bar cart

Shopping, Champagne and Chandeliers … oh my!

January 19, 2016

Have you been to the new Restoration Hardware in the city yet? (Technically it’s called RH Chicago, The Gallery at the Three Arts Club). Judging by the steady flow of people mingling around the place with drinks in hand this past Saturday afternoon I would guess that there are quite a few of you who have! Did you love it as much as I did?

Tip: If you’re planning to dine in this lovely glass-roof atrium, (and I highly recommend you do!) put your name in for a table immediately upon entering. We were quoted a 1 hour 15 minute wait, which ended up being about an hour. But that’s okay – grab a coffee … or a Bellini (!) at the 3 Arts Cafe counter and start your own tour through this amazing store – all 5 floors of it!

The restaurant and loungey areas are take up most of the first floor. The 2nd floor is set up as a series of to-die-for bedrooms and bathrooms, all decked out in RH’s signature rustic elegance.

(I would move into this bedroom/bathroom/sitting room combo tomorrow!)

I’m putting this rolling ladder shelf on my Wish List.

The 3rd floor is Baby, Child and Teen – they were honestly some of the most fun and creative rooms.

In my fantasy world – this would be my daughter’s room. (I would also need a daughter, ha! I did say this was fantasy.)

Who am I kidding – I could live in this room just fine by myself.

Love this subtle wall treatment –

How about the entrance to this “hang-out” room. Heavy metal chains hung in the doorway. It’s very Brady Bunch meets Keeping up With the Kardashians …

Of course, there were some very cool boys rooms too – I love their use of dark colors, leathers and vintage pieces to make these rooms feel cozy but cool.

Love these bookshelves …

And the nurseries … so sweet and perfect for boy or girl. I just love the map wallpaper.

And here’s a precious idea to steal – photographs of animal babies hung over the crib:

Is it weird that Dan and I stood there for several minutes oooing and aaahing over how cute the baby animals were?

They continued the use of rope in a cool ceiling treatment too –

On up to the 4th Floor which was RH Modern and Artwork. Definitely a different vibe –

This gives new meaning to the word “bar-cart” –

Finally up one more flight of stairs – (there’s an elevator too – but you don’t want to miss this staircase)

And the view is worth the walk up …

A lovely rooftop to showcase their Outdoor Collection – I ‘d love to throw a party up here, wouldn’t you?

At this point you hope you’re receiving a text that says your table’s ready. But if not, just head back down stairs, lounge a little on the comfy sofas and enjoy the view.

(I really want to figure out how to do those uplit wine racks in my house.)

And finally – Voila!

Such a cozy spot on a cold winter’s day. Are you ready to plan your visit?

Shopping (and sipping) at one of our favorite stores

October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween! Yikes … tomorrow is November! Is it really time to start thing about the holidays? Apparently so! Kristy and I were invited to attend a little Pre-Holiday soiree at one of our favorite stores, Classic Remix Chicago. Us and a handful of other bloggers were given the task of tagging 5 of our favorite items in the store to use or give during the holidays.

That’s Mary, the owner … and her cute pup Charlie.

… and a toast with all of the other fun bloggers we met. Check out some of their creative and fabulous lifestyle blogs: The Kittchen, An Eventful Life, Hunter Style, Cedar and Rush, and Mushroom Stew.

With wine in hand, we set out to peruse the store.

Classic Remix has tons of great gift ideas in their store, and many of the bloggers chose their favorite items to give as holiday gifts. Kristy and I decided to tag things we would recommend for sprucing up your home for the holidays.

Like this chandelier for instance …

With an influx of holiday guests coming into your home this season, why not swap out an old or boring light fixture in your entry with this glamorous number to greet your visitors?

And every good holiday party deserves and good bar cart, doesn’t it?

What a fun place to showcase your fancy barware and cocktail fixings. In a dining room, living room, study … this could work in various rooms of your home.

Next up … these fluffy Mongolian fur pillows ….

Changing out pillows is such an easy way to give a quick update to a room or piece of furniture. These pillows are soooo cozy … and in winter white they feel festive for the holidays.

Our next pick wasn’t exactly one “item” but rather this tablescape of glass votives and hurricanes.

What a lovely and elegant way to dress your table for the holidays, right? You can keep it neutral with white flowers like they’ve done or add in some colorful blooms.

Our fifth pick is small and could also be a good little gift idea …

Aren’t these acrylic coasters cute? Typically you don’t think of coasters as being very glamorous .. but these have a very chic vibe, don’t they? We thought so!

Of course, we were only supposed to tag five items … but there were certainly many more we could have happily put our little Swoon Tag on.

Many thanks to Classic Remix and Nicole Regan of Cedar and Rush for organizing this fun and unique event.

Even better, Classic Remix is offering Swoon readers a 10% off anything in the store from November 10-16! Wouldn’t you love to knock some things off your gift-buying list BEFORE Thanksgiving? Just head on down to 24 E. Erie Chicago and mention Swoon!

Enjoy your weekend!

It’s time to “Chairish” your home …

September 16, 2014

Have you heard of Chairish?

First of all, I love their tagline … Buy. Sell. Adore.

Kind of a designophile’s Craigslist, Chairish is an online marketplace for vintage and “pre-loved” furniture and home décor. UNLIKE Craigslist, you can easily peruse items by photograph and even collections such as “Curator’s Picks,” “Hotties Under $100” or “Cool Combo: Oxblood and Cobalt.”

Anyway, Chairish recently contacted me asking if I’d like to participate, along with some other bloggers, in a project to design the perfect home bar using barstools from Chairish. Of course I jumped at the chance! They sent me an assortment of barstools to choose from and I selected these leather beauties. (You can shop their whole collection by clicking here.)

