Hard times call for High-Heels

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Yesterday morning while watching the CBS early show I watched an interesting segment on the rise of High-Heels with increasing heel heights. Many designers now have
5"-6" heels that are becoming best sellers.

Apparently during times of recession women tend to buy higher heels to feel more powerful and better about themselves.

So ladies, you know that that means. It's our patriotic duty to go out and buy shoes, shoes, and more shoes.

We need to make our closets look like this:


Image via Flickr by Queen of Heels

Maybe I'll actually splurge and pick up something from here!

Also for the little lady in your life:


Available here!

Happy Halloween!

What a perfect excuse to eat candy for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

I'm in trouble when I get home, because my darling husband wanted to be the cool house that had full size candy bars. So, if I don't get much traffic it's going to be me and a whole bunch of Hershey's.

Must have

How amazing is this new Donna Karan handbag and it's a steal highway robbery at $2,195.



Ah I wish I had a money tree in my backyard.


Image via Flickr by Amadika

Feeding my design style

Image via Paris Hotel Boutique

About a year ago I feel in love with vintage Feed Sacks. I had never really thought much of them until I saw them on Oprah's Knock, knock, it's Nate! Design contest. One of the runner ups, Kirstin Hollister, designed her house using her recent 3 year stint abroad in Switzerland for inspiration. In her living room she had a gorgeous chair from Ikea that she had upholstered with a vintage black/white/gray feed sack. Oh course I can't find a good picture of it anywhere online. I loved it. Her house is a great mix of vintage finds with some modern touches, which mades it look completely lived in and cozy, but with a backdrop of excellent style as well.

Pictures of Kirsten's home:



I love the benches in the dining area



This is the only image I could of the chair that started it all. It's all the way in the back by the white bookcase.




After watching that episode I immediately ran to Etsy to find myself a vintage feed sack. I was able to snatch one up for $10! That was a couple of months ago and until last weekend I hadn't done a thing with it. I was waiting to use it in my dining room in some fashion, but since my furniture hasn't even been delivered yet I figured it was time to take it out. I went IKEA and got a massive frame and mounted it in my kitchen. So at least while I figure out where I want it's permanent home to be I can enjoy it.

I thought maybe I was the only one on the feed sack kick and then yesterday I finally received my Domino magazine and saw the spread with Jenna Lyon's apartment and was so excited to see that her headboard is made with the vintage feed sacks.


Image via Domino

I did some more searching and found a fabulous new chair that I must have along with a new crush on David met Nicole. David met Nicole is a retail shop located in Sydney, Australia in Surry Hills. Their products range from home goods to clothing items and they also offer interior design services along with custom made pieces. The shop is a great mix of eclectic and vintage finds.

This is the chair that I spotted on their site that I'm currently lusting over:




I love that a vintage feed sack, which would normally be considered very country-ish in style can be me made to look very unique and chic depending on the owner.

Design ADD

You're eyes are not playing tricks on you. I can't figure out what I want my blog template to look like so I've been playing with numerous color choices. Don't mind me while I figure out what I like.

The cheaper chicken

If you've seen Father of the Bride (One of my favorite movies) then you will totally get what I am refering to in my title. If you haven't then run do not walk to your nearest rental store or Nexflix and view this film.



Times are tough and with the holidays coming up I have been stressing over what I am going to get everyone. I always try to think of the prefect gift for everyone and try to splurge and get them something they wouldn't neccessarily treat themselves too.

This May my sister gave me a fabulous necklace for my birthday. I was in complete shock and not because she picked out the perfect gift, but because it came in a Marc Jacobs bag! How did my student/no job/no income sister come up with the cash for Marc Jacobs?

There was a simple answer and it wasn't that it fell off a truck.

My necklace came from Marc Jacobs special items section. This is a section that a select few of MJ's stores carry. Items in the section are Marc by Marc Jacobs and most items range from $5 to $25 bucks.

Score! What a sweet gift to give your girlfriends, kid's teachers, work friends etc.

Add some personalized stationary and make a great gift with the lipstick pen.



Has someone in your life recently gotten a new house/apt or learned to drive?
One of these keyrings would make a thoughtful gift.



This mirror compact would go great with a Sephora gift card or some make up items that won't break the bank.



