Kitchen Rugs came into decorative focus after our cocinas exploded into the rest of the house. With open kitchens in the sight lines, kitchen rugs went from purely functional (read often ugly) to consciously stylish. Today, with so many colors, materials and patterns available kitchen rugs often stand alone as accent pieces or coordinate with window treatments, backsplashes … [Read more...]
Exotic Bathroom Sinks
I could go for one of these exotic bathroom sinks — there’s no other way to describe them. Exotic bathroom sinks can qualify as design-around features. They can kick off a color palette, suggest textures and materials, or even convey particular styles. Sure, you can go with generic white sanitary fixtures. But investing in an exotic bathroom sink fits the aesthetic of our … [Read more...]
Apartment Therapy Complete + Happy Home
Stocking stuffer: A new Apartment Therapy book shows how real people turn houses into homes. Thousands of books have been written about home decorating — from Edith Wharton to hgtv. Most of those begin in the middle. It’s rare to get a prequel but why not? A new book from the landmark website Apartment Therapy - Apartment Therapy Complete + Happy Home (Potter Style, $35)— … [Read more...]
Basic Outdoor Shower
A basic outdoor shower is easy to rig up and the look opens up a natural world of creativity. Two years ago, while visiting our daughter in Michigan, we watched the contractors install a basic outdoor shower on the back deck that leads to the pool. The entire project took most of the morning and by afternoon the little ones were rinsing themselves off after a swim. Adding a … [Read more...]
Interior Barn Door Color
A colorful, interior barn door closes off a space and acts as moveable color block art. While we often go for exterior door color, the interior barn door is a natural for brining color inside. We adore these doors because they add so much personality to rooms and make relaxed style statements. When painted in vivid hues and black, the interior barn door can reverse the usual … [Read more...]
Indigo Moroccan Rugs
Indigo Moroccan rugs look dramatic opposite bright whites and are less well known than red rugs from Morocco. Indigo Moroccan rugs are made with dye from the Indigo plant. These are a full bodied, color-soaked variety of royal blue that has been prized in Asia and the Middle east for hundreds of years. In a contemporary home in Italy [top], this contrast is demonstrated with a … [Read more...]
Black Wall Murals
Nothing has more visual authority in a room than a black wall. Several months ago I attended a color theory seminar at the Ann Sacks tile showroom in NYC. On the way in, I snapped this photo of a black wall tile mural that stopped me from across the showroom floor nearly half a city block away. It was the stunning Sakura Collection Asian Wave tile in black and gold — … [Read more...]