Thanks Paris Hotel Boutique!

I have long been an admirer of the online retailer Paris Hotel Boutique. When Cote de Texas offered a giveaway of two of their items I jumped at the chance to register!

I was so excited when I actually won! I chose an antique silver dish marked from the Alexander Young hotel. It's so incredibly heavy, beautiful and pretty large too!

I'm happy to report that the item arrived well-packaged and extremely quick. I plan on adding the company to my list of retailers I check out on a regular basis. You never know who you are buying from in online auctions so it's nice to know this is a reputable online dealer.

For now I have the dish living on my coffee table where it really has become the star! Thanks to Joni and also to Paris Hotel Boutique!!

Just because it's pretty

Do we bloggers always need a reason to post pretty pictures? I for one don't think so. Sometimes we (or at least I) go to a museum simply to see something pretty and not neccesarily to learn anything. Is that too honest?

If you need another reason, it's my birthday; A little pretty is required. Shown here are some period rooms and furnishings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A bust of Louis XV at the age of 47 by Lemoyne and presented to his mistress, Madame de Pompadour (beat that portrait to your mistress, Congressman Weiner)

I show a lot of pictures of chandeliers on my blog I'm starting to realize. Would you believe I don't even own one myself?

Gilded lit a la duchesse (or flying tester bed) by Georges Jacob. Enjoy!

Finally Framed

You may remember I was talking about framing the sketch Patricia at PVE drew for my blog header, seen here. Well, I finally got it back from the framer and it looks fantastic! I chose an ebonized frame in an architectural acanthus leaf pattern which I felt grounded the drawing and matte as well as relate to the subject.

I had it framed at L'Eclat de Verre in Cady's Alley near my office in Georgetown. I would highly recommend them based on their selection, friendliness and affordability.

I think the added 'Lavis' or French Lines, drawn around the French Panel done with marbelized paper really add a lot to Patricia's beautiful drawing -what do you think based on the progression? It now has a proud spot on my gallery wall.

And don't forget the picture hanging hardware.

French Matting

This past weekend I tackled a project I have been contemplating for awhile. You may remember a few years ago, the generous Patricia from PVE designed my blog header that you see today. She sent me the original watercolor and I've refrained from having it framed because I've debated turning the mat into a French mat.

A true French mat incorporates lines, watercolored borders and the occasional bit of marbelized paper. My bastardized version includes only the marbelized paper but I think it adds a little something to the overall look and feel of the drawing. I hope Patricia doesn't mind my interference with her work! I plan on having it framed (finally) in the next month and will be sure to show you all the final result!

Back from Market!

I'm back from my whirlwind adventure to Highpoint Market week which was so incredibly fun but also highly educational (pun intended)!The talk of market seemed to be the new line of Ralph Lauren lighting (which I was sad not to see for myself) as well as the new line of AMAZING furniture for Theodore Alexander designed by the history savvy and passionate Keno brothers of Antiques Roadshow fame; also - the return of claw and ball feet, even on very modern pieces. The Keno line has not officially launched but believe me when I tell you that you will be blown away; not just by the quality but by the incredible design, a reinterpretation of mid century modern. The brothers chose the company for their line because of TA's exceptional quality and old world contruction techniques out of Vietnam. I also fell in love with a few pieces of furniture for myself (oh to have a bigger apartment and larger bank account!). I am having an affair with a chair: the Louis XVI square back chair from Hickory Chair. Most notedly in the weathered mineral gray finish seen above with ivory stripe and a blue ultra-suede upholstery (just in case those fine folks want to send me this sample, hehe). It was probably the most beautiful chair I have ever seen and I felt it could have been inspired by the great Jansen and classic French 40s design. Look forward to a future post on this great company right here.I also loved nearly every piece in the Grand Tour line at Century. The textures and quality really just blew me out of the water; I was even stuck oohing and aawing while the rest of the tour group ran on ahead! I'll definitely be showing you more from Century soon as well.We were able to meet with the adorable Bunny Williams and see her new pieces from BeeLine home. There are a few new pieces I'm sure you'll be seeing EVERYWHERE very soon such as this Swedish cupboard below.In practical applications, we were fascinated by the technology being incorporated into furniture at Sligh. Media centers which look like fine antiques caught my attention. These hide all of your nasty cords and machinery behind fine wood doors and traditional design and operate through smart eye technology. They even ventilate the insides of cabinets much like a CPU so your equipment doesn't fry. They had some great office solutions too: stylish and practical; who says office furniture has to be ugly?The folks at Hooker Furniture are shaking off their traditional image and creating some amazingly cute new pieces at very affordable prices. I think you'll be seeing a lot of them in the future -especially some of the quirkier finds that they feel appeal to a younger demographic like these chairs below. Not everyone was as friendly as the above mentioned companies however. We had a bit of a run-in at one of my favorite furniture companies (where I've encouraged friends and clients to spend a LOT of money in the past) which shall remain nameless but you can probably guess who they are from the photo below. Social media is here to stay and companies need to keep up. Oh and also don't piss off a tired group of design bloggers because you'll hear about it again!Everything you hear about market is true: wear comfortable shoes as it's enormous, book your hotel room months in advance so you're not stuck miles away, the parties are so much fun you'll never want to leave and you'll be seeing old friends as well as make many new ones (compare it to an adult summer camp for designers perhaps?) If you made it to High Point this year, what were your favorites?

