Friday is here and it is almost time to kick back, have a drink,
and enjoy the weekend!iIs anyone else as excited about that as me!?

Last week I got myself a brand new cocktail shaker to help
with my martini making and it ended up givingime some
libation inspiration. The below items would all be good
additions for the at-home entertaineri.i

1. Martini Shaker 2. Bar Tool Set 3. Mr.Boston: Official Bartender's Guidei4. Long Spoon
5. Stainless Steel Martini Glassi6. Kate Spade Woodland Park Coastersi
7. Jonathan Adler Futura Bowli8. Horsehead bottle opener

Deyrolle is a curiosity shop in Paris that has been around since 1831. Inside is what looks like a Noah's ark of stuffed animals, birds, and insects that you can get lost in for days.

I realize that not all can get to Paris any time soon, so here are a few of my favorite rare and unusual items that you can take home.



Deyrolle recently teamed up with Opening Ceremonyito design a capsule collection. A subtly strange beetle printishirt.



Homage AttariPerfume Oil

Rose Taifi, Silver Oud, Silver Frankincenseidominate this unusal and rare scent from Amouage. So concentrated are the ingrediants an entre field of rose petals are used to extracet enough oil to fill the tiny bottle. Its no wonder that this is called the most valuable perfume in the world.

Blackman Cruz bronze bat incense holder


Black silver beetle cufflinks


Blackman Cruz scull lamp



Insect fruit plate by Ted Muehling for Moss



Recycled bronze crow ring by Oak




Thomas Paul has a pillow collection aply names "curisosities"


This wallpaper by Trove is either creepy or beatiful, depening on your point of view.

If you’re not really the artistic type there are a lot of amazing customizers out there that sell their one of a kind shoes online. Here is my short list of the hottest custom sneakers of all time.


Last week I did a faux-bois DIY so these shoes are getting included with a special honorable mention!



Another honorable mention. Not the most thrilling but earlier this week I tried my hand at designing shoes based on a few musicians, and it was so hard.iWhich makes these Michael Jackson Thriller shoes all the more impressive.



Just plain cool!



Why wait in line for the Nike Foamposite Galaxy? These are one of the best examples custom galaxy shoes I've seen around.



Inspired by Canal Street NYC, these shoes seamlessly blend together all the knocked-off brands on NYC's famous shopping street. They even include a Rolex watch band!




The Tim Burton of custom sneakers.



Dayglow Nikes! These shoes don't take themselves too seriously.

Now that all the major pieces of furniture have been found for our inspiration room its time to think about the fun stuff. The accessories used in Jackie Astier's library help to brighten the space with a mix of warm and cool metallics, and even introduce a bit of whimsy.

Here are a few of my wish list items that I would add if it were my room:




1.Python-print jumpsuit 2.Silver cowhide pillow 3.Scrapwood wallpaper 4.Francisco stool 5.Flickr image 6.Silver Pouf 7.Bank in the form of a pig 8.Ostrich and egg photos 9.Necklace 10.Throw 11.Golden Goose sneakers 12.Gold stool

Since the weather has been frigid and snowy here in NYC (not sure if I've mentioned that lately), we've been sharing fun games to play inside. This morning, as I sit gazing out at the giant snowflakes, I was inspired (perhaps by my daydreaming) to share fun ideas for a Summer Game Room. Armed with the backgammon boards and playing cards we've shared with you thus far, now it's time to find the perfect place to play these games. I absolutely love game tables! Any time I myself or one of my clients has a decent-sized nook, corner of a room, or spot underneath a window, I jump at the opportunity to put a game table there. So, without further adieu, here is a fun, bright, Summer Game Room to brighten up this snowy day!





1. Set of four Milo Baughman chairs from 1stdibs.com 2. Brown & Tan Stripe Backgammon Set from www.ebay.com 3. Zenyatta Mondatta Peacock fabric from Schumacher (This would be great to recover the cushions of the chairs in!) 4. Gustavo Olivieri High Glam Game Table with Chartreise Top from www.1stdibs.com. 5. Silver Rooster Martini Shaker (perfect summer touch!) from www.wellappointedhouse.com.

The good news is that it's a few degrees warmer today in NYC but the bad news is that there are giant snowflakes falling from the sky! So, our cabin fever cures continue. Today we want to share fun decks of playing cards with you. There's nothing like a few rounds of War, Go Fish, or Poker to help make the time pass. Enjoy!




Horchow personalized playing cards in zebra or filigree print make a great gift and a great coffee table topper.








