• HARDWARE – THE ESSENTIAL ACCESSORY

    Those who won in Rio can be found post-games posing with their hard-earned medals (gold, silver and/or bronze) at news conferences, talk shows and celebrity events.  Olympic hardware is pretty delicious — and not just because the athletes like to take a playful chomp during photo-ops — the heft and quality of the medals is obvious.  That’s why hardware is one of my favorite elements in design.  Well-crafted hardware not only looks good, if feels good.  Handling a door knob or drawer pull that’s cast and detailed to perfection is like nothing else.  Install beautiful, substantial hardware throughout a residence and the home will have guaranteed gravitas and soul. MAKE…

  • Rock Star

    There are some people who rise above the ordinary and show us what real talent is. One of those rare finds is Bobbie Medlin.  Bobbie’s eponymous shop in Georgetown is a treasure trove of gorgeous goods from around the world.  Her one-of-a-kind necklaces blur the line between jewelry and art bringing a sense of mystery and allure to the woman who wears them. She is a rock star!           Jewelry as décor.  I draped one of Bobbie’s pieces on a bust in a 2007 installation. The turquoise beads were the perfect finishing touch.           Bobbie Medlin just relocated to the corner of M…

  • The Gold Standard

    I'm a gold girl.  Bronze, silver, not even platinum gives me the rush that gold does.  It’s warm and sexy and adds a little magic to any material.  I love gold fabric, furniture, lighting  and especially jewelry and hardware.  I would plate everything in gold if I could.  Now for you nay-sayers who think gold is a finish that belongs in the 80s, take a look at the images below and get ready to swoon.     A few of my current favorite gold fabrics.       A glamorous gold face in Vogue Nippon.       At the Washington Design Center's spring 2007 design house I painted the…