Big city living usually equals small spaces, noisy streets, and spending as much time OUT instead of IN!  But, for those times you just want to stay IN, why not come home to a place you love?!?  Our next design dilemma is from a YB&D guy in the big city of Chicago.

I couldn’t help but be a bit at a loss for advice as I was mesmerized by the wall behind the bar.

Paint chips.  Home Depot.  Free.  How brilliant.  And makes the space so bold and mod.  Ok, ok, let’s not all run to Home Depot and snatch paint chips.  They might come after me if these things start disappearing in mass quantities.  It does show that art can be found in unusual places.  Be inventive when you are on a budget!  He chose multiple colors but stuck with similar values of those colors and adhered them to the wall with standard painter’s tape.  So easy.

And now for the dilemma.  He was seeking advice on what to do on the other walls.  Since the paint chip wall is such a statement, the selection has to be simple so that it doesn’t compete with the feature of the room.  I suggested focusing on the headboard wall rather than the side wall.  The side wall is already home for the closet doors and putting something at the headboard will ground the bed and also offer a little balance next to the window.  It could be anything from art to sculpture to mirror.

Just some fun ideas.  A large modern Vitra-esq clock would keep with the mod vibe.  Hit the flea market for an affordable retro find.

Or, I liked the idea of using a mirrored sculptural element like this CB2 Perspective Mirror to act as art but also reflect light so that the room feels larger.  Our big city guy took the advice and solved his dilemma.  He was able to find this retro art piece depicting the Chicago L system.  Affordable and a little local flair.  Perfect.  And with a few new graphic pillows the look is complete.  Check out the finished room below.

One of my fabulous friends, who I met during my stint in Hong Kong, has allowed us to take a peek into her newly renovated flat in the Sai Ying Pun area of the island.  And it is good.  Real good.  The 1100 square foot space got a major make-over….

Gorgeous! Stained concrete floors, animal accents, and a touch of regal purple.

Some accent walls in black and gray and a mix of modern and vintage furniture pieces.

Did I mention the sunken outdoor living space?

The warm wood tones play nicely with the modern grays.

And a pop of yellow!  My favorite.  The perfect use of two traditional chinese cabinets to make a desk – just add a clear glass top.  So, go ahead, make yourself at home.

Modern Rustic.  Vintage Modern.  Rustic Chic.  Call it what you may.  But either way, this design trend is on fire.  What is it you ask?  The trend usually includes reclaimed wood where every knot, warp, and flaw add to the character of the material juxtaposed by industrial furniture, metal, and bare bulbs.  It’s a trend that seems to go hand in hand with the gastro pub phenomenon.  Good food, good beer, and good decor.  Love.  Several LA hot spots are rockin the trend.  From Gjelina’s in Venice…

to the converted former post office space in Manhattan Beach, MB Post…

to the new comer, Wurstkuche, in Venice and Downtown LA serving some uber cool gourmet sausages.  The beer taps here are done in such a clever way.  Not the usual plastic handles with the beer brand’s logo.  All black!  Making the taps into a graphic modern stand-out at the bar.

So, why not bring a little modern rustic flair to your home?!  I pulled together a few materials from my desk to create the look.  I’m loving mixing these warm wood tones with rich dark steel gray and silver colored fabrics.  The fabrics start to play off the metals in the furniture and lighting to complete the look.

You can find affordable decorating alternatives at stores like Crate & Barrel, CB2, and West Elm which seem to be carrying more reclaimed wood furniture and hand-made items.  Modern Rustic here you come, grab a beer and have a seat!  A couple of my favs are below.  Enjoy!

Paloma Dining Table

Industrial Stool

Utility Pendant Lamp

“From My Desk” is a monthly inside look at the products and materials I am working with as a high-end hospitality designer.

Hey all you YB&D’ers…looking for a great wedding gift to give this year? Or Christmas gift?  The answer is yes!  Or just enjoy sitting around the house with a glass of wine in hand?  Who can resist!  Check out a fellow designer and friend’s fabulous glassware and lighting line, Sempli.  And, it’s sooo fabulous, it’s on FAB.  3 days only.  The sale starts TODAY!  Go.  Quick.  And, share the love…tell your friends!

For more information, visit Sempli online at www.sempli.com

What in the world is FAB?!? Just fabulous designs on sale at up to 70% off.  Become a member and get some deals!  www.fab.com

Today is the big day!  Run.  Because you only have till October 22nd.

It’s the Missoni for Target collection.  And I am obviously a Target lover and a huge fan of all their designer collaborations!  High fashion on a budget.  Who can beat that!

Does anyone else put a massive dent in their checkbook every time they leave the store?  Or is it just me?  Take a peek at the Home Collection Look Book. I’ve got my eye on some pillows!

So many dilemmas!  This week the dilemma comes from a YB&D gal who is feeling slightly restricted when it comes to decorating her studio apartment.  Why, you ask? Because she is a renter!  I think we can all relate!

