All that Glitters

I saw these remarkable side tables at the ICFF trade show a few weeks ago and I absolutely adore them. The two designers Daniel Hellman and Eric Chang of Hellman-Chang have created a bold yet elegant statement using Swarovski crystals in deep rich tones in the tops, interior and bases of the tables. The crystal adds just the right amount of bling to their simple and very current pieces. Very chic Boys!

ICFF TRade Show in NYC

Click the title above and get a sneak peak of what we did this weekend!

Tom Dixon : Bronze Copper Shade Cluster

Charming Chains

I saw this piece and I had to share. I know it's different then what I usually post, but it's vintage and beautiful and I think that inspiration for interiors and textiles should come from everywhere and everything. The layers of the 100 years Necklace #2 by Lulu Frost consists of glass buckles and a several  art deco brooches  from varying counties in Europe ranging from 1860-1960. This piece is one of a kind and so amazing!
Check out all of the other great pieces on Chain&Charm.

Pin It!

A friend of mine recently told me about Pinterest, and it has quickly become my new obsession. This website allows you to "pin" the amazing things that you see on a day to day basis when you're surfing the web. Personally anytime I find something online that I love I add it to my "favorites", but Pinterest allows you to add it to an organized list using the actual images, add notes of exactly why you loved the piece and you have the option to arrange it in a corresponding category. It's ah-ma-zing! This site gives you the chance to be your own fantasy interior/ lifestyle designer.
The only catch is you have to request an invitation before you can begin,and it may take a day or so; but I promise it's so worth it.
It's so much fun and a bit addicting. I suggest you try it for yourself, so kids get busy Pinning!

Hey Guys, here's a new way to follow Apt.30 and a number of other amazing blogs! Check it out :)

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter, have an amazing day!

It ain't easy being Green

Being green may have been hard for Kermit, but not for my favorite one stop design build store, Greenable. They make going GREEN effortless. Greenable opened their doors in September of 2007 in Old City and a few years ago relocated to an industrial space in Northern liberties. Not only is the new space wonderful, and larger (which means even more great product), but there is tons of free parking... that fact alone gives them a gold star in my book!

Greenable is a brilliant alternative to the horrific waste and pollution that was created when using other building material suppliers. They prove that GREEN no longer means sacrificing depth and quality of material. In my opinion they are changing the face of GREEN building supplies in Philly. The friendly and helpful staff at Greenable cares deeply about their community and the lifestyles of the people living within it. Shopping in their store is easy and fully accessible to everyone and any budget. They realize that every little bit helps and they don't want to exclude anyone from the benefits of utilizing the products they provide.

All products supplied are LEED qualified and meet the EPA GREEN standards, which makes Eco-conscious shopping there a no brainer. Basically they're supplying gilt-free products that will beautify your space! You can't really ask for more then that, talk about good design karma!
One of my favorite basic materials is Mythic Paint. This paint is amazing. It's non toxic, there is virtually no order and has zero VOC's. In layman's terms it doesn't stink and there is no harmful off gassing. Not to mention the color palette is phenomenal, you no longer have to substitute Eco-consciousness for color selection.

However, their inventory doesn't stop at just paint. The have such an interesting array of exotic hardwoods, tile products and counter top materials including products consisting of compressed paper and fly ash, it will truly blow your mind. They are taking Eco-friendly design to new heights. Before you begin your next renovation I suggest you stop by, you never know what you may find.

                                                                                                                                                                         

     

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Steel Magnolias

One of the best and admittedly sometimes questionable things about living Philly are all of the unexpected surprises that you encounter on any given day. While visiting my local florist the other day I started talking to a fellow customer and he was raving about this Magnolia garden he had recently discovered. Needless to say I had to see it, and so later on that afternoon I ventured out to a tiny street in between 4th and 5th on Walnut to discover one of the most beautiful and underrated elements that Philly has to offer. The colors are so magnificent and inspiring. This park proves that nature really is the ultimate designer. Take a moment and enjoy the view, spring has officially sprung kids!

 

I wasn't the only one who loved the park, Happy first Birthday Carolyn!

Vinyl Siding

If you're considering a change in your home or office space, but you don't want to commit the to something as permanent as paint and construction is just out of the question; I recommend custom Vinyl wall art (aka: Decals)! What is Blik and Wall-Print have made it possible for you to create your own personal wall art. You have the option to chose from their vast library of images or you can ...(and might I add should) create your own. I feel that you can use them almost anywhere.Your options are virtually limitless, because of this the degree of color, style and sophistication is totally up to you. They aren't just for kids any more.
Here are a few that I love. Get inspired!


I'm partial to this one.... But then again it's in a space I designed!



British Invasion

The newest addition to “my favorite designer's” list is Timothy Oulton, hands down. Timothy is a furniture and accessory designer from Great Britain and he is taking the furniture industry by storm. He is the son of an antique dealer, and the influence from his exposure to these amazing finds is present in his current designs. His pieces have a history and a charm that most brand new pieces don’t possess. They tell a story and have the ability add dimension and a little quirkiness to almost any interior. Although they are predominately shown in industrial settings the pieces are so versatile that they can be used almost anywhere. These remarkable pieces are also livable and obtainable without ever sacrificing style. They're a wonderful take on much more traditional designs, and are extremely conducive to everyday living. They’re pieces that you want to sink into on a Sunday morning, but are so cool you’ll always want to show them off!

You can find Timothy's furniture at ABC Carpet and Home in New York, HD Buttercup in LA, and he has also recently developed a line for Restoration Hardware.

Vanity

This piece was emailed to me this morning by our friends over at Devon & Devon. Personally I adore it, but I'm kind of a sucker for all things laquered! What do you think?

Burst!

