A little retail therapy...

How did I not know Jonathan Adler was coming out with a diffusion line over at HSN?! Mayhap I've been focusing far too much on babies and nurseries over here. In any case, get yourselves over to HSN.com pronto and check out all the Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler line, which includes plenty of candles, lamps, vases, pillows, throws and other accessories in Adler's signature motifs and bright colors. I just picked up the greek key throw and greek key diffusers. What a nice little shopping pick me up for this otherwise tired Monday!

Palm Springs-Inspired Soiree

{iomoi}

Today Catherine has invited me over to The Shiny Pebble for a smashing summer soiree -- and I'd love for the rest of you to join me over there for the festivities. In honor of the occasion, I thought I'd throw together a bit of a pre-party before Catherine's formal event. To celebrate the onset of summer, I'll be throwing Palm Springs-inspired outdoor party (preferably by a beautiful pool).

So I do hope you'll drop by before the big event and join me for a bit of the best of Palm Springs, inspired by a few of my favorite designers:

Kelly Wearstler {Viceroy Palm Springs}

Jonathan Adler {The Parker Palm Springs}

Trina Turk {and her fabulous sense of style}

So let's get this party started, shall we?

Let's start with the (not-so-basic) basics, shall we? For the ultimate in poolside lounging, we'll forgo awkward outdoor chairs for the types of pieces you can really sink right into -- and you can't get much better than this comfy and modern sectional from West Elm and several canopy beds (yes, beds! there's just something so incredibly indulgent and sensual about using a bed as seating, don't you think?). Plenty of free standing white umbrellas will keep us shaded from the harsh desert sun. We'll continue the clean and modern look with tall white planters full of native grasses scattered around the pool. At night, when the desert breezes drop the temperature, we'll stay pleasantly warm with this ethanol-fueled fire pit, the dark boxy shape of which echoes the shapes of the sectional and bed rather perfectly. For pops of color, why not a few of these lovely turquoise and lime capiz garden stools from Pier1? These stools can perform double duty as tables or extra seating and are easily movable around the yard.

And now for the real fun: the decorations and accessories! I'd like to keep the poppy colors going with plenty of Trina Turk's gorgeous outdoor pillows in an array of sherbet-y, sunshine-y hues. We'll pick up those same colors again with Jonathan Adler's paper lanterns, which will look good day or night and bring a wonderful touch of pattern to the scene. Of course, we'll be wheeling out the bar for plenty of pool side refreshments (including pitchers full of our signature drink, white sangria) to be served in colorful acrylic glassware and crisp cocktail napkins. (Even when entertaining outdoors, I love to use real cocktail napkins -- it's just so much more appealing than paper.) We'll keep away an uninvited guests with citronella candles, cleverly disguised as paper lanterns.

The dress code is Palm Springs casual. As for me, I'll be decked out in these classic, comfortable -- and colorful! -- pieces (from left): J.Crew Marin dress ($128); dv by Dolce Vita "Owen" sandal ($24.90 at Nordstrom); Roberta Roller Rabbit big cata yellow beach hat ($50); Kate Spade Pitrizzia Dot Louis bag ($295); Ray Ban "New Wayfarers" ($95 at Bluefly.com); Casseterite Earrings ($158 at Anthropologie); and La Blanca by Rod Beattie bandeau swimsuit ($109 at Nordstrom).

I hope to see you there!

Sweet Dreams are made of these....

Palmer Weiss

In the spring of 1987, when I was in first grade, my parents moved from inner Houston to its suburbs. Once we settled in, one of the first rooms my mother decorated (with the help of a designer from Ethan Allen, if I recall correctly) was my bedroom. At the tender age of 7, I was allowed to select the basic design elements for my bedroom -- and I remember feeling so very grown-up throughout the process. My color palette? Pink and white, of course! Pink splashed across wallpaper, balloon draperies, bedding and, of course, my very own crown canopy (or coronet), which transformed my antiqued white iron bed into a gloriously feminine, over-the-top confection of pink and white flowers, balloons and stripes (for contrast, natch). While the bedroom didn't exactly see me through childhood, it did last me nearly a decade when, at the age of 16, I finally managed to convince my mom to let me redecorate the room to make it a tad more adult.

Alas, I can't manage to come up with a good photograph of my childhood room, but this collection of perfectly girlie, perfectly pink rooms illustrates the timelessness (and the whimsy) of princess bedrooms for little girls. And, while I can't say that I'd want this look for my own bedroom, there's a part of me that still loves the over-the-top femininity of coronets and lots and lots of pink.

