radio by Grace Bonney 21

after the jump: genevieve gorder interview (mp3)

If I had to trace my love of design and DIY (and moss) back to one person, it would be easy: Genevieve Gorder. She is quite literally the only reason I came to know and love design. I’ll never forget her, barefoot, covering a couple’s wall in moss on Trading Spaces. It blew my mind. Design came alive for me, and everything seemed possible. Why shouldn’t you have a rust wall? Why not make your own artwork with leftover wooden scraps? Why not create an entire room inspired by an artichoke? For me, Genevieve’s style and spirit helped me find and understand where my place in the creative community would be.

So it was a complete and total thrill to spend yesterday afternoon talking with her on my weekly radio show, After the Jump. We talked about good (and bad) TV, how Minnesota influenced her style, how she balances her work and personal life and stays inspired. Genevieve is a complete one-woman powerhouse — whether you listen for design inspiration or just to hear the story of a super smart (and creative) business woman, I hope you’ll download and enjoy this interview. She is nothing short of amazing. (My favorite part of the interview was when she described being a designer as someone whose job it is to “imagine harder and better than you can.” That rang so true for me.)

Click here to stream the podcast for free online (and/or download the file for later) and here to listen on iTunes.

Thanks again to Genevieve and Suzanne for coming out. They are the best pizza lunch dates ever. xo, grace

products by Grace Bonney 2

Idyll by amber albrecht

Drawn & Quarterly is putting out some of the most beautiful books these days. One of their newest is Idyll by Montreal artist Amber Albrecht. Idyll gathers some of Amber’s best drawings and silkscreens from the past few years and tucks them between a beautifully embossed cover. Idyll contains 96 pages of pure artwork (there’s no text outside of the titles for each piece) and will be available on May 22nd. But if you’re interested in pre-ordering, you can click here to check it out in more detail. You can also see more of Amber’s work (and her shop) online right here. xo, grace

tech by Stephanie 20

Apps for Organization

I’ll admit, my memory is not my strong suit. My life revolves around lists. (I’ll even put “make new to do list” on my to do list so I remember to update the list . . . it’s pretty pathetic.) With a memory that doesn’t span more than a few hours, it is crucial that I create list after list to ensure that everything I need to do is actually getting done. While there are many options (both tech and non-tech) that can help you stay organized and on schedule, I prefer some of the wonderful organization tools and apps for my phone.

So I created a list (no pun) on My Life Scoop of the apps that help keep my life in order. Click here for some of my favorite organizational tools, and please share your tips and tricks for accomplishing your daily tasks. Enjoy! — Stephanie

sneak peeks by Amy Azzarito 59

sneak peek: luke mortimer

Luke Mortimer spends most of his days working as a visual merchandiser in Melbourne, Australia. But his heart is in a little gold rush town just outside of Castlemaine in Victoria, Australia. It was there that he flexed his interior design muscles and built this little home finished just last year. Luke has dubbed the house Grey Gardens. The home is the perfect country escape from city life, and Luke rents it out to couples looking for a getaway. (He blogged about the challenge of building the home here.) Luke is a self-professed rubbish addict — he loves the challenge of finding something cool on the side of the road, taking it home and reinventing it. He wanted to create a country escape that was modern but had an eclectic, nostalgic twist. — Amy Azzarito

Image above: This is the guest bedroom. The cross-stitch on the wall was done by my Granny who actually had no plan or design for this but just used whatever thread she had on hand. It’s totally crazy, and I love how it pops against the gray wall in the white frame. I found the drum for $2 at the local tip. I spent hours scrubbing the rust off the chrome with vinegar and aluminum foil, and I love the sound it makes when you plonk your book down.

Image above: The main living space has huge ceilings and so much light. I made the ottoman myself and filled it with beanbag beans. It is the perfect spot to curl up in front of the fire on a cold day and enjoy the sunshine streaming through the windows.

See more of Luke’s Australian home after the jump . . .

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sneak peeks by anne 12

sneak peek: alex zabotto-bentley

Alex Zabotto-Bentley is the director of his company, AZBcreative, a full-service creative agency specializing in live communications and events with a focus on art, crafts and styling. Influenced by his own “collector” aesthetic, his personal work is in interior design and decoration with a love of installations, including window design and fashion. Conveniently, his office and studio is literally one block away from his three-story Victorian terrace home in Surry Hills, NSW, Australia, a vibrant area full of fantastic restaurants, galleries and art studios. Work allows Alex to travel to many places around the world, which also satisfies his love of collecting and his ever-evolving style. Thanks to Alex, and a special thanks to Felix Forest for the images and to Dina Broadhurst for help with the styling! — Anne

Image above: I adore furniture and object d’art from the early 20th century partnered with many elements collected over time. I’m a “bowerbird,” adding layer upon layer and then all of a sudden stripping everything and starting again. I lean towards collections. I love grouping and finding like-spirited things: vintage coral, a striking paletted textural painting by Peter Robertson, two beautifully carved timber Buddhas, books, and an old typographic sign of pigment colors.

Image above: I adore the strength and masculinity of all different shades of brown from timber to bronze, paint to photography. Here a Steven Meisel photograph from an early Versace campaign hangs amongst early 20th-century bronzes purchased in Barcelona and Rome, and all live together happily in the formal sitting room.

See more of Alex’s Australian home after the jump . . .

sneak peeks by Amy Azzarito 14

sneak peek: micah + marianna whitson

Marianna is from North Carolina, and Micah is from Alabama, but the couple has made its home in Arlington, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. By day, they work in advertising, but they found themselves missing the South, so they started Old Try as a way to reconnect. The create a range of prints: from flags to insider knowledge to the little things they remember being taught as children. It’s made them feel closer to home and has connected them to other southerners. Marianna and Micah’s home, with its wood-burning fireplace and exposed ceiling beams, feels very New England; after all, just outside their door in 1775, British troops and Minutemen tussled as the Redcoats were en route to the Battles of Concord and Lexington. They have thrown a few southern details into the mix, aiming to create a space that feels homey and relaxed with clean lines and unique accents. Thanks, Micah & Marianna! — Amy Azzarito

Image above: My grandfather, now 90, is a talented carpenter, and he made this desk for me. It is walnut with Queen Anne legs. I love all the cubbies and that you can fold up the table surface. I coach and play lacrosse, so we wanted a vintage lacrosse stick for our house; this one is from England. The vintage cotton NC flag was a great auction find. The guestroom is a light blue — Summer Shower by Benjamin Moore.

Image above: Working in advertising and graphic design, we have a lot of large, colorful books, so we need a lot of shelf space. The leaning bookcases are from Crate & Barrel. We even have a travel section presided over by the Travelocity Roaming Gnome, a campaign we worked on. The green armchair was not a planned purchase. We drove to Maine one Saturday and ended up in the Crate & Barrel outlet. We saw the chair and joked about it — it was so bright! As we were leaving the store, we looked at each other and knew we had to take it home, so we ran back in and sealed the deal. The wall color is Cream Fleece by Benjamin Moore.