These jewelry pieces can either be given on their own or placed in a jewelry case.



My great birthday gift. Spin the disk and it says I LOVE YOU.



See everything that Marc has to offer here.

Rainy Day Fund

Today's weather has been horrid in the NY area. It started raining at 5am this morning and it has continued through out the day. It was a day best to stay snuggled up in bed watching one Lifetime movie after another. (I know I can't be the only one that get's sucked in)

Since staying in bed wasn't an option I decided to play pretend see what I would buy if I actually had a rainy day fund.

These shoes put a smile on my face. Courtney turned me on to Loeffler Randell and now I'm hooked. At this point I'm just virtually hooked by their pictures. I have yet to try on a pair, because I'm afraid I'll be hauled out of the store kicking and screaming for refusing to take them off.

I swear If I owned these shoes I wouldn't ask for anything else ever (Ok that's a lie, but I wouldn't ask for anything else for a while except for maybe their brothers and sisters).



I think if I ever got these I would spend my time staring down at my feet and probably walking into many walls. It is a price I'm willing to pay. So if everyone wants to send me a buck then maybe I can actually get them. (Totally kidding)

I might need some help acquiring my latest must have item.

I have fallen head over heels in love with Jenna Lyons (J CREW CREATIVE DIRECTOR) Entire house! What a beauty. If I can't have her home then maybe she can share the wealth and pass out her store discount to me.


Image via Domino

A girl can dream. Right?

At this point I would just be happy if my Domino magazine finally came in the mail.

Peekaboo

As you may have noticed I have a thing for Lucite. Why I'm not sure, but it just calls to me. My only problem is that it doesn't call my husband. I'm having quite a bit of hard time explaining that I must have the following items in my house:

Ghost Chair




Lucite Console




These are rather large items, which I can't really sneak into my house without my husband and bank account taking notice.

I have finally found a piece that I'm almost certain I can sneak in without much of a fuss.



This lovely lamp can be purchased at Pottery Barn and it is now on clearance sale for only $99! I love the traditional shape of it with the modern Lucite. It's a perfect fit for my house.

Run out and pick one up before I snatch them all up.

One week left

Since there is only 1 week left till ELECTION DAY I figured now was the best time to get on my soapbox and make my speech to you all. I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. That's your own personal decision, but what I do want to ask of everyone is that they actually go out and vote.

Two years ago during one of my weekly trips to the library I stopped by the DVD section and decided that I wanted a movie for that night. I picked up Iron Jawed Angels.(pretty much only because it had Patrick Demspy in it) I'm so happy a picked up this movie. It was originally a film for HBO and it is must see film. The film tells the story of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns and their quest for having the 19th amendment passed. When you see the trials and tribulations that these ladies went through you will never even question whether or not you are going to vote.

If you haven't seen this movie yet then I encourage you to go out and get a copy. The acting is amazing the set design and costumes are breathtaking and the message is important.

Please remember to vote next tuesday. Click here to see a comparsion on 10 issues and how both Obama and McCain feel about them.

You are here

I'll be the first to admit that I could get lost in a paper bag. I'm horrible with directions. Don't ask me to go North, South, East, West, because you will be met with a blank stare on my face. Directions and me just don't mix. My husband got me a GPS for Christmas one year, but that still doesn't stop me from calling him if I lose service add/or don't believe the GPS.

I am just as horrible at giving other people directions. I've been know to simply describe items on the street such as a Dunkin Donuts or it's on the corner where the guy sits and plays his guitar. Not exactly helpful to most people.

I'm not only bad at driving directions, but taking the subways, buses, even walking in the city can cause we to freak out that I'm going in the wrong direction.

Solution: Hop Stop.

Hop Stop will help you find directions from point A to point B, by either subway, bus, walking, or taxi. If will also tell you how long the taxi ride will take and approximately how long it will take.

You can also send directions directly to your cell phone and even plan a trip with multiple stops.

Amazing! I can't wait to try it out the next time I'm in the city for a shopping trip.

Bananas over Bananas?

Lately due to all the use of the word, bananas in reality television (Thanks Rachel Zoe) I've become very in tune with taking note of everything relating to actual bananas. The other day during my under the weather sick day I watched a segment on morning television of the latest diet craze.

