael Kors (King of the Jet-Setters) and Ralph Lauren (King of the Ivy Leaguers).

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Just because you're a girl doesn't mean you want to parade around in ruffles and flowers all the time. Masculine touches counter your sweet temperament. Casamidy's Altavista Leather Headboard is just the right amount of masculine with woven leather in a boxy shape. For your wardrobe, there's a leather trench from 3.1 Phillip Lim or a trendier boyfriend jacket from Antonio Berardi.

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Or perhaps you shun all things manly, preferring to look the part of the girly-girl you are. Hey, it's your life. In that case, I'd curl up on the Helena Bed from Oly Studio with its carved, whitewashed wood frame, raffia upholstery, and antiqued nailheads. Throw on, what else?, a dress from Derek Lam or Christopher Kane and take on the world.

HF Weekly Obsession(s): Head Case

I'm really very smitten with this vignette from the latest Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams catalog. I spied the Ming Console in a magazine last month and was very pleased to find I liked it as much in person as I did in print. The first one we put on our floor sold instantly! It's just the right amount of red for a pop of color in a neutral setting. We put ours with a dark brown velvet Kennedy sofa with red pillows. I rather like it!

I also adore it with the Kinsey Lounge that they used. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams uses a lot of tufting in their designs and they use it well. I'm a fan.

Take Me A-Tray

I've been searching for a little tray table (amongst other things) to set up a mini-bar in a lonely nook in my apartment. I think I've found a few good options in these...

Tayloe Tray Table, $559 at High Fashion Home

George Console from Oly Studio, available at High Fashion Home for $1,914

Formosa Tray Table, $49.95 at CB2

Rectangular Directoire Table, $1,099 at High Fashion Home.

The Galleria, Part III

It took us a while, but we finally changed out our Houston Galleria display for the first time in 4 months. We dialed it back and went for a more minimalist approach. Check out the photos below:

We got tired of showing off shades of brown. We went for the bold statement route with this modern sectional in a nice pink velvet.

Contemporary sectional design with down-blend cushions...can't beat that combination.

Our best selling Santomer Dining Table paired with the Louis Ghost Armchairs. Kind of want this combination for my own house.

The Jefferson Bed in a linen look fabric. The tufted buttons and nailhead detailing makes for a very classic, glamourous combination.

The Jefferson Chairs with the Donnabella Chest from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

I'm in love with a table!

Everyone is in love with the Peroba wood, which is 80-100 year old reclaimed wood from Brazil. The wood from old barns, houses, and bridges that have been torn down are incorporated in simple, modern designs. That combination brings a very unique flair to the furniture piece.

Getting It Together

Just because it says "Assembly Required" doesn't mean you should run the other way. Ikea built a whole business on that principle, but this is not Ikea. The Cuppa end table, by Vincent Reardon, arrives in a single shipping tube, and transforms into a cool, magazine holding, modern end table. Simple and easy.

What's New is New!

Our new goods from this past High Point market has started to pour in. Now more than ever, we tried to bring in furniture pieces with great value without compromising the quality and style that our customers expect from us.



Our Chester sofa has come in in a brand new fabric! Totally on trend in a fun citrine color (this picture does not do it justice), this will really pop in your home and the velvet fabric is so soft and cuddly. Cynthia can't stop petting it.


A traditional spin on a modern shape... a slight roll arm adds a twist to this otherwise clean and modern frame.


Perfect for lounging... (hey Cynthia! wake up and get back to work!) This new piece from our TRU gallery is a great sofa for those who want something modern but don't want to sacrifice comfort. And you can fit at least four Cynthias on it!


Our display frame from TRU demonstrates how the company is dedicated to eco-friendly manufacturing and parts.



One of our great value frames. Come visit our gallery of sofas $999 and under. Top designs at great prices.



Another one of our cool $999 and under specials.


The Damien in a new fabric. This is one of our favorites on the floor. The color is fun and fresh and definitely eye catching. A really nice modern sofa that is also great for lounging. The thin metal legs keep it clean.


Our new Brian quilted all the way around the back.... That coffee table is new as well (and looks amazing with everything we've paired it with!) And being all glass, it doesn't add any visual weight to a room. It's large enough to use with sectionals but not looking heavy, it is perfect for small spaces as well.


A leather, modern platform bed. Just in!


This table is incredible. A layer of cracked glass is sandwiched between two sheets of glass and sits on a tripod base of metal tubes. The leather chairs are edgy and comfortable. (special thanks to Vanna, eh, Cynthia)


Our new four poster. Add some weathered trunks and a writing desk for a world traveler look.


A big pattern looks modern on this chair.


We love the narrow arms and flanged pillows on this scatterback slipcovered sofa. Tailored and elegant, it is also extremely comfortable.


This one looks like it should be in a plantation home in Bermuda to me! The wood frame is gorgeous and the texture on the cushions is a really nice juxtaposition. It is also a great sofa for just kicking back on... right Steven?


Tall chairs with a great damask print... and nailheads!


Slipcovered Giraffe! Supercool!


A timeless slipcovered sofa, the perfect size for relaxing. Warning: once you sit down and try it out, you might not want to get back up. (you didn't hear that from me, although, I am currently parked on it typing away right now! )


A trio of leather accent chairs. These would be great anywhere.



A sectional upholstered version of our favorite new slipcovered, scatterback sofa. This sexy gray color will work with any decor.

Metropolitan Home Design 100

Metropolitan Home Design 100

The Met Home Design 100 issue just came out, and it's just filled with tons of goods.  They highlighted one hundred of the best homes, architects, designers, buildings, materials, furnishings, housewares, trends, shopping venues, restaurants, green goods, activists, accessories, ideas, and more from many worlds that make up the design universe.  Here are some of my favorites in the furniture world.

Beverlywood Chair,  Woodson & Rummerfield

Alpha Rug, Stark Carpet

Touro Center Table, Donghia

Tables for every occasion.

Enologist Cabinet, Roche-Bobois

“Yellow signifies optimism, and with a new president in office, we are optimistic as consumers and Americans,” says Leslie Harrington, the director of the Color Association of the U.S.

Crystal Ice Stool, Swarovski

Clouds by Kvadrat, Ligne Roset

Swoop Desk by CB2

HF Weekly Obsession: You're So Tree-sy

I stumbled upon this stool in the store the other day. Literally. I've got the bruises on my shins to prove it. Lesson learned.
Once I got a good look at the Tree Cycle Crystal Stool, I realized it was quite pretty with sections of sparkle captured within the tree stump. It would make the perfect little side table with a nice coffee table book and a vase of peonies. I'm just thinking aloud here...

She Could Wear A Burlap Sack...

Fancy chair, rustic fabric: Isabelle Club Chair, $899 at High Fashion Home.

Summer is the season for linen. Something about that natural, un-dyed linen makes me swoon! Especially when it's used for something that is typically dressy (i.e. the strapless dress and heels below). And don't even get me started on how I feel about adding sparkle!

"Metallic Linen Strapless Dress" in Flax, $100 at J. Crew

"Spectator Belinda Heels" in Stone, $168 at J. Crew

Luxurious, Minimalist Interior Design!

Luxury, Tamed! - NY Times

Kips Bay Decorator Show House was a tribute to Albert Hadley, the Tennessee-born minimalist who provided a balance for the English country house-style maximalism of his partner, Sister Parish. Check out some on the luscious photos of eclectic interior decorating at it's best:

The tufted, velvet chaise is unbelievably, fabulous.

Liza Cousins and Natasha Bergreen's softer design incorporated used athletic equipment and a sofa from Ms. Bergreen's aunt.

Combining a very traditional bed with a beautiful lilac fabric, makes the bed a perfect fit in this modern room.

Christopher Maya hung a metal chandelier dipped in plaster.

The wallpaper in Jamie Drake's room was handpainted by Alpha Workshops. It's wonderful when you can fit a sofa that long in your room. Every furniture piece and color complements each other exquisitely.

William T. Georgis's panic room anticipated impending global catastrophe with a twirling disco ball, automatic weapons (reproductions, of course) and a Russ Meyer movie.

An homage to the "Bocca della Verità" (The Mouth of Truth) in Rome, John Ike's room is a challenge to "be your truest self" in bed, he said. The bales of hay he used as side tables were "just an idea."

The decorator Amy Lau had Jo Lynn Alcorn, a paper artist, make an installation of Maya Romanoff wallpaper.

Weekly Obsession: Natural Peroba

Symmetry is overrated. I prefer something a tad less perfect. Also, preferably built from wood harvested from old barns in Brazil. Well, coincidence of coincidences, Environment Furniture has just the thing I desire...

The Landrino Media Console is the ideal blend of closed off "throw your junk in a drawer before guests come over" space and open "look at the cool souvenir I picked up on my last trip to Europe" space. It also blends natural Peroba wood with the more reddish colored, cleaned Peroba wood. Of course, the only blending it will be doing, as far as I'm concerned, is with the rest of my furniture.

However, the Dumont Console may give the Landrino a run for its money. Again, the combo of natural and cleaned Peroba wood. I love that this piece resembles a puzzle. I can already visualize where my books and little tidbits would fit. Two beautiful pieces, space enough for one. Decisions, decisions!

Both pieces are available at High Fashion Home.

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.

ABC Carpet & Home. Where Amazing Happens!

ABC Home's mission statement revolves around an eco-friendly initiative. (photo courtesy of racked.com)

ABC Carpet & Home is a mega chic, home furnishings emporium located on Broadway in New York City. It's the largest rug and carpet store in the world, attracting 1 million visitors a year.

The company's array of products include not only carpets and rugs but also antiques, furniture, textiles, gifts and accessories, and bed and bath items. Because of its inventive displays and eclectic offerings, ABC has been called "Disneyland for rich adults." Visiting ABC is like sifting through a sea of charming, impeccable, eclectic furnishings. It's one part flea market, one part grandmother's attic, and one part Rodeo Drive.

You'll probably end up shopping and getting lost for hours. If you need a little halftime break, there is a cafe that sits at the back of the main floor. The menu consists of great organic food. I definitely recommend the hummus.

I usually end up visiting New York at least twice a year, and I always make it a point to visit. Here are some pictures I've collected of this amazing store. Feast your eyes on some home decor bliss.

How cool is that? Flowers covering the elevator on the first floor.

Looks like professional photography from Metropolitan Home. Not! It's just our Canon camera.

Store merchandising is always easier when you have a cool, old building with 25 foot high ceilings.

Love the chaise.

This is their Barbara Barry gallery on the 4th floor.

Yes, that is our Hugo sofa. I'm partial to our piece in white.

Towels! More Towels!

Cool, spontaneous vignette on a green platform.

Here is one of many eco-friendly furniture lines they carry. The sectional is from Cisco Brothers.

I can't afford most of the chandeliers, but I have to admit that they are pretty jaw dropping.

Some of their Asian-influenced pillows and accessories on the 1st floor.

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!

Galleria Madness!

We set up shop at the Galleria a couple of weeks ago. Within our 400 square foot boundary, we set up vignettes to communicate the brand and essence of High Fashion Home. Here is our first attempt:

Our setup is between DeBeers and Christian Dior...Not too shabby.

The Houston Galleria is the 5th largest mall in the country.

Every man, woman, and child stops to look at the teak root coffee table.

The Angle Vases have been a huge hit.

The Victor Sectional kind of gives off a Mont Blanc vibe.

I'm betting $50 that she has some Starbucks coffee in her hands. This is my artistic photograph by the way.

The Laurel Dining Table has never looked better.

Don't let this picture fool you. The weekend traffic in the Galleria is bananas.

I average about 5 teas a day from the good folks at Teavana. Word on the street, ask them to do a recommended mix of tea flavors. I did it last Sunday, and it came out extra tasty.

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?

Celebrity Apprentice: Back and Louder than Ever!

Donald Trump knows style!?!?

The pink tie guy is back, and the show is becoming ridiculously, more funny by the second. When you have a cast of characters like Dennis Rodman, Clint Black, Scott Hamilton, Joan and Melissa Rivers, Hershel Walker, Andrew Dice Clay, Tom Green, and some random model that opens the briefcases from Deal or No Deal, you know the entertainment quotient is going to be quite high. On Sunday night's episode, Tony Hseih, CEO of Zappos, got grilled by the girl's team on his dating preferences. I have no idea what that had to do with their assignment, but it makes for good, awkward TV.

Anyways, one of the best things about the show is the interior design of the suites. Every year, they manage to do a great job of decking out the rooms with latest and greatest from the home fashion world.

I (Still) Love Lucite!

An Aitali chair from the pages of Metropolitan Home

Just to prove that lucite is in it for the longhaul, I've collected some inspirations as evidence. It's come a long way from little end tables. Add some fabric and you've got futuristic furniture with warmth. With the added benefit that lucite goes with everything!

At first glance, I wondered what was holding up these chairs! More from Met Home.

From Houston magazine, Lulu-fabric-covered chairs from Elloise Abbott.

Another Aitali chair- lots of options!

Mmmmmm...Missoni fabric on a Kartell chair. From House Beautiful.

The It List: Our Editor's Top Furniture Picks!

