Well, the almost ubiquitous, of-this-very-moment trend of the refashioned beanbag, otherwise known as the pouf, continues to gain strength and attention. Why not switch it up, with something a bit more outre and a lot more fun!

credit: 1st dibs

The Rope Ball from Pavilion Antiques through 1st dibs.  Circa 1950-1960 from a Kentucky twine factory.

credit: Vivaterra

Triangles of scrap fabric stitch together one crazy quilt of a pouf by Vivaterra.

credit: V and M

Circa 1970, one-of-a-kind, artist signed original work on a pouf!  Through Center 44 on V and M.

credit: Calypso St. Barth

The Shag Pouf in 3 colors by Calypso St. Barth, in 100% New Zealand wool.

credit: Calypso St. Barth

And also by Calypso St. Barth, the Tibetan Goat Pouf is seating and pet in one!

credit: Authentic Morocco

Orange is certainly my color of the moment, and Authentic Morocco uses it to great effect in this leather beauty.

So pull up a pouf, and have a seat.

Well, last week’s post was about gorgeous new wallcoverings, and the week before, I focused on mid-century modern furniture refashioned for this century, and this week, let’s stir them up and see what happens!

The new collection from  Sanderson-UK combines their own archival designs, as well as fresh, new work from contemporary artists with a flair for the era.

credit: Sanderson-UK

Dandelion Clocks in 6 colorways.

credit: Sanderson UK

Mobiles in 5 colorways.

Bradbury & Bradbury, well-known for the beautiful collections of Victorian and Arts & Crafts era papers, have turned their artisanal eye towards a modern aesthetic, encompassing Art Deco, Post-War, the Atomic Age and the Mod-Generation.

credit: Bracbury & Bradbury

Gee-Gee in 3 colorways.

credit: Bradbury & Bradbury

Googieland in 4 colorways.

A new collection by Miss Print, through Lucy Rose Design, has recently caught my eye in a big way.  The mother/daughter design team prints on papers derived from sustainable forests with organic pigment inks, which are non-toxic.

credit: Miss Print

Little Trees in 5 colorways.

credit: Miss Print

Muscat in 5 colorways.

Looking good any way you hang it!

credit: Galbraith & Paul

The newest product offering from the artisans at Galbraith & Paul, brings the beauty of their signature textiles to wallcoverings.  Designed by Liz Galbraith and printed in their Philadelphia studio, the textures and patterns are brought to exquisite life, with both new and existing designs in a fresh array of colorways.

credit: Galbraith & Paul

credit: Galbraith & Paul

Galbraith & Paul Wallpaper is printed to order in custom panel sizes, on Class A Fire-Rated paper. The wallpapers have been rated Grade 5 in the Colorfastness to Light Test, conforming to commercial drapery standards for no fading. They are easy to apply and lightly spongeable.  Galbraith & Paul wallpapers are available to the trade.

credit: Galbraith & Paul

Clean, spare, modern, timeless. Whether these pieces are reissues, reinterpretations or completely original, they look to the past for design inspiration while embracing current trends and desires. These are truly the “comfort food” for the homes of the boomer generation, but have found a whole new audience with the X’s and Y’s.

credit: Ralph Pucci International

In perfect balance, the console by Jens Risom for Ralph Pucci International.

credit: Thos. Moser

The chaise by Thos. Moser is an ode to Alvar Aalto’s tubular frame relaxer of an earlier era.

credit: Digs Showroom

The “Papa Bear” or “Teddy Bear” chair as designed by Hans Wegner is just right, and available through Digs Showroom in a range of finishes and fabrics.

credit: Jonathan Adler

Jonathan Adler’s Danner Sectional is “Jetson’s” cool.

credit: MGBW Home

For the media room or the board room or maybe the man cave, the Dexter Chair by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

credit: Michael Berman Ltd.

The keen eye of Michael Berman Ltd. produced the Griffith Console with shagreen leather doors.

credit: Holly Hunt

The epitome of the modern design aesthetic, Christian Liaigre at Holly Hunt, offers the Ile de Re Armchair.

Rob and Laura Petrie never had it so good.

My crystal ball predicts a mild recovery in 2011.

The tax bill passed in December 2010, and economic indicators are stronger for remodeling. The affluent are spending again.  However, they are more cautious and value-driven than before.

What can you do to grow your business?

