April « 2010 « The Buzz Blog || Diane James Home

Archive for April, 2010

Flipping For These Flops

Friday, April 30th, 2010

They say we might get into the 70′s by this weekend so it’s time to break out those favorite flip-flops. Rather than settling for basic sandals (you know the kind that have been around since 4000 BC – guess those ancient Egyptians didn’t like all that hot sand!), we’re leaning towards these fab florals instead…

Enzo Angiolini "Fiama" Sandal

Chanel - Camellia Flip-Flop

Manolo Blahnik - "Patricia" Thong

Prada - Flower Thong

Loeffler Randall - Flower Sandal

Kate Spade - "Bianca" Sandal

The last three aren’t technically flip-flops but they’re so cute, aren’t they?

Photos from Nordstrom, Chanel, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Barneys and Net-A-Porter

Tags: flip-flops, floral flip-flops
Posted in Fabulous Finds | 5 Comments »

Beautiful Blogger Award

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

bb-award

A big thank you to Catherine creator of The Shiny Pebble for bestowing upon us our very first award – The Beautiful Blogger! We are honored to be in such great company and in order to accept this award, we must share seven things about ourselves… so here goes:

1. We grew up in a 16th century chateau in the Belgian countryside - but have since lost most of our princess tendencies (we hope!)

Cynthia and Carolyn by the Moat

2. We’re mirror-image twins and we both broke our legs on a school ski trip in 6th grade – same day, same mountain, opposite legs.

3. We graduated college in the last recession and instead of tending bar in New York City, we escaped to Paris where we baked chocolate chip cookies at The General Store and worked in an art gallery on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore.

4. Our guilty pleasures are fine wine, great cheeses, fresh baguettes, chocolate (Belgian, of course!) and beautiful flowers.

Simply Delicious!

5. Some people think we’re addicted to shoes and purses – we would say we’re mildly passionate.

Mariah Carey's Closet

5. Our favorite way to spend a winter’s day is playing board games with our boys by the fire.

6. One of us is a Tigger, the other is an Eeyore (though she would prefer to be considered a Wise Owl!)

Tigger and Eeyore - BFF's

7. We both left corporate careers in New York (one in banking, the other in PR) to run our mother’s business, and we are forever grateful to our husbands for supporting us in our dreams!

To all the beautiful bloggers out there, this award is for you!

P.S. Don’t miss The Shiny Pebble today – Catherine’s Design Challenge featuring Christine Fluegge from Greige!

Photos from yours truly, Wine Beginner, The Los Angeles Times and NSC Blog

Tags: Beautiful Blogger Award, The Shiny Pebble
Posted in The Latest Buzz | 6 Comments »

Divine Design: Laura Kirar for Arteriors Home

Monday, April 26th, 2010

Ceramic "Fountain" Vases

Having spent the weekend “oohing and ahhing” over the pages of the latest Traditional Home (and not only because we’re in it – see page 76!), we had to post about the fabulous work of Laura Kirar for Arteriors Home. A graduate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Laura has designed collections for the likes of Baker, McGuire and Tufenkian. This latest endeavor allows her to create living art and organic forms from bronze, glass and ceramic, so that we can all “bring home the joyous quality of nature.”

Cast-Bronze "Maize" Lamp

"Seeds and Leaves" Chandelier

We love every single piece of Laura’s collection – from the mix of geometry and whimsy to the elegant, yet modern shapes, there’s definitely something for every taste and decorating style.

Glass "Mercury Vases" with Bronze Bobeches

Cast-Bronze "Cypress Bonzai" Sculpture

For more information, pricing and retail locations, see Laura’s new catalogue at Arteriors Home.

Photos from Arteriors Home

Tags: Arteriors Home, cast bronze, ceramics, home accessories, Laura Kirar, Traditional Home
Posted in Fabulous Finds, Personalities | 4 Comments »

Q & A with Sara Gilbane

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

We were all dismayed when Domino folded last year, especially when the fabulous Sara Gilbane was to be featured on the cover and her interiors were the grace the pages of the April 2009 issue. Fortunately for us, Sara is a darling of the press (both print and online) and we were excited to read the article about her growing business in Lonny last month.

Sara Gilbane in Domino Magazine

It’s no big secret that we are huge fans of Sara’s (see our January post here after she was named one of House Beautiful ‘s “Next Wave of Designers to Watch”) so it was a thrill when she accepted our invitation to be part of our Q & A series.

Sara Gilbane in Lonny - Issue #3

1. What did you want to be when you were a child?
An actress.

2. What is your necessary luxury?
After travel, it would be flowers (real or faux!), baths, and bed-linens – I am a sucker for a high thread count.

