interior glass doors: 2009-05-10

Stalking Nate Berkus

I regularly stalk, I mean check out, Nate Berkus's website hoping for new photos of his work and this morning I was rewarded with not only photos but I little back story. Seems everyone is on a budget these days including his clients, one of whom asked Nate and his team to outfit "two properties with beautiful, timeless, and affordable finds." He also thinks that although these type of projects are a challenge, they push him to be more creative and I agree. It's easy to go out and decorate if you have an unlimited budget but it takes a little more work and thought to find things that look more expensive than they really are and it helps to start with "furniture with clean lines and classic fabrics."

Nate says, "we found some great deals in our favorite catalogs and ordered up one-of-each from my line at hsn.com. A layer of paint added warmth. A few trips to our favorite antique stores and flea markets for objects and accessories added just the right personality to the each space. The end result was amazing!" And I have to agree! If that's not enough Nate for you, you can watch him give a tour of his Chicago apartment at People.com. I just have to say that it's a good thing that Nate lives in Chicago because I might really start stalking him! Just kidding...sort of!

Photos from Nate Berkus

Más cojines para mi habitación de costura

Hoy os cuento que mi habitación de costura tiene nuevos cojines.
En mis manos cayó lino metis de una sábana francesa antigua y hacer estos almohadones para el sofá , utilizando botones, cintas y puntillas también antiguas , me pareció la mejor idea.El lino me serviría de base.

En el proceso de dar un cambio a esta habitación , me decidí por hacer algo sencillo y con las medidas de unos rellenos de cojín que tenía por casa .... me puse a la máquina.
Creo que han quedado fantásticos y armonizan genial con el colorido de la habitación.

Como os he dicho , he ido recopilando todo lo que podía ponerles ... cumpliendo siempre la premisa de que fuesen cosas antiguas, como esta puntilla hecha a mano de ganchillo o esos botones de nácar . Ambos llegaron del otro lado del Atlántico.

Algunas de las puntillas son del Rastro de Madrid que tenía guardadas, otras las compré en ebay.... alguna cinta , a la que no me he podido resistir es de la última feria de Paris.

Este pedazo oscuro con banda roja cosido a modo de patch es un lino puro antiguo , con un tacto especial , muy suave, hecho para repeler el agua y secarse muy rápido. Se hacían en estrechas piezas y con rayas a los lados. También lo adquirí en ebay hace bastante.

Las iniciales en rojo y los números

también son muy antiguos.

La tela de rosas tiene una base de lino y la compré en Nice Works cuando estuve por primera vez en Barcelona visitando a Silvia. Creo que es de

Yuwa.

Como último detalle, la forma que he elegido para

cerrar estos cojines, una tiras rasgadas de tela de patch de la misma colección que la de la rosa.

Sólo hay que deshacer los lazos para lavar las fundas.

Al hacer pareja , he situado las lazadas en sitios opuestos.

......Y así queda hasta ahora el sofá en mi habitación de costura.....

¿ Te interesaría algo del lino metis francés que he utilizado en la base de estos cojines ?En el próximo artículo te indico las medidas y el coste así como de otros linos antiguos franceses que puedo disponer.

I considered not attending signing party for Susanna Salk's new book Weekend Retreats at David Duncan Antiques Thursday night because I was still feeling a little under the weather but I'm glad I went because it was a great event that brought out the big guns of the design world. Interior designer Harry Heissmann (above) was excited to get his copy signed as were Charlotte Moss, Christopher Spitzmiller, and even Gloria Vanderbilt! Michael Bruno was also on hand to toast Susanna who regularly contributes to his 1stdibs website.

Former Domino editor Chase Booth not only made it to the party but also into the book! The weekend retreat his shares with his architect partner Gray Davis in the Berkshires has white washed walls and dark floors that are the perfect backdrop to an ever changing mix of furniture and vintage finds as seen in the photo below. Chase was the doorman at the Domino tag sale this weekend and it was fun dishing about what a crazy day it turned out to be, especially after the police showed up! There have been discussions of another tag sale to benefit a charity and I will definitely keep you posted as when that happens!

Many of the twenty five homes in Weekend Retreats also look like they have owners who love a good tag sale but the best part is that they are all unique and interesting and most of all, deeply personal. There is something for everyone from traditional and country to minimal and modern all of which look like a great place to get away from it all, including Susanna's lake house that was also featured in Connecticut Cottages & Gardens last summer. I think I'm going to have to find my own retreat soon! Bon Weekend!

