Welcome back, dear readers! I’m thrilled to share this flip project with you. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m bursting with excitement to unveil this stunning transformation. This home is a true testament to my love for design and the art of turning a space into something extraordinary.
Let’s kick things off with the built-in bar area, a true gem of this home. We’ve adorned it with a sophisticated palette of black, brown, and brass, creating a space that oozes elegance. The Nero Marquina marble countertop, graced with delicate white veining, is not only visually striking but also exudes a touch of luxury. Above it, black cabinetry adds a sense of depth, providing both functionality and style. Overhead, you’ll find sconces that cast a warm and inviting glow, perfect for setting the mood during gatherings.
Moving on to the powder room, prepare to be enchanted by its opulence. The focal point of this space is the wall-to-wall Calacatta Viola marble sink, paired with a matching backsplash that exudes grandeur. Flanking the sink, golden sconces add a touch of glamor, casting a soft and flattering light. An asymmetrical gold mirror hangs above, creating a captivating visual contrast. The gold sink fixtures complete the look, making every visit to this powder room a luxurious experience. And let’s not forget the harlequin tile floor, which adds a dash of drama to this lavishly appointed space.
Now, let’s step into the heart of the home—the kitchen. Here, we’ve designed a space that seamlessly blends form and function. The centerpiece of this kitchen is the cantilevered marble island, with a fluid design that transitions effortlessly into a dining table. It’s not just a place for culinary creations; it’s a gathering spot where memories are made. The herringbone floor adds a classic touch, while brass accents throughout the kitchen bring warmth and sophistication.
This flip project has been a labor of love, and I couldn’t be prouder of the results. Every detail has been carefully considered, from the choice of materials to the placement of fixtures. It’s a true representation of my design aesthetic—a harmonious blend of luxury, functionality, and style.
As always, I hope this project inspires you to follow your own passions and embark on your design journeys. Thank you for joining me on this adventure, and stay tuned for more exciting projects to come.
You won’t believe the great things I found at West Elm recently. You’ll love them, so come shopping with me!
I love these chairs. They’re copies of ones by Marco Zanuso and I actually just bought some original Zanuso chairs and they’re being shipped from Europe to me. Zanuso was a leading Italian modernist designer and architect and I do really like these copies and their color, which is fun and fresh. This is a very good find right now at West Elm and the price points are really quite good. And these chairs are nice and heavy. When you buy from catalogs or online you don’t get an idea of the quality of the pieces you’re buying. These chairs were regularly $699 and up and they’re on sale for $599.
I’m always looking for pieces for outdoors, for myself and for my clients, and I like to mix and match. Although I feel like my outdoor pieces are a little bit too matchy currently, but what can you do? I love this Monti Lava stone side table. It’s priced at $199, is nice and heavy and looks good. And the lava stone coffee table has statement sculptural legs that draw the eye, in and out of the house.
The store had a good selection of natural pillows with fun textures and all the same color and great to display on your sofa to give is a clean, fresh vibe.
This planter is made to look like concrete but actually made from a lightweight composite that’s easy to move around. And it’s frost proof. It comes in a bunch of different sizes priced at a range of $89 to $549, although they’re also on sale now. I love these gigantic ones and I’m going to buy some! This is a definite must-have if you’re looking for outdoor items at an incredible price.
I also love this planter, also made of a lightweight composite. It comes in three different sizes and has this pretty fluting.
This next planter is extra special. It’s called the Cecilia and is my favorite planter of this season.
The marble items catch my eye next. What a surprise! I love marble anything and these platters are fantastic. (The small one is $38.) They come in different sizes and have multiple uses. You can even put the small one on your kitchen counter as a spoon rest. So think outside of the box. Marble platters of any size are always a fun thing.
This light fixture really caught my eye. I love this mid-century look. Obviously it’s a copy. We all know it’s a copy but for $699, it’s great. The fixture is made of steel and dark bronze and I think it’s very chic.
They also have a Serge Mouille copy that I think looks fantastic. He was a French industrial designer and goldsmith known best for his light fixture designs. This copy is a really great chandelier, perfect for a round dining table, a definite must-have!
This leather chair really beckons to me. A piece inspired by Brazilian mid-century designs, it’s comfortable with an angular back and smooth curved arms. It’s a little light, but I like it. I do wish it could be heavier and more substantial.
In this bedroom area I love this screen. It has natural caning which contrasts with its lacquered finish, and the kiln-dried wood gives you privacy. Even if you don’t need privacy, this screen is a great way to divide a room.
Here’s a great swivel chair. I like the fabric, kind of a beige/gray, but what I’m really excited about is this coffee table, the Maddox table that has a solid white marble top with engineered wood backing and a mango wood base in a white finish.
It looks super expensive and the fact that it has a pure marble top makes it a winner. At $799 and sustainably sourced, you can’t do any better.
As far as accessories go, I don’t personally like to over accessorize but when I find something good like these wooden links, I get super excited. This is expensive, $110, but it makes an impact. I also found two other accessories that I like. I like the smaller one better. It’s on a real marble base and would look great placed on a stack of books.
The Hargrove coffee table is the perfect square and has rounded edges. It feels nice and heavy, looks good and has cute little drawers where you can hide games, kids’ toys and so on. It’s $899.
This chair stopped me in my tracks. What I like about it is that it’s nice and wide and really makes a statement. If you have a large space or a corner you want to fill up, this chair would do nicely. It’s comfortable, it swivels and I say, go for it!
This bed is such a great find. If you want to get the super luxurious hotel look, buy three duvets and a feather pillow topper. You’ll sweat to death but at least you’ll get the look.
There’s a wicker chair I have to show you before I leave because I don’t think I can live without it. She’s perfect and is coming home with me. The chair has this curvy form that adds volume to any room and cushions for comfort. At $699, this is a good deal. Who knows how long it will last but for $699 who cares?
Finally, this bench has elegant curves, a nice thick cushion and slim metal legs. For in front of a queen bed, this is a home run.
One of the highlights of my life has been designing a collection of low-pile chenille rugs with Ruggable. I never thought I would have this unique opportunity to share my designs with people all over this country and in Canada and the U.K. When Ruggable called and said they had done a collaboration with the designer Jonathan Adler which had gone well and now wanted to do one with me, I said, “Who? Moi? Me?’’
I was so excited and said I would like nothing better than for people to have a washable option for their rugs. And that’s why Ruggable is so special. You can wash their rugs! This makes them easy to live with, and allows you to have a pet in the home, which, as you can see, I now have in baby Oscar. Oscar arrived at the same time as my rugs launched and let me tell you, the rugs’ washability factor has been very helpful so far.
Ruggable is one of the first companies to make washable rugs. Why would you want to wash your rugs? Why not? If you have an accident, (or your dog does!) or people over to your house spilling wine everywhere, you won’t fret because you know everything will come out in the wash. I don’t usually serve red wine but now I ask myself, why not grab a Chianti? And being affordable, you buy two or three and change the look of your room whenever you want.
You can see all the rugs, inspired by Paris, my favorite city in the world, online, but I’m going to show you some of my favorites. My Seine rug with its abstract swirl design comes in ivory with black, sage or camel, and is named for the famous river that runs alongside the streets of Paris and mimics its subtle and tranquil flow.
I have the ivory and camel version in my dining room which I think is a perfect neutral and works with an entire host of different aesthetics, time periods and design motifs. It lends itself to modern and Mid Century along with contemporary and something a little edgier than that, too. The design makes it versatile and we all need versatile pieces for our homes.
The Marion collection has rugs in ivory with camel or black and a cobweb of intersecting lines that reflect the busy streets of Paris. It’s also an ode to my very first pair of shoes with a kitten heel that my parents finally allowed me to get when I was 13. They had black splatter over them and I was obsessed with them, and truth to tell, I still am!
I have a bunch of my rugs peppered throughout my home and they work well with my overall look. As I told you, the one I’m using in my dining room is the Seine rug but in ivory and camel and I can’t tell you how it brought the room together. In my family room, I have the Marion rug in camel which has made it a great space for me to hang out with my family and Oscar worry-free. Ruggable’s two-piece system creates rugs that come in two pieces: a lightweight, removable cover over a clingy, non-slip pad that keeps the cover securely in place. When it’s time for a wash – (or you’ve got a new puppy!) – you peel off the cover, throw it in the wash, and voilà—the rug is as good as new! It’s the low-maintenance solution we’ve all been searching for! Oscar has been hard on this rug. He’s had a few accidents and his sharp little nails have been all over it yet the rug is so well made there has been zero wear and tear. It was important for me to partner with a company that produces quality products that look high-end and are affordably priced.
My Loire rug in Ivory Quartz features an abstract swirl of shapes and lines in cream, dark grey, off-white, and deep dusty rose. Essentially it’s an abstract watercolor with a floral design. Here it is pictured under my bed in my primary bedroom. The rug is also very soothing and subtle with muted colors. I wanted it to be for bedrooms and other rooms where you’re trying to create a calming effect.
I love these rugs and I hope you will, too.
All photography has kindly been provided by the Ruggable team.
There are some new design styles taking over in 2022 and I want to share some of the most interesting ones with you. The first is called Japandi, a style that combines elements of both traditional Japanese and Scandinavian rustic design. Though you may not think the two styles have much in common, each one’s aesthetics are rooted in simplicity, comfort, natural elements, soft hues and sustainability. (The name Japandi is a melding of Japan and “DI”, for Scandi.)
For example, we’re seeing designers incorporating feng shui – an ancient Chinese practice that configures a structure so as to harmonize it with its environment and with the spiritual forces that inhabit it. The idea is to ensure your surroundings are comfortable while still being ordered. We know Japanese interiors tend to be sleek and warmer in color while Nordic ones are more stark and crisp with generally cold palettes, so the combination of the two allows for a simple, minimalist but cozy style.
You’re going to see a lot of neutral tones: terracotta, white and a look focused on what I call structured minimalism. You have beautiful shapes, as in the lanterns in this living room and the chair that’s sitting in this particular living space with beautiful oak details. The essence of Japandi style is bringing the outdoors in, along with a lot of white space as you can see in these photos. There’s a lot of white, whether it’s in the chair or in a dining room that has mid-century lighting and white walls or carpet. This style also has a lot of sculptural elements. You’ll see curvaceous chairs with beautiful rounded backs and round rugs.
There’s a big emphasis on oval and rounded chairs and coffee tables and a lot of warm, rich, worn-in leather. The trend is not about being slick and clean and shiny. It’s about being comfortable and at one with your world. If you look at this shower, you’ll see it’s not tiled. Lots of designers are plastering shower walls these days, including me. It makes for a very soothing, warm style that Japandi is all about.
You’ve probably heard rumblings about the next design style I want to tell you about: Grandmillennial, and wondered, “What is that?”! I’m here to tell you! Grandmillennial is making its mark as “The New Traditional”, it’s really just the evolution of traditional design.
The Millennials have a great spin on this style rooted mostly in maximalism, where displaying collectibles and piling on becomes part of the design. There’s a lot of wallpaper with its traditional undertones and a tendency to use vintage pieces, which is great for the planet.
Grandmillennial style favors putting pieces together that are oddly juxtaposed. You’ll have colorful floral wallpaper like you see in this room, paired with this vintage light. Grandmillennial is a style that does not shy away from layering things, bringing things together and it’s a really fun style where the eye is stimulated from left to right.
Take this very interesting room, for example. The walls are pink and you have a beautiful emerald green velvet sofa from Kagan, an asymmetrical mirror and orange and green curtains that are really mixed up with velvet and tassels and trim with some check patterning. It’s maximalism at its most maximal and the polar opposite to Japandi, but it’s an engaging style that’s really fun to look at.
The third style emerging right now is called Neotenic design, a term coined in 2019 by designer Justin Donnelly to describe a playful style incorporating child-like forms. This style features softer structures and exaggerated scale and proportion with squishy, whimsical aesthetic that aims to soften the angularity and rigidity of contemporary furniture and décor.
This photo illustrates the look. You have the famous wavy mirror based on Ettore Sottsass’ original design, and these droll pieces of furniture with their extravagant volume. And don’t forget color. It’s everywhere. You’ll see chairs in purple and yellow and orange. And things that don’t seem to be in scale, yet then come together beautifully.
I think this style is going to be around for quite some time because it’s a look that grabs your attention and makes a statement. Because design isn’t only about having a beautiful home. It’s about making a statement. What does your home say about you?
