Rustic Root | Hot Design Spots

I brunched with the ladies this week at Rustic Root downtown San Diego and was pleasantly surprised by the imaginative gardeners wonderland they have created.

From the punchy green accents, to the collage of colanders on the ceiling there is a fun and whimsical interior.

The green pops against the copper accents highlight the bar here and the restrooms featured copper tile for the wallcovering. 

Here was their thanksgiving inspired display behind out table.

Love this stacked plate display and the green and white liberty pattern on the booth.

 I personally love the botanical theme and appreciated the playful garden creatures dotted around.

Creative and interesting lighting choices added to the eclectic feel with urban industrial sconces and the street lamps. A mash up worthy of a vintage garden.

Trump International Hotel DC | Old Post Office Decor | Hot Design Spots

Last weekend, before the election, we went to DC, my husband and I on a romantic getaway (from the kids). 

We stopped into the newly opened Trump International in the old post building, I had heard a lot of press about it and was pleasantly surprised it was en route for our sightseeing.

I snapped a few pics to share with you all. Apparently Melania made most of the design decisions. It is resplendent and elegant, luxurious. Neoclassical touches and a beautiful collection of antiques.

The eclectic mix of powder, indigo, teal, cornflower, royal and peacock blues was stunning and set off the gold and marble, cream and taupe accents fabulously. The spacious atrium has a fabulous outdoor greenhouse daylight infused feel to it so you don't feel guilty passing a morning reclining inside.  The steel girders add an industrial element which just adds depth to the complex design narrative created with the different vignettes. 

The upholstery was terribly comfortable, and the refreshment cart divine.  I hate to say it but I loved it. Every minute of it. 

How to decorate a children's nursery

With my own kids, I am always trying to incorporate great fun, tons of color and some kind of learning opportunity.

I have three boys, so I'm back and forth between dinosaurs, jungle themes, pirates and now Paw Patrol.

I try to create things that are timeless that will last a few years until my husband let's me do it all over again ;).

From a practical perspective, remember you need multiple sets of bed linen, there are different schools of thought for whether you need blackout lining or best for children to wake with the light. I usually specify blackout lining for every bedroom. Practical, if you can fit a daybed in, do

Below was Toby our eldest son's nursery. I'll feature more pics from our new house soon. In the meantime here are my top tips to decorating a nursery.

1 - Use ecofriendly paint and painted furniture.  Yolo and Earth Born have good options for paint.
2 - Use either pastel colors or natural elements if you want it to be a calm serene place. You can see I used a bright orange to go with my monkey jungle theme but I also used a lot of whites, greys and linens to tone it.
3- Find a theme and find coordinated wallcovering or vinyl. [I chose something that was easy to remove as I knew we would be selling the house soon.]
4- Accessorize- find corresponding cabinet knobs, towel hooks, mirrors, themed letters for a name painting, frames, pictures and letters and ornaments
5 - Layer with comfort  - this is a nursery for a baby, everything should be soft and cuddly including throws, pillows, bean bags, rugs etc. You see what I mean? :)

Virtual Reality in Interior Design

     The purpose of presenting a design to a client is to help them visualize what the finished space will look like; but what if we could do more? What if we could take it a step further? Digital technology has played a huge role in helping designers and architects communicate design ideas to clients, and to each other.

     Virtual reality technology is now dipping its toe in the design world. There are currently a large range of 3D modeling programs that designers utilize, such as Revit, ArchiCad, and Google SketchUp where you can create walkthroughs, simulating an actual experience.  Below are a couple screenshots of models that we have worked on.

A SketchUp model of a guest bathroom:

A Revit model by JCL Architects of a vacation home in Jackson Hole:

     While many offer a walk-through feature, the client often cannot get the full experience of the space. This is because 3D models are often best for space planning and can look a bit "drafty" if its not rendered as a 2D image. While 2D renderings can look very realistic, the client does not get a full sense of the space. Virtual reality technology combines the best of both. With Virtual reality technology, the client will have gesture control gear (such as gloves and virtual reality helmet) to walk through as they please in a live rendering.

Not only can it help clients fully immerse themselves and experience the space, designers can actually make changes to the live model without removing the gear. How neat is that!?

Decorilla has taken VR into the world of Interior Design and created a VR platform and app for it's clients. Check it out

Metal of the Moment

Metal tile is a fun way to add a bit of character to a space. Here a few gorgeous and unique options that caught our eye. Mixing up textures and elements is a great way to create depth to a scheme and bring in a touch of the contemporary. Studio Sayer loves working with gold accents to add glow and glamour. What's your favourite metal of the moment?

Porcelanosa, Artis White Matt:

Porcelanosa, Artis Dark: 

 Flexipixtile Peel and Stick Backsplash Tile, "Old Kettle":

Eden Mosaic tile, River Rock Pattern Mosaic Stainless Steel Tile:

Arch Design Tile & Stone, Laterno Metal Tile Sheet:

Eclectic Headboard Using Rustic Wood Panels

Quick DIY on this fab headboard we made from Target wall panels.

Step 1: I taped around the panels that were particularly orange

Step 2: I used a sponge and a watered down interior white paint flat to just work on the areas exposed (not covered by the tape)

Step 3: Then using flat brackets we fastened the six panels together, ensuring the pattern was continuous.

Step 4: Fit to the wall in four places with screws using the picture holes the panels came with.

Sassy Nordy's Changing Rooms

I ran into Nordys last weekend for some see through underwear emergency of a friend before a wedding, and was delighted by the changing rooms. Check these out! 

With a beautiful blossom wallcovering which returned to a coordinated plain inside the changing stalls, combined with the patterned carpet, resulted in a totally gorgeous sassy trying on environs.

I liked the stone and onyx tables - adding some texture and roughness to the leather and otherwise sleek lines.

Secret Source: David Alan Collection on Cedros

Where else can you find far eastern imports, sensational metal work, salvaged relics of ancient worlds? David Alan has a mystical and inspiring showroom with a nod to all the eras, and corners of the globe.  

 With a worldly globetrotting collection, it is an awe inspiring gathering of interesting wood species and finishes, artefacts, furniture, parts of buildings, and decorative items.