Katie Ridder

I love the shape of the canopy on this one -- and how it hangs so crisply from the ceiling. Adding molding around the canopy is a great, inexpensive way to add structure to the canopy (loose, flowing canopies have a more casual, island feel). Using a single, bold pattern on walls and upholstery is a classic choice for a bedroom. Sure, it's a very "decorated" look, but it's a guaranteed way to make a statement. Note too how Katie used the print as a contrast welt on the side chair. Brilliant.

Melissa Rufty

Coral and sage green, especially when grounded by hits of black, is a decidedly more grown-up color palette. The mix of florals and traditional monograms with the more exotic ikat and suzani prints ups the sophistication further.

Palmer Weiss

It can be difficult to find a daybed that looks and acts more like a true sofa, but this one's cozy cozy arms really makes this guest bedroom look more like a lounge comfy lounge (which is ideal for the vast majority of us who have only infrequent overnight guests). My favorite touch is the brass nailhead trim, which overlays a slate blue ribbon that coordinates with the wallpaper and primary fabric.

Ruthie Sommers

There's a lot here that I love: a classic toile print, an upholstered headboard with a contrast welt, an oversized monogram, blue and white porcelain, and a scalloped pelmet box window treatment. In fact, now that I think about it, it's darn near perfect.

Ruthie Sommers

This is precisely the room I would have asked for at the age of 8 if I'd had the budget (and vocabulary) to employ Ruthie Sommers. China Seas' Lyford print on the chair and pillow is a great choice that won't date and will work equally well in a guest room when your little one flies the nest.

Martha Angus

There's a lot about this room that's incredibly traditional: the toile, the draperies, the antique daybed, the rug. And yet the orange upholstered chairs and loveseat, despite their shapes, are incredibly modern. It's this dichotomy that makes the room interesting.

Jonathan Adler

In many ways, this rooms feels much more traditional than what I'm seeing from Adler. Maybe it's the gingham print or the antique armoire (albeit painted a vivid yellow). Nevertheless, the lime green lining on the interior of the canopy feels exactly like something the purveyor of Happy Chic would come up with. Yellow and lime green, while still joyful and child-like, ensure that the pink is way more hip than sweet.

Angie Hranowsky

This is a great mid century modern twist on a classic canopy. To create a similar, stream-lined look, keep the shape of the canopy rectangular (no fancy scalloping needed) and the print geometric and colorful. Note too how the wall behind the daybed is not swathed in fabric this time and the lining of the fabric coordinates rather than contrasts with the primary print.

Tobi Fairley

Not all little girl's rooms have to be pink. In fact, I'd bet just as many girls list purple as their favorite color as those who call pink their signature. I love how Tobi added the black trim and zebra fabric to ground the space and ensure that it will be just as possible when the Little Princess turns 16 as when she turns 6.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Hamptons' home via Habitually Chic

This room confirms my suspicions that being the daughter of an A-list movie star and a mega-rock star comes with some serious perks. Apple Martin is one seriously lucky little girl to have such a chic bed at the tender age of 6. I particularly appreciate that the pink is very saturated and the contrasting white and yellow zig zags. The monogrammed pillows, in hot pink and a more streamlined font, remind me of something you'd like up at Jonathan Adler. While I think the white walls and white floors is a wee bit sterile, I do like the high contrast between the bed and the rest of the space. If this were a room in my house though, I'd warm the floors up with a flokati or sea grass rug (maybe change it out for the seasons?) to add some warmth and texture.

So what about you? Did you have a canopy or coronet in your childhood room? Do you have one now -- or do you think this look is for kids only?

Dachshund Bookends at any Budget

As a bibliophile and a dachshund owner (and lover), I am naturally drawn to just about any pair of dachshund bookends. But even if a wiener dog hasn't stolen your heart and/or taken over your home, these bookends bring a nice dose of levity to your decor: As your book collection grows, so too does Fido. Above is a shot of my own pair of dachshund bookends (a Christmas present from my sister-in-law) framing my small collection of Penguin Classics in my office. [By the way, I'm trying to decide what color to paint out the back of the bookshelf -- any suggestions?] Update: I received a number of inquiries regarding the bookshelf itself. I got it from Overstock a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, this particular style is no longer available, but the companion pieces (smaller shelves, medicine cabinet, linen tower, etc.) can be viewed HERE. It's actually marketed as a bath cabinet, but I think it works equally well elsewhere, don't you?

If you're in the market for your own set of playful bookends, there are dachshund bookends at just about every price point:

Source list: 1. Platinum: Dachshund bookends - brown (acrylic, $265) available at Barney's. 2. Gold: Dachshund bookends (stonewear and wood, $150) available at Jonathan Adler. 3. ATM: Jonathan Adler Dachshund bookends (white resin, $39.95) available at Barnes & Noble.

{6} I'm craving this Spring.

1. Jonathan Adler's new stationery line. I'm a huge paper freak so I was ecstatic to see that the purveyor of Happy Chic had delved into a new line of stationery and paper goods. Aside from the usual note cards and journals, Adler also offers wrapping paper, paper plates and paper lanterns (prices start at just $4.95). Now I just need a great excuse to throw a party....

2. A bold blue bag. I'm a big believer in the power of a great bag (or pair of shoes) to perk up your wardrobe. This Spring, a bright blue bag is the perfect alternative to black or gray (and it won't show dirt like white or cream would). My pick is the "Branded Stud" leather bowler bag in cobalt blue by Ted Baker ($245). It's perfect not-too-big/not-too-small size and outer pockets make this a sensible choice, though it's the contrast purple stitching that really pushes this one from "love" to "lust".

3. Trina Turk's indoor/outdoor pillows and linens. Trina's latest offerings in her nascent expansion into home goods are the epitome of Palm Springs cool. Trendy brights are paired with clean white in retro, yet on-trend geometric prints. I'll take one of each, please.

4. Restoration Hardware's Klismos collection. Speaking of outdoor decor, I'm drooling over Restoration Hardware's Klismos collection of outdoor furniture. [See? I'm not a total hater of RH, I promise!] The pieces feel modern with their matte gray finish and sleek lines, but the collection is grounded in classic shapes and forms, from the urn pedestal base of the dining table to RH's interpretation of the klismos (a Greek chair style marked by its curved back and legs). Of course, I'd perk up these pieces with some of Trina's pillows.

5. Stony gray espadrille wedges. Bettye Muller Menu Wedges (Piperlime, $195). For me, nothing says spring or summer like a pair of espadrilles. I love the sensible height of these wedges and the gorgeous putty gray color. As a bonus, these are sophisticated enough for the office (or at least mine).

6. The perfect pairing of color and scent. UK companies Jo Malone and Farrow&Ball have teamed up to create a new line of candles inspired by F&B's gorgeous paint colors. When Dave and I are in London in May, I'm going to have to swing by a Jo Malone outpost to get a nose on this new collection, but I'm already wild about the very idea of their Wild Fig and Cassis in Pelt. The aubergine hue is the natural choice for the warm, fruity (yet woodsy, thanks to the cedarwood) scent of fig and blackcurrants.

Mid Century Modern Done Right

When I first started reading design blogs back in 2008, my design style really wasn't all that set yet -- though I was immediately obsessed. I devoured design blogs with gusto, hoping from one blog to the next, reading through all the archives of my favorites. During this nascent period in my design education, I vacillated wildly among various styles until I began to settle into certain styles that felt the most "me". One of the styles that I was initially drawn to, but have subsequently abandoned (at least for the most part), is Mid Century Modern. And no wonder really: some of the best design blogs out there (e.g., Making it Lovely, Door Sixteen, Decor8, Design*Sponge) have a distinctly MCM tilt. In any case, the long and the short of it is that, while I completely respect MCM style, it's not really a look I'm strongly attracted to right now.

At least that was the case before I got a load of this house decorated by Palmer Weiss. Now this is MCM at its best. Plenty of color and pattern and the classic, streamlined furniture that are the hallmarks of MCM. But there's also a number of traditional and trendy touches here that shake things up just enough so that you know that you're not looking at a home decorated in the 1950s.

I love the classic lines of this sofa (and the yummy cotton velvet upholstery) paired with the vintage coffee table and the Raindrops Sculpture by popular mid century artist Curtis Jere (recently reissued and available through Jonathan Adler). The cheetah print ottoman is a bold touch, especially next to the psychedelic orange print accent chair (pictured in the first image).

The dining room is perhaps my favorite room. I'm really loving the comeback that grasscloth has made in the past year or so and this chocolate-y brown version is a great bold stroke. By keeping the wainscoting and trim in the same color, the walls are able to provide a great textural contrast between the glossy trim and the grasscloth, without the bold color dichotomy. This allows the white latticed chairs to really take center stage. The pops of soft turquoise in the lamps are a nice addition of color in an otherwise brown, gold and white room, and also reference the soft grey-blues of sofa in the adjacent living room.

