Hey! You! Get off of my cloud!

After using one of these indoor/outdoor ceramic stools as a side table in a project for Ye Olde Dayjobbe, I've been obsessed with the celestial cloud pattern:

And check this out--they're even availble in lamp form from Arteriors! I'm dying to use these in some project, whether for Retrograde or Ye Olde Dayjobbe:

Chalk it up to collective consciousness or subliminal marketing, but I'm really digging the clouds for this spring and summer.

(And remember to stick with a designer, either me or one of my colleagues to the right. We can save you money on purchasing, and in some cases like the Arteriors lamps, you can only get them through us or the trade!)

Check out this hotel in Taiwan that's taken the clouds to a more modern form:

This is how we do it...

Alrighty, after last week's birthday shenanigans, I'm back to the regular postings!

I've been working with a great new client, figuring out her style and helping her get rid of a bunch of hand-me-down pieces she's been living with for the past few years. However, there were several hand-me-downs that were actually family heirlooms which neither of us would ever consider throwing out!

The bedroom is filled with these huge antiques, which have been passed down several generations:

How to break it up and make it feel less formal? It all comes back to the balance that I use in my Retrograde work.

Step 1: Add some fun bedding.

This bedding from Dwell Studio is grounded in a formal European floral/animal pattern, but is also incredibly bright and colorful and really packs a punch.

Step 2: Mix it up. With the bed furniture pretty much set, the only way to balance out the heavy wood pieces was with bedside tables and lamps. In all three options below, you'll see some combination of contemporary and formal, with most of the traditional shapes re-imagined in modern materials or colors. 

Option 1 features inexpensive lamps in a traditional shape but also a shocking pink color, combined with nesting tables made out of clear plexiglass.

Option 2 features nightstands made of foxed mirror (which is a really traditional finish) in a really clean, modern shape. The lamps are playful plexiglass takes on rococo-style lamps.

Option 3 combines super-modern wall sconces with a ghostly floating table made of clear plexiglass.

Why so much plexiglass, you may ask? Yeah, each option features it, and I thought of using it in all three options in order to lighten up the space visually and to provide an ultra-modern foil to the carved wood bed and dresser. Maybe I read too many Wonder Woman comics when I was a kid, but I also like to think of it like the Invisible Jet--functional and totally rad all at the same time.

Anyhow, it all comes down to balance, balance, balance. It's the key to so many designs. This is how we do it, people.

Come to my window...

Quick post this week seeing as how I was so busy at Ye Olde Dayjobbe last week, shipping things out for the One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sale. I'm telling you--this sale has killed me! Guess who had to ship out all those bolts of fabric and small accessories that sold?

That's right--me.

Anyhow, whenever I was feeling stressed out between OKL and a new commercial project at work, I just took a moment to enjoy the view out my kitchen window:

The yellow flowers, the plum trees, and the lemon tree remind me that spring is around the corner and that I shouldn't worry so much.

If you've been as stressed out as me, just take a minute to enjoy your local scenery too!

Like four seasons in one day...

The cold weather and rain of the past few days has forced me to stay and--what else?--play around with my living room.

Just a reminder to keep experimenting with what you have. When you're cleaning up and dusting, take a moment to rearrange things. A change is always good!

Four years ago:

Last year:

A few months ago:

And this weekend: 

I love the David Hockney portrait I got from Wayne Pate!

And I also love the corbels I got from Accident and Artifact (from an old Japanese temple). That shop really is like Indiana Jones's private study or den...

I even switched out the London bus blind in the entry for a smaller grouping of pieces:

I found the vintage Chinatown illustration at Thrift Town in the Mission (there's a companion piece depicting Nob Hill, too!)

One room, done four ways. See what you can do on a cold afternoon!

She bop

So while I was in New York last week I snapped some pics of the East Village apartment I helped refresh.

Yes, there are a lot of recognizable CB2 pieces and such, but there are also quite a few new affordable handmade accessories and art from Brooklyn Flea, which is just rad.

The point of it all? JUST DO IT--do something if you want to add a little pizzaz to your space. I keep telling everyone I work with that their spaces should reflect their personalities. Well, now this New York pad looks much more like the spirited young lady who lives there. With just a few trips to a couple of places (and some professional painting), we were able to add some color and life to her apartment rather quickly.

So here's a before and after of the living room:

And here's another before and after:

And here's the bedroom (the bars will come off the windows soon...promise!):

Color...pattern...bold prints in a small space...New York iconoclasts...of course Cyndi Lauper would be something of an inspiration!

Girls just wanna have fun...

Quick post this week--remember how last November I popped over to New York to help redecorate an East Village apartment? Check out the before pics:

The "afters" will follow next week! Stay tuned...

Wrap it up, I'll take it...

Everyone around me knows I was slammed with this rush project at Ye Olde Dayjobbe for the past few weeks. Friends of current clients asked my bosses if we could design their luxury high-rise apartment in 3.5 weeks.

!!!!

Did I mention that their friends' home took us 3.5 years??

But we rose to the challenge and made it happen. I worked weekends and several 12-hour days last week, and we managed to fill an apartment twice the size of mine. From scratch. So what's the lesson this week? Hiring a designer can help you get things done--fast. We worked closely with the contractors to ensure the minor renovations and changes were done on time. We rushed custom furniture pieces and shopped like crazy to find vintage items that gave the place personality. And we had access to the showrooms filled with unique high-end pieces.

Everyone who reads this blog knows that I love my mass-market retailers. They've really stepped up the game on their stuff over the years. But cruising around the showrooms and working with skilled craftsmen (upholsterers, refinishers, and furniture makers) this past month really introduced me up to whole new level of quality.

And you know what? Working with a designer can save you from sticker shock.

Take this ceramic garden stool, for instance:

 

The size is perfect for a side table next to a chair. It's sturdy, yet looks organic and delicate. Of course my designer discount would save you a few bucks in person here, and you could find it even cheaper online here. But when I was at the Design Center I found it on the floor of a showroom for less than half of either of those prices! (It was ordered by someone else by mistake and ended up on display. The showroom was eager to get rid of it to make way for newer merchandise.)

I wouldn't have stumbled on this bargain had I not been in the showrooms shopping for some custom fabrics!

So if you have a chance to work with a designer (hopefully me ;^) rest easy knowing that it's our job to hunt high and low for you. And if you can't hire a designer? Make friends with one--I've been helping a friend re-do his bathroom and getting him the fixtures and materials for far less than retail prices. Why? Because I like a challenge...I like furthering relationships with vendors and showrooms...I like being able to cut loose on designs that might not make it at Ye Olde Dayjobbe...

...And most importantly, I'm a nice person, dammit!

Designer will do just about anything to help you improve your home. We do it out of love! Or maybe some crazy obsession...