Los Angeles Design Blog | Material Girls | LA Interior Design

The ubiquitous farm table can be found in contemporary and traditional interiors alike.  It’s almost like a pair of jeans – it can go with anything and be dressed up or down.  Take a look at some of these interiors that feature a farm like table in different styles and settings.

Some variations on the farm table, as featured in Country Living:

Crate and Barrel

Sundance Catalog

Ikea

Ethan Allen

Happy Valentine’s Day!

{Here are some rooms that are pink, chic, and inspiring for a romantic day!}

I was just looking at the website Devine Color for inspiration on a color palette for a client project and came across their “collections.”  A wonderful assortment of colors grouped into collections that are aptly named.  This is such a great site for finding inspiration and color resources.  I have actually featured it before and continue to come back to the site as a great resource.  Here are the collections in groupings, take a look at the site for the names of each color per grouping.  Hopefully, you will find an inspiring color palette!

Loving this room by interior designer Alessandra Branca that I  came across on The Skirted Round Table blog!  Such a well designed kid friendly play area that makes great use of space. The tented ceiling is fabulous! The pendant lights are sophisticated yet playful too! And, of course, the built-in storage with baskets for toys and books completes the space.

Traditional Home magazine featured an inspirational section on bathroom vanities and when I saw them it was like I died and went to vanity heaven!  Not only are the vanities themselves beautiful but the bathrooms are too.  I’m definitely feeling inspired by these! Looking forward to some bathroom projects in 2010!

This bathroom in Texas features antique mirrored tiles on the face of the vanity (what a great idea!) and Carrera marble (my favorite all time classic).  I think the wood floor really gives this bathroom warmth.

Using a trestle table as a vanity is so completely unique and different! In this Atlanta bathroom, the wood frames used for the mirrors were imported from France and the pavers are stained concrete to give this bathroom an overall Old-World look. I love the pendant lighting and the addition of pieces of furniture flanking either side of the vanity.

This bathroom was designed by Larry Laslo for the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club Showhouse in New York.  The walls are amazing – they are covered in heavily veined Italian marble tiles. I think the frameless mirrors were a good choice – nothing too overly stated, just the right balance, makes the black-crystal sconces stand out on their own.

In a master bath, this custom vanity was installed at each end of the bathroom (with tub in the middle).  The mirror is imported from London.  The sconces are really interesting (not sure of their source).

These vanities are from Kohler and appear suspended (!) against a wall of silver-leaf glass tiles at a beach house in New York. I like the mix of contemporary elements with traditional accessories in this bathroom designed by Eric Cohler.

Are these not {some} of the most gorgeous bathrooms you have ever seen? Click here for more!

Just because we can’t always see the interiors of beautiful homes decorated for the holidays doesn’t mean we can’t judge by the exterior – it’s always so neat to see a festive front door!  Here’s a few holiday doors for inspiration…

A colorful wreath featured on a detailed door in a JCrew ad.

This white wreath is simple and sophisticated, adds contrast to the dark door (formerly featured in Blueprint magazine).

Pretty blue door with a trio of wreaths via Martha Stewart.

Traditional greenery makes for a classic holiday door (image via Martha Stewart).

How is your front door decorated for the holidays?

Small spaces, transitional spaces, and spaces leading to other spaces…here are some decorative hallways and enclaves!

[Images collected and sourced over time via the Internet]

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend!  I spent Thanksgiving Day at my family’s house on Balboa Island in Newport Beach.  Despite living in Los Angeles for many years, I was born and raised in Newport Beach, so it’s still that place I call home.  Our house on Balboa Island is located on what is called “Little Balboa Island.”  Balboa Island is an island in Newport Harbor comprised of a larger island and a smaller island separated by a canal and accessible by a bridge. On Thanksgiving Day, we took a walk around the perimeter of the smaller island (Little Balboa Island) and I took some pictures that I thought I would share with you.  So join me on my walking tour!

So here’s your map (um, using my iPhone map).  Our walk begins on the smaller of the island where you see “The Grand Canal” at the very top (of the larger waterway, Beacon Bay) – we are going to walk around the perimeter on the water side above where you see Crystal Avenue (the water side street is E Bay Front) and then down to S Bay Front, across S Bay Front and back up along side The Grand Canal (all the homes featured are water front houses).  Hope that’s not too confusing!  Don’t get lost!

One of my favorite houses, this house sits on a corner lot right at the edge of The Grand Canal (but wraps around a bit with rooms facing the canal) and faces Beacon Bay.  This house probably takes up about four lots.  I don’t know a lot of details about the house but my dad said it has been written about/published quite a bit.

A typical Balboa Island home, this house has a spacious front patio and a cute walkway.

An older more original island home, decorated for the holidays.

The architecture of this home is more southern, but still retains some traditional Balboa Island aesthetics.

Another house that has a southern flair, reminds me of a house you might see in Florida.  (Part of the house both above and pictured below.)

The house sits on two lots, so it has a nice wide front water facing porch.

And it’s currently staged and on the market for $10 million.

So now we’ve come to the intersection of E Bay Front and Park Avenue.  Notice how even the lamp posts are decorated for the holidays! Let’s continue up E Bay Front…

An original 50’s era gem, love the front door!

In the spirit of the holidays, owners decorate their private docks too.

My dad loves this house, not so much me – but I do find the nautical shutters whimsical.

Now we’re at the corner of E Bay Front and S Bay Front.  This house sits on a corner lot with dynamic views (the picture below is taken right at this corner).

The house above enjoys this view…every day.

A newer Balboa home, lush with landscape.

A day at the beach:  Thanksgiving Day was 84 degrees, warm & sunny.  Next time bring your bathing suit!

Another Florida-esque style home.  This property was at one time available to rent.  Great location, situated on a corner lot.

Most all of the water facing homes come with their own docks, great if you are a boat owner.

We’re now at the corner of S Bay Front and The Grand Canal.  This house sits across the way on the larger island.

As we make our way up The Grand Canal, my dad stops to introduce us to a friend of his that he meets up with on his daily walk.

We’ve now just passed the bridge that connects the larger island to Little Balboa Island as we continue to make our way back alongside The Grand Canal.

A house on the canal side, more traditional and modest in size, decked out for the holidays.

Making our way back to where we started, this walkway leads up to our house.

Hope you’ve enjoyed your tour of Balboa Island! Come visit again soon!

{Images via Martha Stewart}

Pretty rooms infused with nature…

And if all else fails, bring the tree inside!

{Images collected over time & saved from Domino, Elle Decor, Lowell Hotel NYC, House Beautiful, Kelly Wearstler, Traditional Home.}