A little bit of India in my life

I have a friend, one of those over-acheivers who used to be a lawyer and then decided to do something different.  As if going through law school, taking the Bar and going on to practice wasn't enough, she decided to have a beautiful family and then head up the PTO and become a seamstress.  Anyway, she did something fun this week - she took an Indian sari and turned it into her daughter's window treatments; luminous London shades that sparkle and float and add so much character to the room that you don't even notice any of the other pieces in there.

What I love about this is twofold.  First, I love that she repurposed something that she would never have used otherwise (as talented as she is, I don't think that she could ever pull off wearing a sari unless it was as her Halloween costume).  Second, I love that she introduced a sense of style and culture to a first grader.  Just by putting the sari in her window, it opens up the story of India and the tales of the Maharaja. 

Years ago, when my life was a little less full of kids, my husband and I spent three weeks travelling through Rajastan and the northern circut of the Thar desert.  Words cannot describe India.  You have to go to really appreciate it.  It's such a vivid adventure filled with striking contrasts throughout the landscape.  The desert is arid and dry, yet the people are colorful and warm.  The cities are CRAZY and CROWDED, yet they're respectful of their history and mindful of their culture.  India was a country of more than 600 states at one time, and each of those states had their own king, and each of those kings had their own palace, and own vacation palace, and own hunting lodge, and own protective fort, and so on and so forth.  And because of all of this royalty, there are a lot of incredible things to see - palaces have been turned into hotels, hunting lodges have been converted into tiger reserves, and forts have been left for you to roam free among the ruins in.  India is saturated with inspiration; the mugal arches, the fretwork-covered windows blocking hidden palace rooms, the unbelievably vibrant colors and layers-upon-layers of patterning, the rugs, the miniature style paintings, the bedazzled accessories....  It's all amazing.

There are a lot of Indian-inspired textiles out on the market these days, but my two favorites right now are the India Collection by Mally Skok (http://www.mallyskokdesign.com/fabrics/india_collection.html) and the Victoria Collection by Ferran (http://www.ferranstore.com/victoria%20collection.htm).  So, if you don't have a sari to recreate, take a look at these and think about a pillow.  We all know how much I love pillows...

Sunday Funday

Yesterday we spent the day trolling around SoWa Market in the South End neighborhood of Boston.  This is such a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with the family.  Not only do they have great local crafts for sale, there are food trucks galore lining the perimeter of the place ( http://www.sowaopenmarket.com/food-truck-info).  Too bad we didn't know that before took the kids to a phat sit down brunch at Gaslight (http://www.gaslight560.com/)!  You can get everything from a grilled cheese sandwich from the Roxy truck to a falafel at Clover to an old-fashioned twist from Mr. Frostie.  And at the end of the line, a great pair of shoes from box truck selling all sorts of accessories...

   www.sowaopenmarket.com


My favorite thing about the place is the SoWa Vintage Market just steps up into the neighboring building from the outdoor space at 430 Harrison Street.  It's such a throwback into my childhood; Star Trek metal lunch boxes, fun 50s shoes, painted furniture, and today, my greatest find, 4 Kartell Louis Ghost chairs for $1000 (normally $410 for one)!  The space is made up of lots of little vendors, some regulars and some making guest appearances on random weekends.  The woman with the Ghost chairs was a familiar face from the Boston Design Center - a former Baker employee named Jennifer Allen.  She has put together a great collection of vintage finds, fun vases and cool accessories and calls it Market (www.mrkthome.com).  I'll be checking in weekly to see what she has to offer...

 

Fluff please

Every woman loves a pretty pillow, but twice as likely, every man does not.  My husband is constantly tossing them off the sofa, off the bed, and off the chair onto the floor next to the ones that are meant for the floor.  Obviously, I'm a pillow person.  Whether it be a way of introducing a print into a space, adding a pop of color, or just another means of layering in a texture, I think that they are NEEDED to complete the space. 

Pillows not only personalize a room and make it cozy, but they can be used to link rooms from one to another.  A pattern or a color that you might see in the dining room can easily be carried over to the living room or den by repeating it in a throw pillow. Pillows can be a great tool for cohesive design, and if your husband throws it on the floor, well at least you can pick it up and put it someplace else!

A new year

Aaaaahhhh, Fall.  My favorite time of the year.  Today, in fact, is my favorite day of the year.  Forget New Year's for making resolutions, the day AFTER Labor Day has always been my fresh start.  The kids are back at school, and it's time to get organized, get motivated, and breathe in the changing of the season...

Autumn to most means falling leaves, apple picking and carving pumpkins; earthen colors that make you want to put on a sweater, make a pie, and go tailgating.  This year, however, the colors of the design world are telling it to us differently - bright hues of chartreuse and orange are replacing the burnt out colors that we're accustomed to seeing.  For me, the move is a little too severe.  I'm wanting a compromise.  Think of how beautiful they can be when coupled together.  A bit of fall with a burst of life - a burst of energy - a fresh start...

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...