Arrowhead Suit in McQueen by Beach Riot, revolveclothing.com. 

I'll be in Palm Springs this weekend, trying to rock this. Here's wishing everyone a great weekend! 

Project: Bohemian Chic Nursery

As some of you know, I recently launched my interior design studio, JHC Interiors. At the beginning of the year, one of my first projects was to design a nursery for a dear friend who was having a baby girl. She told me she wanted it to be chic, but a little bohemian and not too grown up.  Here is one of several boards I did for her.

Clockwise from top left: Alphabet Animals Print, shopchristinasong.com; Rattan Elephant Hamper, amazon.com; White leather pouf, inspiredbaazzar.com, Butterfly vintage prints, Marcade Vintage Prints on etsy.com; Souk wool rug, westelm.com, Brownstone Mercer Dresser, laylagrace.com; Purple Fabric for the crib sheet, The Pink Home on spoonflower.com;  Bedside Ring Table Lamp by Sandy Chapman, circalighting.com; White Damascus Inlay Mirror, serenaandlily.com; Oeuf Classic Crib, oeuf.com.

I'd been dying to use the Alphabet Animal Print somewhere - the colors are vibrant and the illustrations beautiful. The Souk rug is so versatile it can move into any room in the house, but is plush enough for a baby to roll and play on (and is currently on sale at West Elm!) The bone mirror looks like it could have been picked up on a trip to Damascus and the gold lamp adds a dose of chic to the room. I rounded it out with the elephant hamper, a classic crib, and a few vintage butterfly prints.

Hope everyone is having a great week. We are off to a mini-vacay in Palm Springs this weekend so I'm signing off until next week. Ciao! 

Culinary Delight - Salted Chocolate Toffee Bars

A few weeks ago I tried this recipe for the first time after being asked to bake for a co-worker's goodbye party. After "sampling" more than a few pieces in my kitchen, I took the rest to work and they were gone within the hour. Toffee, salt, almonds and chocolate - um...yeah, heaven. Here's how it's done, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

INGREDIENTS

13 Graham Crackers

1 Bag (8 ounces) toffee bits

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and place graham crackers in a single layer on the sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.

2. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes. Immediately pour over graham crackers. 

3. Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers (I used Fleur de Sel for the salt). 

4. With a sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack.

5. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

Have a great weekend everyone and Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!

Met Ball 2013: Best Dressed

From left to right: Miley Cyrus in Marc Jacobs, Chanel Iman in J. Mendel, Carey Mulligan in Balenciaga, Kate Bosworth in Balmain, and Cara Delevingne in Burberry. 

Over the last 10 years, the Met Ball has gradually become one of fashion's biggest nights and one that I always look forward to watching from afar. This year's theme was Punk: Chaos To Couture and it was fantastic to see ladies push the envelope with their punk interpretations. My favorite look of the night was Cara Delevingne in Burberry - everything about it said chic punk (yes, there is such a thing!). I also loved Kate Bosworth's Balmain mini, Sarah Jessica Parker's crazy Philip Treacy hat and Madonna's custom-made Givenchy - she is still major at 54!! I'll admit I spent an hour this morning looking at all the red carpet and party pics and loved every second of it. Here are some of my favorite looks. 

From left to right: January Jones in Chanel, Nicole Richie in Topshop, Madonna in Givenchy, Sara Jessica Parker in Giles Deacon and Philip Treacy, Miranda Kerr in Michael Kors. 

Gifts For The Mothers In Your Life

Photograph of Natalia Vodianova and her daughter, Vogue.  

I remember celebrating Mother's Day as a child - my sister, brother and I would usually go to our local mall with my dad the day before. As we left we always told my mom "we have something we have to do, but YOU can't come with us." We wanted my mom to know that we were trying to plan and do something for her for once - the woman who made sure all 3 of us had individually labeled lunches every morning, went to school with the latest Esprit bag and Guess jeans, got to dance classes and baseball games on time, who made 10:00 p.m. runs to the pharmacy for Robitussin and paint for last minute science projects, and who volunteered to lead our Girl Scout troop and pick-up half the cheerleading team for early morning practices.  
 Cut to 2013 - here I am, now a mother myself, and my mom is still taking care of me. She still answers my phone calls with "How's my baby girl?", brings me Robitussin when she hears my nasaly cough over the phone, makes sure I have the perfect dress to wear to a friend's wedding, and goes to the grocery store when she discovers my refrigerator is bare. In my new role as a mother, living a crazy, busy life, I sometimes feel like I'm responsible for it all and the term "no rest for the weary" has become my new mantra (Mothers? Am I right?) What I truly appreciate is my mom still treating me like her child and her daughter.  It's wonderful to know that she's still there to take care of me and on Sunday I'll be celebrating her. 

Telling your mother how much you love and appreciate her is always the best gift you can give, but here are a few small things to say thank you and hopefully, make her smile. 

Eva Bracelet, $67, cleobella.com.

I love this bracelet for its simplicity and pops of beautiful color. My mom wears a lot of ethnic-inspired jewelry and this piece is unique, but still incredibly chic. 

Galvanized Window Planters, $19.95-$29.95, williams-sonoma.com. 

A window box full of herbs not only adds life and color to the kitchen, it's a constant inspiration to get cooking. 

Double-Tassel Necklace, $68, jcrew.com. 

This versatile necklace will go with just about everything in my mom's closet and the tassel detail reminds me of one she had when I was a kid. 

Tavira Ceramic Platter, $31.96, crateandbarrel.com. 

For the mothers who love to entertain, this platter is perfect for serving appetizers at spring and summer parties. 

Martha Stewart's Living The Good Life, $17, amazon.com. 

Martha's latest book was just released on April 23rd and is full of tips, plans, recipes and insight into living a good, LONG, life. 

James Placemat, Set of 6, $48, pacificandrose.com. 

My mom is constantly changing her place mats and this set caught my eye when I visited Pacific and Rose's boutique at the Long Beach Flea Market last month. 

Best Mom Card, $4.50, 1canoe2 on etsy.com. 

This year, I ordered these fab cards from 1 Canoe 2 on Etsy. Aren't they perfect?! 

Have a great week and Happy Mother's Day everyone! 

Anthony Burrill Prints

An exhibition of work developed by Burrill from a six day workshop held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Kemistry Gallery, London (2012) 

I'm always looking for great typography prints and recently discovered British artist Anthony Burrill's wonderfully short, but poignant art. His "Work Hard and Be Nice To People" piece really resonated with me - it's the perfect mantra to look at every morning before I start my day. 

Work Hard And Be Nice To People, woodblock poster signed in pencil, $62, anthonyburrill.com. 

A graphic artist, printmaker and designer, Burrill's work is in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert museum in London and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. He recently curated an exhibition entitled Made In L.A. in London and some of his clients include Wallpaper magazine and The Economist. All of his prints are made using traditional woodblock techniques. 

Woodblocking for one of Burrill's pieces. 

You Know More Than You Think You Do, woodblock poster signed in pencil, $62, anthonyburrill.com. 

Think Of Your Own Ideas, woodblock poster signed in pencil, $62, anthonyburrill.com. 

In 2010, Burrill designed a poster to help raise money for the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana after the Gulf of Mexico disaster. He also made a video entitled "Oil and Water Do Not Mix" to show the print-making process (he actually used oil from the spill!!). Check it out here:

Every Day Beautiful, woodblock poster signed in pencil, $62, anthonyburrill.com. 

I'd also suggest you start following him on Instagram for a daily dose of beautiful photographs of his travels and his work. 

5 REASONS TO SEE THE GREAT GATSBY

Get out your calendar and mark this date: May 10, 2013. Just write 3 words: The Great Gatsby. Yes, one of America's  favorite novels has been made into a movie, for the 5th time (have you seen the 1974 Coppola version with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow?). Why would this justify me doing some advance planning, booking a babysitter, and actually going to the movie theater? Well, in no particular order.....

5 REASONS TO GO SEE THE GREAT GATSBY

1. Watch the trailer.

2. The Costumes:

I mean seriously, is that the most ridiculous trailer you've ever seen? Okay, moving on to the fantastic fashion throughout the film. Costume designer Catherine Martin collaborated with Italian designer and creative genius Miuccia Prada on the costumes for the movie. These two gals also worked together on Romeo and Juliet (Leo DiCaprio starred in that film as well) and judging from the clips from the film and Prada's sketches, the wardrobe will be awe-inspiring. Did I mention Tiffany & Co. provided the fine jewelry and Brooks Brother's took care of the men's clothes? I'm willing to bet it will be a fashionista's dream come true.



