The editors of D Home are hiding out at top secret location to discuss, plan, and brainstorm the next few issues of the magazine. That means we won’t be on the blog today and tomorrow. We will miss you. However, we’ll be back Friday with Monica’s Five Things and some design scoop from Joslyn. In the meantime, satiate your design needs with our Pinterest page. We’re doing some good work. So good that we’re up to 95,000-plus followers. Or, check out our new D Weddings site. Not planning a wedding? You can still get inspired with the inspiration gallery chock full of floral and decor ideas.
One editor dreams of making the perfect ice cream. I dream of eating it. Every night. It’s a problem. But, seriously, how cute are these ceramic ice cream dishes from Anthroplogie? They are new to the website (I haven’t seen them in stores, have you?) and when I spotted them today I had to share. Kiddos will find the waffle bowl and old-fashioned ice cream cone shapes fun. Adults like the way it looks. A win/win? Yes. Chose from red, blue, or yellow. They are dishwasher safe. Ice cream cone and waffle dish are $6. Don’t forget the scoop.
By Hilary Walker
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The past several months have been a blurred frenzy of work, and I’ve been in desperate need of restful moments. Like, for instance, a hot cup of tea with a friend. And, you know what? That’s exactly what I finally did a few weeks ago.
Now, before I get into the benefits of entertaining house guests with tea, I should pause to share just what it is that’s been keeping me so busy. It involves interior design, a tad bit of fashion, and people with really great style… right up your alley, I know!
For the past 6 months I’ve been preparing to launch a new blog. If you follow me on Hilary Inspired, you’ll soon discover Our Style Stories, a new online venture all about the connection between a person’s style and their story via profiles, interviews, and home features. Needless to say, I’ve been meeting a lot of very creative, inspiring folks along the way!
D Home intern Monica Lake is hitting up her favorite local home/gift/accessories stores with her shiny new Canon 6D (a recent college graduation gift) in tow. She’ll shop the store, snap some pictures, and report her five favorite things. Stay tuned each Friday (the office was closed last Friday, so we’re playing catch up today) for her picks. For her second post in the series, she shops Napa Home for the perfect housewarming gifts.
By Monica Lake
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Summer is in full swing and ‘tis the season to be moving. Maybe that house next door finally sold or your best friend decided that she needed something bigger, but either way you know you need to find a housewarming gift that will score you an invite for some margs by her new pool this summer.
If you want to make a statement bigger than a mediocre plate of brownies that will undoubtedly go stale, but a statement smaller than a new puppy, pop into Napa Home on Oak Lawn for the perfect housewarming gift. Jump for the details. (more…)
White perfection in Josh and Meredith Needleman’s home as seen in D Home’s March/April 2013 issue. Photo by Stephen Karlisch.
Every designer has that “perfect” white paint color that they turn to time and time again. It looks great in every light, it doesn’t show pink, and it is the right backdrop no matter what color/style your accessories and furniture. So I’m asking you, reader. What is your tried-and-true white? China White from Benjamin Moore? Gauzy White by Sherwin Williams? Or maybe it’s Cornforth White by Farrow & Ball. I would love to hear your thoughts – drop a comment below! (I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jotting down this research for selfish reasons. I’ve been running around town with paint samples in every shade of white you can imagine. I’m all sorts of confused. If it has a grey undertone, even better.)
It’s Friday. You know what that means. It’s time for ID Collection’s Jim Williamson to enlighten us. It feels like summer is officially here, which means that you can now expect to continuously sweat for the next four months. This weather make you feel like you are wearing one your grandmother’s 18-hour girdles while encased in a 100-precent polyester pantsuit, pantyhose, and an Eva Gabor wig. (No, I have never donned such an outfit. I just have a very active imagination.) It doesn’t make things better when your friends and clients post pics of themselves departing in their private jets to villas in Capri or St. Tropez. But someone has to live the good life, and it might as well be them. Plus, we get to decorate those jets, villas, and floating palaces, so we are definitely not complaining.
Aside from having a serious case of vacation envy, this week has been kind of crazy. It started with a cocktail party on a Monday night (those always throw me) at the home of design doyenne Michelle Nussbaumer. It was fun to see Auntie Michelle and other friends and clients, as well as some fabulous Chopard jewels on display for the evening. I tried to hint to Magneto (I am still trying out nicknames for my significant other. I had to reject “Hercules” and “Zeus,” for obvious reason. But keep the suggestions coming.) that a particular watch would make an excellent Father’s Day gift to me from the “children.” He was like, “Okay but then I get the vintage Rolex I want from the ‘children’ for Father’s Day. “ That was the end of that conversation.
