Emily: Wall inspirations

Le Owner: What I'm Reading

I'm totally, totally madly in love with Making It Lovely....such sweet style.



Amazing little design selections (like the one above!), real time home renovation updates, and a generally lovely design aesthetic make this blog so enjoyable to read!

Le Owner: Library Living Room Revisited!

Remember this one? Oh, Library Living Room....

Everything but the sofa has arrived, so I thought I'd give a sneak peek of what's been installed so far.


LA poster by Ork, framed to resemble the Salon Chair....vintage wood frame was stripped and painted glossy black (I love the old/new effect) and matted in super modern citrus yellow to tie back to the CB2 arc lamp.


Another shot of similar. Jack, the cat, seems to love the chair as much as we do.


Details (more to come): Law books for the law professor, hand carved folk art, framed Cosby family, natch.

Up next....shutters for the windows? Pillows for the sofa?

Le Owner: Buh Bye Domino

It is bleak and rainy here in NYC, the ground covered with last night's dirty, wet snow. I was already off to a slow start today, feeling less than inspired. And then news came via text that Domino, the bible of fresh, young, design has been closed. I've heard the rumours for months now, each time thinking it must be a joke. This time, it is real.

I've never loved a magazine more. I remember being at my first design job when they opened, a place frequently mentioned between the glossy pages of Domino.I remember feeling elated when it arrived monthly at my doorstep. I actually used those stupid post-it style tabs to mark ideas, objects, and designs that inspired.

I fucking loved Domino.

Emily: Fireside Folly

This morning I am not feeling all that well, so one of my first tasks of the day was to make a fire, and now I am tending it every few minuets to ensure that it lasts all day.

There are few companions better than a fire that pops and cracks and hisses. Here are some images of fireside vignettes from my inspiration binder.

Emily: Carolyn Quartermaine

These images are from the French home of designer Carolyn Quartermaine as seen in Vogue Living Australia, which costs me a fortune but is worth every penny. I love how feminine and serene her home is without having a "shabby chic" (or as my mom call is "sh*tty chic"...) look or feel. And that pink plastic tray on top of the Saarinen table reminds me of my childhood and the sweet smell of pink plastic goodies from the Sanrio store (before Hello Kitty items were sold at Target - wait...also before Shabby Chic items were at Target as well!)

Le Owner: Totally Right On.

Their copy really says it best:
"When you feel extra crafty and need to be reminded that this year is the most important one of many, this stamp will clear your muddled thoughts. Bailout - Wham! Obamad! Madoff - Wham! Obamad! Iraq - Wham! Bam! Obamad! Stamp it around and have his head fill your dreams and your and everyone else's visions. Funky with rainbow ink."

Yeah....totally.

Le Owner: In the Mood....

I don't normally decorate SITE for holidays other than The Big Holiday- Christmas. This year, for some insane reason, I decided to put in a Valentine window, and I'm glad I did...I love the way it looks. A good window is something I certainly have been learning (slowly)- it's not something that comes intuitively to me. Oh, the lessons: Groups of color always look good together. Layers of heights are a must. The window will ALWAYS take more product to look great than you might think (i.e. buy more!)

So for now, I get to gaze upon my fluffy pink ground cover and glittering butterflies that hang delicately from the ceiling. I might have to rethink this whole "Christmas only" approach to windows.

I'm madly in love. I've never loved a home renovation so much!! Total perfection. More here.

Le Owner: New White House Decorator!

So, it’s official….the Obamas have selected Michael S. Smith as the new White House decorator. I won’t deny, my lack of enthusiasm over this choice (he’s certainly no where near the top of my list of amazing designers in the world) but I can understand why it happened. Smith’s attention to detail is superb, his use of materials is fantastic, and his classic English inspired interiors are warm, comfortable, and dare I say it? Boring.

Some more likeable/classic Michael S. Smith designs: