Double Take

This morning  I was doing my routine coffee + pinterest browse, and this photo came up on my feed and I had to do a double take:

image via pinterest

What really caught my attention was the colors, the oh so beautiful colors! And that rug, I can't get enough of that rug. As many of you know, I am not a huge fan of a mirror over a mantel, I truly feel like a mirror is only as good as the reflection it creates... and quite honestly, why do I want to see a reflection of a wall/ceiling? UNLESS it's some jaw dropping amazing ceiling. But I will let this mirror slide since it is a rather beautiful ceiling. ;)

So I clicked on the pic and it took me to this great blog So Haute and I got to see other photos of the room, oh how I love thee! 

Image via: So Haute

Image via: So Haute

This interior just keeps getting better and better. I am going wild over the colors, patterns, textures and that art, can we say wow?! It really takes the room to another level. I love the juxtaposition of modern furniture, with classic clean lined furniture then all the ornate details in the house. It's pretty amazing if you ask me. The perfect marriage of styles and items and they all coexist beautifully. Big kudos to designer Jamie Drake. This room is surely love at first sight. 

Designer crush: Modern Declaration

As a designer, I often find myself buried in magazines, books and sometimes even Pinterest. Admiring the works of my peers. Yesterday, I stumbled across this photo:

Image via Modern Declaration

I was instantly charmed by the work of Daun Curry of Modern Declaration. I felt like we were long lost sisters or something! I love her style. I love when design can be timeless but playful. If given the opportunity, I always try to stick a little whimsy in my design work. I am so happy to look at her spaces and see the same and look forward to seeing much more of her talented work.

What do you think? Are you not giddy for the traditional damask print punched up a notch with the hand guns?! I AM!

xo}L

It's all about the BRIGHTS

I'm pretty excited about this upcoming event, I'm actually counting the days (only 5 days!) until Tampa Bay Fashion Week's upcoming underground party: BRIGHT NIGHTS.

Well, you know me, I am always finding a way to get inspired and this time the world of fashion and interior design collide and I am thinking about bright fashion, bright interiors and beyond, I just can't get enough.

Bright colors do not only have to happen inside your home, let the brightness shine as people approach, get creative with a door color, that is a big way to say hello.

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Maybe you're not bold enough to greet people with a bright hue, keeping it indoors is okay too. Give guests their own color at your dining table.

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What would a post about bright colors be, without Jonathan Adler? It would be like pizza with no sauce, well wait, that does exist, but I mean seriously, how good is pizza without the sauce?? Okay, you get my point.

This is one of my all time favorite interiors by JA, I just love how he put this space together, bright, cheery and classic.

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If you are feeling really bold, you will love this next image. Lacquered Apple Green walls? Sign me up!

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Now after all, this post is inspired by a fashion party, so lets get to some fashion inspiration!

Image via: Tres Awesome

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And we can't forget about the boys...

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So are you pumped too? What will I be seeing YOU wearing?

See you Friday!

xo}L

An evening at The Birchwood in St. Petersburg, Florida

Last night, myself and some local gals made a date to go to the new hotel hot spot in St. Petersburg, The Birchwood we've been hearing the buzz about this newly renovated space, and couldn't wait to feast our eyes on the design and the views. I am happy to say, it did not disappoint!

The ballroom was elegant and didn't distract from the beautiful view outside. 

(Also, do you recognize that wallpaper, it's the same pattern and colorway I used in Piquant Hyde Park's dining room!)

As we traveled through the space, I couldn't help but swoon over this delicious fabric covered wall, when is a fabric wall not luxurious?! Martyn Lawrence Bullard, is this your line for Schumacher?! If not, it's surely very similar.

The bedroom suites were designed very well with a nice welcoming color palette and again great textiles. 

And let's just talk about these bathrooms, these gorgeous, gorgeous bathrooms! I can't get enough of the Bordeaux feel. 

We traveled through the dining room and loved all the details that went into the design. The Sputnik Filament Chandelier looks fabulous to offset the tailored space with a modern vibe.

Cozy circular banquettes make sitting pretty easy! 

I love the details throughout the design, what a great art installation using the historic doorknobs. Simple, yet a big statement. 

We made our way up to the rooftop, and wow, those views! I could have stayed up there all day and evening!

Check out these lovely gals and their local businesses! Danielle of DIzso Designs, Amy of Strands of Sunshine, myself, and Celesta of Paper Street Market.

