The Shelf that Style-Slapped Me

Y'all, it's gettin' all DIY Dirrrrrty up in HERE! Uh huh! One of my collections needs a serious real estate upgrade in our salon/office. YES betch, we call the second living room/office our salon-- y'all don't? I mean. My vintage Dansk cast iron candleholders need a new perch-- There's at least 15 in the hoard, prob more. Here's what they look like now, more or less:

That's the LESS shot, b/c what y'all don't see is how they're all kinds of jimmy-jammed together so closely they're pretty much stacked atop one another across the entire length of that 6' long slate ledge. And there's some on an adjacent bookcase. And some tucked inside a drawer. And on the bar cart. Y'all get the point.

I've always been a big believer in making my walls WERK for me-- esp. in a NYC apt, where floorspace is limited and/or there's no furniture to properly display a 15+ collection-- say, a 20' dining table, or 15' wide china cabinet, for instance. Y'all feel me. Initially I was thinking a glass shelf b/c the candleholders are so sculptural, viewing them from below, as well as front view, seemed way cool to me. But that's a logistical nightmare beyond belief b/c y'all did see that part above wherein the words, CAST IRON were typed, yes? That wasn't just me trying to be all 'fancy descriptive writer'...this shiot is HEAVY. Then I thought of a reclaimed wood shelf, like everyone else on planet earth...and I do live in Brooklyn, where it seems to grow. But I can't get on board with that. Pun intended-- comedy GOLD! Same with metal, b/c y'all know, vintage industrial...blah blah...BLART yourselves! What to do? THIS!:

That fine hunk of man is holding a lucite shelf! WHAT?! Also known as plexi-glass or acrylic. This bad boy was found recently at a salvage surplus building materials store called, Big Reuse. And the shiot cost $5!!!!!! Shut the F&*K YOU, I'm not kidding! 8' long by 6.5" wide by 1/4" thick. $FIVE DOLLAS. Let's get another look at that value nonsense:

OK, so, y'all see my glass shelf dreamzzz are totally becoming fulfilled with this piece of plexi-glass perfection, yes? It's not quite as wide as I'd like, but for $5, baby can WERK with it. Now, how to hang it safely and chic-ly? Y'all are gonna have to check back into the 'dazzle a little later for that...trust that there's all kinds of hanging shelf realness that y'all don't want to miss...oh, and happy Friday-- time to rage 'til the break of dawn!

A blouse becomes a room!

Y'all I was style-slapped full on when I spotted this fab blouse/coat at an upstate vintage boutique several months ago:

The colors, the pattern, the quilting...I mean...shut the F%&K YOU?!:

photo 2 (2)

I've been known to SLAY THEM with all kinds of blouse realness in my day, but rather than rock this betch as intended, I got revved up thinking on how amazing she'd look as a room! So behold, y'all...using this blouse as my jumping off point, here's what I came up with:

Slide1

Apologies for my lame photoshop skillzzz...but, y'all get what kinds of living room dreamzzz are being fulfilled here, right? Are you just DYING?

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Lurv! The fuschia sofa is just serving LIFE. Then the mix of leather and rattan side chairs provide great texture, but also help dial down some of that sofa LIFE. 'Cause believe it or not y'all, I DID try and imagine that a man might live in this room (see green leather chair), along with his scrumptiously chic, wife-about-town. Oh and they're unlimited budget. To this end, I also thought the moroccan inspired rug really helped to ground all the glamour that's oozing all over the place b/c of it's neutral color and texture. And I just lurv how the trellis pattern plays off the quilted pattern in the blouse. Same with the tufted seat cushion of the LIFE sofa. The coffee table, light fixture, console, mirror, floor lamp (yes, that giant gold leaf thing is a floor lamp and sad panda alert: sold out on eBay), bench (also sold out on Huntersalley, pillows (1, 2, 3, 4 & 5)...even the artwork (1, 2, 3) are just slaying me. Oh and I can't forget that sheepskin slung in that rattan chair and that sweet side table-- both IKEA-- I KNOW, right?!

Y'all, this room is BEYOND HAWT! Of course, I could've kept going for days, adding more and more 'licious...but, I think it's an awesome mix of high/low, chic/silly and totally nails the concept of blouse as room. What do y'all think?

Target Time!

Y'all, on-set today styling some fun vignettes for an upcoming Target social media spot...check out the hawtness:

Look at this festive scene that's just SLAYING this 'family' with all kinds of Holiday cheer:

Why is only half the wall styled out? B/c that's the only bit of wall y'all are gonna see when this shiot goes 'live'!

We also served up a bathroom sink moment:

Everything is hung so low b/c the star of this shot was all of 3'8" tall, y'all! AND NO, Betch, it wasn't ME! Here's how it was framed on the monitor:

Then we tricked out a little bedroom scene too:

This one looks a little janked for a kids' room, but it was an added shot so y'all know we had to WERK with what was on hand...but I think it's still festive & fun...y'all know we had to pull out the ole, 'hang the holiday cards from a ribbon' trick...HAWT!

