Archive for the ‘obsessing’ Category

Vamp It Up.

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

I am unabashedly going to geek out so hardcore today over the release of New Moon at midnight tonight!  I’ve got a great event to go to first at Luna Boston, and then a pre-party with some equally excited women at which I’ll change from my “designer persona” duds  into this little number and completely FREAK MY FREAK until midnight when I’ll be in the theaters with throngs of screaming ladies watching the movie! It’s like Christmas morning!

And you thought I was cool….

I did have a reader write me a while ago asking me if I would do a Twilight inspired room post. If any day is appropriate for me to do this, it’s today.  I wanted it to reflect the dark moodiness of the movie, but not the typical “black and red” vampire color scheme.  So instead I chose black, white and deep forest green, which reminds me of the mossy, damp town of Forks (wow, I can’t believe I’m writing this). And what better room to base on Edward and Twilight than a bedroom? (wink, wink) Since Edward is 100+ years old, I wanted the room to have a mix of antique styles from different decades-almost as if they were collected throughout time. Everything has a reference to the book (canopy bed, fur blanket, deer head, etc.) and I think all and all, it looks quite chic and not “Twilight” at all! The perfect room for the grown up Twi-hard who doesn’t want posters on her wall!

The room itself would be very much like Jenna Lyon’s bedroom- creamy marble mantle, black walls and great architectural detail. I’d make the focus piece this antiqued mirrored “True Romance” Neirmann Weeks bed (hey, vampires are loaded so budget isn’t a factor). I’d pop an alabaster deer head above the headboard for a really graphic, unexpected punch. And the room would smell of Diptyque’s Baies Noir candles…

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An antique rug and deep green velvet drapes would create a really rich atmosphere.

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Simple sleek white with black  Yves Delorme bedding and a faux fur throw (hello Jacob) at the foot and mirrored pillows for a shimmery effect.

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A mid-century chandelier to add some funk:

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Alabaster lamps on top of Moorish inlaid tables giving it an eclectic, cultural look.

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A antique dresser topped with bell jars covering plants and mosses and tons of candles in mercury holders.

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Wall decor would be varied- a really large format photograph on one wall that looks oh-so appropriate, something modern and abstract on another (this is Amanda Talley) and a Venetian mirror above the dresser (to reflect the Italian component of the book)

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In a seating area (with large photograph from above hung on wall) a Barcelona daybed  with a pillow in Schumacher’s Shock Wave velvet with a green throw and petrified wood side table.

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And by that, of course, Sapien bookshelves stacked with old books:

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Of course I had to create a themed cocktail for the party leading up to the midnight showing, so here it is:

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The Sparkly Vampire Martini

(a.k.a. the Cullentini, a.k.a. What Will Get Me Drunk Enough To Deal With Hordes of Screaming Teenagers at Midnight Tonight)

1 1/2 shots citrus vodka (you can make it 2 if you want to SEE sparkles)

splash of Chambord

1/2 shot simple syrup

1 shot pomegranate juice (POM is good)

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

rub rim of lemon wedge around rim of glass and coat in sparkly sugar (mine is Stirrings Lemon Drop Sugar Rim)

Shake and pour into glass. Drink enough that when you get to the theater for the midnight New Moon showing you start kissing the Rob Pattinson cardboard cutout on display while your friends laugh/take pictures to post on Facebook.

New Favorite Wallpaper.

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Imperial Trellis? Eh, it’s pretty.

Grasscloth? A classic, you bet.

But if I were going to wallpaper a room right now it would be with these Bruce Weber shots of Robert Pattinson. Yup, I’m jumping deep into teeny bopper mania with both feet (slightly more highbrow seeing as it’s VF not Teen Beat…).  Even if you hate Twilight you cannot deny the beauty of this man.* le sigh*

And get ready for occasional Twilight pop culture digression this month as the release of New Moon approaches (I’m actually going to the first midnight showing- stop laughing).

