I don't know if you all noticed that Brocade Home, a subsidiary of Restoration Hardware, is no longer taking orders. Perhaps it is because of the launch of this site: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child.

I was looking for a Dining Table and noticed the new logo at the top of RH's website, so decided to check it out. There are quite a few nice things here (like the sweet personalized crown piece above).

The furniture, I would suspect, is the same high quality you would expect from the parent site. This four poster is a really timeless design I think. And the bedding hosts a hive of little bees fit for a little Josephine.

The lamps are great looking and quite a good price. This gourd lamp is $119, plus the shade at $25.

Cute lamp reminiscent of Jaime Young. Painted ceramic, comes in a bunch of colors (as does the gourd lamp), and different shade choices. $69! Plus a shade at $25. This is not a tiny little lamp either. It stands 22" high. (Sometimes with a price like this I double check the size to make sure it is not a mini lamp.)

And there are area rugs and window coverings as well. I thought this woven rug (comes in other colors also) was very nice!

I was very impressed overall. Restoration Hardware has great things that blend in with many different decors, so I was very pleased to discover this site. Hope you will be too. Worth a visit for sure.

From Julie:

Fernlund + Logan—a New York City firm that counts design god Ted Muehling among its clients—creates a thoroughly mod interior within a classic Manhattan townhouse, mixing classics (a Le Corbusier LC4 chaise) with future classics (Jasper Morrison Glo-Ball lights and a Marcel Wanders New Antiques table). Candelabras and a ghoulish crucifix over the mantle add an edgy note. Photos by Herman Verne.

Below: Recreate the look with the Le Corbusier LC4 Chaise Longue in natural canvas with black leather headrest and matte black enamel steel base; $2,585 at Design Within Reach.

Below L: Felted Wool Stones, $298 for small, $495 for medium, and $595 for large at Viva Terra. Below R: Gray Ludde Sheepskin, similar to the one draped on the Le Corbusier chaise; $39.99 at Ikea.

Below: Marcel Wanders New Antiques table for Cappellini; $2,529 at Unica Home.

Below: The Moroccan Zig-Zag Rug, handknotted in ivory and chocolate wool, starts at $1,825 for the 9-by-12-foot size at Williams-Sonoma Home.

Below L: Designed in 1962 by brothers Achille Castiglione and Pier Giacomo Castiglione, the Toio Floor Lamp was inspired by a car headlamp; $1,212 at Design Within Reach. Below R: Jasper Morrison’s large Glo-Ball Basic 2 Table Lamp by Flos is $872 at Lumens; Glo-Ball Basic 1 Table Lamp, a smaller version, is $596 at Lumens.

Below: The formidable (and formidably priced) Dorian Table by Dominique Matthieu features curvy lacquered legs and a heavy glass top; $10,500 at Conran USA; available in black or red.

Below: Beech Black Enamel Bentwood Chairs; $79 each at Kurt Peterson.

The editors considered all items in the "art of making" which include architecture, interior décor, home furnishings and gadgets.

Back in January 2006, we wrote a post entitled Eight Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Interior Designer. The eight questions were part of an article in Home magazine and we linked to the magazine.

We like to link to an article and highlight several questions in our post, rather
than list all the questions. That way people go to the linked site and we both benefit from the traffic. One of our frustrations looking back at some of our posts is that not all articles are archived. If you click on the link above, you land on the magazine’s website, but it’s the June 2008 issue and the “Eight Questions…are gone!

It’s been awhile, so, because of inflation, we’ve come up with our own eleven questions:

1. Do I like the designer? Can I spend a lot of time with him/her? Good communication is a must. Working with an interior designer involves some give and take. You will share ideas, and the designer will contribute insights and advice based on his or her talents, knowledge and experience. Depending on the scope of the project, you could be working with your designer a couple of weeks to many, many months.

2. Do I get that he/she is trying to understand me by asking a lot of questions? The key to success is really getting to know you in the early stages and how you and your family use your home and your interests.

3. Does the scale of my project really warrant an interior designer? Even if you think you could accomplish the redesign, do you have the time and inclination? You need to be realistic about how much money you are willing to spend. Include in this estimate the cost of all raw materials, new furniture, labor for installations, and possibly a designer.

4. How do you charge for your time? Designers may charge by the hour, which can be anywhere from $35 to $300, and these costs can quickly mount up. Others may offer a free first consultation, and then quote you a flat fee on the basis of your discussions. Some may charge for the first meeting in advance and then a fee for the whole project based on the estimated hours. Some may bill you for hours used each month. Some may bill each month a level amount. Some may get a designer discount and pass some or all the savings on to you. Whatever the basis on which your interior decorator is paid, make sure you both agree on the budget.

5. Can we accomplish the redesign and stay within my budget?

6. I can’t decide if I like the design. Do I still have to pay for it? “Yes! When you decide to hire an interior design firm, you have decided to trust the design recommendations of that firm.�

7. Are you available for conversation about changes and fine tuning? A good designer knowing you may present you with several options and give you the choice of one or the other. ASID recommends: “Minimize changes to your plan. Each part of the design will affect the whole. Changes or special requests can require any number of adjustments that will add time and expenses to your project.

8. My friend doesn’t like your ideas. Why shouldn’t I listen to her/him? If you have to ask this question you should probably have hired your friend.

9. Can I go to the local Design Center? With or without you? Of course, just let them know that you are working with a designer and his/her name.

10. What if a piece of furniture comes damaged? The furniture store should inspect the furniture when it arrives. The designer should also inspect the furniture before it goes to the client. If something is missed or it breaks when it is used, the designer and the furniture store will work together with the vendor to resolve any problem.

