Blogging - Elle Decor

Elle Decor is one of my favorite shelter magazines, I never miss it. The editors have outdone themselves in the January/February 2009 edition! Almost every room they feature is stunning. If you are a design lover, it is simply not to be missed. The apartment featuring the work of designer Jamie Drake takes my breath away. I just can't stop staring at it.

Over the last couple of evenings, I have soaked in a bubble bath and studied every inch of this apartment. Apparently, Drake is a lover of lilac and has me thinking seriously about lilac. I want to paint my apartment lilac! Over the long New Year's weekend I plan to work on several paintings, and Drake's work will definitely be influencing mine.

The owners of this apartment are art collectors with an extraordinary eye. Drake fashioned an environment for their fabulous collection. I am in awe of the heavenly collaboration that occurred. I want to move in! Here is a peek at this beautiful apartment:

I just can't help dissecting it. Marvelous colors in the first picture. And of course, the work of glass maker extraordinaire, Joe Cariati, adds to the romance. I adore Cariati's work, I've written about his work before, see previous post here. Cariati makes me think I should collect glass rather than ceramic. Ryan McGinnis' wonderful triptych couldn't ask for a more sublime environment.

The color scheme in the second picture makes me want to put a brush to canvas immediately. Too bad I am short on supplies. That purple with the pale orange of the chair is stunning.

The dining room makes me insanely happy. I adore the combination of blue and orange. This is a fairly new combination for me, that I have been experimenting with over the past year. It's one I never thought I'd use, but now it's one of my favorites. I am so in love with Jeremy Stenger's paintings, I wish I'd painted them!

This apartment is a fascinating study in color. I adore how the color repeats throughout, so while there is a lot of color, the effect is cohesive.

There's more, so you simply must pick up the new Elle Decor. Drake's work will be influencing my creative ventures this weekend. My painting will definitely include the color lilac. I love his use of orange and blue in the dining room. Perhaps my orange and blue ceramic vases will come out of the closet. Stay tuned. And Jamie, thanks for being an inspiration!

My Apartment - For Today

I love my new lamp from Target.

I enjoy moving around accessories.







Oh dear. The new Elle Decor has me thinking about lilac.

My Apartment - The Color Scheme

My Apartment - The Influences

I love experimenting with color. Especially with color combinations I never would have imagined look great, such as blue and orange, or purple and yellow. But, after a foray into color, I always return to white.

I also adore objects, love the thrill of a vintage or second hand store or flea market. I especially love groupings of geometric, simple objects like vases. But - I also adore minimalism. So decorating is always about balance for me. Here are some photos that are influencing me today.

I adore the minimal environment of the amazing organization expert, Laura Cattano. She has created a stylish home in an inhospitable 250 square foot apartment. The apartment is temporary, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't look great while she's there. And it is a marvel of organization, and her incredible style is evident. You simply must check it out. Laura's flickr set is here, and her web page is here.

There is something romantic about being able to quickly pick up and move. I miss the days when everything I owned fit in my car. I sometimes crave the nomadic existence of my earlier years. I sometimes feel bogged down by stuff.  I adore the restrained hand that is evident in her decor. Laura made the cute, simple bookcase.

She and I have something in common - a love of white pottery. I adore the artwork made by her nephew. I'd like to frame some of nephews' artwork.

She uses Tiffany boxes for storage. Nice solution, and nice pop of color.

I adore the curtain separating the sleeping area. I'd like to do this in my home. I have to admit I really don't like the Bertoia side chair. It looks nice and airy, but I'm funny about chairs, I love them, but I think that you should actually be able to sit in them. This chair is absolute torture to sit in. Looks cute, but is not functional, and when you are an organization expert, everything should be functional.

I have a specific aesthetic when it comes to bookcases. They should be merely functional, with no detailing so as not to compete with the books or objects they are holding. I seldom see bookcases I like and have been thinking of buying industrial bookcases.  I was totally convinced that industrial shelves are the way to go when I saw Abby Clawson Low's home on Design Sponge.

They look great! I love them.  I've already professed my love for white many times. I love white rooms with a pop of yellow.

I love this kitchen! This is one of those images - you know the kind - that makes me want to redo my entire apartment! Image from Shelton, Mindel & Associates.

It may be shabby chic (which I am totally over), but... I adore this room! Love the simplicity combined with the boldness of the yellow sofa cover. Image from flicker Ramonah.  I love yellow with white, pink, silver and grey. I am on the hunt for a piece of yellow art glass.

Image from ebay. I adore Blenko decanters.  Here are some pieces I bought at the Salvation Army. I spent about $12.00.


I also bought some silver Christmas ornaments.


