Tuft Love

tufted headboard via Katy Elliott

While we have a dark wooden sleigh bed at the moment, once we upgrade to a king-sized bed in our new house, I'd like an alpholstered headboard.  It's exactly what a couple with a nightly ritual of reading in bed needs.  The headboard styles I am drawn to are arched and tufted in a crisp cotton twill or in a luxurious shantung silk.  While there are ceratinly ways to DIY-it (you have to check out the website Centsational Girl, and especially her post on a tufted headboard project), I don't know if I'll ever be handy with a table saw and staple gun.  I am, however, very much at ease selecting a fabric and having a custom headboard made for me.  While there are some patterns I really like (see below), I will most likely source a solid, soothing color in a brushed silk with wider tufting with a romantic frame.  This first one below is my favorite; I can't seem to stray much from my vintage French sensibilties for this anchor bedroom piece.

(shabbyfrufu)

via Get Togetha Blog

by Swedish designer Petra Bindel

paisley pattern in a unique shape via Decor Pad

I love the chaise in the same fabric as the headboard,
(sans snoby dog)
via My Home Ideas

I'm a big fan of chocolate brown (via Decor Pad)

frame a white bed with a bold color,
headboard at the top and comfy seating at the foot
(via Elle Decor)

love crip white contrasted with steel grey walls

Beach Combing: Inspirations from Coastal Carolina

view of the sound from our porch

Last weekend I tossed a few items into an overnight bag and drove five hours south for a much-needed girls' trip at the beach.  We were six friends gathering to celebrate the upcoming wedding of one of my oldest, dearest friends. Her fiance's mother has a towering, airy summer house on a narrow strip of North Carolina coast and lucky for us, they opened their home for our getaway. Situated next to the Wrightsville yacht club, across from the picturesque beach, and facing the deep blue waters of the sound, I immediately felt the stresses of the week melt away as I unpacked my belongings and sipped a pineapple mimosa freshly juiced by the bride-to-be.

Lumina Station store fronts

Between long conversations in rocking chairs on the porch, sampling delicious local food, and drinking our fair share of champagne, we spent Saturday afternoon exploring the shops of Wilmington's Lumina Station.  Most of us found a few pieces in Monkees, known for its bright bold dresses and trendy, affordable accessories. Of course I was more interested in taking home the preppy print bench or the set of blue and yellow upholstererd chairs, than trying on the pink ruffle Milly dress waiting for me in a dressing room.

Two other home stores we found inspiring in Lumina Station were Arlie Moon and Paysage. I wove through Paysage's showroom snapping pictures of furnishings and accessories that caught my eye. The soothing beiges, browns, oranges and whites had a tranporting effect, perfect for a beach house palate. Arlie Moon was a treasure trove of vintage inspired pieces from colorful sea glass bottles to crystal bauble chandeliers.

zebra square at Paysage;
unique idea for additional seating in a living room

coral rug from Paysage

Airlie Moon couch and throw pillows

vintage chandelier from Airlie Moon

Arlie Moon dog beds in fun prints



Swatches from Airlie Moon
(I would love to cover an occasional chair in the brown fabric)



Sea glass bottles from Arlie Moon

Returning home on Sunday I was filled with new coastal inspirations for my Norfolk Nest. My proximity to the river and ocean will be an inspiration for design. Creating a sense of escapism with interiors can be hard to achieve, but something I will strive for in decorating a few of the rooms in my first home.

Charlotte Graces Charlottesville

Yesterday evening my friends and I attended a book signing and charity shopping event at Caspari in honor of the elegant interior designer Charlotte Moss.  Her new book Charlotte Moss Decorates is distinctive and stunning and I loved meeting the artist and fellow Richmond native. The store was colorfully decorated in celebration of Virginia spring, complimenting Charlotte's ladylike, inspirational taste. Waiters passed fresh lemonade with rosemary sprigs and tiny tea sandwiches while guests mingled and perused the Caspari collection.  Charlotte graciously held court at a Caspari desk, greeting attendees and signing copies of the book.

display of her books, cocktail napkins, bags and notepads

Charlotte's latest design tomb is certainly my favorite. Divided into sections 1-12, the tastemaker shares prosaic design philosophies to open each chapter and closes them with utilitarian style ideas under the rhetorical header "Why Not?" There are a few I will most closely take to heart when decorating my Norfolk Nest and one that truly resonnates with me as I tend to make quick decisions and impulsive purchases. Creating a home requires patience and discernment, Charlotte guides in chapter 10: "Sometimes you have to explore tons of ideas before one crystallizes, or maybe you circle back to the first one. Decoration is a process that begs exploration. Be patient---you may have to kiss a lot of toads." Toads have abounded thus far in my rental apartments and I vow to take my time and bring home as many princely pieces as I can for my Norfolf Nest.