Oh Fa La La La La...La La La KITCHEN CUTENESS:

Somebody was slung up, baking Holiday Dreams:

Awwww, Tender! Check out Target.com in the next couple weeks y'all to see the final spot! Lurv!

Purple Perfection

This luscious combo will soon be installed in one of my clients' bedrooms...wallpaper + paint + carpet= one chic teenage girls bedroom...I mean!

Check back soon to see the progress!

Lacroix, Sweetie, Lacroix...

Tuesday I shared some wallpaper that had been selected for a new Alchemy Eclectic interior project...here it is again in all its' Christian Lacroix GLORY:

This paper is giving me all kinds of decorating hives and y'all are about to be style-slapped full on about the face when I tell you it's going into a powder room with a YELLOW painted ceiling!!! WHAT?

Here we go!:

Dying!!! Check back soon to see the HAWT after pics!!!

These lovelies

Are the final wallpaper selects for another Alchemy Eclectic interior project I'm twerking on, y'all! Can we just say hashtag wallpaper hawtness?!?

And yes, those are my HAWT pink shut the F$&K you shoe laces peeking in! Stay tuned to see the rooms where these wallpapers end up! Holla!!!

Double Decorating Drama!

Well damn, y'all-- go ahead and clutch your pearls, 'cause here's another interior project, done-up by yours truly, to indulge in this week!:

All photos by my girl Kelly Marshall and lovingly brought to you on these inter-webs by Tech Director, Dylan...xxoo! Check out the interiors section for more hawt REVEAL pics!

Alchemy Eclectic project reveal: Mekanism

Can y'all even handle all this hawt-ness being slung at you??? SO EXCITED to share the pics of one of my recent interior decorating gigs for this NYC office of this awesome ad agency called, Mekanism. HUGE shout out to Kelly Marshall who photographed the hell outta the place! GORG! Check out the interiors section to see the rest of the space (more screams for Tech Director, Dyl, for creating/managing/tolerating me & website/gallery realness)!!!

Patrician Court gets Planted!

Y'all, our building, Patrician Court, is gettin' all prettified:

This may not look all that dramatic, but trust this courtyard was akin to the pit that opened up and swallowed that betch in Drag Me to Hell...narsty! I was so excited it was going down I called my landlady to thank her...figured she probably gets tons of complaint/repair request calls, she'd appreciate one that acknowledged this fabulousness...this courtyard has been on lockdown since we moved in, so not sure these improvements mean we'll get access to it now, but the view alone is amazing!!! What a difference plants make!?!

Happy Friday!!

Another day, another Alchemy Eclectic interior...

Y'all are lookin' at a screen grab of one of the shots (by fab photog Kelly Marshall) from another one of my interior projects:

This is a detail pic of a bar, that I made from an old armoire from Salvation Army...

Check back soon for the hawt REVEAL shots of the rest of the space! HOLLA!

Weekend Almanac

Thrilled to share some prop styling I did for this story running in a new magazine called, Weekend Almanac:

Some other morsels, enlarged for y'all's viewing pleasure:

"Finders Fare", shot by Jacob Pritchard with food styling by Corey Belle...it was an awesome lakeside shoot, even when we had an uninvited guest bear briefly join us-- no shiot! Betch, even Bears want to eat from a stylish table too!!! The magazine is brand new, so go grab y'all-selves a copy!

"PJ, where do you get all that cute stuff in your apt?"

Y'all, I hunt high & low for the treasures that help make our place a HOME...like these:

and all this:

so, lucky for y'all, I just so happen to have a shop, where y'all can get your hands on all kinds of cute for your OWN house!!! Check out some of my most recent additions...links to purchase below...YUMMY!!!:

From left: Pretty in Pink Paint by Numbers Garden Roses $45, Glorious Cherry Blossom Wall Hangings $50, Bring on the Bling Glass Set $50/6-set, An apple a day mid century tray $40, Sad Clown Paint by Numbers $35

And be sure to check out the other items in AE Shop while you're at it, y'all-- some are even on sale!!! GET IT!

Boo Yeah!

From banal to beauti-mous, my Battery Park City executrix got exactly what she wanted:

Bam biotch! Obvi, the 'blurred lines' happening in the above pic weren't intentional-- I'm clearly no photographer, y'all. and some key items that weren't on either proposal ended up being winners: that fab chesterfield sofa, perky floor lamp and luscious rug...but that's how the process werks...I present client with my ideal picks, they love or hate & when necessary, we throw down like Crystal & Alexis, all "Dynasty" like, until sufficient style slapping and shoulder pad tearing has been achieved...

I loved curating her existing killer art collection in fun and unexpected ways throughout...oh and LOOK y'all, the pooch even got his own spot to chill:

This sexy media console below is giving me FULL LIFE!

And this hottie mid century inspired leather armchair below gives my gal that hit of leather she lusts for, yet in a toned & tight silhouette-- I'll take some of THAT!