And - as if I needed another obsession - I recently discovered a fasination for beads. This one is my sister-in-law's fault. She made the cutest napkin ring holders for Christmas. I'm thinking of making jewelry.


These beads are a present from my lovely friend Susan. Talk about your thoughtful and perfect gifts. I just have them hanging on a wall. I love them.

These are from Pat Catan's. Not sure what I'm going to make yet.  Time to move stuff around in my apartment! The trick is to use pretty objects, but not have it look cluttered. That means somethings will go in the closet. Always a difficult choice. Stay tuned.

Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas to everyone who takes the time to read my blog! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. 
This year I fell in love with creative Christmas decorations. I especially love non-traditional decorations and bulbs. Bulbs were very colorful this year. Silver, blue, purple and, yes, even black. Here are some beautiful Christmas displays. I love bulbs used in installation art.  Hope you enjoy!

Image from Peeks.

Image from flickr user ianb888.

Image from flicker user Supercamel.

Image from flicker user chooyutshing.

Image from flickr user Ruffle & Blossom.

Isn't this cute? Super creative flickr user ATLITW. She made this out of objects she's been collecting over the years. I'd be tempted to leave it up all year it's so cute.


I've seen a lot of black bulbs this year. Love them. Especially on white trees. Image from flickr user katisworld.

Orange and pink flocked bulbs in my apartment.

Pottery Jones

I adore the internet and I adore flickr. I am always discovering artists who I might never have experienced. The discovery and connection the internet has afforded me is a miracle I am deeply grateful for.

Today I would like to present the work of a marvelous potter I recently discovered on flickr, Richard Bax. All of his work is sensual and serene, elegant and simple. It begs to be touched, just like good pottery should. If you are a pottery buff, you simply must check out his flickr set. Here are a few examples of his work. I love all of his work so much, I had difficulty selecting just a few works to highlight.

Oh how I wish I could touch these! I am sure the texture is marvelous. Great work, Richard!

A Preview

At the end of last year I did a post entitled "Year in Review - Best Contemporary Painters." See post here. I received a great many emails after this post. I think of this blog as a museum, and I am its curator. Since that post was popular - and more importantly - since I am so obsessed with paintings, I will do another year in review on December 31. Here is a preview.




Relapse by Singleton. Singleton calls her work hippie art. It's all about peace, love and yearning. This particularly tender piece really struck me. It speaks to me of the feminine burning desire to be loved by man, as well as the fragile state of unrequited love. Her flickr set is here, and her Etsy shop is here.


Isn't this marvelous! "A Nun Sets a Dried Fish Free" by Lynn Beesley. Here is a work I would love to have in my home! I adore the shades of blue Lynn paints with and the surreal, spiritual and feminist nature of her work. Her works speak to me on a deep psychic level. I could write a treatise on what this painting means to me, but won't. Sometimes I get annoyed with critics (including me) who pontificate about art, presuming to know the intent of an artist. As an artist, I know that sometimes artists don't even know the intent. They do what they do because they have to. Art is about a feeling. And Lynn's artwork evokes such powerful feeling - the only thing I know for sure is that she is doing what she has to. See her flickr set here, and website here.

The Beauty of Ordinary Objects

Ordinary objects are a testimony to the work of designers. Some objects are so recognizable that they become inconographic. Take the ordinary disposable coffee cup with lid. Someone designed it. And it's an incredibly sucessful design. Everyone recognizes it, and no doubt, probably every one has held one in their hand. Many of these recognizable objects are now being rendered into permanent art, perhaps in a nod to the green movement. Here are a few examples. Wouldn't these be cool lined up on a shelf?

The Not Paper Cup by Chiasso.

The carton vase by CB2.

Milk Bottle series by Alyssa Ettinger. I love these!

A ceramic version of the "We Are Happy to Serve You" cup. Brings back memories of dates at donut shops, hot chocolate at football games and my favorite egg drop soup. Available at MoMA.

Color Scheme: Hot Pink and Dark Blue

I adore hot pink. Hot pink looks great with any color, but it is especially wonderful with dark blue. Sexy and bold.

Flickr user foto.phrend.

A still life done by flickr user Krysto_O. Krysto has a very interesting flickr set. He's got some great photos of his toy collection, arranged by color.


Apartment Therapy. I love this place. And dig that pink Togo sofa!

At the thrift store. The workers are so sweet there. They are used to me rearranging the vases and taking pictures.

In my apartment. I love that blue bottle.

My apartment, for today. Stay tuned, tomorrow is Saturday and it's going to be cold. That means staying inside and cleaning and rearranging. I adore the hot pink covers, but I am craving white again. I often experiment with color, but I always return to white.