Inspiration at High Point 2008

As I am pouring through mounds of paper in my office, I came across a quote from my friend, Arturo Bamondi of Arte de Mexico.

"Back to the beautiful old world where they used to make everything by hand...the real way our grandpa's used to do it!"

I think in today's environment that hits home! We have been in such a fast and furious pace for many years where we take for granted that we can have anything immediately. Design is changing and vendors are going out of business everyday. I think it is wonderful to remember to be patient and invest in quality craftsmanship.

West Palm Beach Showhouse

Charlotte Moss Lecture

I had a wonderful trip to West Palm Beach this week to meet Charlotte Moss. She was honorary chair of the West Palm Beach Red Cross Showhouse. I make it a priority to see different designers speak. I always enjoy meeting new people and hearing other design perspectives. I sat next to, or rather in between, a delightful couple, Bonnie and Roger, who had just relocated to Palm Beach from Virginia. We hit it off and had a delightful time listening to the lecture and touring the showhome.

Charlotte was a delight to listen to and shared her personal stories of her travels. She is fanatical about scrapbooking and cataloging her photos. These photos serve as her inspiration in design and life. One of her favorite pieces of architecture is the pagoda. It has become her symbol and can be found in everything she does. If you look at her design books, you can play Where's Charlotte's Pagoda on every page (Do you remember Where's Waldo????)! She inspired me to clean up my guest room and offer my guests more than just sleep....if only I could build a separate guest house!!!!

I was shocked to find out that Charlotte did not attend design school and didn't even know how to draw. Rather, her training was Wall Street! "I don't draw, I cut and paste." Charlotte says. I love that! It is what I love to do with clients as well! A "Clipping File" is a very personal collage that helps create a design direction. I am somewhat different...I find it difficult to rip pages and so I create piles of picture books and sticky notes to describe what I am drawn to. Then I photocopy the pictures to preserve my books (it is the teacher in me) and create an idea file for the client.

Some of my favorite expressions from the lecture are:

Ordinary objects can become extraordinary - Leslie Blanche
Recapture the Rapture!
Find a place to Relax
Discipline and Simplicity in a guest room...guests ask for nothing...The only thing a guest should have to do is digest their own food - Nancy Lancaster

"Wall of Broads" a wall of women that inspire me!

Pillow Panache

I must confess that I have a severe pillow fetish! I love them and have loads of them on my sofas and beds! I coordinate the fabrics and trims and my workroom creates them. They have to be down filled to fluff and be extra comfortable! Several market trips ago, I finally found a source for tapestry pillows. I had searched for many years to find them. I would see them in magazines and never knew quite where to locate them. I can't name my source, but the company only provides pillows when they feel like it! You have to be on a list and it takes a year to receive the first shipment! Needless to say, I worked hard to be on the list and when you visit the company, you must choose quickly or they will become annoyed and you may not receive your pillows for years! Now, I receive random shipments and I am always suprised to see what I ordered! I have a new box that just arrived and is waiting to be photographed for eflairhome.com. Visit my lovely pillows: http://www.eflairhome.com/index.php?cid=1&cgm=B&cm=8 and transform your sofa or bed with these great finds!

Go Gators!

Tonight is the big game...one our family has been waiting for! My boys are so excited to see Tim Tebow play. Many friends are in Miami and having an awesome time tailgaiting and hanging out in South Beach! We decline most party invitations because we are so obnoxious when we watch football. Now we have created next generation Gators too! Go Gators!

Life with a Recliner

I have finally come to agree with my husband: A recliner is comfortable...albeit one that I scouted out at market and customized to my specs...and it is the most sought after seat in the house! I am writing this blog from it and I have really come to like it. I used it to rock two babies and nurse several injuries and it is like putting on your favorite slippers. My two little boys fight to sit in it and when daddy comes home, it is the first place he goes to. The secret to the looks of the recliner: http://www.eflairhome.com/index.php?cid=1&cgm=B&cm=12. I have it for sale on my website (Furniture Favorites: Tuscany Recliner). I use a special extra padding to handle the wear and tear and the key is high end fabric! You can make this chair a part of a room design with great fabric! I have mine covered in Highland Court Chenille that has my signature quatrefoil design that echoes my Spanish house. I know the fabric can be pricey ($80-$200 per yard and 12 yards to cover), but it is worth it! If you want to please your significant other and secretly enjoy it too....this is a must have for your family!

Home Theater to Go

As I was working today integrating custom cabinetry and television components and lighting, I had a brainstorm for eflairhome.com. I am going to begin offering beautiful media cabinetry with all of the tv and stereo components as a package on an eflairhome.com design registry. Over the last 7 years, I have been designing beautiful custom cabinet solutions for the tv and stereos that our lives require. It takes lots of thought and planning to create beautiful and functional tv solutions. I realize that when I go into most people's homes, this is the biggest problem and eyesore in the room that people live in the most! We are designing several packages with different price points and the electronics are already designed and included by my expert electronics team. We can ship anywhere and an installer can be flown to your door for setup! I realized that after I have purchased countless tvs and stereo components that don't integrate, it is cheaper to buy one good well rounded system and let the experts hook it up. Then, the remote is the only key item I use. When done right, everything works from that remote and I love the solution. When you purchase from major retailers, they are selling electronics, not design! They sell more equipment than you need and don't think about how to display and use it in your room. I decided that I can offer both on eflairhome.com! It will be coming soon, so check the site frequently!

Post Holiday Decor

After the holidays I find it difficult to put away Christmas decorations. My home always feels so cozy and inviting with the addition of greenery and tassels and trim from stockings and pillows and the glow of tree lights. Every year, as I take down Christmas, I find it a new opportunity to re-accessorize my home. The rooms seem very bare once I remove the holiday garb. I usually spend the day with all my accessories on my dining table. Then I move from table to table and rethink how I place my picture frames, decorative boxes, and other special keepsakes. My mantle is always a point of contention.....I seem to never be satisfied with how I arrange it and it is constantly a work in progress! I style my home use it for photgraphs of my products on my new website, www.eflairhome.com.