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Are You Ready for the Vermont Lifestyle of Simon Pearce and Farmhouse Pottery?

Have you ever wanted to just leave the city?

You’re sick and tired of it all and can’t do another conference call.  So you drive, drive, drive.  All of a sudden, there are no more billboards.  No more big box stores.  No more fast food joints.

Vermont has no billboards or big box stores
Courtesy: OnlyInYourState.com, Flickr/Sean_Marshall

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Celebrate the Year of the Monkey February 8

/ Holidays Trends View All

Did you know 2016 is the Chinese Year of the Monkey?

Mischievous. Curious. Clever. The monkey of Chinese myths is a favorite companion to children of all ages. He’s an underdog who thumps his nose (and tail) at the authorities and somehow always comes out ahead in the end.

Chinese Monkey King
Chinese Monkey King

Here ares a few of our favorites to help you start your Year of the Monkey right.

Monkey Dish

MICHAEL ARAM

Monkey Dish

$88

Dancing White Monkeys

$825

Just $15: Pretty in Plaid Flatware from David Stark and Martha Stewart

Cold weather might bring back plaid and tartans, but they don’t have to make your home look like those oversized lumberjack shirts in the back of the closet.  In fact, plaids are a great way to mix things up and introduce different colors.  Says renowned NY event producer David Stark in his recent Pretty in Plaid feature for Martha Stewart:

If you’re the type of person that wants things to look cohesive, but not too matchy-matchy, try mixing different colors of the same plaid. For color mixing, pick a particular color that each plaid will have in common. For example, if each pattern contains a vibrant cherry red, it will keep your look together. These flatware sets all have the same base color — a neutral white — so they can be mixed and matched on your dinner table.

And here are the plaids he chose, in London Chic chocolate red, London Chic cucumber green, and London Chic denim blue:

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Q Squared London Chic Flatware

And the best part?  The stainless steel flatware has ABS plastic handles which are dishwasher safe and treated with Xtra Wash, a unique technology that keeps colors looking like new after hundreds of washes.  These are an absolute steal at only $15 per 5-pc setting!

We still remember watching the Martha Stewart TV shows years ago, so it’s a real treat to be featured in her blog now.  Thanks for thinking of us, David and Martha!

The Architecture of Light at The Broad Museum in Los Angeles

/ Decorate Trends View All

How would you display one of the most coveted contemporary art collections of our time?

Eli and Edythe Broad, by now L.A.’s most famous art collectors, were so particular about how their art was to be displayed, they actually turned down just about every museum in town and commissioned their own $140-million museum by Diller Scofidio + Renfro:

The Broad Museum Downtown LA
The Broad Museum Downtown LA

When we visited The Broad last weekend, we realized that part of the reason might be how to display the art in the proper light.

Art is usually kept away from direct sun light to prevent damage.  Eli Broad knows this well: he once kept a van Gogh in a desk drawer so it wouldn’t get sun damaged.  But art shown under artificial light just looks different.  So The Broad employs a special architectural detail to show its art under perpetual indirect natural light.

Each of the openings in the ceiling and on the side of the museum, dubbed the “veil” by the architects, functions as a light cell, bringing in a small amount of natural light and casting it on a concrete surface:

Light Coming into The Broad
Light Coming into The Broad

The light from many such small concrete surfaces then add up to a bright but indirect light for the interior, dubbed the “vault”:

The Broad art space
The Broad art space

On the side of the museum, the light cells bring in the outdoor light with just glimpses of the outside world, instead of creating distractions to compete with the art:

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Seen from the outside, the museum may look like a bold gesture for the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles, especially next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall:

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But in fact, it is actually a perfected machine for showcasing art in the best light, thus fulfilling the Modernist creed of “Form Follows Function” to a T.

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Have any of you been to The Broad?  If so, we’d love to hear what you thought!  If not, get free tickets to The Broad by clicking here.

Obssessed with Empire? How to Recreate Cookie’s Office

/ Decorate Trends View All

In the glamorous world of Fox’s new hit show, Empire, work is as decadent as play. If you love this opulent style, take a look at some of our favorite picks to transform your work space into queen’s quarters, just like Cookie’s!

