Windows on the World: Lillian August

the view from west 20th street: why are my pics always slanted?

It's September in New York and global eclectic is on. The signs are all around us including this fabulous window at Lillian August's showroom in the Flatiron District. This staging stopped me in my tracks: it has glamour, exoticism, urban sophistication, rustic texture and many pops of bright color. Inviting, not overwhelming. 

A fabulous vignette. Of course, it's only in keeping with the general quality of their window displays...

Retail Odyssey: Earthy & Exotic at Pier 1

the moroccan coffee table base with glass round top

Is Pier 1 killing it, a little, kinda? Some of their summer offerings are shall we say, righteous. Sexy in that understated, clean & natural sort of way. Items that feel rich and stately without being too showy or ornate. 

Mrrrowwwrrrr...

Single-Girl Style: Moody Modern Luxury

home of di botha and athol moult featured in house & leisure south africa

This house near Cape Town, SA is nothing short of striking with its dramatic combination of dark walls and opulent colors. The interplay of modern lines and luxurious textures adds up to a riveting home. It's not so much welcoming as demanding. You feel required to be there right now, reveling in it's cozy, relaxing atmosphere for as long as possible before the owners kick you out. 

Single-Girl Style: Antique Comforts

soft and spacious, with a view to build a dream on

If you're going to have a country home, it's probably best to make sure it's as restful inside as outside. And also, centered in the midst of some magnificent natural scenery. I've never been to New Zealand, but clearly that little country has some wide open spaces of note.

Rooms on Film: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

star-crossed: dodge and penny meet mere days before the apocalypse

This is one of those movies I watch whenever I find it playing on cable. A quiet little story about two people who meet as the world is counting down the end of days. As society literally breaks down around them, giving way to despair and chaos on every level, neighbors Dodge and Penny meet and join forces to return to their loved ones before an oncoming asteriod extincts mankind.

While Dodge is the main character, mired in a tidy regret, this post is about flighty Penny's apartment. She's the life of this party...

Retail Odyssey: Patchwork Patterns at Vivaterra

vivaterra's kantha loveseat is a real showpiece

Thankfully this foxy little number is well out of my price range, 'cause that's all that stands between me and an epic impulse buy. Obviously it's best feature is the gorgeous patchwork Indian kantha in bright hues and energetic patterns. But it's secondary asset is the shape: those slimmed English roll arms, those carved legs (with casters!) and the tufted back. It's quite a stately little piece. I'd probably like it just as much in a solid color.

But it isn't solid. Not at all...

Color Story: Mad About Amethyst

john robshaw's lodhi shower curtain

If you know like I know, the deep midwinter can be a real bummer. Short days and low daylight are as a cloud descending, plunging me into a long stretch of hibernation and neglect. Hard to get anything done when you're bundled up in bed. Not this year! I resolved to fight it, fight it, fight it! Certain colors are particularly helpful in this effort, colors like Amethyst (or Lavendar, or Orchid...).

And this season, everybody's got some...

Retail Odyssey: Rustic Modern at Target

the new asmara furniture collection from mudhut @ target.com

One of Target.com's featured home dec brands, Mudhut, is now offering furniture in a clean, earthy style. The Asmara line looks warm and sturdy being made of four woods and metal hardware. The collection is on the affordable side with nothing priced higher than $179.99. I love the long, slim legs on the tables. Plenty of room to store other things underneath them, especially that console. These are pretty versatile. The product line is Indian/South Asian style, so it will coordinate well with various global styles, whether colorful or monochrome. 

Retail Odyssey: Gorgeous Global Mirrors

sana mehrab mirror from world market

Mirrors are one of my many weaknesses. After hot pink, color, texture, pattern, turquoise, bedding, hammered bronze, mehrab arches, floor cushions and paisley...comes mirrors. There are ten around here. Ten! Without shame. So why are the decor imps out there sending a perfect storm of showstoppers down the pike? The last thing I need is another mirror, but...

Pink and Orange Bedding

slip into spring with a little exotica

It's official: I have a weakness for bedding that may require some rehab. After the recent IKEA acquisition, I took a good look at the new Bar III line at Macy's. Like the Style & co. line before it, Bar III has some real lookers in it's catalog. And of course that led to a store visit to handle the goods in person. 

Color Story: Vibrant Luxury

photo: john huba for town & country

Layers of sophistication. That's what this room has, floor to ceiling. African mudcloth, wool drapes, woven throws, silk pillows, velvet seating, handcarved and weathered wooden furnishings and glossy surfaces. Hardwood floors laid in a chevron pattern.

And then there's the color...

Single-Girl Style: Global Mod Living

move-in ready, just needs one tweak

Seeing this livingroom in Cottages & Bungalows magazine last year was a jolt. What a an inspiring room. It's very casual and comfy, heavy on paisleys and blockprints, the colors are fresh and feminine and the bones have simple lines for a simple, modern feeling. 

The only thing I would change is that stuffy rug. 

In Print: Bold Color

eye-popping graphics, adore home (feb 2012)

Much gratitude to the overseas online magazines out there. While we're shivering through deep winter (shrieking, when the wind is fierce), they are serving up gorgeous summer rooms and bright, uplifting color. I'm thinking of making "it's summer somewhere" my new catchphrase.

Single-Girl Style: Studio Living

photo: ngoc minh ngo

For the umpteenth time I was considering this delightful room that has been floating around Pinterest for months. How beautifully the colors blend with the patterns and textures. Yellows, reds and pinks grounded by whites and tans. Wools, silks, canvas and crackled ceramics. Paisleys, swirls, dots, geometric florals and African mixes against stripes. Wouldn't it be nice to see the entire room?

And then it hit me. We already have.

Rooms on Film: Before Sunset

behind-the-scenes of before sunset

This is in celebration of the upcoming sequel, Before Midnight! All my feelings on the subject of a third chapter in the 'Ballad of Jesse & Celine' are spelled out in this post. Before Sunrise was all dialogue about who these people thought they were and what they thought life is about. Before Sunset was the same with the noted exception that it showed us not only a lovely European city, but also the intimate space of one of the lovers. 

Retail Odyssey: New Pieces at Pier 1

It was just one of those random evenings when I was heading down Broadway and decided to stop into a couple of stores. First, Anthropologie which has completely remodeled and actual feels smaller somehow. It is beautiful though...  Then into Pier 1 at 15th Street and there was quite a lot to catch the eye. They too have reorganized they layout including this gorgeous display wall full of African and Indian decor.  

Throughout the store some real gems stood out:

Single-Girl Style: A Place for My Stuff

welcome to my home

So, awhile back I promised a tour of my humble digs. Funny how time gets away from you (and yet this summer seems to have slipped through my fingers like silt). Among other things, it became clear that all of my storage is so full of stuff that stuff is piling up out in the open. Which prompted me to pull out all the stored stuff and start selling it off. That left Chez Moi in a quite a bit of upheaval. But recently I had to squirrel everything away again for company. So here are the (crappy iPhone) pics I managed to take before hauling everything back out. (And, yes, this is what passes for neat in my life.) 

Single-Girl Style: Chill in Kuala Lumpur

kuala lumpur home of an van daele [source: ruemag.com]

A wonderful summer room! Cool floors, airy furnishings, bright windows, soothing color scheme. Eclectic, global, casual. I love the rice basket on top of the modern entertainment console. The two pillows are a must for such glossy, cool floors. The table has lots of surface area without being heavy or obtrusive. And the spare wall art is painted in soul-soothing shades that complement the few hits of color in the room. Wonderful mix of textures: shiny, smooth, plush, nubby, worn and rough. 

All good things.

Rooms on Film: Cracks 2009

rockstar teacher miss g's private room

Sometimes I can't do a simple Rooms on Film post, because there is so much more going on than set design. Cracks is such a production. Starring Eva Green (Dark Shadows, The Dreamers) as a captivating, modern instructor at a 1930s private girls school, Cracks is really one of those treats of costuming and design. Take a beautiful actress, build a gorgeous setting and clothe her in cutting-edge style. Then turn her loose to perform while the audience falls back, mesmerized by the dashing shapes and silhouettes all this amounts to as the story unfolds. SO, this will be the first of two posts: one centering on the sets, the second focusing on the wardrobe.

Retail Odyssey: Target's Global Shower Curtains

Saw some great shower curtains in Moroccan and Indian patterns recently. From paisley to key lattice to peacock and more modern prints, the range is pretty impressive. And the colors are largely cheerful and refreshing - something I prefer in a bathroom, no matter the size.

I took some photos of the store displays because the website photos are just too small to really appreciate: