Housekeeping

Hello all! Posting will be light this week as I am moving into a new place! On the up side, there will be lots of exciting things to share with y'all soon!

xoxo Jess

Monday Room du jour

Good morning and a happy Monday to you! I'm loving this dining room I found over the weekend in Jacksonville Magazine. What do you think?

Weekend Roundup

'll leave you this week with this beautiful shot of The Lanvin store in Ginza, Tokyo taken by Flickr member d'n'c. The pierced holes are backlit at night for this gorgeous effect.

For your weekend enjoyment, a few of my favorite posts from around the blogosphere from the past week:

Image from Alkemie

Alkemie puts her focus on Hugo Zandberg's eclectic home.

b.chic design makes over a chinese chippendale bamboo mirror found for 18.00!

coco+kelley finds some striking similaries from runway to room...

The Peak of Chic has the exclusive scoop on Coleen Rider's new showroom.

MA Belle has gorgeous pictures and thoughtful commentary on her visit to the JK Capri in Italy.

Image from MA Belle

We have a winner...

Congrats to Amber for winning the Jonathan Adler giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who entered - I loved visiting all your blogs. There will be more giveaways soon, perhaps you'd like to subscribe so you don't miss out on your next chance to win!

A big "Thanks" to Style Court!

A big thank you to the very gracious and extremely elegant Courtney at Style Court for sending love our way and blogging about the 2008 Blogger's Home Tour. Courtney's taste is impeccable, and her blog is inspiring - if, by some unlikely chance, you have never stopped by - do so now! You're missing out!

To any new readers that have found their way over from Style Court - welcome! Please browse the archives and visit a few of my favorite posts, like this one about Carrie Bradshaw's apartment, or this one about John Currin's biggest fan, Marc Jacobs. If you like The Love List and want to stay up-to-date with posts, you can easily subscribe by clicking here!

Thursday Rooms du jour

Photo by Annie Schlechter, Domino May 2007

Where to begin? The inlaid bone benches (very Dorothy Draper) are not only beautiful but add function and elegance to the room - a great contrast to the rustic wood floors. And the bed - oh, the bed! Domino (where the image is from) cites it as the "Rune" bed from Hivemindesign - the carved wood canopy is so incredibly unique.

Image from Ryan Brown Design (from Bravo's "Flipping Out") Thanks, Amy!

I don't know any other way to describe this room other than the fact that is just 'so me'. That aside, this room is one of many I have saved for dining room inspiration - I never grow weary of tulip tables or Schumaker's KWID Imperial Trellis - I have an especially soft spot for the gunmetal. Aqua seems to be my somewhat unintentional signature color, so I love the great pop that the art provides. I could stand a different light fixture, but everything else is perfect - even the hydrangeas on the table.

KyIe's Pen: Don’t Be Scared

Kyle Schuneman has shown the world what he can do from a young age, designing popular TV sets and residences throughout the Loa Angeles area. I am excited to announce that Kyle will be a regular guest blogger at The Love List. And, starting August 6, Kyle will become our resident pro, dispensing free design advice and answering questions for readers! Email Kyle with your design questions (have a peek at the sidebar, where a link to contact him will always be for your convenience) and see them answered the first Wednesday of each month right here. Today, Kyle guest blogs about his own design fears. Both of us hope that it encourages you to step outside your comfort zone :

I’ve always felt the interior design world was a mixed bag, full of conundrums and contradictions. I grew up feeling there were things that were tangible to me like IKEA and Pottery Barn, and then there were places I wouldn’t even dare think of going into, like those design showrooms that would remind me of a museum. I think the design world always has been intimidating for most people, including myself.

Why I became a designer however was in paradox to the intimidation I felt. At age 12, I became a subscriber to Architectural Digest and ever since then, I was hooked. I saw the importance of design instead of seeing it as superficial décor. It created a mood for me and I realized that walking into any room the design is the first thing that makes an impression. A sleek corner office tells you that important business happens there, but the design also creates responsibility for that same business to take place. Once I figured out that design was important, I knew it was for me. But I wanted to do it on my own terms.

I was blessed to know what I wanted to do from an early age, and now I find myself at 22 being cursed with a self-imposed expectation of greatness. However, I love that curse and only want to live up to it. I want to bring inspirational design to the masses in a way that doesn’t include the usual bully-tactics of high end design.

My style mavens, Tom Ford and Frank Gehry, have created their own iconic brands- and I want to be next.

- Kyle

Read more about Kyle's extensive design background by reading an earlier post; Meet Kyle Schuneman. Kyle is The Love List's resident designer, Email Kyle with your design questions .You can visit Kyle's website at KyleSchuneman.com

Cecilia Carlstedt's Beautiful Graphic Art

I personally love beautiful illustration and graphic art, so I thought I would share one of my new favorites with y'all; Cecilia Carlstedt. Cecilia began her formal studies in Art History at the Stockholm University. Concurrently, she started taking her first freelancing illustration commissions for various magazines like Swedish Elle.

After finishing the degree in London, Cecilia returned to her native Stockholm to begin working full time as a freelancing illustrator. Although illustration has been her method of expression for as long as she can remember, a work placement early on in her career at a graphic design agency in London initiated an interested in exploring the balance between design and drawing.

Since then her style has been adopted by many leading names: ELLE (Swe), Marie Claire (US), Bon mag (Swe), NK Department store (Swe), Whyred (Swe) , La Perla (Italy), Bloomingdales (US), Absolute Vodka, Swarovski, VH1, MTV, Waterman Pen, Paul Smith, and Victoria Beckham.

Cecilia describes her work as "intuitive, experimental and essentially linked to the world of fashion." She currently works and lives in New York.

Meet Kyle Schuneman

At age 22 (well-classified as one of our Young Guns) LA-based interior and set designer Kyle Schuneman has been featured on US cable channels such as HGTV, DIY, and The Style Network.

At age 20, he designed and help launch Creative Juice, his first television set. The show went on to accumulate a large fan base and receive several Emmy nominations. Later on, Kyle also helped create small business owner's dreams come true by making over their stores' interiors in only 48 hours for Style Network's Peter Perfect.

The set of Creative Juice, diy's popular television show.

A candy store Kyle re-did on Style Network

His design company, Live Well Designs, projects well Kyle's mantra; "Be You. Live You. Live Well." He aims to create a lifestyle brand that inspires people to make chic, bold choices in their living environments. He always keeps the client at the forefront of his mind in any project, elevating each individual's style.

More work for Style Network, this time a made over hair salon.

A different, totally gorgeous hair salon done for Style - that black door is a gorgeous touch with the aqua.

Along with his television design work he has made over many private homes and expanded into prop styling, working with names like Lipton and magazines like Ty Pennington At Home. He is in talks to host his own TV show and can be seen in the upcoming October issue of Los Angeles Magazine in the tastemaker section.

A cute cake shop re-done for Style. Loving the glossy orange chinese chippendale chair here.

I am excited to announce that Kyle will be a regular guest blogger at The Love List. And, starting August 6, Kyle will become our resident pro, dispensing free design advice and answering questions for readers! Email Kyle with your design questions (have a peek at the sidebar, where a link to contact him will always be for your convenience) and see them answered the first Wednesday of each month right here. Stay tuned tomorrow as Kyle will be guest blogging about conquering your design fears and getting out of your IKEA rut.

Check out Kyle's website at www.KyleSchuneman.com

Being as I am 22 years old and beginning my career, The Love List likes to give people in the design world making a name for themselves at an early age an extra little bit of, well, love! We like to call them our Young Guns. To read about more Young Guns, check out posts on Michelle Adams of Rubie Green, and Reagan & Emmy of Southern Proper.

Jonathan Adler Giveaway!

The Love List is giving away this fun Jonathan Adler silk bamboo trellis pillow! I want to get some of you lurkers commenting, get some new readers engaged, and reward loyal readers for being a part of the blog.

I'm going to use Random.org to pick a winner this Friday, July 28!

What do you have to do? All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this entry!

Want extra entries? Easy! You can get your name thrown in the hat one additional time for doing each of the five following things:
1. Subscribing to The Love List's RSS Feed or by Email.
2. Entering The 2008 Blogger's Home Tour
3. Adding The Love List to your Blogroll (only if you think it's worthy, of course!)
4. Posting about this giveaway on your blog
5. Claiming your blog at Technorati, which is a great way to see who is linking to you!

What are you waiting for? That's six chances to win! Let me know in comments how I can reach you, and how many of the 5 additional items I listed above you've done. Please be truthful, I'll verify before announcing the winner on Friday. Good luck!

I truly appreciate each and every one of you - your comments make my day and I'm so grateful for all of the fantastic people I've come in touch with since starting this blog in March!

Milly + Michelle Smith

There are few things I like to take out of my closet and wear more than one of my Milly dresses. I have several and I love the fun prints and great fit. I guess it comes as no surprise then, that Milly founder (and fellow Southerner) Michelle Smith is just as chic and fun as the clothing she designs. Her 1920's apartment in New York was featured in Elle Decor in 2007 and I loved the place so much I thought the pictures worth revisiting.

I love the easy elegance of this hallway - the dark hard wood is a fabulous contrast against the paint and David Hicks Hexagon wall paper, don't you think? Smith said in the write-up that she wanted the apartment to have a "young, sexy feeling."

This isn't a bedroom, my friends. This is a boudoir.
The mohair headboard and creamy coverlet give the room a bit of texture. Smith said she wanted it to feel "like moving into Grandma's apartment and making it modern and whimsical, but still classic."

Who needs to visit a spa when your bathroom looks like this? Her designer, Shaun Jackson, did an incredible job keeping a timeless look that still manages to look current.

The unexpected details make it extra special - this room is like a game of eye spy: what is your favorite element?