Courtesy Fox
Courtesy Fox

Kim Seybert Metallic Anaconda Coasters in Gold $84

RabLabs Fim Bookends in Amethyst $310

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Herend Lion $495

Moser Maly Bowl in Rose $175

Currey Ballet Table Lamp $390

Yves Delorme Berlingo Parme Cushion Cover $150

For more ways to make your office over the top, click here!

No More Broken Glasses!

/ Decorate Entertain Trends View All

I’m always thrilled when my boyfriend volunteers to do the dishes… until I hear the chilling sound of another glass shattering in the sink! Between him and his brother, those 4 hands have broken a good 20 or 30 glasses over the past year. My solution? Mario Luca Giusti‘s durable, beautiful, boyfriend-proof drinkware.

In so many colors and styles, these glass-like acrylic pieces were just what our kitchen needed. Now, when I hear something tumble into the sink, I keep my feet up and remote in hand, knowing he’ll never break another glass.

Mario Luca Giusti (image courtesy Harrods)
Victoria & Albert Wine Goblet Ruby $20
Palla Glazed Pitcher Aquamarine $68
Martini Glass $18
St. Moritz Water Goblet Royal Blue $20
Portabottiglia Green Ice Bucket $80

 

For more fun and easy styles by Mario Luca Giusti, click here!

Host a Harvest Party!

/ Decorate Entertain Holidays Trends View All

Can’t wait until Thanksgiving to get this Holiday season started? The transition from summer to fall is the perfect time to host a harvest party! Head to your local farmer’s market for some seasonal garden delicacies, and invite over some friends to celebrate the brisk breezes, turning leaves, and maybe even some sprinkling showers…

Have decor and drinks ready for guests as soon as they walk in the door. Add a few of these delicate pumpkins to your entryway or mantle, and try serving a seasonal ale with a hint of spice.

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Simon Pearce Holiday Pumpkins From $105

 

Stage your table or buffet with rich, dark colors.

Le Jacquard Francais Villa Toscane Easy Care Table Linens

 

Leave the guest bedroom door ajar to make friends and family feel welcome. Dress the bed with warm fall colors that invite out-of-towners to stay a while.

Pine Cone Hill Hot House Floral Fall Collection From $144

 

Join the weathered look of summer with the formality of fall by letting the character of  woodgrain or brick shine through. If you have an unfinished table or exposed wall, use this as a backdrop for fine cut glass or crystal.

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Juliska Amalia Glass Collection From $66

 

Set the table with rustic refinement. Stoneware and pewter are more casual than fine china and silver, but still look pulled-together. Serve bread hot out of the oven, and rip it instead of cutting for that family-style feel.

Arte Italica Medici Dinnerware From $90

 

Hosting a Harvest Party? Share your tips for fun fall festivities!

Occasions Magazine Parties in Sunflower Yellow and Scarlet Red

/ Decorate Entertain Press Trends View All

Marrying the magic of summer with the anticipation of Holiday merriment, Fall is the perfect time for a truly enchanting wedding. And who better to keep us on trend than Occasions Magazine? Here, we give a peek at their Fall 2014 issue, where they feature our Vietri Fantasia Dinnerware and Waterford Lismore Crimson Champagne Flutes in their delightful Sunflower and Scarlet motifs.

Sunflower Scarlet

 

These harvest hues can instantly bring the charm of the season to your festivities and your home. Take a look at some of our favorite ways to use them every day:

Try a ruby red runner for a splash of spice that lets your tabletop shine through underneath.

Le Jacquard Francais Diamant Ruby Table Linens From $34

 

Give your boudoir some spunk with a cheery gold quilt and shams.

Pine Cone Hill Uma Resist Gold Reversible Cotton Quilt From $60

 

Ground any space with a bold stripe crimson rug.

Dash & Albert Birmingham Red Woven Cotton Rug From $33

 

Show your kitchen some sunshine with festive kitchen towels.

Garnier-Theibaut Ceremonie Mandarine Kitchen Towels $88 For a Set of Four

 

Add instant elegance to your desk or credenza with a lustrous deep red accessories box.

