Don't hate me because my closets are beautiful.

So you thought I had forgotten to harass you about decluttering and organizing, eh?? Ohhh, you are soooo not getting off that easy. I am the Jillian Michaels of decluttering:
My body looks exactly like hers too. (Cough.) There are a bunch of you who saw my title and her picture on your blogroll and came over just to see what the heck I'm doing, huh??

Anyhoo, nice try ladies!! I'm not done with you yet! I am determined to show you how decluttering and organizing can change your life. I wish I could express how much easier it makes our lives to have a place for everything.

Most people have fairly clean houses and closets that are a mess. I'm the opposite. Our house is rarely a total mess, but I can live with toys scattered throughout for two or three days. Then I start to twitch a little and have to clean.

One thing I cannot handle is messy closets. I'm a freak I tell you!! Warning: You will either hate me after the following pictures or be so incredibly bored you will drift off into a deep sleep...

We have a linen closet in our loft that used to just have towels and sheets in it. Then I realized we really didn't need 30 towels and 12 sets of sheets. I got rid of most of them and ended up with a ton of extra space:
Now I store cleaning supplies just for upstairs and have turned this into a game closet as well.

I hang stuff in the little corners of closets all the time: If they had a support group for Labelers Anonymous, I'd be the first member:

You can see what's in the bin, but I have to label it. Just in case Hubby gets in a tizzy and decides to clean the whole house -- he'll know where everything is. (Snort.)

Our downstairs linen closet is where I keep the majority of our cleaning supplies. Anyone else have WAY too much cleaning stuff? I'm using up everything and hope to just have a couple cleaners for each floor when done:

I keep an empty bin in this closet for kitchen towels/Bub socks that I don't know what to do with. It's nice to have a "laundry bin" for random stuff downstairs.

Our coat closet still has about 15 jackets we have never worn but at least it's organized. I use a shoe sorter for winter stuff above:

My favorite closet (YES I have a favorite. Shut it.) is our master linen closet. You'll see I'm a complete freak and needed the bins to all match:I can't tell you how nice it is to know exactly where to look for something. Freakin' fantastic!!

You want to see under my sink in our bathroom?:

Hate me. I don't have to put anything under here because everything has a spot in the closet.

Really, don't hate me. You too can have beautiful closets. I swear it!! Get rid of all that crap!!

OK, you other half, wake up now! It's time to announce the winner of Laryssa's giveaway! Random. org picked Sarah from At Home With the Hinsons. Congrats Sarah! E-mail me and I'll get you in touch with Laryssa!

P.S. I think I had planned my Goodwill party for today -- I can't remember. Obviously, I suck and don't even have my button yet. I'll be in touch about that one. :)

Fliso's new breezy look

Hälsningar!
Barbro from Uppsala Sweden gives the Flisö parasol a breezy new fabric. Great for the summer, when you'll want something more cheery than the Fliso's original black or red.

"I just took the old fabric away and made a new one in the same size.  5 meters of the new fabric. There are some plastic holders in the corners. I reused them. About an hour's work."

Amanda Nisbet's Chic and Colorful Apartment

The best part of Friday evening was peeking into Amanda Nisbet's chic apartment! It was beautiful and elegant as well as colorful and comfortable. Not an easy combination yet it was perfect! Amanda teased me most of the not about not liking color which I assured her was untrue. I just haven't had an opportunity to use a lot of color so far. But I have a new large project on the Upper West Side that I have started and Amanda's apartment is going to be a big inspiration for it! And who knows, maybe someday, thanks to Amanda, I will be known for color too! Although, I think we should start with baby steps!

Amanda offered to let me come back and see her office which is across the hall. The night of the party it was acting as a storage space for a few things from the apartment. I teased her that I hide things in the bathtub while Amanda can hide things in her office which she joked was her big bathtub! I hope she will let me take a few more photos of her apartment on that visit since there are many details that you can't see in these photos and some things have changed. Just like any great decorator, Amanda is known for moving things.

The entry above is still the same but for the party the urns on the 19th-century marble pier table were filled with beautiful lavender flowers. The carpet is Antelope from Stark and the light fixture is by Hervé van der Straeten available through Ralph Pucci in New York. The aubergine silk tufted bench at the end is perfect for sitting your bag while you hang up your coat too.

