Granny was on to something with her doilies, but she just needed some helpful hints from a contemporary mind to get them looking right. I'm finding doily motifs everywhere but under a piece of cake these days, but this time they're not so geriatric. From furniture, like David Eveleigh and Melissa Evans's laser-cut Doily Table (inquire for price), to rugs, dinnerware, photo-etched enamel-painted copper plates, and doilies reinvented in felt and vinyl, the five-letter word is being spoken in a new dialect. To see many more of those modern doily motifs, check out this slideshow!
Take This Quiz To Win Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's New Book! In their New York Times bestseller Influence, which we've been raving about since day one, the sisters take us on a visual journey of people — photographers, designers, artists, writers, icons — who have influenced them.
While I don't mind the smell of cigars quite as much as I do the smell of cigarettes, I'd still never allow either to be smoked in my house. The smell seems to invade every fabric-covered surface, and if someone smokes in a home long enough, the wood surfaces and walls will even absorb the scent. Sometimes, though, you have to make exceptions for a particularly stubborn relative with a passion for cigars. What's your policy? Source
I love people who aren't afraid of color. Take, for example, Laurel's Rainbow Bright Home. Thanks to her fearlessness of color, her home shouts personality . . . the kind of style that simply can't be replicated. But, given that I like my color in small doses, I'd be more likely to fill my house with items like the Chroma Lab Fruit Stripe Dresser ($480). Its turquoise acrylic satin polyurethane topcoat is certainly bold, but its slivers of watermelon and lemon color are hidden until you open the drawers. The colors aren't always competing for attention, but you know they're there.
For some reason, I find Autumn mud and muck so much more annoying than the mud and puddles you find in the Spring. Maybe it's because the mud is usually combined with snow and slush, or because you can't leave the door open when you clean out your entry, since the temperatures are too low. Whatever the reason, I'm not a mud fan. Over the years I've encountered some funny family theories for dealing with getting mud out of rugs and carpets. Have you tried spraying shaving cream on fresh mud that's worked its way into your entry rugs? My uncle swears that if you leave it on for at least 10 minutes, and then blot it, the mud will come out. My mom, on the other hand, says that sprinkling cornstarch on mud works best for her. The cornstarch should be left on for 30 minutes or more, and then the whole mess can be vacuumed up.
Of course, the best way to deal with mud is to stop it before it impacts your floors, rugs, and carpets. I've rounded up some great bristle-laden mats, boot trays, and more to help you keep the mud outside, where it belongs. To see my finds, read more
Today's Designer Spotlight goes by the name of Ondine Karady. Ring a bell? That's probably because you've watched her facing challenges and wowing us with her design skills on season two of Top Design. As you may know, Ondine was part of a small team of designers on the set of Sex and the City. Unfortunately for all of us (tear) Sex and the City's television pulse stopped beating, but Ondine moved forward, starting her own eponymous SoHo-based boutique design firm. She's since carried an impressive list of clients, including celebs, Hollywood directors, and Washington political elite. Her firm, OK, also has a collection of custom furniture, ceramics, and hand silk-screened wallpapers inspired by mid-century designs. If that weren't enough to impress, she also designed the sets of Requiem For a Dream and 25th Hour. To see some work from her portfolio, read more
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