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InteriorDesign

Luxe Bathroom Ideas from Around the World

Filed under: Decor, Books

best bathroom ideas

Bathrooms have made a cultural shift in our society. They've gone from being small, functional rooms, morphing with his-and-hers sinks, adjoining dressing rooms and jacuzzi tubs into a room of rest and relaxation. Now bathrooms have shifted once again -- thanks in part to the prevalence of spas and their aesthetic into our lives. Bathrooms are now often the crown jewel, or hidden secret, of many homes. In some cases they're even front and center in master suites, seen just behind glass walls. (How's that for modesty.) The following bathrooms from China, Spain and Costa Rica and beyond, highlighted in the recent book, "150 Best Bathroom Ideas," published by Collins Design, exemplify the exciting direction bathroom design is headed.

Diane von Furstenberg to Design Suites for Claridge's

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels


Famed fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg will unveil her first interior design project this summer, a series of rooms and suites for Claridge's, the ultra-luxe Art Deco hotel in London's Mayfair. Von Furstenberg, a longtime guest and friend of the hotel, will bring her iconic prints and bold colours as well as original pieces of furniture to the legendary landmark. Claridge's and von Furstenberg have enjoyed an intimate relationship since the 1970s and some of her past collections have even been inspired by the renowned hotel. "One of my fondest memories was when I was in London as a young, independent businesswoman and stayed at Claridge's," the designer recalls. "I knew I had made it. To me, Claridge's is the most glamourous hotel in the world; I regard it as my home away from home."

The Importance of Color in Interior Design

Filed under: Decor

Although there's no hard and fast science that says everyone will react in a certain way to a certain color, there is something very real about the psychology of color and no doubt that certain colors tend to elicit certain emotions, moods, and even physical feelings. Because of this impact choosing the right colors for your interior design scheme is about so much more than just which swatches and samples you think look pretty together.

Warm vs Cool
Colors are divided into two groups: warm and cool. Reds, yellows, and shades of orange are warm colors and are known to stimulate and excite, while blues, greens, and purples are cool colors because they have a relaxing and calming affect. In general warm colors work well in places where there should be activity and interaction, like the kitchen and living room, and cool colors are most appreciated in rooms where the aim is relaxation and calmness, like the bedroom and bathroom.

That's not to say you can't mix things up and put a relaxing color somewhere busy -- my mom has green in her living room and it's still the lively hub of the house, although I do find the walls relaxing to look at. Here are some basics about each of the major color groups:

The Over-the-Top World of Tony Duquette

Filed under: Decor, Jewelry, Books


The over-the-top world of the late L.A.-based artist and designer Tony Duquette, creative Svengali to some of the most renowned Hollywood celebrities and tastemakers of the 20th century, is beautifully presented in a new book aptly titled More Is More by his longtime associate Hutton Wilkinson. With a foreword by another master of stylish excess, Dior designer John Galliano, the book explores Duquette's personal philosophy and the artistic credo that inspired him to create his fantastic artwork, sculptures, jewelry, gardens, and luxurious, theatrical interiors. Wilkinson provides a privileged glimpse into Duquette's fascinating private life, showing him at work in the studio, at the lavish celebrity-packed parties he and his wife held at Dawnridge, their eye-popping Beverly Hills estate, and on his whirlwind international tours.

Remarkable Residences, Through the Eye of an Earl

Filed under: Decor, Estates, Books


The English aristocrat the 12th Earl of Drogheda, better known as Derry Moore to his friends, is an arbiter of taste and style but also an accomplished photographer for Architectural Digest and other magazines, as well as the the author of several books. His latest, In House, just published by Rizzoli, is a selection of interiors from what he considers to be some of the world's most remarkable residences photographed over the last 35 years. The 28 houses pictured within are richly diverse in style and period with a common thread of originality, eccentricity and aesthetic appeal. They range from an airy and colorful palace in Morocco to an "austere but whimsical" Scottish castle; an Art Deco masterpiece in Jodhpur to a cluttered apartment in Prague; and from the museum-like home of one of London's most macabre collectors to the "extravagant remnants of Madrid's aristocratic heritage." Each of the houses is accompanied by commentary from noted architecture and design writer Mitchell Owens, and is laid out with an eye to its unique character by award-winning graphic designer Jonathan Barnbrook.

Caribbean Houses: History, Style & Architecture

Filed under: Decor, Estates, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books


West Indian decorative arts scholar Michael Connors presents a lavishly illustrated and comprehensive history of architecturally significant dwellings and estates in the West Indies in his beautiful new book Caribbean Houses from Rizzoli. The book is divided into five chapters, one for each European heritage that brought their own influences and designs to the region: the Spanish, Dutch, English, French, and Danish. In addition to the gorgeous photographs done exclusively for the book, Connors discourses on the area's rich architecture and interior design history, and gives the reader a "unique view of houses that combine the tradition of European styles with the vernacular island forms and decorative motifs." The featured islands include: The Spanish Antilles – Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic; The Dutch Leewards – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao; The English Islands – Barbados, Turks & Caicos, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts; The French Lesser Antilles – Martinique; and The U.S. Virgin Islands (formerly Danish) – St. Thomas and St. Croix.

Barina Craft, Boat-like Home Bars

Filed under: Decor

barina bar
Love the look of classic wooden boats? Barina Craft brings the look of classic wooden runabout style boats to customizable indoor home bars that would be perfect for a beach house. The bars are all handcrafted in the U.S. from solid steam bent mahogany and other hardwoods. The beautiful bar can be ordered orientated port or starboard and with stainless steel sinks, bottle racks and wineglass holders. The bar can be customized with a gold leaf monogram. The base price is $15,109.

