Please Excuse...

... Riot for Design is getting a bit of a spruce up!

If you haven't already noticed, RfD is in the process of becoming more awesome.  I can't promise it will be an ambi-turner, though.

In the meantime, I just wanted to thank you all for visiting the blog and for all the amazing feedback & comments I've received so far!  Your awesomeness precedes you.

If you haven't already done so, get your pretty little butt over to the right sidebar and follow Riot For Design!  There are a couple ways to do so now: through becoming a member, or through subscribing to the RSS feed so you'll be able to riot whenever you want!  

And trust me, daily rioting is not only recommended, but encouraged by your doctors; rioting for design, that is (supposedly there are some pretty terrible things going on in the world being labeled as "rioting" but damn, the only thing that makes me want to riot is really. amazing. design.)

Like this:

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And this:

Michael Kors Spring 2013

And this:

And this:

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And this:

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And this:

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Join the fun!  Riot on.

Tuesday Trend- Seeing Spots

This season I've been seeing spots wherever I look- not only are they all over the fashion magazines & runways, but the trend has definitely extended to interior design as well.
 
Animal prints are my neutral.  I love them and I don't care that if they're not real, or if they're not fake, or if they're vegan or gluten free or whatever the current position de mode is on animal products.  All I care about is that they're AWESOME and can add texture and interest to any room, so long as you have taste.  Cause them spots can look crazy tacky if you suck at decorating.

With that in mind, here are some of my favorite hotty spotties.  Leopard prints, pony hair, cowhides, just plain ol' spots, whatevs:

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Jean-Louis Deniot

Every once in a while  you see something that profoundly impacts you and you know that things will never be the same

That's how I felt today when I saw this kitchen on Elle Decor, designed by and belonging to French designer Jean-Louis Deniot:

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The article is aptly titled Seventh Heaven.  I cannot get over the hammered silver cabinets in all their glorious perfection.  It's like seeing a unicorn.  Or so I've heard.

Now spend the rest of the day thinking about Paris and the perfection that is this kitchen.


But WAIT!  THERE'S MORE!


It's like they always say, "Where there's one unicorn, there's sure to be more."
Actually, no one says that but me.  But it's true.

Here are some more mythological wonders from Jean-Louis Deniot's portfolio:

Angry Design

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Interior design is not cheaper than therapy.  But, it's way prettier.  Especially if you think swear words, blood splatters and gratuitous sex & violence are pretty.  Sure, why not?

Here are some awesomely angry interiors:

Oh that saucy minx, the Queen!  Now that the London Olympics are over, I've found myself missing the daily coverage on Queen dress colors, royal waves, corgis and Morning Show false-affectation at possibly the worst skydive stunt in the history of skydive stunts.  Did anyone else notice how the announcers kept acting like it was real.  THE JIG IS UP!  We know she didn't jump!  She's the goddamn queen!  She doesn't jump from planes with James Bond!  She doesn't jump from curbs.

At any rate, Anglophilia is officially a trend.  If you're an interior design blog addict like me, you've seen enough Union Jack pillows to line them up and cross the pond yourself.  So dunzo. But I'm not sick of Auntie Liz, or the whole royalty thing.  Seems like a pretty good gig to me, though unfortunately they don't seem to be currently hiring.

Here are some of my fave examples of queenly influence in design:

HGTV Design Star Recap- THE FINALE!

It's HGTV Design Star Finale time!!!  After the most-talented-ever (while-purposefully-ignoring-the-possibility-of-a-recency-effect) season of designers, we find ourselves finally down to the final two: Britany Simon and Danielle Colding.

Frenemies

 ALL PHOTOS THANKS TO HGTV DESIGN STAR

Tuesday Trend- Foo Dogs

Although I've been back home for about a week, my design mojo is still in Thailand.  

After last week's buddha trend, this week I'm on to... Foo Dogs!

Foos from Wat Pho, photos by me

These figures actually go by several names, though Foo or Fu Dog seems to stick here in Amurrica.  However, they're technically not dogs at all.  These statues originated in Chinese design as guardian lions, symbols of protection, that sat at the entrance to Buddhist temples and rich people's homes.  In Thailand, every single wat we visited had at least a couple of these bad boys, which are always presented in pairs as a representation of yin and yang.  Ahhh, deep.

At any rate, they're kinda funny lookin' so I love them.  From a design perspective, the renewed interest in Asian design and Chinoiserie means foos are all over the ever-pinning internet.  Check it out:

HGTV Design Star Recap Episode 8- The Truth Yurts

The Truth Yurts

Episode 8 finds us down to the final 3: Danielle, Britany and Hilari.  This week's challenge was to design a bedroom suite in a yurt.  What the eff is a yurt you ask?  Well, it is defined as a portable structure from Central Asia that is round and built on a lattice form.  Easy Japanese-y.  Literally.

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Tuesday Trend- Buddhas

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I have buddhas on the brain after visiting Thailand.  As a country that is over 90% Buddhist, the image of the buddha is sacred and, literally, everywhere.

