The Anti-Minimalist

In the Style Section of December 19, 2009 Wall Street Journal, there was an interior design article that caught my eye. It profiled a young designer with no formal training who has decorated many homes, including the actor James Franco on General Hospital. I don't know whether it was his lack of schooling or his taste in design that impressed me so.

He likes every table to be covered with ashtrays, bronze and metal objects, cascading orchids, stacks of books and candlesticks. He doesn't let the small size of a room deter him from finding things to fill it with.

This designer sees his lack of training as an asset because it frees him from the group-thinking that can stymie creativity. His personal view, "I like people to walk into a space and feel like they're entering a time period that hasn't existed yet."

Holiday Spirit

Here are pictures of my home, decorated for the holidays. I choose a new theme for our tree this year, pinecones and silver. I love the use of something natural with something sophisticated and shiny. Missing the snow here in Miami, I gave our artificial tree a touch of snow on the needles with a can of spray snow I bought at Michael's. The theme is even carried into the wrapping of the presents beneath the tree. I used brown paper and brown grograin ribbon and embellished the presents with brass jingle bells.

As for other areas of the house, red poinsettas bring lots of Christmas spirit to my everyday flowers. I just add them into the current mix and it transforms the entire arrangement for the holidays. I also like to hang wreaths on mirrors, as I did with our foyer mirror. Just use transparent fishing line and string it through the wreath and attached it to the top of the mirror frame with a small nail.

20 Ways To Perk Up Your Home For Cheap

Want to get practical, inexpensive advice on how to freshen the design in your home? Check out the Miami Herald's 12/2/09 article on "20 Ways to Perk Up Your Home For Cheap".

Here are some further suggestions I have based on this article:

1. If you have an outdated sink or a builder's grade option in your home, make it look upscale and fashionable just by replacing the faucet. You can give your kitchen or your bathroom a sleek look with a smooth, nickle-plated goose-neck faucet or you can give it an antique look with a bronze fixture that replicates a Victorian look.

2. Go to Old Time Pottery or Garden Ridge and collect some various size outdoor pots. Find an expert at a local nursery to point you to a variety of plants with lots of colored flowers (you can find these for 99 cents to $2.99 each). Position these pots by your front door in collections of three or four different sizes. Your house will look warm, welcoming and like a taste of a European garden.

3. Paint the front door. I like the look of a dark red glossy door. Only do this if you have a neutral color brick, siding or stucco. The red really adds pop.

4. Stack books in small piles on end tables and nightstands. Put a vase of flowers or a picture frame on top. Not only does this give more interest to the table, it gives height which makes things look more in proportion to the tall lamp next to it.

5. Change out decorative pillows on your couch each season. Don't forget to do the same for your throws as well. I love mixing a faux fur animal print throw with a solid print silk pillow. Those weave textured pillows are nice accents too.

J Crew's Jenna Lyon's home

Okay. I'm a big fan of JCrew fashion. That's why it's no surprise to me that JCrew's own Jenna Lyon has some of the best interior design fashion I've seen in her own home! (Pictures by Melanie Avecedo for Domino Magazine.)

I like how she's taken three colors and made them work in both her living room and the nursery. Grey walls. Black furniture. Yellow accents.

It's fresh, hip and inspiring. Thank you Jenna for sharing your home with us!

Hosting an Outdoor Party

The Wall Street Journal interviews Alain Ducasse about entertaining tips for throwing an outdoor party. I like his decorating suggestions... keep it simple, use items from the garden or the market and choose flowers with no scent "so they don't spoil the smell of the food."

Hampton Designer Showhouse- Lizzie Bailey

One of the designers featured in this year's Hampton Designer Showhouse created a basement bedroom with class and charm. Lizzie Bailey's design takes into consideration the basement's lower ceilings and lack of natural light in several ways...


She uses the most with the height in the room by hanging panels of fabric at each corner of the bed, suspended from ceiling-mounted upholstery rods. She choses neutral colors so the space feels light and airy...

I like the idea of one long bolster pillow in front of the shamed pillows. The bedding is all white, so the patterned bolster pillow breaks up the monotony, yet pulls in the neutral tone from the hanging corner panels.


It's hard to remember that this is a basement bedroom when there are large pieces of art hanging and leaning against the wall. It's great to see people treat the basement like and extension of the main floor, versus hanging movie posters and leftover mismatched pictures that are not "deserving enough" for the upper floors!

One large mirror as a design statement

Love this look. It's the way that the oversized mirror leans against the wall, as if it were art, and reflects everything pretty around it. The mirror opens the space. It makes the room airy and light, despite it massive size. And the frame is white, next to a white chair which further emphasizes a crisp and easy feel to the entire room.

Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne (Miami)

I'm always impressed when I see how effortlessly outdoor areas can be transformed into comfortable living spaces. In this month's Florida Design Magazine, the Ritz-Carlton at Key Biscayne (here in Miami) is featured. It's oceanfront lounge is staged with cushioned beds, private cabanas, and several conversational groupings of island wicker furniture with plush white pillows. It's done in a West Indies Colonial style. No wonder that this hotel is Miami's only AAA five Diamond resort!