Sketches by Miuccia Prada of The Great Gatsby costumes for Daisy Buchannan (played by Cary Mulligan). 



3. Baz Luhrmann:

Gatsby's famed director Baz Luhrmann also previously directed two of my favorite movies of all-time - Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge. If you've seen either, you know why Luhrmann is known for his mind-blowingly gorgeous films, all of which have vibrant colors, stunning cinematography, large-scale choreographed dance sequences, and perfectly timed music. Visual masterpieces are his speciality.  

4.The Music:

With a soundtrack featuring Florence and the Machine, will.i.am, the XX, Gotye, Kayne West, Jack White, Lana Del Rey, & Jay-Z, how can it be anything but perfection? Interscope just released this 6 minute soundtrack sampler - I need every song on my IPod stat. 

5. F. Scott Fitzgerald

Not only is Fitzgerald one of my favorite authors, but I've read The Great Gatsby at least 5 times since high school. Having always been intrigued by the east-coast society set, with their lavish galas and over-the-top parties, this book gave me a glimpse into what it would be like to party at Jay Gatsby's mansion, mingling with his hundreds of guests in stunning 20's dresses, cigarettes and champagne in hand. If only I had a time machine. 

Convinced that you MUST see this movie? I am. Now all I need to do is figure out what to wear -  I think it calls for something a little more fab than my usual skinny jeans.

WARM WEATHER ENTERTAINING: SERENA AND LILY

Photography by Jose Villa.


You may already be familiar with Serena and Lily's swoon-worthy nursery collections (I seriously would visit their website at least a few times a week the entire time I was pregnant), and there's no question they make some of the best bedding and graphic prints on the market. Recently, they've expanded their line to include some fantastic decor and tabletop pieces, all of which have the same bold prints and vibrant colors ever present in the rest of their collections. Here are a few things on my wish list to spruce up the house and get ready for warm-weather entertaining. 

Gobi Towels, $18 - $34, serenaandlily.com.

As the weather heats up, impromptu dinners with friends and family become a regular part of our week, so chic towels are a must for the guest bathroom. 

Montauk Birch Tray, $38, serenaandlily.com.

I love serving drinks and appetizers on trays when we have company and the bright, bold pattern of the Montauk Birch Tray has spring and summer written all over it. 

Set of 4 Corsica Napkins, $38, serenaandlily.com. 

I'm always looking for great sets of napkins to go with our everyday white dishware. I love the Indian-inspired print and the vibrant yellow on this Corsica set. 

Halden Table Runner, $38, serenaandlily.com. 

My tablecloths are always wrinkled when I pull them from the linen closet and I rarely have time to iron them, so runners are my go-to accessory for dinner parties. This runner is modern and graphic, but still has a subtle bohemian vibe and it's neutral color-pallet makes it a versatile must have. 

Fresco Beverage Bowl, $88, serenaandlily.com. 

For backyard soirees, I always put cold drinks in a container so that guests can serve themselves and I can enjoy the party. This bowl would pay for itself in price-per-use after a single summer. 

Fouta Beach Towel, $48, serenaandlily.com. 

During the spring and summer months, we often meet friends at our local farmer's market for dinner. Each family brings a couple blankets and we enjoy the sunshine and great food. These beach towels easily double as picnic blankets and we'll be using them both at the park and on the sand. 

GROWN UP ART FOR KID'S ROOMS

Stylist and designer Estee Stanley's Los Angeles nursery. Photograph by Laure Joliet, courtesy of Remodelista. 

Over the last several months, I've been working on designing a nursery for a dear friend, which includes rounding up things to fill the walls.  I've always found that sometimes the most challenging part of decorating a room is finding artwork and ephemera to finish the space. When it comes to kid's rooms, I'm a big believer in taking child-like subjects and reinventing them with grown-up design. From original drawings to 100 year-old vintage prints, here are a few favorites I've uncovered over the last several months. Some of them would feel just as much at home in your master bedroom as they would in the playroom. 

Tinou Oiseaux Bird Poster, $30, oeufnyc.com.

This is one of the prints I ended up buying for the nursery. Not only did I fall in love with the illustrations, all the birds' names are written in French! J'adore! 

Rapunzel Poster, $99.00, landofnod.com. 

I'm always on the hunt for vintage movie posters and this reminded me of just that. 

1918 California Flora Botanical Book Illustration, $30, etsy.com. For similar prints, check out Marcade Vintage Prints on etsy. 