The banana diet consists of:
- Eating one or as many bananas that you would like for breakfast with room temperature water.
- Eat whatever you would like for lunch and dinner
- One snack is allowed, but no dessert items
- Eat before 8pm

This diet has been a huge hit in Japan where a popular actress lost 26 pounds and then a singer lost 15 pounds in 6 six weeks.

Ladies are going bananas for bananas and there is now a shortage of bananas in Japan.

Since bananas are now such a hot commodity I'm sure this Banana Bunker will also start selling out. You can't go around having your banana bruised and MoMA is more than happy to help a girl out.





Note to self: Maybe I should buy bananas here, place them in Banana Bunkers,fill up my suitcases, fly to Japan, set up stand, make buckets of money. Genius!

Day 2: Under the Weather

Poo. I still feel like shite.

The only perks of me being home today from work is:

1. I'm not a work. Yay!
2. I finished Eclipse, but now I'm dying to get Breaking Dawn and finish that.
3. My sissy called me to let me know that she got me and my other sister tickets to see Spring Awakening.




Only problem is that it's tonight so I actually have to get up and shower and get ready, but in return for that I get to see this lovely man on stage tonight and his buttocks!


I heart Weeds so I'm extremely excited that Hunter Parrish is now in Spring Awakenings!

4. My pups should be kissing the floor that Erika walks on. They have been barking non-stop all morning and mommy was about to put little for sale signs on them and place them on my front yard, but seeing Erika's great slide show reminded me why I love them so much. I guess they are just trying to keep intruders away while mommy is home with them.

5. I just found out that Kwana gave me an award on her blog. Yay! Read all about it here. Thank you darling!

Hmmm that's pretty much it. I'm going to run in the shower and get ready for the day. I have notebook that is now quickly filling up with new post ideas so I must hop on that and hopefully I'll be able to post again before I leave for the show!

Under the weather

Image via Flickr by Single Malt

Ah I'm so not feeling well today. My allergies are acting up and I have a sinus headache and I pretty much feel like shite. Apparently when I don't feel good I also think that I'm British. :)

I just left work and now I'm home in my comfy bed. Posting will probably be light today. Boo. I just popped some Aleve so I'm hoping that it will kick in and I'll be able to continue with my posts for the day.

Toile la la

I have always adored Toile. I'm not sure why, because when you really look at it and see the old fashioned farming scenes it is kind of odd that one would put that in their house in forms of curtains, bedding or wall paper. Two years ago my obsession with Toile was so strong that I had my husband wallpaper our new bathroom re-do with a burnt orange/tan toile scene. I was in heaven.


Thanks Hubby for putting up the paper and making my toile people hold hands at the seams!

During this time I was also planning my wedding and yes I actually found a toile bridesmaid dress, but don't worry I didn't go there.

After all that toile obsession I had kind of put toile on a back burner and hadn't really thought about it in a while. Of course Ms. Cassandra at Coco+Kelley has been making me nutty all week with her amazing wish list items for her upcoming birthday. My Christmas list has gotten quite large due to her.

Today while I loved her latest wish list item the most exciting thing was that she dedicated two posts to Toile today!

Be still my heart when I saw this piece of art by Dana Cowie on Cassandra's blog.


This even goes with my new color theme of blue/red. I must get this for my bedroom

Dana Corwie's work is a combination of her love of fashion and the memories of her mum. She loves to dress in her late mother's now vintage creations from charity shops and uses fashion as an expression of herself. I have a slight adoration of thrift shops as well and I'm completely inspired by Dana's ability to blend the past and present together.

Oh hey girl

I've been trying to write this post since yesterday, but with all of these great posts to read from my Blog Roll ( aka my best friends who just don't know it yet) I have yet to finish it. My latest distraction is due to Patricia at PVE DESIGN.

How is a girl suppose to concentrate on writing a post when I am shown a fabulous pic of Lucite rings from Faboolosity that Patricia got to receive during her lunch date yesterday. I must figure out how to get that ring off of Pat and on to my finger.



So, now back to the scheduled program.