Our own Design Guru has spoken. We even created an entire area on our website for his favorite furniture pieces. Here are his exclusive top furniture picks:

The Suzanne Chair: This luxurious green leather chair is a sure fire, attention-getter. It sits like heaven and has looks that kill. It's $799 for a top grain leather chair!

The Cassini Cabinet: Black and White stripes are very hot right now. There is a Beatlejuice-esque coolness to this designer piece.

The Angelina Sofa: First off it's $899, which is a great price for this stylish, eco-friendly sofa. Tight seat, tight back sofas tend to be less than comfortable. But the Angelina is definitely the exception and not the rule.

The Donnabella Chest: This Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Art Deco inspired staple looks terrific in person. The great thing is that the piece is so versatile. You can use it as a night stand, place it in a hallway, or stick it in your living room. You can use it in traditional or transitional settings. It's got a cool, Hollywood glam vibe going for it.

The Shinto Office Armoire: It has been one of our best sellers since we opened the store 3 1/2 years ago. Made of solid walnut and using Chinese wood joinery techniques, this heirloom quality piece combines the best of form and function.

The Vivian Dining Table: Internally, we call this the Iron Man table. It's the desk that Robert Downey Jr. has in his office. All 47 of us loved the movie, and by default we love this table.

The Peking Dining Table: It's made out of reclaimed elm. This distressed dining table has a very nice, subtle turquoise base. It gives off a very comfortable vibe, yet it makes for a style statement.

The Melina Bed: It's a very simple, low bed with a tufted headboard. The bed can work in contemporary, traditional, or transitional settings. The linen-look fabric is actually 100% polyester. It makes for a very practical fabric cover, and it upholsters beautifully on the headboard.

The Selma Chair: The rich crewel fabric and nubuck leather sides will work beautifully in cottage and ranch style homes.

The Eileen Chair: The floral gray print makes the chair feel both feminine and masculine at the same time.

The Dexter Sofa: The cognac colored velvet looks so rich on this frame. The button back with the tuxedo arms gives off a very sophisticated and refined feel.

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...

Fashion vs. Furniture: The Resort Edition

In honor of the trip to Mexico my husband and I are taking at the end of this month, I thought I'd do another edition of my favorite blog. It's inspired by the Resort '09 collections and the absolute staple piece of relaxing furniture: the chaise. Just like any other piece, it's comes in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Here are just a few...



Isn't it sweet? The Hanna Daybed is everything a girly girl needs for a midday beauty nap. It doesn't spare on the details either- carved wood legs, tufted cushions, rolled pillows. Christian Dior pairs up quite nicely- ladylike prints, a sweet cardigan, and prim heels.

In order to tone down the sugar, the Lasair Lounge ups the bold factor in a statement-making pony print. Who else to complement it than a designer known for prints? Gucci can certainly hold its own.

This sparse Jonathan Leather Lounge is still luxurious and fit for a goddess (which is exactly the image this chaise conjures). Couldn't you imagine laying across this lounge in a Grecian gown by Alberta Ferretti eating grapes? It's your own personal Mount Olympus.

The Monaco Leather Chaise is the perfect timeless chaise to go anywhere and do anything for you (short of doing your laundry). It's so versatile, it can work anywhere you need it to! Now that's what I call getting your money's worth. Think of this Isaac Mizrahi dress in the same way. Dress it up, dress it down, take it to work, to dinner, to any place around town. A very smart buy.

Sometimes you just need something basic. No wild prints, no frills, no embellishments. Just a well made, simple, neutral piece. The Clifton Lounge certainly fills that hole, and Calvin Klein built his career on simplicity. When it works, it works!

Of course, sometimes you want something with a little sex appeal. Curves are universally appealing, whether it's a woman in Versace or the Earl Chaise. They don't say, "If you've got it, flaunt it" for nothing!

CB2: Peek A What!

CB2: SoHo store

Last week, I made time to visit some stores while attending the New York International Gift Fair. I managed to stop by CB2 and came away impressed. CB2 is Crate and Barrel's sister store that caters to the modern, younger customer. It's Target, Ikea, and Crate and Barrel all rolled into a neat 10,000 square foot box.

Located in the trendy SoHo district, I had my eyes glued to the acrylic casegood pieces. If you are a big fan of the Ghost Chairs like I am, you will probably appreciate these affordable, furniture gems.

Peekaboo Clear Coffee Table: $249

Peekaboo Media Console: $449




Peekaboo Nesting Tables: $199

Monaco Side Table: $149

Office Space

I did a little furniture rearranging this week with my husband. Since we have yet to entertain a single soul in our apartment, we repurposed the dining "room" into an office for me. I had been using a small rectangular table from Ikea as a dining table that magically transformed into a desk once I pushed it against the wall. We gave three of the four dining chairs to charity with the idea that we'll dinate the fourth once I find a cute and comfy desk chair to replace it.

With this project in mind all weekend, I thought about desk/chair combinations. I like to mix the look up a little bit- industrial with earthy, traditional with modern, you get the gist. Here are five that I came up with. I hope they inspire you!

Go-Cart Desk, $149 + Trig File Cabinet, $179 @ CB2; Pattern Bent Wood Chair in Coffee @ Brocade Home, $199

Shelby Desk @ High Fashion Home, $1595; Louis Ghost Chair in Crystal @ High Fashion Home, $410

Latham Desk @ Crate & Barrel, $599; Terai Folding Chair in Floral Stripe @ Anthropologie, $198

Mondo Compact Office Armoire @ High Fashion Home, $1749; Wireback Chair in Black @ High Fashion Home, $159

Sawhorse Worktable @ West Elm, $449; Kiki Slipcovered Side Chair @ High Fashion Home, $438

Yes, We Can!

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

In case you haven't heard, we do have a new president coming into office this month. Barack Obama ran his campaign on the message of 'Change'. His first big 'Change' initiative will be to redecorate the White House. He's enlisted the help of superstar, interior decorator Michael Smith. Smith's interiors mix furniture and art from a wide range of styles and periods in a way that is harmonious and modern.

His list of celebrity clients include Steven Spielberg, Dustin Hoffman, Brian Grazer, and Cindy Crawford. For more on this breaking, home decor news, head over to Domino. Check out some of his work below:

HF Weekly Obsession: The White Stuff

I have a vision for my future. One day, I'll get a cute little home in the Houston suburbs and thoughtfully decorate it. Of course, my family room will be stain proof, mess proof, and every other kind of proof you can imagine, but I'll have a room of my own in which to use my favorite color palette: white with white with white. I see shabby chic white living rooms in decorating magazines and wish I could do that. But, messy husbands and (future) kids dictate that white furniture is not in the cards. In the house in which I grew up, my sisters and I knew that playing and spilling was done only in the Family Room, and the Living Room was for holidays and adults only. Mom wouldn't appreciate a Kool-aid stain in her nice white carpet. So maybe I can have my cloud-hued dream room. First, I'll invest in this:

Sharp, white leather in a grid tufted pattern with modern chrome legs would make the perfect cocktail table in front of a white sofa. Rex Bench by American Leather.

