MELAMINE GETS A MAKEOVER: JOHN DERIAN MAKES FANCY FRENCH PATTERNS FOR THE PEOPLE

Call it Melamania. I have it. A love of melamine that comes on strong every summer. John Derian's newly launched collection of plastic plate designs set it in motion.  

Elevating the act of eating outside, classic French Faience pottery designs have migrated onto plastic. Derian, known for creating decoupage plates and accessories out of old book drawings and artwork gets it right with these four French designs, and they even have the high and low relief that make them feel like the real thing.  Originally, the earthenware was produced in Luneville, France in the mid 1700's.  Just don't stick these in the microwave, they won't like it. 

Tres chic. Bon appetite.

Photos courtesy of John Derian
Raised at the rim, the Fleurs Isolees Dinner Plate has a sweet bloom and leaf design. If you love flowers this pattern is for you with the traditional tulips and roses.

Faience Italo-Nivernais Melamine Plate with a naive scenic band and center, all in blue and white.

Birds, butterflies and blooms dance around the border of the salad plate in Faience a la Corne

With the Faience Slice Charger in a generous size, blue and white always looks right. It mixes with other colors well and the symmetrical petal sections filled with scroll work have a charm that look old world yet fresh. I recall loving this plate in decoupage, now I can spring for more than just one.

LEISURELY PURSUITS

In the Olympic spirit, here are some games to get you outdoors this August.  Entertain outside and play, or just be prepared for your houseguests if they have a competitive streak.

Photo courtesy of Anthropologie

A minimalist chic Croquet Set in a streamlined light wooden box from Anthropologie.

 Keep the lawn action going with a delux Bocce Ball and Horseshoe Set by St Pierre. Perfect for sunset cocktail time.

 Photo courtesy of Design Within Reach

A French cousin of Bocce, Petanque originated in the countryside of Provence. The uber modern chrome and teak set from Design Within Reach will impress your design snob guests.

 Photo courtesy of Target

Ok, so maybe the fake glass bottles aren't as chic as Jones Soda's, but a good game of Ring Toss can get any party started. From Target.

 Photo courtesy of Duffy Boats

Get around the water in a 12 -seater electric Duffy Boat, that tops out at 6 miles per hour.  I first laid eyes on these cuties in Newport Beach.

 Photo courtesy of Nauti and Co.

In the sand or on deck, Nauti and Co.'s easily portable roll-up Backgammon Set for those that love a game, even on the go.

Photo courtesy of Laughing Loon

Or, take this handmade in Maine beauty out for a spin. The beautiful wooden Wee Two, from Laughing Loon, is perfect for navigating hard-to-access inaccessible ponds in remote and beautiful places.

Photo courtesy of Surf NYC

If big waves get you out of bed early in the morning in Montauk, the Malwitz Keel Fish Surf Board from Saturday's Surf NYC is a good way to practice your pop-ups and hang ten.

ENTERTAINING OUTSIDE? KEEP THE BUGS AWAY

Don't you just hate it when you are standing at a summer garden party and your ankles are getting bitten to death? I do. Rather than create a highly flammable situation using a deet-based bug repellent spray that smells icky,  I have found something new to try. It is 100% natural which pleases me, and has chic packaging, which also pleases me. It is made by the company behind Jao, whose their 13 year - old Hand Refresher in the blue bottle  has become a cult product for clean hands on the go. It is said to kill most germs in under a minute.
When it comes to summer entertaining, you want your guests to come happy and leave happy. This little trick might just make your outdoor soirees that much better. For a one-two punch, you can layer moisturizing Patio Oil with bug repellent oils and oil lemon eucalyptus as a base and then spray citrusy Outscent over it, to maximize your chances of not getting devoured alive.

Patio Oil has a South of France suntan oil vibe to it

Outscent packaging has retro camping appeal

SUMMER: LET'S GET IT STARTED!

Glorious weather this past Memorial Day Weekend has helped charge a clear path straight to summer. Here are some goodies to help you get ready to live outside and entertain like you mean it. 

Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn

I have always wanted one of these to help channel my island side. Pottery Barn knocks it out of the park with their Raffia Round Umbrella, it is a charmer.  It will make you shout, "Paradise now!"

Photo courtesy of Crate and Barrel

If you need some sunny prints in le jardin, try adding Crate and Barrel's jazzy

Marimekko Appelsiini Caliente Umbrella for some heat shade.

 Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs

I love the look of lush ferns in Ballard Designs Scalloped Square Planter, it also comes in a round version.

Photo courtesy of Anthropologie

Water your flowers with Anthropologie's Mr. Snail Pail to add some character to the task.

Photo courtesy of Terrain

Instead of climbing a tree, swing in one. The Original Tree Swing from Terrain is like the old T-Bar lifts from skiing, but it's nothing a few Dark N' Stormies won't help you get over.

Photo courtesy of Wisteria

I have been eyeing these iznik patterned melamine  Wisteria plates for awhile now, I really think they are great.  Plus, if you order something from Wisteria up until May 31st,  they have an offer where they will throw in a set of 4!

Photo courtesy of West Elm

Bring a little bit of the French seaside to your outdoor entertaining with West Elm's wrapped Woven Pitchers. Be prepared for the raffia to get a little worn, the glass does not come out of the surround, so buy an extra to have just in case. They're on sale!

Photo courtesy of World Market

If you prefer a more muted color palette, then check out these beautiful soft colors in the Palampore Placemats from World Market.

Photo courtesy of World Market

If pillows are what you need, these outdoor ready Indonesian Fruit stunners at World Market are bright and cheery adding a touch of the exotic.

Photo courtesy of Pier 1

A right - sized fan chair from Pier 1 means you won't feel like Lilly Tomlin sitting in one!

Photo courtesy of CB2

Shed a little light inside or out with hammered brass teardrop Ous Hanging Tealights from CB2. They cast a party-ready glow.

Photo courtesy of Z Gallerie

For a more trad option, there is this Z Gallerie Malaga Lantern that is inspired by a classic English lantern. It would work well lining a pathway. 

THE OUTOOR ROOM: VOTE FOR ELAINE GRIFFIN'S L'ORANGERIE IN LOWE'S DESIGNER CHALLENGE

The design notion of making your outdoor space as comfortable as your inside interiors is worth embracing. Now that warm days are here, don't you love the idea of spending as much time as possible out of doors? My friend Elaine Griffin is very good at creating said lush outdoor spaces, so it's a good thing she was selected tp participate in Lowe's Designer Challenge. Her space, entitled L'Orangerie, is perfect for an urban dweller's garden. Using lattice on the walls for texture, she created a charming enclave to spend time in nature. Incorporating flowering plants, outdoor lighting and a space to sit and linger, the area provides a transporting experience.

 I hope you will take a second to vote for Elaine's space on Facebook beginning tomorrow till June 5th. so she can donate the proceeds to Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club! Lowe’s will donate $25,000 for each of the designers’ charities, with the winning charity receiving an additional $25,000. The winning vignette will be selected by votes on Lowe’s Facebook page from Tuesday, May 22 to Tuesday, June 5. So head on over to VOTE ELAINE!

Photos courtesy of Lowe's

Elaine, sitting in her outdoor living room, ready for summer to start.

A little piece of outdoor heaven.  Blue walls, blooming trees and places to perch in an enveloping environment.

Elaine shows how easy it is to create a little getaway and enhance it with natural elements.

Outdoor furniture like this Blaney Chair has the scale of the classic Billy Baldwin Slipper Chair, just zshush it up with some bright pillows.

The master plan Elaine hatched to create her space was thorough and precise.

The Creative Components Elaine Used For Her Outdoor Room:

Valspar's Sky Space covered all the wood work for a cohesive effect.

 Ceiling Medallion

 Columns

Diamond Lattice

Concrete Urn

 Eastfield Coffee Table

Blaney Wicker Woven Chair

Allen and Roth Garden Seat

FACE TIME

Taking famous faces and memorializing them in portraits is one thing. Putting them on a melamine plate? Well, that's just irreverent and witty. British company Whitbread Wilkinson worked with their fine English heritage and put historically significant portraits from the National Portrait Gallery onto plastic picnic ware. Try pulling these out the next time you picnic in the park. You will seem so cultured!

Detail from Antonello da Messina's Portrait of a Man

Bordone's Portrait of a Young Woman

Swabian's Portrait of a Woman of the Hofer Family
c 1470

The Emperor Napoleon I by Vernet

A detail from Italian Andrea Solario's Giovanni Cristoforo Longoni

Detail from The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger

WHY DON'T YOU: ENTERTAIN OUTSIDE!

Add a few new seasonal items to perk up your outdoor space this summer. Make the most of the balmy nights with chic umbrellas, stylish lanterns, and more:

WEATHERED WICKER:
Photo Courtesy of Jardins en Fleur
The wicker Voyage chair from Jardins en Fleur is like sitting under a tree, you get shade and a great view. The side portholes allow for an added sky view.

Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn makes a huge wicker tray large enough to set on a round ottoman for drinks and platters.

MADE IN THE SHADE:
Photo Courtesy of Z Gallerie
The Soho Square Umbrella with fretwork detail and side tassels from Z Gallerie provide your garden with a Hollywood Regency hotel vibe.

Photo Courtesy of Pier 1
The batik print Hot Pagoda Umbrella Pier 1 has a jaunty two-tier design.

NIGHT LIGHTS:
Photo Courtesy of Z Gallerie
The Rize Garden Votive Holder is a garden stake post that holds a votive. Line a pathway with there for instant evening drama from Z Gallerie.



Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn
Traditional lanterns reinterpreted with soft lines make the Bristol Lanterns from Pottery Barn look great around the pool, by the front door or lining a walkway.

GET A THRILL FROM WHAT YOU GRILL:
Photo Courtesy of Pier 1
Seagrass pitcher and glasses from Pier 1 will transport you and your iced tea to the French riviera.

Photo Courtesy of Target
Acrylic tumblers from Target" online look like hobnail glass. Why sacrifice style for plastic?

Photo Courtesy of Target
Add a little bug humor with Target's Ants and Gingham plastic platter. The uninvited guest that always shows up! Available online only.

Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn
Fun flatware is hard to find, it is often tacky and cheap looking. Fear not, Pottery Barn comes to the rescue with this 12-piece set. It is easy to bring to the beach in it's tube carrying case.

HOME COMFORTS:

Photo Courtesy of Land's End
These folding chairs are easy to store and have a clean design. Land's End has them with and without arms.

Photo Courtesy of West Elm
A beanbag table adds a youthful playroom vibe to an outside living room. Outside? Well, yes, it's water-resistant and great for using in a covered area. West Elm did Ikat for a loungey piece.