Lately the colors red and blue have been in my mind. Perhaps due to the debates, but in my head I'm thinking more tomato red and a turquoise type blue together. I was literally tossing and turning all night thinking about how great this look would go in my bedroom. I'm in the process of using bits and touches in my bedroom redo (pictures to come) I was even more excited about the color combo when I saw Reese's latest spread in Vogue.



I always feel that the fashion world and the home design world tend to go hand in hand. I love the mix of the black and white dress with the blue background and the red piece of artwork make for great eye candy. I would love to design a room inspired by this image.

Lo and behold that I come home later on that day and I see that I received my InStyle magazine. I was a very happy girl as I got into my bed and began to devour my new mag.

I was thrilled when I spotted this spread that had both touches of my latest color obsession along with Peacock wall art. (My last name means Peacock in Italian and I've become quite a bit attached to the little fellas now)


Much thanks to Courtney for helping me get my scanned image onto this post.

What got me even more excited was that with a closer look I realized that this layout was done by Courtney at Style Court! I've been a lurker to Courtney's blog for sometime, but when I saw her name in the magazine. I felt like a proud momma. I was so happy for her achievement and I loved what I saw. It's so wonderful to see fellow bloggers get credited in the outside world.

Congrats Court!

PSA: Beware of wide-leg pants

Image via Flickr by Shelley&Darius

This morning I thought I looked oh so chic in my wide leg denim trousers. I was pretty happy with myself for getting away with wearing jeans to work. Of course, I was running late and was happy that the dogs were out with my husband so that I wouldn't be tripping over them going down the stairs. Well, apparently I don't need them to be a klutz, because on my way down the stairs my heel got caught in my pant leg and I went falling down my stairs. What a sight. Luckily I was unharmed and no one witnessed my embarrassing moment, but I did make a hole in my new jeans!

Now that it's almost time to go home I can actually laugh about it instead of freaking out that my life almost flashed before my eyes. Feel free to giggle while you envision me clutching my purse (of course) and the banister as I tried to save myself from the fall.

* Update: These pants are out to get me. It happened again. This time going down to the basement. These things need to come with instructions. I'm okay and I didn't poke another hole into my pants so that's a plus.

Happy Birthday to the man I love!

27 years ago my soul-mate was entering this world and announced his existence with screaming his little head off and getting his cute tush slapped. This morning it was pretty much the same situation.(totally kidding)

Today my husband is finally catching up to me in the age department. Yes, he would like to think I'm a cougar and that I'm robbing the cradle, but I'm actually only a couple of months older. He loves this about our relationship and can not wait until the day I turn 30 so that he can make jokes at my expense while he is still 29. Since I love him so much I let him get away with all the teasing. So, in honor of his birthday I figured I would post about something he loves.

So, while he loves cars and fishing and all sorts of manly things one of the things that surprised me the most about him was his love of......park benches. I'm not sure why, but my husband loves them. He always wants to sit on them with me and just people watch. Last year for his birthday my parents got him a park bench for our new house and it now resides in our backyard.

While searching for park benches I found the most fabulous pictures courtesy of Brooks Brothers. This fall, Brooks Brothers decided to pay tribute to NYC's Central Park and partner with the Central Park Conservancy and it's adopt a bench program. I think it was a match made in heaven.
(just like me and my hubby) Here are just some of the breathtaking images:









Happy Birthday Darling! xoxo

Plain Jane

Ladies,

I need help. I have loved entering the world of blogging and all of you have taken me in with open arms, which has been great. I really want my blog to reflect who I am and this plain header is really not cutting it for me. I like the classic nature of it, but you all have much cooler blog pages! I need help in figuring out how to:

A: Make a new blogger header
or
B: Bribe someone with my world famous brownies and forever gratitude and have them make a header for me!

I opt for option #2!

I wanted something that was a sketch perhaps of a lady's legs with high heel's. Maybe from the knee down and then at her feet perhaps decorating books, rolls of fabric, wall paper background.

So, please come out of the woodwork and let me know who made yours or who I can go to and get one custom made for me.

Ok so, these aren't my exact brownies, but mine are better looking and have extra chocolate, marshmallow's and rice kripsy cereal. They are too die for. Just ask my sister. They love them at her office.


Image via Flickr by Terri Tu

Thanks!