After my white room is complete, I'll throw a party serving only clear liquids (as in that episode of Sex and the City), and then install a gate to keep out the Kool-aid!

HF Weekly Obsession: I'm In Love With A Sofa...

This is a recent addition to the High Fashion floor and I'm in love. So modern! So cozy! So... tufted! It would definitely be a stand out piece wherever it goes. My favorite feature is that it can be uber-modern (shown here with super low stainless steel coffee tables) or tres-eclectic (I'm seeing white laquered baroque tables with jewel tone accessories). And, if black leather isn't your thing, it also comes in white. Three words: Fab U Lous.

For more info about the Diamond Sofa, click here.

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.

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.

Boys & Girls

A girly girl's paradise. Photo by Wesley Rose.

It's never easy to compromise- especially on something as important as decorating your home. Whether you are working with a roommate, a spouse, or a sibling, you have to find a middle ground.

I'll be taking on my own decorating project at home when I get married in one month. My husband, and all of his "man stuff" will be invading my feminine space. Gone will be the days of leaving my stuff on the coffee table and cleaning it up when I feel like it. No more shoes strewn across every room of the apartment. It's time to make room for another.

Classic man-zone. Photo by Brandon Barre.

I'm more of a visual learner (as I know many of y'all are), so I went in search of some inspiration for my gender-neutral decor. My fiance gave them the thumbs up, so what about you? Did I hit the nail on the head or am I too biased by my own style to find a true combination of masculine and feminine? Take a look...

The intricate shape of the chaise and chair adds femininity to the room while the neutral and textural elements ground the room and keep it masculine. There isn't a lot of embellishment to the vignette, instead letting the view outside take the lead. Photo by Gray Crawford.

I could envision a young couple entertaining here. Nothing about it screams "Guy!" or "Girl!", but the room as a whole is very stylish and simple. Little accessories placed around the room (like a bud vase of flowers) add that woman's touch. Photo by Melanie Acevedo.

Every piece in here is an example of balance. The color scheme of the room is perfectly neutral. The accessorizing is brilliantly executed and mixed well. My favorite part is the anchor of the room: the daybed-ish sofa. Feminine in shape, masculine in color and texture. Photo by Douglas Friedman.

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.

More Bang for Your Buck

On The Rocks Sofa from Moss.

Harper's Bazaar ran an article recently entitled "Gucci or Gas?". They discussed the effect our economy is having on consumers' ability to purchase big-ticket items or "investment pieces". Accompanying the article, they showed how you could purchase an entire outfit for the cost of one pair of Louboutins. So I decided to do a little experiment.

Take a look at the sofa above. Cool? Modern? Minimalist? Yes, yes, and yes. It's also $21, 170. Now, let's see what else you could get with that much money...

Lemme break it down for you.
21,170 dollars will buy you one sofa from Moss or...
The Dexter Sectional $4599
An Antiqued Gold Mirror $316
Two Arden End Tables $718
An 8'x10' Clyde Rug $1479
The Dylan Entertainment Console $3299
Two Exposition Leather Chairs $2658
The Hector Cocktail Table $2069
An LG 52" LCD TV from Best Buy $2600
A Mercury Glass Lamp $309
A Meurice Pendant Lamp $339
The Ventana Vista Bookshelf $1349
Three Polar Cream Pillows $129
A Wool Trenchcoat from BR Monogram $500
A pair of Ebony Boots by Via Spiga $375
A Madelena handbag from Hobo International $388
And a one-hour massage at Massage Envy for all of your hard work $39.
And you'd still have enough left for a Starbucks.

You do the math.

All items are from High Fashion Home unless otherwise noted.

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?

Higher (Design) Education

Soon the kiddies will be back in school and that time always bring up fond memories for me. Wearing the perfect outfit (complete with tights even though its 90 degrees outside) on the first day, a new Trapper Keeper (oh yeah!), putting together my Lunchables before chowing down. Those were the days! This working stuff with no summers off... I just don't know (kidding, boss!). I want to relive those glory day without resorting to enrolling in high school again. So I turned to a few of my favorite shops and design magazines to help me bring back my ABC's and 123's.

1, 7. Review your primary colors courtesy of CB2: 1. Hotline Dining Table, $399 7. Sol Pendant Lamp, $100
2. Reminisce about evenings in the stacks with a classic tufted library sofa: Chester Sofa by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams at High Fashion Home, $1949
3. Get the lofted bed minus the annoying dorm roommate: photo from Apartment Therapy New York.
4. Don't let things slip through the cracks- paint a small wall with blackboard paint (we got our from Benjamin Moore) and remember to keep the chalk nearby!
5. You always did get gold stars on your work. You've earned this gold star, too: Mini Sunburst Mirror at High Fashion Home, $130
6. Tartan plaid conjures images of school uniforms- before Britney went and ruined them. A warm tartan throw on the end of your bed is perfect for chilly fall nights. Muted Blue Stewart throw from The Scottish Weaver, $70
8. Hit the books, or at least keep yours organized. I love the recessed, arched bookshelves with the books organized by color. Photo from Elle Decor.
9. This has to be my absolute favorite desk from our store. I can picture it perfectly: Sitting on a Ghost chair, typing blogs on my laptop with a pretty bud vase of peonies sitting closeby. Someday... Shelby Desk by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams at High Fashion Home, $1595

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?

We *Heart* The USPS

Hey you design-a-holic... were you aware of how cool the new postage stamp is? Because I am totally crushing on the Charles and Ray Eames commmorative sheet. I am definitely getting a few, one for framing on my wall like the big design dork I am, and one for upping the coolness factor on the bills I still have to pay with a check. ( Why can't everyone just go paperless already?!!!... ok, not complaining. I can now use my Eames stamps as... gasp... postage!)
Charles and Raye Eames commemorative stamp sheet (panel of 16 $6.72)

Everything But The Kitchen Table...

A preppy kitchen booth with extra storage below is always handy.

Lately, I've been hunting for the perfect kitchen table and chairs. Something small enough for my little apartment's dining room, but still enough to fill the breakfast nook of a house in the future. I really want a clean and modern round table to surround with industrial metal or mix-and-match antique dining chairs. Luckily, I have lots of pictures to serve as inspiration in my search!

A relaxed and airy breakfast nook at Amanda Peet's home.

A simple and rustic booth in a breakfast nook.

