Inspiration in Unusual Places - Food

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As the weather gets cooler and the air gets crisper, we crave warmth and comfort in what we eat, in our clothing, and in our homes. What better place to look for a bit of inspiration than in our cuisine? Shades of browns and creams bring a serene and comfortable feeling to a room. See how adding a pop of orange can bring life to the room and spice things up?

The sumptuous jewel tones emphasize the beautiful woodwork in both of these rooms. It is a fantastic combination, that brings richness to any room.

Think about fresh-0ut-of-the-oven sweet rolls; they bring us to a happy place where everything is warm and comfortable. Incorporating this rust and terra cotta color scheme will give that same inviting feeling to any room.

This berry cobbler would be a delicious indulgence! Don't be afraid to take a risk by incorporating these daring purples into a room. Add a bench in a deep violet mohair or simply complete the space with a few patterned throw pillows.

[images via Johnny Miller Photography, Elle Decor and Lonny Magazine]

Lovely Thoughts...

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"I began realizing there is something to comfort and ease, to having a room where you can put a book and a drink down and it all blends into the landscape of the room. I started moving backward in time. Now my taste runs every which way. But what I really love is an extremely comfortable room, the kind you can spend hours and hours in. The English do that so well, especially in their country houses. You can create a happy mess in a room, and it just makes it feel more comfortable."

-Daniel Sachs House Beautiful, October 2010

Guest Blogger: Kirsten Krason

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Kirsten Krason is the talented voice behind 6th Street Design School and we are so happy to have her as our guest blogger today!

When was it that you were first inspired to be an interior designer? I've always been a creative person, however, it took me a long time to decide that interior design was what I wanted to do. I was first inspired when I visited the Utah Parade of Homes a few years ago. I looked at each beautiful home and decided that someway or another I was going to do that one day. I feel so lucky to be living my dream. It is the best job in the world.

What inspiration have you drawn from the various places that you've lived and traveled? How do you incorporate it into your design? I have been lucky to travel a lot in my life. My parents took us on many trips as children. When I was in college I had the opportunity to visit China and Italy as well as spend five months living in Russia as an English teacher. Now I am married to a pilot and we try and travel as much as possible. I love unique cultures and find that there are few things better in the world than being exposed to different kinds of people and lifestyles. The architecture from different countries, especially the older ones, is stunning. Putting mementos from different countries into my home reminds me how big the world is and encourages me to be adventurous in my life and in my designs.

Who is your design icon? There are so many amazing designers out there but I have to say my favorite designers are bloggers. Most of the time these people have not had any formal education in design, just a passion for it. They are the ones who are usually not afraid to take risks. They are resourceful and are often making their homes beautiful on a limited budget. They pour their heart and soul into making their own homes beautiful. One room at a time.

If you could choose, what would be your ultimate dream project? I would love to work on a project like Extreme Home Makeover. To help design a home or room for someone really deserving would be so special.

What is your design "pet peeve"? Rules. Most of the time when I first come to a client's house they have been stumped because they find themselves worried about breaking the "rules". I think most of the time I have to reassure them that following design rules is not always the recipe for a successful room. Sometimes breaking the rules is the best part!

What is the most difficult part of being a designer? Most rewarding? The most difficult part is trying to convince clients to trust me! It's hard when I know how amazing the room could be but because of a client's fears or doubts the room never gets to that place. I don't want to do a room that's just "all right". The most rewarding part is when you help a client see the potential in their room. A lot of my clients feel like there is no hope for their rooms and I like to show them that their home can be just as beautiful as they dreamed it could be.

What advice do you give when helping someone determine their style? I would say start making a collection of things you are drawn to. So many people have no idea what their style is. Once you start gathering images and products that you love you will start to find that you either love color or hate it. Maybe you find yourself being drawn to graphics or florals or both! Once you figure out what you love, embrace it! I don't try to bring a lot of neutrals into my home because I know that color is what I love. Even though I can appreciate a beautiful neutral room, I'm comfortable with the fact that it's just not "me".

Where do you go for inspiration? When I am stumped on a room, I always turn to blogs and magazines. Sometimes all it takes is to flip through a couple of magazines before the perfect idea strikes. I'm not sure what designers did before blogs. I love that someone can create a room and the next day it is online for all to see. Suddenly people are noticing colors and patterns and trends that they never would have thought about before. There are so many creative stay-at-home moms who are getting to showcase their talent for design. I think that is amazing and it inspires me everyday.

What is your favorite place in your home? My office is my sanctuary. I love everything about it. This room evokes a feeling of peacefulness which is exactly what I need. I love to sit down at my desk and stare out my windows at the mountains. Sometimes the life of a mother can be overwhelming and stressful. It's so nice to come into this space that is all mine and feel happy. I like that this room is a mix of modern clean lines and also has a femininity and softness to it. The hard and clean lines make me feel efficient while the softness of my rug and the pretty chandelier make this room feel luxurious.

What would you say is your favorite 'finishing touch' to a room? I would say personal elements are my favorite finishing touches to a room. After every piece of furniture has been placed and after all the big accessories are put out, I love to come in with all the personal photographs and mementos. Little picture frames on the fireplace mantel or artifacts from travels on the end tables. A room is not complete without these things.

Thanks Kirsten for taking the time to share some advice and inspire us! Stop by her blog, 6th Street Design School.

Inspiration in Unusual Places - Autumn

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Fall is in the air! Summer flew by this year and now it's time for boots and cozy sweaters, football games, mulled cider, and autumn colors. With the cooler and crisper weather, the leaves are turning beautiful colors. Who doesn't love autumn? These vibrant reds, yellows, oranges and greens from the leaves can inspire your interiors too. In this room, the wallpaper has an inspired texture as well as color, and the artwork unifies all of the colors of the room.

These lovely greens and yellows add bright and happy pops of color into these two rooms. They allow the rooms to feel polished yet a bit playful.

Adding yellow to a room brightens and warms it, which helps make those colder months more cheerful. Adding a touch of yellow in the room on the top was as simple as adding some National Geographic magazines to the bookshelf.

These rich tones of browns and rusts work well together to warm up a room. The combination makes the rooms feel complete. This can be done with wood or even as simply as stacking a few antique suitcases and using them as shelves.

Bright oranges and reds are used in this room through artwork, the comfy yet modern leather chair and ottoman in the corner and the woodwork. These pieces make this traditional room a little more modern.

Take a fall drive to the canyon and get inspired!

[images via Flickr, Elle Decor, Metropolitan Home & Lonny Magazine]

How to Add a Golden Touch...

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Maybe it's the autumn season and the rapid approach of the holidays, but here at Alice Lane we are loving gold!

Gold is a sophisticated neutral and can be used in any color scheme or style. It brings a bit of luxury and glamour and is a bold and unexpected, yet classic statement. Adding a gold lamp, mirror, side table or accessory brings a little bit of sparkle and character to a room.

Take a look at how a few gold accents have been used in a few of our favorite magazines and see what gorgeous gold items we have in the store right now!

Lamps on the left from top to bottom: Goldberg Tall Wood Table Lamp - $525 Midas Table Lamp - $475

Side Tables above from left to right: Sherwood Accent Table - $481 Annie Selke Atlas Square Table - $621 Oly Studio Vincent Gold Side Table -  $965

Mirrors on Right from Top to Bottom: Federal Mirror - $503 Fleur Eglornise Mirror - $1,344

[images from Lonny Magazine and Elle Decor]

Thanks!

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Thanks to everyone for making our second birthday so special and for all of your support over these past two years!

And a big congratulations to Amy Blair for winning this lovely little pillow in our in-store giveaway!

If you missed our birthday celebration, don't worry, we still have a few items on sale! Take a peek at these items and come visit us to see what else is still on sale!

From left to right: Giselle Chair - Regular Price: $1,178  Sale Price: $699 Carved Wooded Knight Lamp - Regular Price: $504   Sale Price: $249 Benson Ottoman - Regular Price: $1,422   Sale Price: $895 Amy Butler Rug 7'9" x 10'6" - Regular Price: $1,535   Sale Price: $749

Lovely Thoughts...

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We love our jobs here at Alice Lane. We get invited to your homes, and we get to interpret your dreams of making your home your favorite place on earth. People often fantasize about going on vacation and staying in a great hotel, with all the best amenities! I think your own home... particularly your bedroom should be as luxurious as a Hotel Suite! I recently furnished my own bedroom from top to bottom and I love it! I love waking up in it and love being utterly exhausted and getting to step foot in my room and ahh... crawl in between my linen sheets, and forget about it! My husband invited me up to a business retreat about an hour away, to spend the night tonight. I said, "I'd rather sleep at home - in our bed, in our room, wouldn't you?" He agreed! He'll be home tomorrow night!

photo by Ashlee Raubach

Happy Birthday Alice Lane!