My idea was to style a cozy bar area you’d perhaps find in a home library … a place to sit with an after dinner cocktail surrounded by books and cozy but glamorous finishes like grasscloth wallpaper, a soft shag rug and a giant celestial map.

Lots of people are forgoing living rooms these days in favor of a space they will use more often. The addition of a sleek bar and lots of bookshelves can turn a former living room into a home library that is functional and fun!

Here is my design board:

In creating my design board, I was able to find a ton of other unique and fun items on Chairish for my room. Check out that killer chandelier and the sconces made of bone! I love the cute little bar cart, and I couldn’t believe all of the cool vintage barware I found to accessorize it.

I’ve listed sources for everything below:

1. Phillip Jeffries Grasscloth Wallpaper in Stately Sable

2. Mid-Century Brass & Lucite Ribbon Chandelier

3. Natural Curiosities – Dorali Celestial Map

4. White Inner Bone Kudu Sconces

5. White Leather Barstools

6. Beni Ourain Moroccan Rug

7. Mid-Century Baccarat French Crystal Pitcher

8. Baccarat Massena Double Old-Fashioned

9. German Ski School Beer Steins

10. Chinoiserie Bamboo Bar Cart

11. Vintage Decanter Bar Set

What do you think? Do you have a space in your home we could transform into a sexy home library? Contact me … I’d love to help … and I know Chairish would too!

Glitz, Glamour and Gatsby

May 9, 2013

The Great Gatsby movie comes out tomorrow … is anyone else as excited to see it as I am?

The Great Gatsby has always been one of my favorite books … so I’m hoping the movie won’t disappoint. I know there have been other movie versions, but I haven’t really loved them.

With Baz Luhrmann directing this one, it is sure to be a visual feast. Of course, the costumes will be to-die-for, but I am equally excited to see the Gatsby Mansion come to life on the big screen.

In anticipation of the Premiere, I thought it would be fun to pull together a few pieces you can use to inject a little Gatsby Style into your own home.

Since The Great Gatsby recounts affluence in America during the 1920’s … glitz, glamour and opulence are in tall order. The Swinging Twenties were also defined by the Art Deco style – geometric shapes, streamlining and clean lines. So here are my picks …

Glamorous Lighting: Nothing has the ability to add more glitz and glam to a room than a few stunning chandeliers, and this ‘20s-inspired version will cast a glittery glow above your fabulous parties.

NEW 1920s Odeon Glass Fringe Chandelier

Geometric shapes: One of the most definitive styles of the era was the use of geometric shapes in everything from fashion to architecture to interior design. This metallic and teal wallpaper pattern from Graham & Brown is perfect for adding an Art Deco touch to a powder room or accent wall

Graham & Brown Wallpaper

Lacquered furniture: High gloss furniture is another way to evoke glamour and drama. Introduce a lacquered piece like this desk into your decorating scheme to give your space an opulent touch.

Jett Desk in White Lacquer

An elegant and well-stocked bar: Jay Gatsby seems like the kind of guy who would want to be able to mix himself a cocktail from any room in “the manse”. A bar cart like this streamlined gold-leaf version, filled with chunky crystal decanters could fit just about anywhere.

Gold Leafed Bar Cart

Traditional Decanter

Art Deco Artwork: The style of the Swinging Twenties can easily be defined in the Art Deco artwork that was produced throughout the decade. I love this poster from Red Gate Arts on Etsy.

Art Deco Bauhaus Poster

Silky, shimmery fabrics: The early Hollywood influence on the ‘20s is evident in the popularity of shiny, luxe fabrics like silks and satins. This metallic throw pillow is the perfect addition to give any room a touch of old Hollywood glam.

Frosted Diamond Pillow Cover

Mirrored furniture: Reflective furniture was all the rage in the ‘20s, and it wasn’t rare to see mirrored tables and chests in the homes of high society like Jay Gatsby. This one feels Art-Deco inspired with it’s circular base.

Splendora Mirrored Console

And there you have it … (cue the fireworks). Don’t you want to bring Gatsby into your home?

All of the fabulous mothers out there … have a great Mother’s Day weekend!

A Twist on a Traditional Look

May 16, 2011

I’m always excited when a new issue of Lonny, the online magazine, goes live, and this latest issue did not disappoint. Amongst all of the serious eye candy, one of the images I have stuck in my head was this one from a home designed by decorator Lisa Sherry.

First of all, I love the “trail” of plates on the wall. I kind of have a thing for beautiful plates … so many are truly pieces of art that they just don’t deserve to be hidden in a cabinet. And while hanging plates on a wall is not a new idea, you typically see them hung in a row or symmetrically around a mirror. Likewise, they are often from the same “set.”

I love how this wall breaks all of those rules. A tried, true and traditional look gets to kind of take it’s hair down, so to speak … a much more interesting and whimsical makeover.

This idea is perfect for people, like me, who could never decide on just one pretty plate, but rather have a collection gathered over time. How fun would it be to shop for these at flea markets and your favorite little stores?

I do recognize several of them from Anthropologie, where I myself have often spent too much time sifting through the stacks and stacks of gorgeous plates and wondering what I could do with them.

Flowers mixed with octopus, fish, and plaid stripes. Somehow it all works.

The other aspect of this photo that made me swoon was the vintage laundry-cart-turned-portable-bar. How genius is that? I love the place for hand towels and all the space for bottles below. Again, most people wouldn’t consider putting such a large lamp on such a relatively small table, but I think it elevates the piece from just a little cart to a serious piece of furniture, very Mad Men, if you ask me.

For more bar car inspiration, check out the amazing collection at 1stdibs and start conjuring up your own Mad Men scenario.

Vanity Fair