Riding the wave of Asian-influence in contemporary design, it's no surprise that Buddha has become a decor trend.  I admit, I had to jump on board and bought a pair of white stone buddha wall hangings.  He's just such a peaceful dude, I like his style.

As you're viewing these rooms keep in mind, it's not the size of your buddha but the fine in your design that really matters.  Riot on:

Golden Girls Update

Dear Beth,

Please help me update my Miami home.  I am a retired schoolteacher sharing a home with two senior widows and my 90 year-old mother.  Despite our age, we lead very active, shoulder-padded lifestyles!  You could even say these are our "golden" years.  At any rate, the home is owned by my friend and roommate, Blanche, and well, it's a little too 80's now.  Please help us bring this room into the twenty-first century while still paying homage to our Miami lifestyle.

Sincerely,
Dorothy Zbornak

Dorothy, I'm SO happy you wrote.  In fact, I've been waiting for your email.  Here it is, in all it's AARP-perfection!

HGTV Design Star Recap

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So who out there saw Design Star last night?  If you did, check out my recap.  Or if you didn't but you don't give a damn about spoilers, read on!  If you didn't and you do care about spoilers, catch up on your DVR, lazy.

Anyways...

Last night's challenge was to create a space for a Hollywood party in specific design genres.  This, in itself, was a bit of a stretch for Hollywood considering nouveau douche wasn't an option- perhaps it's implied in all of them?  Instead, they had to pick from: Victorian, Art Deco, Hollywood Regency, Mid-century Contemporary, 70's, 80's and Futuristic (notice how I put them in chronological order?!!).

Clean slate

TV Design- Updated

Hi Beth!

My apartment could really use an update.  I haven't redecorated since the late 70's!  Here's the deal: I'm a man living with two female roommates in Santa Monica.  I'm a chef while my roommates are a florist and a secretary.  I like to entertain female guests often, but my uber-conservative landlord doesn't approve of men and women living together, so we had to tell him I'm gay.  Shhhh! Don't give my secret away!  Please help us update our living room for three single 30-somethings who love friends, good food and hilarious misunderstandings!

Sincerely,
Jack (and Janet and Chrissy)


OK Jack.  Here you go!

Tuesday Trend- Herringbone Flooring

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Whenever I'm relaxing at home, I love to take brief respite from my thought-provoking novel du jour to glance down at my herringbone-patterned hardwood floors and thank god I have such impeccable taste.

BS you say?  True.  I don't have herringbone floors or any thought-provoking reading material, but I don't really relax much either.

I do, however, think herringbone-patterned flooring is amazing.  And someday, when I have a home and more than 2 followers to my blog (hint, hint), I will make it happen.  Can't make any promises on the thought-provoking novels though.

So for this week's trend (last week I gushed over this) here are some of my favorites:

Tuesday Trend- Velvet

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Last week I was all about this, but this week I can't stop thinking about velvet.  Nothing says I'm A BFD like velvet.  It's luxurious and timeless and textural, which instantly makes your place look clazzy. 

I would drape myself in velvet if it were socially acceptable.

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Perhaps we will all live to see that day.  But since it's not yet (contact your local congressman), you'll have to enjoy velvet in the privacy of your own home.

Check out some velvety awesomeness after the jump!

Searching for Christie Brinkley

One of my favorite hobbies is antiquing and flea market hunting.  There's something very cinematic about searching for hidden treasure or that diamond in the rough, which I think is why I love it so much.  When I'm in a store I even fantasize about turning the corner & finding the item of my dreams that I have been coveting.  Oh look!  It's a supermodel in a sports car!  OK that's not what I've been coveting, but if I were starring in National Lampoon's Vacation, that's exactly what I would say.  Some people might call these items "white rabbits" but I call them "Christie Brinkleys."

I love antiques like Clark Griswold loves Red Ferrari Girl

What items make my heart go all 50 Shades of Gray?

Office Space

This weekend the huz and I paid a visit to the Meeker Ave. Flea Market in Williamsburg.  Since the wedding is dunzo, we've been feeling slightly less broke, so of course it's time to buy more stuff!!!  All consumerist jokes aside, Jon's office space is the inner thigh of our abode- an area that causes me embarrassment and must be avoided in pictures at all costs!  His furniture is all PB (pre-Beth, not Pottery Barn) and was acquired through a combination of urban scavenging and adoption.  AND to make things worse, it's not even functional, which means it's all GOT TO GO.  Jon's literary masterpiece is just waiting to emerge, if we could only get him some organization and a comfortable desk chair that fits my tall drink o'water. 

I'd love to combine some key vintage pieces with a modern desk and throw in a stylish leather desk chair.  Notice I said stylish- none of this biznass:

Can you say depressing?



More like this:

  Sources: 1. ; 2. ; 3. ; 4.

Interior inspiration for masculine workspaces after the jump!

Purp

I don't know why, but lately I've been drawn to purple upholstery.  This is strange, because I hate super girlie design. OK I don't haaaate super girlie design, but when I see a pink & purple, white-trimmed living room, I cry a little for men. 

But seeing these amazing photos reminds me that you can add some edge to really pretty colors by messy-ing them up a little with pattern or earth tones.  Here are a few of my inspirations:

Betsy Burnham