Peek-a-Boo: Serena & Lily

As part of a continuing review of online shopping destinations, today's Peek-a-Boo post dives into the world of 'Serena & Lily' - yet another example of how an online shop has evolved and is bringing a unique and more design conscious experience to it's clients.

Serena = Painter/Textile designer/Art consultant

Lily = Technology and accounting to baby boutique owner

Together, these two entrepreneurs after a chance meeting in 2003, decided to combine their knowledge and worlds of expertise to form Serena & Lily.

What for most was the go to shopping destination for Children's decor and bed linen, has more recently expanded it's offering with a plethora of objects which help you recreate the Serena & Lily lifestyle and aesthetic.

THE MENU

What's new
Shop by room
Baby
Bedding
Furniture
Fabric
Paint
Gifts
Bazaar

Design schemes abound, and with a "Shop the Look" feature directly accessing the product within the scheme..it couldn't be easier.

Most of these pieces provide you with customizable options as well! You can choose your own fabric and details which provide you with the possibility of recreating the scheme, and the added security that this provides knowing that these items fit well together aesthetically as well as functionally. Everything from Sofas to Paint color!

BAZAAR

The story of the "Bazaar" as described by Serena & Lily themselves: "it all started with a photo shoot....inspiring us to launch our online Bazaar - a rotating collection of one-of-a-kind finds culled from markets and shops around the world...shipments arrive once a month and it's open for 6 days only."

Products ranging from furniture, to art and holiday finds, here are a few of my favorites from what's on now.

FURNITURE:

 







ART: All styles and price ranges, with a more in depth look at some of the featured artists as part of their Artisan Spotlight, which features Paul Norwood at the moment.

Other art available...

 
And while you are starting to think of your holiday shopping,
check out some of these fun kid friendly ornaments (of course I had to choose the ones with owls!)

BEDDING

From the Nursery, to tweens all the way to the Master Bedroom..Bedding options in stylishly timeless designs with a mix and match possibility provides you with endless choices.

But for those that need that extra bit of help with a visual, they offer design ideas with paint colors and a complete the room switch.

The best of all is the Online design tool allowing you to Make your own Bed with just a few simple clicks..

Never has making the bed been so much fun..

For my designer friends - there is a great trade and wholesale program..
a little bit of love for everyone.


Check it ou,t if you haven't already and share your stories and thoughts with me.
  



*Please note: This post is based on my experience and opinion and not sponsored by Serena&Lily.

Weekend Inspiration: Boston bound - Part 1

What a beautiful city Boston is.
Having only visited once before...this last visit was especially energizing.

The colors of Fall; the cold crisp air, was perfect for a one day trip. The beauty of train travel is being able to spend a few hours on the train, working and reading, and then have a chance to spend a full day enjoying another city. It's such a nice way to travel, and living in New York luckily provides for a great starting point and one I am starting to take adavantage of.

Boston Common
Images: Dec-a-Porter

This Weekend Inspiration will just have to be divided into 2 parts, tackling my finds in 2 distinct "design" areas.

This week is Beacon Hill.

Well known for it's fabulous brick houses, and little antique shops...

How cute is this dog?..I promise he was just sitting in front of this door.
Looks like a postcard.

Beacon Hill, Flower pots decorated for the holidays..with sqaush & cork..Beautiful red door

as I enjoyed walking along Main St, I stumbled upon a really nice design atelier belonging to the very talented and lovely Interior Designer, Cynthia Driscoll.

Images via Cynthia Driscoll design

She stopped to speak with me a bit and showed me her great finds from her travels to Europe and beyond. Really great energy in this office and showroom, I am so grateful she took the time to speak with me and let me take a few shots to share with you.

A few special ladies stood out from all the rest..and to be honest I haven't been able to stop thinking about them.

In the center of her showroom space, Cynthia had displayed on a stunning slate table, a group of lovely plaster busts made by an artist with a great sense of humor.

I'll let the images speak for themselves...

She is my favorite of all...

For those of you lucky enough to be near Boston, head on over to Cynthia's..she's a great woman and I'm sure she will offer you a glass of wine while she wraps one of these up for you!







For pricing, and any additional information please contact:

70 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114    Tel. 617.367.6770  Fax. 617.367.6771

Email. info@cynthiadriscollinteriors.com

Site:  www.cynthiadriscollinteriors.com

Thanskgiving 1-2-3

The turkey is in the oven..
The table is set and it's almost that time of year again.
I think that Thanksgiving has become my most favorite of all holidays.

It's the holiday that crosses all religious boundries and brings families together over a long weekend as opposed to a one day celebration. No stress, no negotiating between whose in laws we are going to visit. We can spend the time with friends, our children and each other.

With table settings and decorations on my mind, I really love the idea of being able to incorporate the halloween and fall decorations from last month onto my Thanksgiving table.

Here are some ideas to inspire you in this 1-2-3 post with some delicious eye candy:

Image via Pinterest: dina hafez-suggs

Stone Gable china
Etsy finds: Giardino linen, PressedinBrooklyn Card, Cork Place holders_KaraVineyardWedding

Centerpiece via BHG.com, Table via Domino, Table via hgtv.com 

As it is the time of giving back, I couldn't resist in finding some really great Etsy shops that not only help out some local small businesses, but also make your Thanksgiving table all the more original.

Table & detail: marthastewart.com,  pisforparty.blogspot.com, Countryliving.com

What a great idea above of a long table - use this as a buffet table for the left overs so everyone can help themselves throughout the day.

Stonegable table setting, hgtv.com table, sweetsomethingdesign.com

I love being able to mix and match the china. Don't be afraid to get creative and have fun with it! You have four days to explore the options.