It’s just GONNA happen, people. My apologies in advance. :)

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What I’m Loving: Nate Berkus for HSN Ottoman

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

“Loving” is not strong enough of a word for what I feel for these ottomans- pure obsession might do them a bit more justice. Nate kills it here, not only with the cool shape, but the color palette as well. Go on with your bad self, Home Shopping Network!
I want one NOW (cue folded arms, pouty face and giant huff).

The Sling That Launches 1,000 Questions.

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Today is an edition of “Deep Thoughts by Erin”- with a smidge of design on the side:

I was out shopping for baby gifts last weekend (as many, many have graced the Gates family in the last 2 months). I was perusing Lester Harry’s, a very lovely but VERY pricey baby boutique (cue Andrew yelling from across the store “This baby shirt is $95 bucks!!!What the f*ck??) when I saw it. The Serena and Lily embroidered baby sling that makes my tummy do flip flops of joy. I have coveted it before online, but had not seen it in person yet. I picked it up and inspected the lovely detailing and then actually, to my horror, held it up to myself. “Trying it on”, if you will. I looked at Andrew and said “I think I might buy it”– he assumed I meant as a gift for one of the baby momma’s, but no, I meant for a very un-pregnant me.
My reasoning being that what if they don’t make this particularly fabulous sling when I am actually pregnant? How upset would I be knowing that it existed and I hadn’t bought it? I was trying to avoid future buyers remorse, but is it creepy (and bad luck) to buy a baby item when you don’t, in fact, have a baby…or even know when you might want to have one? Looking at that sling brought up lot of questions for me: am I ready? Will I ever be ready? Do I even really want a baby or do I just want this stupid sling (which could be refashioned for carrying one of my dogs I suppose- granted they’d have to be heavily drugged to allow this)?
I think a lot of women my age face these questions with their 30th birthdays looming on the calendar. And it’s especially present in my life when I spend a lot of time oogling adorable baby things for the blog, designing nurseries, working mostly with hip, young moms (and having friends who all are becoming hip, young moms too). I see posts like Erika’s about her “bring you to tears it’s so gorgeous” nursery she’s designed (blew the one I designed outta the water) for her little one on the way and start craving to design my own. Look at this space- Oscar de la Renta fabric, drapes with coral and white stripes on the bias for trim, antique chandelier and a GOLD crib? This kid is going to have the most impeccable taste if this is how she starts her life!


Erika’s sister Darby is like SuperMom meets Martha Stewart and her blog is something I love to read- with all their crafts and sticky fingers and cute adventures (and if my kids are even half as cute as hers I will be thankful) and yet she still has time to creatively redo her bathroom (love this before and after) and make her own baby clothes and accessories and then blog tutorials about them! If she can do it all, can’t I? (Booming voice in my hed: NO!)

I’ve mysteriously also gotten hooked on the mega-mommy blog Dooce (for it’s hysterically honest writing) and even oogled her nursery in which she used the awesome Julia Rothman wallpaper I posted about months ago! All of the sudden I am hit with more pangs of “buy that for the fictitious nursery- just in case!”

What is my deal? Why am I now subconsciously dipping my toe in the waters of mommyhood when I don’t even know if I can handle it? There’s so much I still want to do with my business and my life (Paris will be checked off the list soon, though) and I just feel like I can’t do all that with a kid. Andrew is itching to expand the family and will be a ridiculously good dad (don’t even get me started on how badly my mom wants be be a “Nana”) but I am hesitant still- except for all these little “signs”, if that’s what they are. Or maybe I just really love designing nurseries?

In conclusion, I did not buy the sling. I think I have some time…

But what do you think? How did you know you wanted your life to change in this major way? And can you ever be 100% ready for it? And how annoying is this post?
Thanks for listening. :)

Obsessing Over: Bold and Noble

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Fantastic prints by Etsy seller Bold & Noble. *heart*



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