Who's Gonna Get Your Vote on Domino??

I have thoroughly enjoyed the readers design competition that's been going on at Domino for the past few weeks. So many of the rooms that were submitted were very inspiring and original. I love the fact that the magazine featured so many of the rooms during the ongoing submittal process. Many times magazines hold design competitions and cherry pick the few submittals they deem worthy of publication never letting us see the range of what was actually sent in. Domino should be commended for putting it all out there. The good the bad and the sometimes ugly. It is so much fun to see the variety of entries and to see if you can pick the winner from the start.

My favorite room from day one has been Steven from Des Moines!! I adore this room. It is vibrant, creative, full of energy and shows a deeply personal side of the occupant. It is not a sterile attempt to "create" design. It is a room that seems to have been grown and cared for over time until it reached it's lovely maturity as we see it now. Every piece is interesting and well placed. The proportions are great and the colors are vibrant and invigorating. Great job Steven from Des Moines - I hope you win!!!

My pick for runner up is this lovely, feminine room by Catherine from Mill Valley. This gal is obviously chock full of talent as she hand painted and glazed all of the surfaces herself. Great Job! I love the tranquil feel of the space and the vibrant punch of energy she has thrown in with the careful placement of hot pink accessories. The eclectic and unexpected mix of period and mid century furnishings adds a modern flair to what otherwise would have been a pretty safe room. I also commend her for her savvy use of texture as a key element in the room.




Get on over to Domino and cast your votes. I can't wait to see who wins.

Helmut Newton - Philippe Starck & The Sahara Hotel

Diving into my November issue of Metropolitan Home I noticed that two of the featured residences in the magazine were proudly displaying copies of uber-photographer, Helmut Newton's gargantuan book, Sumo, published by Taschen. It is a larger than life volume of Newton's famous fashion and celebrity photography selected and edited by his wife. The book is so large that it requires it's own custom made stand to support it.


The stylish stand is designed by none other than super designer and over-achiever Philippe Starck. The volume is the grand daddy of all style books with a price tag big enough to match it's exuberant size. It originally sold in limited edition for $10,000.00!!! Rare copies go for around $15,0000.00 today, if you can find one on the market.



Above - a picture of Starck working on the design of the stand for the Tome.

Starcks designs can be seen all over the globe and are not restricted to interiors. He has designed cars, yachts, industrial goods, and even plastic silverware.


Recently he has signed a five year exclusive contact with SBE Entertainment Group, the restaurant, hotel and film empire currently being built by 31 year old investor Sam Nazarian. One of Starcks assignments for Nazarian is to rebuild The Sahara Hotel here in Las Vegas. Nazarian hopes to re-vamp the less than stylish Sahara into a mecca for the young and beautiful celebrities that frequent his other nightclubs such as Area and Hyde Lounge and restaurants, Abbey and Katsuya.

I can't wait to see what Starck is going to do with the property. I'm sure it will be super dramatic !!! I'm told by insiders that he is beyond eccentric and his vision is less than easily understood by those responsible for carrying it out. I will keep up with the gossip as the project progresses and share what I hear along the way. Should be a very interesting ride!

Many Thanks

I am happy to send my sincere thanks and a big hug to my good friend Joni at Cote de Texas. She has graciously included me in her top 10 influential blogs list. All I can say is - I'm not worthy - I'm not worthy !!!!!!

Another big thanks to The Decorating Diva for including Jackie Blue Home in her Best of the Web list.

Life is Chaos & The World's Most Expensive Dogs

I've been neglectful in posting this last couple of weeks as my life has descended into total chaos. I did post a very long and, some who saw it said, amusing post earlier this week about my great husband and his job but he got nervous about it and I had to take it down. I'm sure you would have loved it had you been permitted to see it. You see it 's not just H&G that's censoring us but our own family members!!!!!. We can't get a break.

Anyway, this week I am doing some work on my house. They say the shoemakers children have no shoes - well, the designers house is always a total mess and is never ever finished. I cringe every time I find out someone is coming over. Most of my distressed has been caused by the family pets.

I never thought I would become a dog person. I thought dog people were weird and a bit psycho. I've always had dogs and cats but they we're just pets to me. They laid around, ate, took up space and we're basically a pain in the a$$ to arrange care for when I went out of town. Then two years ago, on a whim, I bought my husband a miniature dachshund. Her name is Peanut and I now refer to her as my husbands clandestine "doggie luuvvvver". Not in a literal sense of course - that would be weird - but the two are inseparable.


After we got Peanut we couldn't bear for her to be lonely so we got her a little friend - another mini-dachshund named Marty. They are both adorable little things only about 8 pounds each. We call them cat-dogs because they have a lot of cat-like qualities. They climb on things and sleep on top of the sofa back or around your neck and of course have to sleep in bed with us. (too much information ??)