I like how Palmer kept the wood floors bare in the dining room. The contrast between the dark wood and the glossy white of the buffet (which I covet) is fantastic. The brown and white print on the dining chairs is a nice addition of pattern in the room. I'm a firm believer in the notion that all rooms need at least one print (however subtle) to create some real interest. The ceiling is painted a muted beige, a much softer statement against the chocolate walls than a standard white ceiling would have been.

Sunny yellow in a kitchen or breakfast room/nook just makes me happy. The ikat print is a great, on-trend update to this very retro breakfast room and looks great against the green apple velvet pillows and Adler's lemon pillow (which perfectly picks up both the yellow and the green in the other fabrics). The large, happy photograph introduces some other equally bold colors into the room and keep the vignette from feeling too static and "decorated" (often a danger with tight color palettes). I love that Palmer had a rectangular top put on a tulip base, which fits the space better than the usual round or oval top would. The meringue pendant is a fun and inexpensive alternative to the ubiquitous Nelson bubble lamps.

In the kitchen, the Bertoia bar stools coordinate with the Bertoia side chairs in the breakfast nook, right down to the matching cushions. Other than the yellow ikat print, the palette in the kitchen is kept pretty neutral, with the focus on the gleaming, modern stainless steel appliances, large slab of marble (which matches the marble on the kitchen table) and the warm walnut island, all classics that could work with any decor should the existing owner decide to sell or decide to redecorate.

I always love to see a "budget" item featured in a designer's work and this zigzag rug from West Elm is perfect for this hallway. The mix of high and low continues with the gorgeous sputnik light fixture in brass.

I'll be honest, this wallpaper isn't my favorite -- the metallic foil backdrop and the yellowish green are just a bit too retro for my taste. But I'm a firm believer in taking bold chances when it comes to kitting out a powder room, so I applaud Palmer for taking the risk here. And of course the yellow and green palette work nicely with the nearby kitchen. The floating vanity is a great touch, especially in a tight space.

The den is just off the kitchen and brings together the yellow in the kitchen/breakfast area, the pops of orange in the living room, and the rich browns of the dining room. The style here is also more traditionally MCM, with the oval Saarinen coffee table and Adler rug (the Peter Rug) and pillow (the Mother Child pillow). There are just enough modern choices (like the clean lines of the sofa and the ikat print pillow) to keep it from veering off into retro.

Palmer tucked an area dedicated to children into this den and I think this is a great and practical solution for most families. The segregation of adult and kid spaces is a luxury many of us don't have -- and, since younger children require more constant supervision, ultimately, is not a particularly workable solution unless parents want to spend all their free time in a room catering exclusively to children. A much better path is to incorporate your children into the design of all the major rooms in your home. The addition of this mini-craft table and cushy rug ensure that your children have a spot all their own right in the heart of the action. I'm not sure this top is anything other than gray laminate, but how cute would it be if it were made up in chalkboard paint?

The oval shaped tiles on the fireplace are '50s and '60s modern at its best, but the textural quality they give the fireplace is very today. There are a number of manufacturers of this type of tile, but if you're in the market, Heath Ceramics' version is a great option. I love how Palmer paired a traditional Chinese garden stool with the Knoll Womb chair. The tension created between the two styles creates a lot more visual interest than pairing the Womb chair with, say, a small tulip table would have been. And, I think, this sort of mixing it up is precisely what MCM really needs to make it translate to 21st century style, the hallmark of which is eclecticism. Staying married to a single type of design style is a guaranteed way to get a room that feels both staid and dated.

Going Green

Christina Murphy

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd be pretty uncreative and pull together some of my favorite green rooms. I'm always a fan of bright, monochromatic (or dichromatic) spaces and green is one of my favorite colors when you're trying to go bright and bold, but still have a "liveable" room. Unlike, say, orange or yellow, Green -- and even bold greens like kelly green -- read as a neutral when they stand alone or when only paired with true neutrals like white or black.

Amanda Nisbet

I've been coveting these Ava dining chairs from Annie Selke for months. I also love how Amanda carried the green onto the heavy beams, creating a real architectural feature out of what could otherwise best be described as bulkheads. I also love the soft brass fixtures with the green, the warmth lends a richness and depth to the room that I don't think nickel or silver could.

Jonathan Adler

With its cheerful color palette and midcentury touches, this room is classic Jonathan Adler.

Thomas Jayne

This room feels classic New England to me, with the roaring fire, heavy moldings and quilt on the bed. The color, however, really pulls it into the 21st century. I don't know if you'd call this color a blue-green or a green-blue, but I love it.

