Michael S. Smith for Ann Sacks

I'm loving the new tile collection by Michael S. Smith for Ann Sacks. It is true to his signature look, classic, clean, and based on tried and true motifs with a modern twist.



The range is small but complete with colors ranging from Butter to Bark.

It reminds me of 1930's - 40's bungalows in Southern California.


Yummy!

Architectural Digest - March Edition in Poor Taste?

Does anyone else find this months issue of Architectural Digest showing a newly redecorated White House on the cover and comprising some 16 glossy pages of Laura Bush's decorating talents, to be offensive, in very bad taste, and an incredible case of bad judgment on behalf of the AD editors?

With hundreds of thousands of Americans losing their homes to foreclosure due to corporate greed and incompetent money management and a blind eye turned to the whole mortgage market by this administration until it was too late, is this really a good time to show off the extensive overhaul of the White House's interiors?


The economy is in the toilet - we are stuck in a war of ego's in Iraq, major banks are going belly up. Should a publication as influential and established as AD take these things into account when planning their content?


I wonder what the young men and women coming home from Iraq think when they see an article featured like this? Are they happy that the home of their commander in chief is finely decorated to his personal liking? Is it important to them that the families personal movie theater be updated to provide more seating? Do they stay up at night worrying that some of the furnishings and accessories in the Lincoln bedroom are not historically accurate for the period. For Shame!


Ok, I realize that virtually every administration that has taken possession of the White House has been tasked with maintaining its historic interiors and some have taken it upon themselves to revamp much of the space during their tenure. However, for an administration that has been waging a questionable war practically since inauguration day, was interior decoration such a pressing need?

To me, a lifelong Republican (not so sure anymore) it is just another glaring example of this presidents total ineptitude and inability to see the facts right in front of his ( and hers - the first lady) face. I am embarrassed to have even read the article.

What do you think?

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By the way in other breaking Architectural Digest news:

Architectural Digest is conducting open auditions for new residential designs and interior decorators. The Los Angeles audition will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 26-27 at the Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.

Courtesy - San Francisco Chronicle

Miss Pedigrew Lives in a Really Bitchin Apartment

After a long day at the San Francisco Mart last week my daughter and I went to see the new movie Miss Pedigrew Lives For A Day. I was expecting a very funny movie - but it was just so so with some weird pseudo lesbian undertones and bad casting.

Normally this would irritate me but I was too busy being blown away by the great set design - it was awesome!!!!


Satin upholstery, fur rugs, gold leafed walls, Art Deco and Art Nuevo accessories galore. The sets - particularly the apartment - were fascinating stylized snapshots of that era - prewar Brittan 1939. It reminded me fondly of all the vintage films I loved as a kid and still tune in to see on TCM.


If you 're looking for a flick to see this weekend - give it a try. The movie might disappointed but the eye candy won't.

Target - My Love - How Could You?

Dear Big Red,

A friend told me what you've been saying about me and I just can't believe it. Things were going so well between us - I thought you really understood me - I thought you cared. But you're just like all the others aren't you?............................

Apparently an unnamed blogger emailed The Big Red One to complain about a billboard and their response was less than welcoming. According to a recent article in the New York Times she got a blow off email saying that "Target doesn’t deal with non-traditional media". Target went on to say that this allows them time to focus their efforts on publications that reaches their core “guest.”

Oh Big Red - I thought I was your "core guest" - who have you traded me in for?

“We do not work with bloggers currently,” said a company spokeswoman, Amy von Walter
Read more here and here.

THIS IS HUGE ! - Minutes Matter Studio

I've been sworn to secrecy for months - but now - I can finally blab!!!
I'm joining Minutes Matter Studio in giving a whole new dimension to my window treatment designs.


The Design Directory of Window Treatments is going interactive !

Minutes Matter Studio is the industries leading provider of digital window treatment software, design solutions, and organizational systems. Their programs allow designers to combine hundreds of individual components into custom window treatment designs that can then be individualized with coloring tools or by importing the actual fabric pattern and color into the program. The powerful tools available within this software package also allow the user to design directly on a photograph of the clients room or to import specific elements from the room into a custom drawing.


For the first time ever, Minutes Matter Studio is producing a separate module for their system exclusively featuring the designs in my book. They are working fast and furiously putting the module together to make it available for purchase this Winter 08'.


