Crazy for Stripes...

We're so in the mood for stripes lately. It's modern. It's striking. It's fun. It makes your eyes pop.

Here are some great designs using stripes with either wallpapers, fabrics or paint:

Images from Elle Decor

Images from MyHomeIdeas

Some pretty striped wallpapers:

Source: Matthew Patrick Smyth Wallcoverings for F Schumacher wallpapers.

A great source for interior design pictures...

With so many decorating magazines closing lately, we find ourselves starving for pictures of amazing rooms. A good alternative is interiors designers' and photographers' web sites. Often you can view their portolios as a source of inspiration.

Below is one of our favorites, Pieter Estersohn.

PS For more pictures, visit DiggingDecor-it's full of interior design pictures (well, not quite full yet, but it's on its way :) It's a social community network for people who love to decorate. The site is new so we'll need all the contributors we can get! If you love decorating, come join so you can show off your portfolio, share resources and make some friends.

We hope to see you there...

Fabulous Beatles Chairs from Andrew Martin

Have you seen the work of Andrew Martin? An UK -based designer, he has that really cool, quirky, crazy English taste that we love.

Here are some new fabrics that just came out for Lee Jofa. Wouldn't they be fabulous as pillows too?

Love them!

PS We apologize, we don't have the pricing for these yet as they are so new. We'll be posting them on our Lee Jofa Fabric section as soon as they are available. In the mean time, if you need it right away, drop us a line. To see more of Andrew Martin's products, click here.

Pretty Chinoiserie Wallpapers and Prints

A while back we fell in love with a vendor called Jardins En Fleurs. We probably blogged about it once. They make beautiful, beautiful Chinoiserie paintings and accessories. The problem was, it was so expensive it was impossible to sell. The company closed down shortly after--a victim of the 2008-09 economy, evidently.

Anyway, we get this email the other day from Belle Chasse home and it has a very similiar look and feel. Alas, we found out it was found by the same founder of Jardins en Fleur. He has great taste, we must say.

The line is more affordable now. If you are looking for pretty Chinoiserie prints, it's a nice choice.

Here are some samples:

For product and pricing information, visit Belle Chasse (beautiful hunt)'s web site.

Decorating in White

It's hard to believe summer is almost over. Here in LA it's scorchingly hot, but stunningly beautiful as well. There's nothing like driving down the Pacific Coast Highway late in the afternoon, with the blue ocean on one side and the mountain on the other...so gorgeous, it makes us so happy to be alive.

But we're getting off track here...

If you are a reader of this blog, you probably know we're crazy about white. Especially when it's hot outside. White has such as an amazing cooling effect, and it's so neutral too...

Here are some of our favorite white interior photos from photographer Per Gunnarson:

So simple and pure. Don't you think?
To see more of his work, click here.

Thom Felicia Rug for Safavieh

Interior designers are like movie stars. When they are hot you see them everywhere. Then a few years later they just disappear.

Thom Felicia is definitely hot now. He has a wide range of licensed products as we've mentioned in previous post--ranging from Kravet fabrics to furniture for Vanguard and now rugs for Safavieh.

His rug collection is actually very affordable. Very young and hip too. A 6 x 9 rug is about $600. Very reasonable don't you think?

Here are some samples:

To see the rest of the collection, please click here. You can find pricing and product information in our modern rug section.

Easy Ways to Give the Illusion of Space in a Small Home

Homes come in large and small, and the reality is, larger homes are easier to make design choices in right? Wrong, small interiors can be challenging, but that’s what makes them cozy and personable. You can give the illusion of space by following these simple guidelines.

INTERIOR COLORS: Use light, neutral colors to give the illusion of space and airiness. Whites, beige’s, grays, and muted pastels can make your small space feel bigger. By tricking the eye, walls will seem to disappear, rather than stand out.

ACCENT WALLS: Consider colors that are a darker hue of the already used neutral color. For example beige walls, with a darker taupe accent wall will still help to make the walls blend with one another. When using darker colors, use them on window walls, or walls with several openings. The darker color will actually seem lighter, because of the window light and breakup of doorways, entryways, and hallways. Try to place furniture in front of accent walls to also “eat up” some of the dark color of accent walls. Remember, the lighter the color the more space that will be felt in the room.

MIRRORS: You’ve always heard that mirrors and reflection enlarge a space right? What about the placement of mirrors? Use a mirror at the end of a hallway to give the illusion of length. Place a mirror on the opposite side of a window wall with a view to reflect light, and the beautiful view. In bedrooms, replace sliding closet doors with mirrored doors. In bathrooms, replace a small vanity mirror with a mirror that extends along the full length of the wall. In kitchens, use a reflective backsplash to give the illusion of space.

FURNITURE: Use multi-purpose furniture that provides storage, function, and décor. For example, a storage ottoman that doubles as a coffee table and seating for guests is ideal. Dining room tables which have storage adjacent or below can double as a home office. When buying a couch, opt for one that can double as a sleeping area like a futon. Fold-out couches, and daybeds can also be used in home offices to convert for overnight guests.

NATURAL LIGHT: In as many ways possible, maximize the quantity of emitting natural light. At windows, use light colored fabrics, and sheers to diffuse harsh bright light. Consider having a skylight or sun diffuser tube installed in the ceiling. This way light can illuminate the small space and open it up. If you don’t have windows, use brighter lighting and colors to bring warmth and brightness into your small space.

STORAGE: In kitchens and bathrooms, take advantage of under counter and cabinet organization tools. Don’t forget items can be hung on the inside of cabinet doors, and drawers organizers will help put everything ‘in its place’. Don’t forget space on top of your cabinets, refrigerator, and back of the bathroom door. In the bedroom, take advantage of space under the bed, and over doorways. Shelving over doorways for books is a unique and decorative way of adding the illusion of space. Use vertical book shelves to maximize storage and display decorative collectibles.

Your home is what you make it, focus on the quality and not how much space you lack.