Staying Inspired

It's been almost two years since I first walked in to the lobby of the Gramercy Park Hotel. We were at the NYC Gift Show and our friend, Fifi, wanted to share some of New York's finest design with us.The first thing that struck me was all the amazing art. That should come as no surprise, as Julian Schnabel designed the interiors with Ian Schrager, the master of boutique hotels. Pieces by Schnabel, Warhol, Haring and more are predominantly displayed throughout the public areas of the hotel. A super treat to see works in an environment like this.The sawtooth shark chandelier in the Rose Bar was nothing short of completely cool. The vibe was medieval, yet felt like an exclusive men's club. It was almost a little pompous, although that was probably intentional. Then toss in a Moroccan influence and you have combination that no one would think would work, but is flawlessly pulled off. The unabashed mix of rich, bold colors combined with luxurious finishes is a treat for any designer to experience. Fuse that with the storied history of the hotel and the total package is an intriguing feast to behold. While goofing around with a suit of armor in the lobby, a gentleman chuckled at us. Fifi, not one to be belittled, gave him a look that only Fifi can. He stopped to talk to us and it turned out he was the former owner of the hotel, Steven Weissberg. He talked to us about his family, so candidly that we hardly believed him until we googled it. Read all about it here- NYMagazine

Maybe the Scouts will one day be lucky enough to stay at GPH. Until then, we'll take away inspiration for it's blend of styles, colors, and over-the-top furnishings. Have you ever stayed there? If so, let us know how your experience was.

A little help from friends and then some

Getting your own house finished is probably one of the biggest challenges for a designer. Either you're so burned out from making selections for your clients or you can't decide because you think something better's out there. Or if you're like me, you're just a procrastinator. So yesterday I called fellow Scout Jean to come over and give me a kick in the butt, I mean some direction, on getting my house finished- at least for the moment (you know a designer's house is never "finished"). We began to tackle the empty wall in my dining room. The large piece in the middle is an enlarged copy of a rejection letter sent by the MOMA to Andy Warhol. The Scouts used it in a dining by design event a few years ago. My family finds it inspirational, however, it was lonely on the wall by itself. Jean suggested I hang some colorful original art around it. Just what it needed. So, to pay Jean for all her design advice, I took her to a new little place in Dayton. Yay for locally owned restaurants!Then I went to vote. How lucky are the Scouts that this is where our polling place is located- a gorgeous old church. That slate roof is to die for.So with the rest of the afternoon ahead of me and not being scheduled in the studio, I decided to go thrift shopping. I scored some awesome things! I did pass up this fur coat, but I couldn't resist showing you all the tag. The Scouts know some people like that. :)

So, besides voting, how did you spend your day? And share some of your best thrift store finds with us.