A Rubber Band Stream of Consciousness



I was looking down at my wrist and on it is a princess silly bandz (it doesn't matter why I was wearing it or how it got there as it pertains to my story), and I thought, "AHHHHH, it just takes an idea; one good idea!"  As I contemplated this, I recalled the rubber band table that I always thought was so fun.  You could totally make this yourself.  It's great in a kids room!

  

Which then made me think, "What else has been done with rubber bands?"
Lighting by Orchard Studio~



Shelves by Arianna Vivenzios~



Rubber band furniture, like this chair from designer Tom Dixon~


But why stop there?  How about clothing?~


Margarita Mileva thinking outside the box.  She does incredible jewelry as well.  Check out her Etsy store.




The ultimate expression of art, a sculpture made with rubber bands by Agnes Stansfield.
I don't know what she intended, but I surely am thinking, "Being pulled in both directions."  But we wouldn't know about that would we?


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a look into Jonathan Adler & Simon Doonan's home


A darling reader sent me this link to Plum TV where you can watch Johnathan Adler in his studio making pottery and also look inside his home. As you may expect, it's a fun and beautiful home, full of colors and individuality. The video is a little long but if you have time try to watch it until the end and listen to how Simon and Jonathan confronted difficult situations in their lives that encouraged them to accomplish what they have today.

Enjoy your Halloween weekend!

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My Halloween ...

will consist of this~

                                                            
                                                      While sitting by this~


~HAPPY HALLOWEEN~
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trompe-l-oeil doors


What a great idea! Trompe l'Oeil door stickers. Printed in real size on adhesive fabric. How come no one thought of this before?
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Le Style Castaing

Last night I started reading World of Madeleine Castaingby Emily Evans Eerdmans and I can hardly put it down. It's the most interesting book I've read lately, maybe because it studies the fabulous and inspiring life and work of a fascinating French antiquaire and decorator who is still influential today. As an interior designer and a woman I love nothing more than a woman with strong will and individuality which Madeleine Castaing was a master of. What I especially love about reading this book is how easily I can transfer myself back to the 1920's to the cafe La Rotonde in Paris and almost watch Castaing, her husband Marcellin and her more than fabulous friends holding court and trading art for wine.

"It was interesting to witness the whole movement. Everyone was in Paris. Every language could be heard, and in the evening all the painters were at Montparnasse. What fascinated me was that I caught sight of Trotsky, Lenin, and the big Derain strutting around, too. Picasso, no, never. He didn't go down to Montparnasse much. He stayed in Montmartre." - Madeleine.

Recently I spotted two of Miles Redd's works that bear resemblance to Le Style Castaing.

Castaing's former antique store in Paris.

Below is Miles Redd's famous townhouse. Both have a very similar atmosphere.
madeleine castaing
Below, a part of Madeline Castaing's house. She was famous for her frequent use of blue.
madeleine castaing
Below, the gorgeous breath taking breakfast room designed by Miles Redd recently featured in Town and Country. Miles also favors the color blue.

Good quality design gets reinvented and reinterpreted every time. It never dies out.
images scanned by me from Town and Country.
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Spotlight On: Madeline Weinrib


Madeline Weinrib, the granddaughter of the founder of ABC Carpet and Home (one of my favorite stores) is busy with the release of a new wallpaper for Studio Printworks and is covering modernist furniture in her signature ethnic prints for a show in a Chelsea Gallery.  When not globetrotting for inspiration and shopping for vintage textiles, Madeline can be found in her 6th floor atelier in ABC where she sells her beautiful silk pillows, artisanal carpets, accessories, a growing furniture line and fabric by the yard that ( I swear) looks good on ANYTHING!  Madeline is also a trustee of Project Mala, a non profit dedicated to eradicating child labor in the carpet industry.


 
I never met an Ikat I didn't like!


These pictures, below, from Elle Decor let us glimpse into Madeline's home in NYC.  I love to see how designers/artists live and decorate for themselves.  No doubt her eclectic collections have been gathered from far away places.






Add'l photos: Belle Maison, Apt. therapy
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Only in New York City

Creativity is everywhere but New York City is the crown jewel.


Image of the Dior store on 57th St while in renovation taken by/for Bellevivir

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I'm Feeling Blue






Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow. You're only a day away.

photos: HB, Carolyn Roehm, Miles Redd, Elle Decor
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Happy Retirement Mr. Hadley

I was told by a very reliable source a few weeks ago that the legendary Albert Hadley is retiring. I felt happy for him but also sad that I won't get to see more of his always admirable work. I called his office in an attempt to prove me wrong and they confirmed that this week will be the last week of Albert Hadley Incorporated. Nothing I could say about his work, his legacy and his mayor influence in the design world would be enough so all I'm going to do is wish Mr. Hadley a very Happy Retirement. Below are photos of the last work designed by Albert Hadley and Britton Smith published by Elle Decor.



Bellow is a shot of Albert Hadley's dining room in his Connecticut house.

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Effortlessly Chic vs. Effortfully Chic

I could learn a thing or two about fashion but one thing I know for sure is that nothing sounds more appealing to me than the word Effortlessly Chic when it comes to dressing. More for the comfort side of it than for the actual chic other. Nothing explains more an Effortlessly Chic concept than dresses, skirts, comfortable tops and fabrics like cotton and cashmere. On the other hand, please get ready for this, I may be the only person who you've heard saying this, but I dislike jeans and find them extremely uncomfortable. You must be reading this and thinking that I'm from another planet. But the fact is that I would only wear them like Europeans do, loose enough. Don't take me wrong I've seen many Effortfully-put-together-drop-dead outfits out there like the ones Anna Dello Russo wears; but having a two year old who decides to get mamities whenever I happen to wear one of my Thakoon silk dresses it's not fun, trust me. So I've been searching for inspiration on how to dress comfortably and still look Effortlessy Chic. Below are a few photos that caught my eye.



Effortfully Chic outfits below. One too tight, the other too big and probably too heavy also.

Some images from The Sartorialist.
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I'm thinkin...Road Trip


I missed the Jeff Koons exhibition at The Palace of Versailles and now it is Takashi Murakami's turn. With the backdrop of Louis XIV's Grand Palace with all it's gilding, crystals, murals and mirrors, the giant cartoon-like sculptures are an unlikely pairing which of course, makes it all the more fabulous!
TM is a prolific, contemporary pop artist who gained a wide following as the collaborator to Marc Jacobs' Vuitton line with his happy, brightly painted images on their signature handbags.


 TM has a studio near Tokyo where he dabbles in painting, sculpting, preformance art, and business, as well as digital and commercial media.  His work spotlights the opposites of East and West, past and present, high brow and low brow, all while remaining amusing and accessible.









When asked what his inspiration was for this particular exhibit, Murakami said he felt a little like the Cheshire cat in Alice In Wonderland with his diabolical grin leading Alice thru the Chateau.

The exhibition runs thru mid December.  I'm running out time!



photos: Chateau Versailles, Ebay, Takashi Murakami
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