A CHANCE ENCOUNTER ON ELIZABETH STREET

Summer weather often dictates that simpler is better. This applies when it comes to interiors as well as fashion. Fresh, easy, no fuss. Cotton striped tees are an easy go to. Picasso wore one (along with the French Navy), and so can you. The neo cult label Chance, has made their easy living, clothing and well - edited accessories in red, white and blue, available to a welcoming cadre of simple seekers with a pop - up boutique on Elizabeth Street.
Julia Leach, the former creative director for Kate Spade, designed the label with a yen for all things French and penchant for travel, calling the clothing, "classics that travel the world." Websites are a terrific way to see a brand, but a store like this makes it come to life.
You can find their marine - inspired designs on their insanely cool website, but if you are in NYC in June, make a pit stop at 211 Elizabeth Street. Just look for the red, white and blue bike out front.

A wall painted in a deep, sky blue is the backdrop for a thick nautical rope that serves as a genius hanging display.

A plethora of summer destinations have been blown up in a photo montage on the wall. Luring guests in, it says one word everyone loves this time of year: adventure.

A temporary pop up with all the fixings of the real thing, who knows, perhaps it will become permanente?

Impeccably displays reinforce the nautical d'esprit francaise. The handmade prints by Mary Matson are also for sale.

The power of a great font, as designed by Julia Leach, seen on the cover of their catalog.

A campaign chair and modern standing lamp are a place to sit and take it all in.

Everything you need for a trip out east. Canvas is the best.

In keeping with the nautical feeling, a melange of rope necklaces in a collab with Lizzie Fortunato and scarves in jaunty colors.

A long rustic table is filled with gifts, goodies, from basics and beyond.

Small zippered pouches in crayola stripes and summer themed cards make easy to give gifts for weekend getaways.

Get a jar of jam for a quick and painless hostess gift.

Another view of the merch laden table.

The color palette and similar rustic chic feel make everything hang together.

Longing for a picnic in the park with a 1950's spark? This red white and wicker picnic basket has your name on it.

A mid century wood side table holds lightweight summer scarves and the book, Cape Light, making you want to go to there. Now.

Need a good shop bag to wear with that awning striped tee? Here it is!

A sea of stripes from skinny stripes...

... to wide


Or, perhaps you have a need for some solid cotton tees in primary hues.

STYLISH SHOPPING IN NYC: ETOS

There is something wonderful about meeting young designers and collectors with such distinct point of view. With Mercedes Desio and Albero Villalobos, their classical European aesthetic leads them to collect pieces that range from French to African and Pre-Colombian. They artfully display these varied finds in their downtown gallery, Etos. Their partnership allows for each design voice to be heard, and this duo that met in design school, bring together an eye for collecting all styles. They do design work on site and are able to draw inspiration from their surroundings. Dark woods mingle with lght Swedish finishes, and grey upholstery gives everything a chic neutrality. They are located amongst terrific antique dealers at 16 East 11th Street, and bring a breath of fresh air to the area. Visit Mercedes and Albero, then have lunch at nearby Il Cantinori at 32 East 10th Street and make a day of it.

Mixing old and new, Regency and early American live together in their sweeping gallery space.

Crisp white walls allow the pieces to stand out for their singular forms and finishes.

These designers are always re-arranging the space.

Vignettes throughout make each area a new discovery.

Mixing period styles is a great way to show that what at first may seem disparate actually works well together.

A large cabinet once stored files and would be a welcome addition to any office in need of a tidy storage solution.

Rough hewn wood tables and a gilded settee live together in harmony.

A sofa with a tufted back and tailored arm can work with mid century modern and French antiques.

This desk is amazing.

A pair of Louis XV style sofas have a subtle curve to them that can go minimal or maximal.

An ornately carved mirror hangs above a shagreen chest.

A carved console surrounded by French side chairs is a great pieces.

Canes, anyone?

This table that sits in the window is a favorite of mine. The arch detail and carved legs are beautiful.

And of course, design books are a must!

An oversize slipper chair with bobbin leg looks sleek in grey leather.

AT HOME WITH SUZANNE RHEINSTEIN

Suzanne Rheinstein in her vignette including fabrics she created with Lee Jofa.

photos courtesy of Rizzoli

Interior designers often take on the roll of lifestyle experts as they find their passion for flower arranging, party planning and the finer things in life intersecting. This is the case with Los Angeles design doyenne, Suzanne Rheinstein. In At Home: A Style for Today with Things from the Past, she celebrates those various home arts, displaying her style with great panache. This is her first coffee table book, now in it's third printing. It explores six homes she has designed for three of her clients. The book begins with her Los Angeles house, which she has called home for 31 years. It ends with her insiders design inspiration and resources. From houses and gardens she loves around the globe, citing Villa Kerylos, to what is in her design library, including Gere's Nineteenth-Century Decoration: The Art of the Interior, the list is of great value.
I sat down with Suzanne on a recent trip to LA, and over lunch she shared her thoughts on design with me. I asked her what her design thought process was, and what advice she had creating meaningful interiors. She believes you should start off buying something of value, and that some things are worth keeping, but that less things of better quality is the best way to begin assembling objects and furniture. She begins planning a room by thinking about how people will live in that space -- how they logically would use it -- and goes from there. The next essential elements are color and architecture, and, she notes, " architecture is the mother of all arts." This respect for the interior and exterior spaces that make up a home guide her when she does interior design and in her approach with her pivotal LA design shop/salon, Hollyhock. As a gracious hostess and frequent voyager, her home is her haven to escape to. " Your house should always look good for you. You deserve to have your house look good." I couldn't agree more.

