Chicago Design Blog | Material Girls | Chicago Interior Design

Kids of all ages are sporting the latest craze to sweep the nation: Silly Bandz.  These small, pliable pre-formed rubber band bracelets come in all shapes and colors, each pack individually themed.  If you’re into baseball, princesses, even the Chicago Bears…there’s a pack of Silly Bandz for you!

With my daughter recently sporting her own variety, I realized the color ways of each pack are pretty well paired.  After reading the September issue of House Beautiful, the main theme being color, I decided to take a look and see if the Silly Band color ways correlated with interior color ways…and sure enough they do!  Check out some of the matches below…not so silly after all!  But don’t at all feel limited by these selected color ways; google Silly Bandz to see many more collections and colors of this crazy trend.

{Silly Bandz Fantasy Shape, $4.95}

{Jeffrey Bilhuber}

{Silly Bandz Beach Pack, $1.85}

{Steven Gambrel}

{Silly Bandz Baseball, $3.39}

{Silly Bandz, Wild West $3.49}

{Kathryn M. Ireland}

{Crazy Bandz Neptune, $3.99}

{Miles Redd}

{Silly Bandz Sea Creatures}

{Bunny Williams}

I was poking around the App Store in search for some “design app” inspiration after rediscovering the “Ben Color Capture” app from Benjamin Moore that I downloaded on my iPhone sometime last summer.  Trying to sort through the melee of over 200,000 apps got to be quite tedious, so I took my query to Google. The top search result for “iPhone interior design apps” was none other than “15 iPhone apps for home design” from Apartment Therapy!  Looks like they beat me to it.  If you’re an iPhone user, check out these and other apps which are like having an arsenal of design tools literally in the palm of your hand.  And if nothing else, they are just simply fun to play around with.  Here are Apartment Therapy’s 15 best apps and their descriptions about each.  All available at the App Store on iTunes (or on your iPhone).

1. Color Capture by Benjamin Moore: “lets you snap a photo of anything at all and find a color match among Benjamin Moore’s many paint chips. Wow! Plus, it’s free.”

2. Sherwin Williams Color Snap: “gives you a color match, too, along with a complementary palette and a Sherwin-Williams store finder. This one’s free too.”

3. Mark on Call: “created by interior designer Mark Lewison, has tons of helpful features, including shopping lists, measurement tools, layout planners, and the like. All for $2.99.”

4. I.D. Wood: “is a pocket guide to woods, including information about durability, sustainability, and color. Also includes helpful info about cutting techniques and a nail size reference. $2.99.”

5. Home Sizer: “calculates square footage and construction costs for $2.99.”

6. Convert: “a unit calculator, comes highly recommended. Helpful for converting from metric when shopping for imported furniture. Costs $.99.”

7. iHandy Level: “s just what it sounds like. It turns the iPhone into a level. There are many level apps available, but this one comes recommended by friends. Great for hanging art! Free.”

8. eBay Mobile: “of course, allows you to track your auctions easily from your phone, so you won’t miss that perfect vintage kilim rug again. Free.”

9. Craigsphone: “is Craigslist’s mobile version for the iPhone, new this year. Would be great for garage sale weekends. Free.”

10. SwedeShop: “helps you stay organized on your Ikea shopping trips. Take photos, make notes, and tab the locations of all the items you’re considering. Given how frustrating it can be to navigate that store, this app seems well worth the $.99.”

11. Christie’s: “auction house has an app for those following auctions of their valuable big-ticket items. Great for serious collectors. Free.”

12. What the Font: “will identify any typeface. Just snap a pic of a poster, sign, or any other source for type, and you’ll get your font. Great for DIY projects! Free.”

13. EverNote: “an all-purpose organizational app, can become a great replacement for your giant design binders. Snap pics of fabrics, rooms, and furniture; make recordings and notes; map locations of your favorite stores and sales. Free.”

14. 3rd Whale: “helps you shop green. Find businesses, services, and contractors who focus on sustainability. Shop by categories, like “Garden and Landscaping” or “Green Power.” $1.99.”

While perusing the cosmetic department of Bloomingdale’s SoHo the other day, a friend of mine spotted possibly the hottest, coolest most exciting pairing since Brad and Angelina: Jo Malone + Farrow & Ball.  Well…maybe not quite to that extent.  Nevertheless, I can’t stress enough how much I love the sophisticated and classic look of Farrow & Ball paint and wall coverings as well as the fresh, intoxicating, sexy scents of Jo Malone.  Both self proclaimed “British lifestyle brands,” the two joined forces to bring F&B’s signature colors to Jo Malone’s signature scents in the form of scented candles.  Don’t they compliment each other perfectly?  Both the scents and colors of these respective brands are classic, timeless and sophisticated.

Find the Farrow & Ball Jo Malone collection at Farrow & Ball showrooms as well as Jo Malone stores. (And perhaps some Bloomingdales too?)

{Absalom Boston House…epitome of Nantucket style}

I recently just got back from a trip to Nantucket to put the final touches on the vacation home of a client that I have been working on (from my Chicago office) for quite some time.  I have to say…I am in love.  So quaint, charming and beautiful, Nantucket really takes your breath away.  One gets the sense that not much has changed on this island in generations, taking comfort in the tradition and steadfast dedication to its way of life as a simple retreat. Furthermore, the homes in this intimate community have retained the classic look so associated with the island….shingled structures of muted grays, blues whites and soft neutrals.  While I was adding a modern spin on my client’s 1800′s classic charmer, many of the homes still retain that rustic,old world feel that so many of the beach getaways of the East Coast (Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod….) are known for.  Take a look at some of the images from Lisa McGee’s book, “A Home in Nantucket” and feel the instant comfort and ease of the Nantucket life.

