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By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Jan 8, 2013 12:00:28 PM

We found the most amazing Pinterest board this week - it's filled with stunning images of modern architecture from around the world. Like the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which it the tallest building in the world, Zaha Hadid's futuristic Roca Gallery in London and the Studio Gang Architects' Solar Carve Tower in New York. We are completely obsessed!

Who are your favorite pinners? We would love to know!


P.S. Follow us on Pinterest to see what's inspiring our designers.

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Dec 28, 2012 11:12:15 AM

What are you doing for New Year's Eve? We love hearing how people around the world celebrate the New Year! Here are a few of the coolest and whackiest New Years traditions from across the globe...


Denmark: the Danes love to leap off chairs at midnight, hoping to ban all bad spirits in the new year. They also celebrating the new year by breaking dishes. People throw their old dishes on their friends’ doors on New Years and the one with the most dishes outside their door, usually has the most friends.


At midnight in Spain everyone consumes 12 grapes and tries to finish all of them by the time the clock stops chiming.


On New Year's Eve in Puerto Rico everyone throes buckets of water out the window to “clean” the old year out. They also clean their homes and decorate them, to symbolize the “cleaning” of the spirit.


In Belarus, unmarried women compete in games of skill to determine who will get married first in the new year. One game involves setting piles of corn and a rooster before each of the single ladies. Whichever pile the bird approaches first, is believed to be the one who is to be married first.


In South America everyone wears brightly colored underpants. Those who wear red, are hoping for love in the new year. Those who chose to wear yellow, are wishing for money.


So how will you celebrate New Year's? We would love to hear on Facebook!

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Nov 14, 2012 12:11:59 PM

Today we're talking to our third Modern Thanksgiving judge—the lovely Anna of In Honor of Design. We adore Anna's creative and genuine style. Whether writing about interior design, fall fashions or raising little ones, her vibrant personality always comes through. Read on to learn Anna's holiday styling tricks, her new love of gold accents and her awesome idea for a hostess gift!

Meet Anna...

What’s your 9-to-5?

I am a graphic designer and lifestyle blogger, which is a creative mind’s dream. I get to try a little bit of everything. Styling, branding, event design, etc. I am a mom of two little ones and work from home. It’s a learning process of being able to be present to them and get my work done as well. Its fun to see their personalities grow and their own creative side develop.


Where are you from originally?

I grew up in Ohio- the Cincinnati and Columbus area, and started college there as well. After my family moved down south, I followed, and the weather sucks you in and doesn’t let you leave!


Where do you live now?

We live in the north Atlanta area. It’s a beautiful part of Georgia where the mountains are to the north of us, and the city right below us.


What’s your decorating style?

I tend to lean towards modern eclectic design. However, since marrying my husband, I have noticed his classic style influencing me more and more.

Tell us about your Modern Thanksgiving board.

I noticed touches of gold creeping their way into many of the pins. I also love natural touches. Evergreen sprigs, pears, and driftwood. Making your guests feel at home with personal touches, adding a little fun to the environment with holiday drinks and appetizers, and of course enjoying each other’s company. This is the overall theme of the board!


Any tips for holiday entertaining?

I have to confess I have hosted many parties, but never a thanksgiving dinner until this year! It will be my first time hosting. I think its important to make the surroundings come alive. Music, good food and drinks, and even just a little decor can do the trick.

How about styling the holiday table? Any good tricks?

If you have one or two elements that tie everything together you can have a little more freedom to mix colors and textures. I realize I kind of style the table in layers. I always start with an inspiration piece and go from there.


What’s your favorite DwellStudio product? How does it fit into your décor plan?

The gold ribbon vases. That is what I call an inspiration piece to make a whole table set up out of.

What are the 3 things you cannot live without?

Well not counting my husband and children (a given!): Music, Sense of humor, and a GPS.


Any go-to host gifts?

I recently bought a pumpkin bread mix and apple butter combo wrapped up nicely for a hostess gift. It’s a fun alternative to a bottle of vino!

Images courtesy of In Honor of Design.

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Nov 13, 2012 3:10:49 PM

Yesterday we introduced you to Jonathan of Happy Mundane, and today we talking to another Modern Thanksgiving judge, Lindsay of MStetson Design. We adore her style, design savvy and smart editorial eye. Read on for Lindsay's awesome advice about holiday entertaining, styling the perfect tablescape and her obsession with texture...


Meet Lindsay!

Where are you from originally?

I am originally from the Pacific Northwest (the Seattle/Tacoma area).


Where do you live now?

I currently live in Eastside Costa Mesa, California.


What’s your decorating style?

I would describe my style as modern with odes to mid-century modern throughout. I love a graphic black and white palette accented with warm, organic wood and hits of bright colors (like DwellStudio citrine!).


Tell us about your Modern Thanksgiving board.

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate and be thankful for our blessings—a perfect opportunity to balance some more formal, traditional pieces with approachable, comfortable items. I want to include some earthenware items juxtaposed with splashes of gold and sparkle, raw wood paired with high-gloss shine.


Any go-to host gifts?

I am a big fan of plants; flowers die, but the plant can be kept for years. I love succulents specifically, as they require little watering and care. I’ll choose to personalize the gift to the recipient through selecting the right planter or adding a cute tag or garden marker.

Any tips for holiday entertaining?

I’m a planner; I like to have most of the items completed or delegated prior to the event, however, I try to remember to give myself grace during the event. I want to spend quality time with my guests, not be stressing over the preparation or presentation of the next dish.