A sepia toned wall mural painted by her favorite Savannah-based decorative painter Bob Christian in her New York living room enhances the architectural elements of the room. She decided to let the scenic play the starring role, deciding to forgo hanging artwork.

One of my favorite decorative details is the red trim she has used to highlight the surrounding the chair rail and architectural elements in her entry hall. It is subtle and highly effective in person.

The entry leads into the living room, where the antiques are slipcovered in a summer stripe. The recamier is the first piece you see, and it helps divide the room into different sections for entertaining.

Her sun room gets loads of light from her stunning garden. A dark wood gateleg table and chinoiserie lantern work together when she combines them.

Charming bed hangings of unlined silk with accordian pleated edges have a feminine frothy elegance. Tromp l'oeil painting on the cabinets adds another decorative element that ties the room together.

A dressing room in pale hues of ivory and blue.

On a Virginia project, an antique - filled garden studio that doubles as a dining area is light and airy. Painted Swedish furniture and a striped floor lead a neutral palette.

A guest bedroom in soft white and shades of green feels elegant and inviting.

With a love for entertaining comes a love for organizing all the accoutrements. Her LA butler's pantry houses an incredible collection of china and a rolling ladder provides easy access. Preferring Sheffield to sterling silver, she believes you should love what you own and use and enjoy it.

ALL GROWN UP: SERENA AND LILY

Serena Dugan, on the left is a painter and textile designer who fills the role of creative director, while Lily Kanter is the business guru, having spent years at Microsoft.

The story of two little birds and the evolution of brand...

Longing to live in a breezy interior evocative of a seaside California town that is simultaneously easy and elegant? With a new lifestyle direction and casual vibe, Serena and Lily is turning the page, making this comfortable lifestyle accessible. If you know their roots in children's nursery bedding then you know they have moved beyond bedding, launching a custom upholstery and fabric line last May. A new brand vibe, catalog, website and app, means can shop for the living room, bedroom, kids rooms and nursery with this unfussy, comfortable feel. Organized by styled rooms, where you can buy (almost) everything including the paint on the walls, S and L is no longer just about bedding and baby. Check out their one of a kind finds in the Bazaar, and get their breezy picks in the new We're Loving section. Be on the lookout for their new section on their website, notes from the design team to get a glimpse into their creative process.
This ever expanding and innovative design duo tapped longtime friend and creative comrade, Andy Spade of NY branding company, Partners and Spade, for a re branding exercise. They knew he got their aesthetic and would capture their new direction in a fresh, sophisticated way. The result, as you can see, is all that and more. Two tiny birds on a tree branch morphed into a quail (the state bird of California) and grew up along the way. The evolution is complete! Their California casual style will make a home beautiful, cozy, familiar and personal.

Editorial content has been added to the mix to share what is on their radar at the moment. "We're Loving" features a perennial fave, the blue and white palette.

Their range includes comfortable upholstery in fresh yet familiar silhouettes that mix well with patterned prints and textured weaves.

The Spruce Street Collection takes traditional lattice fabrics in sorbet colors and pairs them with ethnic accents for a well rounded global view.


Playtime! Create unique creative spaces for children by mixing and matching poufs, storage, rugs and lighting.

A fresh blue and white palette with pops of ethnic detailing in the Miramar Collection.

Their classic and sweet nursery linens are how they gained a loyal audience.

The Marni Collection incorporates sunny yellow and a dash of fuchsia.

Colorful paintings hang against peach colored walls with a mix of side, end, pouf and cocktail tables

Cream and white bedding with hot pink trim says classic not trendy. The Gobi sheet set in berry with a tailored pattern keeps a refined feel.

Photos courtesy of Serena and Lily
The Holt look for boys combines army green and white with touches of orange.

HANG IT UP: BANQUET ATELIER

If you are renting a summer house or just want to change out your artwork for a free spirited and fun feel, then you have to check out Banquet Atelier and Workshop. Canadian artist Sarah Edmonds creates charming prints influenced by her natural surroundings. The great outdoors and sea creatures figure prominently in her positive and negative hand - printed silhouettes. I think you will agree, they capture some of the best things in life with a playful spirit.

The Heart Poster says it simply.

Boreal Forest highlights the flora and fauna found in Canada's Boreal Forest, as well as medicinal properties of what is found there.

The Marine Animals Poster is in it's third edition, captures the Pacific Northwest's creatures of the deep with fun facts.

Waterbirds, printed in chocolate brown, are dainty and delicate.