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It's true what they say... Time flies when you're having fun! I can't believe we're celebrating 2 years in business... In someways, I can't believe it's not 5 years, or 10 years that we've had our doors open. It feels like we've always been here.

Big thanks to all of you for your support. We wouldn't have a business without you. And special thanks to my talented, hard working staff.

If you have time, stop in and celebrate with us today, or this weekend. The table is set with all of our favorite treats for your enjoyment - Dramatic discounts have been taken off (50% or more) select items everywhere in the store - upwards of 100 items! And to make sure you get anything your heart desires on SALE - We put the the whole store (in-stock items) at 10% off.

Look for these tags for special pricing!

Here are just a few of the dramatically discounted items:

Cream Leather & Linen Sofa Regular Price: $2,113 Sale Price: $1,295

Andover Chairs - 2 in stock Regular Price: $885 each Sale Price: $585 each

Carrier Circle Coffee Table Regular Price: $805 Sale Price: $395

Giselle Chairs - 2 in stock Regular Price: $1,178 each Sale Price: $699 each

So get down here! First come - first served!

See you soon!

Jessica

Private Residence - High Coffee Tables

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There is nothing more delightful than sitting in your favorite chair or sofa, pulling up to a tabletop and studying from a brand new book or writing love notes to your favorite people. Hence the high coffee table! They're just smart! They invite you to use them; to dine, to study, to pull out a puzzle and actually do it all in one sitting!

It made so much sense to incorporate this novel concept in a Mrs. O'Brien's home. Her (music) living room is the first thing visitors see and is one of the most functioning spaces in her entire home. She has a guitarist, a cheerleader, a harpist, a pianist and all the teenage friends that come with them! Since placing it in the space, her kids and their friends have actually used it to do homework and play games... it's like magic! If you place it, they will come!

Inspiration in Unusual Places - Jewelry and Color Palettes

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One great place to look for inspiration is jewelry. Adding lamps, bedding, artwork and accessories to a room is just like adding jewelry to our outfits... One of the final touches to make it sparkle! Anthropologie always has the most fun and unique necklaces! The bold color palettes of each can inspire any room!

The cool tones in this beautiful Shaded Selvatico Necklace have a great shade of blue to mix with the contrasting colors of these light and dark pearls. In this room, the blue tones are used in the walls and the upholstery while the white and creams are applied to the furniture and the mattes of the artwork while the grays and blacks make a bold statement in the photographs and frames on the walls.

These rich jewel tones in the Seraphim Necklace shimmer to create a bold statement. The jewel tones are used in the bedding of this room and brings life to the stark white bedroom.

[photos from Anthropologie and Domino Magazine]

Guest Blogger: Caitlin Wilson

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At Alice Lane, we are constantly on the lookout for fresh and innovative inspiration. There are so many talented designers out there who inspire us that we have decided to do a Guest Blogger feature! To kick-off this fun feature, we are interviewing Caitlin Wilson.

Caitlin has such a vision for bold colors and patterns. She resides in Dubai with her family and is inspired by her unique surroundings. On her blog, Caitlin Wilson Design: Style Files, she shares her expertise and passion for design.

When was it that you were first inspired to be an interior designer? While I was in Paris on study abroad in college we visited estate homes and chateaus all over France. I fell in love with beautiful design and began to recognize an innate love for art that I had felt from the time I was a little girl when I would constantly paint and draw. I soon rediscovered the creative side of my childhood, began working at a flower shop and changed my major to Interior Design and added a minor in Art History.

What inspiration have you drawn from the various places that you've lived and traveled? How do you incorporate it into your design? I have been amazed at the inspiration I've found all around me in Dubai. Middle Eastern architecture is interesting both in the old style and the modern. Arabic geometric patterns cover the mosques, malls, buildings, walls, floors and elevators. I feel like I'm constantly looking at a Kelly Wearstler or Windsor Smith pillow and it's so beautiful! In addition to Middle Eastern/Arab inspiration I love the influences of India, Persia, and Central Asia (They also have a large presence here). I have developed an obsession for rugs - whether they're Turkish Kilims, Persian silks, or handmade wools from India... the art of rugs is fascinating to me. I am loving the juxtaposition of old rugs in a modern setting so I've been incorporating that in my recent designs.

