After the past few days of how-tos, I need a little pretty. You? I promise to get back to window treatments and more, in a minute. In the meantime…
Gio Ponti, ti amo!
I wish I liked opera…
I wish I liked the opera. I would feel so much more sophisticated if the singing didn’t sound like hysterical women practicing their scales to me. I may have to invest in some surreptitious earplugs so I can go because it turns out, I have missed a bunch of very cool sets and costumes. Am I the last person to find out about Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron’s stage sets for the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Attila? (I can hear you muttering “luddite” under your breath…). Did I mention the costumes were done by Miuccia Prada? Come on! For those of you who may have have missed it, check out some of the intense design below:
Use mirror to open up your space
One of the most common complaints I get from clients is about cramped, dark spaces and often my “cure” is to apply a little mirror. Don’t be alarmed – I am not proposing that each of you turns your house into a room from Scarface. A little can go a long way and add sparkle and pizzazz to areas that are normally neglected. Apply mirror to a wall or the back of a bookcase and light it properly and you’ll see how the space opens up. It’s as if you put a window where there wasn’t one. Check out some examples below…
Photomurals?
Quick – what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think photomural? Let me guess – a cheesy tropical sunset in your friend’s dad’s “finished” basement from the 70s. Am I close? Today I want to blow your mind with new ways to think about using wall murals that are far from Miami Vice.
Exhibit A:
Josef Frank, my hero…
Hey everybody. Sorry I have been m.i.a. for the past few days. Thanks to Kate for her excellent posts in my absence – hope you all dug them as much as I did!
So I’m back and ready to share some dynamic eye-candy on this blustery day in Laurel Canyon. I was thinking of who might lift my spirits and I immediately thought of my man, Josef Frank. He is the renown designer and textile artist best known for the work he created for the Swedish store, Svenskt Tenn. His fabrics are fantastical and chock full of color. The scale tends to be large and the creatures and plants rollick across the fabric in an explosion of energy and whimsy.
Walk Like an Egyptian (Part 2)
Hi readers, it’s guest blogger Kate again. Thanks for coming back for Part Deux! Normally today would be Tuesday Morning Mailbag but Molly is still illin’, so be sure to submit your questions to the email address found under the Contact tab at the top, and look for Molly’s answers next Tuesday!
One of the most stylish women I’ve ever met, designer Katie Leede, is way ahead of the curve of the Egyptian renaissance with her “Ra Collection” line of fabrics. She was inspired by the Egyptian Art Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which is always worth a visit when you’re in the city.
She explores the fan with her “Papyrus” pattern:
Walk Like an Egyptian (Part 1)
Molly is under the weather today and has asked me (fellow M Design-er, Kate Schintzius) to step in and share my thoughts on trends coming down the pike. Here goes…
Everyone is into ancient Greek and Roman motifs these days- the Greek Key border, urns, etc., but let me turn you on to the next frontier of motifs ready for plunder: Egypt. All of a sudden, everything I’ve been seeing has a slight Egyptian flavor. It all started with this Feather and Fan pattern wallpaper I just spied in World of Interiors by UK’s Cole And Son (the navy colorway is my favorite):
Abstract Expressionism
Look Up!
Crystals?
When I say the word “crystal” do you immediately think of of Linda Evans’s character on Dynasty? Or possibly a very dirty barefoot hippie using one as deodorant? So sad. The thing is, crystals are actual incredibly beautiful. Still dubious? Consider what I found when I ventured to my freezer for a mid-afternoon snack (no judgements please):
Hey people. I’m Molly Luetkemeyer (loot-kah-my-er, just so we can get that out of the way). I have been a practicing interior designer at my firm, M. Design Interiors for the past 10 years (for the full back story, check out my about page). My ongoing mission is to guide clients to create personal, comfortable, chic homes that reflect their needs and particular tastes. No one should live in a showroom or someone else's house. Period. I am inspired by a range of sources from modern and contemporary art to nature, fashion and vintage design books to stuff I see on the street. It’s always coming at me and I want to share a little of it with you.
So take a look and as always, let me know what you think at molly at mdesignla dot com!