When Grace and I were in Atlanta for Lavish, Wendy Hanson and Lucy Allen Gillis took us to Star Provisions for lunch (yummy!), and then insisted we check out Sid Mashburn. I’ve seen a lot of stores, but I seriously wanted to move right into this one! (I’m determined to find someone to paint a…
When Gwendolyn Mason and Earnest Merritt started Dear Hancock last year, they had to choose between dining space and work space. It was no contest. The couple put two drawing tables on the ends of their dining room table, and in the evenings, when Earnest returns home from his job as a woodworker and an…
Almost immediately after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Lizzy Janssen moved to the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. During the day, she works as a designer for Free People, and she spends her free time working out of this jewel-box apartment — literally, the apartment was originally a jewelry shop — working on…
Joslyn Taylor’s favorite spot in her house is the nook between the kitchen and breakfast area. Don’t you just love how the Woods wallpaper creates a gorgeous backdrop for her collection of white dishes? And what make her kitchen and bedroom even more exciting are the pops of Kelly green wall color, which provide such…
Our Baltimore guide update comes from original guide writers Anne Ditmeyer of prêt à voyagerand Felice Cleveland. This wonderful guide–and the personalized google map with everything marked out–takes us on a tour through each neighborhood with advice on delicious restaurants, supreme shops and all-around fun things to do and see in the Baltimore area. Thanks ladies for a…
Okay, I promise this is my last lovey-dovey post for today. I just couldn’t resist one last heart explosion because so many sweet Valentine’s Day submissions are starting to flood my inbox. These last pieces are all dedicated to classic heart shapes in a number of styles: a minimalist gold heart poster ($50 here by…
I have a lot of friends who aren’t big fans of Valentine’s Day — something to do with the “conspiracy created by the greeting card companies.” But I really love Valentine’s Day. I loved it when I was single, and I love it now that I’m married, mainly because I don’t think of it as…
Whew! NYC survived another snowstorm, so I think it’s time to kick back and settle into a snowy weekend. AC and I are pounding the pavement tomorrow looking for new apartments (fingers crossed!), so I’ve been busy selling things and gathering ideas for a fresh start in a new space. I can’t wait to start…
Last year, when I returned from Paris and Maison-Objet, I was in the mood for a lemon tart, and Marjorie Taylor of The Cook’s Atelier in Beaune, France, delivered the perfect recipe. This week, upon my return from Paris, I am craving something French again, and yes, we have another recipe by Marjorie for a…
I’m so excited and honored that Grace asked me (your ever faithful and loyal Amy M. of Living In) to fill in for the ladies of Studio Choo this afternoon! As an antidote for New York’s latest snowstorm, we’re going to practice what I lovingly call flower meditation as a cure-all for the winter doldrums….
While the days of winter aren’t necessary “long” if measured strictly in terms of daylight hours, they certainly can feel lengthy. The arctic winds whipping around New England (not to mention the rest of the winter wilds lashing the entire globe) sequester many of us living in the Northern Hemisphere to the indoors. If you’re…
Cartolina has seriously been knocking it out of the park with their iPhone apps. Valentine’s Day is coming up soon and to make digital greetings easier, Cartolina has designed a cute option, in addition to a full set of nine new designs based around the idea of ephemera. As much as I love real cards…
It’s dreary and gray here in Brooklyn, so I thought I’d try to lighten up the mood with this beautiful new special edition version of Mod Green Pod’s “Anticipate” pattern. MGP ventured outside of their normal one- and two-color prints to try something different, a nine-color pattern printed on upholstery-strength organic cotton canvas. I’d love…
Today on Before & After Basics, it is all about good vibrations and power combinations. Think peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, cookies and milk and Barbie and Ken. Each of these combinations is good on its own, but oh so great combined with the other half! This is exactly how I feel about…
Get your pencils ready, everyone. There are enough great ideas in this shop design by designer and event planner Sharon Taylor to decorate ten stores. For the creation of the Missouri-based children’s boutique Jellybeans, Sharon not only sourced most of the materials at local flea markets and on eBay, but she also worked with local…
Yellow is not my favorite color. It’s not even close — well that’s a lie, actually. My favorite color is green, so in fact, it’s quite close. But I rarely use yellow in my design decisions, and I never choose it over something else. When I see it used in a smart, restrained way, however…
Design blogger Sarah Baltare blew me away me with her awesome painted rug from last week, and she’s back again without skipping a beat. This credenza creation is an entirely different yet equally successful and inventive up-cycle. Her decision to leave the handles is unexpected but brilliant, and I hope this ingenuity keeps on coming….
I’ve never been so amused by and embarrassed about an aspect of the design industry as I was while watching this video. If you haven’t watched Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s hilarious new sketch comedy/TV show on IFC called Portlandia, please check it out here, here or here. The show primarily mocks the stereotypes found…
Thanks to Matchbook Magazine for including a quotation from D*S founder Grace Bonney in their debut issue.
Valentine’s Day is approaching so quickly! In previous years, I haven’t able to organize myself beyond a little note taped to a PayDay — they are my boyfriend’s favorite, but still. There are so many great projects trickling in, and I want to get a head start so I can make them all! First on…