( Oh, yes, make no mistake - I will be very full of myself from now on !! My head is growing bigger by the minute. Can you say window treatment superstarrrrrrrrrr? Seriously, this is just so cool - I can't believe it! )

Debbie & Casey Green the brilliant masterminds behind Studio, and my fabulous publisher Gibbs Smith are throwing a party to celebrate at The International Window Coverings Expo in Atlanta on March 27. If you are planning to attend the Expo, please visit the Minutes Matter Booth or email them to receive a pass to the festivities. Don't dawdle though, our room can only hold 200 partiers!


Hope you can make it.................... :)

Live from London - Timourous Beaties

Hi everyone - we're having a great time in London! Here's a quick post of designs from one of my favorite new British vendors - Timorous Beasties

Fabrics, Wallpapers, Rugs and Pillows - they produce them all. Including bespoke custom designs. Check out their portfolio on their website.

Leaving on a Jet Plane - London Edition

The hubby and I are jetting off for eight luxurious days in London, away from work, doing nothing but trend spotting, sightseeing, and window shopping ( no real shopping thanks to the horrid exchange rate for our poor beat up dollar right now and my hubby does have to work three of those days but what the hell - we'll be in London! )



I'll be thinking of you all while I'm sipping my Champagne cocktail at The Savoy (old school, I know, but it's a tradition)

See you in March - Cheerio .............

Design Star - Season Three

They're gearing up early for season three of Design Star on HGTV by allowing viewers to choose between two designers to pick one to capture the last remaining spot in this years cast. From now until March 3rd you can log online and vote for your choice between these two show hopefuls. Scroll underneath the picture of each designer and click on "portfolio". You'll be treated to a brief overview of work done by each girl.

This bedroom design belongs to DS would-be-contestant Stephanie Cook.

Here is a living room done by her new arch rival Kim Lewis

You can also view each contestants audition video so you can check out their uber-perky personality and determine their TVQ levels along with that elusive IT factor. Personally I feel very sorry for these poor girls. The other cast members have been selected on their merits but the producers have chosen to toy with these poor, celeb-seeking, I want my fifteen minutes of fame, debutants in order to capture some pre-show ratings build up. It is really going to suck to be the loser on this gig.

Good Luck Girls

My First Webinar for Window Coverings University !!!

Tomorrow at 4:00 pm (EST) is my first webinar for Window Coverings University! It's the first segment in an eight part series I'm doing on - what else ? - window treatment design!

In this first segment, I'll be covering the basic design fundamentals and showing you how to apply them to create cutting edge designs that are appropriate for today's windows.

If you are interested in learning about window treatment design you can purchase the course and participate in the live webinar or link to the recorded session at your convenience.

My class is:

Unit B-233-1 Drapery Design Fundamentals for Today's Windows

Smart Draw - Am I The Last To Know?

Sometimes I feel like I am the last one to know when something super cool is invented that can make my life easier. Maybe it's just that everyone who has found out about it is hording that knowledge to keep it for themselves! I doubt that is the case with this absolutley fabulous software considering they claim to have sold 10 million copies and counting!


Smart Draw is for lack of a better description - drawing, drafting, form building, chart drawing, life organizing, software on steroids, built for dummies (another reason I love it). If it can be put on paper this program can help you do it easily, with a click of a button.

I was looking for a simple software program to help me create professional looking forms for my new book and I came across Smart Draw through a Google search.


I was immediately impressed by the number of things it claimed to do so I opted for the free trial download. Now I know what you're thinking! Here comes the horrific process of entering in all of your information short of your personal DNA strand and your tax return. I hit download and a message popped up on the screen - Your download is complete! Shock - Disbelief - it was the easiest thing I have ever done online! Seriously!!!


The trial version gives you ten free uses - but by the time I had used three of them it was obvious to me that I could not live without it and I had to buy. Again, I steeled myself for the process. I was prompted to enter my name and cc info. Then again, to my amazement, I was done. My purchase complete. I have never encountered a product that was so easy to try out and buy. I can't tell you how impressed I was with their trial & purchase system.


The same can be said for the program itself. It does everything - and I am not exaggerating. You can draw maps - design storefronts and retail layouts, closets, kitchens, make calendars, forms, charts, graphs, time lines. I only wish I had found it years ago - my life would have been much simpler. Check it out - the free trial is easy and painless.