"Leave me a message"

Last week on Houzz they featured some great ideas for message boards in rooms, here's a look at some innovative ways to incorporate message boards in interiors:

JILL SEIDNER | INTERIOR DESIGN

To view before & after pictures, click here.

To view concept boards, click here.

To view drawings, click here.

Just Living!

Just browsing the website of UK magazine Living Etc in search of some inspirational living rooms (they always feature some great galleries of room designs).

Thought I would share a few finds...

Celebrity Pools

Well, it's officially summer in LA and this past week has been hot, hot, hot! My 1940's bungalow in Bel Air has neither AC...nor a pool. Seeing these celebrity pools featured on the Elle Decor website makes me a tad envious about now.  My fellow Bel Air neighbor Monique Lhullier has yet to invite me to come over to lounge by her pool (I house sit, FYI). Little do they know I've been sticking my head in the freezer to cool off!

So here's where these celebs spend their hot summer days...

Fashion designer Monique Lhullier's pool, original to her manor-style home located in Bel Air.

The Hampton's pool of artist Chuck Close and his wife, landscape historian Leslie Rose Close.

The Long Island weekend house of fashion designer Dennis Basso.

The infinity pool at fashion designer Elie Saab’s weekend home near Beirut, Lebanon.

Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer’s East Hampton, New York home.

Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo's Mediterranean-style setting at her  home in the Hollywood Hills.

The infinity pool at the Malibu home of Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

The Hollywood Hills home of actors Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor has a bi-level pool deck with an exotic vibe.

After creating a book called Pools (Rizzoli), fashion muse Kelly Klein knew a thing or two about how to create one for herself. She designed a black-bottom pool with soapstone coping and sleek steel railings at her Florida home.

At beach retreat belonging Coach president and creative director Reed Krakoff and his wife in Southampton, New York.

Fashion designer Cynthia Rowley's pool in the backyard of her Manhattan townhouse.

All images from the "Celebrity Pools" feature on the Elle Decor website.

Anatomically Correct

Leave it to Kelly Wearstler to incorporate the most unique furniture and sculpture into her interiors, to play with scale and  include the most unusual anatomical sculpture which as quoted above she deems "organic and sexy."

The dining room of her Hillcrest Estate, amassed with figurines and sculptures.

The Malibu Beach Residence, with life size figures and overscaled sculpture (above and below).

If you're ever in the hunt for antomically correct sculptures (as was I for a current design project), check out what 1st Dibs has to offer with their ever changing assortment of inventory and great connections to individual vendors.

This "Overlife sized Plaster Sculpture of a Face" measures approx 32" w x 20"h" and is avaialbe through Talisman London.

This 1940's Female Bust from the Czech Republic is available for $1,100 through Vintage a la Mode in San Francisco.

An Italian Cubo-Futurist Bust, circa 197o is made of tin.  Available through Dual Modern in New York.

Antique French Bust Of Diana "The Huntress" France circa 1880's-90's, from Moss Antiques in New Orleans.

Pair of 1930's Deco Busts, finished in crackle lacquer from the Paul Marra Showroom in Los Angeles.

Bronze Abstract Sculpture by Artist Richard Etts in mint condition from Colin Fisher Studios.

For more online finds visit 1st Dibs (searches "busts" "sculpture" "anatomical sculpture")

Roped In

Awhile back, I wrote a blog post about this staircase by interior designer Thom Filicia, using a rope as a handrail (loved the idea then, still love the idea now). I came across a website that manufactures ropes for handrails (and their line even includes the details such as fittings, knots, and towel bars).  The company is called Stair Ropes and they are based in the UK, with customers here in the States too.

They carry ropes in different colors and two-toned versions.

And different fittings and finishes.

And various types of knots and sizes.

Accessories too, like this towel ring.

I love the idea for an outdoor space too.

"Now I know my A,B,C's"

What a great idea - alphabet chairs! Based in the Netherlands, graphic design Roeland Otten has created these prototype chairs and stools consisting of all twenty six letters of the alphabet.  They are one-off limited editions made of lacquered MDF.  How fun would it be to spell out your name with a set of these chairs!