L’Objet Pour Fortuny Granada Red Large Box $1,200

 

Fresh-Squeezed, Summer Style: Decorating with Citrus Hues

/ Decorate Entertain Trends

Summer is on the horizon, and we’re captivated by the citrus palettes making a splash on the design scene! From tangerine to grapefruit, pops of punchy colors are perfect for adding a tangy twist to traditional interiors. Combine two or more extroverted hues, like lemon with lime, for a juicy, ‘Happy Chic’ look, a la Jonathan Adler or Trina Turk.

Here are some of our favorite picks this season:

Trina Turk Flora Bedding
Trina Turk Flora Bedding

For al fresco dining, nothing beats the chic but practical acrylic drinkware from Mario Luca Giusti.  We love how artistic the Palla Fluo pitchers look en masse …

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Vogue’s Fashion Night Out in Florence … photo courtesy Mario Luca Giusti

… and how easily they can brighten anything up – even an ancient Italian cobblestone courtyard!

Recreating the Italian garden … photo courtesy Lambert + Associates

Sprinkle your interiors with these citrus accents for a bright, modern, and peppy aesthetic.

Trina Turk Tangier Stripe Bedding, $33.00-$168.00

Oomph Greenwich Side Table, $1455.00

Garnier-Thiebaut Citron Zeste Kitchen Towels (S/4), $78.00

Haviland & Parlon Yellow Dinnerware, $125.00-$1825.00

Lance Wovens Nation on Vacation Leather Pillow, $610.00

Kassatex Soho Green Bath Accessories, $20.00-$62.00

Vietri Aladdin Chartreuse Flatware, $41.00-$116.00

Yves Delorme Jali Bath Towels, $50.00-$130.00

Moser Eldor Double Old Fashioned, $190.00

We’re in a happy mood just looking at this trend!

Make Your Mark: Memorable Monograms

/ Decorate Trends View All

Throughout history, monogramming has become the perfect way to make your mark. In ancient Greece, monograms were used on coins to identify the city from which they originated.

Ancient Greek Monogrammed Coin (courtesy of nordicneedle.net)

However, it was not until the Victorian Era that monogramming became a prominent decorative art, with members of the aristocracy identifying their clothes, tableware, and cutlery with their own initials. It became a luxury that many aspired to, but few could afford.

Luckily, today it is possible to leave your mark on almost anything.  In the U.S., Pickard China specializes in American-made customized dinnerware, making pieces for prominent hotels, restaurants, companies, and government entities, including the United Nations, Air Force One, and several terms in the White House.  Below is the customized design created to celebrate the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

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Obama Inauguration China (courtesy Pickard China)

One of the many political figures who loved monograms was President John F. Kennedy. He had monogrammed tableware, monogrammed shirts (he liked his initials on the left breast), and he even had custom umbrellas monogrammed for his groomsmen for his wedding in September of 1953.  His brothers Robert (RFK) and Edward (EMK) were also well known by their initials.

JFK
Courtesy of Life Magazine, 1960

Monogramming for President Lyndon Baines Johnson was easy: everyone in his family had the same initials! From his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, to his daughters, Lynda Bird Johnson and Luci Baines Johnson, and even the dog, Little Beagle Johnson, all members of the family could be identified by LBJ (just like LeBron James!).

The Johnson Family

A few other memorable monograms:  FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt), TSE (T.S. Elliott), SJP (Sarah Jessica Parker), LV (Louis Vuitton), CC (Coco Chanel) and QEII (Queen Elizabeth II).

Whether you are looking for the perfect gift (they make great wedding presents) or just want to add a unique touch to your home, monogramming is a perfect way to leave your mark.

lacefield_designs_spice_lifestyle_fs
Vagabond House Monogrammed Dinnerware From $19

 For more customized items, visit our Bespoke Shop.

Pickard Signature Dinnerware From $84

Mariposa “Eat drink & be married” Tray $89

Square Feathers Monogram Squared Pillow $212

Vagabond House Monogrammed Medallion Cheese Board $123

Vagabond House Monogrammed Medallion Double Old Fashioned $22

Raynaud Tropic Monogram Green Dinnerware From $30
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