I’m getting ready for a couple magazine shoots here, (will share later) and there are a few design details that remain to be done.  I’ve decided to upholster a vintage chair in a really fun fabric and use in the foyer. It will be the first thing you see as you enter this colorful house.

I have a few fabrics that I love, and I want something unusual- (unfortunately when you work in design you feel like you see everything all the time!!)

Here are some of my favorites. Which one do you like?

The YELLOW BAMBOO  Florence Broadhurst is leading the pack for me.

Kind of obsessing over that one.

The Grey and yellow circles on top from Lewis & Sheron is really nice too.

If you don’t know my house, here is the foyer….

…yes super bold and yellow.

The pink chair in the corner really belongs in a bedroom, so the vintage chair is going there.

YELLOW BAMBOO- Florence Broadhurst and LARGE IKAT from Duralee comes in many colors.

I also love this fabric from John Robshaw Duralee collection…

Unusual colors in an Ikat.

He also has this one in orange and pink.

The living room which you see when you enter is turquoise, yellow, purple …

….and all kinds of colors.

Then I found this fabric on Design Indulgence blog….

…I need to get a sample!!

Jim Thompson’s Bamboozle rocks.

…yeah this might be the one…

Which one is your favorite?

So I dove in to reading about the history of Greek Key, and thankfully it turns out Luke was not exactly correct.

The Greek Key/meander motif took its name from the river Meander in ancient Greece (present day Turkey). The Meander was characterized by a very convoluted path.  

It became the most important symbol in Ancient Greece, symbolizing infinity or the eternal flow of things. Many temples and objects were decorated with this motif.

Meander symbolizes as well the bonds of friendship, of love and devotion and that’s the reason it’s often given as marriage gift. It can symbolize as well the four cardinal points, the 4 seasons, waves – especially in the round version of it, or snakes, among others.

Velvet Regency pillows (from bottom bark,dusty pink, chartreuse,charcoal)

Reading this I felt much better about all my use of Greek Key.

Our new color Marmalade Regency velvet.

Would have hated it to be the God of the dead’s sign…

Fancy Greek Key -pink and navy

Speaking about Greek Key…

A bunch of my bedding and pillows are in a three day event on Joss & Main currently.

Check it out, you can grab them at sale prices until tomorrow. Trilled to be sharing space with Trina Turk’s beautiful designs.

With every life change there’s always a bunch of furniture that we want to get rid of.  And what do you do with all the pieces that you no longer want? The resale value of your most precious purchase goes down drastically the second it arrives in your home. I get asked this question daily from clients and friends and I feel like I never have a good answer. So I’ve tried to assemble a list that can help. And I’m hoping that you can help…. If you have a blog perhaps repost this list and add your ideas. Or add the link to this blog post to your Facebook page. I think we all need to help, and do what we can to be environmentally responsible!

If you have any great ideas or resale sites to share, PLEASE leave it in the comment section. I will add them to this blog post as soon as you do.

1. REINVENT WHAT YOU HAVE

Before you throw anything out, ask yourself if you can reinvent what you already have. Any old piece can look amazing with some paint, fabric and imagination!!   This is obviously a personal favorite, as I think creating something new out of something old, gives you the best piece.

2. CRAIG’S LIST

You of course know this one. Craig’s list is perhaps better for purchasing than selling I believe, as you won’t get a lot for your good items. But it’s a great source and perhaps the most wellknown out there.

3. FIND CLEVER RESALE SITES

I was excited to find this site – www.hipswap.com. A clever company that allows you to find people selling items in your neighborhood. And they have a delivery service that picks up and delivers from buyer to seller and vice versa. Check it out! That takes the pain out of delivery and meeting with customers.

You can google and find tons of online stores that sell recycled furniture as well. If you know any fantastic sites you would like to recommend, please post!

5. ESTATE SALES

Estate sales are great if you are moving and have a large amount of items you need to sell. They can arrange a sale at your property. Or if you have fewer items they can pick them up, and sell them at an auction house. You can plug in your zip code on the Estate Sales Network website and find companies near you.

6. AUCTION HOUSES

For antiques and high end items search out good auction houses. Every city has them.  They range from the big famous houses like Sotheby’s, Doyle’s in NYC to small local auction houses.

Many local auction houses have their advertised big yearly auctions, but also weekly auctions with less expensive items.

7. DONATE TO CHARITY

A large charity will pick up your items, and give you an itemized list that you can use for tax purposes.

I would love to hear from you!

If you have any great sites, organizations, local or national, or ideas I would love to add them to this blog post!

