Hi, Gabrielle here again for another Top 5! Most of you probably know I spent the last week in New York City for Blogfest 2012. Blogfest was a pretty impressive event in itself (in fact you can read my detailed review here), but the highlight was definitely visiting the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse.

Kips Bay occurs once a year to raise money for the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club. Each year, 20-30 of New York’s best designers are selected to decorate a room in the famous Kips Bay brownstone. The house is then open for visitors for a month in the Spring, and all proceeds go to the Club.

This year was a bit different since, as rumours suggest, the brownstone was sold prior to the event, and the house moved to the 21st and 22nd floor of the Aldyn Building, a new glass construction on the Upper West Side overlooking the Hudson River.

The change in location sprouted a few main trends at this years event. The first trend I noticed was that designers were concerned with trying to retain a feeling of homeliness despite the large walls of windows and lack of structural character. To that end, many of them didn’t seem bothered with blocking the view with furniture or even art!

If you ask me, blocking a bit of the view is OK when you have so much of it!

Second, the wall and ceiling textures. A few of the designers mentioned the need to get creative in order not to have the place look like the white box it actually was. The result: lots of wallpapers, grasscloth, silverleaf, wood panelling, lacquered walls and ceilings, you name it, it was there!

Third, as you may have noticed so far, blues greens and yellows were everywhere! From royal to aqua, from kelly to moss, from mustard to citrine, these colors dominated this year’s showcase.

There were endless amounts of rooms in this place but I want to share my top 5 with you today.

“The Library” by Jamie Drake: I’m not sure I really need to justify myself here: kelly green grasscloth walls, bright jewel tones, weird but fun geometric antiqued mirrored chair. Off camera, the room also had silverleaf ceilings (my favorite), and a giant floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall kelly green built-in bookcase.

” A Collector’s Bedroom” by Alexander Doherty: I’ve already featured this designer on my blog following Kips Bay because this room was to die for! A coral lacquered credenza, wood paneled walls, a art collection to rival the Guggenheim (ok maybe not, but close), a fur blanket, soft sisal carpeting, this room had it all!

“Le Bureau Privé” by Raji Radhakrishnan: A lot of the rooms I was drawn to had very neutral palettes, like this office below: creams, browns, peachy tones… The ceiling was finished in venetian plaster, the linen shades looked soft and were letting the light in, and the art was the statement of the room.

“The Lounge” by Shawn Henderson: I have to give mad props to this room for having a swing! And a comfortable looking one at that. Can you imagine anything more fun than going off to your private quarters to sip on champagne and hop on your swing (ideally not in that order)? Ok, besides the swing, the walls were such a beautiful texture and color, it really deserved a spot in the top 5.

“The Bedroom” by Alexa Hampton: I already shared this photo last week so I will keep this to a minimum, but there is no words to really convey how I feel about this room. Besides the breathtaking views of the Hudson River, This bedroom has everything I love and more: lacquered walls, silverleaf ceiling, canopy bed, headboard, sconces, art pattern, drama… I need to make my bedroom like this one day.

So I’m curious, do you have a favorite room? Have you seen the house in person or just in photos?

Until next week!

Gabrielle | Savvy Home

Sources: All photos taken by Rikki Snyder 1. Bryant Keller Interiors 2. Coffinier Ku Design 3. Robert Schwartz and Karen Williams for St Charles 4. David Scott Interiors 5. Brian Del Toro Inc 6. Thom Filicia Inc 7. Scott Sanders LLC 8. Drake Design Associates 9. Alexander Doherty Design 10. Raji RM & Associates 11. Shawn Henderson Interior Design 12. Mark Hampton LLC

Bonjour les D&D’s girls !!!

J’ai toujours beaucoup aimé les états du Sud des États-Unis. Cette ambiance si particulière, l’architecture très coloniale et ces arbres indéfinissables, comme si ils étaient chargés d’histoire.

Comme toutes les fins de semaine, j’ai fait ma petite revue de presse des blogues de photographes de mariage que j’aime et j’y ai fait une belle découverte. Ma chère équipe de Christian Oth Studio, des photographes de la côte est, nous offre les photos d’un mariage immortalisé à Thomasville en Georgie.

Unis pour la vie en Georgie, nos amoureux du jour se nomment Megan & Nico. Si vous avez comme une impression de déjà vu, c’est tout à fait normal. Elle a joué dans Love and Other Drugs et lui a tenu le rôle du Prince William dans William & Kate (j’espère ne pas être la seule à avoir vu ce film?! Ah Ah !).

Dans un mariage, il faut toujours choisir un thème, des textures et des couleurs qui, ensemble, forment votre mariage. Comme une signature de vos premiers pas de jeunes mariés.

Les cadeaux pour les invités …
Il faut savoir que par tradition, il est important d’offrir un présent à chacun des membres du cortège. Un cadeau identique! Puis un cadeau à chacun des invités pour les remercier d’avoir participé au plus beau jour de votre vie.
Soyez originaux s’il vous plaît! De mon côté, le meilleur cadeau que j’ai reçu était un pot de confiture maison. Et oui, cela peut surprendre mais les meilleurs cadeaux sont souvent ceux qui sont faits maison avec amour.

