Clean Crisp White

Color
October 8, 2010

Since I got back to Philadelphia this fall I have been feeling as though my life is extremely cluttered. You all know I love my little apartment, but trying to keep it neat with all of my things in their places is harder than you can imagine. I am fantasizing about clean, sleek spaces where everything is in its place and there is absolutely no clutter. I want to cast off all of my decorative objets and feel as though I have absolutely nothing weighing me down! (only for a day or so though … you know how I love a good objet)

Elle Decor

Ralph and Ricky Lauren’s apartment over looking the Reservoir in Central Park. For the man who loves to fill his stores with things … he is pretty simple here in NYC.

Elle Decor

Their kitchen … no clutter. Isn’t it heavenly. So strange since modern kitchen is typically not my style!

Marie Claire Maison

I absolutely love the simple hits of green with their potted plants–the bare floor and the white slipcovers are tres chic!

Dwell Magazine

This architect designed her apartment with storage in mind … an avid sailor, she treated this project like a ship, where everything has its place.

Marie Claire Maison

Check out that view. The room’s white interior allows it to simply melt away, and one’s eyes are drawn straight out the windows.

Darryl Carter

One of the things that I love about Darryl Carter is his ability to mix modern minimalism with historic architecture and great antiques. The fireplace is so modern, and yet the house is an old farmhouse. Antique doesn’t always have to mean clutter … clutter is simply victorian.

Darryl Carter

I wish my bathroom were this neat.

Whilst I am in graduate school, I don’t see the clutter subsiding. What with text books and notebooks, calendars and post it notes, my life these days is essentially a massive paper trail. So for now I will simply light a Votivo Clean Crisp White candle, WWB’s favorite, and close my eyes and envision myself in a minimalist, clutter free, and chic apartment.

Blue Sensation

Color
February 11, 2010

Finally all my magazines arrived in the space of two days–HB, Elle Decor, VF, Architectural Record, and Lonny is up! Don’t you just love when that happens, its like Christmas. Lucky for me I have also had two snow days from school here in Philadelphia–who knew that you could have a snow day from graduate school!? This month’s issue of HB, for those of you who haven’t seen it is all about blue–my favorite color. Looking through the issue I couldn’t help but wonder ….

… Why didn’t they call me?! Just kidding. Clearly you all know what my favorite color is! The walls of my studio are Benjamin Moore Bird’s Egg, and the kitchen walls are Benjamin Moore Caribbean Blue Water in high gloss.

Both colors were featured in House Beautiful: Colors for Your Home, which has become one of my favorite books of all time. For those of you who don’t have it, go out and buy it this second! It has great suggestions from designers about colors they love, just like in the magazine. Both my colors were recommended by Miles Redd–love him. In this weather, we could all use a little color.

Winter Blues … & Turquoises

Color
January 26, 2010

Its been raining here in Philadelphia, and although I should be excited that its rain and not snow, I just can’t seem to shake these winter blues. Sure, winter weather is exciting when it arrives in late fall, however, by the time end-of-January/beginning-of-February rolls around, I have about had it.

I would much rather be here, or anywhere that even closely resembled here. This time of year gets me daydreaming about tropical locales quite regularly, and longing for that tropical feeling of hot sun, warm sand, and bright bright blues.

China Seas

China Seas for Quadrille has many beautiful fabrics that really put me in the island spirit when I am feeling that winter chill. This is Aga, in turquoise.

China Seas

Lyford Background in Dark Turquoise on White.

China Seas

Finally, this is New Batik in Turquoise New Navy.

Sea Cloth

Sea Cloth at Lee Jofa also makes prints that seem to require a tan! This one is Jungle, in Sky, from the Splash On collection

Sea Cloth

Lattice, in Sky, from the Splash On collection

Sea Cloth

Palm, in Sky, from the Splash On collection.

John Robshaw

I also love so many of John Robshaw’s fabrics, they have such an exotic, faraway place quality. This one is Shali Lapis.

JCrew

If I were to visit a beautiful island, I would most certainly bring one of these chic, ruched one-piece suits from JCrew, in a beautiful turquoise color.

Roberta Roller Rabbit

And one of my favorite pareos from Roberta Roller Rabbit–there are so many beautiful blue patterns to choose from!

House Beautiful

If you can’t take a vacation, I would advise going to HouseBeautiful.com, and looking at Tom Scheerer’s blue and white Caribbean design for a new Florida home. Although you might only get a little color from the glow of your computer screen, these tropical photos will warm you right up.