Tres minimal... Straight pieces of wood and chairs with just a little curve.



A nook with a view at the home of Billy & Katie Joel.



Granted, this takes a little more effort to build a bar out from the counter, but the combination of marble and colorful barstools is fantastic.

A Starck Reality Show!

Mention his name to any architect, and you'll get some very polarizing opinions about this world famous artist-designer. Philippe Starck's ubiquitous brand stretches across innovative toothbrushes, unique furniture, spectactular interior design, and unbelievable architecture. The man best know for the New Design style is now going to have his own reality TV series on the BBC. Philippe Starck's School of Design show will have 25 British contestants that will battle it out and ultimately be judged by Starck himself. The winner gets a prestigious 6-month internship at Starck's studio.


Check out some of Stark's greatest hits:

Victoria Ghost Chairs: An absolute, iconic beauty!

Duravit AG Design Center in Hornberg, Germany

Starck Arcitecture: Icon Vallarta is a 26-story luxury high rise.

Philippe Starck restaurant in Beijing.

Philippe Starck-designed Microsoft optical mouse

HF Weekly Obsession: Minimalist Impact

The Tahoe Dining Table by Maria Yee

Call it warm minimalism. Warm: Rustic, textural RidgeBamboo in earthy shades of brown sits atop Minimalist: Curved steel legs in a brushed nickel finish. The shape says simple, but the materials say splendor. And this style is about as eco-friendly as you can get with fast-growing bamboo. Luckily, it shouldn't be too hard to fit this piece in with your current decor.

The Dotted Line

Everything's covered in holes. Not the rat-chewed-through-the-sheets kinda holes. Intentional, strategically placed holes. Like eyelet, but not as sugary. If you're considering a change this summer, get perforated.

Dunham china by Ralph Lauren (from Vogue Living)
Meri Side Table at High Fashion Home

Sheets from Garnet Hill

Sex and the City

I finally got to see Sex and the City the movie with my lovely co-workers and it was FANTASTIC! I definitely agree with Carrie Bradshaw when saying that women want two things: Labels and Love. Labels are a new found love of mine and love, itself, is something every woman is looking for almost 24-7. Because I go to design school, I can't help but look past the truly fabulous designer clothing and notice the truly amazing movie sets. When watching the Sex and the City series on HBO in comparison with the movie, I decided to dedicate a blog to Carrie's apartment as a sort-of before and after piece. Each of the girls from the show had a specfic style in which their apartments were decorated but the only character who had an apartment facelift was Carrie (you have to see the movie to understand why....so go see it!). Carrie's new apartment features pieces signature to designer lines and local New York brands.

Carrie's Bedroom before...

...and after!

Jeremy Conway, the set designer for both the show and the movie, knew exactly how to make Carrie's apartment "grow up." The curtains were made from fabric chosen at Mood Fabrics. The headboard was designed specially by Martin Albert Interiors. Her bed linens came from Anichini and ABC Carpet and Home. The bench at the foot of the bed is from Lobel Modern.

Carrie's Closet before...

Carrie's Closet after with awesome built-ins!

Carrie's Kitchen before...

Carrie's Kitchen after...

They added new cabinets and continuous upper cabinet underlighting makes a huge statement (even though she doesn't use it, it's still pretty!).

Carrie's Entry before...

You can't forget the wall o' books and magazine organizers, I'd like to call it "organized chaos."

...entryway after!

The entry has been converted into a small dining/waiting area. All of Carrie's literature was moved to the living room unit. A custom wall/ceiling treatment with recessed canned lights was added to offer focal point and a more mature, sophisticated look.

Carrie's Living Room before...

...after!

Considering it's New York, you usually have to utilize the space you have. I think adding this wall unit was a great idea on the design team's part. Because the walls are a new shade of robin's egg blue, the frosted white gives the room a spacious, clean feel. Two small sofettes and a chair (from Aero Studios) frame a small cocktail table, perfect for the four girls to gather and gossip.

The wall unit has quotes from Gertrude Stein stenciled on to add Carrie's personal touch.

Well this ends your personal tour to Carrie Bradshaw's apartment revamp. I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now all you have to do is go see the movie if you haven't already!

Check out an interview conducted by the San Francisco Gate with Jeremy Conway.

Fashion vs. Furniture

Once again, you can look to your wardrobe to inspire your home decor and vice versa. Although, this time around, your dressers and bookcases are doing to work. Take your cues from the pieces we love and the pieces you have to make your look totally cohesive. You'll be that completely "together" friend that all your friends look up to (aka "are jealous of").


Look #1:

You've led a privileged life and that's nothing to be ashamed of. An elegant Southern mansion filled with priceless antiques and pristine first editions deserves the best. The Directoire Modular Bookcase from Grange complements that life of literary leisure that you are so accustomed to. And for those evenings when you thrown sophisticated soirees in said library, the gown, below, from Carolina Herrera will be true to your polished roots.








Look #2:

You're the contemporary, worldly type. While other kids were heading to Cancun for Spring Break, you were exploring Thailand. While other new parents want their kids to learn one foreign language, you take it for granted that your kids will be fluent in at least four. Your style is a mixture of all of your travels. The cultures you've seen, the people you've met, and the cities you've lived in. The Menlo Dresser, by Maria Yee, possesses that well-traveled, modern style without overpowering the rest of your belongings. Paired with a chic minidress from Vivienne Tam, you're ready for your next big outing- a night on the town.






Look #3:

Yes, you would consider yourself a fashionista, but never avant garde. You love glamour and getting dressed up is your favorite pasttime. When you get home from work, you get out of that boring corporate straight jacket and slip into satin and lace. You watch the Oscars every year. Your curves are absolutely your best asset. The Elisabeth Buffet from Oly mimics that Old Hollywood style that you so love. A floaty, feminine frock from Alberta Ferretti brings your red carpet fantasies to life.






Look #4:

Your home is important to you. You know? Earth. High design isn't enough for you. It better be eco-friendly as well. You like an organic look, but that doesn't mean you're going to run around in Birkenstocks. You don't have to sacrifice your style for your principles anymore. First of all, there's the Beam Bed by Environment. Made from Peroba wood which is recycled from old barns and buildings in Brazil, and accented with metal beams, it's the common link between fashion and environment. Then there are the amazing designs from 3.1 Phillip Lim. They are made from organic materials so that you can feel good about your debt-incurring shopping habit.






Look #5:

You're an intelligent lady. Emphasis on the L-A-D-Y. You love nothing more than curling up in a chair with a good book. But what about penning your own bestseller? There's only one way to accomplish that feat- a stylish, vintage-inspired writing desk. Don't worry about the fact that rather than quill and ink, you're tapping away at a laptop. The Shelby Desk by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams will adapt to whatever your medium- with style. To make your writing experience more ladylike, the dress below, from Behnaz Sarafpour, will be just lovely.

