Blog | Design LI

Not quite as splashy as cerulean or sapphire, or as sought after as turquoise, navy is a quiet member of the blue family. In the fashion and interiors worlds we don’t often hear much about it until its time for the Spring trends forecast, where it is perennially paired with white, khaki and yellow.

But my question to you today, is can the color navy be sexy? I say yes, absolutely! For me, it started with the January 2011 issue of Elle magazine (yes this design-lovin’ girls enjoys her fashion magazines too, thank you very much!). I gazed for awhile at the page filled with “Inky-hued” finds, or so it was called and really enjoyed the idea of deep, dark blues paired up with grey, silver and polished white. And who didn’t love soon-to-be-princess Kate Middleton’s gorgeous navy dress in her engagement photos with Prince William. I also think navy is a great alternative to black and even pairs nicely with Pantone’s color of the year Honeysuckle, a surprisingly fresh pink. And it seems I’m not alone in my adoration for navy, as evident by these amazing photos from interior designer Windsor Smith’s website. This hot designer knows how to make a traditional hue such as navy, a little sexier.

Take a peek and let me know what you think? For me, I’m ready to bring more navy into my closet and my home this year. How about you?

Photos via http://www.windsorsmithhome.com.

Even though I’ a writer, I am also a visual person, often inspired by images, colors or sometimes both. I was recently browsing the Duralee website (I’m a huge fan of their fabrics and furniture, how about you?) and stopped in an instant when I stumbled across this photo of the Thomas Paul Prints 2 fabric collection.

Designer Thomas Paul’s prints are charming, whimsical and refreshingly modern, and I especially love his use of different shades of purple! Not only did this color story catch my eye, but so did the styling of the photo. It has inspired my next DIY project.

See those fantastic framed prints resting in front of the upholstered sofa? They’re fabric. Yep, that’s right—pieces of fabric framed and hung in an unusual, yet striking way. Now I’m sure the stylist carefully chose, cut and positioned the fabrics just so before they framed them for this ad, however, I absolutely love this idea for turning scraps of leftover fabric at home into artwork.

The key is choosing a variety of frames in unusual shapes and sizes and then pairing those up with a collection of prints that somehow just work together. Have fun and whatever you do, be sure to map out your placement on paper first before hammering that first nail into the wall!

Have you framed fabric before? If so, let us know and send in a photo!

Now that I’m blogging here at LI Pulse, I think we should get to know each other a little better. Design and decorating are two of my favorite topics and whenever I’m asked what my favorite style is I immediately blurt out: “I’m a glamour girl.”

For me, no matter what decorating style you might favor, adding a little sparkle goes a long way.  I think that’s why I had so much fun interviewing Merrick-based interior designer Marlaina Teich (http://www.MTDNY.com) for this month’s Q & A column, Bringing Glamour Home (http://www.lipulse.com/real-estate-home/article/bringing-glamour-home).

Not only did Marlaina have great tips on how to easily glam up any room (loved her idea of using pearlized paint for shimmer on a ceiling) but the photos she shared with me of her work have been inspiring me ever since. We weren’t able to fit them in the magazine, so instead, I’m sharing my favorite shot with you right now. To me, it’s the epitome of a modern day glamour girl’s dressing room:

Where do I even start? I adore that shimmering icy blue wallpaper with its rich, romantic damask print, but it’s the combination of the mirrored desk, silky rug and that sparkling chandelier that gives me chills.

I also really like how Marlaina balanced this room with a few touches of gold and wood to warm things up. It’s cozy and glamorous at the same time—gotta love that!

How about you? What’s your favorite way to bring a little glam into your home?