CHICAGO/NY INTERIOR DESIGN ALESSANDRA BRANCA OPENS BRANCA, A NEW HOME STORE

It began as an atelier by appointment. Now, in her landmark Chicago brownstone, located at 17 East Pearson Street, Alessandra Branca has opened Branca, with a website to complement the shop. Her gorgeous three floor home-like space is filled with objects in her favorite red and black color combination, as well as Branca Collection items and fabric by Peter Dunham, Michael Devine and Irving and Fine. Filled with antiques, global finds and accessories, the area is arranged in Loft and Library vignettes. Fourteen foot ceilings and large windows make this a wonderful setting. Her Roman roots are evident in her love of antiquity, great prints and graphic details.

A woman of great gusto, she launched her website simultaneously, soon to have an e commerce section. Call 312-787-1017 to order items seen on Shop Branca

Below is a selection of her 12 must haves arranged by color:


Love the page layout with the giant numbers in a quadrant---so poppy!


Just so you are in the loop, here are the details for her red offerings:

1) Pair of 19th Century German White Painted Neoclassical Style Fauteuils upholstered in Vintage Red Turkish Ticking Germany C. 1820
39" H x 24 1/2"W x 24 1/2"D Set $12,000

2) Set of 4 Red and Graphite Lacquer Nesting Trays
15-3/4'W x 15-3/4"D x 2-1/4'H $275.00

3)Branca Red Hide Rug
103"L x 84"W $700

4) AB Collection 100% Organic Cotton Woven Blanket in Branca Signature Black & White Stripe with Black Velvet Trim
(Also available in Red, Black & Brown Stripe) 56"W x 86"L $200.00

5) White Glass Optik Glasses
Set of 4 Highballs 3-1/4"W x 5-4/8"H $70.00 | Set of 4 Lowballs 3-3/8"W x 4"H $70.00
Set of 4 stemless Champagne Glasses 2"W x 7"H $70.00

6)Set of 6 Linen Cocktail Napkins with Natural Woven Trim Detail
White with Silver Trim 5" x 5" $125.00, Red & black Linen 5" x 5" $120.00

7) Rectangular and Square Branca Red Velvet Goose Down Pillows with Reverse Side in Natural Linen (Available in more colors) 12"H x 20"W $175.00, 16"H x 32"W $275.00 and 20"H x 20"W #225.00

8)Branca Red Cameroon Feather Headdress 30" Diameter $750.00

9) Lacquer Top Red Painted Stool/Table crafted in newspaper
16 1/2"H x 12 1/2"Diameter $750.00

10) Red Leather Crocodile Embossed Umbrella Stand 36"H x 9"W $800.00

11) Pair of AB Collection White Painted Tabourets Upholstered in Vintage Red Turkish Ticking, Turkey ca. 1910
18"W x 16"H x 13"D Set $2,400.00

12) Branca Signature Candles
{I} Mint, Musk & Tea
{II} Tomato Leaf, Basil & Black Currant
{III} Fig Tree
{IV} Green Tea with Lime
$75.00 Each

STARTING TOMORROW: SAVE MONEY ON MODERN MASTERPIECES AT THE CONRAN SHOP ARTEMIDE WAREHOUSE SALE

Save a buck or two at the joint Artemide and Conran Shop sale. Modern designer's iconic pieces on sale, well, get thee there! This is a must do.
Details:

YOU ARE INVITED: TOMORROW I AM ON A PANEL DISCUSSING DESIGN BLOGGING AT THE D AND D BUILDING

Join me and my fellow design bloggers tomorrow in NYC:

The Influence of the Design Blogger: Thurs, Oct 16th, 2PM- 2:45PM
D and D Building 979 3rd Avenue, Jerry Pair, Suite 502 New York


It is the age of the blog - especially within the design world. New home design blogs are being introduced daily by design-minded consumers and professionals alike.

Are interior designers reading design blogs as a source of new product information? Are designers creating blogs of their own? Join Decorati and prominent design bloggers for a panel discussion on how the design blog community influences high-end interior design.

Panelists:

* Grace Bonney - Design Sponge
* Ronda Carman - All the Best
* Michael Devine - The Devine Life
* Marisa Marcantonio - Style Beat
* Shane Reilly - Decorati Access Blog

SHOPPING: WILLIAMS SONOMA HOME NOW OPEN IN NYC!

Finally, Williams Sonoma Home has opened a store in the tri state area! Shops at Columbus Circle 10 Columbus Circle Suite 114. The store is arranged with design bays, so you can look at all the fabric, bedding, lighting and headboards. In addition, vignettes around their style themes of the season-- Vintage Country, Modern Barn and Country Elegance create insta-rooms. How user friendly is this--there is a customized program for rugs and upholstery, where you can get your specifications and make things your own. With over 77 frame choices, 100 fabrics and approximately 45 day lead time, you can design a home in a jiffy. Because you want quality, WS Home knows this and provides important details in their materials:
Upholstered Furniture Facts
Frames are hand-built from kiln-dried hardwood, double-doweled and corner-blocked for exceptional strength and stability.Steel springs, often 8-way hand-tied, provide superior support and comfort that stands up to daily use. Arms and sides are amply padded for lasting comfort and resilience. We offer an innerspring seat cushion encased in foam and wrapped in premium feathers and down.All feather-and-down cushions and seats are hypoallergenic.