Kelp Sushi Joint - Tampa Bay Dining

You may have seen the posts on Facebook, I've been busy working on another great restaurant coming to the Tampa Bay area. Lots of planning, lots of creative energy, lots of good things! (And still in the process)

Now, the permits are pulled and construction is underway, I can finally fill you in on the details! Excited to announce, one of the newest restaurants coming to South Tampa:

Kelp Sushi Joint, will be located at 3401 W. Bay to Bay Blvd. Tampa, Florida. 

Head over and show them some love and "like" their facebook page! 

Excited to see you there in July!

xo}L

Interior Design, in the medical field!

Recently, I had a friend instagram the following photo to me while she was at her Dermatologist...

Her caption was that she loved the chairs and they made her think of me. These are some pretty gorg chairs, and personally I feel a little unexpected from your typical medical office waiting room. However, this is a great example, of a company who pays attention to the details and took time to make a space beautiful, and their clients notice! (They even share it!)

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to incorporate good interior design into your workspace environment. Whether you have a restaurant, retail space, hair salon, doctors office or even a car dealership, excellent design speaks in volumes and leaves your clients feeling good and excited to spend money with you for their experience. Yes, they are there for a reason, for your service and what you offer, but something has to leave them with the visual memory. 

Here are a few of my favorite images of good design in the medical field...

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Is it just me, or would you feel more at ease in a well designed medical office? It's bad enough we have to sit our bums on crinkly paper, could we at least get some visual eye candy in the process? 

What do you think? Would you enjoy your medical experiences if you had a better visual experience?

xo}L

Inspired by Tory Burch

Today, I was at International Plaza here in Tampa, Florida, for some reason I was feeling very inspired by all of the branding design for the different stores. Everything had a purpose, right down to the door pulls. All those little details add to great design and it makes me so happy to see it done so beautifully! I love retail design, I think it's so important and helps our economy grow tremendously, and people don't even realize it.

One of the stores that really caught my eye and kept me thinking back to it all day was Tory Burch. I have always appreciated her aesthetic, but I love the retail design of her brand.

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Full of bright colors, gold and mirror surfaces, banana leaf motives, these stores are glam to the max with a modern edge. Her customers feel inspired to shop there, inspired to stay and they carry this look on when they put on one of her pieces in their daily life. 

I personally love what her design team has put together for her branding image. I feel cheery just looking at these images. 

What do you think? Do you love the bold colors and glam surfaces?

xo}L

Closet Crave!

To some people, living the dream is working at their job of choice, traveling the world, being a foodie. To others, living the dream is waking up to an amazing closet. Shoes lined perfectly, sections for different attire, color and a great spot for your jewels. It's all about presentation.

Here are a few closets that I thought were knock outs for all styles of design:

This juicy ottoman in this proper closet kicks it up a notch. I love the coordinating handles on the double doors.

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Glitz and Glam! You can check your image on any surface in this mirrored closet.

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Dark and polished, I personally think I may have gone with a long rectangular ottoman to balance the space a bit better, however I still like this look!

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You know, stunning closets aren't just for women. Men, can't you imagine picking your tie for the day in the masculine space? Everything has it's spot and its not to frilly, right to the point. 

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Are you a bit more modern? Maybe you have an awkward attic space? Don't let the shape defer you from a great closet. Here is a great installation, more modern and perfectly aligned in a more challenging space. Notice they put the dresser on the opposite wall?

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Here is an interesting one, this closet is an actual room used to showcase clothing, shoes and accessories! Do you have a large enough home to devote a whole room to a closet? If so, make it a show stopper, not just a storage room. 

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I saved this one for last, because it's my favorite. I love the use of wallpaper, the vintage image, the entire composition is just very inviting to me. I think I would enjoy picking out my clothes every day!! 

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A few things I have learned from these closets?

• Make your hangers match, preferably and chunky natural wood, it unifies and brings it all together!
• Don't be afraid to use color in the space!
• Don't be afraid of the possibility of wallpaper in your closet, make it your mini castle of YOU!
• Try to arrange your garments in an organization pattern, whatever works best for you but is pleasing to the eye at the same time. 
• Everything doesn't have to be contained, display pieces artfully to enjoy them daily!

I hope these images have left you with some closet crave, are you already brainstorming ideas for your closet? I am!

xo}L

What I'm Loving This Wednesday: SMEG Appliances

If you love retro, you’re going to love Smeg! This Italian company’s focus is on kitchen appliances and they have three different lines, Linea, Piano, Classic and of course 50’s Retro. They have fridges, ovens, ranges, dishwashers and even cabinet organization products to help keep the theme throughout your kitchen and help you keep it tidy too! 

