A perfectly designed NYC apartment is mysterious and exciting. The idea of living in such a populated area and making the most of out what space you can afford is mind-boggling. There are such talented interior designers in NYC that I had an amazing time just exploring images of their work. While not all apartments in NYC are this glamorous, I can’t help but fantasize about these designs. From huge lofts to Parisian chic here are some of my favorites.

  Happy Monday. I am headed into the office and all I can think about is being outside and enjoying the warm weather!  This weekend I was running around…pre-move.  My furniture has been in storage for months so I have forgotten what I have and I don’t have.  In the new place, I have two patio areas to “furnish”…so now I a need to remember what I had at my little tiny cottage in the Hollywood Hills by way of outdoor living and search from new seating.  The houses couldn’t be more different. My new place is a Spanish Beverly Hills bungalow with a saltillo tile courtyard and all. Don’t know if my old outdoor decor will work but it will have to.  The space is much bigger so I’ll need just one more cute seating area. Lucky you dear readers…you get to go on a search with me today for the best outdoor armchairs!  Here we go…

Over the course of the last few weeks, I have seen a lot of my best friends who live all over the country.  Last week best of friend FF and her hubby CCF were in town.  We had a great time.  Three weeks ago I was in NYC with best of friend AM and her hubby JE and best of friend A.Ro. in the Hamptons.

I give you all of this detail to tell you that, oddly enough, the thing that stood out to me the most in all of my visits with my friends was the prevalence of banana leaves and palm fronds in decor and fashion!!!  Tropical, jungle, leafy prints are so “in” and my besties were right on trend.  From clothing, to accessories, to home decor, this summer is about the tropical prints…they are EVERYWHERE!

Best of friend AM showed up wearing a skirt and shoes with a banana leaf print AND she has a room in her Hamptons home that is covered in the banana leaf print (she is a trendsetter because she designed the room years before this leafy design craze).  Then in Los Angeles, bestie FF stepped out in a Dolce Gabbana dress with the same print and she matched the pillows at the upscale Jean Georges restaurant at the new Waldorf Astoria where we had dinner.

Read on to see my besties in their banana leafs and some other cute shoppables too…

Next month, I am going to Greece!  So excited. I will be in Santorini overlooking the ocean for a few days.  I am planning my packing list already.  I imagine walking through the streets of Santorini all in white carrying the accessory of the summer…a fabulous straw bag!

Today, I bring you our ultimate straw beach bag round up for your shopping pleasure.  Tote bags, clutches, messenger style purses…we’ve rounded up 15 of our fave straw bags!

Love the kitchen pictured above…with cement tile floors, the crystal chandelier, subway tile wall and the reclaimed wood built-in banquette.  The mixture of textures works for me.  I also like the way the reclaimed wood was inserted into this elegantly feminine breakfast nook.  Lately, I’ve been talking a lot about trends that are not going anywhere…reclaimed wood is one of those home decor trends.  A few years back it started.  Industrial, modern, hipster spaces with reclaimed wood feature walls or coffee tables.  Now, not sure if the wood is even actually reclaimed (my contractor once told me that reclaimed wood sometimes just comes from the back of a lumber yard and is sold as reclaimed!), but it is the aged worn and weathered look that everyone likes. Today, I celebrate bringing in some reclaimed wood into your life…some inspiration and some shopped goodies…take a look…

The other day, AM and I were picking up friend A.Ro. at the Jitney stop in the Hamptons.  A.Ro., always super stylish, was waiting for us (we were late) with her dog.  As we pulled up I noticed she had the cutest “jean suit” on…basically a fully denim outfit with a white lace cut out top…ripped jeans, a cute jean jack with embroidery on the back and front and some studded slip on sandals.  Awesome look. I was already working on this denim post and that moment further confirmed how AMAZING denim can look.  Also, coupled with the fact AM has a new sofa in her family room in the Hamptons that is a wonderful deep blue indigo denim color.  Denim for home decor and fashion.

In the picture above, I am wearing this affordable cute split back denim top I bought in honor of my visual ode to denim…take a look at some denim interior design inspiration and some fashion finds too…

Love a bold red door. Can create great drama on arriving into a home. Whether it be a front door, a garden gate or even an interior door, I think maybe if you want to go bold go with a red front door.

Here are a few ideas for you to ponder…

I want a house with a white brick exterior. Period. I would take a house with a white brick fireplace. Period again. Give me a white brick wall and that will do too. Another period. I say “period” for emphasis here. I am overdoing it for a reason. Any brick, painted white, anywhere in a home…that says perfection. Period. Period. Period. A classic architectural detail that can play either traditional or modern. Today, on this Tuesday in May, it is my day to pay homage to all things white brick.

