Design Star

in , ,
This weekend I'll be tuning in to HGTV to watch the finale of Design Star. I've been pretty disappointed with this season (serious lack of wow moments, annoying contestants like Nina, and what was with all those weird group challenges??) but regardless, have tuned in (well, background watched) to watch the contestant Emily Henderson. I had previously seen Emily's portfolio and loved her aesthetic (her designs would surely grace the pages of Domino if it were still around).
HSTAR4_Henderson-green-chairs_s3x4_lg
ilgulfo_2ilgulfo_3
ilpino_1
15912_13931_S08y_028172office_emily
HSTAR5_Henderson-modern-living-room_s4x3_lg
photos from Emily's portfolio
This past episode was the first time she really had a chance to show her talents and she didn't disappoint. I love the fabric she used for the focal wall (which by the way my friend Bryn has 2 yards available of in her shop), the fabulous green sofa, and the overall eclectic, personal and intimate feel she created.
Photo_Video_95973318102824821301788_medium
Photo_Video_6901928718960298341002_medium
Photo_Video_88345387569604773378479_mediumPhoto_Video_16808074526845320112204_medium
Photo_Video_35884267426699944938865_medium
Photo_Video_36691512363518995599439_medium
HSTAR509_BTS-Emily-Glass-House-2_s4x3_lg
HSTAR509_BTS-Emily-Glass-House_s4x3_lg
photos via HGTV
Emily's show concept is to take a client's personal fashion style and transfer it into his or her home. Sounds like something I'd definitely watch! I'm rooting for her!

Megan Mullally's Home

in , ,
My favorite feature in the latest issue of Elle Decor, is that of Megan Mullally's (Karen Walker!) Hollywood home. A quick look:

In the dining room, I love the idea of using Suzani panels to add interest and color to the walls.

Megan-Mullally-hollywood-homes-ed0910-06

I love that the accessories bring in fun punches of color in the living room...

Megan-Mullally-hollywood-homes-ed0910-02

...and in the breakfast room. When the room is otherwise pretty neutral it doesn't take a lot to make a high impact.

Megan-Mullally-hollywood-homes-ed0910-04

In the bedroom I love the simplicity of the decor...

Megan-Mullally-hollywood-homes-ed0910-08

...the floor-to-ceiling windows (and the gorgeous light they bring in!) make the room.

Megan-Mullally-hollywood-homes-ed0910-09

Last but not least, her pups are so incredibly adorable! I wonder if they go to a local LA dog park...I think they'd get along with Little Foot :-)

Megan-Mullally-hollywood-homes-ed0910-05

See the rest of the home here.

Home Tour: Leah Balderson

in , ,
Canadian House and Home's latest issue featured five "small and smart spaces", my favorite of which was this glamorous little condo. It's home to Leah Balderson, owner of a Peridot, a decorative homewares store, and was decorated with the help of Tamara Wouters.


Picture 58
The neutral palette is soothing and allows the home to feel spacious and uncluttered. The bleached floors are a casual element that give it a bit of a beachy vibe.
Picture 52
This home is un-apologetically feminine and glamorous. There are a lot of beautiful details like the glass leaf chandelier and the gold louis chairs upholstered in script fabric.
Picture 53Picture 56
The bedspread looks incredibly plush and the bedframe has such beautiful ornate detail.
Picture 57
The mosaic bust, decorative pillows, and gold Morroccan light fixture add sparkle. The light placed underneath the unique nail-head nightstand creates a warm glow.
Picture 54Picture 55

Bolster Pillows

in ,
Bolster pillows are a nice alternative {or addition} to using common square/rectangular pillows. They look great in simple solid colored fabrics which don't detract attention from their cylindrical shape.

Here they make an appearance in the loveliest of rooms, looking fabulous on the sofas and chaises:

viahousebeautiful-bedroommasl15_paltrow
L: via house beautiful; R: via house and garden
viaelledecor-bolsetr
via elle decor
greenbolsterpillow-dominoviadecorpad-bolsterpillow
L: via domino; R: via decorpad
tori-smallapt-domino
via brides.com

Beautiful Storage: Semikolon

in , , ,
Picture 18.png
home of Sabrina Linn as seen in Canadian House and Home

Chances are you've seen Semikolon boxes before. Maybe in inspirational images like the one above, or at the store {Container Store and Barnes and Noble carries them}. I had seen and admired few pieces myself here but never paid attention to who made them. When I found out a company called Semikolon made them, I immediately popped on over to their website and was in awe at how fabulously extensive their collection was. Being the geek that I am, I get excited about things like this!

semikolon-displaysemikolon-store

They make a nice variety of pieces most which come in a choice of several beautiful colors! Here's a quick look at a few:

desktopfiledocumentbox
L: desktop file; R: document box
acordionfileboldmagazinebox
L: accordion file; R: magazine box
SemikolonMultimediaBoxSpringColl_x
multimedia box
SemikolonDocumentBoxAutmnColl_x
document box
photolibraryphotobox-navy
L: photo library; R: photo box

Find Semikolon products by googling them - different retailers and online shops carry a different selection.