11. How long does it take to receive things, once they are ordered? Here’s a guideline (though individual vendors may vary):
Upholstered Furniture: 10-16 weeks depending on vendor.
Casegoods – Chests, bookcases, tables, hutches, etc.: 8-12 weeks depending on vendor.
Window Treatments: 6-8 weeks depending on size of job
Accessories, Lamps, Art Prints, Silk Flowers/Plants: 4-6 weeks or less.
Rugs: If machine made, 2-4 weeks. If hand knotted, 3-4 months
Wallpaper/Fabrics: 3-5 days.

Several websites contributed to this list of questions and their answers:

Apartment Therapy LA Good Questions: Hiring an Interior Designer
ASID Working with a Designer
Nancy Werneken Interior Design Frequently Asked Questions
Lynle Ellis Designs Before You Hire an Interior Designer
NWSID Why Hire an Interior Designer?
CCIDC Frequently Asked Questions About Certified Interior Designers
Directory M articles Interior Decorator

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

1. invest in the best
Instead of filling a room quickly with things you can afford, enjoy the process and slowly add pieces you absolutely love.
2. borrow your own clothes
If you love the hue of a blouse (or anything smooth-textured), bring it to a paint store to be scanned and reproduced.
3. lighten up
Reflective, sparkly fabrics and wallpapers draw light into any space.
4. work with what you've got
Play up a room's assets. If it has high ceilings, put up really tall curtains. If it's a dark box, don't try to alter it—painting it bright white will only make it seem dingy; instead, go for cozy.
5. lights!
Even in small rooms, aim for at least three light sources—ideally a floor lamp and matching table lamps—to banish gloomy corners.
6. go antique-chic
Invest in one fabulous antique per room, to set the tone for the entire space.
7. think outside the welcome mat
Don't neglect your entryway! Think of it as an appetizer for what comes next. It should reflect your home's overall style but also contain something special, so guests want to see more.
8. collect more
Collect something that speaks to you. No matter what it is, there's impact in numbers.
9. skirt the issue
Skirted tables in offices or entryways can hide all manner of ills: shoes, kids' backpacks, mail—even filing cabinets.
10. beyond wallpaper
Upholstering, rather than papering, walls yields a layer of softness and luxury for about the same price.

my parents just arrived from virginia beach so i’m off to indulge in some family fun and away-from-the-computer time. i hope you all have a fantastic weekend and i’ll see you on monday! until then, i wanted to leave you with a fantastic before & after from conn and john in hawaii (you might remember their gorgeous island sneak peek from june). conn and john found this old stainless steel medicine/dental tool cabinet years ago at the 26th street flea market in nyc. after picking it up for $35 it was stripped of its pale hospital green finish and kept a plain stainless steel. but as conn says “[when] we moved to maui the elements took over and my inspiration was to turn it into a rothko painting”. as luck would have it all three paints conn needed were on sale (2 for $4) so he sanded it down with steel wool, applied three coats of each color and voila! a $10 makeover. thanks to conn and john for sharing!

• anne’s regional roundup: brisbane and additional australian links and artists
• diy wednesdays: homegrown honey video
• new sneak peeks: spruce austin, jill malek, and uhuru design
• before & after: summer’s chair
• must see of the week: patterns from allan the gallant
• paper genius: zoe bradley’s paper sculptures at kate’s paperie
• furniture: new upholstered chairs at chairloom
• misc: new artwork (key prints) from dallas shaw, calling cards from avie designs, faux bois wingchair, zig zag towels, sculptural white lamps, new prints from good shape design
• new ceramics: ceramics from mudpuppy, ceramics from lisa bengtsson

Seeing that we have no gas here in Atlanta, I've had to severely limit my running around. I use very little gas as it is because I live in the heart of the city and I don't drive an SUV. But still, it's chaos here with people spending all of their time driving around and around trying to find gas. And when you do find it, you have to wait in line for HOURS. It's absurd. Absolutely maddening. And on top of that our governor is in Europe and seems to be doing little to solve this mess. Needless to say, I'm staying close to home and to the office knowing that the situation may not improve for another few weeks. (That's the rant.)

So, my shopping and browsing is now limited to the internet. It's not as gratifying as the real thing, but it will have to do. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect to do a little vicarious shopping with Grant K. Gibson.

I've admired Gibson's work for some time now. The San Francisco designer aces that fresh and clean traditional look with some gusto thrown in for good measure . Recently, Gibson was featured in a California Home and Design article (Oct. '08) extolling the virtues of the shops of Sacramento Street. He's definitely the one to ask. After all, his design studio is located on Sacramento.

I always make a point to visit the Sacramento St. shops during my twice yearly visits to San Francisco. There is something about that street that is so appealing to me. It's not frenzied nor frenetic but rather low-key and charming. In fact, during my last trip there my sister took me to a very trendy, still rather gritty part of town to visit some hip design stores. I took one step out of the car, assessed the situation, turned on my heel and said "May we please just get back into the car and go to Sacramento Street?" What can I say? I'm a creature of habit- and comfort.

There is legendary shop Sue Fisher King- one of my favorites for linens (Porthault included), tabletop, and accessories. And of course there's Kendall Wilkinson Home. These too are favorites of Gibson. But another Gibson recommendation is new to me: Ribbonerie. Gibson suggests shopping there for ribbon for pillows or lampshade trim. Who doesn't love a good ribbon and trim shop?

And one more gem- Birch, a floral shop with a black interior (almost like a retail version of Mrs. Delany's Flowers!) Gibson likes the shop because the black walls make the flowers pop.

So for those of you whose style is being cramped by the gas shortage or those who just want to spend some time looking at beautiful things, visit Gibson's site and those of the featured shops for a little inspiration.




A few glimpses of Gibson's portfolio.


These are the types of beautiful things you'll find at Sue Fisher King