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Favorite Things: Holiday Flowers

For dressing up your own home for the holidays or as a hostess gift, nothing makes people smile like fresh flowers.

For dressing up your own home for the holidays or as a hostess gift, nothing makes people smile like fresh flowers. The holidays are a great time to year to add flowers to your decor, whether you use them to add cheer to the mantle or the dining room table. You don’t have to stick with a red and green theme — instead, think white, purple, and green. Rustic elements like branches, pine cones, berries, and luscious greenery also evoke the season. Here are some of my favorite examples of holiday flower arrangements.

Winter Design Books

I am always looking for new design books to add to my collection, and this year some great new titles have been released.

Interior design books are much more than a source of inspiration for me. They’re a valuable resource, too. I am always looking for new books to add to my collection, and this year some great new titles have been released. It’s always fascinating to read about another designer’s approach to a project or to see an interior take shape from another perspective. I never get tired of looking at beautiful photos in a well done design book!

Any of these books would make a great holiday or hostess gift.

Here are my picks for design books.

1. Carrier and Company: Positively Chic Interiors

2. Jeffrey Bilhuber: American Master

3. Mrs. Howard, Room by Room

4. Greg Natale: The Tailored Interior

5. Mark A. Hutker: A Sense of Place: Houses on Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod

6. Brian J. McCarthy and Bunny Williams: Parrish-Hadley Tree of Life

7. Michael S. Smith: The Curated House: Creating Style, Beauty, and Balance

8. John Ike, Thomas A. Kligerman, Joel Barkley, Marc Kristal: The New Shingled House

9. John Barman: Interior Design

10. The High Line

11. Paul Vincent Wiseman: Inner Spaces

Color Obsession: Rum Raisin and Salmon

Salmon and Rum Raisin just marry so well.

I have been so obsessed with the color salmon lately. This color has feminine appeal and,when paired with a deep, rich, sultry color as plum or rum raisin, it pops with energy. The beauty of salmon is that it can swing towards a pinkish tone picking up on rose gold, which you can introduce as hardware or a lush orange palette. When paired with rum raisin, there is a yin and yang, light and dark effect that I love. The two colors marry so well. Rum Raisin adds depth with out being too close to black for the perfect level of impact.

1. Fashion by Christian Lacroix

2. Coral Reef 012 by Benjamin Moore.

3. Christian Lacroix Houte Couture

4. Softline Swivel Chair from abc carpet & home

5. Sergio Rossi Suede Pumps

6. Carina Lang, Tree and Cloud 3

7. Agra Fort, photo by BhuddaMountain

8. Photo by Guiliano Bekor

Favorite Things: Kitchen Faucets

We do a lot of architectural specifications, and one element that falls into this category is faucets.

We do a lot of architectural specifications, and one element that falls into this category is faucets. Particularly in the kitchen, we really hone in on the faucet to ensure we have the style, form, and function to best suit the space and the client’s needs. Everyone has a preference for the faucet, whether it operates by a touch system or features more traditional on/off function. So many faucets now have features integrated into a seamless design without sacrificing utility. Touch systems are very popular right now, as are pedals installed at the floor to turn the water on or off. There are many beautiful options available today. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Vola, KV1. One-handle mixer with ceramic disc technology, double swivel spout.

2. Kohler Purist

3. Waterstone Contemporary PLP Extended Reach Pull Down Faucet

4. Waterworks Regulator

5. Waterstone Fulton

6. Minta Touch, Chrome

7. Waterworks, Universal

8. Minta Touch

9. Kohler Karbon

10. KWC, EVE

2015 A List Award Party

At the recent 2015 A List Award party, I was so honored to be recognized for my designs and to be included among such talented people!

At the recent 2015 A List Award party, I was so honored to be recognized for my designs and to be included among such talented people! Photos from the party at the Palace Theater in Stamford, as well as the winning projects and finalists, can be seen in this month’s AtHome in Fairfield County magazine. It was a fantastic event!

Here are some excerpts from the AtHome issue. I hope you’ll pick up a copy to see the work of other winners and finalists.

Breast Cancer Alliance Silent Auction

I am very happy to support the Breast Cancer Alliance by participating in this year’s silent auction.

I am very happy to support the Breast Cancer Alliance by participating in this year’s silent auction. I’ve partnered with Hoagland’s in Greenwich to offer a unique shopping experience available for bidding. The winning bidder of this item will receive a $2000 credit at Hoagland’s with the added bonus of shopping for home accessories with my advice and assistance.

Online bidding for this unique shopping experience as well as a range of other incredible items is now open and will run through noon on October 21. Any unsold items will be available for bidding at the BCA Luncheon and Fashion Show on October 22. The Luncheon will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The Breast Cancer Alliance is an extremely worthy cause, working to improve survival rates and quality of life for those living with a breast cancer diagnosis. They invest in research, surgery fellowships, education, support, and screening to promote prevention, early detection, treatment, and cure. In 2015 alone, the BCA awarded nearly $1.6 million in grants to dozens of institutions and fellowships. By supporting the BCA through their silent auction and Luncheon, you are helping to make a difference in the lives those affected by breast cancer.

To learn more about the BCA, visit their website. You can view the online auction here and sign up to place a bid. I look forward to shopping with the lucky winner of the Hoagland’s Shopping Spree auction!

2015 A List Awards Finalist

I am so thrilled to be a finalist for this year’s At Home A List Awards!