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.

My Green Hero: Ami McKay

If you've been a reader of our humble blog for a while, you might remember my previous post about Pure by Ami McKay. Well, Ms. McKay certainly isn't one to rest on her laurels because, since that post, her line has exploded! After a few back and forth emails, I got the scoop on Ami's furniture line, her passion for finding inspiration and a potential singing career?! Read on...

Many textures combine flawlessly in a cozy living room by Ami.

What sparked your interest in furniture design? Have you always been a creative thinker?
Ami: Yes, I was definitely born this way. I am sure if I wasn't an interior and furniture designer that I would still be focused in the arts - possibly a visual artist. That was a childhood dream. I also wanted to sing, though I wasn't blessed with a talented set of lungs. I am sure others are grateful I didn't set out on that particular path either.

Where did you learn your craft?
Ami: Trial and error! I didn't have a mentor in the creative arts field. I stepped out on my own and tried my hand at things that called me. If I don't succeed at a particular thing I always try something new. Edison didn't invent the lightbulb without years of perseverance and failures. Though I am giving it my all - and having fun doing it!

Cyrilla Daybed

Where do you like to shop for things for your own home?
Ami: I am always on the hunt for pieces that speak to me. I think it is important to purchase furniture or accessories that capture a bit of magic - the essence of who we are which reflects our whimsical side, or our romantic side, or our pure, practical side.

What are the challenges you face in making your line eco-friendly?
Ami: Finding materials and showing people the benefits of sustainable, healthy furniture. Education- if customers knew that purchasing furniture without chemicals and fire retardants was better for our health and impacted our air quality in a significant way, they may look deeper into the world of soft furnishings and how they were manufactured.

Makeover Wish: Season 2 on HGTV

Your line has expanded significantly since I last blogged about Pure. Where do you see your line going in the future?
Ami: The possibilities are endless; I want to continue developing this line by adding other layers... fabric, lighting, wallpaper, books, etc. Anything that is for the home and kind to the earth. And, of course, to continue to develop the Pure furniture line. My inspiration board is chock full!

What new things are you working on right now that you can share?
Ami: Well, I have a few pokers in the fire. I would rather share them when I have confirmation - though they are very exciting!!!! I know... what a tease!

Makeover Wish: Season 1

Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?
Ami: I am inspired by everything! Nature, travels, architecture, sunsets. Truly any beautiful colour, shape, form, or lines that catch my eye and make my heart skip a beat.

Are there any designers or artists in particular that you look up to or draw inspiration from?
Ami: There are so many incredible artists and designers that impress me on a daily basis, though I cannot say with great conviction that one person stands out in my mind. I am moved more by a particular experience when viewing art or a beautiful space - it becomes personal.

Kiero Coffee Table (this one's my favorite!)

Are there any trends you've seen lately that drive you nuts?
Ami: When the term "trend" is used with "eco". There is nothing trendy about the green movement. It has been happening for a long time and thankfully others will now see the validity now of making healthier choices for us, our families, and the planet. That being said - I love that trendsetters are making inroads in incredible design with materials that are kind to the earth, and are incredibly sexy and beautiful!

If you could go on vacation anywhere to get inspired, where would you go?

Ami: Good question! I have been to Asia and Europe last year and I must say that if my eyes are open - I will be inspired. The galleries, restaurants, and fashion in Paris makes me want to stay there; the architecture and interior design in Italy is like living a dream where I don't want to wake up; and the colour, fabrics, and temples in Thailand are so tactile and rich - I love visiting a pure culture. I couldn't pick a favourite without feeling like I am cheating on all the others.

This girl has a lot going on!

If you haven't gotten enough (I haven't), visit Ami's websites: http://www.purebyamimckay.com/ and http://www.amimckaydesign.com/ to find out more about this amazing (and super nice!) designer. And stay tuned... Hopefully I'll find myself posting a part three in the future!

The HF List: Five Trends That Make Me Cringe (and five that I'll always love)

All things fashion come and go. Remember Madonna's major cone bra? And those platform boots with the goldfish in them? So, maybe we'd prefer not to remember some things. Interior design is just like fashion design. There are trends that come in and out of style. Just like you might cringe when you see someone in a hideous outfit, you may also cringe when you step into a home that you think is tacky. I've watched a lot of people decorate homes, and through that I've seen a whole lot of good and a whole lot more bad. Here are some of the highlights:

Bad Trend #1: Chocolate and Aqua

Just. Plain. Tired.

Stick a fork in it, this color scheme is done. Over. Finished. About five years ago, this color scheme became really big, and for some reason, no one ever adopted another idea! The chocolate just shrinks a room to almost nothing, and the bland, muted blue that accompanies it does nothing to remedy that. Please, resist the urge to do the Brown & Blue and pick somthing lighter like...

Good Trend #1: All White

Good morning. From Garnet Hill.

This is a look that will absolutely never go out of style. There is something about an all white room from the walls to the sheets to the drapes that always looks crisp and clean. But an all white color scheme doesn't mean your room will lack personality. It just makes it easier to incorporate different textures like silk with cotton eyelet with linen and so on. Consistently chic.

Bad Trend #2: Bedroom or Dining "Suites"

So busy and yet so boring.

Just because a furniture company makes matching furniture does not mean you are required to buy it all and stick it in your room. Where's the personality in that? It may be more difficult to mix and match pieces yourself, but the result is so much more interesting. Leading me to...

Good Trend #2: Mix and Match Dining Chairs

Now it doesn't matter if they don't have 6 matching chairs! Picture from Domino.

I've seen a lot of this trend in magazines lately and it has totally inspired me! Rather than buying 6 or 8 of the same dining chair, scout out flea markets and antique shops for single chairs. You can get some that are all wood, some that have upholstered seats, some with wicker backs, whatever you want. Paint them all the same color and upholster the seats in the same fabric. Voila! Unique chairs that are unified.

Bad Trend #3: Elaborate Drapery Treatments and Bedding Sets

Hey honey! You in there?!

Too far. Just too far.

Here is my problem with the window treatments that have the panels + a swag + cascades, etc. The window disappears beneath the whole mess. Windows are there for a reason! To see out of! Now, here is my problem with matchy bedding sets. Don't you get tired of making a bed every morning with sheets + comforter + blanket + shams + pillows + throw pillows, etc.? I'm tired just thinking about it! It's time to simplify...

Good Trend #3: Simple Panels and Bedding Sets

So easy you could make them yourself. Or Pottery Barn could do it.

Now, isn't this a tad more inviting? From Dwell Studio.

At the very least, your husband will thank you for simplifying his sleeping process. Ditch the fringe trimmed pillows and dry clean only silk duvet. Go for some high thread count sheets and a cotton comforter. Throw on a couple pillows and you're all set. That is all you need! As for the drapes, why not put up a couple linen panels. Linen looks lovely in a drape, it's easier to clean than silk, and it doesn't rot in the sunlight like silk does. Your bedroom with go from frou-frou to casual chic in a flash.

Bad Trend #4: Silk Bedding for Baby

That's just wrong.

There are so many things wrong with this and I see it all the time. First of all, babies don't remember anything before age 4, so they won't appreciate the fine fabric. Second, silk bedding needs to be dry-cleaned. Babies get things dirty. Indiscriminately. A babies room can be adorable and functional at the same time...

Good Trend #4: Modern Baby Bedding

Your little princess would be more comfy in this. From Dwell Studio for Target.

You can move beyond the ducks and bunnies without upsetting the baby. I assure you of this. Dwell Studio for Target has proved it! They offer cute, modern printed cotton bedding for affordable prices. Truly a win-win situation. Except for the dry cleaner.

Bad Trend #5: Ready-made Slipcovers

Just as unflattering as wearing a burlap sack would be.

When you are in college and you need a solution for the ugly sofa that comes with your apartment, ready-made slipcovers are an acceptable option. When you are out of college, they are not. Slipcovers that aren't made for your sofa specifically are just sloppy. Not to mention the fact that they shift around everytime you sit on them. It's about time for an upgrade...

Good Trend #5: Upholstered Sofas That Can Be Slipcovered

Slipcovered and stylish. From Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

This is the best of both worlds. The slipcover can be thrown in the wash and protect against pet paws and kids' spills. The slipcover can then come off to show off a completely different sofa- free of stains. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams will soon offer that option with their Tyler collection. The options are endless!

French Decadence: Le BelleChasse

Hotel Le BelleChasse

I just flipped through the June issue of Metropolitan Home, when I landed on this page stopper. Number 49 on the Design 100 list was none other than Hotel Le BelleChasse. This immaculate hotel is located blocks from the Musee d'Orsay. The decor is seemlingly straight out of a Tim Burton movie. Fashion designer, Christian LaCroix, has created such a striking and diverse palette of imagery with antiques, contemporary art, playing cards, and Renaissance architecture. The colors, angles, textures, and styles are blended seamlessly to form a visual tour de force.

Who really thinks of incorporating insects and geometric shapes on wall paper? It works.

Beautiful pinks, blacks, and whites are taken straight from Lacroix's apparel fashion world.

There are so many rich visuals going on, yet there is an underlying calm to the room.

Clean, modern aesthetics combined with a Bohemian feel.

Gorgeous, velvet tufted chairs in the lobby.

I had to look twice to make sure the lush visuals were actually real! The mix and match dining chairs should be more utilized in the home decor world.

The illustrations do a wonderful job in capturing the exaggerated beauty of the hotel.

Store Display: Yellow Wall

Here is our latest store display located on the 3rd floor from our visual design team. The bold yellow color with the Hollywood Glam elements makes for a very striking statement.

The Bovary Dining Table has a patterned limestone top with antique brass legs.

When there are 15,000 fabrics to work with, it allows you the chance to put up gorgeous drapes wherever you want.

The Chandler Leather Sectional in a new, true white leather.

Undercover Decorator: Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore is a pretty good actor! Her body of work is quite diverse and highly acclaimed with four Oscar nominations to prove it. But her most unexpected role might just be "Interior Decorator". She's been featured in this month's Domino magazine. It highlights her working with a very modest $15,000 budget (at least for celebrity).

Before and After: Adding punches of color transforms the room from boring to chic.

Amazing what blue flooring can do for a space. Adding books always helps.

For some reason, everything becomes a little more glamorous with fur.

The Rochelle Sofa is a great mid-century modern furniture piece!

Before and After: Went from an Ikea Sofa to the Rochelle Sofa from Crate and Barrel.

When your acting career consists of over 50 movie roles, you'd be smiling too!

The HF List: High Point 2008: Best of the Rest!

For my final installment, I'd just like to show y'all a few things that really caught my eye. Market is a time when people bring out their best creations. For some companies, that is the new "It" sofa. For others, it is something creative and wacky that they just had to create. But whatever it is, market is a time for showing off. Here are my favorites:

I am obsessed with this ottoman. I know my Weekly Obsessions are usually things that I see in the store, but I am still obsessed with this ottoman- just from the pictures. It's the perfect size for coffee table use, the fabric is so cool and fresh in a vintage way, and the legs are the icing on the cake. I may have to hunt this one down if it doesn't come to our store.

Talk about urban cowboy. This rug is just awesome. Squares of hide patched together to create a hide over rug look. Pure genius.

I don't think this picture does this desk justice. But put this desk in a room with white walls and delicate slipcovered sofas and something magic happens. Great for a beach inspired home.

We already have a piece similar to this one in our store, but the antique white finish doesn't have the bang that the dark finish with pink interior piece does. You can even use this piece as an inspiration for something you already have.

Antiqued mirror is my best friend lately. I would love to put the Donnabella Chest in my entryway with this mirror over it. Too much? I think not.

While I wouldn't consider myself modern by any means, I love adding modern touches to my home and this light fixture would be a nice addition. It looks ethereal with the light streaming through the slits. Hot mod!

Domino's Top 10 Interior Decorators: Katie Stassi

Katie Stassi: Domino's Top 10 Designers in 2008

Katie Stassi was featured in the April issue of Domino as one of the top interior designers to keep your eye on. She also happens to reside in our very own Houston, Texas. Stassi only started her business 3 years ago by just helping some of her friends decorate their homes. Her business took off soon thereafter. She largely credits a higher source for her immense talents. "It was a gift from God," she says. "Some people can sing, some people can dance—I can decorate." Stassi's style is elegant and traditional combined with a minimalist twist.

The HF List: High Point 2008: Best of Occasional Tables

What is there to say about occasional tables? Do they rise to the occasion when they are needed for drink holding? Do they celebrate the occasion during the holidays? Do they occasionally bore you to death? These occasional tables certainly will not. Read on...

I think the reason I like so much is it reminds me of an antique fridge my parents have in their living room that is used as their liquor cabinet. It has a couple spaces for storing food and one small space on the bottom for a block of ice to keep the food cold. How cool! So anyways, this chest/armoire thing reminds me of that. When it came to our store, it turned out to be much larger than I expected, but it's adorable nonetheless.

I like the look of combining two materials into one piece like this inlaid coffee table. Two contrasting finishes mean a more versatile piece for you. And, while they shape itself is plain, the contrast adds interest.