Okay…adding reader links and comments–

“Apartment Therapy launched a “Classifieds” section about a week ago, and any AT member can post a piece they no longer need or want. There are some great finds to be had there!    (THANKS MEREDITH & GWYNETH!)

http://classifieds.apartmenttherapy.com

We  sent this newsletter out today — we’re looking for customers with our key bedding or pillows to share snap shots of your rooms. We would LOVE to see how you decorated your room with it, and share your design style with our blog and newsletter readers!

So if you are up for sharing your style, please send pictures to contact@livelikeyou.com!! You can send your room, or a picture of you in your room!!

Here are some items on my desk today….

Love this yellow large ikat fabric from Duralee.

yep, another picture because it’s fun and large.

Some cool grays and blacks from Robert Allen.

A few Quadrille and Kelly Wearstler fabrics for a Georgetown house….

These are a couple of fabrics from two of the guest bedrooms.

Lily holding up fabrics so we can send images to out of town client.

Forgot how much I like Windsor Smith fabrics. She is a design genius.

And a pile of blues and yellows for a client….

..can’t wait to see some of this come together.

And ooops!  You don’t want to see the corner of my desk via the mirror…

And Lily on the phone going through a million documents.

As I said it’s been hectic….

But it’s all under control…

…most of the time.

When Luke was a baby I was acting and writing scripts most of the time. Actually pretty obsessively, as that’s how I approach everything. (when I wasn’t designing of course…)  Perhaps it’s the time Luke spent on set years ago, that’s bringing on his new passion….film making

Luke on set with me in NYC 2003.

This was today…..

Luke turned our house, as usual, in to his film set.

Luke and his friend Diego got wet, very wet….when filming this one.

And all of us had to pitch in to help…literally…

Dan behind the scenes helping out…. (that’s my office up there)

I filmed this particular scene, Luke had to edit out my laughter!!

If you have kids or know anyone under 14, invite them to watch. It’s pretty funny.

Click on the image it will lead you to Luke’s latest video, from Lukeapedia his You Tube channel.

PRANK MASTER 1!!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL MOTHER’S OUT THERE!!

The Design Center is home to amazing fabrics, it’s where I source most my material when working on a job. They have a superb sample service that’s so helpful to the job.  Sometimes good fabrics can be crazy expensive. $ 100/yard -sometimes even double that or triple that!!

I do a number of online design plans for people (jeez got to get my site updated with the services!) and then source from lots of online fabrics stores so clients can order themselves.  Came across this cheerful group of fabrics that I would love to use somewhere…all under $ 25.

Definitely for people who love color!

SANTA MARIA DESERT FLOWER

PANAMA WAVE DESERT

ONE WISH BLACK BIRD

The pattern below reminds me of the pattern in the popular Schumacher fabric that’s over $ 100.yards. Love the colors.

WONDERAMA BLACK BIRD

And here in a second color way….

WONDERAMA TOUCAN

And a ton of IKAT’s under $ 25.

KHANDAR JEWEL

This is a really great one!!

BATAVIA IKAT

BATAVIA IKAT

This is my favorite colorway of this one.

MEDALLION BAND CITRINE

Any of these could be put to good use in a space!

Although their interiors are very varied, they have one thing in common. THEY ARE ANTI MINIMALISTS!

They are fearless about their use of color, masters of creating a room that not only is beautiful, but one that takes you to to a different “dimension”.  Perhaps Dorothy Draper said it best, she urged people to avoid the “will to be dreary”.

Interiors to me should move your senses, and all these designers are experts at it.

ENJOY:

1. DOROTHY DRAPER

The drama starts at the front door! Just looking at a door in her interiors, you’re existed before you even enter. The drama, the grandeur, the clear strong, colors, the large moldings, all the black and white, and mostly what inspires me is her outlook!!

2. TONY DUQUETTE

A genius artist. When he created it must have been a spiritual experience! Your imagination runs wild looking at his interiors.  The warm strong color combinations, the animal prints and wild shapes, the fantasy. An icon. Amazing!

3. KELLY WEARSTLER

Probably a legend in a 100 years. Love her style. She was my first modern interior inspiration. Mid century style, cool patterns, wild designs, but incredibly glamorous spaces.

4. AMANDA NISBET

Great modern, colorful interiors. They are just so pretty!!

5. LYNN VON KERSTING

She designed one of my best friend’s home (before I did interiors!!) Spending a ton of time in her cozy house filled with flower prints, and an irresistible beach bohemian beach vibe was a true joy.  Perhaps you’ve been to one of the Ivy restaurants in LA, which she designed as well.

