Constructive Commute

Construction swaddles my neighborhood.
All traffic flow is choked.
My commute is the worse part of my day.

To be hundreds of feet from my subdivision entrance at a total stand still for minutes at a time is beyond aggravating. While gawking angrily at the cars passing me on the opposite side of the street, I refrain from flicking off every construction worker (who all appear to be doing nothing but standing between me and my home). All I could do is breathe.....count the number of barrels lining the side of the road before I could make my right hand turn.

Mad about it!

Luckily for me and my stress level, I took a mental detour to my Happy Place, Tami B’s World of Design. The orange and white barriers became my psychological support.... the striped stumbling blocks translated into interior inspirations.

Hokku Designs Taboret Barrel Stool


Orange and White foyer from BestHomeGallery.com


Orange Moroccan floor cushion by Pieces


Orange and White stairs photographed by Dan Duchars


Louis XIII Armchairs


Office in Sheila Bridges' New York home

John Pomp Egg Vase

Orange and White painted room

Before I knew it, I was pulling into my driveway with a smile on my face and a head full of ideas. Road Rage Turned Design....now that's a transformation for you!

Let's just hope my construction rendezvous will keep my interest until next fall!

Glass Glory

I am enthused today by a great find in the Ikea “As Is” section. For those of you who also enjoy burrowing through pieces of wood, fabric, and gently damaged items, you share my excitement of the hunt and the fulfillment of conquering the rummage.

My prize is a $10 undamaged 63x18 piece of beveled glass.

This calls for a project to add to a room in my home….console table, coffee table, floating shelf, desk, vanity/dressing table, door insert, and the list goes on.

Regardless of the path I choose, the glass itself is a treat to any space. Because it is transparent, it does not take up visual space and often lends a sense of openness, something we can all attempt to achieve.

With that said, my head is spinning from all of the endless possibilities…..

Floating Glass Shelves

Restoration Hardware Corbel Glass Console

Console made of reclaimed hemlock beam, aluminum, glass- by Kulin Modern

Console made of glass, branches, oak and steel - by Kulin Modern

Quadrant table by Stoneline Designs

The brainstorming has begun and this busy bee is off to work......stay tuned for the finished product.

My Happy Chic Experience with Jonathan Adler

Designer Jonathan Adler hosted a seminar, "Happy Chic with Jonathan Adler: Staying Trendy and True to You," during the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market. He is known for his Hip Happy Homes that are full of color and eclectic pieces. Adler is a true reflection of just that.

The event began with all of us anxiously waiting in our seat staring at an empty podium and large projection screen. Wearing a blue and red checkered shirt, white pants from his 7 Jeans collaboration, “7 For All Mankind”, and orange Chuck Taylor sneakers, Adler skipped to the stage and greeted the audience with a huge smile. We all clapped.

“Wow…thank you all for coming here to see me,” he said wide eyed and full of energy. Surprisingly, he was surprised.

Looking at Adler as a short gay man, (automatic assumption of Napoleon complex), he is very tall in his success in the design industry. I hear comments about Adler being the stereotypical snooty male designer, but of course opinions are subjective. One thing for certain is he is full of ideas and opinions about design.

Jonathan Adler's Manifesto was provided as a handout. A few of my favorites would have to be:

We believe minimalism is a bummer.

We believe our designs are award winning even though they've never actually won any.

We believe colors can't clash.

The complete Manifesto can be viewed on his website, http://www.jonathanadler.com/manifesto.php.

It is no question Adler is against what he calls “Snobby” design. “Every room needs a dash of hippy and a dollop of social life,” he repeated while encouraging us to always think about levity when designing a space. He goes on to reference metallics as the perfect example.

After speaking about his career path and demonstrating slides of his work, Adler got down to the design secrets and his opinion of how to be successful in design.

Authenticity is the most important trend right now. We are all trendy if we stay authentic.

Every space should have one focal point. Amongst all of the interesting pieces, and rainbows of color, there is one piece that should stand out, keeping in mind a quality of irreverence. Nothing stands out like an orange giraffe!

Define what you are trying to say in a space by communicating through various pieces. Be Chic Happy and Happy Chic.

The event closed with Adler opening the podium to questions in which we all learned a few fun facts:

Adler's Favorite Color: Orange, but will never say no to a dash of Turquoise

Adler's Favorite Book: "A Life of Design" by David Hicks

Adler's Dog's Name: Liberace

Adler's Favorite Piece: Items from his pottery collection such as the Dora Maar vase, Banana Bud vase and the Georgia vase.

After hearing Adler speak and being mesmerized by his sense of humor, I was determined to meet him. I beefed up my confidence to go introduce myself. I know I should've walked away after the enthusiastic handshake , but of course that is just too easy. Instead, I shyly asked for a picture..... instantly adding me to his long list of groupies!

Am I cheesing or what!