For many years my husband and I have been really interested in, and have begun collecting painted portraits.  We’re starting a small collection which are lining our entryway and stairwell.  Most of the portraits are vintage and antique portraits, but we’re starting to mix in some new/contemporary works as well. A friend of ours who [...]

We’ve all had those times when we walked into a friend’s home and immediately notice a distinctly pleasant aroma.  Sometimes its fresh flowers, sometimes its baking cookies, and sometimes its a delicious candle.  In the winter, it just has that warm and enticing aroma that you’ll envy for your own home, and it somehow makes [...]

Slim Aarons lived by the mantra “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.” And it’s true, he photographed some of the world’s wealthiest celebrities, jet-setters, and royalty, but somehow with a feeling of approachability and closeness.  From his NYTimes obituary it seems as though Slim had become one of them.  He was actually close [...]

Recently I’ve found a pretty phenomenal online mood board of sorts where I’ve been keeping a lot of my interior design inspiration for projects – its on Pinterest.  If you aren’t familiar, Pinterest is basically an online inspiration or mood board that you ‘pin’ photos to digitally.  And all your facebook/twitter friends can ‘pin’ theirs [...]

Palm Beach Interior Design Palm Beach…ahhh, where it is always 80 degrees, sunny, and the beach is never more than a few block away!  Plus, it has gorgeous gardens, great architecture, and some tasty restaurants too – all in one small island.  It’s no wonder why so many people flock there during the season – [...]

Taxidermy in Interior Design One of the most visually arresting ways to add intrigue and character to a room is through the use of taxidermy.  It makes a statement as bold as the wildest wallpaper or furniture piece, as big as any super saturated color palette can do.  And what I find so interesting about [...]

This past summer we went on a tour of a few Moscow sites.  The oil tycoons and the nouveau riche of Russia have really changed the way luxury interiors in Moscow are designed.  Sure the palaces of Russian Czar’s were grand, but who would have thought that a grocery store could be this ornate.  In [...]

I’m a big fan of public artwork.  But in Chicago we usually see it in the forms of sculptures and installations.  While in Moscow this summer we ran across some installations of paintings placed atop building exteriors.  They took what was a simple cinder block building and gave it a punch of beauty.  They distracted [...]

As you know I’m a big fan of mixing styles and eras, but they’re rarely ‘uber-modern’.  Sure I’ll have modern touches here and there, but I’ve really come to appreciate a new (yet old) form of modernism called Cubism.  Oftentimes for me true modernism feels austere and cold, but cubism feels more visually stimulating, almost [...]

There’s nothing that makes a kitchen more romantic and alluring than a chandelier.  While in Prague this summer we visited Cafe Savoy for lunch.  If you head downstairs you can get a peek in the kitchen which is a beautiful blend of industrial & romantic touches.  It proves that a kitchen can be completely functional [...]

Earlier this year I was down in Atlanta for a project.  After we wrapped up the project, I wanted to enjoy the city for another day or so.  Besides shopping at Sid & Ann Mashburn, Pieces, and a handful of other shops, I went to one of Atlanta’s finest historic homes (or mansions) – Swan [...]

About a year and a half ago while at Art Chicago I ran across a new artist’s work that I fell in love with. Every few months her work comes back to mind, oftentimes when visiting a client with young children.  It’s the perfect blend of beauty, aesthetic intrigue, and yes, the perfect amount of [...]

This past weekend I visited a great annual design festival here in Chicago.  Design Harvest located down on Grand always reminds me of how much I love a couple of stores down in the west loop area that I oftentimes forget about.  My favorite is ‘the find‘ which always has the coolest accessories and furniture [...]

        While normally I’m a fan of wildflowers, the un-kept, and overgrowth in landscaping…I’m also a huge fan of the formal hedge garden.  Perfectly manicured, groomed, and without a single leaf out of place, they’re an ode to elegance and a staff of royal gardeners. But what I really love, and what [...]

Hands down, my favorite stone is malachite. It’s the perfect shade of green, it has incredible movement, and of course it is insanely expensive and rare.  This past summer I traveled to Russia and had the opportunity to tour the Winter Palace (The Hermitage) in St. Petersburg.  It has a room dedicated to malachite…I guess [...]

I’m not sure what it is, but in the last couple years I’ve really developed a passion and interest in exterior doors.  They’re like the front cover to a great book, or an amuse-bouche at a great restaurant – they clue you in to the experience you’re about to have.  To me, they set the [...]

One of my favorite stores that I found on my most recent trip to Prague was a map and etching store that was absolutely packed with great pieces.  And beyond the actual pieces, I was in love with the tightly packed display – hardly an inch between each piece.  Some would find it overwhelming, but [...]