I have been meeting with lots of manufacturers—some old, some new. One new addition, Casamance, has never been shown in Texas, so we are super excited to welcome them here. It is a great looking fabric line, and the vice president of the company is one charming Frenchman. Every woman and half the men have already instantly fallen in love. Once you see the new line, I am sure you will fall in love, too.
So today, as I finish moving literally hundreds of pieces furniture around, I will be thinking of all the fun others are having during this long, hot summer. I will also be testing out cocktail recipes for Magneto’s infamous Fourth of July party, so I do have that to look forward to. Whether you are on a yacht, a cot, or just running around your block, I hope you have an amazing weekend. And don’t forget about Father’s Day! Chances are he does not want that tie you are thinking about—nor does he want that cologne or the socks or underwear. It’s Father’s Day! He’s not going away to camp, so don’t shop for him like you’re his mother! I suggest you head to Craft & Growler and buy a refillable beer container. Dad will like it.
Happy Friday!
Sorry for the fuzzy snap, but a friend sent this pic over this morning, and I was so taken by the goodness that is that cluster-o-hanging chairs that I had to share.
Said sea of chair awesomeness is happening at Zuri, and each one runs $699 — a steal when you consider the countless minutes of mellow, backyard relaxation you’ll get in return. (At least that’s what I’m going with.)
Happy shopping!
Our fearless “feathering your first nest” contributor, the lovely Hilary Walker, is here this week to talk about how we can make our chores infinitely more stylish…Here’s what she has to say.
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What are some typical common traits of first homes? Small square footage? Sure. How about small budget? Yep. Probably even lack of housekeeping help? Well, duh! If this isn’t your situation, then you may be able to disregard this post. But for those of you in similar circumstances, heed the following. Attractive cleaning supplies will change your life! Sort of. Let me explain.
By stepping up your game in the design department of your cleaning supplies, you’ll do the following incredibly beneficial things:
- 1. Make the idea of cleaning literally more attractive.
- 2. Allow yourself the freedom to store cleaning supplies in semi-plain sight (due to the fact that they’re not terribly ugly).
- 3. Save money on house cleaning because that’s all you’ll want to do all day long!
Wisteria asked three lovely D Home contributors – market editor Joslyn Taylor, associate creative director Jamie Laubhan-Oliver, and staff photographer Elizabeth Lavin – to pull, style, and edit a vignette for the local home goods company’s website. The task? Pull furniture and accessories from the product line to create a room they’d want to live in. The result? From Joslyn: “A moody, sophisticated loft for an artist in New York.”
I’m sure you’re wondering how exactly they pulled it off. For starters, the three type-A creatives pulled together inspiration pictures and collaborated on the vibe of the room. They worked for a week flushing out room dimensions, looking at paint samples, and pulling accessories and art from their own homes to compliment the aesthetic of Wisteria’s furniture. On installation day, the trio styled bookshelves, added their personal touches (a lamb fur throw, for instance), and created their masterpiece in three hours. That’s quite a feat for three distinctive personalities and visions. “We didn’t even kill each other at the end,” says Joslyn.
You can shop most of the items here. The sunburst sconce is mine, all mine.
Bull, 2011, by John Adelman. Gel ink on paper. Available at Holly Johnson Gallery.
We’re on deadline. I feel like I say that a lot, and it sounds like I’m trying to be fancy, but I promise, there is nothing fancy about me today. I’m wearing a hoodie (it’s FREEZING in here) and my bangs are in a horrible barrette—let’s just say things are not good for me today. But on a happy note, I wrote a story about a very cool space at the Ashton, which will appear in our July/August issue. The residence is filled with super cool art, including a piece by John Adelman. Are you looking for distraction? I can help. You can go to Holly Johnson Gallery’s page and check out some of Adelman’s work. I recommend eating candy while you peruse.
Anglophiles bust out your calendars, and mark off 3-5 p.m. this Saturday, as you don’t want to miss Timothy Oulton’s afternoon tea celebrating the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Bonus: Wile you’re partaking in some wee sandwiches and a spot of Earl Gray, you can take advantage of the store-wide 20% off sale running from June 15-July 15 and snap up, say, a union jack pillow (or three).
Happy shopping.