I love a good arch.  As mentioned many a time, my best of friend AM loathes arches.  We have been best of friends for years and have rarely had major differences.  The arch thing is a major difference.  Yes, best of friend AM, I am drawing a line in the sand about arches. I love love love love them.  So… AM and I love talking about home decor.  We both get really excited when chatting about all things design.  We are aligned.  She likes a little more bold color and pattern than I do, but generally we are in sync…on the same page…see eye to eye…like minded…kindred design spirits…except when it comes to arches.  I don’t know why she doesn’t like arched things. I really don’t.  I know, after all these years, I cannot sway her.  It is fine.  I am resolved.  One less arch lover means more arched things for me.  I love arches in home decor.    I do.  I think a good arched built in book shelf, window or doorway can all of the character you need into a space.  Take a look and then please weigh in on this great debate…do you like arches? Or don’t you?

I am always fascinated about how trends in home and fashion come about. How do all of the manufacturers all know to create a certain look all at the same time? This year, one summer trend blowing up the fashion and home pages is the pom pom craze. Not tassels or fringe or trim but rows of round balls adorning clothing, home textiles and furnishings. Why is it the year of the pom pom? I have no idea. All I know is that I was working at the COCOCOZY offices with my assistant one Saturday a few weeks ago and I had the bright idea that we should work on a pom pom post. I felt like I was having a pom pom epiphany of sorts. I was thinking about how great it would be if we could figure out some photography of me wearing pom pom. Problem was, I looked like a wreck and that would mean we would have to break our focus on the work at hand, go buy/find something pom pom embellished and cute and then put on a mini photo shoot. A lot a lot a lot for one photo. So we put the pom pom post to the side, when about 3 hours later, I realized…

I have said it once and I will say it again, I am a proponent of indoor plants!  So many people I know do not like plants inside the house for some reason.  Well I do.  I am not necessarily advocating a million plants all over the house, but I think one large statement palm or fiddle leaf fig can transform a room.  When I lived in my tiny little cottage in the Hollywood Hills, for many years, I had a huge palm tree in a ceramic pot set near french doors.  The plant made the room cheerful and brought a tropical element of design the room.  Today, if I had a living room (which I do not because I still do not have a house), I would not put a palm in a pot, I would use decorative baskets.  I love this look.  Small plants, large plants, tiny plants…in interesting shaped baskets.  Here are some ideas and shopping inspiration…

I think that one of the best and easiest ways you can have a bit of design “fun” in decorating a room is through an interesting unexpected accent, side or coffee table.  One trend we have seen a lot of lately is geometric coffee tables – these are coffee tables (and side tales) with a frame only metal base in the form a 3-D polygon with a stone or marble top.  I like the use of this style table in a rustic or even more transitional home.  Super modern but classic accent.  Here are few others..

I love a wonderful range hood mounted on a wall above a cooktop.  Most people go for the generic store-bought version that matches their stove.  Typically now-a-days that has been a standard stainless steel or white.  I like the idea of going for a hood with a little trim on it.  If you have contractor creating a frame for your vent and sleeve – make a custom version range hood…trim it with a little wood or some metal.  There are companies that will customize a hood for you online at a bit of a cost.  I love this as an option.  Modern or classic…it can be done.  Just an idea!

My favorite is this first photo designed by E Interiors…simple, elegant, modern and rustic with the wood trim around the bottom. The rest are just some ideas for more traditional kitchen designs but good-looking too!  Take a look.

Just a few weeks ago, the people who decide all things color trends came out with a trend color forecast for 2018.  My response to this 2018 trend forecast is – “not yet”. I sas, “Wait. Please.  I feel rushed.”

I am feeling this enormous pressure because I haven’t even had time to take in and consider this year’s Pantone Color of the Year yet. Arggghhhhh!  The 2017 Color of the Year was announced back in December.  I know.  I am behind.  I am getting to it now. So I need to beg the color trend people to hold the roll out of 2018. For me, I am just warming up to 2017 and I need time.  Time to savor in it all including the color du jour.

“The color”  as most of you know, is a shade of green, Pantone is calling Greenery (15-0343).  Today I bring you 7 ways I would use the color of the year in home decor.  Take a look and let me know if you have any other ideas…

Flowers, flowers and more flowers.  In my ode to Spring, today I bring you some wonderful bold floral accents for spring. From home to fashion, why not add a little flower power to you step.  I am especially loving the floral sneakers…uh must have them!  Check my little floral design detour…

Love love love this look.  White rooms with exposed wood beams or posts. Rustic yet modern.  I am still on the house hunt…may have to figure out a way to do this in whatever house I find.

Today I bring you a little design eye candy with these charming rooms…take a look…