3. What is your favorite decorating accessory?
Great cocktail table books, vintage or custom table linens, a cashmere throw for a sofa or chaise, something with personality or flair that makes the room playful and interesting – you never know where you will find the piece (whether it is on the walls, the sofa, or the rug). I will pull in lucite, metal, silk, linen, mohair, grasscloth and shagreen to keep a space feeling interesting and modern.

Sara Plays with Texture and Pattern

4. Where do you window shop?
In New York, you can take your pick of areas but I love all of the antique stores on East 10th and 11th Streets – Anthony Todd is a favorite. I also get inspiration from the antique stores on West 59th, 60th and 61st Streets.

5. What makes a house a home?
Books, photos, loved objects. Your friends should see your personality when they walk in.

6. What is the most enjoyable part of your day?
Now that this glorious weather has come along, I would have to say morning and late afternoon – walks on the Highline or Hudson River Path.

7. What is your favorite flower?
Oh, so hard to name just one… poppies, hyacinths, peonies, anemones and ranunculus to name a few. I love purples, reds, and pinks in my flowers.

8. If you were a cocktail, what would you be?
Champagne – Nicolas Feuillate Rose is my favorite.

9. If your life were made into a movie, what would be the title and who would play your part?
“A Night at The Design Center” directed by Tim Burton. I would be played by Eloise.

Eloise as "Sara Gilbane"

10. Name one thing from your “Bucket List”.
A beach house.

A big thank you to Sara for taking the time to answer our questions and share her divine design tips with us! For more on Sara and to read her blog, Travel for Design, click here.

Photos from Style Court and Lonny

Tags: interior design, Q & A, Sara Gilbane Interiors
Posted in Q & A | 2 Comments »

Book Report: Every Thing Design

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

The moment we read a New York Times review of Every Thing Design, a 864 page tome dedicated to the Museum of Design‘s collection in Zurich, we knew we had to get our hands on it. With close to six hundred images and measuring five inches wide, six inches long and two and a half inches thick, this is no ordinary coffee table book. But don’t judge this book by its cover (a picture of the Rex vegetable peeler, an iconic Swiss object) as there’s so much more inside!

Every Thing Design - Christian Brandle and Irma Boom

Amsterdam-based Irma Boom, the book’s designer, is known for her adventurous creations, each a “treasure trove of colors, shapes, textures and even smells” according to the New York Times’ Alice Rawsthorn. While in the past, Irma has experimented with scented bindings and making her own paper, this time she’s chosen to give us a tour of design history through intriguing, and often connected images.

Balenciaga Dress c. 1968 / Baccarat Vases c. 1903

For example, a 1968 Balenciaga cocktail dress is placed side by side a pair of 1903 Baccarat vases – both decorated with a similar floral pattern. Or an Aristide Colotte 1930′s vase emulating the design of turn-of-the-century Peter Behrens plates. Even a Knoll wire chair is shown in the context of a Louis Majorelle bergere.

Diamond Chair, Knoll c. 1948 / Pommes de Pin, Louis Majorelle c. 1903

Every Thing Design is a delight to the visual senses and sure to become a pictorial classic!

Peter Behrens Plates c. 1902

Aristide Colotte Vase c. 1937

Photos from the Museum of Design and Amazon

Tags: Aristide Colotte, Baccarat, Balenciaga, Every Thing Design, Irma Boom, Knoll, Louis Majorelle, Museum of Design, Peter Behrens
Posted in Book Report, The Latest Buzz | 5 Comments »

Vintage Diane James

Friday, April 16th, 2010

The lovely Sue from The Zhush invited us over last week to see her beautiful home and we were thrilled to come across a design from our very first collection at Bergdorf Goodman. And while we begged her to take the orchid back and freshen it up a bit, she didn’t want to hear of it since the piece not only has sentimental value, but it’s a “vintage” Diane James (circa September 1997)!

7th Floor at Bergdorf Goodman

As Sue explained, when she was a young(er) lawyer in Manhattan, she used to browse the 7th Floor of Bergdorf’s, loving everything she saw but not having the means to splurge. She finally made up her mind to buy something and it happened to be a single stem phalaenopsis by Diane James!

Single Phalaenopsis - Diane James c. 1997

This orchid has moved with Sue from apartment to apartment, then out to the suburbs where it now resides on a lovely table under a fabulous Italian print in the hall off the kitchen. We love the fact that the orchid has a place of honor, not only in Sue’s heart but in her home!

Sue's Hall Table With Orchid and Budda Boards

Over the years, Sue has worked with several designers who are clients of ours and she was surprised to hear that we also designed the two boxwood topiaries which sit under the hall table, as well as the tea leaf plants on her family room mantle.

Tea Leaf Plants on Mantle

Thank you, Sue, for being such a fan of Diane James (and we’re such big fans of yours)!