The hottest trend right now is the material terrazzo, a composite of marble, granite, and quartz chippings set into cement.
It originated in 16th-century Italy as a way to reuse leftover stone and works well for residential and commercial buildings because it is almost indestructible. What I love about terrazzo is that as you use it over time, it hones and polishes itself and you’ll see specks of marble or other stone that you hadn’t seen before. And all that brings color. It was very hot in the 50s and 60s, especially in Los Angeles and you see people saving it now, not tearing it out. Terrazzo also comes in tiles.
People are making it themselves because it’s a cost-effective way to get flooring and so on into their homes. The best thing is that you can customize terrazzo so you get exactly what you want.
In this photo you’ll see stairs made of terrazzo next to a black handrail that is very striking and gives it a very modern look.
Terrazzo is also being used a lot in kitchens in gorgeous colors and in bathrooms where floors are notoriously difficult to keep clean. You can even put it out by the pool instead of concrete, adding color and life to your yard.
It’s taking over and I hope it stays around for a while because I love it!
I’m here in Los Angeles at Waterworks, probably the most luxurious bathroom and kitchen showroom of all time and a personal favorite of mine. I’m excited to show you all the new finishes along with a new line by Waterworks that is actually competitively priced so you too can afford to trim your bathrooms and kitchens with the best items out there.
The showroom is in West Hollywood and I’m here to meet up with a client but before I did that, I thought I’d give you guys a tour of this jewel of a showroom.
As you can see, everything is elevated in taste and style. They have the most beautiful show kitchens, bathtubs, and lighting and plumbing fixtures. You can luxuriate in your bath and do business at the same time. When my client walked in she said the showroom was mind-blowing and jaw-dropping. Which is exactly how I feel.
Waterworks make some of the best cabinetry on the market and their inlaid metal details are unparalleled. You can find wonderful details including seeing these cabinets paired with butcher block and marble counters.
The drawer details are also great as you can see in this burgundy bar where the black splash is made of glass, giving the bar an old world vibe. The hardware is all brass and beautifully finished. One of the things I love is this double sink and the faucet in this kitchen with pots hanging from above. Both allow you to have two people working in the kitchen at the same time while keeping the design look very chic. I especially love the spray handle in the middle of this polished nickel double spout faucet. What fun!
As you guys know, I love natural wood cabinets and this kitchen with its linear brass hardware and retro knobs looks great. I love the subway tiles, I love these thick, chunky faucets, not to mention details like these gorgeous spouts. This cast iron bathtub has a solid brass cup filler that lets you take a long hot bath. Just what we all need once in a while.
The shower is great too with its solid brass fixtures and unique arched shower heads. They seem to come from a different era.
Just a note: Waterworks also has an array of bath accessories from towels to baskets to hampers and those can be picked up in the showroom. Everything else has to be ordered.
Just look at this gorgeous combination of brass fixtures against a terrazzo-tiled shower wall. Waterworks has lots of pretty tile that you can mix with brass so your shower can look like this!
I ran into this oval copper bathtub reminiscent of the high, sloping French tubs of the 19th century. It costs nearly $63,000, but don’t fret!
Here’s a collection of more affordable fixtures for common bathrooms. The primary bathroom fixtures are more expensive, of course. I love that the kitchen hardware comes in a variety of colors and in different finishes from lacquered to un-lacquered, matte to nickel. They can coordinate with your bathroom as it is and make it feel fresh and new.
Waterworks’ lighting fixtures are unique and original. They look very expensive and yes, they are expensive but they’re a one-time splurge for, perhaps, a primary bathroom. I particularly like this Art Deco light with its frosted glass, as well as the wall-mounted double sconce with fluted glass shades.
I hope you enjoyed the tour and that it gave you some inspiration for your own homes.
As you may know, I’m an ambassador for Anthropologie and its Anthro Living lifestyle branch, and now that spring is here, I thought I’d show you how I set a garden dinner table for six with Anthro Living’s pieces.
The first thing I do is place flowers in Anthro’s terracotta Verona vases from Portugal on a nearby coffee table. To set the table, I lay out the Duke fringe-trimmed, oatmeal linen placemats which are a stylish base for the rest of the items.
I also place this really fun cotton/linen table runner to pull the look together. Then I lay the Vivi dinner plates, handcrafted and glazed in Portugal. They are thick and substantial and have the most charming floral design.
On top of the dinner plates, I stack my Renata side plates. With alternating patterns, they make the table look more interesting. I just love the sweet floral motif. Anthro Living’s napkins also have different but complementary patterns and colors and work well for a very visually intriguing table. I place them between the side plate and dining plates.
The Jessa wine glasses, made in Mexico from recycled hand-blown glass, go to the right of the plate. And for utensils, I love using gold pieces to bring a bit of color and warmth into the tablescape. Forks go on the left and knives on the right and the dessert spoon goes above the plates. I plan to serve sorbet for this wonderful warm evening so I place pretty deep bowls on the top of the plates because even though they won’t be used first, they’re so fun and chic I want all my guests to enjoy the entire table before I dismantle parts of it. The Vivi pitcher is a really good one. I always like to have cool water on hand and ready so people can stay hydrated.
And, of course, there is nothing more special than fresh flowers on a spring table. I coordinated the colors of the flowers with the colors in the runner and stoneware so that together they can bring the table to life. And they do!
I also position my Copia vessel on the table because I’ll be using it for salad.
I love candles on a dinner table, whether I’m indoors or outdoors. The flickering of the light and the shadows they cast lend depth and mood and Anthro’s molded Fiorella candles work great.
I’m done! I’m ready to entertain and it’s going to be a fun evening of laughter, reminiscence and the comfort of good friends.
As you can see, this was a big transformation. We spent quite a bit of time and quite a bit of money doing it. It was something I had planned on doing after the house was built, but when it was finished seven years ago, we had run out of cash. Now, finally, we were able to tackle the project the way we wanted to.
The only thing that was in this backyard before we started demo and work was the pool and grass we threw on. The first thing we had to deal with was all the ugly concrete coping around the pool. That was the least expensive way of building the pool during construction and we knew eventually we would have to change it. We just didn’t know how, or even what we were going to do. So we went with the cheapest option. To figure out what we were going to do with the coping was quite a challenge. We thought about removing it, but given the prohibitive cost of a demo and quite possibly shattering the bottom of the plaster pool while doing it – we decided against it.