Charles and Pat McEvoy’s playroom as seen in D Home’s May/June 2013 issue. Designed by Dan Nelson. Photo by Nathan Schroder. Styled by Jenny O’Connor.
Readers with children and/or grandkids, I’m talking to you today. How many of you have a designated playroom area for kiddo’s stuff? My little one is 16 months, and we’re starting to amass an outrageous amount of “things.” It has me heavily thinking about the mass consumption/waste issue. To be honest, I’ve never been one for buying things that I didn’t really need. I’m not saying I don’t like nice things, but we use just about everything in our house (aside from a few wedding gifts like crystal and china that were given to us by close friends and family members.) My husband and I’s closets are always heavily edited (and by edited I mean I make us throw things out we haven’t worn in a year. I take no prisoners.) But, when you have a child, that practice is hard to maintain. Disney, Fisher Price, plastic, clutter – it’s all happening and it’s driving me a little bonkers.
So, all that being said, I’m rethinking my playroom and toy strategy. If I could do it all over again, I’d only purchase wooden toys, books, and imaginative play/art toys. My daughter tends to gravitate towards her Melissa & Doug puzzles and stacks of books, anyway. Is it selfish to only want to stock toys that not only have an educational value, but look good, too? I’m taking Pat and Charles’ playroom from the May/June 2013 issue of D Home as inspiration. An art table, easel, toy trucks, and wooden blocks are the main event, with FLOR carpet tiles, fruit stools, and a Scott + Cooner sofa as the backdrop. The toys coexist with modern design and art, and I don’t spy one plastic, flashing, singing toy in the bunch.
Very little makes me happier than some post-swim al fresco dining on our little patio (the swim is essential as, pending there’s a light breeze, having a little water on your skin keeps you cool even when it’s a blistering 100 degrees outside, but I digress). And while eating outside in and of itself is a decidedly magical enterprise, I’m constantly in search for hurricanes, cafe lights, and the like to give the meal even more ambiance.
So when an email featuring these little handmade rice paper lanterns from the beach-centric, outdoor living aficionados at Calypso Home showed up in my inbox this morning, I snapped them up tout de suite. My only regret is that I didn’t buy more (at $15 for a set of six, they would make perfect summer hostess gifts). Lucky for me, the Calypso site is just a click away.
Happy shopping.
Hi. It’s Friday. I’m on deadline. So I will keep this short and sweet. Here’s ID Collection’s Jim Williamson with his musings. I’m back from my first trip to Vegas. You heard me. I have never been to Vegas. Technically, I had a layover on a flight from hell in Las Vegas, but that doesn’t count. So seeing as this was my first trip and also my first anniversary, I had visions of dancing the night away in some huge, over-the-top club and strolling into the hotel the next morning still dancing and feeling the buzz of Vegas. Now me dancing the night away might seem strange to some, but in all reality, it isn’t that strange.
Back in the early 1990s, on a visit to San Francisco, I somehow end up at this huge underground club, the name of which changed weekly. At some point, and I am certain those Jell-O shots had absolutely nothing to do with it, I wound up on top of this giant box where I proceeded to knock the dancer off with some crazy hip thrusting move. I took over his job for the rest of the night. I am glad this was prior to iPhones.
On the day of my arrival in Vegas, I had those dreams of recreating my Salt-n-Pepa moves on the dance floor. So it only figures that Montezuma would choose that day as a good time to seek revenge. How is it that exactly one year earlier, when I arrived in NYC to a surprise marriage proposal at Cartier on Fifth Avenue, I had the worst case of food poisoning ever? I am now beginning to think am I allergic to big events including anniversaries. Or perhaps this is the time of year when my body decides to put me on a cleanse against my will.
English Mastiff Augustus makes himself at home in the nursery of Lauren and Andrew Blake’s home. Designer Leigh Taylor went to work creating a Palm Springs-inspired oasis. Photography by Aimee Herring.
How’d I get from here to here? That’s the beauty of the internet. And Pinterest. I was perusing the “Crazy Awesome Rooms” on the D Home Pinterest page. I stopped in my tracks when I saw the Palm Beach-inspired nursery from Lauren and Andrew Blake’s M Streets abode, which was featured in the July/August 2011 issue of D Home. As I was reading the lovely story written by Laura Kostelny, I copy and pasted this URL in my browser. I’ve been looking at murals for the past twenty minutes, and I’m only on the tenth page of 52.
You too can get lost in the interwebs if you join our Pinterest page. You never know where you will end up.
