My Morning Coffee

Everywhere in the world, maybe except for in tea drinking Tibet, people wake up and need their morning boost of coffee.

So what is the best coffee machine out there? It's debatable and I have had this conversation with many clients.  Some people prefer pod machines such as Nespresso or Keurig,  But my all time favorite and the personal choice is the Miele integrated coffee and espresso mchine.   It comes in 2 formats, one with pods or one with whole beans.  I prefer the whole bean option so that I can buy different coffes and just put the beans in my machine vs having to buy preselected pods for my machine.  I find the pods limiting.

We gladly pay $ 4.50 for a "cup" of coffee at Starbucks.  But we all complain about a" gallon" of gas costing $ 4.00.     So do the math...what does a gallon of coffee cost?  Coffee really has become our morning luxury and having a great coffee machine to enhance the flavor is essential!

Good morning!

 http://www.miele.co.uk/coffee-machines/coffee-bean-machines-range/cva5060-152/

Towel Time

I'm a fabric girl, and no other fabric other than sheets are more important than towels!

I don't understand saving money on towels.  It an item that you use everyday and that directly touches your body.  For the same price as a pair of Jimmy Choo's you can get a great set of bath towels that will be used much more and last much longer. And unlike fab shoes, fab towels don't hurt your feet!

My all time favorite towel brands?  I personally use Anichini and Frette in my homes and only buy white or cream.  Save the colored towels for the beach or pool.  Nothing looks or feels as clean as fluffly terry towels.  

Great quality towles on your clean, just showered skin is one of those small everyday luxuries that really starts off a day.

http://www.anichini.com/shop/category/Terry-Collection

http://www.frette.com/bath-spa-and-beach/collections.html

Wine Rooms

Architectually, I find that most people are moving away from traditional wine cellars into more open and user friendly wine rooms.

Lets face it...the reality is that most people are not serious wine collectors and wine cellars become nothing more than an unused space where crates of wine are stored. Most people do not need more than a couple hundre bottles and having the space for thousands of bottles is really only necessary if you have great big parties or you are a serious wine connoisseur.  In contrast, a wine room is a wine storage area that is incorporated into a media room or a game room so that the wine can actually be displayed, seem and not forgotten in the dungeons.  A very small space can make a beautiful wine display area and can replace the traditional old wine cellars.   

Wine is coming out of the closet to becaome a great accessory.  Why not display those great bottles?  

And What Do You give Thanks For?

And what do you give thanks for?

Today is day to reflect, look back on the year and give thanks for all you have.  Stop and think of all of the great things that have happened or that surround you.  Remember the small things that made you smile and the big things up ahead.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Get Busy!

Get busy setting that table!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I hope you have all of the ideas for your table in place and all of the decorations you will set out organized.  Don't leave it for the last moment.  Take some time today and get ready and be ahead of the game for tomorow. Don't stress out.  Have fun with it.  It's a family celebration.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Tables

Thanksgiving is almost here.  Have you thought of how you will be dressing your table?

If you are hosting a Thanksgiving party it's time to start thinking of your theme and the style you want your table shown for your guest.  No matter if it's casual, formal or somewhere in between planning is key and making sure you have everything in advance is essential.  Keep in mind who your guest are.  If there are a lot of kids, you may want a separate area or table for them to eat. Don't leave the decorating and planning for last because the day before and the day of you will only be thinking about the turkey.

Here are some pretty photos that may inspire you to come up with a good theme for your Thanksgiving dinner.  Remember - your guest will love walking into a pretty dining room wher you took the time to plan out a memorable family meal for them. Have fun!

Where does your dog sleep?

Dogs are part of almost everyone's home.  From the beginning of time man's best friend has shared space with humans. They are part of the family and the loving creatures we all welcome into our homes.

If you have a pet, take a few minutes to think about the comfort and sleeping space of your animal. If you do not designate and give your dog his own space, he will take over your bed and sofa and will soon be out of control.   You can put a fluffy dog bed on the floor next to your bed or in the living room so that your puppy learns where to nap.  You can also design and make a space in a hallway or laundry room for your dog.  

I designed a removable doggie door in my pantry so that my 2 French Bulldogs can sleep at night and feel safe in their own personal space.  It doesn't matter where it is, it just matters that your dog knows his spot and has his own little part in your world.