Wonderful large- scale nature prints line the staircase entrance. You enter the store from the interior of Williams Sonoma. Some of the Modern Barn pieces are seen here: the pillows and blanket are a modern riff on classic quilts


The furniture displayed is perfect for city apartment dwellers, scale is key


Interesting. Hickory Chair is being promoted as are other well
-known brands, to convey to the shopper that WS Home understands and provides quality construction and design


This china nook is filled with Spode's extremely successful Blue Willow. The pattern has been made in the same factory since 1790 and WS Home will be selling the original Burleigh, England produced collection. In addition, they have Manor,a great chocolate brown and white leaf pattern from Burleigh that will work well for the holiday season and beyond


This stacked glass cube lamp is a chic new addition


Foo dogs and red plaid mingle, showing that classic pieces can work together. Other great accessories include marquetry trays and shagreen boxes in a variety of shapes


Their best selling Wing Chair is shown in the back of the store, along with a charming bench that could work in a front hall or small bedroom


Bookcases display an array of new lighting, hurricanes and frames. The neutral palette shown in the vignette is what the WS Home customer is drawn to now: classic and comfortable


The bed and bath bay showcases a great wool blend paisley duvet and euro's, perfect for the NY bachelor

LA INTERIOR DESIGNERS: THE ONE'S TO WATCH

LUCAS STUDIO INC. : Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat

Photo by Sam Frost
Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat, two former Michael S. Smith designers branched out on their own to form Lucas Studio Inc. Chilcoat also worked for Suzanne Reinstein and Joe Nye, two of LA's design scene tastemakers . Their signature is comfortable, sophisticated rooms with a touch of the handmade--a great pottery lamp or Indian printed fabric. Their color palette is often unique and the rooms are inviting. Check out Lucas Studio Inc

Rustic light woods, bird prints and a natural sisal rug bring the outside in

Rich velvet and brown upholstery provide a sophisticated palette for salon style artwork

Photos by Miguel Flores Vianna
An ethnic blue and white print adds a tropical feel to this white airy space

Photo Courtesy of Sam Frost
They have just opened a small but packed lair of home furnishings, a new shop called Harbinger, in Almont Yard. Their chic neighbors in this courtyard include Nathan Turner and Peter Dunham's Hollywood at Home.

LESLIE HUNT and LLH Interiors

My incredibly talented friend Leslie earned her stars working with Mark Hampton in New York. From there, she was a senior designer at Stephanie Stokes, Sandra Nunnerly and Scott Snyder. When she could no longer refuse the pull of her hometown, she returned to sunny LA to start her own design firm and created LLH Interiors in 2003. Below is a sampling of her classic yet thoroughly today interiors. Her color use, arrangements, sense of scale and how to make a room come together allow her to bring these talents to her clients. Look at more of her beautiful spaces at LLH Interiors


Leslie created a relaxing area with a chaise and beautiful antique side table


Mixing quality antiques and bold prints, her spaces are elegant and whimsical


A classic living room, the space incorporates Asian influences and soft neutrals


Overstuffed furniture upholstered in soft textures provide cozy seating and the mirror -topped table add a dose of glamour


Incorporating plaids and checks with prints, the living room here is fresh traditional. The vase prints reference antiquity bringing a sense of history to the room


One of Leslie's specialties is cozy bedrooms-- a soft blue color palette, cut corner headboard and bench make the most of a smaller space



This glowing table, set for a dinner party, is perfect for an intimate gathering of friends. A low flower arrangement and votives allow for easier conversation among guests

Photos by Miguel Flores Vianna
Lucky baby! A fantasy bazaar in Morocco makes for a colorful inspiration

JOE NYE NEW YORK FEATURES DUTCH TOUCH ART SHOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 1ST

Joe Nye has an eye for things. He knew the paintings from Dutch Touch Art would make a terrific gallery show in the New York Claremont showroom. Visit the showroom through November 1st to purchase. Mother and daughter duo Shawn Silver and Barbara Von Schreiber , design and import oil paintings. Along with a guild of painters, they use European dutch master paintings as inspiration for new hand-painted versions. By taking details--flowers, a horse or a part of a still life--and have them painted up close, they create a thoroughly modern take. They have made an old subject new and fresh. The blown up versions are really special, they can really make a space look great, as seen below, in the Joe Nye New York space:


The room is party ready: a gorgeous arrangement by Belle Fleur Flowers and votives!

The showroom pieces and the artwork make the space look move-in ready


For all the bird fans out there--this should satisfy!


More birds...


Petal power--these arrangements are so charming

Photos by Lisa Fairstein
The small canvases look great hung in clusters--- the fruit is so realistic and juicy looking.
Head to the Claremont Showroom at 1059 3rd Avenue, 2nd floor to buy an oil. It is not too early to think Christmas gifts!

NEW FURNITURE LAUNCH: NATHAN TURNER FOR ELITE LEATHER

Nathan Turner is Elite Leather's newest collection designer. He is a great choice, if I do say so myself. I consulted with this family owned and run company on this project, and they were just the greatest people (maybe partly because they are from California?! ). The Nathan Turner Collection was inspired by antiques Nathan found on his journeys far and wide. His LA store is filled with his treasures, making his creative process a natural one. What a nice follow-up to the Lulu DK line

These shots were taken in Elite Leather's High Point showroom, where this room Nathan created. The pieces are handsome covered in a more aged dark leather, and the arrangements encourage conversation

My favorite piece--the pitch in this chair is deep, good for reading a book and lounging. The finial detail adds an English touch

By bringing in vases, ikat fabric art and lighting from his shop, he created an environment that was cozy and inviting

Photos courtesy of Elite Leather
Leather and linen were used on the pieces, along with nail head trims. Functionality was also a big part of the design process--the ottoman has a lift off top for storage, and the tables can bunch together or act as end tables.
The collection is available now, check out Elite Leather and get some great new furniture for fall