The colors also look a little different in real life or maybe it was because the party was held at night and these photos were taken in the daylight. In the March 2008 issue of House Beautiful, Amanda mentions that the living room "is best at night...with the stick blinds closed." In reality the room is less yellow since the walls are Benjamin Moore Desert Tan (2153-50) and the curtains are burnt orange. I think the reason that I love Amanda's apartment is because you'll notice almost all the rooms have neutral walls and carpeting. The color comes in the form of curtains, pillows, upholstery and art. A neutral backdrop is great because then you can change out the pillows and other smaller items whenever the mood strikes which is cheaper than repainting or buying new carpet.

The living room is divided into two zones by back to back sofas. The television is actually housed in the ginormous William Yeoward Cherington bookcase that Amanda had shipped from the UK. Obviously ceilings there are taller so the middle three finials had to be removed. The lamps are Christopher Spitzmiller.

As I mentioned, Amanda likes to rearrange and the beautiful Elizabeth Peyton has been moved to another wall. I mentioned in my last post that Amanda has an art history degree but she also worked for Christies and has an enviable art collection. If I didn't like her so much, I could easily hate her for all the amazing works in her apartment!

One of my favorite rooms was the glamorous dining room. The brown Venetian plaster walls are so beautiful with all the gilt and lavender upholstered chairs. I'm not sure if the portrait is of Amanda's grandmother so I'll have to check but many of the items in it are from her including the bibelots and china on the table below. In this photo of the dining room, the table is about to be set with china from Marie Daâge. I've been in love with Haviland's Laque de Chine china in amethyst and gold forever and it would also look pretty in this room.

Isn't that most beautiful table you have ever seen?! I love how the blue candles pick up the color of the plates and also the draperies.

The color is a little off in this photo but the curtains are a pale blue. Since this photo was taken, a to die for bright blue and white painting by James Nares has been installed above the demilune table. If I can't own my own James Nares, I'm glad I can admire Amanda's!

Apparently, Amanda found out too late that her daughter wasn't fond of lavender since the room was decorated while she was at school. Oops. It's actually really subtle since the walls are white. I really love the Greek Key rug which is Beaton by Stark and relates to the pattern on the headboard. The fabric on the headboard and shade is Montego Tourmaline by Manuel Canovas. The navy blue patent leather chair is really fun too!

Everyone really loved the son's room. I especially like how the orange in his room relates back to the living room and the lavender in the daughter's room relates to the dining room. She even papered the ceiling in a wonderful patterned paper. When Caroline Rhea was in this room with me and Christopher Corcoran, I asked her if the children appreciate how fabulous their rooms are and she said that they definitely do!

I really like children's rooms that aren't too childish and can grow with them. It also works well if you ever have to use them as additional sleeping quarters for guests too. No adult wants to try to sleep in a bunk bed or race car. Trust me. The children share an adjoining bathroom that I don't have a photo of but that has a great green and white herringbone wallpaper. I would think it would be very cheerful to stumble into in the morning while getting ready for school.

Another one of my favorite rooms is the glossy media room! The walls are painted with a glossy paint from Fine Paints of Europe the color name I do not know but I will find out. I have said before but I love lacquer and shiny walls in New York apartments since they tend to be small and dark and the paint is great for reflecting light. I love how she's mixed in brass and black and photos in this room too. On the opposite wall is a built in for books and the television.

A coordinating tablescape in the media room.

I've already mentioned how many of the rooms relate and the hall bathroom is across from the green media room so the green shower curtain works perfectly. I love the whimsical picture and notice how it is hung over the bump out in the wall. New York apartments are notorious for strange bump outs and I love how she didn't let it deter her from hanging art above the toilet.

The pink bedroom reminded me of Charlotte Moss's room at the Kips Bay Show House this year who's fictional husband said no pink in the bedroom! Amanda's husband asked her that since they had so many pink bedrooms over the years could she maybe she could go with a different color this time. I guess she tried but kept coming back to pink. In reality, it's not really that pink. The walls are Farrow and Ball Tallow, a very creamy white and the carpet is also creamy white Berber. The room is really dreamy and makes me think of floating on a cloud. The hot pink chair in the background has been replaced by a gorgeous grey shagreen piece. I also love how the the lucite nightstand disappears.

The new grey shagreen piece relates well to this painting Maury River Cliffs by Ray Kass in the sitting area. The lucite table keeps the arrangement from looking too heavy as well.

Amanda's husband was very glad that there was no pink in the bathroom but that was before the wallpaper was installed above the tub (below)! He's ok with it now because he can't see it from the shower! Pink is a very good for your complexion so I bet it's nice to put on make up in this bathroom! I think it's funny that Amanda teased me for hating color because I really do like it and especially in her apartment! But I'll still let her take credit for converting me! But only if I can come over and visit her art!

Photos by Pieter Estersohn for House Beautiful and Amanda Nisbet Design

The Hostess with the Mostess: Amanda Nisbet

Contrary to popular belief, New York designers not only get along but enjoy each others company! It's wonderful to be able to chat with another designer about work and commiserate about clients and learn from each other. And no where was this more evident that at interior designer Amanda Nisbet's apartment Friday night (above). Amanda and her wonderful design assistant Anne Patterson put together a snazzy soiree with a guest list of fabulous friends and designers and I was honored to be invited. Look a full post on her beyond chic home later!

I met Amanda at the Kips Bay President's Preview and then ran into her and Anne again at her friend Gerald Bland's reception for the opening of the sale of Albert Hadley's drawings that same week and loved her instantly! Amanda is not only a ridiculously talented designer but also fun and down to earth. I was talking to Anne about how all three of us have art history degrees which we think helps us with our work. If you don't know the design rules from design school, you are free to break them and you are less likely is create a floor plan where all the furniture is measured and placed to within an inch of it's life! I am also excited to let you know that Anne has agreed to let me shoot her apartment for an upcoming post so check back in a few weeks for what I know will be a great story on how design assistants create amazing interiors on a budget!

Another person at the party who I chatted with about being an art history major was Elizabeth Mayhew. I've been a big fan of hers for years and it was so nice to finally meet her in person! She has a great new book out now called FLIP! For Decorating and she said that she thinks about art history principles of space and composition all the time when she styles interiors. I can't wait to talk to her more about this and her book soon!

The person I was most excited to meet at the party was interior designer Christopher Corcoran who created that beautiful landing at the Kips Bay Show House this year! I didn't get to meet him on my tour and I can tell you that he was very humbled and grateful that you all loved his design. I knew I wanted to write another more in depth post about Christopher so you could learn more about the designer behind the landing and he has agreed so look for that soon too!

Anne gave me and my dear friend and interior designer Brad Ford a tour of Amanda's apartment and so I returned the favor by giving the tour to Christopher where we were joined by Amanda's friend and actress Caroline Rhea. The two women have known each other since they were eight years old and Caroline told us about how Amanda had great style even then and had an Oreo necklace that everyone wanted after they saw it. Some people are born with great style and Amanda is definitely one of those people!

It was wonderful to see the lovely and talented interior designer Amy Lau again. She designed the amazing flowered stairs at Kips Bay this year. Amy is very inspiring and never boring (inside joke) and I always feel motivated after I talk to her! I always seem to be running into the popular potter Christopher Spitzmiller these days which is fine with me since he's so handsome and nice! Also, the lovely and elegant Carolyn Sollis who I just adore! Carolyn used to be the style director at House and Garden (may it rest in peace) and is now working with Bunny Williams on PR for BeeLine Home. She is one of the nicest women I know and is always a joy to chat with! I also keep running into interior designer James Andrew all about town and I forgot to mention in my other post that his partner Scott McBee is a wonderful artist too!

The divine textile designer Michael Divine was in attendance with his designer partner Thomas Burak who I am sad to say does not have a website. We are going to have to work on that. Michael was sweet enough to invite me to visit them in the country. I can picture it now. City mouse goes to the country! Michael and Thomas are friends with fellow blogger Ronda Carman who was also on hand with Arkansas interior designer Tobi Fairley.

I had been wanting to meet Mita Bland, the wife of antique dealer Gerald Bland, since I heard that her beautiful watercolors would soon be included in the book, Sister Parish Design: On Decorating. The premise is similar to Mark Hampton's books but this one will be full of decorating advice not only from Ms. Parish but all the top designers today. It sounds like just the type of book that will have the design world buzzing and I can't wait to talk with her more about the project and hopefully Susan Bartlett Crater, Sister Parish's granddaughter and her design partner Libby Cameron. I can already imagine the stories they must have to tell! Speaking of funny stories, when Gerald mentioned he was from the south, I made the comment that I thought he was English. Mita not missing a beat said that he's been working on that accent for a long time! They are a really chic couple!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the best part of blogging has been all the wonderful, inspiring, talented and creative people that I have been privileged to meet. I am also so happy that I have this forum so that I can share their amazing designs and stories with all of you! I know this post was long but it is also very important to me to support anyone who has chosen a career in the arts since we all know how tough it can be sometimes. Oh, and also because I genuinely do like them too! I also want to say a big thank you to Amanda Nisbet for bringing us all together. As everyone knows, throwing a party is very stressful and she was an incredible hostess!