P.S. I also make awesome truffles!

Weekend Recap

Hello Loves,

I can't believe it is now Sunday night and we are at the end of our weekends. Boo! It went way to fast. Here is a little re-cap of what I did:

1. Friday night I went to Liz's and hung out with her and her little lady Kaitlyn. She is too cute and has decided that my name is miu miu. A girl after my own heart with her love of fashion and her great critical thinking skills in associating fashion with me.

Kaitlyn:


We went out to do some shopping and then of course what do two married ladies do when they are left to themselves? We watch our wedding video's and pictures. Ha ha the only thing missing was us in our wedding dresses and that was only because we thought of it too late. Anyway watching our videos and listening to all the songs in it got me nosy interested in knowing what other people's wedding song was. So humor me and if you have a chance let me know what you danced your first dance to.

I ideally wanted an obscure song. I was dying to have, Yours by Blues Traveler, but my soon to be husband wasn't feeling it. It is one of my favorites and I had actually forgotten about it until I heard it during my picture DVD.



The song we both ended up agreeing with was Into the Mystic by Van Morrison.

It was fun to see it again. Here is a pic of us on our wedding day:




2. Saturday: I was in complete cleaning mood. Since I really want to start my own interior styling, decorating and event planning business I want to get my house all finished up to take some pictures of my work. I've already began re-doing some of the aspects of my bedroom. In between the cleaning I was running out to stores to look for new bedding and throw pillows. It was completely exhausting. I can't wait to have pictures of everything so that I can post them.

3. Sunday: I was pretty lazy this morning. I had breakfast in bed (thanks hubby) and watched back to back episdos of The Starter Wife.



Then I went out to a Fall Festival and got to eats lot of this:


Yum. Funnel cake!

Ah 9pm. It's almost over! Enjoy what is left of your weekend.

Happy Camper

Well, I was having quite the crappy day today. I came into work to find out that the IT dept (party of 1) decided to switch my computer and none of my programs were working. So that was frustrating along with the fact that I had a 10 am deadline for my CT wine catalog, which I was not going to make due to my computer just acting as a super huge paper weight on my desk. Then the president of the company got mad at me, because apparently I gave him the wrong thing. (Even though I write down everything he asks for in order to make sure it's right) Plus I woke up late this morning. I had 15 minutes to get out the door so I figured I would do my make-up at work. In my rush I left my make-up bag in my bedroom and I've been feeling naked all day because of it.

Ah. Thank god things have started to get better. My computer is now working, I sent in my catalog, I found the paperwork for the big cheese, but the best part of this day was meeting one of our suppliers in from California.

Oh my. What a gorgeous man. Yes, I'm a married lady, but I still have eyes. He sort of looked like the guy that will be playing Edward Cullens in the new Twilight movie.



Oh yes ladies and he had an Australian accent.

But my day got even better when I got to eat a delicious cupcake courtesy of my friend Liz Ah amazing!


Image via Flickr

I think I wrote up my post title a little too soon. While I was writing this I got attitude from the big cheese about stapling something. Ah!!!!!!! I need more cupcakes and man candy!

Oh no she didn't

Ok I just got around to watching Top Design. The episode was okay. I wasn't too in love with anyone, but I perked up when the judges finally came to see the rooms.

I know we all love Kelly Wearstler, but i'm not loving the outfit that girlfriend decided to rock:



So maybe it doesn't look too bad in this picture, but on my HDTV it was shocking.

I guess we can't be good at everything. It's okay. I still love you KW.

I'm the Barbara Walters of Interior Design

I had the absolute pleasure of getting one my favorite bloggers to answer some of my questions that I'm sure we are all dying to know the answers to. She was one of the reasons that I became inspired to write a blog of my own. I love that she had the courage to quit her day job and work on her own. A decision that has become completely successful and made her a happy lady. As a woman that is dying to go out on my own I found her blog full of inspiration and it has helped me realize that dreams really can come true. I'm in awe of her fabulous style (Not to toot my own horn, but I'm always on the same pages as her so to speak in design choices) So, without further ado my first interview is with, Erin Gates of Elements of Style AKA who I want to be for Halloween. :)



How did you get into the interior design field?

