Design for Living

Design for Living: Gracious Living in a Brooklyn Brownstone

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Design for Living: Gracious Living in a Brooklyn Brownstone

The 15-year anniversary of DCI seemed the perfect moment to revamp and update the website.  It's now much easier to navigate not just the website, but also linking to Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Houzz and signing up for the My Perfect World Blog...

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Design for Living: Interior Design Trends for 2016

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Design for Living: Interior Design Trends for 2016

I was asked last week what I thought were the current trends in interior design.  Unlike with fashion, interior design doesn't have seasonal trends, but themes generally appear first through interior design projects, eventually filtering to the general public via trend driven retail furniture stores like Restoration Hardware, Mitchell Gold, Ligne Roset and ABC Carpet & Home...

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Design for Living: Design on a Dime Miami

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Design for Living: Design on a Dime Miami

Last weekend was the Design on a Dime Miami charity event.  As I mentioned in my January 6th blog, this design focused charity has been a major annual event in New York for the past 13 years. internationally acclaimed interior designer, James Huniford is the Founding Chairman and Design on a Dime's mission is to eradicate HIV/AIDS in New York by 2020.  Branching out for the first time to Miami the goal is to eradicate HIV/AIDS in Miami by 2025. 

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Design for Living: Design on a Dime Miami!

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Design for Living: Design on a Dime Miami!

Design on a Dime Miami!

I'm starting off 2016 with a bang as one of 25 top interior designers participating in the Design on a Dime Miami Benefit. Internationally acclaimed interior designer, James Huniford, Founding Chairman and the New York interior design community have since 2004 held a festive design-focused annual benefit.  Design on a Dime is now known as NYC's premier design benefit, with all proceeds going towards ending the AIDS epidemic in New York State by 2020.  

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Design for Living: Brownstone Brooklyn Living

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Design for Living: Brownstone Brooklyn Living

Brownstone Brooklyn Living

I came across an article on One Kings Lane recently about fellow Brooklynite, Jodi Patterson who lives in her perfect world with her husband and four kids.  Jodi is the owner and creative director of organic health and beauty products at GeorgiaNY and co-founder of Doo-Bop a multi cultural skin-care and hair-care destination.

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Design for Living: Deconstructing the Details

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Design for Living: Deconstructing the Details

Deconstructing the Details

 Architectural Digest recently showcased the renovation of the home of Natalie Massenet, who until recently was the chairman of Net-a-Porter.  She launched her online fashion retail company in 2000, which went on to become phenomenally successful by changing the way many women shop, myself included.  Net-a-Porter made the process of shopping from my laptop such a seamless experience that I'm rarely in brick and mortar stores anymore.  I've certainly found their accommodating customer service and free ship & return very persuasive.

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Design for Living: - Plates As Wall Art

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Design for Living: - Plates As Wall Art

Plates As Wall Art

This is an interior design decorative feature I haven't seen in quite awhile, but it's definitely trending, particularly with a new generation of collectors.  Interior designer Kelly Wearstler, with her love for bold geometric statements created a beautiful wall collage using plates in the foyer of the Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica in 2002, and instantly brought the look back in fashion.  

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Design for Living: Finishing Touches

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Design for Living: Finishing Touches

Finishing Touches

I've been decorating a client's Brooklyn brownstone apartment and we're at the final stage of adding the finishing touches.  Her living room bookcase that until now had contained nothing but books presented us with the opportunity to change the dynamic and incorporate some of her favorite accessories and keepsakes among the books.  Decorating bookcases or shelves is a great way to express your creativity and bring an artistic dimension to a room.  Also, as London Interior designer, Kelly Hoppen succinctly puts it, "A beautiful arrangement of accessories on a self is an easy, elegant way to embrace trends and keep your interiors up to date."

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Design for Living: Hermés Voyage en Ikat Tableware

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Design for Living: Hermés Voyage en Ikat Tableware

I'm very taken with the ikat pattern used on the new tableware collection, Hermés Voyage en Ikat, which I came across on the Quintessance Blog.  The Ikat pattern, typically used on fabrics has had many iterations over the last few seasons. Hermes, however raised the design bar and re-imagined this age-old hand weaving craft into a beautiful contemporary china pattern.  Benoit-Perry Emery, artistic director of tableware at Hermes at the AD Home Show, where the collection was introduced explained ikat "as a timeless Indonesian weaving technique, celebrating the enduring dialogue between East and West." Based on the dazzling jewel tones of sapphire, ruby and emerald, 24 carat matte gold gives an additional burnished elegance to each piece, making this Bohemian-luxe collection the perfect place setting for summer stylish dining. 

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Design for Living: Living With Mirrors

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Design for Living: Living With Mirrors

Living With Mirrors

I pay particular attention to mirror placement in my interiors as they have such a significant impact in a room.  Living with mirrors is not just utilitarian, but also adds a dramatic statement, makes a space feel more expansive, reflects light and can be used in place of, or alongside artwork.  My preference is always for larger rather than smaller mirrors as I love the glamor and sense of scale they bring to the room.  A recent post from Jade at LuxDeco, another of my favorite blogs explores several creative ways to successfully bring mirrors into your space. 

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