I angled her desk/dining table as well as her newly painted (& papered) bookcase to shake things up a bit. Remember that when your arranging or re-arranging your own furniture-- trying things on an angle could be the unexpected genius solution you never considered ...LURV...here's a close-up of the bookcase-- that's the clients' own pattern design that we had printed on adhesive-backed vinyl! It's subtle but SO CHIC and was uber-easy to do!

and

This divine blue velvet scooped side chair and mirrored side table (actually one of a three-piece set; the other two live on left side of sofa in first pic. awesome way to budget stretch-- buy a 'set' and break it, up for multiples) were scored from Joss & Main-- they are such a great source for crazy affordable 'liciousness-- become a member NOW biotch!!! (They do curated limited-run sales, so sorry there's no direct link for these items...you gotta get 'em when you see 'em on there!)

Given her budget and the limitations with being a renter in a strict-ass building like hers, overall, the space looks incredible! Upon seeing it for the first time after install, my client commented, "I feel like someone creative lives here". I'd say my job was done.

Banal 2: Style Served

On yesterday's episode, my adorbs client in a banal Battery Park City apartment needed serious style help w/her multifunction living & dining rooms. It's almost unfathomable: popcorn ceilings, gargantuan furniture...beige. OH-- the SHADE of it all! But, clutch your pearls, Betches...'cause things are 'bout to get correct-ed:

Proposal #1 above is just melt-in-your-mouth yummy...but WAIT, there's MORE!:

Proposal #2 is also scrumptious, yet giving y'all a melange of different flavors to make you whip your hair back & forth! Whip your hair back & forth!

What's happening in both proposals is that I'm trying to give the lady what she wants: hits of industrial & wood, a sense of 'lightness' w/slimmer profile furniture, color, reusing some pieces that WERK and several nods to her feminine bling side, which she didn't even know she had til I READ HER, all proper-like...

Check back tomorrow to see the HAWT reveal pics of what we ended up going with, but in the meantime...which of the proposals do y'all prefer?

The Banal Biotch of Battery Park City

Y'all, this apartment has some SERIOUS issues.

Zero architectural details, heinous parquet flooring, atrocious lighting/sconces and then there is the MUTHFU&CKIN' POPCORN CEILING!!! I MEAN...this banal one-bedroom rental will only set you back a few g's...minimum...this IS Battery Park City, in Manhattan-- huntie. Get correct-ed!

The supersized furniture isn't helping the situ...this armoire has it's own zip code, Lawd and that blue beast sofa is about to make a meal out of that poor dog...but, the executrix client (CEO of her own graphic design/branding firm) downsized from a larger apartment. She's cute & chic with just the right amount of quirk and wanted a space that reflected her creative side. She also werks from home: so multi-function is a MUST. Well, WERK Biotch in that seat right there!

She wants industrial, clean-lined, and loves wood...but wants the space to feel light. There are some great pieces to play with...hello, fabulous art! & Angela Adams yellow rug, and then some not-so-great pieces...basically, everything else. OH shiot!

Check back to see what I come up with, but here's a sneak peek of some things that made the cut:

Prepare y'all-selves for some STYLE SLAPPING-- FULL ON and quick about the face!

Boudoir BACKSLAP!

Back in August, I posted about this amazing wallpaper (from Ebay!?) that was being installed in a master bedroom project I'm working on:

Here's the hand painted forest/barren-wood scene that it covered up:

OH! But then lovely was unleashed:

and:

With a dash of this shiot from ZGallerie:

And a pinch of this biotch from Horchow:

Glamour started sprouting all over this wall:

Then these ho's got slung up:

And there's ALL KINDS of 'licious happening in here now:

Yummy! And just wait until we're finished, y'all!!!

Just add Slatthult, y'all!!!

IKEA, $9.99...now shut the FU$% YOU and go peel and stick FOR YOUR LIFE!!!

Stylish trade show booth? Done.

Blume is an amazing clothing brand that offers personalized patches on everything from tshirts to burp cloths and underwear for him and her-- check out the 'licious link above!!! Created by friend & dynamo Stacey Blume, I was asked to serve up some sass & style for her booth at a recent Children's trade show. The goal: focus and unify the Blume brand into a visual and cool physical shopping experience for buyers-- all on a considered budget. Here's what went down:

These hawt vintage industrial sewing machines/tables were re-purposed as chic 'order-taking' tables in the booth. These were an awesome score, y'all, b/c not only were they FREE, but they were once in use at Stacey's family's uniform manufacturing business. After a thorough cleaning, and the machines were carefully removed, they were prepped for a spray job:

We wanted the original gray metal bases on each table, as well as one of the lamps left 'as is', so all that stuff was draped & taped off, in plastic. The table tops are some sort of formica and though cute, they needed some LIFE.

Of course that means paint those biotches RED-- oh and red just so happens to be in Blume's logo:

Remember when spraying to make even passes back and forth about 8"-12" from your surface, y'all. Look at all this yummy:

I mean...these tables are just LIVING! When paired with our industrial chairs, industrial rolling racks, c-clamp hanger displays, signage and hand-painted red stitch trim detail, the place went OFF and this happened:

I'd say style and sass has been brought-en!

Friday

late afternoon in Bryant Park, amazing weather, unbelievable views (Empire State Building & some shirtless men)..waiting on my lunch from 'witchcraft to share with my incredible hubby...this is why I LOVE this town! Happy Labor Day weekend! Get IT, y'all!