1. Specialize. Create a specialty niche that capitalizes on a growing trend. It doesn’t mean you’re limited to doing that work, but it makes it easier to market your business because you will be known for that specialty.  Neurosurgeons make 265% more than family practice doctors.  Kitchen and Bath designers make much more than the average interior designers based on NKBA statistics and our findings.
2. Create your own economy. (Some interior designers are swamped, congratulations to you!)  Why?  They spent their year marketing consistently.  They revamped their websites, reconnected with past clients, used social media, increased their visibility with public relations and generally worked hard.  Action:  Create a 12-Month Referral Program for your business.  One for past clients, one for current clients, and one for referral partners.  Automate it with software like Constant Contact, Send Pepper or AWeber.
3. Increase your visibility. Self-promote or hire a publicist.  Create a 12-Month plan for Advertising, PR and Marketing.  Make sure you have a Facebook Fan Page, Twitter Account, Optimized LinkedIn profile and an updated website.  List your business on the Search Engine Maps for your area.  Optimize your website to include the words, “interior design your city” on more than one page, create a blog and post at least once a week (make sure it is attached to your website) to increase your website traffic.  Set a target for your media exposures.  Don’t stop until you have commitments for the number of articles, public speaking opportunities, TV or radio interviews.  Write blog posts for your local on-line newspapers.  Get involved in your community.
4. Joint venture. Find people who are in allied businesses and co-promote.  If you’re not a specialist in window treatments, kitchen or bath design, partner with someone who is.  Develop a relationship with a remodeler and create joint articles or press pitches about the latest trends.  The media loves to hear about trends.
5. Systematize your marketing. Some wise person said, “you never know which day you missed marketing that caused the phones not to ring months later.”  Inconsistent marketing creates inconsistent results. Market, Market, Market.  Marketing makes selling irrelevant.  Analyze what you’ve done in the past. If you didn’t get a result after spending thousands of dollars on advertising, STOP. 

Create a successful 2011!

Shushing our sweet bundles of joy towards a peaceful, dreamy sleep, would be ever so much easier if they were to lay their little heads in these fanciful cribs and cradles.

credit: Posh Tots

The Princess Coach Iron Crib is a fairy-tale fantasy brought to life by Posh Tots.

credit: Lil Sophisticate

Asian tranquility is beautifully realized in the Emperor Canopy Crib available through Lil Sophisticate.

credit: Jane Keltner Brighton Pavilions

Custom designed and hand-painted to suit any fancy by Jane Keltner for Brighton Pavilions.

credit: Dragonette, Ltd/1st dibs

This limited-edition Moon Cradle designed by Piero Fornasetti gently rocks the night away. At Dragonette, Ltd. through 1st dibs.

credit: DeGarrio

The Heirloom Canopy Crib by DeGarrio is delicately forged and painted, and looks like a sweetly old-fashioned tole bed.

credit: Giggle

For the hip, uber-cool, eco-conscious baby, Giggle presents the Sam Crib, with interchangeable decorative panels.

credit: Kentshire Galleries/1st dibs

Kentshire Galleries, Ltd. through 1st dibs, showcases this c. 1880 Victorian treasure.

Hush now, sleep tight. In honor of the very recent birth of my little grandson.

As the new year begins, mirrored furnishings and accessories are the stylish way to reflect.   The beauty, craftsmanship and quality of these finds speak for themselves, but Pottery Barn, Pier One Imports, Target and Z Gallerie offer well-priced sparklers, too.

credit: Christopher Guy

Mirrored Loveseat by Christopher Guy available with numerous fabric choices, COM or COL.

credit: Ironies

Faux bois grain on mirror panels, the Eyvind Bed by Ironies.

credit: Julia Gray, Ltd.

Julia Gray, Ltd. contrasts antique gold leaf details against foxed mirror on the #1770 Mirrored Desk.

credit: Wisteria

A little jewel in your garden, with an electroplated metallic finish, the Chinese Stool by Wisteria.

credit: Worlds Away

The Hilton Antique Mirror Table Lamp with Rectangular Mirrored Shade by Worlds Away.

credit: Jean de Merry

Jean de Merry takes it over the top with gilded eagle claw feet, twisted trestle and baguette cut mirror on the Borghesi Console.

Which is the fairest of them all?

While you were busy preparing the financial statements of your company, you overlooked a very important factor. Don’t worry because this doesn’t refer to any miscalculation of your revenues or assets, rather you had skipped an integral part of your success: the interior design of your office. Don’t roll your eyes thinking that designing an office is a negligible and an irrelevant expenditure because getting some interior design ideas for your office is important.

Rogers Design Group (Office Design Ideas)

Decorating your office is as important as decorating your bedroom or your drawing room. It can have a very positive impression on your customers as well as your employees. Plus, it could be an indirect way to boost your revenues. The minute ‘revenue’ was included, your interest must have developed, so before you lose it, let’s have a peek at the corporate side of interior designing.

Designing the interior of your corporation includes designing your offices, work rooms, boardrooms, and other spaces inside your office premises. It may cover everything starting from your office bathroom to your conference room.

Interior designers who specialize in designing commercial interiors usually work with corporate clients to create professional yet tasteful environments. An office will give a professional touch with appropriate office furniture, carpeting, flooring and lightening, along with the regular office items such as proper electric systems for computers and other office equipments.

Sometimes, you don’t just need to fill in your office space. Rather, simply arrange the existing furniture in an appropriate manner to give it a different look. Before you decide on how your office should look, review your company’s goals and objectives. You can’t close your eyes and bring your office some casual furniture when your work requires you to act formally. It is important to have a clear idea on what type of visitors or clients your company is expecting or hoping to attract.

Clients are like company guests who can bring either profit or loss to your financial statements. So, if you make your clients happy, surely they will please you by contributing to the profits. To take extra care, make them comfortable. This can be done by having a waiting area which is decorated perfectly to match the corporate environment, but is riveting enough that it doesnít allow your clients to move unless they sign a contract or close a deal.

After you have dealt with your client’s needs, you must also consider your employee’s preferences. They are the ones who will make the deal work out for the clients, thus compelling them to visit the company’s waiting room again to close some more deals. A deal or contract which was induced by a pleasant corporate environment ends well only when your employees are given a comfortable environment. The goal of professional interior designing is to provide a perfect corporate environment that is cozy yet conducive to efficient working habits.

Lighting is included in your corporate interior designing. Lights too bright or too dim can affect their productivity and can be the result of your company’s doom. Depending on what’s most suitable, add some pendant lighting, wall sconces, or ceiling lights.

As interior designing can influence efficiency and productivity, it should be considered closely rather than being classified as an extra expense.

Content provided by Design Shuffle – a social media site filled with interior design ideas from top tier design talent around the world.

In defining a classic, Wikipedia states that “houndstooth is a duo-tone textile pattern, characterized by broken checks or abstract four-pointed shapes, often in black and white.  Originating in the Scottish Lowlands, it is made with alternating bands of four dark and four light threads in both warp and weft”.

There are many ways to twist a classic -  scale, color, even the material used to create the pattern.

credit: Decorati

Kyle Bunting has turned ordinary cowhides into showstopping focal points – playing with pattern, nap, texture and color.  The Black Dog by Kyle Bunting, available through Decorati.

credit: 1st dibs

A pair of fantastic mid-century klismos chairs by Kenneth Froy, available through BG Galleries at 1st dibs, and upholstered in the spectacularly over-scaled Magazine Street Weave/Onyx by Diamond Baratta Design for Lee Jofa.

credit: Kravet

Kravet’s Jingle in 3 colorways, softens the pattern with a heathered approach.

credit: York Wallcoverings

York Wallcoverings Carlisle Collection, Houndstooth in Red, 4 other colorways available.

credit: Jonathan Adler

What do 100% llama wool, a zebra and houndstooth have in common? Jonathan Adler answers the question!  Also available in custom colors and sizes through their Design Your Own program.

What classic would you like to riff on?

COM/COL/COT? No, not a game of Scrabble, but acronyms of the design world that are part and parcel when ordering custom upholstery. Rather than choosing one of the standard fabric or leather options carried by a furniture manufacturer, a designer can opt for something truly unique for the client, from the infinite possibilities offered by hundreds of textile suppliers.

COM – Customer’s Own Material – The yardage specified by a manufacturer is generally given as plain goods (no repeat), 54″ wide.  If the fabric is narrower or has a repeat, additional yardage is required.  Repeats are generally figured on whichever is greater, vertical or horizontal.  For example, if the fabric is 48″ wide with a 36″ repeat, an additional 40% more fabric would need to be ordered.  Care should be given when choosing fabric; the location of the dominant motif, repeat size and scale in relation to the frame, and the pattern weave direction, all can affect the final product.

COL – Customer’s Own Leather – The amount specified by a manufacturer is given in total square feet required.  As leather is a natural product, there is not a “standard” hide size, but generally hides run between 40-55 square feet of usable goods.  Usable goods is the amount of leather that can be used for the upholstery process, and does not include the waste or scrap.  The leather supplier will supply enough hides to fill the order, and depending upon the supplier, will or won’t charge for any overage.   There is generally a 10-20% upcharge for upholstering with leather.

COT – Customer’s Own Trim – A somewhat lesser known term, but still part of the upholstery process.  Custom welt cord or fringe trim for a throw pillow, is just as important as the perfect fabric.  Always given in yards required, some manufacturers will charge an additional fee for applying the custom trim.

Truly, the words say it all – customer’s own.  The sofa or chair or chaise becomes a unique reflection of the client’s taste and the designer’s vision.