Ever since my mother-in-law mentioned her plans to reupholster her sofa in black and white striped fabric, I’ve been mildly obsessed with the “look”. I never considered myself a stripe ‘aficionado’, but if the look is done right it can blend classic with a little funk. This is why I particularly like the above images:
1. In small doses, black and white stripes can be a great accent without over committing.
2. Here the commitment is huge, but I love how the classic sofas are funked up by the stripes (and I love the nesting side tables!).
3. An upholstered striped headboard can appeal to both feminine and masculine sensibilities.
4. Combining wide stripes for the seat cushion and thinner ones for the back cushions, gives the space depth and interest.
So, are YOU a stripy kinda person?
To see more striped images click here.
I’m excited to announce Natalia’s first jewelry trunk show being held this Saturday May 19th, in Boston from 4pm-6pm. She will be on hand to share, exhibit and sell her one of kind pieces in a relaxed atmosphere replete with bubbly and light fare. Please come and see for yourself why her dramatic necklaces never go unnoticed. This is an unique opportunity to own one of her originals. Email me at debra@cocoonhome.com for details. See you there!
Visit Cocoon Collective’s Etsy shop to view a portion of her collection. Come to the Boston trunk show to feel, experience and try on the whole shabang! It’s absolutely beautiful!!
On Mother’s Day morning, I was served coffee in bed and then taken to Boston’s ICA for a dose of contemporary art. Upon entering the beautifully designed building we were greeted with an amazing mural by Swoon, a street artist specializing in wheatpaste prints and intricate paper cutouts. Her Boston ICA installation represents humanity’s relation to Earth. Not only is the entire wall boldly detailed with pattern and color; a long paper streamer connected to the wall guides you around the corner to a tall bamboo sculpture that can be viewed at multiple levels from within a glass elevator. The sculpture is just as intricate and complicated as the mural. If you haven’t seen Swoon’s Boston installation, you must do it, as well as the current exhibit: Figuring Color.
Many thanks to my hubby, Max, Ben and Zoe for making my Mother’s Day so special.
Check out this this Swoon piece. Do any of you, Cambridge or Somerville locals, know what building it’s painted on?
I do!
I do!
I found this week’s ‘Til Monday image here and was immediately taken by both its complexity and coolness. The interior is a great mix of texture and pattern while the dress and look of the model is one of confidence and aloofness. With our upcoming move, my life is complicating and I wish I were more confident and cool in handling it. Not only does this photo represent how things could be and how I’d like to feel about it all, but it also inspires the “look” I’d like to attain in our new home.
I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend with the kids.
Wish the same for you……relaxation.
beautiful entry
Architect Fred Langhorst, who trained under Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the suburban home that my husband and I are also considering. Unlike its urban equivalent the house is more spacious, offering 4 bedrooms, an office, 2 living room areas and 3 full baths (all of which need updating but completely functional at present). The conflict remains the same, do we take the plunge and head for the suburbs or continue enjoying the conveniences of a more urban setting. While we continue to ponder, take a peek at a modern suburban home:
center courtyard
living room
living room encased in floor to ceiling glass
dining room
family room
built- in bookshelves and cabinet bar
green space
boom boom burst
Ever since reading last Sunday’s NY Times Style Magazine feature on lighting designer Lindsey Adelman, I can’t seem to get enough of her work. With intricate details made from metal, glass and custom bulbs these lighting fixtures take on shapes that resonate as nature’s treasures. Take a look at a few of my favorite designs:
vintage brass with grey bulbs
11 globe branching bubble
branching bulb fixture in place
mid-century courtyard
After finding out that this house was virtually inaccessible by a small rental car (let alone a mini van), my husband and I continued the search for an East Bay home. Having spent 4 days combing the steep winding roads of the Berkeley Hills and the wide tree lined roads of Orinda and Lafayette, I’m conflicted on whether we should continue living in a urban situation similar to ours now, or to take that seemingly inevitable plunge and head out to the suburbs [!!]. We found two great houses: one urban, one suburban. Each mid-century designed, one smaller , one larger. One with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the other with a large private yard. Take a peek at the urban dwelling we’re considering, and later in the week I’ll show you its suburban equivalent.
detached family room
living room
living room with views into entry and dining areas
one of three bedrooms
petite yard: overgrown wisteria vine, lemon trees and rose bushes
Are you currently living in an urban environment and if so, would YOU consider moving to the suburbs?
bonsai
This week’s botanical inspiration is the Bonsai. A recent trip to Bonsai West in Littleton, Ma. turned out to be both visually and mentally inspiring. A multitude of young and very old bonsai trees of all varieties and zone preferences fill a series of greenhouses (we visited in early March). The miniature trees take one’s breath away and can be studied and admired for hours upon hours. There’s so much to appreciate about the art of Bonsai, the disciplined root trimming, the constant pruning and limb training and, particularly, the micro gardens that sprout at the base of the shallow pots (which I absolutely adore).
a mossy base
gnarly trunk and moss covering
BIT (bonsai in training)
multi-trunked bonsai
tiny details
micro gardens
jade bonsai
The trip to Bonsai West was triggered by a pinboard we put together for a client in an effort to add warmth, texture and points of interest to their living/office area. To see it click here and stay posted for photos of the bonsai tree we selected for their space.
zoe in her new cowboy boots
Last week, my children and I travelled to North Carolina to visit my sister and her family. The country setting complete with horses, chickens and gravel roads is one experience my children will never forget.
I was reminded of a time when I walked the same country roads and how different they felt from the ones I walk now. With more big changes ahead, it’s nice to return to familiar places and be reminded of the ones yet to come…
A big thank you to my sister for a wonderful weekend!!