Quel style de bouquet choisir quand on a une robe de mariée avec un imprimé fleuri? Quel casse-tête! Moi je vous conseille d’aller rajouter de la complémentarité sans que cela soit trop imposant. Ce bouquet en est donc le parfait exemple.

Je crois que les anémones sont mes fleurs favorites. Des pétales blanches avec un cœur noir! C’est un petit bijou.

Encore un bon point pour ce bouquet. Il vient rappeler celui de la mariée mais aussi la couleur dominante des robes des demoiselles d’honneur.

Je suis définitivement une amoureuse des petits garçons d’honneur qui viennent annoncer l’arrivée de la mariée. C’est tout simplement adorable.

La mariée et ses demoiselles d’honneur …

Ma photo coup de cœur de ce mariage : simplicité, élégance, naturelle.

Le marié et ses garçons d’honneur.

N’oublions pas que nous sommes dans les États du Sud. Le clin d’œil latino est presque obligatoire.

J’ai toujours beaucoup apprécié les centres de table en hauteur. L’argument numéro 1 est qu’essayer d’apercevoir son voisin de table en face de soi à travers une montage de fleurs n’est jamais chose facile. L’argument numéro 2 est que ça vous limite à vous parler avec vos voisins à votre droite et votre gauche, torticolis assuré le lendemain.

Ce centre de table a-t-il vraiment besoin de commentaire ? En plus dans une vasque à champagne! Magnifique.

Je précise que ce centre de table a été conçu pour une table ronde. C’est le seul cas où le centre de table de hauteur moyenne est acceptable.

Bye bye les amoureux et tous mes vœux de bonheur !

Pourquoi choisir une robe de mariée originale?

Si le blanc et le côté meringue des robes de mariée ne sont pas faits pour vous, n’hésitez pas à aller vers un modèle de robe originale. Quand je dis originale je parle d’un modèle qui réussira à vous mettre en valeur, dont la couleur sera complémentaire à votre teint de peau et qui ne sera pas trop lourde pour que vous puissiez danser jusqu’au bout de la nuit.

N’hésitez pas à me faire part de vos commentaires, je serai ravie d’y répondre.

Bon mercredi et on se retrouve prochainement pour découvrir un autre type de design de mariage,

Charlotte du blogue Ma vie en rose bonbon

Hello hello lovelies!!

What a weekend it has been. Like two girls on a mission Gabrielle, of Savvy Home, and I left Montréal on Friday to attend the second edition of the BlogPodium in Toronto. I absolutely love attending these events that feel like “class reunions” where all the girls (and some men too) get to see each other after what seems to be a too long span.

And can I tell you that we did not regret it!! Not only were we entertained on the subject of monetizing your blog (lots of food for thought…) by keynote speaker-extraordinaire Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely, but we also got to hear the insights of Christine (Bijou & Bohème), Lindsay (Litle House Blog) as well as Cheryl Kozoriz from the social media team of Gluckstein Home & Laura Muirhead, PR specialist at Tribal DDB.

Our weekend was brought to new heights when we, the intrepid Québec duo, stumbled upon the Christie Antiques Show  where we saw (GASP!) hundreds of vendors selling everything from vintage trinkets to high end collectibles and furniture. Joy!!! I can tell you that I have never enjoyed so much owning a minivan (mark my words… I have never said this before!)

Which brings me to today’s gorgeous images… as you might know by now, I am partial to vintage finds and antiques especially with a Mid Century Modern or Hollywood Regency flair. Imagine my joy when we scored a “Don Draper” lamp (look on his desk in Mad Men… it’s the same!), a Kilim rug (yes yes the real McCoy) an industrial metal stool, a chrome & turquoise Electrolux fan, a pair of solid brass lamps, a green bed… and the list goes on!!!

Although my home (and the one of Gaby which I got to visit for the first time tonight) is fairly contemporary and devoid of clutter, I happen to think that it is charming because of the pieces of nostalgia that inhabit each room. These tokens of decades past are what bring to life an otherwise streamlined design. So if you have the chance to visit a few garage sales or flea markets this summer, look for items that remind you of your childhood, of a movie you loved, or simply that tickle your fancy. Who knows you might score big time too!!

Source: Skepps Holmen via Design Attractor

Painter Enrique Garcia Lozano puts his money where his mouth is… by living in a gallery style loft, surrounded by his exposed work.

In the vast space of exposed columns, high ceilings and polished concrete floors, the artful display of paintings brings colour and texture to the space; while a mix of Mid Century pieces and vintage finds furnish the loft in a dishevelled yet cohesive whole.

The mezzanine kitchen is where it’s at for me though! The checker board marble floor tiles and table, its mismatched chairs, and stainless steel cabinets give the space a restaurant quality while feeling very cozy niched up high above the living area.

How about this tufted headboard in bright peacock blue velvet? With the colourful swirl pillow and the ox blood red throw, it comes alive and makes a statement in the otherwise stark white bedroom.

Photographers: P. Zuloaga & I. Sentmenat for Elle