What’s your favorite DwellStudio product? How does it fit into your décor plan?

I have been on the hunt for the right artwork for our apartment; I have framed pieces and some canvases and prints, but I’ve been oogling over the Folded Brass Wall Décor piece. I love it’s layered, graphic shapes in the sculptured brass.

How about styling the holiday table? Any good tricks?

A simple centerpiece. With all the dinnerware and decadent food for Thanksgiving, I like to keep the centerpieces low to avoid visual barriers between guests. A few small pieces down the center should do it—just mix a few votives with small, simple florals or pumpkins and voilà!.


What are the 3 things you cannot live without?

Being a graphic designer my iphone and mac are pretty high on that list, a great lip balm/lipstick, and my precious (and crazy) German Shorthaired Pointer, Hazel.


What’s inspiring you right now?

Textures. I’m so inspired by a mix of textures and how they interplay with one another both in visual and tactile qualities.

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Oct 31, 2012 3:53:22 PM

With all of the post-Sandy craziness here in New York, we almost forget today is Halloween! What are you all doing to celebrate? Are you dressing up? Making pumpkin-themed treats? Or watching old-school scary movies? We were just scrolling through Pinterest and noticed all the lovely oranges, reds, mustards and flaxen hues that are trending. We gathered up a few of our favorite chic pumpkin-hued images...

A glowing Halloween vignette via The Zhush.


This slouchy, oversized knit via Eat.Sleep.Wear is the perfect shade of mustard for a chilly Halloween night!


The auburns, purples and burnt tones in this Vanessa Paradis image has us dreaming about a bohemian Halloween. Image via Vintage Virgin.


And we're loving the Victorian feel of this gorgeous floral setup via Ruffled


What are your Halloween plans? We would love to know!

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Oct 26, 2012 12:34:16 PM

We love the ladies behind Decorative Traces. This awesome site is devoted to an intelligent approach to design—both past and present. This dedication spills over to their inspiring musings on Pinterest as well. Lately, we've been especially excited by their Glamour board. Think of it as a momentary vacation into an haute world! With delectable images of high-fashion moments like Kate Moss stepping out of a car in a luxe coat and the divine Yves Saint-Laurent reposing with his model muses Lou Lou de la Falaise—this board has serious drama! Who are your favorite pinners? We would love to know!

P.S. make sure to stop by our Urban Tag Sale next Saturday to hang and shop with Jessica and Danielle of Decorative Traces!

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Oct 12, 2012 1:47:09 PM

We've been obsessing over Oscar PR Girl's chic musings for years. Besides being a digital strategy inspiration, her eye for design is equally clever and sharp. We adore her simply streamlined Pinterest, outfitted with her discerning restraint. She's careful to only post images that are acutely inline with her divine aesthetic. This week our team has been drooling over her apt. board. With the holiday season approaching, thoughts of a fashion-driven holiday palette are on our minds here at DwellStudio that means bits of baroque detailing, flashes of gilded tones and the flicker of monochromatic metallics... From gold piping in an entryway to chandeliers at the Hôtel de Crillon, we're so inspired by Oscar PR Girl on Pinterest. Who are your favorite pinners? We would love to know!

P.S. Today is the last day of our Upholstery Event! Shop the sale >

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Oct 10, 2012 1:03:41 PM

This season our design team looked to the innovative designs of artist Josef Albers. His clean geometric compositions and color theories were central elements of the Bauhaus design movement. Our team was especially inspired by Albers' Homage to the Square series and his graphic posters from the 1950s and 60s.

Don't you love all the bold colors and graphic lines of Albers' work? We pulled these images straight from our design team's inspiration files!

Image credit (clockwise from top left) Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5

His designs even inspired our Frame Rugs and Concentric Square Throws from our new fall collection. Who inspires you? We would love to know!

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Oct 5, 2012 11:41:10 AM

We're obsessing over blogger Creature Comforts' stunningly stocked Pinterest right now. From the swirl of milk in coffee to the rooftops of Paris to the majesty of a deer's antlers to the vintage bronze of a sports car to the muted tone of boats on the shore—Creature Comforts' Color Crush - Neutrals board proves that inspiration comes in many forms and in many shades. Who are your favorite pinners? We would love to know!


Shop our Modern Neutrals color story >

 
 
 
By Patrisha Z | Posted in Inspiration |Oct 4, 2012 12:06:22 PM

Daring, vivacious and chic... We adore Diana Vreeland and can't wait to check out the new documentary The Eye Has to Travel, which explores her stylish life and fascinating career.

A true icon, this mistress of fashion didn't begin her career until she was in her late 30s. She began her foray into the magazine world by writing a humorous column for Harper's Bazaar; she then moved on to take the helm at Vogue. Where it didn't take long for her to transform the magazine's editorials into aspirational look books of edgy glamour. She even re-invented herself post-Vogue by revolunitazing the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This film is sure to be filled with provokative and dazzling anectodtes about Vreeland's life à la mode. We can't wait! What are you doing this weekend? We would love to know!

 
 

The Studio Blog

Christiane Lemieux is the Founder of DwellStudio, the author of Undecorate, mother of two plus a dog and is married to Joshua Young, who is also her business partner. Christiane graduated from the Parson's School of Design with a degree in Fashion design. She also has a degree in Art History. Christiane is inspired by travel and design. Most importantly, she is trying to figure out how to live a life of adventure with her family. Starting this business seemed like the best place to start. Stay tuned as we see how that develops...