Smashingly Chic: Color Palettes that Inspire

I look for inspiration everywhere, and I am always looking for new ways to combine color. I collect all sorts of things that use color in interesting ways - magazines, advertisements, catalogs, postcards, invitations, menus - you name it. Style vignettes in magazines are definitely a favorite because you can see how the color works in a wonderful composition. I dug into the style files and posted a few great ones. Enjoy!

Changing it up with artist Clara Berta

Every so often I just need to get my mind on a different track, so recently I signed up for an art class with my friend and artist, Clara Berta.

Working with mixed media, Clara paints and collages together abstract pieces that are rich with texture and hue and are quite evocative. Clara's romanticism, independence, and passion for all of life's pleasures unfold in each of her pieces. Her laugh is completely contagious and her intimate art studio is the perfect place to let your mind unwind listening to music and making art.

Here are a few of her more recent works....

And here are a few of mine I snapped with my iPhone.... I'm realizing that with mixed media, I may be of the philosphy 'more is more' - but why not? Sometimes more is just more fun!

Haute Hearths...

With the weather so chilly, snowstorms on the East, and all the rain we've been getting lately in Los Angeles, all I've been thinking about is curling up in front of a big fire. A real masonry fireplace has become a true luxury in a home, particularly because they are astronomically expensive to build these days. It's very exciting when a client comes to me with an original fireplace to work with. Here are some stylish hearths to warm your design fancy!

In order, Jonathan Adler's throwback lounge at the Parker Palm Springs, designer Rozalynn Wood's Pasadena residence, from architects Lee Mindel & Peter Shelton, fab fireplace featured in Metropolitan Home, a great mid-century fireplace from Midcentury Makeover, MetHome '07, two different very chic fireplace designs from San Francisco designer April Sheldon, two vintage fireplaces from designer Michael Bain's White Residence, two very clean and modern fireplace designs from San Antonio architect Jim Poteet, a great mid-century remodel from LA designer Bryan Wark, and a fireplace of my design from the Silverlake Residence in my portfolio.

Cheap Chic: 5 Interior Style Tips for the Recessionista

Everyone deserves a fabulous space!! If the economy has your pocketbook in a pinch, here are 5 easy tips to gussy up your place while still keeping a Recessionista budget:

Contain Yourself
The quickest, easiest way to stylize and polish a space is to create groupings of things by placing them in lovely trays, jars, and baskets, which make wonderful catch-alls for items that would normally be left loose to wander. Gather books, remotes, and coasters in a luxe tray on the coffee table, corral kids' toys in baskets, and collect mail, post-its and pens on a beautiful dish, and the grouping looks like a well-thought arrangement. Add a fresh cut flower in a jar and voila! Instant style.

Keep It Interesting
While any well-designed room will have a stunning focal point that draws attention upon entering the space, keeping the attention is the real trick. Shiny surfaces, bright splashes of color, and graphic prints create huge impact in small doses. These small touches really make a room pop.

Table Lamps are Your Friends
Lighting, or lack thereof, can make or break a space. Well-designed overhead lighting in the average apartment is rare. Fortunately, table lamps, floor lamps, and task lights are affordable, and their soft, indirect light creates intimacy and ambience like no overhead light will ever do. Find lamps with built-in dimmers to create instant atmosphere. Plus, stylish lamps will accessorize your space, and you can take them with you when you move.

The Well-Lived Life
A little decadence goes a long way. While budgets may be tight, nothing dresses up a space like elegant details. Splurging on small items can make all the difference. Luxurious hand towels in the washroom, a plush throw, and of course, fresh flowers are little indulgences that say 'wow'.

Quality Not Quantity
There is nothing like mess and clutter to ruin an otherwise delightful interior. When better a time to organize, declutter, and eliminate unneeded belongings? Whether it's your high-school jeans or an unsightly gag gift, now is the perfect time to unburden your space so those pieces you really love can shine. Plus, donating the items to charity helps out others and can often help your tax write-off - that's a double score!

Lido Island Residence by Emily LaMarque Design Studio

I’m so excited to announce that Emily LaMarque Design Studio has added another project to its portfolio!

When these empty nesters decided to trade in their high-maintenance waterfront home, this high-rise condo with breathtaking views was the perfect solution for beautiful, tranquil, and easy beach living. Our main goals were to maximize the views and premium square footage, while paying meticulous attention to detailed finish work. After stripping this home to its studs, every detail was hand selected and hand crafted to rebuild this stunning home. Click here to read more about the project....

Here's a preview of the project....for more photos, click here.

Visit the ELDS website to view the full portfolio!

New Year, New Blog...

Or maybe I should say new year, more blog! This year has been off to a great start for Emily LaMarque Design Studio. New photos of ELDS's most recent project, a spohisticated condo in Newport Beach, CA, have been added to the portfolio, and with more projects under construction, I'm happy to announce that a few more project photos will follow in the next few months!

As for the blog, stay tuned for more postings, including more interiors, more sources of design inspiration, more from the style files, and more articles with plenty of design hints and tips.

May 2010 bring you all that you could hope for!