David Hicks Floor Tile

There has recently been a gusto in the patterned floor tile trend and who better to see on the floor than David Hicks.  His classic motifs have been reproduced as floor tiles by his son Ashley Hicks for Studium NYC and are selling for $75/sf.

If you you want this patterened effect for less look over at Star of Morocco,

Alhambra Tile $3.99/sf

Fez Tile $3.99/sf

 Moorish Tile $7.49/sf

There are many more beautiful Moroccan designs over at Sahara Designs located in San Diego, CA.  

A Little Reminiscing

As I packed my carry on for my flight back to Des Moines, IA today I pulled out some of my old magazines I picked up in New Zealand last fall. Inside Out is one of my favorite magazines and I am so glad I revisited this today! I found some amazing articles, photographs, products, and feel like I met some amazing people.

The home of furniture designer Mark Tuckey and his beautiful family, smiles at you with it's worn-in charm and even invites you to sit down, grab a drink, and enjoy the views. It's filled with functional furniture, artwork from friends, and pure honesty.

Family and career will always be a tough balance. Cristina Rodriguez realized this and needed an escape from the life of a global designer living in Barcelona and Manhattan. She and her two boys set out to find that greater importance in life and ended up in the Carribean where they transformed this former hotel into a private villa. I absolutely love this tranquil wallcolor and the use of the grays, greens, concrete, black, and natural woods. Check out her site for many more beautiful pictures! This life doesn't seem so tough anymore...I think I could handle it:-)

New Zealand fashion designer, Karen Walker, describes her home as Left of Centre, individualistic, rough around the edges, and full of unexpected twists. My objective in design is to "tell the story of each client" and this is exactly what is happening here. Check out the spread and then check out the her Spring/Summer Collections, no surprise here.

"Our home has just the right amount of wrong" -Mikhail

Here's a few more words to inspire:

Homes are a life's work. Every year your lifestyle changes-you use a house differently" -Mikhail

"Always plan from the floor up. Once you've set the foundations you can always create a great look" -Claire Delmar

"The activity of improving things by rearranging them in away that will improve them" -Tom Dixon on Creativity from the INTERIOR WORLD OF TOM DIXON

"Give them what they never knew they wanted" -Albert Hadley

"I appreciate the classics...Eames, Hans Wegner, Verner Panton, but I hate that mentality of walking into a store and buying style..." -Marcus Hay

The Beverly Glen Compound Addition

I just stumbled upon this spread over at Dwell Magazine and fell in love with this Compound Addition. I'm not going to make this post about me, but I have to tell you, I used to live in the canyon on Beverly Glen when I moved out to Los Angeles in college, and this was the most fabulous place I have ever lived! I showered on the deck in the outdoor shower hidden from neighbors by the hillside and was exposed only when the gondola ran to take the neighbors mail up to them...aww the memories. Alright enough about me, but this SCI-Arc love story is definitely continuing happily ever after! Hadley and Peter found the perfect cozy spot on Beverly Glen and were then approached by their neighbor about buying the property directly next door, and they jumped on it. They were then able to have their architecture studio and home side by side. The outdoor space here is just as valuable as the indoors and seamlessly connects the spaces. Take a look and check out the complete story over at Dwell!

Chair Stool Bench

KKaarrlls has put together a collection of 20 objects that have been reinvented and allows one to gain a new understanding of these original forms.




The dimensions of the "Stuhlhockerbank" (chairstoolbench) are described as poetic. The fluidity, the solidity, the unexpected turns take you on an adventure down a once familiar road.


Here we go again. Using the ordinary to make extraordinary with the Kleine Garten.

Holy Serenity

As I sit in my 500 sf beach bungalow filled with vintage finds, eclectic art from around the world as well as local artists, amazing colorful tapestries I cannot even tell you how much I appreciate the calmness and simplicity of Nils Holger Moormann. He has been discovering unknown talent and manufacturing their products since 1982. Following the principles of simplicity, intelligence, and innovation these beautiful works are discovered and produced.

The Spross bed can be shipped flat for ease of transport. It requires no tools for assembly and does not contain any metal.

Almerer the sculptural coat stand evokes playful memories of the past and takes you back to "that time when..."

Ok, so these glasses aren't from Moormann, they were designed by StudioIlse, founded by the amazing Isle Crawford, that I'm sure to swoon over soon! Just imagine telling those remember when stories while drinking out of these fabulous champagne glasses. My heart just skipped a beat...ok so now we're retreating at the Berge drinking out of these glasses...NICE!

Now you may ask what is Berge? Good question! As their site says Berge is not a hotel. It is a retreat. I get it. I want to be there. No television, no reception, only nature, books, and pure and honest beauty, and our champagne/wine glasses from StudioIsle.

Hoodless says it all!

As I read the bio of Suzy Hoodless my eyes gloss over! She is such a huge inspiration to me. This statement in her bio is so simple and yet so dynamic..."Suzy Hoodless has now been creating interiors for over 10 years"...because this is exactly what she does, down to every detail, her spaces are alive! They evoke such strong feelings and really take you somewhere. There is none of this looking in a catalog and selecting 1, 2, and 3. Each piece and every detail has been eyed by that creative director who is always testing the limits. Like I say Hoodless explains it all. There is no ceiling here, or "hood" per se, and the sky and the world are the limits!




The hospital.



Contemporary Lodge, Scotland


Art Direction

Creeped out is the strong emotion being evoked, but I love it! It may be warm and cozy, but this Ski Lodge in Scotland reminds me a bit of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. I can say this because I was just at Disneyland and was in absolutely fascinated with the detail in the Haunted Mansion...It's Pure Perfection:-)