Mrs. White in the Conservatory with the Candlestick

In the late 19th century conservatories were popping up all over England and France. These types of structures made of wrought iron and glass were chic extensions of the home where natural light could stream in.
Here is a mix of vintage and modern conservatories for your viewing pleasure...









































































Tabletop conservatory $99 from Smith & Hawken.




















Late 19th century French Conservatory Chair $650 from R. Jorgensen antiques in Wells, Maine.




Playing card from my favorite childhood board game Clue.








Madeline Kahn as "Mrs. White" in the 1985 motion picture of Clue (so funny)!






Eco-chic card with illustration by Sarah Gibb.

HEY INDY

Backstage at Ralph Lauren's Spring 2009 show in NYC, models strike a pose in threads with a thirties flair mixed with a nod to Indiana Jones. Here are my favs (click on photos to see a larger view).


Get the Indy look for less with these pieces:
Shrunken leather jacket from missselfridge.com;
Over-the-knee fold boots from Wet Seal; Ivory dress from missselfridge.com; tan leggings from stylebop.com; whip from murphywhips.com; Indy wool felt hat from villagehatshop.com

RUST + PLASTIC = PRETTY

"Those languorous moments that slow time to a standstill - moments of complete intimacy or mindless preoccupation, those moments when one is intensely alive, when every fiber of one's being is occupied - are Carrie McGee's inspiration." - National Endowment for the Arts

I first saw Carrie's work a few months ago in a local magazine - which one I do not recall. What I do recall is seeing a beautifully decorated room with an odd - yet visually striking - installation of art on the wall. It resembled a strand of glass beads, like an oversized bracelet strung up to be admired. As an art lover and a jewelry maker (in my spare time), I fell in love with her designs.

"Carrie McGee's mixed media constructions explore variation within repeated forms. Utilizing transparent plastics as a ground, she experiments with natural and chemical processes, such as rust and oxidation, to create luminous works that emanate a meditative pulse"-Carrie's bio on her website carriemcgee.com

Her work can be found at: Center of the Earth Gallery in Charlotte; Cumberland Gallery in Nashville and at Lanoue Fine Art in Boston (Newbury Street).

(Carrie McGee pictured)

NYC WEDDING CHIC

As a girl who grew up in cities all over the US, I have always loved a metro wedding. Be it San Fran, Chicago, Boston or New York; an intimate ceremony amidst the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan city is somehow very romantic. These wedding gowns evoke that sense of city chic and romance.



Silk chiffon gown by Rosa Clará, $5,140 (pictured).













Embroidered organza gown by Carolina Herrera, $9,990. 92-carat pavé diamond necklace by Ivanka Trump, $350,000. “Elinor” veil by Bride’s Head Revisited, $240 (pictured).

Ball gown of hand-pieced lace on tulle with ivory duchess-satin, cabbage-rose corsage by Vera Wang, $18,000 (pictured).

“Medea” gown by Elizabeth Fillmore, $19,580. “Elinor” veil by Bride’s Head Revisited, $240 (pictured).

English-net halter gown with organza flower by Amsale (price not listed). Shoes by Vicini, $495. Bouquet by Bridget Vizoso for the Designer’s Co-op, $500 (pictured).

Gowns seen in New York Weddings. Photographs by Liz Von Hoene.

ICE, ICE BABY

Like jewels for your home, Swarovski has jumped into the interior design industry to add a little sparkle to the everyday space. Take these three applications for example:

A room divide dripping with elegance (pictured, top two) from a space in Milan. It adds a falling rain effect to the hip boudoir.

Or a stunning work of lighting art (pictured, two below) using 20,000 Strass Swarovski crystals to create this wave-like chandelier for the Rena Lange Shop in Munich, Germany.

Or this uber-chic bathroom in Dusseldorf, Germany complete with Swarovski lighting hanging over the vanity and a sleek chrome faucet with chunky crystal handles (pictured). It's like completing an outfit with diamonds! Just a touch of sparkle in the home can go a long way.