My dad is an architectural designer and does a bit of interior work as well- growing up surrounded by fabrics and paints and plans I think I was predestined to work in this field. My dad instilled a real respect and love for homes in us- from years of learning from him I can really appreciate so many aspects of creating a house inside and out. I worked for a award winning designer in Boston for a year which was eye opening as well and solidified my belief that I was cut out to do this.

What did you want to be when you were a little girl?

A princess/movie star/grocery checkout lady/ninja warrior. What I wanted to be depended on my mood each day! I did love going with my dad to his design office and sit at the big architects desk and drawing floor plans of my dream houses- with every little tiny detail, from bedding to little pebbled driveways! But the next day I' be knee deep in Barbie stuff declaring that I was going to be a movie star.

If you weren’t doing design what do you think you would be doing for a living?

Being a wedding planner, a writer or a dog walker. Nothing makes me happier than puppies!

Did you go to school for interior design or are you self-taught?

I went to school for fine art and took classes in interior design after graduating, but I am mostly self taught. I read a lot about design and find that learning as you go has been quite successful for me! I was tempted to get my masters degree in interior design, until I found out it was a 4 year long program. I could have been a doctor with that much schooling! Plus, my dad is self taught and very successful and he told me that either you "have it or you don't, and no amount of school can teach you to have a great eye. He claims I "have it", so I'm running with that! But I do wish I had better CAD skills- drawing floor plans by hand is tedious work.


When did you decide to branch out and work on your own?

After holding many jobs in which I felt unfulfilled and uninspired. I was scared to leave my very safe but boring job in order to try working for myself, so instead I started my blog while still working my day job in order to feed my creative side. It grew and I started getting small jobs and finally one day I said "There is no better time in my life than now to give this a shot." So with my husband's blessing, I quit. I freaked out and thought I'd never have any real clients, and now, a year later, I'm booked solid and so happy every morning when I get to wake up and do something I love. My next big goal is to open my own home store...

Do you work by yourself or with a partner?

Just me and Baxter, my Havanese. I need an assistant pretty badly, actually.

Where does your client base come from: Word of mouth, blog, advertising, etc?

The best thing I have ever done in my life is start my blog. Almost all my clients come from there, with some coming from word of mouth. I have met some of the most inspiring, awesome women from blogging and I hope to keep meeting more!

Do you do more residential design or commercial? Which do you prefer?

I only do residential right now, but have worked on restaurant projects at past jobs. I prefer residential hands down- but a part of me has always wanted to design a clothing boutique! I'd line the walls of the dressing rooms in Maya Romanoff's Bedazzled wallpaper- it would be like a jewelry box!

What do you consider your style to be?

Schizophrenic. My personal style is all over the map- traditional to modern, and everything in between. I love mixing it all together to create something a bit unique and I love broadening my sense of style by investigating new things and giving them a try in a space. I want my house (and my clients homes) to be filled with things that make them smile. I feel like if people only buy things they TRULY love and don't think about the grand plan, it tends to come together really well. The one design element I always love and never ever get sick of is zebra print anything- hide rugs, fabrics, you name it. It goes with everything and isn't too modern or too traditional- like me!

Who are your top 3 favorite interior designers and why?

Kelly Wearstler for her glamorous, bold style; Celerie Kemble for her stylish take on traditional decor and Jonathan Adler for his huge infusion of HUMOR in decorating. It's not rocket science after all. :)

What are the top 5 design books that either every professional or novice decorator should have in their library?

Modern Glamour by Kelly Wearstler
Houses, People, Gardens by Vogue
So Chic by Elle Decor
An Affair with A House by Bunny Williams
Rooms to Inspire by Annie Kelly
Domino book coming out, which I just KNOW will be a must have.

What books and/or magazine are on your night stand?

Eat, Pray, Love. I'm reading it for the third time. I am so madly in love with that book- it is so inspiring and comforting- like an old friend. Everyone needs to read it.

What magazines do you subscribe to?

Domino, Cottage Living, Elle Decor, Traditional Home, O at Home, House Beautiful, Real Simple, Sunset, Design New England, Elle, Vogue, InStyle, Allure, Vanity Fair.... I am seriously missing House & Garden and Blueprint. I pick up Living Etc. and World of Interiors every so often too.
Looking at this list i think I may have a problem.

What are your favorite stores for budget decorating?

JCPenney for lighting and window treatments, Target, Z Gallerie, IKEA, Ballard Designs, West Elm, Smart Bargains, Overstock, Home Goods. There are so many amazing budget friendly resources that I can barely keep up!

What is your favorite room in a house to decorate?

As far as fabrics go, living rooms are my favorite- throw pillows are a minor obsession for me. I also love bathrooms- picking out tile and little accessories- you also can be far more bold in powder rooms than in other rooms so it's fun to try bolder choices out in there. I also LOVE nurseries.

What is your favorite room in your home?

My butler's pantry. When I saw it I wanted to buy our condo- The glass doors are all original from the 30's and I wallpapered the backs of the cabinets in Jonathan Adler's metallic bamboo trellis paper, which looks amazing with my china and turquoise milk glass. I designed and built in a wine fridge and wine rack and replaced all the hardware with new nickel antique reproductions, as well as added a vintage schoolhoouse pendant light. There is nothing in there I would change- which is VERY RARE for me. We just finished painting all our rooms and I am starting over from the first room with new colors because now I hate them all. It must be so frustrating to be married to me! :)

What is your favorite decade for design inspiration?

RIGHT NOW! Seriously, I love the variety of looks that are going on right now and how people are not afraid to combine them and make something of their own.

What is your favorite all-time movie that you would have loved to have been the set decorator for?

The Holiday! Hands down, because it speaks to both my traditional and modern design senses- Cameron's house is one of my all time favorites and Kate's english cottage looks like the perfect cozy country getaway! Runner up- As Good As It Gets- that beach house is perfection. Oh and Carrie's apartment reno in Sex and the City!!!!!

What is a typical day for you?

I get up at 7 and blog first thing (after checking my gossip sites of course) and then I ponder working out and occasionally do, then I walk Baxter and then finally get dressed. I either then go to a meeting with a client, go to the design center to look for a client or spend time cyber shopping for clients. I do all of these repeatedly all day until Oprah, for whom I always break. :)

What is your favorite part of your day?

Blogging with my coffee in my pajamas in the morning. I am so enthralled with blogging and sharing my ideas, and the fact that I get to do it from home with one of many cups of coffee makes it ever sweeter.


What is your must have decorating indulgence? Artwork, furniture, lighting etc?

If I had lots of money right now I'd indulge in a Weinrib rug or one of the Rug Company rugs- so fabulous. I also think spending good money on great light fixtures is a great bet.

What are your top 10 design commandments?

1) Be true to who you are and what you REALLY like, not what's trendy.
2) Allow yourself to change your mind.
3) Always hang curtains 2-3" below the ceiling/molding. This heightens a room like no one's business.
4) Just say no to fake flowers.
5) Dark colors and oversized pieces of furniture actually make rooms feel bigger, not smaller.
6) Do not underestimate what a coat of paint and new hardware can do for something vintage with great lines.
7) Make sure your lighting is on various "levels" in each room (i.e can lights and table lamps / floor lamps)
8) If you have a very specific style try adding something from another style to give new life to a space (i.e if you have very traditional decor, throw in a modern side table and see how great it can look!)
9) Lucite is not hideous or "Miami Vice"-ish.
10) My 1/3rd principle- a room should be 1/3 antique/vintage, 1/3 bargain buys and 1/3 quality, luxury goods.

What trend do you look back on now and think, “Oh god why did I like that?

When I was a teenager it looked like Laura Ashley threw up in my room- to frilly for me.
A color scheme I don't think I'll ever like again would be cranberry and sage green.

Since we both adore Rachel Zoe I want to know what some of your favorite sayings are when you find something that you must have?

I completely use RZ's lines now- lame but really, I think that saying something is "bananas" is the best way to describe my adoration. I am also always saying things are "to die for". Always.

Some pics of Erin's work:













For more pictures of Erin's work go to: www.elements-interior.com.

I would like to Thank Erin again for this opportunity. I loved learning more about what she does and how she got there.

P.S. Would love to be your virtual assistant! We would shut it down! Plus I'm a bargin. Will work for Design Mentoring!