I haven’t posted in months, so I am forcefully taking a break today to catch up on one of the things that I love to do… finding new stuff and sharing. I came across this DIY flooring a few months ago and wow!  Paper bag floors an alternative to wood floors, have you heard of it? I have never heard of it but it looks good, and best of all the cost is approx $50 for 10X10 room.

I am told it looks like faux leather. Not a bad uh?

This is one of the best tutorial I have found on how to

Get the Brown Paper Floor Technique facts here

Reblogged from le zoe musings:

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Ever wonder what a candle holder is good for? Besides holding candles, obviously. Well, keep reading on...

They make very elegant, unique, and whimsical mini dessert stands! WAYYY better than store bought!

I bejeweled the Boston creme pie doughnut with some pink sugar pearls and gold sparkly sprinkles.

All you need are some random candle holders, mini glass plates, and a tube of super glue.

Read more… 181 more words

I moved from Philadelphia 13 years ago. A city that has a very vibrant and rich art scene, only a couple hours away from New York City where I could catch a Broadway or off Broadway show if the spirit moved me. I missed living in a city where great food and fabulous hangouts where not hard to find. I would commiserate with others who felt the same way; some of who couldn’t take it any longer and moved away. I stayed and the landscape of  South Florida art culture changed right before my very eyes and I- am- loving- it.

Last week the art and design world descending upon Miami, clogging our local traffic with fabulousness. Art Basel one of the largest art shows in world with more than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, showcasing works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries took over the city. The first show Gail and I attended was Design Miami (which was going on at the same time across the street); which we enjoyed. Oh, I must say the most impressive thing I saw there was a Chandelier made from Dandelions featured by Carpenter Workshop Galleries. Real Dandelions (not the fake crap that Ikea carries) fab, fab, fab the picture does no justice, seeing it in person makes your heart smile. And Thais who was onsite from the Gallery was just the loveliest.

Also there was the Swarovski Crystal Palace installation, which was cool. I didn’t attend any parties, but Gail did the Vanity Fair party…. maybe I can get her to write a bit about it later.

Ok, so on to Art Basel which we did on Saturday. I was impressed by some of the pieces I saw especially some of the more contemporary work; (pic in another post). There was ingenuity abound! Of course they had some of the old Masters work like Picasso and Matisse with one piece selling for over $6.1 million dollars. The place was an international love fest filled with excited chatter in just about every language you can possible think of. There was so much ground to cover that next year I am heading Art Basel with a game plan to see more, because I know I didn’t do it all.

Today I am tired but for now… content (as I eat my words with a helping of humble sauce).

Hello Everyone.  I have just returned from a work/research trip to France and Italy.      As you know I am a specialist in sourcing vintage furniture from all over the world, and I went to the FIAC in Paris.  While mainly being a contemporary art fair they also had a special showing of European vintage pieces. I want to share these finds with you.  In any decorating scheme these pieces can be integrated with stunning results.

Gail is a specialist in sourcing antiques and vintage pieces. Her skills and knowledge were honed from her extensive travels from all of Europe, Asia and South America. She has worked for many years in galleries of some the most renowned dealers. If you need assistance is getting that special vintage piece to complete your decor, please email her directly at gail at rayleeminteriors dot com

It’s a small but very important space of the home. It should feel welcoming; you should decorate this space to give you a feeling of respite from the outside world. As you enter your home this space should make you exhale. Try to keep it uncluttered from mail and keys etc. Make sure it has adequate lighting as some times this space tend to have no windows (e.g. apartments). Use colors that exude warmth, this is a great space to experiment with a snazzy wall paper to put you in a pleasant mood.  You can afford to place an uncommon piece of furniture here, a piece that’s an intro to your personality.

Below are a few foyers that I think are great examples.

I very rarely comment on other Interiors Designers work but I’ll take an exception to this project completed by Beige Design, because I love their process.

Taking ‘line’ and ‘lime‘ as the representation of dynamics, young and energetic to respond to the design brief, designer creates this 15000 sq. ft. lifestyle space with a concept of sustainability and continuity.

Backdrop of the reception is a lime color wall with a front layer of translucent recycled resins panel, the embossed lines on the panel are just like the light beams dashing around to embrace the space speedily. A clean white high-gloss paint reception island landed on the reconsistute stone flooring create a contrast to the backdrop.

Beams of white dashing lines are running throughout the white ceiling and extending to the surrounding space with dynamics. The relaxation zone adjacent to the reception is set on a lime on lime color tone from furniture to carpet that emphasizes the young and rejuvenated brand essence by overviewing the Victoria harbor. Fabric sofas are designed with rounded ends to offer a comfortable and warm mood to welcome customers.

Lines lead the way when the customer is walking into the treatment area. Following the dashing line pattern on the reception backdrop and ceiling, lines continue to take the lead in the corridor where product display shelves with LED lightings were lining up on the wall. The wall on the opposite side of the corridor is echoing with a long piece of line artwork. Lines in different forms are spreading around to keep the dynamics in the space.

Privilege is a special key attracting the young customers. Treatment rooms in this skin care center are specially designed as a multifunctional room that is capable to perform as a cosmetic room, an entertainment room as well as a treatment room to fit with their needs. Where a ‘line’ sliding picture is designed to cover the mirror on top of the cosmetic table. This tricky design helps to prevent the reflection inside the room during laser treatment is in operation. Catching the flow, the high gloss paint wall panels are set as subtle line features to lead the flow. Where the table is connecting to the seating, basic counter top is connecting a hanging cabinet demonstrating the concept of ‘continuity’, all the things are getting connected and bringing forth into other space.

Now here is a design firm that did exceptional programming understanding their client’s business objectives and how they want their customers to feel. A key to creating great interiors is understanding the psychology behind their needs and ensuring that they are met. I’m not sure what the demographics of the company’s clientele (they say young), but this is a spa where I would feel comfortable and just looking  at the splashes of lime would instantly rejuvenate my spirit. I love how they use the subtle visualization of lines as a guide through the space.

Well done Beige!

R/T Contemporist

I signed him up right away and went directly to that hotel with my camera, because I’ve never stayed at that hotel. I had to see what inspire him so much.  I found it to be “meh”, but I gave him what he wanted. After so many years of being in business, I probably wouldn’t be so quick to that ( I don’t have manager over my shoulder whispering “quota”) but I came across this article by Matthew Sweet that succinctly explains why consumers feel compelled  to create that “boutique hotel” look and feel in their homes.

“The hotel room now is often more bespoke than the domestic interior. That’s why people aspire to get a bedroom like one in a special hotel they’ve visited.”

The boutique hotel now seems to be the principal template for domestic interior design—the ideal that haunts the dreams of today’s refurbishers and renovators as powerfully as the ocean liner and the Edwardian country cottage haunted the 1930s and 1970s. Flip open an interiors glossy and you’ll be exhorted to clad your walls with mirrors embossed with pointillist dots, as at the W in San Francisco; personalise your living room with a heraldic arrangement of monkeys, cutlery and tennis racquets, like the SLS, Beverley Hills; light your hallway with bulbs like the ones screwed into the ceilings of the Chateau Marmont, which contain sky-blue filaments twisted into the shape of Pan, god of the forests. “A pendant [light] either side of the bed,” coos the lifestyle editor of the Mail on Sunday supplement You, “will give your room a smart hotel feel and save on space.”

 Read the rest of the article here