Consider Yourself At Home: 08/01/2011

Aug 31, 2011

Aug 29, 2011

A good mantle not only frames the hearth, but can become a wowing focal point of a room. Mantles can be built to represent the essence of the home or the level of high art present in the home. I think that a good mantle can take on endless incarnations of style. Whether the mantle surrounds a working fireplace or is a decorative piece added to a blank wall, the piece adds a strong sense of architecture to a space. It invites furniture (and people) to gather around it. It provides a plane on which decorative objects and personal treasures can be arranged. Its creates a gallery space above its linear shelf.

The options for mantle styles are endless; whether they draw upon historical shapes or challenge the expectations of their past with unusual material makeup or atypical placement. Highly decorative, plainly flat, or historically antique, these beauties cover the waterfront. Which is your favorite?

Canadian House & Home

Domino

Healing Barsanti Home via House Beautiful

Design Sponge

V & A Museum

via Nuit ArtDecor blog

via Reynolds Still blog

Alessandra Branca

House Beautiful

Domino

Sherril Canet

Ned Marshall via House Beautiful

via The Log Home Book

Mimi Read via House Beautiful

Whitney Interior Design

Domino

Elle Decor

via Mark Cutler blog Elle Decor

Christine Gillespie via Simplified Bee

Apartment Therapy

Elle Decor

Canadian House & Home

Eddie Ross

House Beautiful

Elle Decor

Canadian House & Home

Ruthie Sommer via Matters of Style

Shirley Parks via Simplified Bee

Mrs. Howard

Elle Decor

via Beautiful Things to Share blog

via Mark Cutler blog Elle Decor

via Delight by Design

Dana Lyon via Simplified Bee

Now that Hurricane Irene is gone, having left a slightly nicer impression than feared, my fair City returns to life as usual, as does the doings at WID. I'm off to return fabrics to D&D showrooms today and shop a little more, then pick up some new paper goods at the printer, and hunt down a recently-purchased coffee table from an unresponsive shipper. Grrr! (Does anyone else feel like this business really comes down to shipping? I have had many battles with logistics companies who claim that they'll deliver your good in 1-2 weeks, then it somehow becomes 5-9 weeks with no apologies or reasoning for the delay. It's a frustrating and lonely battle; the manufacturer already has payment for the item[s], and therefore seems less interested in helping you --the customer!!-- become satisfied with a proper and timely delivery. Ugh!)

Please pardon my Monday gripes. I must need another cup of ~~coffee~~ Happy Juice.

Let's have a great, safe week everyone!
Cheers,
Whitney

Aug 26, 2011

Calm Before The Storm

New Yorkers are used to chaos, but perhaps not the kind of chaos that Mother Nature has brought this week.

On Tuesday, I perched myself on a fluffy chair in the D&D building waiting for some samples at the Schumacher showroom. And, as I watched the fabrics in the wings quiver and ever-so-slightly billow, I caught myself thinking that the floor seemed to quiver as well. Then, the windows creaked and the shades atop those windows banged against the panes. I thought to myself, "No way, Jose. Manhattan is an island on granite bedrock, and it's gotta be geologically impossible for an earthquake to shake this town." But, the building kept on shaking. And then my California-girl instincts kicked in and I booked it out of the building down the stairwell. Out on the sidewalk of 3rd Avenue, people clung to their cellphones, desperately glad to hear that it was 'just an earthquake' and not something threateningly sinister.

And just as we're all recovering from the excitement of the earthquake, now we're all preparing for Hurricane Irene to slam us on Saturday night. And we're not used to hurricanes up 'round these parts. New Yorkers may think Manhattan is the center of the universe, but it's the outer edge of the Atlantic's hurricane alley. The last time a hurricane legitimately touched New York's shores was Gloria in 1985.

Hurricane Irene's tropical storm-force wind field is larger than both Hurricane Ike (2008) and Hurricane Katrina (2005) at maximum size. Besides the surf and the wind, the wicked rains are supposed to be the biggest problem for NYC. It means that New York City will likely break the previous wettest month record dating back to 1882. Uh yea, I'm a bit of a weather nerd. Jim Cantore is my favorite meteorologist. He's like the Bear Grylls of weather.

via TWC.com

While I'm not at all worried about myself, my mind is with the elderly who live alone or in nursing facilities near the coastlines. How scary for them. If you have an older relative living on the East Coast, please call them today and make sure they are safe in case floods and/or power outages occur in their area. Panic is common at times of disaster, and preparedness is key. I know, I know, I know; one can never be too prepared, but I had to giggle at the sight of a young woman buying 4 gallons of milk at the grocery store yesterday. Unless she has a bunch of teenagers at home, I doubt that 2% milk will save her if NYC is flooded on Sunday.

So if you're holed up at home this weekend, clutching your flashlight batteries and side-eyeing your transistor radio, might I suggest a little fun stuff to occupy your worried mind...

Let's all sit for a moment and think about what we would do with this 56-drawer bad boy. I would build a kitchen around it for a client with lots of dish wares. For myself, it would be the landmark area for fabrics and accessories at the WID offices. Wouldn't that be nice?!

Do yourself a favor and make this. Baked French Toast from Jenny the Great.

Feeling crafty? Grab your kids or nephews or neighbors and try this or any of Babble's adorable activities.

The Pioneer Woman has a show on The Food Network premiering Saturday morning. I'd watch just to see Walter the basset hound pretend to be a cattle dog...

If I had longer hair I would rock this style often. Not just for weddings.

The wonderful Mrs. Blandings nears her 1,000th post by way of vacationing back to her early days of blogging.

I keep finding excellent deals at One Kings Lane's Downstairs. Have you checked out their clearance section?!?

If Tim Burton designed a bathroom in a vintage Amsterdam apartment, I think it would look like this. I just pinned this to my Pinterest board titled 'BadAss Bathrooms,' on which I'm gathering inspiration images for an upcoming bathroom reno.

Last night I said to my husband that I am sort of excited about the storm. So I kinda sang, 'Come On, Irene!' and thought of this song and brought me into a fit of laughter thinking about this dorky dance party and horrible lip synching from the Dexy lead singer.

Be safe this weekend, even if Irene isn't on your tail.

Cheers,

Whitney

Aug 25, 2011

Yes, Please

Imho, that chunky wood floor lamp behind the table is not-so-much.

Those fresh designers over at Jonathan Adler have officially retired Chinese porcelain stool and replaced it with a similarly silhouetted item but in a whole new package: the Brass Ulu Table. Any may I just say YES, PLEASE sir! The brass brings sparkle, structure and weight. The free form, liquid-like element to the punctures in the hollow design are a tad Dali-esque. These are extremely versatile and I guarantee I'll be using one or two in some upcoming projects.

I'm leaning towards the concave, but either would make a happy little addition to any room. Put it next to a velvety upholstered chaise for a tea cup and a book. Put a pair the on each side of your front door with small boxwoods atop. Drop one next to the tub for a little brass in your bath.

Cheers,
Whitney