Candles via marthastewart.com
Etsy.com finds: Paper Cone Placeholders: ameasuredgift; Sierrametaldesign Napkin Rings

and these ideas are great and an inexpensive way to make that special difference!

marthastewart.com

multiplydelicious.com, Marthstewart.com DIY ideas

Of course we shouldn't forget the kids. It can be fun; it can be quirky..but always stylish!

Luxeandlillies.com

Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving weekend,
Safe travels and see you next week on Monday with my Weekend Inspiration..and promise it won't be about food!

Peek-a-Boo: Boutique Design New York Recap

Ahhh...the thrill of the discovery - it is probably my favorite part of the job.
Sourcing great product that you just know will make the difference in the next interior design scheme.

The BDNY recap on today's Peek-a-Boo is dedicated to a few of those moments, and focusing on wallcoverings and installation, beginning with:

Astek Wallcovering, a trade only supplier of custom wallcoverings and more, using Eco-Friendly UV-Print technology to cure the ink and provide a durable finish. Roll to roll printing: Vinyl, mylar, window film, canvas, self-adhesive, acetate, natural and fabric materials can be printed in full roll length runs. Flatbed printing: They can print directly onto almost any rigid substrate up to 1 ½” thick. Acrylic, wood, metal, even bubble wrap pose no challenges for these machines.

Images of applications via Astek Wallcovering

They have provided faux marble finishes on MDF boards for the series "Harry's Law (a favorite of mine), or custom wallpaper for the movie "Judy Moody & the Not Bummer Summer"...and these two gorgeous examples are only a few of the samples I kept with me...




Chandelier Damask on Gold Cork
Chinese Silk pattern on Gold Mylar


Then I came across ILevel - and art placement & installation service that is simply a great contact to have for designers and home owners alike. Rated by the Franklin Report, and with a client list of designers from Albert Hadley to Victoria Hagan, you can only imagine how fantasticly skillful and professional they are.

Image via ILevel

My last stop was at the Maya Romanoff Collection, which is the largest manufacturer of handcrafted wallcoverings in the United States, and a family run company for over 40 years.

From mother of pearl to vinyl, these wallcoverings are incredible and offer an amazing variety of styles and applicable in every home or hotel.

From the more traditional examples



Ajiro Basketweave^™Natural, Ajiro Marquetry^{™ -} Golden 2011 Dream Home Media Room by Laura Coburn,

Blanket Yarn and Stitch^™ Heathered Grey/Grey, Ajiro Chevron^™ Golden

Images via Maya Romanoff

Anniversary Snowflake^™ Auburn Gold

Anniversary Half Plaid^™ Indigo Earth - Design: Studio Dror, Phoo: Erez Sabag 2010

to the more contemporary, I have a feeling that my next design schemes will be including wallpaper!

Weekend Inspiration: Reading, and the Love of Books

Although this is a blog, and a lot of my time lately has been spent in front of a computer, I am a true Book Lover...and this Weekend's Inspiration comes from a wonderful woman on Twitter who has been helping revive and draw attention to some really quaint local bookstores.

So, I wanted to dedicate a few images to books, gorgeous shelf displays and home libraries which will hopefully inspire a few of you to head on out to your local bookstore - and maybe even read a book or two with your children.

Credits: Lonny Magazine: Design Vivre;

Kips Bay Show House 2010 via Juniper Books

95 Wall Street Library via Juniper books (and details), Lonny Magazine -Design Lauren Gold

Icon Brickell spa, Design: Philippe Starck. The shelves are filled with 2,000 books wrapped in plain white paper from Thatcher Wine's custom library company, Juniper Books. (Moris Moreno/The New York Times)

Lonny Magazine: Design: Trip Haenisch

Juniper book detail, Mehditash Design (detail), Image via Lonny magazine - Design: Angel Dormer

Books in every color, size and shape are the nicest way to bring warmth to any room.
Not only can the stories transport you but it can bring families together.
Why not start a book club with your children? They should be inspired to read and feel confident in choosing different genres and knowing what they like and don't like ..and you can discover new stories with them.

Juniper books (details), Hillary Swank apartment via Elle decor_Simon Upton

Jay Jeffers design

Books are also another way for us to bring across our ideas visually, and many designers have found that through the launch of a book, they have been able to reach out to new clients and new opportunities simply by creating the opportunity for everyone to access their world through their words, and images.


For those of you in New York:

please visit ...



Front Studio Architects: Maggie Soladay Photography

McNally Jackson Café


and a special shout out to a little bookstore in Larchmont, NY called

Andersons Bookstore.




For more great images of bookshelves in design: visit Lonny magazine online



Another Great resource: Juniper Books - from Thatcher Wine (pictured) for custom books





Have a wonderful week, full of moments inside the covers of a good book and a big shout out to Leslie for this effort on Twitter.
Log on and attend her #GetPublished chat on Dec7th - @tkpleslie.

DAP 360: Karen Robertson

In this Dec-a-Porter 360* I want to focus on a wonderful artist I recently met at the NY Gift Show.

Karen Robertson being interviewed;
Images via Karen Robertson Blog

The lovey Karen Robertson,
who more recently had a showing at High Point Market this past week as well, where she recently partnered with Trowbridge Gallery - the number one supplier of fine art reproductions, who will be reproducing some of Karen's originals.

Karen Robertson - Star‘fish’ Spangled Banner - Painted starfish

Karen Robertson - Seaweed Originals; (Detail: Each piece is original and bears the KR stamp)

and not only is each piece of art an individual, unique item, they can work with designers on commercial bids as well. The high quality of framing, care in all of the details, makes these a great statement and investment piece.

High Point 2011 - New product - Starfish Anchor

and yes, I am most definitely fighting against the impending change of season, and leave you with this last image..can't you just smell the sea?

Visit karenrobertson.com to get more information.