April 30, 2011

Beverly Hills Condo Designed by Erinn Valencich

Interiors

This beautiful condo, designed by L.A.-based Erinn Valencich, a designer, stylist, and frequent television host, reveals how textures and subtle patterns can boost the character and warmth of modern rooms. Erinn designed the space for a newly married couple, who appreciate good design. “She loves soft colors, and a modern yet feminine approach with texture and subtle prints to bring some style and pizzaz into the space,” Erinn told me. “He is a furniture maker, so I designed nearly all the pieces and he built it all,” she says. Some of the pieces will be included in Erinn’s new Erinn V … Read Post

April 12, 2011

TradHome, a New Online Magazine, Launches Today

Interiors

If you like the online magazine Lonny and you also like the print magazine Traditional Home, then you’ll probably love TradHome, a new online hybrid of these two publications, which launches today. The editors of the new digital magazine call it their “love child” and say that it combines the style and imagination of both editorial teams to redefine tried-and-true traditional style. Here’s how they describe it: “It’s part Jamie Drake, part Dorothy Draper. Mid-century modern meets Rococo. Kelly Wearstler takes on Louis XVI.” With original content, TradHome’s first-ever digital issue highlights 20 trad designers the editors have been keeping … Read Post

March 6, 2011

Modern Classic Furniture at Good Prices

Interiors

If you live and California and you love modern furniture, you might want to stop into one of the Room Service stores in LA, Newport Beach or San Francisco. They’re having a sale on pillows,  lamps, home accents and custom furniture orders until 3/15. Even if you don’t live in California you can still take advantage of the sale by ordering online. To get a virtual tour of its stores, see a list of its celebrity clients or browse through its products—which range from new pieces to mid-century classics—visit its Web site.  Its idea gallery shows a wide range of … Read Post

December 9, 2010

Bespoke Bohemian: English Style with a (Rock Star’s Sentimental) Twist

Interiors

We’ve been fans of the music of Bryan Ferry since the Roxy Music days, so it’s not surprising that the living spaces in his London apartment would appeal to us, too. We saw these photos of his two-bedroom artist’s studio in the Chelsea area online earlier this week in a story that appeared in WSJ. Magazine. Written by Rita Konig and photographed by Alexia S, the piece offers a glimpse of the gentleman rocker’s digs, which prove that the urbane singer-song writer is as particular about crafting lovely living spaces as he is about making beautiful music. The light and airy … Read Post

September 1, 2010

Decorating Ideas That Ease the Transition from Summer to Fall

Interiors

Now that the unofficial end of summer is right around the corner, I’m starting to think about ways to ease the transition from one season to the next in my living room and terrace. I asked Susan Feldman, one of the founders of One Kings Lane, an online home furnishings resource, for ideas on keeping spaces comfy and beautiful as the days begin to shorten and cool off. Here are her tips: 1. Toss lightweight throws on chairs. “These are a must this time of year—my favorites are ultra-versatile Turkish textiles,” says Susan. “I tend to keep them draped on … Read Post

August 17, 2010

Chic and Affordable Organizing Systems

Interiors

So far, the most challenging of my home improvement projects has been the process of sifting through our closets and drawers and de-accessioning the things we no longer need. On the other hand, exploring the range of systems for better stowing the things we intend to keep has been fascinating. After looking into the organizing and storage options from several different companies, I’ve been amazed to see how many nooks and cubbies and hooks and drawers and built-in hangers and shelves there are in the world to choose from. And the range in prices for these storage elements is astounding, … Read Post

August 9, 2010

Living with Art

Interiors

My husband, Anil, and I are great art lovers—not so much from an academic perspective, it’s more of a visceral thing for us. In other words, we know what we like when we see it. Still, it’s always interesting to learn about the ideas behind good art, so we’re lucky to have Sundaram Tagore as our friend. Sundaram represents some of the most talented contemporary artists in the world and enriches us with a generous dose of culture whenever we see him. I don’t think I’d be happy without art in my home, so we’ve acquired some of our favorite … Read Post

August 6, 2010

Improving Sleep with the Right Mattress

Interiors

What a difference a mattress makes! Overnight, I went from tossing and turning on a mattress that was hard as a rock to slumbering like a baby on one that is soft as a cloud. I’m also pleased to report that Wish #1 on my Wish List has now been fulfilled thanks to Anthony Page, the creative owner of a mattress company in Massapequa Park called SleepWorks. My husband and I stopped there to test a NaturaWorld mattress we were interested in that was priced within our budget. The mattress we tried was made with layers of plant-based foam along … Read Post

July 28, 2010

Color Trends in the Home for 2011

Interiors

My choices in color for the home are rarely driven by trends, but I always love observing them anyway. They often reflect economic or global trends that help you see design within a larger context. And integrating a new color is one of the easiest ways to make a space look fresh. Since I’m in color consideration mode, I recently talked with Jackie Jordon, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, to get her take on the colors she sees coming into the fore next year. Here’s part of our conversation: Jean: Which colors or color combinations do you see emerging in … Read Post

July 22, 2010

Using Color to Create Character in a Room

Interiors

Since I’m on the verge of repainting several rooms in my home, I’ve been thinking a lot about color lately. I’ve also been talking to a lot of color experts to get their insights on how they use it to create a mood and enhance the character of a room. When designer Nestor Santa Cruz showed me this room in a home he designed in Washington D.C., which appeared in Elle Décor last year and was just republished in a Portuguese magazine called Casa Claudia, I asked him to share his thoughts on how the color scheme evolved. Here’s a … Read Post