One solution we found, which was probably the best solution, was to cover the coping with tile that we laid right on top of the coping. We raised the backyard elevation so everything would be flush and tiled everything in this gorgeous outdoor porcelain that is very durable and looks great.
Drainage is also a very important consideration when you’re designing your backyard, so in order to make sure that nothing from the raised elevation went into the pool we added these long channel drains against the pool. That way, when it rained the water would flow down and drop into the channel drains and not the pool.
Once we decided where the tile was going to go, we carried it through and created a pathway from the pool to the loggia. We got this gorgeous pendant light from Circa Lighting, and we built this fountain to give the yard a sense of Zen.
We also continued the tile from the loggia to this nook where the fountain sits. From there, we created a hardscape where we used white pebbles over grates. These grates are wonderful for when you’re using pebbled rocks to create pathways because they create stability. With them, we installed a beautiful pathway which you can use to enter and exit the property.
We then lined the pebbles on each side with mondo grass. We already had these large ficus hedges behind that gave us privacy and which we planted when we moved in seven years ago. As you can see, they’ve fully matured and look wonderful against the pebbled pathway.
We loved the look of these mature boxwood spheres and planted them in different corners of the property to create some visual interest and a manicured look, because while my style is well manicured, it also includes a smidgeon of whimsy.
In several areas we have small square planters in which we planted multi-branched olive trees. They were fairly small when we planted them and have grown to be quite large. Around them we planted those spheres I talked about as well as boxwood hedges to create an illusion of depth, a border that was necessary to give the area some definition and bring in a lot of green against the new tile floor.
Along the main wall of the property which we built ourselves, we planted Japanese blueberries. They don’t need a lot of dirt, which was good because we had an issue of a footing where the wall stood, which meant we couldn’t plant anything with deep roots there. The Japanese blueberry was the perfect option to plant against this very long wall.
A great idea that we came up with during construction in order to save money, was to put our pavers down, tiles that we purchased our tile 24 by 24, and instead of pouring concrete and creating pavers and complicating things, we decided to use the exact same tiles that we used throughout the property and place them along the wall to create a pathway. Additionally we put mondo grass in between the tiles to create a soft, green walkway.
The next big section of the yard we needed to address was the barbecue area, places to sit and dine and a cozy place to have cocktails after a long day at work. I didn’t want to have a typical barbecue with lots of steel drawer front. I find them ugly. So I decided to get two pieces of quartzite, and eliminate all drawer fronts. My barbecue is the Aspire from Hestan and it cooks beautifully.
At the moment, due to global shortages, it has been difficult to source outdoor furniture but I’ve been lucky enough to get the pieces I’ve needed one by one. I now have part of the set of Design Within Reach’s dining table. I have the lounge set and the club chairs but more importantly also have the chaises longues. As you can see, at the moment I only have two,but I will be acquiring more as time goes on. I also need cushions, but that’s another whole story of the logistical issues we are having in trying to source them. Never fear, I will have them for my patio — and soon!
The side tables you see alongside the chaise longues are made by moi from thequartzite left over from the barbecue. I wanted something that could withstand the environment while also looking elevated and chic.
The fireplace was a very important part of the backyard design. There’s a lot of wind here because we’re on a hill, and when it’s windy it gets very cold, even on warm summer nights. I had installed a fountain back in a corner of the yard which didn’t work because the wind would blow the water all over the place. (Aha! Even designers make mistakes!) Instead of demoing the fountain, I came up with the idea of throwing in a firebox, closing things up and now we have a fireplace that is chic and somewhere we can get together at night.
Don’t forget outdoor pathway lighting. This is a vital part of backyard design not only for esthetics but also for safety reasons. We popped in these minimal outdoor lights that sit within the boxwood wall we created and not only do they provide a warm glow but also allow you to see all the greenery.
Next, once we did the pool we still wanted to have a nice patch of grass so we created a large flat area for that. Lastly, on the hillside above the retaining wall towards the back near the pool, we wanted something interesting and decided to plant some favorites. I love saucer magnolias because I like to cut them for dinner parties, and there’s also lavender, some agave, and Japanese blueberries along the periphery. They trickle down the hill and look great.
The design trends for 2022 are very much a product of the new lifestyle so many of us have been facing as of late. If you’ve been here on Planet Earth for the past two years, you will have noticed that the ambiance in your home is now very much a part of your everyday life and all of a sudden, matters more than it did. With so many of us working from our living spaces, the home has had to become everything. Office, living space, recreational space.
Before Covid, folks left the home in the morning, spent most of the time in their cubicles or offices, and did not have time to consider their surroundings. Covid turned normal working routines on their heads and 2022’s design trends reflect that. They are geared to creating a comfortable ease in your home, an environment you want to be in all the time because, well, you’re in it most of the time!
The first trend I want to talk about is warm minimalism. Gone are the days of the cold version when we had chrome and gray and lots of steel. Instead, as we did a little in 2021, we’ve moved into warm, wood tones paired with cream colors. White is out and cream is in. Sorry, folks. (If you want to get an idea of what warm white looks like my favorite, Simply White by Benjamin Moore, is a perfect example.)
Designed and Styled by me for the Nina Takesh Furniture Collection
Take a look at this photo. We were ahead of the times when I designed this serpentine couch for a client of mine on the California coast and then we did a round white oak and white lacquer table along with swivel chairs. Everything is warm and cozy and comfortable.
Part of the warm minimalism trend includes structural lighting in earth tones. Take a look at this rattan pendant. It’s soft, it’s warm, and looks great juxtaposed with the linear sofa.
Warm minimalism also incorporates textures, as you can see in this photo. The oak in the panels and in the ceiling of this room along with the enlarged plaster fireplace gives you an idea of what I mean by earth tones and earthy materials. Nothing is slick, nothing is shiny, nothing is glitzy. The room itself is not minimal in size but its design is, including materials that feel very earthy.
The next ultra-hot 2022 design trend which you must incorporate is gigantic, impactful displays of greenery. I have these giant magnolia branches in my foyer and that’s why I plant a lot of magnolias because I love the branches for design. Greenery is trending everywhere.