These Typeface Playing Cards feature the images of well-known designers. For each designer, a typeface was selected to match their overall vibe.










These monogrammed playing cards from Soiree San Francisco come with their own lucite holder.








Love the colors of these retro playing cards from Etsy.com!





Kikkerland's silver metallic playing cards are my personal fave. They're available at www.allmodern.com.







Of course Hermes would have fabulous playing cards.This particular set is meant for playing bridge but they also offer decks for poker and memory.






While these invisible cards may pose a problem when trying to pick them up, it's a very cool idea. Available at www.allmodern.com.






These Cocktail Cards each feature a popular cocktail in a vintage glass, along with the recipe to make the drink.

It was ten degrees outside when I woke up this morning...TEN measly degrees. So, it's safe to say that I'm going to do anything and everything possible to stay inside. With a diagnosis of cabin fever, I think the prescription is...games! Sometimes we forget about how much fun a good old-fashioned board game can be. Here are some of my top picks for Backgammon Boards. Hey, even if you don't want to play, buying one for decoration is a good way to pass the time as well!






1stdibs.com is a great place to find any sort of vintage game. I found this unique 1970's lucite and chrome backgammon set designed by American artist and furniture designer Charles Hollis Jones.









Horchow sells this backgammon table that is encased in white embossed crocodile. I'd love to have this on my coffee table!









Britsih artist and engineer Daniel Chadwick designed this collectino of 50 acrylic backgammon sets in 4 fabulous colorways. Available at www.othercritera.com.




It's no surprise that jack of all trades designer Jonathan Adler has a backgammon set. Categorized as "Palm Beach Chic," this cheery set has a needlepoint background and is encased in white acrylic.







Another great source to find unique game sets is ebay.com. I found this particular set on an ebay store called "The Chess Store." It literally comes in every color under the sun!

1. Dyptique Candles 2. Deborah Lippmann nail polish 3. Kiehl's Lip Balm 4. Nespresso Espresso Maker


If you have yet to start your holiday shopping or are a few gifts away from being finished, visit our I LOVE THESE page for some ideas. You'll find products (like those shown above) for everyone in the family. Happy shopping!

It took me a long time to find the perfect chandelier for my Living Room. After about a trillion trial and errors, I fell in LOVE with a Venini Chandelier from Venfield in NYC. The size, shape, and color was exactly what I had been searching for. It was definitely the cherry on top of the room. Yesterday, I thought I'd try my hand at finding some equally amazing Venini fixtures on Ebay. Little did I know this little task would turn into a purchase...oops! I stumbled upon a Vintage Venini Poliedri chandelier. It's a mini-me of my chandelier, but in beautiful shades of golden pear. Before I had the chance to contain my excitement, I had already clicked the "Buy It Now" button. But, alas, I have no buyers remorse. Without further ado, here's my latest and greatest purchase:






Ta-da! These chandeliers come in an array of colors and the range always seems to amaze me!





Now I just have to figure out where this can go so I can gaze up at it just like this!





I only wish standard shipping didn't take so darn long...sigh...


The Ebay store that I purchased the light from has soooo many other amazing pieces. Here's a select few:





A beautiful pair of textured glass sconces by Mazzega!






I know this Italian Ash Credenza is gorgeous just the way it is, but I'm wondering what it would look like lacquered in turquoise with new hardware!





Although these Mid-Century Blue Italian Sconces may look a little bit like weapons, they sure would be great in a little boy's room.

It is no secret that almost all of the best product lines come from interior designers themselves. Take for instance, Jennifer Delonge in this issue's Guest House or Jonathan Adler whose chairs are featured in our Family Room. These two have really raised the bar on the way we think about "children's" furniture!

I can't wait to see who comes out with a new fabulous line next. For now, I wanted to share a few of my top picks with you. Whose line or products are your favorites?

Above image is The Regale Armchair from Bunny Williams' Beeline Home Collection.




Laura Kirar's entire collection for Baker is amazing, but the Syro Chandelier is definitely my favorite!



Jamie Drake, like me, is a designer who isn't afraid to use color! His fabric line with Schumacher is no exception.





Only Thomas O'Brien could make a cotton jar sexy! I wouldn't want my cotton to live anywhere else.



It's hard to choose which one of Kelly Wearstler's lines I love the most. I think I like them all equally! I do think that it's difficult to find an eye catching rug so I appreciate the fact that she sprinkled some of her magic designer dust with her rug collection for Patterson, Flynn, Martin.