I am so excited to be able to share the "Burst" chandelier, designed and fabricated by The Lindsey AdelmanStudio.  This piece is beautiful down to the last detail. Gold leafing, hand blown glass spikes and brass stamens, this fixture will not be ignored.

The Burst sets the bar extremely high, because it's both a functional chandelier and a bold sculptural fixture. Pieces like this keep you on your toes as a designer. Thanks Lindsey! 

Diary of a Designer

Yesterday, I attended the Architectural Digest Homeshow and it was freaking fantastic! If you're near or in the NYC area, I would strongly recommend going. The show is open to the public this weekend, but for those that can't make it, watch the video below for a whirlwind sneak peak.

 One of the first areas I visited was the outdoor furniture section; I was more than pleasantly surprised to see the new FendiCasa outdoor line. This new series is the epitome of luxury. The large scale sleek sofas, chaises and the intricately weaved rattan pieces are to die for.

I then ventured into the accessories/flatware/bedding section and rediscovered an old favorite. DVF has created a line of place setting, flatware, glasses and cutlery that I'm kind of obsessed with. The patterns are taken directly from her iconic designs, the shapes are asymmetrical and dynamic, and the colors are so vivid and youthful. This collection has something for everyone. You can mix and match the infinite array of patterns together to create a retro pop art statement; or you can keep in traditional and match them up with simple solids pieces that you may already have.

As if that wasn't enough the geniuses at Diane von Furstenberg have also created a line of affordable duvet covers, that will add dimension and style to a set of white sheets in a way that only DVF can. Both the duvets and place settings are now available at Bloomingdales and at DVF online.

My next stop was in the MADE section of the show. This section was where all of the one of kind, up and coming designer products were located. Can you say Amazing! I had quite a few favorites but I would have to say my top 3 are:

3. Jeff Soderbergh;Custom furniture/sculpture/design-

"X" Base Dining table

His dining table was featured in House Beautiful magazine's 2010 "Kitchen of the year" This table truly does bring "soul" to the contemporary space. The Chrome "X" base supports the 4" thick table top constructed from southern yellow pine rafters reclaimed from the Vanderbilt family stables circa early 1800. This table has a bit of everything, history and eco- conscience style. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he creates next.

2. Studio Roeper- Facets dining table.
The snowy polished elm table top and polished bronzed legs are delicate and beautiful. This table was very conventional with slight twists that take it to another level of sophistication. The butterfly stitch-style joinery on the table top seemed mend a split in the wood that had been cause by a natural knot, the smooth sloped edges of the table were a pleasant surprise and the multifaceted bronze legs, gave this table a subtle but very intriguing mystique.

1. Lindsey Adelman Studio- Bubble light series, the Burst to be specific.

I saw this magnificent chandelier from a across the room and I had to stop myself from running over to it and making a complete fool of myself! Simply put this fixture just cool. The sexy, semi dangerous looking piece kicks ass and makes no apologies. The hand-blown glass globes coated in gold leaf, the brass stamen and glass spikes protruding from the structure is breathtaking. In my opinion this piece is what this show was all about.

This is just a treaser, the professional photos will be posted Monday! Stay tuned kids, it's so worth it.

The third section of the show was "Dining by Design". DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids) was able to showcase two causes that I am equally passionate about; amazing design and AID's research and prevention. "Fundraising efforts bolstered by strategic partnerships and unique events showcasing innovation and creativity, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities and granted over $38 million to hundreds of AIDS service organizations nationwide"(DIFFA.org).

"Dining by Design" is an event in which DIFFA selects a handful of heavy hitting designers, students and other design professionals to create vignette displaying their own interpretations of a unique dining experience. I was very lucky to preview each dinning vignette before the event is open to the public, and let me just say that even if you can’t make it to tradeshow portion of the venue "Dinning by Design" is an event that should not be missed, it will not disappoint. There are so many unexpected elements within each vignette. My hat is off to all of the participants.

EcoChic:The baby addition



This rocker is made from completely sustainable
wood and recycled seatbelts



It has recently come to my attention that, yes I am indeed of age to have a legitimate family of my own. As scary as that is, seeing my close friends becoming parents has been a wonderful and fulfilling experience. However having these cute little additions to your family can wreck havoc on your interior. So you ask.....how do you mix Eames tables with bassinets? Does my entire house need to look like Chucky cheese? My answer: Absolutely not.

A few years ago I designed a chic and ecofriendly nursery, for a young could that didn't want to sacrifice their own personal design styles. Being ecofriendly was equally important to the couple because; not only did they want to lessen their own personal carbon footprints but protect their new born from as many outside toxin's as possible.
Companies like DucDuc, Design Republic and Green & More, made this a fairly easy and fun process.
It took a bit of work to pull it all together, but I was able to find quite a few pieces for both Mommy and baby that they feel in love with, and I hope you do as well.

Each crib is 100% hardwood, made with non-toxic, water based lacquers 



100% wool area rugs, which makes them hypoallergenic and recyclable



The adorable Vitra elephant is made from dyed poly propylene and is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, the interior of these zid zid poof stools are 100% recycled cotton, the cute ilgooplay rocker is sourced North American hardwood veneers w/ hardwood maple or walnut faces



Eco--chic wouldn't be complete with out a vintage toy! Properly cleaning and reusing an antique is the perfect way to add charm to a nursery.

If you have any questions about these items (pricing or lead times) feel free to contact me! Happy shopping.

Two heads are better than One

This amazing table was emailed to me the other day, and I had to share.... I've never seen anything like it.
It's very inspiring to me hopefully you will feel the same!

This vintage 70's polished brass Ram's head dinning table is not only beautiful but the heads can be configured in several different directions; which I feel makes it even more dynamic. Talk about a statement piece; I'm in love.