One to remember

Montage.  Need I say more?  If you have stayed there, then no.  If not, then I beg of you to go before you head up to the pearly gates.  From a personal standpoint, it was one of the most relaxing vacations that I have ever had (but then again, that could have been because none of my gremlins were tagging along for the weekend).  From a designer's perspective, it was one for the record books, especially mine and my ongoing concept of cohesive design.

Montage is yet another example of intentional simplicity and understated elegance; the type of place that makes you feel like you are at home just by the lightness of their duvet.  The architecture of the hotel isn't that unlike that of Chatham Bars Inn on the cape.  It's a shingle-style structure, and in the most respectful way, follows the line and color of the coastline that it graciously stands upon.  The rooms are cottage-sophisticated with custom millwork, plaid patterns, and pops of yellow; just enough to cheer you out from under that weightless duvet (but not enough to take you away from the breathtaking view off the balcony).  And once you emerge, the colors of the lobby engage the outside space and invite you to continue on to admire the property and that incredibly blue Pacific Ocean.

This one will definitely go into my catalog of inspiration.  What I like most about it is that it's not necessarily a beach house that it will translate into, but rather a feeling of tranquility.  Even over a packed restaurant and a wedding on the lawn, the space seemed calm.  Restful.  The design as a whole and the appreciation of its elements kept the little bits of frenzy from feeling too big.  The blues of the water, the khakis from the sand, the greens from the succulents, and yellow from the sun - wouldn't that be a nice place to find yourself in the dead of winter in New England?  Or, even just a little escape from the playroom...

http://www.montagelagunabeach.com/

Last week I went down to NY for my annual trip to the Gift Show.  I was on the hunt for some accessories for clients of mine back in Boston.  It's amazing how much less you spend if you actually have a list of what you're looking for on you while you shop!  Feeling focused and frugal, I found some great buys.  Here is my favorite find, the La Pintade French Guinea Hen, perfect for sitting atop the mantle in a family room:

In a nutshell

I'm back!  And completely refreshed and inspired by an incredible journey to the Far East.  Ok, travelling with 4 kids for 19 days was a little chaotic, but then again, cities like Hong Kong, Hanoi, and Bangkok were a little chaotic before we got there...

From the minute we stepped off of the plane in Hong Kong, I was immediately welcomed by the smell of Southeast Asia - hard to describe, but think hot and tropical with a little hint of diesel.  It felt like we never left, and after a good night's sleep (up at 4am with jet-lag), we got straight to touring around.  What set the tone for the rest trip was that very first morning walking through Hong Kong Park, through the zoo, up to our old apartment, hopping on the tram up to the Peak and getting a cup of coffee while overlooking the city.  Feeling so at home in a foreign place made the kids forget that it was foreign, and that's why we can't wait to go back...

Without boring you with a bunch of family photos, I'll just post some simple scenes from the trip.  The most impressionable thing that I took away from the whole experience was, as always, in the details.  Simplicity here is really what it's all about.  No matter how rich or poor, from the 2-star to the 5-star, the attention to detail and taking pride in your work stands out more than anything else.  Sometimes in the West, I think that we forget that...