Who is your design icon? It's a tie between Kelly Wearstler and Celerie Kemble. Kelly has revolutionized modern design and Celerie is a master of eclectisicm. Though I'm not quite as avant garde as Kelly nor as traditional as Celerie, I admire both of their innovative approaches to design and textiles.

If you could choose, what would be your ultimate dream project? My ultimate dream project would be to build MY own custom home with an unlimited budget. But since that might never happen, I'd love to work on a boutique hotel. I also have an obsessions with opening a super glamorous nail and beauty spa! Whenever I get a pedicure, I daydream about how much more enjoyable it would be if I were surrounded by gorgeous wallpaper, fabulous furniture, and lush fabrics.

What is your design "pet peeve"? Pictures being hung too high or too far apart!

What is the most difficult part of being a designer? Most rewarding? Sometimes clients expect me to be a mind reader and magically create their ideal space without sufficient communication. Most rewarding is definitely when you finish the project and you know your client loves their new space and the way they feel in it.

What advice do you give when helping someone determine their style? Try to identify the look or feel you like by dissecting a picture of a room in a magazine or design book piece by piece. I think a person shouldn't be limited to one style if they aren't certain what they love yet. If you're confused as to which style you like best, it's okay to dabble in different ones till you eventually figure out what style suits you over time.

Where do you go for inspiration? Design Centers, magazines, travels, blogs, and of course Alice Lane whenever I'm in Utah!

What is your favorite place in your home? My daughter's room makes me feel cozy, comfortable, and happy... and it has a beautiful view of the Dubai skyline!

What would you say is your favorite "finishing touch" to a room? Favorite finishing touch... it's so hard to pick because they are my favorite part of the process! Probably books and quirky collector accessories!

Thanks to Caitlin for taking time out of her busy day to chat with us. To see more of her beautiful work head on over to her blog, Caitlin Wilson Design: Style Files

Inspiration in Unusual Places - Back to School

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With summer ending and fall following close behind, comes cooler temperatures, colorful leaves, sharpened pencils and crisp clean notebooks. It's also the time for back-to-school shopping and new styles entering all of our favorite stores. Take this time to get inspired by our kids great new school clothing! Colors, structure, texture and graphics can be inspirational to our interiors as well! J. Crew and Zara have some of the most stylish children's clothing. They have a fabulous color palettes and textures to inspire us!

Patterns and graphics in the shorts and bed bring structure to a feminine design. The mixture of grays with hints of beige and tan and the mixture of textures adds interest to any room or outfit.

Outfit from Zara - Room Scene from Martha Stewart Living

Bright yellow, black or gray and a pop of white can brighten up and make any room or outfit happy!

Outfit from J. Crew - Room Scene from Canadian House and Home

Stripes are huge this season! Love these blue stripes mixed with gray and brown. Love that equestrian feel to the outfit and the room!

Outfit from J. Crew - Room Scene from Lonny Magazine

Beige, grays and pops of chartreuse and a deep bright pink! The soft texture of the jacket and sofa mixed with the crisp texture of the blouse and artwork adds even more interest to the outfit and room.

Outfit from J. Crew - Room Scene from Martha Stewart Living

Bold black and white stripes are paired perfectly with this floral scarf. A few flowers in this bathroom provide a bit of softness to this zippy room.

Outfit from Zara - Room Scene from Elle Decor

Neutrals and a feminine touch make this outfit and room complete! A modern and stylish outfit and room with some feminine and antique details in the skirt and the chair and wallpaper.

Outfit from Zara - Room Scene from City Sage

Deep blues... What a great way to make a stylish statement!

Outfit from J. Crew - Room Scene from Lonny Magazine

With this mix of orange and pink hues you can't go wrong. Add a pop of green or blue for an exciting and unexpected surprise!

Outfit from J. Crew - Room Scene from Lonny Magazine

Design in Unusual Places

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Two separate items, one to sit on, the other to adorn your foot. Both wrapped in a sleek leather. Look at the similarities between the two. This Stuart Weitzman low heel pump is done in an adobe patent leather.

When we spoke with Annie Selke at market she mentioned that she received her inspiration for this chair from a nice dress shoe. Doesn't it hold a striking resemblance?