All You Need Is Now

 

Suzy León/ DesignEyez

All you need is now is actually Duran Duran’s 2011 album title. So I’m not even original. But I loved Duran Duran when I was a young (young) teen so there is that. Right now I would love to scour the web for new & exciting design inspirations but I’m just feeling overwhelmed with the big floating lists in my head. It’s one of those moments. Not sure if my best excuse would be that I have writers block…because I really can’t say that since I downright pen my way through this blog for fun. So next I consider that I’m having a designer moment. What would that mean anyway? That I’m staring at a blank canvas? Well, feel that’s getting closer.

Then there’s the mommy defense…but no one needs to hear me moan (about that)…we’re all doing the same juggling act in the 3 ring circus that everyone else forgot to come and watch. That may fit the bill a little closer (and what exactly does fit the bill mean!?). Here it is-my now. I’m in a moment that I want to do it all but I need too many of me. I want to be home, re-organize my shelves; design a new, cooler, thinner dish rack for when I hand wash my kids “I made it” dishes; I want my hands to stay looking young after I wash those dishes; re-arrange my furniture so I can do it again next week; look up recipes on the internet to make a mommy award meal for my kids tonight; design a new sexy dark rustic brown & snow white bathroom for my Chelsea client; tutor my kids when homework gets hard; look for gorgeous hip hospitality wallpaper for my man’s new restaurant; continue to be the good girl outside of the bedroom; kind of review the paperwork sitting on my desk in my office; shop for stunning fabric for a new project  and most likely and possibly go for a quick 3 mile run before the rain hits central park.

Ok, that’s a normal I’m overwhelmed with it all but I’m ready to just-do-it (that’s Nike…not original there either). SO for my now moment, I’m sharing this amazing hotel that I first visited two years ago…and hopefully will be going there again for an anniversary weekend soon in December (hint to a certain somebody who should be reading this blog!).The Modrian hotel in South Beach, Miami is illuminating in an amiable way. You walk into an air of modern luxury, with over scaled chandeliers and stairways that lead to nowhere particular.  It is extremely stylish and tremendously trendy. It will most likely have to be renovated sporadically over the years. Yet the details are appealing and should actually be looked at individually…not as a whole. And because of that, it is timeless.

As a whole, it can be overwhelming, as most of us feel living a very normal life. Instead, as in our own lives, I like to look at the Mondrian’s details one by one…because the design choices are each very distinct and can stand on their own. So without the need to quickly pass through the pool lounge, the lobby, the hallways & the spacious rooms…I am walking slowly and catching the little details like the Danish sailing tile that appears on the kitchen wall beyond the bright orange four person card table; as an ocean rocks below a bursting sunset. In this regard, it becomes a reminder to smell the roses (or the fresh brew of strong aromatic coffee), and take the side road to look at life’s important details because those niceties are what make us all whole.

Suzy León/ DesignEyez

Above is the lobby slash one of the bar areas slash the other side (below) is one of the dining tables of Asia de Cuba…look at those liberty bell shape lights and the glow of gold that peers out from the inside.

And this interesting all white bubble ball tree thing? Well it caught my attention.

  

Suzy León/ DesignEyez     Mondrian/ Morgans hotel

Sailing away with interesting detail on the tile in the kitchenettes that accomodate each room….

Makes you want to have breakfast in bed.

 Suzy León/ DesignEyez

   

   

   

   

Mondrian/ Morgan Hotel

SO many details…see how taking it slow sometimes can really make a difference?

Let me know if you have ever stayed at the Mondrian or any other amazing hotel that you would like to share!

Email me at suzy@designeyez.com

or upload your images on our FACEBOOK PAGE.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Best

Suzy

S.T Chelsea Nursery

S.T Chelsea Nursery by designeyez on polyvore.com

ESPRIT Rug
€139 – heine.de

Liberty of London® Decorative Pillow : Target
$20 – target.com

Furniture at Jonathan Adler
jonathanadler.com

Living – Design Within Reach
dwr.com

Amazon.com: Mia Moda Facile Stroller, Pink: Baby
$80 – amazon.com

Baby Gifts – ChalkBoard Wallcandy
$58 – cutieandpatootie.com

Gund Sesame Street Stuffed Animal
$22 – nordstrom.com

Dottie CanvasShelf Bin, Pink Dottie
$12 – pbteen.com

Dog Pillow – Natural
$110 – designpublic.com

Book Boxes – Turquoise Three-Stack | Wisteria
$49 – wisteria.com

book, box, boxes, striped, two-stacked, storage, | Wisteria
$44 – wisteria.com

The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie
$20 – modcloth.com

CUB 2.0 Station | giggle.com
$695 – giggle.com

Iglooplay – Mod Rocker
$285 – 2modern.com

Changing Station (Tray Only) | giggle.com
$230 – giggle.com

Sex sells…shouldn’t it be in our home & on our walls too?