So now we are officially "those people" who are crazy about their dogs and talk about them like they are children. No, I don't not dress them up in fancy outfits ( I tried but they won't keep them on ) I don't carry them around in a Louis Vuitton dog purse ( I tried that to but they barked constantly and tried to chew their way out), and I definitely don't take them to work with me ( I work at home now so they are with me 24 -7) .


Now here comes the expensive part. Just like bad little children those dam little dogs refuse to commit to housebreaking. They do not like the inconvenience of going outside to do their business but instead prefer the soft and luxurious carpeted areas of our home. They do not however, seem to enjoy dropping their load on the tile floors. Therefore, in order to rid my house of it's unpleasant dog poop aroma that even the strongest Glade candle could not quench, I am forced to go to great expense to put in wood floors throughout the house. I am hoping against hope that they will finally get the message and resolve to use the dog door. We did the downstairs this week and had to move everything into the entry and kitchen which are tiled. Talk about a disaster - I have way too much stuff. It looks like a furniture store after a bad San Francisco earthquake in here.



OMG look at the dust on top of those bookcases - for shame!!!!


All of this for a couple of over pampered dogs!!!!


In the midst of this flooring project I was getting ready to do a Home Decorating & Remodeling Show here in Vegas. I was hired to do some easy DIY window treatments for display and to give three seminars at the show. My display space was supposed to be 10' x 8' of floor space including three walls. When I got to the show on Wednesday to set up they had given me a 20' x 20' island space which meant I had to cover 3x's the space I had been told. So I have spent the last 3 days killing myself making new samples and setting up this booth. Not my idea of a good time!!! For anyone interested I will post some pictures of my samples in the next couple of days.

So today after working 12 hours at the Home Show I came home to my house which is in complete disarray. There is not an empty surface to be found or a chair in the right place to sit in. The home show ends on Sunday and then I can come home and try to put my place back together.


And by the way, one of the little rat bastards has already left me a nice fresh gift on my new wood floor!!!!!!

Mid Mod Love on 1st Dibbs

It's a good thing I am usually broke or I would spend hours putting together priceless rooms for my home on 1st dibbs. Every time I look at that sight it gets better and better.

Their online articles are full of inspirational visuals and good solid information. I learn something new every time I visit. I like the way their articles are written. They're down to earth, not full of old world antiquarian snobbery. They tell the facts as they are without looking down their nose at you. It makes me feel that even an unsophisticated slob like myself could become knowledgeable about vintage furnishings and style icons.

Following the advice posted by the Peak of Chic today I got my a$$ over there as fast as I could and proceeded to waste a few hours creating a fantasy room. Here are my picks for the day.

Are these Hollywood Regency chests not to die for? I luuuvvvv them! The latches are stellar and I like the detail at the base. I think I will use these as side tables for my fantasy sofa.


The genius of post war chic, Tommi Parzinger, created this fabulous set of dining chairs. He was such an amazing designer and was so ahead of his time. Imagine he was designing pieces like this in the 40's! What a trend setter.



I would slap some new snazzy lamps shades on these ceramic beauties and use them on my lacquered chests shown above. I think they will go together quite winningly.


This stunning Paul Laszlo console with cool brass fittings will go perfectly behind the sofa. Anyone have a large ceramic tang horse or giant piece of coral I can borrow for it? Perhaps a giant white whippet to sit beside it?


I'm in love with this credenza, also designed by the fabulous Tommi Parzinger. The man clearly knew what he was doing. This will go on the wall opposite the sofa and chests. I think a large mirror on mirror above it would be perfection. Perhaps some wall sconces.

These two James Mont beauties would get a drastic makeover. Perhaps turquoise lacquered frames with a bold print upholstery.


The masterpiece of the room is this Karl Springer lucite Greek key desk. Don't you love it? I know I do!


For the dining room a striking white lacquered credenza with fantastic drawer pulls.


Two Vladamir Kagan lucite club chairs to place in front of the desk. Too much lucite you say??? I say let's live dangerously!
Finally, a super cool brass stool in need of a total upholstery overhaul for the desk. Think zebra or possibly black faux mink.

Wouldn't it be great if you could do this for real. Just sit down at your computer and order up a great room online in it's entirety. Oh to live the life of the unbearably rich!!! I have to go now and finish choosing my fantasy wallpaper, flooring and accessories so I can sit back and relax in my fantasy room at the end of the day.

