Halston's Hideaway

A recent trip to a book sale at the New York Public Library yielded a few gems. One of them being the 1981 book "Living Well" The New York Times book of Home Design and Decoration edited by Carrie Donovan. It contained lots of good eye candy, and a whole bunch of WTF but there was one that made me stop dead in my tracks. 

Now, I need to preface this by saying I have been really sick of all of the regurgitated design that I've been seeing lately. Same image, different blog/zine. All of the images are blurring into one another. 

I'm just not feeling it anymore. 

So when I saw these shots of the interior of Halston's NYC townhouse, it knocked me out. 

Just like everything Halston designed it's so completely timeless, classic and elegant

I want to travel back in time and attend a party here after Halston, Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, Diana Ross, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali and I stumble back from Studio 54.

Lenny and Wallpaper

Um, yes the girl is very sexy but see if you can pull your eye upwards to look at the wallpaper behind her. It's called Flower of Love in espresso by Flavor Paper and I want it. It comes in other colors (flavors?) but I have to say I'm completely smitten with espresso.

The photo is a still from the Lenny Kravits' video Dancin' Till Dawn Video which is so hot, this gal can shake a tail feather (it's not exactly safe for work) . Good music and good design. Now that's a win-win.

Hit pause over on the player------>
and watch the video below.

espresso

raspberry sorbet

cookies and cream

caviar

I'm A Weiner!

Lucinda of Chateau de Lu held an amazing giveaway last week for a rug from CSN Rugs and I won! My prize arrived this morning and I wanted to share it with you.

Ohhh...the anticipation...
Bellissima!

Hmmm...now where to put it?

B.T.W. The quality of this rug is great. If you're in the market for a new rug (or just want to perk things up at your chateau I'd recommend checking out the selection at CSN Rugs it's good stuff, and right now they're having a promotion:
Use code Shopper20 at the checkout and you'll save 20% off your order! Oh, and did I mention, free shipping!!
How sweet is that?

Again, many thanks to Lucinda!

RHNJ: House Tours with Danielle and Caroline

The New York Times ran this article in the Home and Garden section about The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Danielle Staub and Caroline Manzo's homes. Here are some choice snippets...

First they visit Caroline (who is fast becoming my favorite RH of all time):

“We’re definitely the poor people out here,” she said of her leafy Franklin Lakes neighborhood, an assertion that belied the message of her ornate gilded and faux-painted interiors. “We had no landscaping for seven years. The pool isn’t gunite. I’m not spending that kind of money. Is there a liner, can you swim? So who’s stupid, you or me? I don’t look to impress.” Al added, “People can take us or leave us.”

We moved on to a red-wallpapered bathroom with a fully gilded door, many gold knickknacks and a painting of a monkey in an Old Master setting and a gilded frame. “That monkey looks just like my grandmother,” Caroline said. “It always cracks me up.”

Speaking of fighting, it was time to see the next housewife, Danielle, who lives five minutes away in Wayne.

“Good luck with that one,” Caroline said darkly. “Have fun!”

She opened the door, festively clad in a tropical green tunic and form-fitting designer jeans (she has 401 pairs, she said), and attended by a duet of small dogs barking hysterically.
“Fendi, Fendi, shut up,” she yelled at the worst offender. (There were two tiny Chihuahuas in pink T-shirts: palm-size Fendi and Birkin-bag-size Paradise.) “Did she make poopie? That dog is more work.”

The reporter complained that she’d had to explain phone sex to her 12-year-old daughter after watching the show’s first episode (in which Danielle endeavors to meet in person a man with whom she has been telephoning for six months).

“Did you tell her it was the only safe sex there is?” Danielle responded.

The best part...

The give us two slide shows with audio commentary! One is of Danielle Staub's home. The other is of Caroline Manzo's home.


Nice huh? Well, I've got another juicy post about Danielle coming a little later today. It was hard for me to decide which to post first but I figured I'd start off the "nice one".

The Hicks Have Split

From today's Page Six:

"One of English society's long-lasting couples (19yrs.) has called it quits. Designer Allegra Hicks and decorator hubby Ashley Hicks, the son of David Hicks and descended from Lord Mountbatten, have separated. Friends of the couple are unsurprised, noting that Allegra had been unhappy with the moody Ashley for years, and has shed more than 20 pounds since the split. But weight and a spouse aren't the only things Allegra has lost: Her design business recently shuttered its Madison Avenue and London locations, both recession victims."

Pretty Things...

