We’re down to three designers and two more episodes. Andrea, Carisa and Matt have outlasted the rest of the competition and proven that they have the design skills and mental fortitude that keeps them in the game. They’ve also all shown that they came to the competition with big egos. (paraphrasing) Andrea: “I’m going to … Read more
“Metropolitan Home Hotel Suite Challenge”Individual Challenge: Design a hotel suite for Metropolitan Home magazine that is based on one of the earth elements of: Fire (Goil), Air (Matt), Water (Carisa) and Earth (Andrea). Budget:$1,550 fabric, paint and lumber$30,000 memo furnishings from Pacific Design Center$3,000 bedding budget from McGary & Co. Winner receives an editorial spread … Read more
The current rankings based on the first eight challenges are: Matt (21)Andrea (20)Carisa (18) Matt won this challenge and Goil was sent home. Carisa came in a strong second and Andrea was on the chopping block. The rankings are bit unnecessary at this point, but I started it, so I’ll see it through! Each of … Read more
Tonight is Episode 8! We’re down to Andrea, Carisa, Goil and Matt. They are charged with creating a hotel suite for Metropolitan Home. Themes are Earth, Air, Fire and Water (respectively). Hotel rooms provide some of the most mundane to the most beautiful and creative decorating worldwide. I’ve been running a reagular feature called Travel … Read more
Click for more information on this series. Met with the clients today and great progress has been made! A WHDH film crew was out at their house this morning to film the “before” footage. Photos here. The Headboard The fabulous Walter Heller of Heller Furniture in Norwell, MA dug into his bag of tricks and … Read more
This week on our world tour, we visit Madrid. As the capital of Spain, Madrid is a city of great cultural and political importance. While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. (courtesy of Wikipedia) The Hotel Urban is set for the … Read more
Thanks to Di at Designers’ Block for this link: I got my name in lights with notcelebrity.co.uk
A highlight of this years’ show are the festive “seaside” dining tables created by several Boston area designers. They ranged from subtle and traditional to over-the-top fabulous. Here are some of my favorites (and you’ll notice my preference for over-the-top fabulous!): Click the pics to see the images closeup. I didn’t get all the names … Read more
Click for more information on this series. While we wait for the fabric samples to come in – any day now – I’ve been working up headboard options. I was initially thinking of a canopy treatment to take advantage of the eve overhead, but decided that it would compete visually with the window treatment on … Read more
I took the afternoon off and went to the Boston Flower Show yesterday. So beautiful! Here is a taste of what I saw. One of the featured events was a series of garden inspired table settings created by several very talented designers. I’ll be posting some of my favorites shortly. Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with … Read more
“Chef’s Choice”Individual Challenge: Design a chef’s table for Tom Collichio’s latest restaurant. Tom loves nature – stone and wood, the Arts and Crafts Movement and mid-20th modern. He’s looking for something very high end and luxurious. Budget:$2,000 materials and supplies.$40,000 furnishings from Pacific Design Center. (note that the quoted prices were referred to as “net” … Read more
The current rankings based on the first five challenges are: Andrea (19)Matt (17)Carisa (16)Goil (15) Due to her winning design this week, Andrea pulls out ahead! Out are: Michael (13) ; Erik (11) Ryan (5), Felicia (9), Elizabeth (6), John (1), Heather (0), Lisa (0) My per episode point system is: 4 – winner; 3 … Read more
This weeks virtual tour takes us to San Francisco. S.F. is an amalgam of Victorian row houses and cutting edge culture, technology and design. It comes as no surprise that its hotels are a mix of elegant tradition and sleek contemporary styles. Definitely something for everyone! The Hotel Adagio features a fresh design that bridges … Read more
Click for more information on this series. This is a first look at different fabric styles and looks within the color range. I usually like to select a wide range of prints and patterns to start with and then cull down to a few special prints and slip in some solids. My clients will be … Read more
As I said in my previous post, my clients enjoy a strong, saturated color palette throughout their home. However, they are looking for their bedroom to be an oasis of calm. And the color palette is the first place to look. We are thinking about Benjamin Moore’s #14818 Oriental Iris for the main color on … Read more
The Washington Post Real Estate section has a fabulous feature, Designer Solutions, where they regularly pair an interior designer with a homeowner and create a makeover for their space. Complete with drawings, photos and resource lists, it’s a great feature. I wish my city newspaper, The Boston Globe, would do the same. Handy to see … Read more