If you look at this photo you’ll see a tree that was literally planted in the house. This was happening in the Seventies when people had actual gardens in their homes, and this is what’s happening now. Living walls and plants in the house that are prominent, large and focal points, are all on trend for this year.
In a further attempt to bring the outdoors in, another trend for 2022 is the move towards minimal steel or wood windows. Steel is expensive but there are lots of companies now like Marvin making minimally-framed windows with black steel grids that look great. If you’re building a house or any other space, you should think about maximum windows with minimal framing.
A third trend of 2022 is the use of natural materials, and by natural materials I mean terrazzo, terracotta, warm-toned woods and marble that is not shiny but honed in natural colors. You will also see a lot of arches in natural materials this year. In fact, I’m putting arches in my current flip project.
Natural woods with no finish are the way to go, not only on floors, which we’ve seen for a while now, but also on the walls.
In 2022 you’re going to see walls like the one in this photo, a feature wall that has a cubic vibe to and almost a trompe l’oeil effect. You’ll also see walls that are entirely paneled in wood with a door made from a rustic wood. This is not to be confused with rustic décor. This is an elevated form which looks expensive and is high style.
The absolute hottest 2022 trend is the all-over use of marble. I spotted this trend in 2018 and this year marble is being used on all surfaces. But it’s not any marble. It’s honed in warm colors, not cold and glossy.
Look at this bathroom. It’s done entirely in marble yet you don’t get a sense of being somewhere cold and inhospitable. In fact you feel a sense of warmth and comfort. Why? Because you have a pretty wooden stool in the bathroom and because of the warm tones in the marble.
If you look at this kitchen, which is probably the most liked on my Instagram page, the drawer fronts are made of marble. If your project has the budget this is one of the best things you can do in terms of design. It just makes you want to scream with happiness, it looks so good. So if you can do it, please do it and send me a photo.
The fourth greatest trend for this year is something I’ve been pushing for a while: the no-kitchen kitchen. I love the look so much. Look at this kitchen which doesn’t look like a kitchen and at the rustic oversized pendant light and the mix of these mid-century stools.
This rustic look is high end. It’s not about old and weathered and beat up. The look here is rustic next to thoughtfully chosen mid-century pieces to give it that high-style look.
The no-kitchen kitchen has also evolved into what I call island blocks . Islands are no longer boring, rectangular pieces that float in the room, they are now marble masterpieces done by artisans who are great fabricators.
Here, you can have a dining table that protrudes from an island which not only looks great but is useful. Look at the stools underneath this block island. They are very artistic and useful because you can sit on them and eat.
Talking of kitchens, do not install three pendant lights over your counter at all, or least for the foreseeable future. They are out, gone, finished. Now I’ve got them myself and if you do too, that’s fine but if you’re building a home, incorporate the single linear pendant like the one in this kitchen. Because not only are you looking at the pendant but you’re also seeing the lighting in the kitchen which is surface mounted. Recessed lighting is out. if you look at this kitchen’s ceiling, you’re going to notice the spotlights that are surface mounted. That is a hot look for 2022.
The next important trend is sculptural furniture. If your furniture isn’t sculptural, it’s not the end of the world but you’ll want to trickle in pieces that are interesting to the eye.
These Mario Bellini sofas are very popular and they’re also being used in different finishes and colors.
Bring in elements of sculptural design into your living space like the ones you see in these photographs.
They are interesting conversation pieces. And are literally, candy for the eye.
AliExpress
Another trend for this year is black and white photography. Against the warm and cozy furnishings it makes for an elevated look. If you don’t have enough money to buy gallery pieces, you can take your own photos, blow them up as big as you can, print them, frame them and display them. I think that is much more special than buying prints from a gallery.
The last and most interesting trend for this year is the new maximalism. Don’t get me wrong. We love minimalism but if you don’t like minimalism but like maximalism, let me tell you how that’s going to show itself in 2022. It’s about incorporating a lot of color, colors that lean toward the pastels.
In this photo, you’ve got this gorgeous room with a multitude of pinks and greens and somehow it works because it’s curated and done in a fanciful way.
And look at this bedroom with the paneled wood walls. It is to die for. It has the minimalism of this year’s trend, but is maximalist in its slew of objets d’art, fun decorative items that are spread whimsically throughout the room.
Who puts an object at the foot of the bed? You do and you shall.
And if you’re in tune with the color trends this year, indulge in some wallpaper, something pink maybe, like this bathroom has. With its gorgeous vista of cranes, it’s pretty, fun and done in a way that is super chic.
A lot of people message me to ask how to style their beds. They want to know how they can get their bed looking like the ones in Bloomingdales. And I’m here to tell you that you can do it and do it beautifully. And you don’t have to overspend. I’m using my guest bedroom as an example to show you exactly how I style a bed. I wanted this room to be comfortable and relaxing so my guests can unwind, lie back and breathe a sigh of relief that the day is over and this wonderful bed awaits them.
This task had a proviso: I didn’t want to spend a million dollars on a guest bedroom but I wanted it to look as if I had. And this is what I’m good at – making things look extremely expensive without breaking the bank.
I first started with the base, which is the rug. You should always start there, by picking out your rug thoughtfully. And as you can see, the tones in the rug set the standard and tone for the rest of the room. I have black lacquer doors, black trim, a black credenza so having a little bit of black in the rug made sense. Then I brought in the bed and there’s something important that you need to know about beds: when you’re buying one, don’t just get the headboard. Get the whole bed. And get a bed with feet so you don’t have to have a bed skirt. Bed skirts look dated, horrible and they’re never straight. They’re just a plain nuisance. So make sure you buy a bed, whether platform or not, that doesn’t require a bed skirt.
The next important thing to remember when choosing a bed is to pick out a fabric that won’t get dirty. I chose black, which never shows the dirt, but if you chose a light color, which I love, make sure you’re choosing a material that’s forgiving and easily cleanable. Maybe one upholstered in a performance fabric? Or make sure that the bed has a texture or pattern that won’t show dirt.
Initially, when I started designing this room, I used only hotel bedding. It’s a crisp, clean white and made of thick, plush cotton. But I also wanted to layer the bed in some fun way, which is why I decided to do a video and blog on bedding. As you know, I’m an ambassador for Anthropologie. This video is not sponsored, the products are literally ones that I love and own.
