a room design

when chairish asked me long ago to do a mid-century room design, the timing was off and my schedule wouldn't allow for it.  this time around, i obliged.  the task at hand entailed mixing up mid-century modern with any style and i knew this would be a fun and creative endeavor.  most of the furnishings i chose,  and more great mid-century pieces can be found here.  since this style of furniture features clean lines it is easy to incorporate any of these furnishings into your space.  

the start of this office design began with the colorful, and very electric, mid-century modern splash oil painting; this anchored the entire room.  from there, i searched through many pages of furniture on the chairish site and this almond lacquered paul frankl mid-century modern desk captured my attention.  i really love the clean lines, brass hardware, and neutral color to help balance out the bold art, graphic vase, and printed pillows.  this design i liken to a symphony of styles, color, textures and contrast.  the two pillows, one in wool and the other in green silk, offer up great visual appeal while having very different lines in the pattern.

this italian mid-century modern floor lamp from 1955, made of bronze and iron, provides sleek lines  much like the desk while also contrasting the rounded lines of the industrial chair.  the pod chairs...well...those are just too cool!  they add another texture and more neutrality in contrast to the explosive and bold art and pair so well with the brass c jere style octagonal table.  so there you have it,  my symphony in design.  xx, dana

for more specific details on any of the above furnishings, click here.  

room design

i was asked by modani recently to design a dorm or first apartment for a college student.  the focus being "if you think back to your first touch of independence when you moved into a dorm room or apartment and could go back in time with the decorating expertise you have now, what changes would you make?"

this is my design based on my first apartment.  at that time, i was very much into french country mixed with old and new.  i had an old pine french country syle armoire that anchored my living room (and kept my ugly tv out of site), combined with a cream, roll-arm sofa, a chest for a coffee table, lots of baskets (they were cheap) and old barn window grids used as art.  today, my designs still mix up modern with old but have evolved and become more refined to include french louis-style furniture, anything gilded from italy and france, antiques, touches of chinoiserie all mixed up with bold color statements that are subtle yet strong and sometimes are quite bold.  more often than not, i now fuse my designs with feng shui balancing principles (after college i went to california to get certified in feng shui).  

in this design, i had a young and vibrant college lady in mind.  she's on the go and seeks the comfort and serenity of her space when done with her long day at school and perhaps work too.  the sofa is the anchor for the room.   it can fold out for friends that stop by and are there late studying or having fun, and need a place to sleep.   i'd put a pair of the modern, baroque chairs parallel to the sofa and load up the sofa with the throw pillows and soft throw.  the chinoiserie coffee tables (from one kings lane), would go in between the chairs and sofa but are small enough to move around the space for parties and such.  the poufs provide much-needed color and portable sitting spots.  the art was brought in to balance the white space, and give color; but also the wood element (in feng shui) was needed.  baskets were my savior back in the day, and i just love having them around to throw keys, pencils, paper and other items in that can be retrieved quickly.  uggs...ahhhhh...uggs...to slip on at the end of a long day.  xx, dana

modani furniture conceptualizes on contemporary and modern furniture (modani.com) at very affordable prices.  you can find them here or at stores in new york, chicago, los angeles, miami, washington d.c., houston, atlanta and toronto, canada.  

client kitchen

my apologies for not posting here regularly.  summer is here!!!  and, then we took a vacation for a couple of weeks , and then i signed on two clients as well.  it's all a whirl-wind, really...i was just enjoying the slow ride of blogging and working on my own home and not marketing myself.  and, then i got a phone call and it turned into a client.  so, here i am today; stunned, wide-eyed and having to pinch myself because it's all happening so fast.  

this client has hired me on to re-do his master bedroom and kitchen and perhaps blend the kitchen into the dining room.  this week, i've worked on a color consult for my other client as well.  what a trip this process is!  it's time consuming and you find yourself going cross-eyed looking a 5 different samples of the same color for undertones.  and then you put your samples on the wall and they change again.  fun.  

here is the progress with my client kitchen so far...

 the before shots.  gone will be the oak cabinet color.  flooring will remain until the new wood floors are ordered...

to match these floors in the dining and living room areas.  we are keeping the vintage, danish table and chairs and will recover these with something wonderful.  

this granite changed the game with the whole design (started with a light counter top).

 this is called titanium, the color is a bit off here.

this is the slab viewed in the showroom...so stunning!  it blew my client away too.  

my inspiration board created on polyvore (click to view more of my designs) for this space.  the client purchased the asti cinzano canvas a few months back when i spotted it for a great deal.  the colors and energy are so vibrant and my client loves wine.  

here is the painters progress.  i chose benjamin moore's black paint in a satin finish for a true black tone.  this is the primer coat only, not the black paint.  

and, that my friends is about it for now.  stay tuned for more progress and hopefully some great counter stool and light fixture finds.  xoxo, dana

design inspiration: lupita nyong'o blue and gold

on Monday, i posted about lupita nyong'o at the oscars.  her dress!!!  oh, that color...i am still in awe with that blue.  i am calling it lupita nyong'o blue for now. 

so smitten i am that i created a mood board using her dress and the setting surrounding her  (the towering gold ocsar statue in the background, minus the lovely raspberry carpet) as inspiration.  have a wonderful weekend.  ♥dana   

monday morning feng shui: using yellow to add sun to your house

this is for my northern hemisphere readers.  with temps dropping, precipitation increasing and the long winter haul setting in; your energy levels can get sapped.  an instant boost to remedy this is the sun.  while it would be great if we could all jump on a jet and head to the nearest beach, it's not practical for most.  instead, adding bursts of yellow things into your home will energize both you and the space. 

 

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how soft, buttery, warm and inviting are the pair of couches above?  yellow can be mellow.

 



 

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for more vibrant energy, use a lemon yellow, or shade of, in accents and pillows to infuse the room with the sun. 

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adding lemons, flowers or even a bowl of bananas are quick, simple and easy ways to add yellow and the sun's energy to your home.  happy  monday and happy ch'i, dana

chinoiserie celebrated

i am a huge fan of the chinese culture and of chinoiserie especially.  this recent pin on pinterest caught my attention.  something about the mix of the watermelon colored wallpaper, the striking poodle lamps with bright and cheery lampshades, against the dark wood console table and the pair of white garden stools...it all somehow blends together beautifully.  this vignette/room just exudes chinoiserie décor.  so i set out to re-create this look with a room of my own.  a mood board if you will.  



 

 

these lovely ladies from a korean vogue photo shoot just rock the whole chinoiserie look and embody this style.  ~dana

sources: 
sofa:  cross design
french style chairs:  one kings lane
faux bamboo side table:  one kings lane
brass coffee table:  one kings lane
floral pillows:  cross design
pagoda pillows:  one kings lane
pendant lamp:  cross design
vase:  wisteria