Celebrity Home: Claire Forlani

Claire Forlani's home has been much blogged about since it's debut in Domino a couple of years ago. It has long been a favorite of mine. The black tile! The metallic floral wallpaper! I love, love, love so many things about this home. It is very soothing and not the typical Spanish type decor of California. The interiors were designed by the stylist and decorator Estee Stanley, and I think it is beautiful - these pictures are in my permanent inspiration file.
What do you think?
E

True Blood Set

Hey guys - hope you are having a great week! Today's post is on the set design of HBO's series True Blood. I don't have HBO, and therefore I do not watch the show, but I have read all of Charlaine Harris' books that the series is based on. I have heard that the show differs from the books in several ways so I kind of don't want to see it, as I love the books so much. I was interested to see how the set design was made, since it is set in northern Louisiana. I think they did an excellent job, and in fact they have won awards for the set design. Don't get me started on non-southerners trying to portray a southern accent, though!
What do you guys think of the set design? Is there a show or movie that you thought did an excellent job of portraying the South?
E

AD Spain and Habitually Chic

People always ask me what my favorite design magazines are - or if there are any magazines out there that offer something more exciting than Elle Decor and the other remaining American design mags. The answer is, absolutely! My favorite design magazine is Vogue Living Australia. Supposedly they were going to shut down last year but they keep putting out issues - I think only a few a year though.(Correction: six a year - see comments section) Living etc. and Elle Decor (both British) are great, and Architectural Digest Spain is wonderful. Canadian Home and Garden also has great homes occasionally. I have to make the pilgrimage to Barnes and Noble out on Veterans every couple of months to see which ones they have, and they are about $15 each, but you can look through them there and see which ones you want to buy. All pictures today are of Contemporain Studio, the design studio of Lázaro Rosa-Víolan. He is a famous Spanish designer who has done many hotels and restaurants. This is totally my dream studio/house!
For those of you who don't wish to search for these magazines, check out Habitually Chic, the blog by NY designer Heather Clawson. Heather is my absolute fave blogger of all time, and if you only read one thing every day it should be her blog! She will keep you up to date on everything happening in the world of design - she has been inspiring me for a long time now and I am so addicted to her posts, I feel like we are great friends. She has these photos and more of Lázaro's studio on her blog, so go check it out!
Talk soon,
E

Art I love: David Hawkins

Hey guys - sorry I was MIA yesterday but I had a great weekend! You know there are only three things that will get this hermit out of the house: looking at art or design, a gorgeous man, and ice cream - well Friday night I was able to combine all three!

David Hawkins is a wonderful artist and he is about to leave New Orleans to go get his MFA in Philadelphia. He had a studio sale this past weekend and I had to get over there to buy up some early work so I can say I collected him from the beginning. His Reveries series is carried at Guthrie Contemporary (and I got a piece from this collection), but what he is really interested in right now is plein air work. That is where he will sit outside and complete an entire painting in one sitting, of whatever he is looking at. He also does a series of Pin-ups, which are gorgeous paintings of girls on wood, where the wood grain is exposed as the girl's skin - hard to explain but check out the photos! The pieces are really well priced, and easy to add in to any collection of art.

I guess all of you are wondering how I even concentrated on the work when David is so damn good-looking! He happens to be just as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside. If you would like to know more about this young painter, or to see his work, please contact Leslie or Katie at Guthrie Contemporary in New Orleans, or check out his new website : www.davidwilsonhawkins.com

We wish David good luck on all of his adventures and hope he comes back to NOLA soon!

