SNOWY OUTSIDE SCHEMING INSIDE

With a monster of a snow storm bearing down on the city today I've spent the morning inside going through fabric samples for a client's playroom. We long ago settled on China Sea's Aquarius in a bold turquoise/brown combination for the drapes and loved the print so much that we added it to the bookcases. The bright color and rich graphics add a playful punch to the room and lightens up the sofa, which is covered in a rich chocolate chenille. We still needed something to tie the room together; a fun vertical print for sofa pillows and two small stools.  I wanted to try to match the turquoise but that proved nearly impossible until I found Allegra Hicks Kali-Groundworks at Lee Jofa yesterday. The prints are perfect together sharing the same quirky blue hue and fun, whimsical vibe. Mission accomplished!

HOLDING PATTERN

Alan Campbell's Zig Zag pattern is a modern classic.  Fresh and slightly irreverent, the bold pattern takes even a mundane dining chair to new heights. I recently used the pattern in a rich chocolate for chairs in an apartment dining area. The room features two walls of wrap around windows with river views and the punchy print anchors the space without diminishing the stunning view. With seven bright colorways, the Zig Zag possibilities are endless!

other fabulous zig zag spaces...

A SUNSHINE DAY

What do you do when you have a dark room that really needs some light? I faced this dilemma recently with a very large kitchen space that faced the back of the apartment building giving the interior very little natural light to work with. We solved the problem by adding several layers of lighting to the room which brightened it up, and used cabinets in a glossy warm white with bright polished nickel hardware. Now the room needed a punch of color to liven the interior. Our inspiration was a bright yellow Lilly Pulitzer chair designed in a modern take on the traditional Chippendale design. We've loved the idea of a bright yellow color which would add a dose of sunshine to the room and play off the largely white canvas. We found a McGuire chair in bamboo that came in counter stools, dining chairs and side chairs (no small feat!) and decided to use the dark tobacco stain as a nice contrast.  For the seat cushions, Quadrille's Aga and Reverse Aga in taxicab was spot on-adding a bold, graphic, sunny punch of color just where it was needed.  

I can't wait to show you the finished room in June!