
Sitting Pretty!

Design for a better living!

Coco before Chanel, celebrates the design legend and we do the same here by bringing some of our favorite Chanel-inspired look – for less.
From Left:
Jacket: Marks & Spencer. Skirt: Matalan, Pearls: Topshop, Shoes: Hobs
Jacket & Skirt: Ted Baker. Shirt: Hobbs. Brooch: Debenhams.
Hat & Shoes: Hobbs
From Left:
Iconic Chanel jackets with their clean cut lines, round neck and contrasting colors at the collar and cuffs are often imitated today by famed designers, including Max Mara.

Far Top:
Chanel’s signature ballet shoes
Bottom left:
Bloch Shoes, and Chanel
From Left:
Audrey Tautou as Mlle. Coco Chanel in the new film, Coco Avant Chanel
From Left Clockwise:Swarovski crystals really shine when used in lighting fixtures such as chandeliers or pendants. This pendant light from David Malik is a simple form that highlights the strands of sparkling crystals.
And in case you were thinking you can find Swavorski crystals on everything but the kitchen sink… here is a simple white bathroom sink embellished with crystals. Bathroom light bounces off of these crystals nicely! There is also a matching bidet and toilet.

Designed by Francesco Lucchese for Fabian, these contemporary lights featuring Swarovski crystals look more like sculptures than lighting fixtures. These are available in a pendant light, wall sconce and floor lamp in either black or matte glass.

This Italian design firm has a line of furnishings decorated with Swarovski crystals. The floor lamp, side table and leather ottoman are all embellished with crystals. Look at how they dazzle!





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A r t For E v e r y B u d g e t
Low-key elegance ruled at Christie’s Interiors Sale
During the three day sale, the gavel went down on several items for as low as $65! Now that’s what I call Recession Art. Darling, don’t we just love a bargain?
Coming across the unexpected in any interior can be refreshing. I truly like the sense of whimsy, the geometric shapes and natural colors of this mask. I must admit that I envy the one who got away with it!
A gilt-brass and textured brown leather circular coffee table,
by William (Billy) Haines, Mid circa 1950
There was a fair amount of furniture from legendary Hollywood designer, William Haines, at the Interiors Sale, this year. So if you were able to snag a couple of his works, more power to you. I found this coffee table to be extremely sexy. With its gilt-brass geometric shaped legs, it fits right at home in the country or the city. And what’s more, it’s small enough to move around , when the occasion calls for it.
A set of six bronze, copper and gilt metal circular ashtrays, 
by William (Billy) Haines and Michael Morrison, circa 1050
Rustic chic! Instead of using these as ashtrays, I would have them around as serving trays when entertaining guests, or simply use them in the bathroom as soap dishes.
A red lacquered two tiered side table,
by William (Billy) Haines, circa 1950
There’s a primitive look to this table which is right for just about any type of interiors. A little red is just the right amount of color to accentuate any space. Plus it’s small enough to use as a bench when you’re in a pinch.

These circular top antique French stools could be quite useful in a library, don’t you think? Whenever I buy a table or a chair, I always look at its legs since that usually determine the common thread I’m seeking for the project. With their modern sensibilities and Eastern adaptations, these stools are a crowd pleaser.

As an avid Anglophile, I’ve kept a keen eye on the tour of North America by royal newlyweds William and Kate. On their first official international tour June 30 through July 10, HRH the Duke of Cambridge and HRH the Duchess of Cambridge (aka William and Kate) stylishly traversed North America at a whirlwind pace. Touching down in Ottawa, they toured Montreal, Prince Edward Island, Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories and Calgary before heading south to California. To view their Canadian itinerary go to the 2011 Royal Tour of Canada by the Duke and Duchess Cambridge.
On July 9 William was victorious in a charity polo match in Santa Barbara, before the couple turned heads that evening at their first red carpet Hollywood event, a gala at the Belasco Theater celebrating rising UK film actors in support of the British Academy for Film and Television Arts. With Kate again wearing a gown by the house of Alexander McQueen, the royal couple mixed with Hollywood stars including Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand and Nicole Kidman.
In addition to tracking the charities, organizations and sites visited by William and Kate, part of the fun for royal-watchers was answering the proverbial question, What is Kate wearing? From favorite designers like Erdem and McQueen to DVF, Smythe and Ted Baker, with Nike and J Brand thrown in, Kate has taken on the role of a new royal with her own sense of style, often mixing and matching from her existing wardrobe (a three-year-old trenchcoat was brought back out of the closet.) You can follow Kate’s sartorial splendor at two engaging blogs: What Kate Wore, and Kate Middleton Style.
Following the exuberance of William and Kate’s royal wedding April 29, the latest royal tour got us thinking, what about souvenirs and commemorative memorabilia to mark the occasions? British monarchy collectibles are nothing new. Potters and artisans have produced wares for the public to hail royal events such as coronations and weddings since the restoration of Charles II in 1660. Three years later, when the king married Catherine of Braganza, collectibles in glass, majolica and pewter were produced to celebrate the match. By the age of Queen Victoria and the manufacture of affordable, transportable china, Brits began collecting decorative plates, mugs, pillboxes and figurines on a widespread scale.
The Victoria & Albert Museum has collected royal wares from over the centuries, displaying everything from a silver-gilt cup honoring the coronation of James II in 1685 to a Fenton plate marking Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887 and even a Staffordshire mug marking the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
To mark William and Kate’s tour after the pomp and circumstance of their spring wedding, which an estimated 22.7 million Americans rose early to watch live on television or web-streaming, UK retailer of prestige collectibles Compton and Woodhouse decided to bring its collection of royal commemorative wares to this continent for the first time. Launched in June, www.comptonandwoodhouse-us.com has issued commemorative china plates marking both the wedding and the Canadian tour, with photo images of the royal couple surrounded by gold filigree. (Curiously, the Canadian tour plate apparently features a depiction of the couple the morning after their wedding; production deadlines prevented waiting for a portrait from the actual tour, we assume.)
Classic Adirondack chair from LL Bean
The Balance bench from Janus & Cie
Reclaimed teak from salvage wood. It’s all about being green and beautiful. Garden Boutique
Paris Art Nouveau Metro Platform chairs from Liz Sherman Antiques.
Available through 1stDibs.

Maison E. Goyard’s new addition to their iconic luggages are an array of colorful scarves which comes in blue, white, orange, and pink! Of course, pink!
No travel plans for this summer? Keep in mind that a little accessory goes a long way.