Hayley’s house

6. RUTHIE SUMMERS

I would give this lady my key, go away, and let her do just about anything she wants! All I would say is surprise me. A few lucky clients I guess can do this!! It’s again this modern mid century playful take on relaxed California interiors that I’m crazy about.

7. MILES REDD

A genius with color and NON boring interiors.  Love every thing he does.

This is his design on a dime room.

7. DAVID HICKS

His interiors were way ahead of his time. the king of geometric patterns. Any of his designs still feel modern today.

8. SCHUYLER SAMPERTON

Again another California designer who creates beautiful, west coast, bohemian interiors with lots of colors. They make me want to grab a surfboard and head out west.

So many talented people out there.

Do you have any favorites?

In the picture below I’m standing outside one of the first giant IKEA stores ever to open. We had it in Sweden W-A-Y before it ever opened up over here.  W-A-Y before it was cool.  It was considered bad quality years ago, and most people were a little embarrassed to shop there.

Boy, has that changed!

Somehow there’s just always something you need to pick up at IKEA. Unfortunately as soon as I enter that maze,  I feel really disoriented. I forget what I came for, feel an excessive need to buy all kinds of things I don’t need, then exhausted, I give up finding what I came there for, and head for the meatballs.

IT HAPPENS E-V-E-R-Y T-I-M-E I GO! For years!!

This Easter, I was a bit better, but I certainly didn’t get what I came for.  And yes, the meatballs were great, and the lingon berry drink too.

Last summer I needed a bathroom cabinet for my bathroom in Sweden.

I love how the brochures are there to help you along with instruction manuals…

This is what I bought…

After procrastinating F-O-R-E-V-E-R with a box standing in a corner, I finally FORCED myself to attack the task of assembling it.

I spread the pieces out on the floor…..

Then I look in the brochure.

OH I get it. I should not do it alone?  Get a smiling happy friend with a pen behind the ear to help you!

I asked my mom to help me, but she adamantly refused. She shakes her head, and feels helpless just looking at it.

She said she would be better off reading her book, and let me do it.

I put the pieces on a carpet, like the happy IKEA men instruct.

And I go about it!

Yeah! I was really doing it.

Following instructions.

And it worked!

That is if you don’t need the door to open and close. You’re okay with it just stuck in one place.

I try to fix it…

…and I try…

..and I try again.

GRRRRRRRR!  DAMMIT!! What now????

I’m really annoyed!

Oh, yeah…look at the brochure.

The very happy little IKEA man suggests I call the store.

Have you ever noticed how happy he looks?

Just the way you feel when things don’t work and you have to call the store!!

I feel angry!

Have you ever tried calling? And talk to people who have no idea how to help you, or not interested in helping you?

I decide to not try that aggravation, after remembering my friend HERVE’S STORY–which I videotaped for one of my first blog posts.

HOW TO BUY A KITCHEN AT IKEA

It includes and entire day at IKEA, waiting in two lines for hours, a nervous breakdown and a fight. Thank God this is only a bath cabinet.

So I try again….and realize I had mixed up some screws. A simple mistake.

I CONQUER IT ON MY OWN!

YEP! I feel really proud. I kind of feel happy like the little smiling IKEA men.

Now I just need to hang it.

Yeah..”just”…

It’s impossible!!

I had to get a professional carpenter come in to hang the darn thing as it was so heavy, and the back very complicated to attach to the wall. Even a pro had trouble!!  Probably cost me the price of the cabinet because it took so long!

But anyway, it hangs there.

It’s okay. It does the job.

Is it me?  Or is this difficult to you too?

P.S.  And by the way….I love IKEA. But if you plan to buy something big I highly recommend you watch this video I taped of my friend, in case you missed it on top HOW TO SURVIVE BUYING A KITCHEN AT IKEA

You’re always told, raise up the ceiling, give the room “air”, paint it white.  Sure a white ceiling is always nice. However…doesn’t it feel a bit boring to just paint all your ceilings white?

What’s a home that you don’t take risks in?  Yeah that’s right, you have an answer. It’s always good to push yourself outside the comfort zone when designing your space. That’s when the best results for sure come about.

Look at the rooms below, and imagine them with a white ceiling and you get the point.

This room would not have the impact it has without the black ceiling.

Make the walls and ceiling go together in all black.  You surprisingly make a small space bigger by doing that.  You remove angles and hide imperfections. White light fixtures look great breaking up the black, or a strong accent color.

Black ceiling, floor and walls. It doesn’t feel claustrophobic right? Still feels large and “airy” just engufing. Surprise!

Same here. It hides all imperfections.

This room would not have all the drama, if the ceiling was white.

Would you agree?

Do you have a black ceiling in your home?

I don’t…but I will… one day.