BACKGAMMON

I don't even know how to play, BUT I do know it looks kinda fabulous... 

BLACK AND YELLOW

Lately, I have been really loving a little bit of sunshine yellow in my life. And if you knew me and what my closet looked like (which is coordinated by color) you would notice that I hardly have any yellow anything! But recently its been growing on me, especially in small doses. 

Here are some examples at how fashion and interiors relate to each other on a black and yellow level. 

Exhibit A.

Classic look, little herringbone texture, and a splash of bright yellow on the blouse. Boom! You just took your outfit from predictable to edgy! And the townhouse below was boring until the door got a sunshine yellow update...

Exhibit B.

Jenna Lyons literally took the look of her living room straight to J. Crew's product development team...

Exhibit C.

Obviously stripes get along with any color. In my opinion, everyone should have a black and white stripped shirt in their wardrobe (I am not necessarily talking about zebra in this case). Add a punch of yellow, and you just transformed the whole look. Scared to invest in big time pieces. Try a yellow scarf or some throw pillows or ceramic lamps. 

Exhibit D.

Do I even need to explain...

Like I said, you can even bring in a hint of yellow with your accessories. Perhaps these ridiculously gorgeous Zara heels in a mix of colors and snakeskin. Yes Please!

DREAM BASEMENT

I recently toured a couple's lavish home in Rye, New York, which was impressive on it own until they led us down to the basement where they had a kitchenette, game room, gym/sauna, wine cellar, and a movie theatre! I honestly would live in their basement alone. And to think we simply use our unfinished basement just for storing Christmas stuff... One day we will get around to finishing the basement, in the meantime here are some photos I can fantasize over.

RIVER ROCK MOSAIC PATHS AND PATIOS

I often think about what I would do with my outdoor space when I have one someday, and my thoughts immediately go to what surfaces and materials I would use to plan a space. While I love natural stone and slate, I would love to incorporate river rock somehow. Maybe not everywhere, but a faux river rock rug in the dining area could be an interesting way to tie in the concept, and whenever you get tired of it, you can always lay a real outdoor rug over it. No matter what though, you know whoever has the job of painstakingly laying every rock, may want to kill you at the end of the day...

Couldn't resist this little formation of river rock feet! 

THE GREAT ROOM

Great rooms are large open spaces that are multi functional, they combine areas such as the kitchen, the dining room, and living room. This concept is a wonderful option for larger families, having all of the "family functions" in one singular unified space. Great rooms are great in many ways but are best when the ceilings are high, some even high enough to open up to the second floor.

-S

RIP CR CURRIN

It is a sad day when you hear news break that CR CURRIN is closing down. Currin is one of the most gorgeous furniture manufacturers in the industry. With nearly endless combinations of finishes and techniques, finely crafted furniture pieces become works of art. CR Currin products are produced exclusively in the USA. They truly made "jewelry for the home." I always imagined I would someday own their mirrored dining tables.. Let's take a moment of silence while we take a look back at some of their most beautiful designs.

-S