The very first thing I like to do when I’m dressing a bed is to iron the sheets. I know it’s a lot of work, but if you don’t have the time to iron the sheets, at least iron the pillowcases and shams and your duvet. Take two minutes to iron them and your shams, which cover the pillows in front of your sleeping pillows. The next thing I recommend for styling your bed would be to bring in two 24 inches by 24 inches or 18 inches by 18 inches decorative pillows that sit up in front of the sham pillows. This is a queen bed with standard-size pillows and shams, so either of those measurements would work. Then I love putting pillows that are 14 inches by 14 inches or 16 inches by 16 inches in front of them. The ones I have are fun and have so much texture. I love all the tassels and fraying and the natural fibers that a lot of designers are using currently.
The trick to achieving the hotel, stylized look is to layer your bedding with a lot of different things, but you want to do it in a way that’s balanced and makes sense. So I decided to put this comforter on top of the duvet to give a texture it lacked and also to give my guest the option to sleep under just a blanket or with a duvet.
At the end of the bed, I decided to throw this blanket because it’s fun and matched back to the pillows. I also put a blanket in that position so that if my guests decide to lie on the chaise lounge and look at the beautiful view, if they get a little chilly, all they have to do is grab this blanket and throw it around themselves. Very cozy!
One note to remember is, make sure your nightstands are the height of your mattress. You don’t want to reach up or down to get something to drink or turn your light on. If your bed is low you’ll want to find low nightstands. I found these in an estate sale. And don’t forget to read the description to make sure you’re getting exactly what you need.
Most of my pieces are vintage. That’s because I love estate sale hunting. If you want me to take you along I can. You have no idea how many wonderful pieces I’ve found over the years.
Three pieces in the room – the art, the console table and the chair were all estate sale finds. You won’t believe how much money you can save and how great it is for the environment to be able to upcycle and recycle items that have been discarded but are still great.
For those of you who don’t know what else to add to a room, consider the Kartell Ghost-style acrylic chair, which goes with everything because it’s transparent and doesn’t take up much visual or physical space. I use this chair as my vanity chair in my bathroom and I love it!
Getting Glam with Celebrity Makeup Artist, Monika Blunder
Today, I’m sharing with you my experience of getting my makeup done by celebrity makeup artist, Monika Blunder, and I’m excited to show you the process and results. We got together at her home and the first thing Monika told me is that she likes women to look like themselves – just a better version! Monika, who does makeup for movie stars Jen Garner, and Jessica Alba, said she wanted to teach me not only what to do in terms of makeup for my everyday life, but also how to do it quickly and efficiently and using quality products.
I couldn’t wait to see what Monika would do. She started with skincare because she believes it is an element a lot of women forget about or don’t know the importance of. Particularly if you’re going to apply makeup over it. Some women just put their foundation on dry skin and that’s a mistake because the foundation won’t move as well.
Monika’s a great fan of serums and moisturizers because the combination gives you a beautiful glow and she started by putting one of her favorite serums on me, the firming serum from Clé De Peau. “Just like Spanx, that tucks everything in, the serum does the same for your face, giving it firmness,” she said. And I could tell. On my skin, the serum felt not only moisturizing but also tightening. I asked Monika if she uses this on her A-list star customers and the most she would say is that she uses it on many of her clients!
For moisturizer, Monika chose one from Clé De Peau, the Volumizing Cream Supreme which she said is nice and juicy so that when she applied the next item, her Blunder Cover Foundation, it would all melt together. The foundation is a hybrid foundation/concealer. She launched the item a year ago with one brush but now other brushes too, for buffing and contouring. She tapped her brush several times into the foundation and started applying it to my face starting in the center and working her way outward. Because she had prepped my face before adding makeup, the foundation/concealer just glided on.
Monika created this product because she is well-known in Hollywood for the way she “creates” a face, and while she loves the look of flawless skin, she doesn’t like looking at someone and seeing the foundation on her face. “It was really important to me to create a product that is very skin-like,” she said.
The buffing brush is for when you want to apply the product quickly and then go back in and buff it out. I asked Monika if the product covers melasma, which I have from having done Morpheus 8, a micro-needling device that uses radio-frequency energy to remodel the face. “Absolutely!” she said.
Her foundation/concealer can be used as concealer in a very thin layer, as a thicker base, or – with her fine tulip brush – for pinpoint concealing. This is for the little target areas like melasma or breakouts. You can go in with the finer brush and just cover those areas up. I asked Monika what she thinks about sponge versus brush for makeup application. She told me sponges work particularly well with liquid products and also are fast, allowing you to apply foundation quickly. But, she added, she’s a brush girl!
Monika then put her Blunder Cover Foundation on my upper eyelids to prime them for eye makeup. Then she moved on to my eyebrows. She thought I had done a little too much on my brows and wanted to teach me how to bring them down a notch and make them look a little softer. That’s because eyebrows can make you look older if you make them too harsh. She didn’t think I needed a lot at the large part of the brow but I did need a little filling in on the top for shape and the brow needed to be dragged out and up a bit at the tip. Monika said a lot of women go downwards when shaping their eyebrows and that that is the wrong thing to do. Eyebrows should go up and then outward. Then she applied a brow gel to hold everything in place. The upshot was brows that look groomed and put together.
For eye makeup, she started with a chubby pencil from Sisley which she likes to use because it’s easy to hold and allows her to work fast and effectively. And you don’t have to be a pro to use these fat brushes! The pencil was a crème one and she applied it on my lid in the crease for shadow.
Monika likes to use varying textures for the face. “You don’t want to have everything looking matte,” she said.
That’s why she took a Dior shadow and used a fluffier brush to apply it over the cream shadow just for a hint of shimmer. She then used a matte bronzer in the socket of my eye to add definition and make my eyes look larger.
Monika then traced a line along my lower lash line with the Sisley pencil she used on my lids. And as she’s a great fan of putting brown or black along the upper waterline, she ran the pencil through my lashes and made me look like I had fuller, thicker lashes. She then used a liner on top of the upper lash line and instead of using a black liner like I always do, she used a bronze one to very pretty effect.
Then she put fake half eyelashes on my upper lashes which she recommends not for the day but for going out somewhere special in the evening. They’re not full strips and a lot of women are afraid of those because they look very heavy, but the half lashes are just enough to make a difference. Monika then applied NARS mascara on my upper lashes as close to the root of the lash she could get and then to finish, she dabbed on some NARS concealer with a brush under my eyes, over my face, and down to my neck for a smooth, even look. She said a lot of women forget about their necks because they’re in a hurry but that it’s all these little details that make the makeup look good and stand out.