Homeinteriordesignthemes.com

Long dark hallways & sexy bedrooms are not just for Hollywood homes.  Nor is the deep, rich color black subjected to Halloween costumes & spider shaped cookies.  Shouldn’t we be seduced every time we walk into our humble abode without using the idea of sweet flower patterns & heart shaped accessories?  Dark, lavish colors can often be used to balance an intimate, contemporary interior by instilling a sensual warmth.  Think of a seductive, attractive boutique hotel or a warm, candle lit champagne bubble bath (never had a champagne bath myself but I’m just imagining…& figuring I’d have a glass or 2 of vino to go with it…. and my man). Ok-my point- is sexy hotness that can easily be translated into a paint color (yup) so that you can dream of seduction every time you walk into your home. Nothing wrong with that I suppose! Here are some interiors that could fake the fact that you love living with color. It’s all about how deep you can go…with color. What’s interesting is that the secret to a heartfelt, intimate space, is not only the depth of a shadow from an ebony wall or suggestive piece of furniture, but from the use of a stark contrast that generates from a sun-bleached floor to worthy, happy lighting.

I’m prepared to stay home and feel seduced by my own vintage wine colored walls. Maybe  I’ll even try, at last, that sparkling candle lit champagne bath (try Prosecco if you are going for it-just as good and MUCH more cost effective!) with a new can of high gloss universal black by my side.

thisarchitecture.com

Dining rooms are one of the best spaces in your home to bring in some dark magic to spell out that you not only have amazing taste, but that your style is fun and flirty with sex appeal. You have to own it when you’ve got it. Notice that this is where a white ceiling does work to allocate a sharp contrast from the modern black damask wallpaper. The burst of sunlight & silver accents add to the flow. The dining spaces below are just as appealing with their own unique play on how opposites attract.

bhousedesain.com

apartment therapy

A strong coat of color makes any wall solid with sophistication.

   

freshdesign/ 123rf.com

bloggers.com

        

studioilse.com/     interiordesignpro.org

thisarchitecture.com

Luxurious homes have surrendered for years the use of a sleek ebony brown/black to spice up life in the bedroom. Even on a simple level, you can declare your inner tiger (or your safari manic zebra) in the bedroom.

alkemieblogspot

Yes…and we all know the rest of the house can count too…but bedrooms & bathrooms & even dining rooms seem more fun because they are more sensual.

…however, I LOVE this very masculine, yet feline inviting library  and the office space below.

Elle Decor

designindulgences.com

Are you willing to bring sexy into your home somewhere?

If you have a great color to share -post a photo to our FACEBOOK  page

….or email me directly suzy@designeyez.com

I’d love to see your designs!

Best

Suzy

 

 

 

 

Sit on a Sunset, Justin Bieber or even your dog?

 

Short work weeks are FANTASTIC when the focus is on hanging with friends & family. Other than that it is one big chow down, time-consuming animal. S0 squeezed into this last week of kids, soccer games, clients, meetings & meetings (& dinner and breakfast) was the Design & Decoration building in New York City’s market week. If you’re not familiar, the D&D (the only name we really call it) is a 17 floor building with showrooms of furniture, lighting & fabric on every floor. Market week becomes a herd of designer’s, catching up with friends, frenemy’s (for those competing for the same home mag cover aka not me)& the new trends that the showroom collections are exposing. Easy to talk about all the pronounced lectures, worthy food bites & a few dribbles of what showrooms had it really going on…but there’s too many. SO…narrowed it down to one cool, took-me-by-surprise, vendor: Artistic Frame.