Smeg’s tagline is “Technology with Style,” and that is exactly what their appliances scream. You can really do a lot with your kitchen by incorporating one of these appliances, even if you don’t want to go totally retro.  If you’re going to have one iconic piece in your house, why not have it be in your kitchen – which is often the place where people congregate in a home.  I have a feeling that having one of Smeg’s ovens could really make cooking a lot fun! 

Each of Smeg’s lines features appliances with sleek lines, innovative design and a just an overall gorgeous look. Plus, not only are they amazing looking, but they are actually high quality appliances with lots of great functional features.  All of their appliances are high performance and low consumption. Also Smeg is environmentally friendly company and only uses such as steel, glass, aluminum and brass, all of which can be easily recycled.  Their production process also followings and improves on environmental conservation standards. 

 Another thing that is really cool about Smeg is that the designers really do a lot of research on functionality, usage and aesthetic specific to the kitchen and kitchen appliances. And their international design studio is supported by prominent architects like Guido Canali, Mario Bellini and Marc Newson. If you’re looking for the perfect blend of style and technology, Smeg appliances are really a great option to consider.  

I’ve included just a few examples of their products, but there are a lot more! Check them out for yourself at www.smegusa.com.

Bravo's Flipping Out: Fact OR Faux??

As many of my followers and friends know, I love the Bravo TV show Flipping Out It just gets my creative side all up in a tizzy, and it rejuvenates my design senses while honestly making me laugh my face off!!!

Image via: Bravo

And it never fails, you will see at least once, the main character, Jeff Lewis flip out on somebody. Now, my friend, let me just say it's not your normal flip out. Often, when I am upset I refer to myself as "about to have a Jeff Lewis flip out moment" so, it kind of sets the standard of major flipping out! 

Image via: The Redfin

Image via: Bravo Ratings

A lot of times, people ask me if this show is realistic, and I quickly respond YES! So here my friends, is a little truth, to the reality of working in the interior design field, and why Jeff Lewis flips out as he does. 

1. We (as in Interior Designers) are not at all Fairy Godmothers...

Image via: Disney

We would love nothing more than to have a shiny little wand to wave around and make stuff happily appear, but lets face it, it's just not real. 

2. Yes, we get to play with beautiful fabrics, wallpapers, paint colors and all kinds of textiles, but that is not our complete job. In addition, there is a lot of knowledge that goes into picking out those perfect fabrics for that perfect function in your space. So while, you may think that picking that amazing fabric for your style is like an easy trip to Joanne Fabrics, I'm terribly sorry to inform you, but you are wrong. Sometimes it takes hours to find the perfect match for you, then you have to approve it!

Fabrics, fabrics, fabrics and more fabrics. Good thing I am educated and now what will last in the way you live in your space! 

Image via: Lisa Gilmore Design Instagram

3. So number 2 leads us to number 3. While we get to present you the fun part, we have to go back and coordinate with subcontractors to get something re-upholstered, re-styled, built or sewn. Then we have to create purchase orders, cut checks and check up on status' of orders, the list goes on and on, it's a lot of paper work, in addition to the fun pretty stuff!

Image via: ctshred.com

4. Here's the best one, an Interior Designer's design is only as good as the workroom/contractor hired provides. We can do our best to make sure every right path is taken to give you the most amazing space you have dreamed of. The fact of the matter is, we are project managers of tons of people. And they are only that people. Unfortunately, everyone's work ethic may not be up to par with ours, or they may flake. The only thing we can do is come up with a design, a plan of action and the best way for it to be successful for you. However, I wish I could employ an army of Droids to get every job done, but sadly only George Lucas has been successful with the Droid. 

Image via: Star Wars wikia

5. Now, finally when all the behind the scenes and on site work is complete, hopefully this is the best part, the completed project! It's a lot of work, but in my opinion is totally worth it. Patience is a big part of the plan and keeping your eye on the prize. Things may be on backorder, get shipped in broken or the wrong size, a contractor my flake, or maybe a color on the wall just doesn't look how you thought it would. Rest assured it will all be okay. In the end you will have an amazing space designed to fit you, your family and lifestyle. 

Image via: Lisa Gilmore Design

So please, when working with your designer, remember, things may not go as planned. There might be a few road bumps, but they only want the best for you and for you to love the outcome and their design. Designers are just people too, with families, friends and hobbies as well. 

I promise, we aren't bad witches in the situation, and we realize too, that it would just be much easier with a magic wand.

Wizard of Oz

So yes, the answer to your question, if Flipping Out is a realistic show or not. There are a lot of factors, a lot of stress, a lot of emotion and a lot of talent that goes into design. When people stand in the way of a beautiful finished product, that could lead anyone to flip out!