serena & lily

Serena & Lily recently came out with their new items for fall so I thought I would share some of my top picks. Serena & Lily is one of my favorite home decor retailers. Founded in 2003 by Serena - the artist and Lily - the entrepreneur, the company got it start designing and producing decor items for nurseries. Today the company has expanded to include furniture, rugs and window treatments, wallpaper and so much more. Based in Sausalito California, the company opened its first store in the Hamptons this summer. I love the company for all their great designs but I also greatly appreciate their social mission of giving back. In addition, their commitment to making art accessible - they have their own collection of original art from artists that are both established and emerging - is just one more thing to admire about this small company. So if you haven't looked at their website before I highly recommend it! Here are a few of my favorite new fall items.

1. Cut Circle Sheet Set - Pewter  2.  Havana Fabric - Celadon  3. Feather Wallpaper - Denim 4. Riviera Armchair - Black 5.Riviera Side Chair - Black 6. Capri Table Linens

And because I couldn't resist some of their classics that I love as well. 

1. Malibu Chandelier  2. Everett Sconce  3. Metal Starburst Mirror  4. Navy/Ivory Zig Cotton Dhurrie Rug 5. Bergen Duvet 6. South Seas Bar Cart 7. Herringbone Throws 8. Senegalese Storage Basket

rattan

Last week I posted about Jenn and Mike's living room plan which features two matching rattan chairs. The rattan will work well in their space because it will help keep the room feeling airy and add just a touch of bohemian flair. I wanted to do a follow up entry just about rattan because I am a big fan of it. Whether it be a chair, bed, table, mirror or light fixture the material works with almost any style and can often be very affordable (lots of craigslist and ebay listings). Other things that are great about it are that its durable and easy to care for, works with both warm and cool color palettes, can help tie together different wood finishes, introduces an interesting texture and is rather timeless. Below is a collection of images that feature rattan pieces.  Enjoy!

1. home of and design by Mark D. Sikes via Lonny  2. home of and design by James and Whitney Fairchild via House & Garden - photo by Francois Herald   3. peacock cabinet natural by The Family Love Tree  4. design by Ashley Whittaker   5. home and design by Anna Burke via Lonny  6. rattan pouf nest via archiproducts  7. serena and lily south seas bar cart via matchbook magazine 8. anthropologie radana rattan bed via Country Living

living room plan

At the end of June, I did a post about using a green sofa for the focal point of a living room design. The green sofa was suppose to be Ikea's stockholm sofa in sandbacka green and was for Jenn and Mike's home. They both love color especially green and so we were all excited about the find. However, in person the sofa ended up being more turf green then kelly green....not the look any of us wanted. So I started over and have come up with a new scheme that we are in the process of making a reality.

The new design keeps green as the focal color but it is more of an emerald than a kelly green. Custom emerald green curtains will be the main statement in the room while the couch will be a classic chesterfield design in a light gray. Jenn and Mike have two dogs that shed so one of the main criteria for the room was selecting colors/fabrics that would hide dog hair. The curtains, which will be used for two windows and a set of sliding glass doors, will have a lot of contact with the dogs so it was important that the color be dark enough as to not show too much hair. We ended up getting lucky and found just the right color at a steal of a price and are in the process of finding someone to make the 8 panels we will need. The sofa was another find from World Market. The fabric is a little lighter than they wanted but the price was right and Mike especially liked the style of it. It should come in any day now. For chairs, I knew we would need something that had an airy feel as the area is a bit tight. Something rattan covered with a sheepskin is going to look great as well as add texture and a bit of a bohemian feel to the room. The ones pictured above are from Serena & Lily and while I love them I am looking for a vintage pair to help us stay on budget. I am also searching for a brass vintage coffee table that will again not make the area too cramped. On the floor, the plan is to get a sisal rug and layer it with a cowhide. I am a huge fan of cowhides because they are basically indestructible and look great in almost any space. For accent fabrics, we are going to splurge a bit and use Kelly Wearstler's bengal bazaar in magenta and Lulu DK's plantation in teal. Finally, to finish off the look I am going to take portraits of each dog and have them blown up and framed for either side of the focal window. 

Stay tuned for more posts on the project's progression!