Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Saint Patty's Green by designvignettes featuring layered jewelry

SIKA BOUTIQUE — Green Birds Shirt Dress
£89 - boutique.sikadesigns.co.uk

Manolo Blahnik leather shoes
$745 - barneys.com

Bangles jewelry
$19 - lulus.com

David Aubrey layered jewelry
$165 - simplysoles.com

geobloom rug in rugs/pillows | CB2
cb2.com

John-Richard Collection Green & White Faux Flowers
$310 - neimanmarcus.com

1STDIBS.COM - Assemblage Ltd. - Italian Green & Parcel Gilt Carved...
1stdibs.com

Bilbao Green Tumbler
£4 - habitat.co.uk

Crave Cookies and Cupcakes - Lemon-Lime Twist
$1.75 - cravecupcakes.ca

Set of 9 Assorted Moss Covered Balls
$15 - crateandbarrel.com

Mad for Mid-Century Modern

Do you love Mad Men style decorating? I am really starting to appreciate the clean lines and cool vintage vibe. I recently wrote a series of posts featuring this Mid-Century Modern design aesthetic. Check them out on the Alluminare design blog.

• Can Mid Century Modern design be youthful?

• Inviting Mid Century Modern to dinner.

• A Mid Century Modern Inspired Living Room


Where do you like to shop for Mid Century Modern?

How I spent my snow day

Cover of Rue Magazine, Jan./Feb. 2011

After waking up yesterday to 9 more inches of snow having been added over night to the four foot high snow banks that are already narrowing the streets of our little town, I had to smile knowing that there was nothing I could do but grab a cup of coffee (or two) and enjoy the latest issue of Rue Magazine which was hot off the virtual presses.

I love the life-with-intention entrepreneurial spirit of
Jess Constable from jewelry design company Jess LC

Anishka Clarke of Ishka Designs and I sat in the same row in the
studio audience at the Nate Berkus Show back in September.



As usual, this issue of Rue is filled with stellar photography including this sunny vignette in the home of Susanna Salk who among other creative projects is a contributing editor to one of my favorite design series, Style Compass on 1st Dibs.

Being able to soak up the 200+ pretty pages of stylish interiors, fashion and pure fun that is Rue more than made up for missing a couple of looked-forward-to design field trips that I had to reschedule as a result of having a house full of children spending their snow day at home with me.

Although technically they spent most of their time outside with Mother Nature, while I watched from the warmth of my at-home-office window.

When you have some free time, be sure to take a look at Rue for yourself. And if you like Rue, you will love hearing the voices of co-founders Crystal Gentilello and Anne Sage as they share the process behind the creation of Rue with the ladies of The Skirted Roundtable (click here for podcast).

Seeing that I am also partnering on the design of a new digital magazine with my friend Linda (inspired as I have mentioned before by Rue, Lonny and the others who have paved the way for social media publications) I was quite interested in hearing how Anne and Crystal took a leap of faith together in order to follow their passions and create the job of their dreams.

Listening to them discuss candidly what it took to traject their careers to the next level, reminded me of the time when I left my steady but predictable full-time graphic design position to pursue a more varied design career as a freelancer. I was barely 25 at the time, but I figured I knew enough to make it on my own. And you know what? I did just fine.


Here is to taking that leap of faith, Act II : )

x

Check out my Act III here

Room as artist's canvas ...

Michelle Nussbaumer’s work as featured on 1st Dibs,
photograph by Miguel Flores-Vianna


“I see myself as an artist and the client’s home is my canvas and all the furniture, antiques, textiles and artwork are my palette.”– Michelle Nussbaumer

One of the design themes of my space at the upcoming North Shore Design Show: Favorite Spaces is how decorating a room is just like creating a work of art. Colors, textures and objects combine to paint an emotional picture. A lot of designers feel this way. Take a look at this 1st Dibs interview with Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie where she expresses the same sentiment. While you are there, check out the impressive list of Style Compass interviews with top designers and trend setters, some of whom I have met in my travels like Iris Apfel, Barclay Butera, Nate Berkus, and Kathryn M. Ireland. Plus there are lots of inspiring stories (with amazing photos!) from other prominent decorative artists, many of whom I would love to meet in the future ... wouldn’t you?!