Photos by Home Accents Today and yours truly

Tags: Bergdorf Goodman, decorating, The Zhush, vintage Diane James
Posted in The Latest Buzz | 5 Comments »

Off To The Races!

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Audrey Hepburn Photographed by Howell Conant

Since we’ve been graciously invited by our contacts at Winterthur to join them for the 32nd Annual Point-to-Point steeplechase next month, the big question around the office these days is what kind of hat to wear! While we’d all love to channel our inner Audrey Hepburn (boy, could she wear a hat!), we decided to browse the archives of Royal Ascot millinery to see what we could find. Here are some of our favorites – what do you think?

My Fair Daisy?

Flower Power?

Floral And Feather Fantasy?

Butterfly Beauty?

Or perhaps we’ll keep it simple and just stick one of our fabulous fleurs right on our head – hello glue gun and bobby pins!

Simon Cowell's Pretty Poppy?

Photos from Audrey Hepburn: Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Howard Conant and The Sun

Tags: Audrey Hepburn, flowered hats, Howard Conant, Point-to-Point, Royal Ascot
Posted in Events, Inspirations | 6 Comments »

Dining and Design

Monday, April 12th, 2010

When creating a beautiful table setting for spring entertaining, we often turn to one of our favorite fresh floral designers, Kenneth Turner.

Pretty Pink Bouquet by Kenneth Turner

Having trained with world renowned florists at Pulbrook & Gould in London, Kenneth opened a shop in Mayfair and became famous for creating visual extravaganzas for clients such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Prince of Wales. He was selected in 2004 to be the exclusive florist for Harrods and continues to give master classes (where Diane was a pupil in 2005.)

Kenneth Turner - The Floral Decorator

Last week, we were asked to design a table setting for an event at Neiman Marcus in Fort Worth, and were inspired by several designs from Kenneth’s book, The Floral Decorator. One of them in particular caught our eye where fresh flowers were used as a garland around the plate. According to Kenneth, “Plate decorations reflect an important but often forgotten point about floral decorations; any display should be made for the enjoyment not just of its creator but also of the beholder.”

Tablesetting Inspired by Kenneth Turner

Using the heads of faux snowball viburnum and delphinium, Diane replicated the look, adding a centerpiece of deep blue hydrangea to complete the setting. The result was a glamorous table fit for a queen (or at least the Prince of Wales!)

Diane James at Neiman Marcus - Fort Worth, TX

Photos by Kenneth Turner and yours truly

Tags: Diane James events, floral table decor, Kenneth Turner, Neiman Marcus, tablesettings
Posted in Events, Inspirations | 7 Comments »

Moms Rule, Moms Are Cool…

Friday, April 9th, 2010

and that’s why you should give her a gift that will last as long as your love! Having a mother start a business later in life and allowing her daughters to share in the adventure is one of the best things that has happened to us. We’re grateful every day that we can create designs we love, with the people we love.

The Twins with Grandma Ida and Mom Diane

With Mother’s Day just four weeks away, we’re offering a special 20% coupon (valid through May 9th, 2010) so that you can share the beauty of Diane James Home with your own mom. We’ve added a whole new collection for Spring 2010 inspired by Winterthur’s beautiful gardens and country estate, and all you need to do is enter coupon code MOM2010 at checkout!

Diane James for Winterthur - The Cecil Centerpiece

Wishing you a happy Friday and early Mother’s Day!

P.S. A big thank you to Catherine at The Shiny Pebble for giving us the Beautiful Blogger award – we’re honored!

Tags: Mother's Day coupon, The Shiny Pebble
Posted in Special Offers, The Latest Buzz | 2 Comments »

Lalanne’s Lambs And More

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

Inspired by a picture of Delphine Krakoff’s sheep on The Zhush, I did a little sleuthing and found out that the first major retrospective of Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne’s whimsical work opened at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris last month.

Delphine Krakoff for Pamplemousse Design

Known for their “sense of absurdity”, this legendary couple not only created the iconic sheep (which graced Park Avenue last October), but fabulous furniture, jewelry and home decor, as well. The exhibit, designed by architect and Lalanne uber-collector Peter Marino, includes more than 150 pieces inspired by animals and nature in a fantasy French chateau setting.

"Les Lalannes" Exhibition - Musee des Arts Decoratifs

"Les Lalannes" Rabiits with Tutus and Mice with Fans

"Les Lalannes" Rabbits with Tutus and Mice with Fans

From what we have heard, visitors to the Musee are in for a treat. From the “monkey room” dedicated to Yves St. Laurent’s collection which graced his Rue de Babylone home to a dining room with a table-top fountain commissioned by Marino for his own New York apartment, every room is filled with magic.