New York Design Blog | Material Girls | New York Interior Design

My obsession with artists continues which brings me to my next feature artist of the week.  Hannah Lynde is an incredibly talented photographer (and graphic designer) whose work speaks for itself.  Her abstract pieces of the reflections off water take my breath away.  Take a look at her collection and tell me you aren’t tempted to hang at least one of these in your house.  I am…and I will!

Visit Hannah’s website for more information!

My obsession for Nate Berkus has grown after viewing his collection on HSN.  He has the best collection of modern, stylish pieces at affordable prices and what’s great about HSN is you can pay in installments.  A shoppers dream!  I’ve selected my favorites from his collection but you need to take a look at HSN yourself to find some of the best deals out there.  There’s no excuse to put your home decorating project on hold anymore.

luxury silk throws $34.95

bamboo and glass coffee table $199.95

dhurrie chevron rug $29.95-$399.95

gold poof $99.95

tufted headboard $349.90

hexagon cocktail ottoman $399.95

leather studded table $199.95

slipper chair $329.90

handcrafted orbit lamp $129.95

tufted slipper chair $399.95

Martha Stewart and Omnimedia hosted a party last night for all the fellow bloggers who are in town for the BlogHer Conference this weekend and what a great party!  There were well over 400 bloggers in Martha Stewart’s office on 26th Street, mingling about, tasting recipes from Martha’s latest issue of Everyday Food, playing with the latest and greatest crafts products, getting fake lashes put on and blogging/tweeting while doing it all!  I myself passed on the fake lashes, but went straight to the crafts table to see what it was all about.

The punch around the page kit had to be my favorite!  How adorable is this hand-crafted stationary that take seconds to make.  It’s fun, cost effective and might even get your kids to write their thank you notes if they can have fun while doing it!

Want to paint your dresser or your wall in a faux bois?  It’s easy to do with Martha Stewart’s painting kits which are expected to hit stores in September.  Keep your eyes peeled and check her website for availability.  There are plenty of painting effects to choose from so whatever your style may be, I’m sure she’ll have the right tool!

Faux Bois

Herringbone

Now to the food..I was only able to sample a few things but can tell you everything looked amazing and well worth the time in the kitchen.  The first thing I tried was the Bistro Slider with pickled onions

Yum!

Grilled S’mores

So easy and fun for kids!

Another great idea for a party/dessert if you’re crunched for time or just want something different and fun – create an oreo cake on a cake stand for all your guests to pick apart.  You’ll of course want to have some milk near by..

Thanks Martha/Omnimedia for a great evening.  I look forward to trying new recipes and craft projects at home!

MARGARET RUSSELL NAMED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST

New York, NY, August 5, 2010 – Margaret Russell has been named Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest, it was announced today by Thomas J. Wallace, Editorial Director of Condé Nast.  Her appointment is effective September 7, 2010.  The editorial headquarters of Architectural Digest, currently in California, will move to New York City.

Most recently, Ms. Russell was Vice President, Editor-in-Chief of Brand Content of Elle Decor. She has been with Elle Decor for two decades, helping to found the title, and ultimately becoming Editor-in-Chief in 2000.  In 2003, she was named Vice President of Hachette Filipacchi Media.  In addition to the magazine, Ms. Russell oversaw elledecor.com and the Elle Decor series of books.  Ms. Russell is also the author of three books: Designing Women: Interiors by Leading Style Makers, So Chic: Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces, and Style and Substance: The Best of ELLE DECOR.  She is a frequent lecturer on interior design and decoration, and has been featured on numerous television shows.

“Margaret Russell is a superb editor and a persuasive communicator,” said Mr. Wallace.  “Her success in publishing, print and digital, as well as her stature in the design community, assures the continuation of Architectural Digest as the world’s preeminent design publication.”

This appointment marks a return to Condé Nast for Ms. Russell, who began her career as an Editorial Assistant atGlamour Magazine.  She is a graduate of Brown University.

Architectural Digest, published by Condé Nast, is the authority in design and architecture and reaches more than 5 million affluent readers each month.  The magazine offers firsthand and exclusive access to extraordinary people, places and things across the design continuum.

Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, operates in 25 countries.  In the United States, Condé Nast publishes 18 consumer magazines, two trade publications and 27 websites that garner international acclaim and unparalleled consumer engagement.

I’ve been noticing a lot of bars and restaurants lately that have that rustic yet chic atmosphere to them and I’m liking what I see/what I’m surrounded by.  From the old fashioned Edison bulbs, to rustic wood paneling, wood floors mixed with the perfect subtle and smooth stones on the bar or the tables, there’s something so calming and inviting about these spaces.  I’ve shared a few of my favorites I’ve been to recently so you can get an idea of what I’m talking about. Enjoy the viewing and definitely visit one if not all of these spots when in NYC.  Not only is the atmosphere delicious but so is the food!

De Santos on W. 10th Street

This garden is my new favorite in the neighborhood

L’Artusi on West 10th Street

This restaurant is a little more chic than rustic but I had to share because I really enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere.  The stripes on the ceiling might be my favorite touch.

Wilfie & Nell on West 4th Street

Smith and Mills on N. Moore Street

Talk about a fabulous garage make-over with coffered ceilings. wow!

Highlands on W. 10th Street

I went to an event tonight at Pierre Frey hosted by none other than Pierre Frey (grandson to the man who founded the company in 1935), Nicole Gibbons (author of So Haute) as well as Joshua Greene and Alex Kale (founders of Shagreene).  The event had a magnificent panel that included the following four extremely talented designers:

Nate Berkus

Not only is Nate Berkus filled with amazing decorating advice, talent and good looks but he’s also one of the better spoken, easy going and funnier (is that a word?) decorators I’ve come across in awhile.  It’s nice to know that there are people out there who can decorate your home with a sense of style yet still have a great sense of humor about life.  I’d work with Nate any day!