Another piece I fell in love with when it arrived at our store. I just love the unique shape of the corner doors. This would be perfect for a large entryway or a dining room. Say goodbye to your boring rectangular buffet and bring this in...



Unless the rectangular buffet happens to be this! Mirrors make a buffet lively and make your room look larger by adding depth. Another vintage modern piece that strikes gold!

Speaking of vintage modern, the white laquered top on this bar table would be perfect if you're looking to inject a little 60's into your home. Personally, I've been hoping to find the perfect white laquered piece to bring into my eclectic apartment for a while now and this just might be it...
Or I could forgo that and bring this in! Now this is a well done ottoman. Ignore the fabric if you don't like zebra because you can choose from, like, a bajillion fabrics. The delicate turned legs, sophisticated tufting, and extra large size make it perfect for that boudoir you've been working on! I would lounge on it with one of those long cigarette holders in my mouth blowing smoke rings... if I smoked... which I don't because it's gross.

For the final installment: Best of the Random Things That Don't Really Have A Home, But Are Great Anyways And I Have To Show Them To You. (I'll think of an alternative title before I publish that one.)

How To: Shop For Leather Furniture

I'll be honest. Shopping for leather can be a daunting task. A leather sofa isn't just another sofa. It's an investment. However, if you shop smart, you can enjoy a piece that will last a lifetime. A prime example: my parents have had their leather sofa for over 20 years! While other sofas have come and gone, been recovered, and given to Goodwill, that leather set has stood the test of time.

The Vivian Sofa by American Leather

First of all, you should be prepared to pay more for a great leather sofa. Don't be lured in by promises of an $800 sofa. That is not a good deal! Why? Because it probably isn't constructed well and the leather itself is probably poor quality. Sometimes things are too good to be true. A good leather sofa that will last needs to be built well and covered with a good quality leather. Here are the things you should look for:

1. Full Top Grain Leather: This type of leather is the strongest, best quality you can get. That's why it's more expensive. It has natural markings on it's surface even if it's been aniline dyed. A sofa made of full top grain leather will last. What you don't want is a sofa made of split leather. The split is the underlayer of a cow's hide. It has no natural grain, so any markings will have been embossed. It is weaker and less durable than full top grain leather.

The Dexter Sofa by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

2. Aniline Dyed Leather: Aniline dyed means that the dye is dispersed throughout the entire hide. Translation: if you scratch a black sofa, the layer underneath will not be white- it will be black. Why is this important? Anyone with pets or kids (well, anyone) knows that leather will not remain untouched unless you cover it in plastic. Scratches happen. The best thing you can do is disguise them. What to avoid? Painted leather. Not only will it make you sweat (pores closed by paint won't let air circulate around your bum) but it will also show wear more quickly. That would be less bang for your buck.

3. Kiln Dried Hardwood Frames: Having the best leather in the world on your sofa won't mean a thing if the frame falls apart. Make sure your frames are kiln dried (meaning they suck out most of the moisture to stop your frame from rotting or warping) Hardwoods will last longer than softwoods (do I need to explain why).

4. Slipcovered Upholstery: I'm not saying your leather sofa should be slipcovered. Because that might be kinda weird. Great upholstery is put on using a slipcover technique. That means the manufacturer sews the upholstery like a slipcover and then slides it onto the sofa. It is then fixed to the bottom and voila! Your sofa. The pro to this method is that the seams will not break open like they do using the other method. That other method is closing the upholstery at the back seam using a tacking strip. Imagine spikes poking through your seams. Not awesome.

The Jonathan Lounge by Oly Studio

5. Padded Frames: There's nothing quite like using your knee to help you push a chair foward and having said knee poke right through the back of the chair. Awesome. Luckily, there is a simple cure for that. Make sure the entire from of the piece is padded. That means the frame is closed all over the piece and padding is attached to the frame. No gaping holes!

6. Quality Suspension: When you buy a piece of furniture as expensive as leather, you want it to last, right? Right. So make sure the suspension system will withstand all of the sitting, and getting back up, and flopping down, and kids jumping, and so on. There are a few options: Eight way hand tied has the popular vote. Many people are familiar with this kind of suspension and it certainly is high quality. Unidirectional webbing is another good option. High strength webbing is lined up front to back so when your pervy Uncle Lou sits next to you, you won't fall into his lap. You could also try sinuous spring suspension. Thick gauge S-shaped wires curve over seats and can definitely take a beating.

7. High Density, High Resiliency Foam Cushions: Sure, cushions can usually be replaced pretty easily, but why would you want to? Make sure the cushions used in your leather sofa are high density (meaning: more molecules packed into a smaller space) and high resiliency (meaning: the cushion will bounce back for a long time). Be careful when dealing with soy cushions. Some companies haven't gotten their mixture right and what was springy on day 1 will be flat by day 30. You'll want you cushions to last- especially if your sofa has a tight seat.

The Laguna Swoop Chair by Maria Yee

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.

Holiday Gift Ideas: New York Times 2007 Holiday Gift Guide

If you are like me, you are still waiting to buy your first gift this Holiday season. Well, I saw this inspirational list via the NY Times: 2007 Holiday Gift Guide. Here are some of my favorites from the list.



Anthropologie's Curator nightstand resembles a stack of frames; $698 from http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp. Great look. It's a subtle, statement piece that I think will add some punch to any room setting.



The Cat L.E.D. flashlight is $10 from https://www.mxyplyzyk.com/v03/index.htm. Everyone has a friend that's a cat-lover for life.


Wall O Photos holds 28 4-by-6-inch pictures. Everyone is always looking to add an element with some height in a room. The Wall O Photos accomplishes that and adds a very personal touch, with great interest. It's only $15. http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/index.jsp.



The Magnet Note Clock is $25 from http://www.uncommongoods.com/. This is for everyone that does not own a Palm Pilot and forgets to pick up loved ones at the airport.




The Coyote Fur Hammock is $8,225 at CITE, 131 Greene Street, (866) 764-0888. This hammock probably works better in Hamptons. But if anyone is looking to get on the good side of PETA, this is a decadent way to lounge around on a cool Sunday afternoon.



Inside Out liqueur glasses come in a set of two for $55 from http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/StoreCatalogDisplay_-1_10001_10451_. Unique look with a classic edge.



The Minnen rocking horse bench is $39.98 at http://www.ikea.com/. I've got a new nephew, so I'm definitely feeling this affordable/cute piece for the little one.


The Rise and Fall peacock pillow is $30 from http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/index.jsp. Peacocks are actually very aggressive birds. But the pillow, much like their real life counterpart, is a gorgeous piece.