A Flair for Living (the book that preceeded her latest); best for someone not
afraid of going grand with home decor

Bring the smell of spring into your home with Charlotte Moss' candles
appropriately named "Virginia" are floral fragrance of lily of the valley, jasmine and rose

Caspari had gorgeous displays throughout the store

Charlotte Moss napkins with design words of wisdom

Charlotte signing my book

my new coffee table favorite

"There is a place in all of us where creativity brews. Tap it, let it go, don't fear it; I promise it will never let you down." --Charlotte Moss 

Dragon Diaries: Reflections on China, Hong Kong Part 3

Hong Kong from The Peak

The final city of our adventure in China, by far my favorite, was Hong Kong. A few notes on HK before I share pictures, because if you haven't visited this true jewel of the Orient, there are some basics to know. The island, located off the coast of south eastern China is only 426 square miles and is home to over 7 million people. Take into consideration the mountainous landscape, the harbour and beaches and you will quickly surmise that isn't a lot of living space (it is the 4th most populated country or sovereign state in the world). It is best described as a vertical city. Everything goes up, because that is really the only place to go (out and down just aren't possible because it's an island).

Vertical City

Great Britain returned HK to the Chinese in 1997, but some of the Western influence remains today especially in regard to their infrastructure and how many Brits bustle around the island. The territory follows the principle: "one country, two systems" which is a different governing system than mainland China. While it is part of the People's Republic of China, it has been able to maintain its own capitalist economy and political system (as is also the case with Macau and Taiwan). And what a capitalist economy it is! After nearly two weeks on the mainland of socialism and repressions (that's as far as I will go there, this is a blog intended for design not political views after all), it was so refreshing to step onto Hong Kong and savour the vibrant individuality and uninhibited expression of self. The best I can compare it (from what I've experienced) is posh London meets ambitious Manhattan meets cultured San Francisco with a layer of the exotic Orient and there you have Hong Kong. A true international melting pot of ex pats where The East mixes with The West and the combination is electric.

Market in Central

One of my favorite design inspirations in HK was finding the original Shanghai Tang boutique located at 12 Pedder Street in Central. While I knew the Chinese brand best for its luxurious women's apparel, the first floor is primarily home accessories and a few beautiful repro pieces that draw from the days of British imperialism.  While I would have loved to ship back half of the first floor collection, we settled on a silver and blue woven picture frame with the Shanghai Tang logo. Easy to pack and a chic way to display a picture from our trip. Here are some images of the boutique.

Dragon Diaries: Reflections on China (Part 2: Shanghai)

Joma Arts in Taikang Lu

After 5 days of non-stop sightseeing in dusty, historic Beijing, we flew two hours southeast to Shanghai. I'd read about the economic growth of the city before the trip, but I had no idea what I was truly in to see. Shanghai is China's biggest city with over 23 million people and given it's rapid expansion over the past two decades, it has emerged as an international center for commerce, finance, fashion, and culture. As we battled the sea of traffic from the airport to our hotel. located in the city's center, I experienced total shock and awe over the city's jagged, endless skyline.  Our hotel was on People's Square which is now home to the municipal government headquarters and The Shanghai Art Museum. We learned quickly that cab drivers (or most Shanghai Chinese residents for that matter) don't speak English and you need addresses in Chinese characters to get where you need to go by taxi. Needless to say it was quite an adventure, especially with the nearly 3 inches of rain that fell on the city the first 48 hours we were there.  However, we certainly made the most of it and for anyone planning a trip to Shanghai, I highly recommend the site smartshanghai.com for the best in arts and culture.

Pudong from The Bund

A few of the highlights of our adventures in the city were the Urban Planning Exhibition Center which contains a history of the city's development and contains an enormous 3-D model of Shanghai by 2020; you wouldn't believe what is in store for this mushrooming metropolis in the next decade. I was really impressed with their commitment to green space in the city, setting an example for environmental urban planning across the world. The second must-see is a section of the French Concession called Taikang Lu (Lu means Street in Chinese). It's a pedestrian maze of boutiques, galleries and restaurants and you can spend hours weaving through the stores and discovering unique items for the home. One of my favorite shops was Joma Arts which was filled with art, pillows, statues and jewelry from Tibet and India. The final highlight of Shanghai for me was viewing Shanghai at night from The Bund. Along the Huangpu River sits Pudong, the financial and commercial center for the city, and at night the buildings are lit from top to bottom, electrifying the city's skyline in all its modern glory. We had the perfect date night in Shanghai which started with dirty martinis and raw oysters at The Long Bar in the recently opened Waldorf Astoria (the hotel was restored to its orignal 1911 architectural materpiece when it was the legendary Shanghai Club); this was followed by a decadent four-course French culinary journey created by Jean-Georges in Three on The Bund. Over truffle gnocchi, beef tenderloin, and creme brulee, we took in the extraordinary lights of Pudong. I had to pinch myself asI felt worlds away from my life in Virginia.

Here are a few pictures of the design inspirations I found in Shanghai.

People's Park (we watched some Chinese students dance like Justin Timberlake)

Chanel exhibit at Shanghai Art Museum (mimicking Coco)

Chinese garden stool at Propaganda Poster Museum

woven blanket from Ming Dynasty
Shanghai Art Museum

glass ceiling in The Peace Hotel Shanghai

The Peace Hotel

entry way to Shanghai silk store

painted white wall with backlit lattic openings just off The Bund

the new Waldorf Astoria on The Bund

Waldorf Astoria ( I loved this set of silk prints)

The Bund by night from the window of John Georges

Taikang Lu

checking out the Deke Erh photography exibit at Taikang Lu