I also bought this print for the nursery (my friend lives in here in California). Botanical prints are some of my favorite things to collect and frame.  Ebay, etsy, and your local flea market are the best sources and because flowers come in just above every color of the rainbow, its usually a chinch to find a print that goes with your decor. 

Manhattan, NY print 16x20 (other sizes and cities available), $45 from Albiedesigns on etsy.com. 

I've got 3 city prints (Paris, London and Los Angeles) from Albie Designs hanging in my daughter's playroom. She is such a talented artist and her prints strike the perfect balance between whimsy and modernity. Check her shop regularly for seasonal releases of different cities around the globe. 

Amethyst Print, $19.95, landofnod.com. 

I think it's always important to have a few striking design elements in any room and this print would be fab in a little girl's room. 

1894 Antique Print of Baroque-style fashion, $17, AntinquePrintsOnly on etsy.com. 

While in the midst of re-doing my daughter's bedroom to look like a Parisian apartment, I've been on the hunt for vintage fashion prints from Europe. You might be surprised to learn they are very easy to find and almost always affordable. The rich colors and opulent costumes make this one particularly lovely.  

Stripe Girl 8x10 Print, $18, HelloSmallWorld on etsy.com.

When I saw this the first thing I thought was - I just wore that outfit last weekend! Seriously, the scale and simplicity of this drawing immediately caught my eye and I had to order it. 

1910 Vintage Map of San Francisco, purchased for $25 from Holcroft on etsy.com. 

My husband lived in San Francisco when we met and it will always be his favorite city in the U.S. I bought this vintage map for him, but ended up hanging it in my daughter's room.

Abstract Art Print, 11x11, $32, AeropagitaPrints on etsy.com. 

Although buying an original painting is often out of reach, high-quality prints are always affordable and can add the same wow factor. I was immediately drawn to the bright colors of this print and I think it may be the perfect piece to round-out the nursery I'm working on. 

THE WRITTEN WORD

Image here.

Last night as I was toggling between menu planning and working on a design project, I made an incredible discovery - Bookshelf Porn. No, seriously, that is the name of this incredible photoblog that chronicles and showcases the best bookshelves from around the world. Thousands of photographs of fantastic libraries are catalogued here - a library of libraries! I see a new Pintrest board in my future, and in yours. Have a great week! 

Shop This Shop: Design Darling

Gold Acrylic Stapler, $24, designdarling.com. 

It all started with a picture of this gold acrylic stapler on Pintrest. Talk about taking an everyday, generally drab desk accessory and glaming it up - I had to have one and wanted to order more as gifts. But before checking out, I started poking around Design Darling's wonderful site and sure enough, I saw at least five MORE things I wanted to order. With a well-curated mix of eclectic gifts, housewares, and desk accessories, their shop almost certainly has what you are looking for, whether you know it yet or not. Here are a few things that caught my eye (almost all less than $30!!).

Jonathan Adler Mr. & Mrs. Muse mug, $24, designdarling.com. 

Clockwise from top left: Greek Key Navy Pillow, $42; Monogrammed Key Fob, $28; Leather Business Card Case, $14; Antique Brass Bottle Opener, $25; all at designdarling.com. 

Gold Foil Notebook, $20, designdarling.com. 

Ginger Jar Matchbooks, $10, designdarling.com. 

Sugar Paper Gold Polka Dot Coasters, $26, designdarling.com. 

Things We Love Pencil Set, $8, designdarling.com.

Jonathan Adler Navy Zebra Tray, $24, designdarling.com. 

The Chicest Of Ceilings

The new year has me thinking about fresh ideas, new design projects, and ways to reinvigorate both my own home and several others that I'm starting work on. Enter the world of ceilings: almost always overlooked (I'm sad to say every room in my house currently has the safest of safe Swiss Coffee on the ceiling), a painted ceiling is an instant showstopper. Just check out the gorgeous blue and white room above. Can you imagine living in that loveliness everyday? Neither can I.  Solids or stripes, subtle or bold, stenciled or wallpapered, ceilings are so 2013. Here are 10 of my favorites to inspire you to get creative and hopefully, get painting!

Via Shelterness.

Via Houzz.

Via My Lovely Things

Via Maison Boheme.

Via Annsley Interiors.

Image via Simply Grove

Image via AWNL

Wiltern Theater, Image via Cinema Treasures

Image via Nursery Notations

Image via Elle Decor