It's been a long day so I'm taking a night off. Hope you enjoy this beautiful townhouse facade from the Upper East Side. See you tomorrow!

Operación: un hogar más agradable

LA BELLEZA DE LAS ROSAS

El rosal del patio ha empezado a florecer. Las rosas amarillas son preciosas antes de abrirse , pero una vez florecidas, dan un poco de pena...parecen como desmochadas.....
Entonces surfeando por uno de esos blogs nórdicos me gustó una idea que era muy sencilla y además vistosa.
Tenía unas varillas especiales para hacer juegos florales y las utilicé colocando solamente el capullo que había pinzado.
La dejé secar en un sitio oscuro boca abajo y este fue el resultado.....Para darle un toque más femenino y romántico le puse un lazo muy estrecho de raso , color crema.

Unas cuantas más formaron un conjunto estupendo.....

...........Y como iban destinada a mi habitación de costura , las coloqué agarradas a una larga y estrecha cinta de raso y sujeta a las barras de las cortinas....

Ya veis cómo va quedando mi redecorada habitación. Nada que ver con las persianas de lamas de metal de antes. Un delicado y antiguo tapete de los años 20 , que ya he mostrado en alguna ocasión , cubre la barra a modo de visillo.

Como me gustó la idea, seguí secando algunas más , colgadas también boca abajo pero esta vez con todas sus hojas. Es importante hacerlo en un lugar a oscuro y si puede ser algo cálido para que la humedad desaparezca pronto y guarde la intensidad del tono .

Aunque pensaba soltarlas para hacer un ramo , se me ocurrió dejarlas en uno de los tramos de la escalera , a modo de decoración.....Desde luego es otra forma de dejar entrar la primavera en casa.

Un simple detalle puede dar calidez al hierro de este termómetro.

Ya ves, algo tan simple y a la vez tan bello.

Espero que te haya gustado la idea.
Pronto os enseñaré más trocitos de mi habitación de costura.

If you don't live in New York, you might not be familiar with interior designer Richard Mishaan but you better learn his name because you are going to be hearing a lot about him soon. Richard Mishaan's career path has been an interesting one that had him designing woman's fashions at one point and later designing furniture for his store, Homer, which was how I was familiar with him. Tonight, he was debuting his new book Modern Luxury, which with a very chic party at Bergdorf Goodman.

Richard and his ridiculously beautiful wife Marcia are real socialites, not Housewives of New York wannabee socialites, so the party was filled with the who's who of New York. Among the chic guest were Marisa Berenson, Nina Griscom, Mario Buatta, Philip Gorrivan, and Town & Country editor Pamela Fiori who wrote the forward to the book. I brought along my friend Eleanor Banco who works for Teen Vogue since she is obsessed with interior design just as I am obsessed with fashion. I was excited when she brought me the latest issue! I also invited blogger and Rubie Green designer Michelle Adams who I was excited to catch up with. Also on hand was my friend Kevin Isbell, design director for Bilhuber & Associates who introduced me to Allison Caccoma, the interior designer behind the May 2009 House Beautiful cover! Allison used to work for Bunny Williams and Jeffrey Bilhuber and I can't wait to talk to her more about her work soon!

But let's get back to Richard Mishaan. Richard describes his design style as "fusion" and that definitely describes it. I like when a designer isn't afraid to mix things up and not have a signature style but one that fits each interior and client. There is a chic and elegant feeling to all the spaces in his book but they are also all unique which is why the book is so interesting. My favorite quote from Richard Mishaan is "I am both a modernist and a classicist - I believe we can honor traditional style without living in the dusty past." Amen!

Photos by George Ross

When I die, I want to be buried in Bergdorf's. I don't think the museums give me as much pleasure as this store. Even if I can't afford anything, I just like to go and look and be inspired. If you need to be inspired, then I recommend checking out the new Bottega Veneta home collection on display. It's chic with a capital C. I wouldn't decorate an entire room in the line but it would be great mixed as they did here with the French looking sofa and chairs and maybe some colorful abstract art. It's too bad I don't have a client who can afford anything. Picking out fabulous things for them is almost as much fun as buying things for myself. Actually, it might be better since I don't have to open the credit card bill later. Happy Shopping!