Steven Gambrel

Steven Gambrel established his firm in 1995 and has done wonders ever since.  He spoke a lot about texture and surface materials, something he’s “obsessed” with at the moment.  He’s obviously remarkable at what he does and a true artist/designer who’s looking to create amazing homes for great clients.  Another one I’d work with..

Laura Kirar

Laura is the founder and creative director of Laura Kirar TRU Design which creates elegant, innovative interiors and products for the home.  She has a wonderful presence about her that seems somewhat modest.  Something I admire in talented designers.  Laura has been extremely successful in creating high end products for the home such as furniture, tile, carpets, lighting and much more.  Another one to keep your eye on!

Jessie Carrier and wife Mara Miller

Most recently Carrier and Company was named one of the country’s “Top 20 Young Designers” by Traditional Home and if you browse his portfolio you’ll know why.  Jessie was rather soft spoken and felt very small against a larger panel of great designers but with out a doubt deserved the recognition that Trad Home gave him.

Now for the dirt…

Tips for designing and decorating your home:

1. Keep your interests, favorite colors and surroundings in mind when choosing home furnishings

2. Stay consistent with your project, your vision and stay focused until the project is complete

3. Keep quality in mind when purchasing things and don’t just buy something because it’s less expensive – go for the throw or the side table that’s going to make a statement, last a lot longer and make you happier in the end

4. Focus on a combination of colors that you like instead of just choosing one.  If you like greens and blues, make it your palette

5. Be passionate about your choices and select items and finishes that you’re crazy about!

If I had to choose one of these designers to work with or decorate my home I’m not sure who I’d choose.  They all have their own flare and their own style that would make any home great.  Take a look at some of their work below and see if you can decide who you’d want to hire..

Nate Berkus apartment

Nate Berkus Bedroom

Nate Berkus Kitchen

Steven Gambrel Living Room

Steven Gambrel Bedroom

Steven Gambrel Bedroom

Laura Kirar Living Room

Laura Kirar custom designed carpet

Laura Kirar barrel lounge chairs designed for McGuire and used by a good friend of mine who decorated this living room in the hamptons

Jessie Carrier Living Room

Jessie Carrier Bedroom

Jessie Carrier barn conversion

Thank you Pierre, Nicole, Josh and Alex for a great night!

Outside of the weather being HOT in NYC these days there are other things on the hot list for home furnishings that might be exactly what you’re looking for to change things up.  ELLE DECOR has featured their ‘What’s Hot! July/August’ list and I’d like to add to it!  Below you’ll find my favorite “hot list” items from ED as well as my own “hot list” for the summer.  Take a moment to look around your house to see if something’s missing.  It very well could be something new and trendy!

Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams tuxedo sofa

Diptyque’s Mediterranean votive collection

Dwell Studio bedding

D. Porthault’s linen coasters

Starlata mirror from World’s Away

Lotus Wallpaper by Farrow & Ball

Chevron rug from West Elm

Bamboo barcart from Zodax

White Lacquer mirror from World’s Away

Piccadilly chair from Serena & Lily

Kelly Wearstler’s Imperial Trellis II fabric at F. Schumacher

Horn cube table lamp from The Accessory Store

Dakota Glass table from Julian Chichester

Woven decorative lights from Pottery Barn

Waylande Gregory Leopard Green Tray by Elements

Ebony Anglo Coffee Table by BeeLine Home

Green inlay tray from Treillage

Antelope from Pieces Inc.

This afternoon I went over to the midtown loft on Fifth Ave. and 29th street to check out the Hayneedle Home Showcase.  Before getting there, I had no idea what to expect or what type of product I’d be seeing and as I was leaving, I felt pleasantly satisfied with everything I saw.  Hayneedle is a leading online retailer of home furnishings and lifestyle products that acts as an umbrella to over 200 specialty stores offering more choices for the home, work and play.  They started as hammocks.com and grew from there.  They have the widest variety of product and some of the best prices for great quality items.  Here are a few items that stood out as great finds for me:

Zuo Modern Chair

Plaju High Back Chair

Babyletto Mercer Crib

Plum Garden Play Table and Chairs

White LED Blossom Tree – This is really cool in person and would look great in any kids room!

4 in 1 game table

Magnolia Hammock

Speaking of Hammocks..it’s National Hammock Day at Hayneedle which means you get 10% on your purchase of any hammock and a portion of the sale will support Childhelp in it’s mission to prevent child abuse and treatment for kids.  What a great cause and great excuse to buy a hammock to relax in!

Start shopping at Hayneedle today.  I promise you won’t be disappointed

I’ve been admiring this Oomph collection for quite sometime now and I was just looking at their website in search of a great, fun, casual lacquered game table.  Although they didn’t have what I was looking for I thought I’d share the site with those who haven’t come across it yet or are in need of something bright and funky to spice up a room!  I can’t say there’s anything in their collection that I don’t like.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do and find a spot to add a little Oomph in your life.

In case you missed it above you can shop online at Oomph to find just the right piece and just right the color for your home!

Architectural Digest published a fantastic article in their August 2010 issue entitled “Inspired by You”.  They asked their readers what they wanted to know specifically about interior design and then had top designers weigh in with their simple advice.  Some of the questions asked were as follows:

Q: What colors tend to work better for large rooms? small rooms?

Q: What items should you splurge on?  Where can you cut corners?

Q: Are there any interior paint colors you feel should be avoided?

To get the answers to these questions and more, go to the article on AD’s website and see what other useful tips they have to offer online.