Domino/Brides.com: How to Organize Your Linen Closet

in
I'm sure this news is probably all over blogland by now, but in case you haven't heard yet, Brides.com has acquired the Domino magazine archives and will be posting them on their website. Although old Domino photos are already all over the web and there are groups like this Flickr one dedicated to containing them in one spot, I like this for two reasons: the photos are deliciously large and they're accompanied by their corresponding story {great for those of us who threw out our glossies}.
organizelinens-domino
The photo above originally appeared in the Domino story Organize Your Linens. Brides.com has adapted the story and renamed it How to Organize Your Linen Closet.

There are 17 stories currently on the website and my guess is they'll be adding a few at a time to keep you coming back.

Paring Down: Laundry Products

in , , ,
A few of you emailed me asking about small space solutions for your laundry spaces. I myself have a small space.-so I hear ya! One tip is to pare down as much as possible the products you have. It's easy to go on product overload especially if an area is cluttered and you don't realize you already have a certain type of product and so go out and buy another one.Take a look at your current stash. Gather everything in one area and group like items. Look at how much space you have and consider giving away any multiples to allow room for everything to fit nicely. Don't pour them down the drain or throw them in the trash though! A lot of laundry products are toxic so please take them to your local household hazardous waste collection center if you don't want to give them away.If you decide to keep multiples, commit to using them. Place the items which are closest to being empty in the most accessible spot-like the front of a shelf. Multiples can go right behind, down below or up top. The goal is to pare it down to just a few products-preferably ones that multi-task and/or don't take up a lot of valuable space. When buying new products remember bigger isn't always better or more economical -be sure to check the price per load.

Here's a look at my picks:

oxicleanfree method-freeandclear.ashx

OxiClean Free -non-chlorine solution for removing stains and whitening {great for white linens!} Method Laundry Detergent- plant based, non-toxic, biodegradable, and comes in a compact bottle The Laundress Delicate Wash -another non-toxic, biodegradable product -this one for delicate items Dryer Balls Although they're a reusable alternative to dryer sheets, I've come to discover {and been turned off by the fact} that dryer balls are made of PVC {Polyvinyl chloride = toxic plastic}. A better alternative? Wool dryer balls or vinegar. Vinegar - to soften fabric, reduce static and prevent wrinkles

Do you have a favorite laundry product?

Laundry Organization: Hampers

in , , ,
Whether you do laundry at home, take it to the laundromat, or a shared laundry room, organizing and streamlining it starts with the hamper. Hampers placed in convenient areas where you tend to remove your clothes, like the closet or the bathroom, keep dirty clothes off the floor and contained in one spot.
restorationhardware.jpg
A great option, if you have the space for it, is one that's divided into two or three sections {one for lights, one for darks, etc}. This option saves time on sorting since it allows you to simply throw your clothes into the appropriate sections as you take them off.
With the same idea in mind, you can get multiples of the same hamper one for each section you want. {Tip: rectangular (as opposed to round) ones are best for this purpose as they make better use of space when arranged side by side.}
target-hamperswithliners.jpgFoldingHamperOT9-crateandbarrel.jpg

To minimize struggling while transporting the laundry or to avoid transferring clothes into a separate laundry bag, opt for a hamper that's not too heavy and you're comfortable carrying or one with a built-in removable bag {like the one pictured below right}.
WovenNylonHamperGyWhtBrn_ContainerStore.jpgCrazyLinenStorageBoxAVF7.jpg

I'm loving this one {shown below} in classic black and white stripes from Etsy seller FlauraDesign, which has hook and loop fastners that make the bag easy to attach and remove.
flauradesignetsy-b&w-stripe-hamper.jpgb&wstripe-etsy-lauradesign.jpg
P.S. She also has a cute yellow and white striped one -check out her shop here.
If you're short on space, use one that will take advantage of vertical space like those that hang on a door or hook. To make it easy to deposit dirty clothes, use something like this for your drawstring laundry bag {pictured below left}. You can also make your own by using an embroidery hoop as seen in the photo below right from Martha Stewart.
OverdoorHamperBronzeWithBag-ContainenrStore.jpgembroideryhoopfaccess-MS.jpg