“My greatest design dilemma is how to decorate my north wall [headboard wall].  As a renter, I’m trying to avoid creating holes in the wall.  Any ideas of how I can fill this space while causing minimal surface damage?”

In a perfect world and in a perfect space, I would love to see the bed centered on the wall.  I love balance.  But, as we all know, things are never perfect.  So, I tried come up with a few easy solutions to create balance using art while taking into consideration that our gal did not want to nail into the walls!

Solution #1:  Making fabric panels to create a feature wall.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Take standard blank canvases which can be bought at any local art supply store…

2.  hit up some discount fabric stores and select fabrics that you like.  The fabrics can be a couple of different patterns but should work together color wise.  Grab a couple of yards each and you can disperse the different patterns between the canvases.

3.  Wrap the fabric around the canvas and staple at the back.

4.  The canvases should come with a wire for hanging.  Use 3M picture hangers which won’t cause any damage to the walls.  Removable!

Solution #2:  Lean 3 large art or photograph canvases against the wall.  No holes required!

Can’t afford to buy art?  Make it yourself!   I love using one idea either in paint or in picture format that extends across all three canvases.  One image that comes together when the three are placed next to each other rather than three separate pieces of art.  Good luck!

Have a design dilemma?  The service is free!  For more information, check out the Design Dilemma section of the website.  Tell your friends.  And send me those room pics!

A little music therapy and photography therapy.  Playing around with some pictures that I took over the weekend at the Outside Lands music festival.

A weekend filled with people watching, lounging barefoot in the grass, soaking up sun, and listening to fantastic music.

Apparently, I once again brought the sun to ole San Francisco.

And, some good karma landed us at an intimate performance with one of the artists.  My zoom lense is not this good!

Kick off your shoes and enjoy the therapy.

Meet Jessica Rae – artist and interior designer and a new comer to the LA scene.  I have had the pleasure of getting to know her this last year.  My first thought when I was introduced to her art…DAMN GIRL!  The work is striking.

Her mantra.  Lovely Ugly Design.

“Lovely Ugly is sort of an odd mantra, yes, but it is an underlying fixation of mine in my art. The art came first and the phrase came later.  I am always drawn towards expressing my art in a way that shows what is really beautiful, laced delicately with what’s verging on… ugly.”

Lovely.  Ugly.  Lovely.  Ugly.  I think I am going to have to go with…ridiculously good.  There is just something very edgy and deep about all the pieces.  Creating “unique, avant-garde, and curiously emotional” work is the artist’s goal.  After a time in her life that she proclaims “rocked” her, she stopped painting what she thought others would approve of and began painting in a more expressive style.

Reality was out.  Drawing from these life experiences, both the “extreme light and extreme dark”, and mixing mediums like acrylic, ink, and metallic accents led her to create this oh so cool breathe of work.  “Who doesn’t love a bit of flair and metallic, the layers of mediums, I think, make my pieces feel more dynamic”.

“Words are easy. I want to speak without them.”  And I think she has spoken!  Loud and clear!

For more informationn on Jessica Rae Sommer: Email her directly at jessicarsommer@gmail.com , shop her Etsy Store, or follow her blog Lovely Ugly Design.

Want more?  Check out some of YB&D’s previous up and coming artist features : Lindsay Cowles and Mallory Page.

Ever go on a date with your city?  I used to go on dates with Hong Kong all the time when I lived there.  Wander around with no real destination, check out a few art galleries, pop in for some breakie with friends.  It is amazing how different life is now.  When there’s nothing going on in LA, I end up sleeping in the sun on the beach.

Alright, alright.  I know.  You are probably thinking…what in the world is so bad about beach life.  And you are right, ab-so-lute-ly nothing.  I love it.  Not complaining.  Just having a moment of missing the culture and vibrancy that comes with city life.  Museums at your fingertips, fantastic restaurants, and ENERGY.  While these things do exist in LA, it takes an hour to get anywhere sooo I = beach bum.

I did get a much needed quick fix.  I spent the weekend in the city…the city of San Francisco.  12 gals on the loose for a bachelorette weekend!  Luckily, it happened to be one of the most beautiful weekends in SF.  Sunny, clear, and actually warm.  Well, warm for up there.  We had a jammed packed weekend long date with the city.

Sail boat cruise through the harbor…dinner at District…wine tasting in Sonoma…dinner again.  The restaurant name?  Hum, good question…too much wine from wine tasting in Sonoma…brunch…wandering the city.

Our favorite winery was Gundlach Bundschu.  It’s a mouthful.  But we all felt transported to some quaint farm where days were spent out on the porch with the dog and glass of wine in hand.  Heavenly.

I had a little fun with a few of the pictures from the trip.  Vibrant mood.  Vibrant pictures.  Hope you enjoy.