Beach Bums

You know you are at the beach when you are in rooms decorated like these:

Exterior Elements

Summer essentials for great outdoor decorating:

Fire pit from Stone Forest

Floating lights from Moonlight

Poolside

Summer is here! Last weekend was the official (calendar year) start of the summer. With that comes time lounging by a pool (beach, lake) and enjoying the long days. While here in LA, it's been mild temperature wise (I know many across the nation are already bearing heat and humidity) - we in southern California get our hottest days (triple digits) more in mid to late summer. I may not be lounging poolside at the moment but with these images I can certainly fantasize about a dreamy pool somewhere, out there...

Let's Be Clear!

Incorporating a little lucite into a room never hurt anyone. Any piece of acrylic accessory or furniture seems plausible to work in almost any room...

Ava Lucite Boudoir Bench from The Paris Apartment

Seeing in Black & White

Hue

Kelly Wearstler's anticipated new book, Hue, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Her latest book celebrates the power of color and features her most recent projects while exploring her process. The book also gives an exclusive look at her new studio.

In addition, the book features projects including a 1926 James Dolena estate in Beverly Hills: an opulent Georgian style mansion and a Paul Williams Bel Air classic mansion. It will also feature a residence in Malibu using organic materials and a color palette of earthy tones mixed with sea foam green and silvery blue. Her sculpture and modernist furniture play up the serene ocean ambiance. Lastly, it'll explore her latest commercial projects.

Signed editions are also available for pre-order here.

Championing the Great Outdoors

If you are looking to furnish an outdoor space, check out the product line of Jason Champion. His furniture company is Jason Champion Outdoor and his line includes some colorful, bright, and graphic outdoor furnishings such as chairs, fabrics, planters, ottomans, screens, and tables. Any outdoor room would be unique with these items!

Eau A Day at the Spa!

The Eau Spa located at the Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach, Florida is probably one of the most beautifully designed interiors of a spa that I have seen in quite some time. It was designed by the great A&D firm, RTKL Associates.

One of the treatment rooms.

From the Archives: Kohler Advertisements

From the past to present, Kohler has kept with the times...and been around long enough to supply us with all of our plumbing needs! Take a look at these old advertisements for a trip down memory road:

Turning Japanese

Japanese style influence from architecture to interiors to gardens. From anicent to modern times, this style has retained it's consistency of clean contemporary lines.

Beachy Keen

This Southern California bungalow was featured in the May issue of Sunset Magazine and belongs to the owners of the accessories & furniture online site "Shop Shine Home."

Homeowners Russell & Susan Ortiz share the home with their four children and wanted a livable, functional place with the indoor-outdoor Californian lifestyle.

Evolutionary Tiles

The one and only, Karim Rashid - known for everything from product design, industrial design, furniture design, interior design; has now launched a line of ceramic tile.
You make recognize some of his furniture as well as product design for Umbra:

Sail Away

Ah, the boating life. A free spirited relaxing day comes to mind out on the open sea. It makes me miss my summer days spent on a local island off the coast of California, where my days involved hanging out on the beach and boating with friends. West coast, east coast or somewhere in between - with these nautical influences in any home you can feel like you are sailing away...

The Women of Tuleh

A new rug collection debut at Roubini Rugs in New York by Tuleh cofounder Bryan Bradley. They are a series of hand knotted silk rugs called "Whimsical" that feature pictorial imaginary woman of Tuleh. It starts with a pattern called Tuleh, an exteme close up negative-exposure style. Then comes the risque Elle Neige, bubbly Bath & Body, domestic goddess Maison Tuleh, and wraps up with Love, a greeting card in hand-knotted wool.

The rugs come in standard sizes and can also be ordered in custom dimensions.

Tuleh

This Outfit IS A Room!

Last week, I featured a blog post titled "Can this outfit be turned into a room?" While that post was more conceptual, playing on the crossovers from fashion to interiors - this feature is not so conceptual: this outfit IS a room! In fact, this outfit is not only a room - but an entire hotel full of rooms! It's the Hotel Missoni (designed by the creative director of Missoni).

Urban Glam

Industrial Chic

That's an idea!

Lately, I've had a few posts featuring chalkboard paint. Well, I just came across "Idea Paint" (featured in Elle Decor magazine this month!). Idea Paint is a paint that can be applied to any surface (walls, furniture) and used as a dry erase board. Great for work or school environments!