Heading to Market

April 2-7 is an important time for the interior design world: High Point Market in North Carolina. Comparable to the fashion shows which fill Bryant Park each season, High Point Market showcases the latest wares being offered by furniture companies such as Century, Theodore Alexander, Sligh, and Hooker Furniture who are sponsoring a number of us design bloggers to attend this years events. Let me know if you are there, I would love to say hi! See you at Market!

Thanks, Elle Decor!

This month's happenings page of Elle Decor includes a small picture of the bloggers who spoke at last month's DCOTA market. It was such a pleasure to participate and a thrill to have my picture in the magazine along with Peak of Chic and Velet & Linen!

The April issue is fantastic -be sure to pick up a copy!

Back from Paradise

Heather and I are back from our whirlwind trip to Miami and Nassau and I have to say the weather was the best part of the trip; 80 and sunny every day!

My favorite part of the trip, other than the weather, was visiting the incredible Vizcaya. I've been to a LOT of house museums, as you all know, but this ranks in my top 5. Imagine a gorgeous, fantastical palace set amidst stunning gardens with views of Miami Bay and you have Vizcaya. I can't wait to share more of the mansion with you.

Later in the trip I was also able to tour the historic Biltmore Hotel in charming Coral Gables. This grand old dame was no disappointment and I wish we had stayed here for a few extra days!

The interiors appear to be original which is rare in a high end resort. I'm not sure which would be a better location for a wedding: Vizcaya or the Biltmore! And I can't forget the fabulous inaugural cruise of Oceania's Marina. It was the first cruise for each of us and I have to say, we're spoiled for all future cruising!The line prides itself on incredible food and service, including the inestimable Jacques Pepin who we met, ate dinner in his restaurant (in part prepared by him) and received a signed cookbook. We docked in Nassau for a day but the best part was relaxing on our private deck with a view of the town. Weather, food, friends and gorgeous locations; Who can ask for more from a vacation?

Finally a semblance of tech savviness....

For months I've been receiving emails from people asking 'How do I follow you'? Well, I'll admit I never looked into it but now have FINALLY figured out the system! To follow ArchitectDesign, you can now click on the networked blogs link seen right here on my sidebar.
Happy Reading!