New York's Most Luxurious Living Spaces

Filed under: Decor, Estates, Books


Luxury Living: New York, the latest volume in teNeues' luxury series, affords a rare inside peek at a truly privileged world. The book features some of the Big Apple and environs' finest architecture interior design, from a glinting modern masterpiece in Manhattan to a solidly traditional structure set in the Hamptons. More than just the most expensive living spaces, however, the featured abodes all express opulence married to great taste, even on a small scale; one of the apartments included in the volume measures a mere 300-sq.-ft., while others are multimillion-dollar palaces. Dazzling photographs by Reto Guntli adorn every page.

Martha O'Hara Interiors

Filed under: Decor

A NYC Penthouse by Martha O'Hara Interiors
Martha O'Hara interiors is a Minnesota-based interior design company which provides uniquely comfortable luxury nationally and internationally. Above you see a New York city penthouse designed by Martha O'Hara Interiors.

Martha O'Hara, founder and owner, has been designing for eighteen years now, and has built strong relationships with builders and manufacturers, as well as her clients. She tailors each project to her client's "personal expression," and the results, whether classical or contemporary, are always alluring and lovely -- Martha O'Hara Interiors is now recognized as a premier design studio in the United States.

The designers know how to pair exquisite elegance with down-home Midwestern sense.

"We hate the idea of being trendy-nobody wants to invest in a design that will look outdated by the time it reaches their home."

See the gallery below for some of Martha O'Hara Interiors' fabulous Traditional, Transitional, and Comtemporary designs, as well as items from their brand new showroom -- "luxury furnishings at sample sale prices" -- in St. Louis Park, MN (just outside of Minneapolis).

Michael S. Smith Will Design Obama White House

Filed under: Decor

michael smith designs for white house
The Washington Post
has announced that interior designer Michael S. Smith will be designing the new Obama White House. Known for his work with high-profile celebs like Steven Spielberg and Rupert Murdoch, Smith hails from Santa Monica, California, and creates a sunny aesthetic that seems like welcome change at Penn. Ave.

In a statement released by Michelle Obama, Smith was lauded for his "family-friendly style," and is rumored to be shopping already at kid-focused "everyday retail stores," according to the Post.

Smith's released statement noted the family's casual style and desire to showcase contemporary American artists and affordable decor. Looks like Mrs. O's high-low fashion aesthetic may transfer to the White House.

Check out Smith's Top 10 Rooms over at Domino, where he first mentioned his desire to redesign the White House back in April.

Decorati: High-End Design Online

Filed under: Decor


Decorati is the online home to finds like hand-crafted pieces from Cliff Young or Tucker Robbins's side table ($660, above), which was recently featured in a scene on Gossip Girl. The aim of the site is to replace the staggering piles of design catalogs lying around and keep inspiration flowing once the showrooms have closed for the day.

Founder and interior designer Shane Reilly launched the site when she was shuttling between coasts working on multiple projects and wishing she could shop the showrooms after hours.

The best part of the site? Sample sales.

Remodeling? Consider $1,000,000 Diamond Floor Tiles

Filed under: Decor


We've all heard stories when we were kids about far away kings and queens that were so rich they never went anywhere without having rose petals (or some other lavish item) sprinkled beneath their feet as they walked. But as much fun as it is to imagine living like that it's not something that really realistic, is it?

Pietra Firma
thinks it is, and for the perfectly realistic (*cough*) price of just $1,000,000 per square meter they offer floor tiles not made of roses but instead each featuring over 1000 genuine diamonds, along with thousands of insets of precious materials like mother of pearl, abalone, and black onyx.

So ... they are beautiful. I wonder how many square meters they've sold and to who?

Ferragamo Slated to Design Dubai Penthouses

Filed under: Decor, Real Estate Developments


The legendary Italian design house of Salvatore Ferragamo will design the interiors of Trident International's new Dubai-based Pentominium (where expansive penthouses meet the convenience of condo living). The tower for which Ferragamo will design is slated to be the tallest residential building in the world at over 500 meters high. Each floor will comprise one penthouse unit, measuring a luxe 6,500 square feet and offering expansive ocean views.

The building itself will offer a Davidoff-inspired cigar lounge, rooftop observation deck, Swarovski-crystallized grand entrance, indoor pool and spa and fully functional business center. Not that you'd need to leave the tower, but if the need arises, Pentominium residents have use of a fleet of Rolls Royces and Azimut yachts. Residences are expected to be finished by 2012. Though standard units will start at $5.3 million, penthouse list prices have yet to be disclosed.

[via Baller]

Luxury Living by the Sea

Filed under: Decor


A really great, oversized design book with beautifully-reproduced images can sometimes actually transport you to another place. Such is the case with a new volume titled New Seaside Interiors, edited by Angelika Taschen, which is anything but a mishmash of coastal clichés. Forget what you think you know about nautical décor; with examples of brilliant seaside design on all five continents, from Iceland to Chile, the architecture in this book harmonizes with the ocean in ways that go far beyond sprinkling a few seashells around the guest bath. From fashion designer Pierre Cardin's Bond villain-style floating house in St. Tropez to Dolce & Gabbana's eye-popping seaside villas in Italy, this is the né plus ultra of seaside style. See the gallery for more.

The 1984 Fishbowl by Danny Cheung

Filed under: Decor, Pets, Art, Children

I came across this gem while browsing pictures of unique children's rooms. Named The 1984 Fishbowl, this revamped design by Danny Cheung putts a modern twist on the age old glass fish bowl. It's quirky shape is eye catching, the windows are made of magnified glass providing a detailed look at your goldfish, while the opaque walls provide refuge. I love the retro look of this funky little fish bowl, it would make a stylish addition to any room, and I imagine kids would go nuts for it. Available online for $430.

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