Monika then applied contour with a darker shade of her Blunder Cover Foundation. She picked up the color on the angled edge of the brush and drew it gently just underneath my cheekbones for more definition. She also lightly brushed the cover foundation on my forehead and along the chin below the mouth.
Then she turned the brush to its flat side and buffed everything. She’s not a big powder person and doesn’t like thick powder, especially on an older woman, so with her fluffy brush she dabs it very gently on top of the concealer under my eyes and over the hotspots of the face like the T-zone, chin and around the lip, leaving the rest of my face luminescent. After applying mascara on my lower lashes, she brushed bronzer over the face and then used one of her own products, a liquid crème blush that brightens up my face. She used a highlighter from Tom Ford and then used lip pencil on my lips which she says every woman should do to add definition. Monika then applied a Bobbie Brown lipstick on me, suggesting that in choosing lipstick you should go for a color that is in your lip color family. I have peachy undertones so she used a peach/coral color. Last of all, she smeared Tom Ford’s Sunrise Pink lip gloss which gave my lips a wonderful shimmer.
So many of you have asked what I do for skincare, so today I’m at my vanity in my glorious LilySilk pajamas with not a lick of makeup ready to tell you. The number one thing that you have to remember is that maintaining great skin begins with you. What you put on your skin, how you sleep and what you put in your body are vitally important.
For sleeping, I love LilySilk products. The quality of the silk is high with all items from the company made with mulberry silk, the finest silk out there. And I only sleep on LilySilk pillows. Why? Because I don’t want to get wrinkles on my face! I’m not going to spend all this money on creams and forget where I’m putting my head. Silk truly helps prevent wrinkles on your face.
That’s because unlike cotton, which absorbs moisture from your skin, thus exaggerating wrinkles and fine lines, silk doesn’t suck up moisture at all. Silk pillowcases or pillows also provide a smooth surface for your skin whereas cotton pillowcases tug at your face, scrunching the collagen and causing sleep lines to appear. And that’s not all. Sleeping on silk battles frizz and bedhead and thank heaven for that!
Don’t forget that this particular silk is hypoallergenic so that means you won’t have bacteria brewing in your pillowcase and getting into your face and making you break out. So it’s worth the investment.
So, back to skincare. This is absolutely what I do every morning and every night, and I want to show you the process step by step because these secrets shouldn’t just be mine. They should be yours, too.
At night, for cleaning off my eye makeup I use my tried and true Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover by Lancôme, which I think I’ve been using since college. I have tried so many products, but this is literally the only one I’m going to recommend because it has the perfect amount of oil to water to product, so it moves the eye makeup seamlessly without leaving any residue. And additionally, it doesn’t blur your vision like a lot of other eye makeup removers which leave a lot of oil on the eyelids and eyelashes.
I get a lot of compliments on my skin and that’s because I take very good care of it and have been doing so since I was a teenager. I’ve always used sun protection, even when it wasn’t cool, and always followed my three-part makeup removal system, which has actually turned into my eight-part makeup removal system. But we won’t get into that! Just know that it’s imperative to take your makeup off every night. During the day, your skin attracts dirt and pollution which stay around until you wash it off. When you cleanse your face thoroughly, you get rid of impurities that can cause problem skin. And clean skin when sleeping also allows cells to regenerate.
The next thing I use is my enzyme cleansing gel from Mario Badescu. You can use almost any gel or cream cleanser, but I love the Badescu because the price point is good, it’s made of all-natural ingredients and I don’t break out!
When you remove your makeup, you always want to go in an upward motion. Why? Because gravity is not your friend. It’s already pulling down your face. Don’t help it along! Give your face a lift, instead. Make sure you clean every corner and angle of your face and don’t forget the neck. You’re going to thank me in your 40s and 50s that you took care of your neck.
Once all makeup residue is removed from every area – your hairline, near the ears – I use a toner. Believe it or not, as much as you think your face is clean, it isn’t. Once you use a toner you’ll see. It takes away all the grime that’s at a deeper level.
Again, I love the Mario Badescu glycolic acid toner. I’ve used the Lancôme toner and love it equally, so it really depends on your skin type which toner you choose to use. The Badescu one is very natural and affordable. I don’t care really about the brand for toners because you’re only cleaning your face, you’re not nourishing the skin. The product is not working to fight aging. Once my face is clean and toned, I then move into the cream and nutrition section of caring for my aging skin.
If you buy nothing else, you need to know that you need Vitamin C. It’s an antioxidant that helps protect your skin from free radicals in the environment, sneaky terrorists that can break down the DNA that keeps you youthful. You also need to know, however, that with Vitamin C, packaging matters. Even the best formulas can quickly oxidize and become unviable if exposed to sunlight. Your Vitamin C serum should be in an airless pump container, or an opaque or tinted glass bottle stored away from light. My Vitamin C comes in a pump. If you have calibrated droppers of Vitamin C, throw them out. They’re useless. I use Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, and what’s great about it is that it has a good amount of Vitamin C. You always want to know what percentage you’re getting and you should aim for one between 10% and 20%.
My next must-have item is also by Sunday Riley and is called Good Genes. It’s an all-in-one lactic acid serum that works on dark spots, smooths the look of lines, exfoliates dullness, and clarifies congested skin. It also has licorice in it, which is known to do wonders for the skin. Between the lactic acid and the licorice root, you’re getting a mini exfoliation while you’re sleeping. One pump is enough. I warm it up in my hands a little and apply it using the same motion that I’ve already talked about. Apply it everywhere, but don’t go near the eyes with any of these products.
After Good Genes, I use Sunday Riley’s A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum, which is a blend of retinoidsand retinoid alternatives that fight aging and improve the look of congested or UV-damaged skin. It also has CoQ10 in it, along with Hawaiian white honey for an even-toned complexion, and whenever I put it on, I can immediately tell it’s working because my face and neck start to tingle.
Then I apply a tiny dab of Sunday Riley’s Luna Sleeping Retinoid Night Oil, which helps your dead skin to peel off revealing new, more even-toned skin by morning. I know this is a lot of products here but it all works. Remember to apply it to all areas of your face. When you do, your skin starts to radiate. You could actually go to the Oscars now!