They just moved into the building, to the top design floor. When you walk off the elevator and turn toward their showroom, there it is-smack in front, a row of please-sit-on-me chairs that have unruffled photographic fabric stretched out on these otherwise simple chairs. Artistic frame can make ANY chair that your heart desires…but it was the fabric immense in scale, loud & unspoiled that captured my eye. The textile prints are actual photographs transferred onto the fabric. It reminded me when I had cushions made for the first FADER magazine conference room (way back when) that had a hip highway scene that almost imitated a postcard. Staring at this new magnificent collection, it hit more as a truth, that good design can always be what you want it to be…and with these Artistic Frame chairs, you can put on ANY photo that you want to make your world complete. Yes, that means, your mom or mum or dog or even Justin Bieber if you are a brave enough fan. Striking sunsets, forceful flames & flamboyant flowers work just as lovely too.

If Artistic Frame is too far from home so to speak…simply use these photos as inspiration to DIY in your own way. Big, bold & beautiful!

   

myownpurpledoor

…ok-if a pic of your pet could be on your dining chair then I’m guessing a JB chair could be done for his fans (yes, I have kids)…No one’s made a chair yet…so be the first!

   

Rollingstone Maazine                          Designerzcentral.com

What would you put on your chair?

Email me at suzy@designeyez.com

Upload your pics to our FACEBOOK too!

Enjoy!

Suzy

My color hue…where does the love begin?

Splattered over our hands, face & favorite pair of jeans, we just happened to wear that day, the color of paint has arrived in our lives just as a peacock discovers the beauty of its feathers. Regardless if you’ve actually ever painted a room or piece of furniture yourself, you at least have walked into a freshly painted room that was soon to be yours. I hope.

Every color that I’ve gawked at affectionately after a finished project, I seem to fall in love with…but what instigates this love? Stressfully probing the right color for your home has many stages. In the last week I fell in love with the natural colors and real life images in Benjamin Moore’s color stories.  I put my dunce cap back on, firmly, realizing my preoccupation with the creative images via the internet is exactly where this love does originate.

If you are prepared to feel inspired-then simple start to Google your favorite pictures, or find that old photo album from childhood or any good ‘old days you want. If you discover comfort in the images you saved, then you are ready to add color to your life.

I’ve serenely pulled out a few favorite shots and searched for their interior counterpart. The result? Remembering that color and inspiration is precisely where it has always been…smack out in front of our everyday lives.

   

healingwithjuices.com/  Melissa Clark

quintinlake.com

 The Nimes, France apartment below has a quiet strength inspired by a tall strip of limestone, combined with the perfected colors and texture of the lotus flower in any garden. It makes you just want to kick back and take in the goodness.

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style-find.com

Andrew Beebe

Yup… the kitchen sink. No need to throw it out when it comes to color-my-home creativeness. Did you think color was only for the rainbow? Look past the stainless and see the splendor of shadows in the multitude of gray tones. The glaring strike of a bright light hitting the metal inspires a balance with warm whites. The coolness of the raised console panels and gray toned walls below, say-“get outta the kitchen & come hang with me”.

interiorzine.com

quitinlake.com

Miles flow visually while gazing at an outstretch of land that shines, with the brightness of a sunset, as the canola fields do above. No better place to dare this color of kingdom as a massive, modern bathroom. The incredible smoothness of the materials below show that color shines bright on any surface. I say throw a sheep skin rug on the floor and read a book in the sunshine.

artohaus.com

andykatzphotography.com

OK-so you love the idea of color-but you just painted your walls last month? Well, turn that energizing photo onto your furniture. Afraid to commit to your indoor treasures? Use the idea on your outdoor furniture first. Try a bold color,  regardless what climate you live in year round. It will brighten up your day no matter how many clouds loom above.The colorful adirondeck chairs below give life to the mute forest green front porch.

buzzle.com

dippity.com

When peering over your grouping of fave photos…remember that you only need one teeny bit of the actual composition to inspire you. As an artist gets carried away from his subject after a euphoric emotion, let the details inspire you alongside the palette you are craving.  The solitude of a deserted orange motor boat drifting in the warm Caribbean colored sea, as above,  can be your beginning. Bring other aspects of nature in and you get a levelheaded & stylish dining space as seen below.

Elle Decor

Show us your inspirational photos!

Email me at suzy@designeyez.com or

Upload your pics to our FACEBOOK too!

Enjoy!

Suzy