New York - New York

We had a blast in New York as always. I just love the city - It is so vibrant and lively. Don't know if I could live there full time ( my wallet couldn't take it) but I'd love to spend more time there. Here's the birthday girl at the Met in front of a Van Gough. She loves impressionists but the section where they are hung was closed - bummer. No lily pads!!!


She had to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center and she and my sister made me skate. I'm holding on for dear life can you tell?



Here's the whole crew, Angelica's friend Kate, my sister Victoria, my daughter and the birthday girl Angelica, My sister Trudi, and Moi.


Thanks for all of your suggestions and travel tips. We had a great time.

Poor Miss Martha - She Can't Get No Respect

I have been witnessing an onslaught of Martha sightings lately. The girl seems to be everywhere! Her new Craft Line seems to be very popular. I've personally used some of her stickers - they're super cool.



She's designing homes for Kaufman & Broad which seem to be selling like hotcakes.



Her Signature line of Valspar paints is available at Lowe's.


You can send your sick aunt a bouquet of flowers designed by Martha herself from
www.marthastewartflowers.com


Her line of custom furniture for Bernhardt looks great.



Now she's topped her home collections at KMart with a new partnership with Macy's which is being advertised to death.


There's Martha TV and Martha Radio, Martha books, Martha magazines including Blueprint which I really love.


Despite all this success the girl still can't get no respect. I ran across an interesting article the other day on MSN Money . The author of the article Michael Bush opens the article by asking the question - "Is Martha Stewart washed up? Wall Street says yes."

He states that her companies stock has fallen 40% since last December. Viewership of her TV show has dropped by 30% since it's relaunch in Sept 05. Sales of her merchandise at KMart have been weak and are falling as we speak.

Bush writes, "In terms of "appeal," she ranks near the bottom of 1,000 rated celebrities, along with Donald Trump and bad-boy rocker Tommy Lee. Stewart gets ratings for "trust" similar to those scored by actress Lindsay Lohan, who has been in and out of rehab for alleged alcohol abuse, and Gene Simmons, who showed off his makeup skills as lead singer of the rock group KISS. These ratings come from surveys done by Omnicom's Davie Brown Entertainment division."

He goes on to explain on page two of the article possible reasons for these slides and bright points in the future for Miss M and her company. But all this is said after the first page full of jabs at our favorite perfectionist. Maybe that guy that cried hysterically on youtube for Britney can get on the Martha bandwagon and help her out.

I say that any women who can build a $700 million company, go to jail with grace and dignity and pick herself up again after her stay in the big house to resume her career and launch countless new ventures should be given a break. She is a freakin marketing genius and she has reinvented herself almost as many times as Madonna. People love to love her - people love to hate her. But everyone should at least admire her tenacity.


Top image courtesy of super collage artist extraordinaire, Claudine Hellmuth
Check out her blog at claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I'm off to New York City today for my daughters 18th birthday with two of my sisters and one of my daughters friends. It's her first trip to the Big Apple so we're doing some tourist stuff and of course shopping & eating.

We're staying at the ultra chic London Hotel. I'll post some pics of it's cool lobby when I get back. Gordon Ramsey's restaurant is there althoug the last time I ate there the food was awful with a capital AWFUL. We we're starving and we ordered BLT's on the bar menu - we we're served a liquid and gelatin BLT flavored compote that was disgusting! Probably just a bad menu choice but UGH!



Dinner at Del Posto - Mario Batallis new restaurant. We also get to go to a private wine tasting in the afternoon at his wine boutique.

Skating in Rockefeller center is always fun for the girls but I hope they just want to take a quick look. I don't have the patience!



I always plan at least a few hours at Saks! It takes three hours just to go through the purses.


We're having lunch on Saturday at BG, the Kelly Wearstler designed restaurant in Bergdorf Goodman. I can't wait to see her new home accessory boutique at BG it looks very swanky!


Dinner on Sunday night is at The Spice Market. A very cool Middle Eastern inspired restaurant that is full of eye candy.


We're doing Sunday brunch at Tavern on the Green. Very touristy but you should go there at least once in your lifetime.



Desert at Serendipity on Monday! Best ice cream anywhere!

Making time for The Met on Saturday. My daughter loves the impressionists and I want her to see Monet's water lilies.




Dinner Friday night is at David Burke and Donatella - a fairly new chic eating spot where the rich and famous dine out ( I don't fit either category - I hope they let me in )


Hopefully we will have some time Monday to hit the Guggenheim - I have to check right now and see if it's open Mondays - many museums close on that day.

More shopping at Henri Bendell - can't go wrong there.


Cocktails at The Hudson Hotel bar - tres chic! Check out the groovy log bench with chair backs attached to it.


I think that is all I can jam into 5 days. See you all when I get back on Wednesday.