Love your dog and give him a tiny bit of luxury!  He loves you.

Ridiculously Bling!

A 15 karat canary diamond ring - luxury bling.

A Swarovski encrusted toilet - ridiculous bling!

Sometimes you have to ask yourself ...  is this cool or is this pimp?  Is this appropriate for my home or does it belong in a Vegas night club? Luxury does not have to mean shiny.  And luxury surely is not Swarovski encrusted anything.  Does anyone really need or want a pink Swarovski piano or shiny toilet?  Even Liberaci, the "king of bling," would be scared of these items.

So before you run out and buy bling encrusted anything - do a mental check and take  a second look. All that glitters is not always gold.

An Hermes Scarf

Every girls need an Hermes silk scarf.  But wait, you say - no one wears printed silk scarves any more. Its dated, right?  Well ... kind of.

It's not fashionable to wear fancy scarves around your neck anymore, but there are so many ways to accessorize with beautiful unique printed silk scarf. Hermes makes unique, collectible, seasonal scarves that can be used in so many ways.  You can simply tie one around your Berkin bag handle, or you can tie it around your waist as a belt. But as an interior designer, one of my favorite ways to use these incredible square pieces of fabric is to make throw pillows out of them!  I have used them in bedrooms and created outstanding statements of style and really showing off the design and detail that goes into the creation of each of the Hermes collections.

This idea can be used with any vintage silk scarf to create a similar feel.  So rush to your grandmother's house, raid her closet for scarves and make up some beautiful and unique throw pillows!

 

Pretty Powder Baths

One of the most hospitable things you can do for your your house guests is to have a pretty powder room.

A small guest bathroom that is not used by the family is the perfect place to be dramatic and show your design style.  You can use a different color paint, or a special wallpaper to enhance the space.  You can set out beautiful candles or bath products on the vanity.  You can put an antique wall hung mirror or hand artwork that speaks to you.  Its basically a room you can have fun with knowing its not a utilitarian workhorse space and that it will be a welcoming place for guests.

So have fun, set out fresh flowers, decorate and don't forget about  your guest bathroom.

Leftover Pumpkins?

And what do you do with all of the leftover Halloween pumpkins?

The obvious would be to make a great, hearty, warm pumpkin fall soup.  But you can also recycle them into fun decor ideas that will make the fall and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday more special.

If you have big pumpkins, a very easy way to reuse them is to set some by your front door or make an arrangement by your fireplace.  Medium pumpkins make great coolers or flower vases.  Just cut the tops off and scoop out the inside to create room for the ice or the flower oasis. If you have mini pumpkins you can use them as candle holders on your table or you can simply put them in a grouping on the dining table to create the fall feeling.  The mini's also make great placecard holderd or can simply be put on a dinner plate with a ribbon.

The uses are endless! All you need is a little creativity. Have fun recycling your Halloween pumpkins!

I'M FEELING ORANGE

Fall is here and of course with all the pumpkins and falling leaves, I'm having an orange crush!

Orange is vibrant and bright and is such a happy color.  It happens somewhere between yellow and red and is a beautiful combination of these two primary colors.  Apart from being the national color of the Netherlands, saffron orange is also the most widely used color in Hindi monk robes.

But here in America, orange is the changing of the leaves and the feeling of fall.  Its the fall football season and orange is the (old) Tampa Bay Bucs and Syracuse uniforms.

Soon winter will be here!

Dale Chihuly Glass

Dale Chihuli is unquestionably the most famous glass blower and glass artist in the United States.

Born in Tacoma, Washington, he studied at the University of Wisconsin and the Rhode Island School of Design and he taught glass art for over a decade before branching out on his own.  He went to work at the Venini glass factory in Venice where he observed their approach to blowing glass, which influenced the way he works today.

In 1976 Chihuly was in England and was  involved in a head-on car accident which left him blind in his left eye.  In 1979 he had a surfing accident that dislocated his left shoulder making him not able to hold a glass blowing pipe.  That is when started designing and hired others to do the physical aspect of the work. "Once I stepped back," said Chuhuly, "I liked the view."  He describes his role now as "more choreographer than dancer, more supervisor than participant, more director than actor."