Smith said she knew her apartment was 'the one' when she saw the Christian Louboutin boutique across the street - her closet shelves were constructed to perfectly fit 4" Manolos, many of which she has collaborated on with the designer himself for her runways.

The 1950s American brass-and-crystal chandelier is definitley the focal point of the room - doesnt it look like a dandelion?

The apartment required a "thorough gutting", overseen by architect Anik Pearson, who also added elements like the beautiful coffered ceiling in this room. "I always like to mix patterns, prints, and textures, and I tried to do the same with our apartment," the designer says. "For me, it’s like a big collage."

Always the art fanatic, I had to find out about the nun portrait on her wall. It’s artist Tony Scherman’s depiction of Catherine Millet, the author of memoir The Sexual Life of Catherine M. Has anyone read it? I heard it's rather racy!


The dining room is my favorite. The venetian chandelier, Art Deco table, and 1940s chairs by designer Gilbert Rohde are breathtaking against the vintage wallpaper, which looks an awful like one of Michelle's dresses this season, don't you think?


Perhaps her inspiration? Milly Dress, 363.00, at Saks

Ronda over at All The Best has done a fabulous profile of Michelle Smith that is worth reading if you're interested in learning more about her personal style and possible foray into interiors.


All images styled by Carlos Mota and photographed by Roger Davies for Elle Decor

The 2008 Blogger's Home Tour

If you're a design blogger and you live somewhere, I invite you to learn more about the 2008 Blogger's Home Tour. It's a great opportunity to promote yourself, your blog, and help further unite the blogging community by opening up your home and telling us about it!

Project Runway Apartment : A Hot Tranny Mess?

I'm going to have to agree with Design*Sponge on this one. Although I'm totally psyched for the premiere of season 5 of Project Runway tonight (arguably the last season worth watching, as it is making the move to Lifetime next season), this set confuses me - it's totally uninspired.

The el cheapo wood furniture, Flor squares, down comforters with no duvets, and IKEA light fixtures ... granted, all these things have been made to look fantastic by other designers, but does anyone else agree with me that this place looks totally constructed by a committee? It looks like it was slapped together in two days as an afterthought! For a design show and sister show to Bravo's Top Design, I have to say, so not fierce.

Wednesday Room du jour

Named one of Domino's rising design stars in this year's Decorating issue (you know, the exceptionally great issue with Drew Barrymore on the cover that you'll hoard forever), NYC based Christina Murphy's portfolio is still not up on her website, and I'm dying to see it! This beautiful little nook will have to suffice for now - don't you love?

Business and Pleasure : Hullabaloo Events

Just sharing some cute, fun business cards I designed for Alison Lee - founder of South Carolina based event company Hullabaloo Events:

backfront

Alison offers a wide range of services, from beautiful children's parties to weddings and corporate events - her ideas are creative, lighthearted, and pulled off exquisitely:


Alison says what makes Hullabaloo truly unique is the variety of events they execute. "Our next event is a 5k for a local women's shelter which I'm so excited about." She says. "We also try to limit the number of events we do per year so we can give each client not only our undivided attention, but to keep all ideas fresh and current."

If you live in her area I encourage you to have a look at the company. Alison is extremely gracious, professional, and talented - Hullabaloo is a burgeoning company that is sure to become a force to be reckoned with in the south.

Oh Fu! Fab Fu Dogs from CB2

Aren't these glossy red Fu Dog bookends from cb2 fabulous? Plus, they're affordable! They remind me of Ivanka Trump's bar tray in her ever-so blogged apartment:

Image via Style Court, via InStyle January 2008

Sunday Flickr

Hope you're all having a wonderful Sunday!
Who's that girl? My beautiful sister, of course! Shot by Atlanta-based John Kelso.

Marc Jacobs and John Currin

Being a huge John Currin fan myself, but never able to afford his work, I sometimes daydream curiously about the tiny slice of the world's population that are lucky enough to own one of his pieces. I'm lusting over the Gagosian's definitive book on his body of work, hoping at some point someone will gift it to me.

John Currin, 94.50 at Amazon.com

I guess then, I should have known that one of those lucky people is none other than fabulous über-designer Marc Jacobs - and he owns not only one, but at least two pieces that hang circuitously amongst many other highly collectible pieces at his apartment in Paris. Apparently, the two are friends, and, according to this great post at Habitually Chic, Currin and his wife often sit front row at many of Jacobs's runways.

Among a Dorothy Draper X-bench, a Claude Lalanne sheep sculpture, and Ed Ruscha's "Peach", Currin's 1999 painting "The Go-See" hangs on the right-hand side of the mantle.

Currin's "The Bra Shop" is seen in the background, near Jacobs' mantle in the living room. In the foreground is an Elizabeth Peyton portrait of Jacobs in his pre-makeover days. More images and a complete slideshow of his apartment can be seen at CasaSugar. (Image credits to Philip-Lorca DiCorcia for W Magazine)

A few of my favorite Currin works, below: