A Riot of Colors and Fantastical Shapes!

OK, so I have been in hibernation. I'm officially out, spring is here and it is invigorating. It doesn't hurt that it is 79 degrees and sunny, sorry for you folks still in the chill;-) I read some exciting and happy news today, and that alone is cause for celebration! Part of the news is that Harper Collins has announced that they will be publishing The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by one of my childhood favorites - Dr. Seuss! This will be in a collection of seven stories dating from 1950 to 1951. "To publish such an amazing new collection of stories from Dr. Seuss is a dream come true,” says Neil Dunnicliffe, editorial director of HarperCollins Children’s Books U.K. “I know that Seuss fans of all ages will share our joy on the publication of this book.”

Next, I got a fantastic free download from the folks at Home Accents Today of their 2012 Color Forecast, along with their sponsor Lazy Susan. The fun palette that they have named "Global Adventure" is filled with the colors I associate with the beautifully bright and vivid colors of The Dr. Suess illustrations themselves! This is definitely worth a look and the other color stories are equally intriguing with names like "Indigo Inspirations", "Earthly Fortitude" and "Speaking Vintage". For this post though, I am thinking of all of the bright and playful ideas I have been saving for just such a mood!


Isn't it amazing how nature can influence our styles? This is from Northern Holland, the tulips in bloom!





Designers Diamond and Baratta

Designer Doug Meyer


Designer Mary Douglas Drysdale

Elle Decor


Designer Ghislaine B VinasLoom borrowed from Beach Bungalow 8
HGTV.com

Collage by Lulu de Kwiatkowski

Hands on Monet

I was lucky enough to see the impressive exhibition of Claude Monet's "The London" series, which resulted from three separate painting campaigns from 1899 to 1901 - about 20 years ago at The High Museum of Art in Atlanta. It was a wonderful experience and I just stumbled across a modern day exhibition that you can take from your own home! With new technology a wonderful web site with a very interactive element is here to coincide with the "Claude Monet (1840-1926)" exhibition, now showing at the Galeries Natioanales, Grand Palais. This is the most important exhibit in 30 years - covering a sixty year painting career with nearly 200 paintings! You don't have to make the trip to Paris to see it. If you have children, please be sure to share this with them, it is delightful! You need a little patients and I suggest playing your own music, sit back and explore a true genius!

The Ups and Downs of Life

This time of year usually finds me in a more reflective mood, with the ancient desire to hibernate. Moving from hot to cold, outside to in, I am in an up and down kind of mood. I thought I would show you some beautiful staircases with something for everyone! I grew up in a home with a magnificent staircase in the entryway; I have a love for grand entrances!

Hot Skwash!

I know summer is not officially over, but when I saw these on my wonderful friend and customer's website Beadboard UpCountry, I just had to join in the fall fun! Another woman after my own heart - Daria Knowles is the artist, creator and owner of the business that creates these beauties. With a rich background in art, the humanities and classics, she ran an art gallery before deciding to be a stay-at-home Mom. While doing this she continued her creativity by sewing and knitting. With a passion for textiles, she started making beautiful purses out of fine silks, linen, suede and velvets.

Leave it to a creative soul to come up with the idea for Hot Skwash after seeing a crude gingham version, and then turn the proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse, so to say! She has a great eye for color, texture and shape and this gives each "skwash" it's very own personality. She works with local farmers in Oregon to recycle unwanted pumpkin and squash stems AND she employs other stay at home Moms to help with the harvest! The company motto is "to combine creative passion with family" - how can you miss with this loving, generous attitude! See her website and blog for more information.
http://www.hotskwash.com/ http://velvetpumpkins.typepad.com/

Sneak Peak at Maison & Objet!

I was thrilled beyond belief when the US representative of this incredible company commented on my blog, and was kind enough to leave her company's web address. They will be exhibiting at Maison & Objet in of course, the most elite Scènes D’Intérieur. I started going to this trade show of all trade shows back in 1993, even before it left Paris to move to the outskirts of the city in the huge convention like setting of today. I am so excited to introduce the Portuguese company Boca Do Lobo!

Boca Do Lobo furniture is an exclusive emotional experience, a sense of belonging and a state of mind. They strive to encourage sensational experiences by creating beautiful pieces which are passionately inspired and handcrafted in Portugal by a staff that loves what they do; experiences which pass on the feeling of exclusivity. Their designers possess an undeniable talent for composing pieces which stir emotion in their admirers. Their artisan’s wisdom, accumulated from years of experience, is instilled with love and dedication in the art that they perform. No detail or element is overlooked as they offer the best at the frontier between design and art. Their mission is to design emotional products. Their vision is to understand the past and interpret it through technology and contemporary design. They use this knowledge to transfer the entire artisan’s wisdom into the design. The latest technological methods are combined with traditional manufacturing techniques allowing their pieces to transform into timeless objects.

Expect the unexpected and gain a new passion for furniture. Each Boca Do Lobo piece reflects a dedication to design, with a unique personality and sophisticated character. This collection of exclusive products is the result of the collaboration of a team with the common goal - to conceive pieces with the highest level of prestige, innovation and beauty. Passion is what they want to share with all of their enthusiastic fans. Since 2005 they have been working to share the best Portugal has to offer: the knowledge of its people who design and create furniture art, the tradition of working with the noble material of wood, and the artisans and joiners who create the pieces with their years of wisdom and experience and their love and dedication to the art that they perform. They strive to present admirers with the most innovative designs and highest quality works of art which bring emotion in to their interior environments.

You must visit their website to experience the emotion of all of their collections! They are far too many to show here, so I will preview a few of my favorites, enjoy!
http://www.bocadolobo.com/