I am so thrilled to be a finalist for this year’s At Home A List Awards! Two of my designs are up for consideration, one in the Bath Design category and one in the Entryways category. Both can be seen in a supplement to the most recent issue of Greenwich Magazine. I feel honored to be included in this group of talented designers:

BATH DESIGN

Alisberg Parker Architects
Amy Aidinis Hirsch
Morgan Harrison Home

BEDROOM

Jennifer Smokler Interiors
Karen Bow Interiors, LLC
Susan Glick Interiors

DINING ROOM

Alisberg Parker Architects
Jennifer Smokler Interiors
Karen Bow Interiors, LLC

ENTRYWAYS

Amy Aidinis Hirsch
Austin Patterson Disston Architects
Giancarlo Massaro Architect

KIDS’ BEDROOM

Bella Interiors
Carmina Roth Interiors, LLC
Karen Bow Interiors, LLC

KIDS’ SPACE/PLAYROOM

Alisberg Parker Architects
Blueprint Dreams LLC
Roughan Interiors

KITCHEN DESIGN

Able Construction, Inc.
D2 Interieurs
Oliver Wilson Construction with FigTree Designs

LANDSCAPE (GREATER THAN 1 ACRE)

Conte & Conte, LLC
Devore Associates
Elise Landscapes & Nursery, LLC

LANDSCAPE (LESS THAN 1 ACRE)

Glen Gate Company
Glen Gate Company
Sean Jancski Landscape Architects

LIVING SPACES

Lynne Scalo Design
Susan Glick Interiors
Lisa Hilderbrand – Welhil Interiors

MODERN ARCHITECTURE

Forehand + Lake with Jill Neubauer Architects
JMKA Architects
Twelve Development

OFFICE/LIBRARY

Catherine Cleare Interiors
D2 Interieurs
Kat Rosier for Hom Sanctuary
Charles Hilton Architects

POOL HOUSE

Charles Hilton Architects
Neil Hauck Architects LLC
Sean O’Kane AIA Architect PC

RENOVATION

David Scott Parker Architects
Mark P. Finlay Architects
Sellars Lathrop Architects

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE: LESS THAN 7,000 SQUARE FEET

Alisberg Parker Architects
Austin Patterson Disston Architects
Neil Hauck Architects

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE: GREATER THAN 7,000 SQUARE FEET

David Scott Parker Architect
Douglas VanderHorn Architects
Robert A. Cardello Architects

Winners will be announced at the A List Awards Gala on Thursday, September 10. The event begins at 6pm at the Palace Theater in Stamford, Connecticut. Click here for tickets, and I hope to see you there!

Here’s a glimpse of the projects for A List Award consideration in the Bath Design and Entry categories. Stay tuned for the announcement of winners later this week!

Greenwich Magazine: Fall Nesting

I recently had a feature in the Home Section of this month’s issue of Greenwich Magazine.

I recently had a feature in the Home Section of this month’s issue of Greenwich Magazine. They asked for my thoughts on how to enhance a space for fall, so I shared my ideas on how to add texture and color just for this time of year. I find myself looking for warmer palettes as the season shifts and like to change details to reflect this. Many thanks to Greenwich Magazine and Moffly Media for the feature!

AtHome in Fairfield County: French Twist

I am so pleased to share an editorial featuring a recent project in At Home in Fairfield County’s September/October 2015 issue.

I am so pleased to share an editorial featuring a recent project in At Home in Fairfield County‘s September/October 2015 issue. This editorial features a kitchen I designed for a long time client, someone who’s been with me since I started my career over eight years ago. The benefit to a long term client relationship is that I’ve already earned their trust. When we first talked about the kitchen, the client turned to me to say, “This is what we want,” gave me their wish list, and let me have carte blanche. They were so open to everything I presented that there was very little tweaking between what came out of my head and the final design. It’s so nice to see what’s possible when you develop a great client rapport over time. Many thanks to At Home magazine for the feature!

Housepad App

I really appreciate the Housepad App as a communication tool and an all-in-one resource for seamlessly maintaining a home on so many levels.

When touring this year’s Kips Bay Showhouse, one of the things I found really interesting was a display on the new Housepad App. Developed by Michael Bruno, founder of 1st Dibs, the Housepad app is an excellent tool for homeowners who want to stay organized and take a proactive approach to running their household. It puts a number of resources at your fingertips.

I know when I leave a client’s home after completing a project, it won’t look the same the next time I return. Little things like the arrangement of cushions or the placement of accessories may be off and I find myself wanting to fluff pillows or tweak other details. With the Housepad App, the homeowner can create room by room lookbooks so everyone from the kids to the cleaning staff knows how a room is meant to look. It’s a simple way to communicate in order to consistently have your home looking its best.

Another feature of the Housepad App is the ability to create to-do lists. These lists can be shared and assigned to family and staff who are then able to send notification when each task is complete. For a large household or one with an extensive staff, this can be a valuable time saver that keeps everyone on the same page and ensures important tasks are finished on schedule.

One of the most thoughtful features of the Housepad App is the ability to create a catalog of household items and appliances complete with invoices, warranty information, and instructions. So much more efficient than searching through files or binders if an appliance needs repairs! Additionally, you can store household emergency contact information, including details such as the location of shut off valves and fire extinguishers. The App even allows you to control a Nest thermostat, schedule maintenance calls with Handy, and keep a master shopping list with one-click Amazon ordering or just as a reference. All of these tools can be shared with members of the household from family to pet sitters to cleaning staff.

I really appreciate the Housepad App as a communication tool and an all-in-one resource for seamlessly maintaining a home on so many levels. It’s such a smart solution!