Happy Halloween!

From me and my sorry attempt at making a ghost lantern, D-I-whY project.  I just don't think it's scary if the ghost has a five-head, the dandelion is probably scarier.

{photo: jeanine}

THIS Is Me

Design Refuge is having an October challenge to represent yourself and style in a post.  I've decided to enter {fairly last minute} with my photos.

My style is probably best described as cheerful, colorful and modern but classic without taking itself too seriously.  The Kate Spade shop on 5th Ave is the best representation I can think of.

{photos: 1 & 2 - Kate Spade; 3 & 4 - Lonny}

Madura

While walking on Newbury Street recently I saw this curtain panel in the window of Madura.  I love the colors and the pattern of the fabric, but I'm not totally in love with the way the top of the panel is constructed.  Or at least that's what I tell myself - I usually just assume I can't afford anything in this store anyway.

I have to figure out where the fabric is from though, I know I've seen it before...

{photo: jeanine}

Pet Photography...

...of the most amazing sort by Tim Flach. 

For the last 10 years I have been waiting to adopt a puli.  It's hard to rent with a dog in and around Boston, so as soon as I own a home I'm going to put myself on a Puli rescue list.  I'm assuming it will probably take another 10 years to actually adopt a dog since there is one rescue group in the whole country. 

Until then I have a very cute cat.  I don't have to walk her, so she's a keeper even if she does empty my bookshelves when she gets bored.


{photo: Tim Flach via Swiss Miss}

Pattern of the Week

Okay, so I don't have the prettiest pictures of this, and it's a bit hard to see, but while I was watching Community {which I watched by accident and found it was actually funny}, I spotted this pattern on the cement building on either side of the frame.

And here it is, blown up and distorted in Photoshop.

It's nothing fancy, but sometimes simple and modern does the trick.

{photo: Community on Hulu}

Oscar de la Renta

The last time I was in the design center, this window display caught my eye.

Oscar de La Renta has designed a line of fabrics for the home that is sold through Lee Jofa.  I love that the upholstery fabric is displayed as clothing.  The skirts are being auctioned off for the next month or so if you find that you must have one {here}.

My favorite fabric is the pleated dot {dotted pleat?}.

{photos: top - jeanine; bottom - Lee Jofa}

Fall Is Here!

Fall is my favorite time of year and always makes me happy to be in New England. I found this image a few weeks ago and it reminded me of fall. I didn't know exactly why until I went for a walk and saw this.

{photos: top - flickr; bottom - jeanine}

Giant Baby Heads

Boston is a tiny, tiny city in comparison to New York, LA and Montreal {and probably tons and tons of others}.  It's also pedestrian scale - it's walkable and for the most part the buildings are fairly low.

Lately, I've been noticing giant things invading Boston - funny giant things.  A few months ago it was the giant hammock on the greenway.

This fall I began taking a 3d computer modeling class at Massachusetts College of Art.  The Fenway area isn't my favorite part of Boston but I have to say that the giant baby heads, by Spanish artist Antonio López García, I pass on the way to class make it worth the trip.

It's kind of hard to tell the scale in this photo but they are about 8 feet high by 5 feet wide, taller than me or any of the people I've seen posing by them for photos.  More information is here.

{photos: jeanine}

Free Herman Miller Chairs!!

Well, maybe...if you win.  There are only a few things left to win in the contest but it's worth a shot.  I really want one of these rockers to keep my DAX chair company.

Click here to enter.

My New Favorite Wallpaper

I'm kind of obsessed with this wallpaper from Clarke & Clarke....and maybe the inlaid chest too.  

{photo: Clarke & Clarke}

Louis Vuiton Summer Window

I seem to be on a bit of a retail design kick these days.  Next month it will be hotels or restaurants or residential interiors, I'm sure.

I found this picture that I hadn't yet posted of a Louis Vuitton summer window I loved.

They have drawn a "trunk" around their normal display windows.  It is quite charming and a simple way to make the long rectangular display window a bit more special than it otherwise is.

They have since changed the display, but it was a great idea.  As a total wild guess, I think the drawing references the history of the company since they were once popular for their travel trunks, not their logo bags.  Million dollar travel trunks. 

{photo: jeanine}

Kate Spade Pop-up Shop - London

I love pop-up books and cards so much that while I was in design school I tried for a while to figure out how to make a pop-up thesis presentation.  Sadly, there weren't enough hours in the semester to pull that off.

Pop-up shops are just as fun!  Kate Spade has recently opened a pop-up shop in London and it's as well-designed and cheerful as their New York shops.  I don't have plans to visit London in the next few weeks but, luckily, they have posted some photos of the space those of us on this side of the pond can have a look too.

{kate spade}

{Racked National}

{kate spade}

{Racked National}

{kate spade}

Rumor has it everything in the shop is for sale!

Fabricut Tree

I love me a good window display, and a few weeks ago while I was at the Boston Design Center I spotted this one by Fabricut.

It's not the best of pictures but it was a great window.  My favorite part was the fabric leaves on the ground.

{photo: jeanine}

Anthropologie Fall 2010 Window

I found these cardboard flowers {frog eggs?} in the window of Anthropologie over the weekend.  I'm not sure what they are supposed to be but I liked the bright colors and the way the display changes depending on the viewing angle.  To me, it's reminiscent of their earlier interior/exterior display.

{crappy iPod photo: jeanine}

Pattern of the Day

Found on a walk through Soho.  I'm not sure what street, but it ran north/south.

{photo: jeanine}