DCOTA winter market

I'm back from my whirlwind adventure to speak on the Elle Decor panel 'Redesigning Design' at the DCOTA winter market. First, I just have to say that DCOTA is the most beautiful design center I have ever seen; spacious and light filled, it's a pleasure to spend time there.
Jennifer and I with Empress of the Eye
Unfortunately due to the weather, the moderator, Allison Mezzafonte and 2 of the panelists, Habitually Chic & Little Augury were unable to attend. We soldiered on however and Ellen Rubin, executive director of brand development for Elle Decor, took on the role of moderator. The Peak of Chic, Velvet & Linen and I had a great time discussing how we feel the internet has impacted the design world and how our blogs have impacted our lives and careers. I think the biggest impact for us all are the friendships our blogs have made. As Brooke said in the discussion, it had traditionally been so hard to make friends as passionate about design before our blogs; sentiments echoed by both Jennifer and myself. Nearly everytime one of us has met a fellow blogger the first thing we say is "I feel like I already know you!".
with Jennifer and Lynda Quintero-Davids
Other subjects we hit upon included different social media outlets (facebook, twitter, blogger), their pros and cons and how we utilize them. Of the three of us, we don't utilize twitter but do have a presence on facebook. We felt there was only so much time in the day and we try to concentrate on our blogs.
Advertising was another subject we hit upon and our conclusion was that blogs maybe can't make one much money, but the opportunities they have provided the 3 of us outweigh any financial incentives ( I mean, Elle Decor asked us to speak at a conference; hello, thats amazing!). It was so great to meet fellow bloggers (Hello Empress of the eye and Focal Point!) and to help contribute to the design dialogue that Elle Decor continues to foster by continually reaching out to the blogging community. Thank you so much for including me and keep up the good work Elle Decor!

Miami, here we come!

If you read Habitually Chic, you've probably seen that Heather and I are going on another adventure together in a few weeks. This time however, it's to a place I thought I would never venture; A Cruise to Nassau in the Bahamas!

I think what convinced me this would be a fabulous trip, other than the fun company of course, is that Oceania cruiseline bills themselves as the cruise line for people not into cruises. With tons of luxe amenities and celebrity chefs, they pride themselves on being their guests home away from home with a small boat size and each room being a deluxe suite.

After our cruise, we decided to spend a few days in Miami. As we haven't made any arrangements yet, I would love to hear your recommendations; Hotels, restaurants, shopping? The only thing I know of and have to see is the famous Vizcaya mansion, seen above. I hope to have lots of great experiences and share them all with you here!

DCOTA WinterMarket 2011

Join me, Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic, Brooke Giannetti of Velvet & Linen, Jennifer Boles of The Peak of Chic and Gaye Tapp of Little Augury as we discuss Redesigning Design with moderator Allison Mezzafonte from Elledecor.com at the Design Center of the Americas. If you live in the Ft. Lauderdale area or plan on attending Winter Market 2011, we will be discussing how we think the internet has changed the design world at 2:00 on Tuesday, January 18th. Hope to see you there! Many thanks to Elle Decor for the opportunity!

An amazing opportunity.

You may have noticed on her blog that Dominique Browning is leading a trip through India as part of her Slow Love Life tour. Talk about the trip of a lifetime! read the itinerary here. Who hasn't been fascinated by this exotic country and I for one can think of no better place to travel to with the fascinating Browning; I only wish I could go!

India is a study in contrasts, according to a good friend of mine who has lived there for the past 2 years and who provided me with these photos. Incredible wealth and incredible poverty coexist in a land rich with tradition and beauty but rife with problems facing many developing nations. Her monthly emails of her encounters and trials keep me fascinated with this exotic country.

I hope someone will go on this tour and report back to me their many experiences!

Thanks Fox News!

Many thanks to the Fox News design blog At Home for naming ArchitectDesign one of the top 10 design blogs of 2010! It is humbling to be included with some truly inspirational blogs, including my friend Habitually Chic. Check out the full list here!

Beaches

I'm off on a jet plane to somewhere cool and wet for a much needed break. I'll leave you with some of my pictures of the beaches in California I saw last month - aren't they breathtaking? The above photos are from route 1 through the Big Sur, a trip I would recommend to anyone. Remember to rent a convertible, it's worth it! Just DRIVE SLOWLY!

Above and below are Carmel Bay -with Pebble beach seen above across the water. The Pacific might be too cold to really swim, but it's certainly beautiful.

I've gone through one of the toughest months imaginable but I suppose thats all part of growing up. I'll hopefully be back in a week renewed, restored and ready to get back to blogging regularly! Have a great week!