Stay tuned for photos of my spin on the Nantucket home!

As mentioned in an earlier post,Pantone has declared turquoise to be the color of 2010.  I am so happy about this as turquoise is a great way to brighten up virtually any room.  Both sharp and soothing at the same time, there are so many options for this wonderful hue…lucite chair? lacquered cabinets? bed frame? You name it, turquoise has got it covered! Designer Ghislaine Vinastook to the streets in search of terrific turquoise finds that make the most of this year’s winning color.  Here are her picks:

{Enamel Ceramic Bishop Stool by India Mahdavi, $2,160, Ralph Pucci}

{Frilly Polycarbonate Chair by Patricia Urquiola, $299, Kartell}

{Happy Cat Beanbag Chair, $199.99, Giggle}

{Crackled Leather Address Book, $29.95, Anthropologie}

{Moriche Island Road (Supersonic) Print by Meredith Allen, $1600, Amy Simon Fine Art}

{Foscarini Le Soleil Pendant Lamp by Vicente Garcia Jimenez, $1,551, YLighting}

{Vintage 1960′s Bisotti Ceramic Head, $1,500, End of History}

As promised, I am following up with the first edition of the “Strut Your Stuff” post.  Pantone featured too many fab designers for me to fit into just one post!  So here it goes for round two.  For those of you who didn’t get a chance to read the first of this two part series, click here!  The abridged version is that color magnate Pantone took a look at the shows of the hottest designers at New York fashion week, chose the signature color in their collection, and matched it up with one of their own many hues.  Shameless product placement, I know…but it is still a very cool concept!

{La Mimi}

No, no I don’t mean literally in your birthday suit (shout out to 50 Cent).  I mean the hottest trend for spring/summer…shades of nude. From nail polish (my favorite is Essie Jazz) to jewelery and bags, bearing it all is what’s hot right now.  Like always, this trend has made its way across the border to interiors.  Nude seems to be popping up all over the place.  Check out some of the photos I found.

Santa Barbara Beach House

{Veranda}

{Veranda}

{Veranda}

Southern California Mediterranean

{Veranda}

{Veranda}

{Veranda}

{Veranda}

{Veranda}

Delphine Restaurant, Los Angeles

{Elle Decor}

Lake Forest, IL home

{Chicago Home + Garden}

Bucktown (Chicago) home…also featured in my “Just Because” post!

{CS Interiors}

{Southern Accents}

{Elle Decor}

{Elle Decor}

{Elle Decor}

{Elle Decor}

{Buckingham I.D.}

{Buckingham I.D.}

{Buckingham I.D.}

{Buckingham I.D.}

{Buckingham I.D.}

{Decorpad}

As you  may have seen in previous posts and in myriad fashion magazines, the line between color trends in the world of interiors and fashion is very permeable.  What appears on the runway is quick to be seen in home decor, and vice versa.  As the official color barometer, many in the design world look to Pantone for tips and insights into the ebbing and flowing of the wide world of hues.  However, Pantone’s take on color trends is not limited to the world of interiors.  In its latest venture, Pantone took a look at some of the runway shows of hottest designers from New York fashion week and analyzed their hottest hues.  With more or less every color in the book, Pantone has matched these designer colors with their own.  Not only are they simply pairing the hottest hues in fashion with their comparable hues, they are bringing in expert opinions to inform consumers how to best utilize these colors.  I love this idea!  Take a look below…

There were far too many designers to feature in just one post, so stay tuned for another soon to come featuring more fabulous fashion hues!

If it isn’t already abundantly apparent, I have a mild (maybe a little more than mild…) obsession with orange.  One of the most prominent features in my house is an oversized orange vintage leather wingback chair that sits next to a vintage Audrey Hepburn print, in which she proudly sports orange garb.  It is one of the first things that greets visitors upon their arrival into my home, firmly establishing that orange holds a special place in my  heart and in my interiors.

{Orange lovin’ in my own home}

Well needless to say that when I dined at the chic Fulton Market restaurant Otom the other night, my heart was aflutter with the orange themed interior.  Simple yet beautifully modern, Otom serves up delicious dishes that are as fresh as the orange and white interiors.  My eggplant and tomato gnocchi followed by mahi mahi with beluga lentils was heavenly, as were the orange and chrome chair I was sitting in.

{via Zagat}

Turquoise!  Winner of what, might you ask?  Pantone’s “Color of the Year” for 2010, of course!  As the official press release on the “color solutions” company’s website states, “turquoise transports us to an exciting, tropical paradise while offering a sense of protection and healing in stressful times.”  It’s official color name, in case you were interested in picking up a paint sample or repainting your entire dining room this color (idea for next project, perhaps?) is 15-5519.

Turquoise has a long an influential history in the world of colors, from being a “protective talisman” in some cultures to a color of healing to a color of deep faith.  Additionally, turquoise can be paired nicely with almost any color in the spectrum, is fairly unisex and works well in almost any space.  Whether you choose to incorporate turquoise in a large or a small way, it never seems to disappoint.

I certainly am a fan of this lovely hue and have used in many times throughout my own designs.  Now I thought it would only be appropriate to do a little ode to turquoise!