In 2004, the wildly successful entrepreneur Chihuly estimated sales of his artwork to be $29 million USD.  Today his work can be seen in museums throught the world and installations at hotels such as the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

http://www.chihuly.com

Florist - LEWIS MILLER

I am a huge admirer of NY florist Lewis Miller.

After studying horticulture and landscape design and working in the field of floral arts, Lewis Miller created Lewis Miller Design in New York.  Today his talents can be seen through his amazing floral designs at  Chanel, Gucci, Juicy Couture, Bergdorf Goodman, CFDA, the Whitney Museum and L'Oreal.   He also shares his  passion with the public through his blog and  by teaching "flower school" and lending his expertise on tv to hosts such as Martha Stewart.

Lewis had a vision of bringing the country alive in the city.  He uses simple flowers and combines them with  everyday materials in the utmost quality.  He prefers to use seasonal flowers such as Peonies  in the spring, Dahlias  in the fall and Anemonies and ranunculus in winter. His florals ooze creativity and elegance. You feel the lightheartedness and delight he has for flowers when you see his work. It's a blend of modern and old-world.  A richer, darker approach to classic.

No wonder he is considered one of the best florist in NYC!

http://lmdfloral.com/

 

My Favorite Sleeping Pillow?

Lets get personal, let's have some pillow talk!

Everyone always wants to know what my favorite sleeping pillow brand is. A great pillow is a basic luxury most people can at some point afford.  I have bought and tried out so many pillows over the years.  But once I bought and slept on a Duxiana - the search was over.

Duxiana is a name synonomous with luxury in the sleep industry. The Swedish luxury mattress and pillow manufacturer specializes in high end materials and quality manufacturing of sleep products. Their down pillows are incredible!  Fluffy, soft, firm, and exactly what I imagine a cloud to feel like. Made from the finest soft white goose down and covered in a white sateen pillow case, Duxiana pillows offers great comfort and neck support.

If you are looking for one of the best - look no further.

http://www.duxiana.com

 

DESIGNER OFFICE SUPPLIES

Designer Office Supplies?  

Oh give it up.  You can smile at work. Stop being all serious and have some fun.  And that is exactly what designers like Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, and Jonathan Adler  are doing.  They are creating fun, playful and kitchty office supplies that will lighten up the mood on your desk. These designers are bringing their sense of humor to office supplies and making it ok to smile a bit more at work. Don't you smile when you see a blinged out mouse pad?  It's silly and cute. Borderline ridiculous. Never the less it's funny. 

Isn't an office full of happy smiling people the ultimate luxury?

 

Donna Karan's Urban Zen

I briefly met Donna Karan several years ago at a fundraiser event.  She was lovely, kind and generous. I was a bit taken back by her simplicity and cool.  As a world renowned luxury fashion designer I assumed she would have been unapproachable, which she was not.  I loved her.  

But now that I have discovered her new retail stores, "Urban Zen" I love her even more!  Urban Zen is her new line of clothing and jewelry sold exclusively through her foundation stores.  All proceeds go to help raise awareness and preserve hand made clothing, jewelry and furniture from poor cultures like Tibet, Senegal and Haiti.  She is not just donating money to these countries, she is empowering people by giving them jobs and raising awareness of their situation via their art.  This project is her passion and the priority of her heart.

And the best part?  The clothes and jewelry are fabulous! So shop, be stylish and help save the world all at once - thanks to the amazing Donna Karan!

http://www.urbanzen.com

One of My Favorite Stores in the World

Shanghai Tang, the only Chinese luxury goods department store, is one of my favorite shops in the world. But I'm sad that their Hong Kong flagship store will be closing next month.

The reason?  Abercrombie + Fitch knew their lease was up and offered 250% more in rent to attain the location!  A + F will be paying an astronomical $900,000 U.S.D.  per month for the premium 6,800 s.f., landmark space, directly across from Harvey Nichols in the Peddler Building.   

The store has been a must stop for Prince Andrew, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Annie Lennox, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Richard Gere, Nicholas Cage and Sandra Espinet (yeah,me).  

I'm sad to hear of the Shanghai Tang flagship store closing and I am sad to hear of another American company being obnoxious and a bully. 

http://www.shanghaitang.com