The last thing I do, which is something you all should get in the habit of doing, is to use eye cream. I use Sunday Riley’s Auto Correctwhich is meant to reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. Don’t forget to wash your hands before applying any eye cream because you have a lot of acidic products here and you can’t transfer any of those to around the eyes. Warm it up and dab it on with your fourth finger in a circle around the eyelids. Don’t go too close to the eyelid because you don’t want to get product in your eyes.
Thank the lord that my morning routine is quick because I’m always in a hurry to get to my workout, Pilates, which I do three times a week.
First, you have to clean your skin in the morning, even though you feel like you cleaned the hell out of it the night before. And for that I use ZO Skin Health pads. They’re expensive guys, but they work. Take the pad and clean the entire surface of your face and neck. On the cotton, you’ll see dirt from everything that happened to your skin during the night.
Then I put on my Vitamin C, and my ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense, which is worth its weight in gold and might just cost that much too, because it’s so expensive. This product is a miracle. I mix it with sunscreen. Don’t ever forget sunscreen! Right now, I’m using Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+. I like zinc in my sunscreen and this one doesn’t dry out my skin as so many sunscreens do, and it doesn’t have that terrible odor. I put a tiny drop of my Power Defense in the Blue Lizard and rub them together. Zinc does leave a residue, so mix the two products well and then massage them in.
The last thing I do, and this is my most favorite product of all time, is put on Shiseido’s Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream. I dab it on and I’m gorgeous and ready for makeup!
Coco Chanel famously said, “The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.”
I might add, or on your walls! Color is beauty made manifest and has transformational power, whatever product it is attached to. The way we express ourselves with color and what it means is an issue left mostly to philosophers, scientists, artists, and sages, but the effect it has is universal: color changes everything.
One of the most popular videos I did was on the color of the year for 2021, so I’m excited to tell you what 2022’s colors are, and how we can interpret them and apply them to our lives.
I’m going to remind you here that there is no absolute. This is just about the love of design and color so if you have these colors, great. If not, no pressure. Let’s figure out what they are. For 2022, we’ve got a soft green palette. That’s not a surprise. The natural, earthy colors that were prevalent in 2021 are now being carried through to 2022. But there are still some surprises!
We’re going to start with my absolute favorite color, which is green. I don’t know if you know this about me but I love green. So much so that I use it whenever I can and wherever I can. We’re going to start with Breezeway by Behr. I love minty greens and Breezeway is a fresh, light mint green, almost white, and I love it for kitchen cabinets. I think, however, I’d love it more in a powder room, a good place to introduce green.
The next green I want to highlight is by Benjamin Moore and it’s called October Mist. It’s less of a mint and more of a warm green with earthy elements along with the hues of sage.
Olive Sprig from PPG Paints is great and what I love about it is that it’s a color that lives on your walls and inhabits your space. And just look how gorgeous this rust-colored sectional looks sitting against it.
Guacamole by Glidden is also a wonderful color. It has a little more depth to it. I don’t know if I like it as much as Olive Sprig but I have to say, this is also a very fun color and completely transforms the mood and look of your space.
My excitement has not ended with these colors because I have found my all-time favorite green and it’s called Breakfast Room Green by Farrow & Ball. It speaks wonders. It’s so neutral that it will go with any combination of colors but see how well it goes with this earthy, ceramic terracotta shade.
Sherwin WilliamsSherwin Williams
Don’t be afraid of color this year. I know everything’s been white and neutral, and I do love white, I have to say. But why not bring in a little warmth with Evergreen Fog by Sherwin-Williams?
This is a great color for an entrance because it can take a lot of light. If you’re lucky enough to have a front entrance with a glass front door or some windows, having this color there really enhances it.
One of the great surprises of this year that I was shocked about – and I thought I knew what was happening – was Farrow & Ball’s Stone Blue. Why am I surprised that blue is in the picture? Well, because we were super earthy and blue to me isn’t all that earthy. But is it? Look at Stone Blue. This color is really magnetic. It’s bright and therefore not for the faint of heart, but what’s great is that it pops against white. If you have a white fireplace, molding or trim and you use Stone Blue, you’re sure to get a great reaction.
My next favorite blue is Breathe. It is such a beautiful color. I thought I didn’t like blue until I saw this application. It’s the powder blue that’s so chic. In fact, I’d like to do an entire room in this color. The walls, the moldings, the chair, everything, with a pop of natural oak.
Graham & Brown released their wallpaper of the year which I wanted to point out because it looks very Chinoiserie without the price tag which, as you know always appeals to me since I love to get a good deal. So this is a good one if you’re at a loss as to what wallpaper to use. It’s a no-brainer.
I was super excited about this next color and think I’m just going to have to paint something in Art and Craft by Dunn Edwards. This is one of my favorite colors, and I know it sounds like everything is my favorite color, but I have a penchant for that dirty blush. It’s a great neutral color. It feels very earth-like and chalky and I definitely will be using it.
You know I love white – and not just any white. I tried 7,000 whites before settling on Simply White by Benjamin Moore. But this year I found a white I’m interested in. I haven’t tried it yet but I think it’s going to be a good one. It’s called Schoolhouse White by Farrow & Ball and what I love about it is you can use it with Simply White and other whites. If you put white china against it, it actually pops so it’s very versatile.
Another color I like is called Babouche, also by Farrow & Ball, which is a dirty canary yellow. I would like to see this applied to a ceiling. But I don’t necessarily want to see it on the walls.
If you’re feeling a sultry vibe this season, Farrow & Ball’s Incarnadine will show you the way. Rouge, with a little bit of sexy in it.
The big surprise that I left for the end is the Pantone Color of the Year. It’s called Very Peri and it’s confident and carefree. It’s a lot of things actually, including interesting. I had no clue purple was going to come anywhere near us. Purple for me is the farthest thing from earthy, but it is very fun. This is the first time in history that Pantone, which sets the color for everything from food to fashion, has created a color from scratch instead of mixing already existing shades. And what’s interesting about Very Peri is that it’s the antithesis, the polar opposite of the neutral colors. Where did Pantone get the idea for their 2022 Color of the Year? From the blue glow of the digital world’s devices, which are changing almost everything we know!