E

Celebrity Home - Lenny Kravitz

Today's celebrity home is the creole cottage here in New Orleans belonging to Lenny Kravitz. Lenny founded a design firm, Kravitz Design, in New York in 2003 and decorated this French Quarter house during Jazz Fest in 2004. It is an explosion of animal skins, metallics, and dark, rich fabrics. Check out the clear piano in the corner!
One of Lenny's favorite vendors is Flavor Paper, a wallpaper company located here in the Bywater of New Orleans. They are amazing, and can do custom designs as well of any of their traditional patterns in any of their colors. I have been lucky enough to have a tour of their facility, and you can order samples off their website. He used their metallic wallpaper in almost every space in his home here, and loved it so much he had it installed in his Paris location for the video for "Dancin' Till Dawn". (that's the last pic)
What do you guys think of this rock and roll aesthetic? What about people from other creative careers starting design firms?
Have a great weekend!
E

California Boho Eclectic Mish Mash

I have to say that I love something about all styles of design. Since I may be moving to California next year, I am especially drawn lately to this relaxed, California bohemian chic look. It is typified in the rustic, bright homes of Sunrise Ruffalo and Amanda Peet, both featured in Domino. However, I feel like if I were to have a home like this it would be a lie. It says, I do yoga on a regular basis and only eat organic vegan and name my kid Luna Miel (Moon Honey in Spanish - hey, that's actually a pretty name....) I think it is perfectly acceptable to design this type of space for someone else and there are many elements there that can be brought into my own home, but I do think that your home should reflect who you are. .. what do you guys think?

Oh, and P.S. - I just put up the follow button on the right so we can check in with each other every day...it's kinda embarrassing when you are just starting out and no one has pushed the follow button yet...so PLEEEEEZE sign in and follow me so I don't feel like an idiot!
Thanks a mil!
E

Style Idol - Kate Hudson

This is my dream look - Kate Hudson...suntanned, long hair, gorgeous smile and body! I have always felt a connection with Kate for some reason. When I lived in Puerto Vallarta I ran across her family many times, and when she was filming The Skeleton Key here in New Orleans she lived right next to me in the French Quarter. When I lived in New York I always saw her and her parents on the street, and then just recently I spoke with her in Whole Foods. She even reprimanded her son when he got a little too sassy with me during our heated debate over the roof of the grocery store (is it metal over wood, or just wood- or just metal?! aghh a mystery wrapped in a riddle!)
I love her boho street style, and perfect for her body glamorous red carpet looks. I would love to emulate her look, but at 20 lbs overweight and no personal hair stylist to save my hair from this humidity every day, I tend to veer towards another famous blond: David Lee Roth... :( ugh - what famous person do you look like?
E

I was shut down and other weekend things...

So I know you guys were anxious to see pics of the Southern Living Idea House and I was really anxious to show them to you, but Grace told me that Southern Living does not want any pics published until the magazine comes out. So I was shut down and don't want to get her in any trouble! Definitely pick up the mag though or head out to see it. E. Lee Jahnke Mead did a stunning guest bath (she is a painter) that looks like wallpaper, the master bath is a sparkly dream, and of course the art from Guthrie Contemporary and Amanda Talley is all gorgeous. As soon as the magazine is available I will post my own pics and we can discuss.

In other weekend news, I met two amazing girls this weekend. One is Francine Davis Ballard, the president of Designer Social. She is that cool girl that you are always jealous of, because aside from being gorgeous (which she is), with a wonderful husband and adorable daughter (which she has), she always has the newest and best bags and accessories. She has been involved with all your fave mags (Lucky, In Style, Jane, etc..) and started her website, Designer Social, about a year ago. She sells the most beautiful things and you can sell your own pieces on consignment with her as well. I got two beautiful necklaces and a Louis Vuitton shopper tote at an insane price - the blue Prada bowler above is offered in a contest on her website... get over there and sign up!

The other fabulous new friend I made is Melissa from Chic Coles. Melissa works with Francine but also has this amazing blog with her mom and sister. Her mother is an Interior Designer and Melissa just got her degree in business/marketing. She is so beautiful and stylish and their blog has been everywhere. It is definitely my new fave blog and I am stalking her like mad!

All in all, a very productive (and insanely hot) weekend in New Orleans... hope y'all had a good one!

E