Lindsay Coral Harper

I typically try to avoid competing shades of a single color in a room, but the lime green walls and turquoise chairs really works together here. The overall effect is updated Palm Beach, without the hyper-coordination that can often make a room feel stuffy.

Phoebe Howard

Ah, another set of dining chairs that I'd love to own for myself -- anyone know the source on these? All the major elements in this room are neutral, but the room feels very colorful thanks to the green curtains, seat cushions and plates. In a few years the owner could easily switch these elements out with a different color for an entirely different look. It just goes to show you that you don't need a lot of color to make a big impact.

Jamie Drake

The mix of modern and traditional elements in this room is wonderful, but the best feature by far is all that gorgeous natural light streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling window.

Meg Braff

I think I'm increasingly obsessed with grass cloth -- if only I could find a place to use it in my own house! In any case, I love the mix of patterns in this room. The graphic rug, the cheetah print chairs and the grasscloth on the walls all lend different but subtle patterns, the combination of which is really greater than the sum of its parts.

Katie Ridder

Using a great print as a jumping off point for a room is a sure-fire way to achieve a cohesive design. The lavender and lime color palette is pulled from the fabric used on the ottoman and side chair in the foreground. The fabric is then repeated in the pillows on the sofa, ensuring a balance between both sides of the room (after all, it would feel a bit "off" if all the print were on one side of the coffee table and all the solid fabrics were on the other).

Miles Redd

These forest green leather doors with brass nailhead trim make me realize that my hollow-core doors are such a missed design opportunity. I also like how the hallway stands on its own design-wise, yet still works with the adjoining entry as it picks up on the greens in the wallcovering and generally harmonizes with the browns that dominate the adjoining space.

John Willey

I love the tight brown and lime color palette in this room -- it really enabled John to mix prints with abandon: plaid, Ikat, butterflies, geometrics...and yet it all harmonizes beautifully because all the prints contain the same colors (and when they don't, like in the plaid and Ikat prints, Willey added the missing color in as trim). I normally shy away from floral or butterfly prints as too girly, but the color palette and the great mix of other prints makes this room feel gender neutral to me. Also, did you notice the trim on the ceiling? What a great (and inexpensive) way to bring some interest to your fifth wall!

Hillary Thomas

Pink and green is such a classic, preppy color combination, but it's one that never fails to make me happy. It's even better when the colors are turned up a notch as with the hot pink drapes here. The softer neutrals in the rug and chairs help the room from feeling too much like the inside of a Lily Pulitzer store. I will say though that the composition feels a bit unbalanced to me, as all the saturated color in the green sofa and yellow pillows isn't set off by anything. I'd perhaps have included brighter pillows on the neutral side chairs and the white flokati pillows on the sofa...but that's just me.

Martha Angus

More fabulous pink and green, but this time both the pink and the green are in bold, saturated shades. I particularly love the contrast of the modern pop art with the very traditional handpainted wallpaper. Such a great contrast really makes this room stand out for me.

Sixx Designs

As much as I love a serene bathroom, I can't deny that this bright green bathroom from Sixx Designs is tons of fun. The salvaged pharmacy sign is a great touch and picks up on the retro black and white tiling. I really love the strong blue of the pendant light fixture. It's an unexpected, but brilliant touch in this room.

Tobi Fairley

Tobi is definitely a designer after my own heart. She's fundamentally traditional, but she's fond of bold color schemes, patterns and tightly edited spaces, all of which is perfectly exhibited in this green, white and gold living room. It's unusual to see two side tables that are actually taller than the sofa arms, but I like the built-in, cozy look that it lends the room....Oh and I would give my right arm for that coffee table. My only complaint? That Tobi karate-chopped the throw pillows. I hate that! Why do people do that?! Fluff, don't chop, I beg you.

Amanda Nisbet

I love the sophisticated, yet tropical feel of this bedroom. Again, I love the grasscloth wallpaper and its chartreuse hue is a very modern touch against the cottage-style bed as almost any other color green could have read as too country here.

Green is, ultimately, a natural color choice in interior design. It pairs well with both complimentary colors (like pink) and analogous colors (like yellow or blue) and is a great accent color for predominately neutral palettes. Green can read as energetic or calming, intense or calm, glamorous or laid back. Green also works in a variety of design styles, from traditional to modern. But whichever direction you choose to take green in your design, you can be assured that you'll be bringing in a little bit of Irish luck into your home.

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours!

~ Traditional Irish Blessing