Maternity for Mariah

If you were to look through my iPod you would see that "Honey" might be on the Recently Played list. I can't lie - it's a catchy tune for working out, but I am going to go ahead and give her music producers the credit on that one.

Miss Mariah is a wackadoo, straight up. A wackadoo with extravagant, glamorous, girly and yet traditional taste in design.

Her amazeballs closet! Mariah's episode of Cribs was one of my all-time favorites, until she decided to slip into the tub on camera with just a towel for modesty's sake. Awkward.

She and Nick Cannon just had twins, a boy and a girl named Morocco and Monroe. They are going to call them Roc and Ro. Seemingly perfect considering who their parents are.

As a diva who must play to her fans she thrust open the doors to her home (right after they handed her a fatty check) for an intimate photo shoot to showcase the nursery.

Very traditional and overall I say it's pretty good. My favorites: the curtains, the draped canopies over the cribs and the hot air balloon light fixture and Mr. Giraffe.

Really? Out of all the photos taken for the shoot this was the one they chose to publish. Her face says it all. Twins - in her belly.

Push present from papa Nick - frosty.

Hanging Around

The Hanging Chair is everywhere. It can be used in any room but it's really fun in a living room or kids room. Remember to reinforce your ceiling if you are going to put one up!

Praise Bieber!

It's Friday and the rain has stopped. Would love to find zig-zaggy flower pots like these I saw in Cali for my flowers. Have a great weekend!

Franco-Style

I don't think James Franco is the hotness but this picture almost persuades me. Freaks and Geeks was bueno. He sold his house last year for $3.3 million. When I saw the pictures I was totally surprised, the man has taste. Or, enough sense to hire a damn good designer.

Also, you should know this is his little brother. Cute.

Another thing you should know, that La Cornue Stove top/oven is like $30,000. Not a typo- $30,000.

My favorite room.

Lovely outdoor spaces.

Do you see it? The castle looking building in the background?

It's the Chateau Marmont. LIKE RIGHT IN YOUR BACKYARD! See those balconies to the left, those are the suites that people like La Lohan are always staying in.
Those are some noisy neighbors for $3.3 mill but I guess you can always pop over for a cup of sugar, or "powdered sugar" or "poppers". I've watched too much Entourage.

Study Space

Talk about maximizing your wall space, these rooms make the the most of their square footage, notice how all the built-ins go from floor to ceiling. Those desks are so great that your kids might actually want to go to their room and do their homework.

SPI Baby - Nursery Furniture

There really are more and more stylish options out there for nursery furniture these days. Long gone are the enormous and unimaginative 4 piece oak sets of the past. Designers and manufacturers are experimenting with fabrics and materials that also make the furniture more versatile, meaning it can have a life after baby grows up.

As far as gliders go this is where we suggest you be really thoughtful in your approach since YOU will be spending the most time in it as a parent. Look for something with a high back that will support your shoulders and head for those late nights when you doze off. Nothing worse then the spastic neck snap when you jerk awake from your little rest between bottle and burping. You also want to look for something that is easy to get in and out of, nothing too deep or too low that it feels like you have been swallowed up and need to grab on to the curtains for leverage to hoist yourself up and out. Pick a shape and style that you like and it can be a transition piece that either stays in the child's room or migrates to another living area in the house.

You don't have to spend the big bucks on these staples, as you have seen with our work there are plenty of ways to take existing pieces and make them work for your needs. In the mean time, here are some trendy picks that have just come on to the market. SPI Baby is new line of furniture with some snazzy options for colors and prints - like this hamper/changer.

Happy Hamper Changing Table Version $1100

Windward Wingback Rocker $1580

The rooms they created for their lookbooks are fab!

Buon Giorno

It was a rainy, dreary weekend so I caught up on lots of couch time. After watching the Tourist (meh) and Casino Royale (molto bene) I was really amped to start planning a long awaited return trip to Italy.

Until I saw this.
The Jersey Shore crew arriving in Florence.
Mama mia.