California Cool: #BlogTourLA Revisited

#BlogTourLA design bloggers at WestEdge Design Fair:

Geraldine Tan, Gudy Herder and Ronique Gibson

In honor of #TBT (Throw Back Thursday) I am reminiscing about my October visit to sunny Los Angeles with my design blogging friends from #BlogTourLA. One of the highlights of our Modenus sponsored trip was checking out the inaugural opening of the WestEdge Design Fair in Santa Monica. We also toured a wealth of West Coast design destinations including the studio and boutique of designer Kelly Wearstler, fab shops in the La Cienga Design Quarter, plus numerous art studios and design industry showrooms. There was a lot to love!

Below are my favorite snapshots from the trip that capture a dozen design trends that are currently in fashion:

Malachite

Lighting that Shines

Vintage Glamour

Bright Colors

Nature Inspired

Reclaimed Materials

Industrial Design

Geometric Patterns

Organic Sculpture

Rock + Roll Edgy

Succulents

Brass

faucets as art: Gessi Goccia on display at

Snyder Diamond Los Angeles showroom

Will Taylor of Bright Bazaar and Ashlina Kaposta of the Decorista

visiting Gessi at WestEdge Design Fair with #BlogTourLA

Brass lav faucet from Gessi at WestEdge Design Fair

Natural Curiosities design studio

monarchs as art via Natural Curiosities

vintage screen at Dragonette Ltd.

colorful dinnerware at Heath Ceramics

design bloggers getting cozy at the WestEdge Design Fair:

Veronika Miller, Emily Anderson, Cheryl Kees-Clendendon, Andie Day, myself

honey comb sculptural lighting by Patrick Weder

vintage dining featuring custom wallpaper and brass accents

at Dragonette Ltd.

lighting by Apparatus at WestEdge Design Fair

lighting by David Trubridge at WestEdge Design Fair

furnishings from BDDW at WestEdge Design Fair

unique lighting design from Zia Priven at WestEdge Design Fair

industrial lighting at Lamps Plus

pattern and texture at Mecox Gardens

bright and bold leathers from Moore and Giles at WestEdge Design Fair

repurposed Dhurrie handbag at Will Leather Goods

succulent gardens outside Sherle Wagner on La Cienga Boulevard

sidewalk succulent garden

succulents with orchids

Geraldine Tan, Mindy Miles Greenberg, and Lynn Byrne

relaxing on set at WestEdge Design Fair

colorful mix and match lighting at Lamps Plus

vintage pattern play at Dragonette Ltd.

Kelly Wearstler designed accents: ceramic, brass and stone

brass accents and grand scale in the conference room at Kelly Wearstler studios

photo op with Krista Nye Schwartz, Kelly Wearstler, Tami Ramsay

Marble Kiss on brass etagere at Kelly Wearstler’s LA boutique

ALWAYS IN FASHION ...

friendship, champagne, sunshine

apres shopping at Kelly Wearstler boutique:

Susan Serra, Will Taylor, Cheryl Kees-Clendendon

macaroons and champagne served at Dragonette Ltd.

Lynn, Emily, Gudy, Ronique, myself, Geraldine, Mindy

Krista,Will, and Tami enjoying a West Coast sunset

Click below to discover the design trends that Modenus

and BlogTour have seen lately. Since my #BlogTourLA trip, they have gone to Vegas, New York and most recently Milan!

{updates from Modenus BlogTour}

Get the Look: HGTV Smart Home 2014

kitchen pictures from HGTV Smart Home 2014

The latest HGTV Smart Home was introduced this week online. I’m super excited about it because custom designs from Bassett Furniture are featured throughout this Nashville based home. The pieces are fun and functional, dressed in rich colors and fabulous patterns. A lot of the accent pieces are from the HGTV Home collection which is manufactured by Bassett. Take the virtual tour online and then come visit me in Burlington to get the look for your own home. Below are some of my favorite Bassett pieces from the HGTV Smart Home’s great room.

P.S. The Smart Home has some great examples of stylish and dramatic draperies. Custom windows available via Bassett.

custom Counter Stool

with geometric print fabric

custom Counter Saddle Stool

in Dolphin paint finish

great room pictures from HGTV Smart Home 2014

Premier Custom Sofa with blue velvet fabric

and geometric pattern accent pillows

extra large Custom Ottoman in maize fabric

What is your favorite room in this year’s HGTV Smart Home?

Get the Look: Spring Styled at Glen Magna

Flowers by Karla Cassidy Design

Room by Yvonne Blacker Interiors

Styled. Home Design Series

Glen Magna Farms, Danvers

Last weeks #SpringStyled event at Glen Magna Farms in Danvers was so much fun! After designing The Lounge, Powder Room and Hallway for the Holiday Show House in December, it was a special treat to be able to return to re-style the rooms for spring. This time around I brought select pieces from the Bassett Furniture Design Studio to infuse my traditional spaces with a modern freshness.

Below are links to the art, custom upholstery, pillows, and accent pieces that I had on display along with the other elements from the holiday show that are now a permanent part of each room. If you would like to see any of these spring accessories in person, stop by the Burlington Bassett location on Middlesex Turnpike. Let me know if you are planning a visit and I will set aside time to give you a studio tour. And if you are looking for a pretty spot to host your next event, contact Heather King at Glen Magna Farms to see the lovely rooms of this historical mansion in person. The gardens are beautiful in the spring!

Aves 25 Giclee

from Bassett

lighting from Lucia Lighting

photography by Elizabeth Wertz

custom ottoman from Bassett Furniture

{customize your own}

For the holiday show, I had a couple Glen Magna estate pieces revitalized with a white pearlescent-finish Chalk Paint from Annie Sloan and reupholstered with a durable, sparkling champagne colored fabric from Kravet. Chair reupholstered by Home Decor Group. Chalk painted finish courtesy of Maison Decor. Pink velvet pillow with Greek Key from Bassett. 

fabric selections from Bassett

wallpaper from Farrow & Ball

carpet from Landry and Arcari

More fun accessories from

Bassett in Burlington ...

Discoveries Iridescent Beige Pedestal

Zen Gray/Natural Pillow

Nouveau Pillow with Beading

Custom Dining Counter Saddle Stool in Mist

also available in Turquoise Enamel,

Newport Navy and lots more colors

Aprilyn, Stephanie and Jessica from Bassett

A recent “paint night” canvas of mine made it on the spring styled book shelves. My instructor was Mary Taggart of TaggArt Studios who painted the birch tree mural in the powder room (this surprise mural was an all-around show house favorite!)

Powder room mural by Mary Taggart

{more about the powder room here}

photo credit Mary Barthelmes

There is still time to take home a bit of #SpringStyled inspiration to feather your own nest. Enter now to win the $4,500 Home Improvement Sweepstakes via Coastal Windows and Exteriors. It includes an in-home design consult from me, along with great giveaways from the other local home improvement experts from the Spring Styled Series. Deadline to enter is March 31st.

{enter to win here}

{more photos from the SpringStyled Event here}

A special thanks goes to Stephanie Vanderbilt and Julie Fairweather for coordinating this first event of the Styled Series!

{stay tuned for more here}

You are Invited: The Styled Series March 12th

I am heading back to Glen Magna Farms in Danvers to take part in a special home design series presented by My Coastal Windows of Beverly. Please join me and other local home design experts as we share our tips for transforming your home. Enjoy wine, appetizers, and other treats while touring the recently renovated estate and special events venue (read more about the show house designers here). You will find me in the first floor lounge where I will be adding some stylish custom pieces and accessories from the HGTV Home design studio at Bassett Furniture in Burlington. This event is free, but you must register to attend. Hope to see you there!

Wednesday, March 12th, 7pm – 10pm

Endicott Mansion at Glen Magna Farms

Ingersoll Street in Danvers 

RSVP at Events@MyCoastalWindows.com

Learn more about the Styled Home Design Series here

Styling interiors: what the pros know

interior design by Thom Filicia

styled by Raina Kattelson // photo by Eric Piasecki

American Beauty: Renovating and Decorating a Beloved Retreat

interior design by Katherine Hodge of Sage Interiors

styled by Stacy Kunstel // photo by Michael Partenio

New England Home Connecticut, spring 2013

Want to know the secrets behind the beautifully styled images found on the covers of shelter magazines and on the pages of interior design coffee table books? Check out my latest post for WSI Designer Marketplace for tips and tricks from some of my favorite photo stylists. Thank you, Stacy Kunstel and Raina Kattelson for sharing!

{ read the full post here }

New Home + Design Studio

For the past month, I feel as if I have been in design boot camp! Today I finally have a moment to catch my breath and share why I have not posted for weeks ...

At year’s end, I was offered a full-time position as an interior Design Consultant for the newest location of Bassett Furniture in Burlington, MA, which has its very own HGTV Home Design Studio! This new collaboration between the solid Bassett brand (in the furniture business for over 100 years) with the very colorful “we make decorating fun” culture of HGTV, offers me the opportunity to design complete living spaces utilizing an incredible amount of available products, design resources, and support. Having recently moved out of my suite of rooms at the Glen Magna Farms Designers Holiday Show House, I knew that working alongside a group of creatively focused peers was an experience I wanted to continue. And as much as I enjoyed many of my creative roles at Designer Bath, from coordinating events to handling all the advertising, marketing and social media details, I knew I needed more hands-on design time and less screen time. I just couldn’t pass this up! 

The newest Bassett Furniture location in Burlington, MA

photo courtesy Bassett

Meet the Bassett Burlington team here

I am happy to say that my new home at Bassett is just what I needed. After completing over 30+ classes via Bassett University, training in two of their Massachusetts locations, assisting in the set up of this beautiful two-story design studio, and surviving my first sale on the floor, I can truly say I feel at home. I will share some of the details of my recent Bassett design makeovers later! In the meantime, come visit me – and the rest of the Burlington Bassett design team – at 90 Middlesex Marketplace. And for those of you who were able to join us for our Grand Opening celebration last week, thank you! It meant so much to have you there!

Ribbon cutting with the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce

at our Grand Opening celebration // photo courtesy BACC

The HGTV custom design studio at Bassett in Burlington

photo courtesy Bassett

Follow me on Instagram to see whats new at Bassett!

A sparkly New Year ...

Wardrobe selection from Madison Avenue of Melrose and Seams Couture

in my space at the Glen Magna Farms Designer’s Holiday Show House

Who doesn’t love a new beginning? A fresh start? A chance to change up our daily routine in order to move in a different direction?  A new year is like getting dressed for a special event and appreciating the opportunity to put a best foot forward.  

Looking back, 2013 brought many opportunities that I had not anticipated. Of course there were also some moments that were not my favorites, but I do like to focus on the good times (especially on this blog) and I try to put the others behind me, having learned from them.

One of my favorite resolutions is “Expect to be lucky and focus on gratitude.” This is probably the only one that I publicly declare that ever sticks more than a week into the new year, so once again it will remain at the top of my to-do list.

For 2014, I actually have some exciting changes planned. Stay tuned for more info, plus updates on projects and design related adventures from the year behind us.

Cheers and best wishes to you on achieving all that you set out for yourself while enjoying lucky, unexpected moments!