Blackberry Jam.

I got a random call from a dear friend of mine a couple of weeks ago.

His friend, a casting director, was looking
for people whose lives, essentially, depend upon their
Blackberry.

*no, not THOSE ones.

*THIS one.

Of course he called me.

(thanks, I think, Jason.)

The next thing I know I have a film crew of 20
in my house to shoot me,
an Interior Designer, and DesignCupcake blogger
talking about my love for this brilliant contraption.

Of course I had about 24 hours to prep my newly-moved-into home
to make it look like I am a fabulous Interior Designer
whose home is done to the nines...

So I did what any girl would do.

I called on my friends Peter Dunham and Nathan Turner.
*which was a much more productive option than threatening to kill
my upholsterer to get my chaise and curtains finished in record time.

Everyone at Almont Yard
helped me complete my fabulous office,

replete with Peter's gorgeous Gibbs Chair

and his famous How to Marry a Millionaire rushed stool.

*The curtain of course is my FAVORITE colorway
(peacock/tea) of his Kashmir Paisley...

Nathan loaned me this INCREDIBLE custom dhurrie rug,
that alas they decided not to use, but is too delicious to not be mentioned.

*if the dogs didn't chew EVERYTHING on the floor,
this would be a permanent fixture in my home.


And it turned out so sweetly,
that now I'm re-thinking my entire scheme.

I mean, walking on to 'the set' of a fabulous Interior Designer's office
makes a girl question her decor...

Afterall, I'm not REALLY an Interior Designer, I just PLAY one on TV.

xx

I went to a garden party...

Last night at Peter's sweet design haven,
Almont Yard,
I had a glass of blueberry-lemonade
(with a touch of vodka, I wont lie)
and chatted with new and old friends.

The occasion:

Annie Kelly and Tim Street-Porter have just released an
amazing follow-up
to their brilliant design bible,
Rooms to Inspire


(which features the most delicious spreads by some of the greats-
Miles Redd, Jonathon Adler, and LA's own Kelly Wearstler).

The new tome,
Rooms to Inspire in the Country


features front and center
Tony Duquette's iconic Malibu home,
as well as divine layouts by
Martyn Lawrence-Bullard
(who was at the party showing off his zebra print,
which I requested to be fashioned as a summer party-dress)
and another one of my favorites,
NY's Stephen Gambrel.

I haven't had a chance to scan any photos
but I will, and soon.

Please be prepared, you may be hearing about this book for a while...
I could do a daily post on each featured home,
its THAT well compiled.

Styling beautiful homes and having your
lovely husband photograph them,
then sharing your work in a gorgeous book.

Another dream job is revealed...

xx

C, I tooled ya.

Flipping through last month's C Magazine
(still catching up from a whirlwind month of March)
I came across the greatest spread
of 3 of my FAVORITE Los Angeles designer's offices,
but even better,
a list of some of their 'Tools of the Trade.'

Behold, the secret weapons of the minds of genius...


Peter Dunham:
* a magnifying glass that was Billy Baldwin's
*personalized stationary from Tiffany
*Vintage globes for far-away inspiration
*Vintage decor books for clout
*drawing by David Hicks, to be surrounded by the work of true genius
*The original chair from How to Marry a Millionaire for heritage


Barbara Barry:
*Glass carafes instead of water bottles
* Lamp light in place of overhead lighting
*Clean white surface as the presence of absence
and the potential therein
*Drawing tools for ideas that come in an instant
and need to be captured
*Bulletin board for tacking up images, to see
the connectedness in things


Kelly Wearstler:
*Wooden trays allow for play with a variety of colors and textures
* Cashmere throw
*Bold accessories to keep creativity flowing
*Prismacolor turquoise pencils
*Digital camera to photograph EVERYTHING
*Hermes notebook

Looks like I've got some shopping to do.

xx

Design Stars, Part II

Last Tuesday night I had the pleasure of attending

Angeleno Interior's WestWeek launch party
at my friend Peter Dunham's
Hollywood at Home, at Almont Yard in WeHo.

This adorable little courtyard houses some of my
favorite design shops in all the city-

Harbinger- Joe Lucas' shop, had a bamboo laquer dresser in GREY
that I was dying for,
Nathan Turner is FULL of amazing Ikat kidney pillows right now,

and of course Peter's incredible textiles- in a bunch of new blue shades-
had me rethinking my headboard.

This peacock/tea colorway of his amazing Kashmir Paisley is
completely delicious.


Please do check out his lovely shop in this tucked away corner of heaven.
I find it always makes me want to stay a while and have a cup of tea.