Yesterday, the seventh annual show of designs created in Brooklyn- BKLYN DESIGNS began. Founded in 2003, this exhibition of designers and manufacturers of contemporary furnishings, lighting, and accessories made and/or designed in Brooklyn has steadily grown to attract visitors from all around the globe.

Some of my favorite picks...

Vintage Steel Doctors Cabinet available at City Foundry

Brass Pendant Lamp from Robert Abby Porter Collection available @ Rico

My Brother's Frame by Harry Allen available @ Rico

Mid Century Czech Vase available at Prague Kolektiv

Smoke Chair by Moooi avaliable @ Mattermatters

Brass Ring Side Table- Laurie Beckerman avaliable @ Voos

For those interested in exploring the scene, BKLYN DESIGNS website offers a list of this years 45 exhibitors . Some are new, some are old and many of their stores are open only a few days a week, so when visiting be sure to check out their hours in advance.

Mix and Match

I have a wall in my dining room to which I want to add a mirror flanked by sconces. I like both of these mirrors and I like both of these sconces. Either would fit in perfectly. If you had your druthers would you pick combo 1 or 2 ?

Or

Love...

One of my all time favorite stores is Fishs Eddy. Back in the day you'd go in and find shelves and bins loaded with dinnerware, serverware and glassware. Most bearing the name or logo of a defunct restaurant, diner or hotel.

The shopkeepers (seen left) had acquired these items while driving through the mid west looking for unusual “finds”. They came across an old barn filled with endless stacks of the dishware. The barn had been in a terrible fire and was in bad shape… yet the dishes were surprisingly intact. So they purchased the contents and carted it all back to NYC. Where I would help them recoup that money by buying more than my fair share of these items.

Fishs Eddy has evolved and changed over the last 20 years. Gone are the old diner and hotel plates. I imagine that was due in large part to a new "online auction website" that had emerged, making the possibility of stumbling upon barns full of treasures for purchase slim to none. Don't despair! The good news is now they carry their own playfully unique and well crafted signature lines.


These days, my cupboards runneth over so I'm relegated to window (monitor?) shopping only. So maybe, if you're inspired enough to purchase something to add to your table you can send me a picture? This way I can get a vicarious thrill. No pressure, it's just a thought. Some of my favorites are below.

Floorplan Dinnerware

"Whether it's a penthouse, a three bedroom, or a studio...why rent when you can own? The best thing about this pattern; no board approval needed!"

Brooklyn Dinnerware

"Fugettabout it! Our Brooklyn pattern is so awesome; even Uncle Vinnie will change the dinner conversation from parole to plates!"

Take 5

"Urban dishware that includes Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and The Bronx. In asphalt gray and safety orange; this is New York City in its entirety!"

Memo

"Didn't you get the memo? Paper has a whole new composition! Writing tablet cheese trays, glasses, coffee mugs and a tote everyone will take note!"

RHNY: Oh.My.Gawd(y)!

Well, well, well...Team Jill has it's own photo stream on Flickr. Do you still have any Pepto Bismol left in your bathroom cabinet after watching Jill give Betheney the tour of the Brad-tastic living room, dining room and kitchen at The New Casa de Zarin as seen here on RHNYC ?

Well, go get the Pepto, you're going to need it. Go on, I'll wait.

For the expanded photo tour of The New Casa de Zarin swathed in a sea of Zaaaaaaaarin Faaaaaaaabrics click here.

My two favorites are highlighted below:

Exactly what look do you think Brad was trying to achieve here in the powder room? 'Eccentric Eclectic' perhaps? Thank god there's a toilet in there because being exposed to this atrocity might cause you to toss your cookies.

Brad, I just feel like there's something missing. Maybe individual mini Swarovski crystal candelabras at each place setting or glow in the dark fish bowls to compliment the coral plates or even some Whoopie Cushions on each chair? It just feels so...minimilistic. (Honestly Brad, and I feel like I can be honest with you, it looks like a prop room puked on the table. There. I said it.).

This picture wasn't with The New Casa de Zarin photos but I love it too much not to include it.I'm sure this finger perfectly expresses how Brad and Jill feel with regard to my opinions of The New Casa de Zarin.

Love ya Jill!

(All photo's sourced from Team Jill's Photostream on Flickr.com)

Voyeurism

casaCARA is a fantastic blog that features real estate, architechture, interior design and gardens.

They run a feature called BROWNSTONE VOYEUR (a joint project with Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn). This is right up my alley since one, I love brownstones and two, don't we all love looking to see what the Jones' are doing in and to their homes?

I wanted to share with you today's feature. It's a gorgeous French farmhouse kitchen renovation in an 1870's Boerum Hill, Brooklyn home.

Go on, go look!