Art Smart: May Ugallery Picks and Giveaway

Every month I started my monthly Ugallery feature, I have been amazed at how many talented artists I have to choose from! To keep myself from posting every great work, I usually try to stick to a theme. For May, I wanted to post works that reminded me of the beginning of summer from baseball games to changing landscapes and Venetian vacations and road trips. They all feel like summer to me.

I am also excited to announce that Ugallery will be exhibiting at The Affordable Art Fair in New York (7 West 34th Street) from May 7-10, 2009 so you can check out the art in person! They are also giving away 10 tickets ($80 value and admits two) to the Private Preview cocktails and sneak peek reception Wednesday, May 6 from 6:00-9:00pm. The first 10 Habitually Chic readers to email me with their name will have the tickets left for them at the Will Call window. Good luck!

Eroded Columns, 2008, oil on wood, Katie Mixon, Davidson College, $300

View from Plum Island 7/12/09 11:45 am, 2009, oil on illustration board, Caroline Hajjar, Pratt Institute, $150

Weed, 2005, photograph on paper, Alexis Garhammer, University of Central Florida, $60

Stormy Sky Series (Spring Dust-Up), 2009, printmaking (digital) on paper, Derek Alvarez, University of Arizona, $350

Coast 7.27.06e, 2006, photograph on paper, Susan Moore, Washington University in St. Louis, $200

Study for Line of Trees, 2008, oil on paper, Sarah Beth Goncarova, Virginia Commonwealth University, $250

Sunrise Grass, 2008, photography on paper, Mark Elverson, Massachusetts College of Art, $80

Untitled #2, 2009, acrylic on canvas, David Nackashi, University of South Florida, $500

Canal in Venice, 2009, oil on wood, Lana Williams, University of Oklahoma, $225

Forest, 2009, oil on canvas, Comusina Hardman, University of Georgia, $250

Grafting, 2008, oil on canvas, Katie Mixon, Davidson College, $600

Cripple Creek Motel, 2008, photograph on paper, Bryan Jerabek, Columbia Southern University, $75

Top Artwork: Salt Lake Credit Union, 2007, oil on canvas, Zachary Tomaszewski, University of California, Berkeley, $275

L. Herbert Designs Giveaway!

**I've extended the giveaway till 10 a.m. Monday morning!!

I'm so excited to introduce you to my newest advertiser, L. Herbert Designs!

I know many of you have seen Laryssa's beautiful work around blogland. It's just stunning. She creates beautiful watercolor art and is famous for her eggs and feathers:

But she just added some new prints to her store (sheep, little birds, chickens and houses) and they are adorable!!

I. could. just. die. That bird is killing me. Isn't she precious??? Perfect for a nursery or child's room.

I fell in love with the lambs:

Even though the Bub's room will be changed to a big boy room sometime this year, I can't resist this. The lamb will be perfect in his room. I'm getting it. (Squeal!)

Her prices are surprisingly low...a 5x7 print is only $7. Seven bucks people!!

And from now through May 11, Laryssa is offering a Mother's Day discount. You will get 10 percent off your entire order. All you need to do is use the coupon code MOTHER when checking out.

The best part -- Laryssa has graciously agreed to a free print for one of you!! You will get to pick from any of her prints if you win.

To enter, just comment here this weekend. To get another entry, go to her site here, and come back and let me know which print is your favorite! You have till Sunday evening at 10 p.m. Eastern time. (If you don't have a blog, just make sure to leave your name or e-mail.)

Take a look, have fun and have a GREAT weekend!!

P.S. Your comments from my iPhone post had me (almost) peeing my pants!! Thanks for the comments on my hair...my profile pic is misleading...it was shorter in that pic, but with the beadboard behind me you can't tell. I had loooong hair my whole life until last year. Now I keep growing it back out and then chopping it again. I'm going to take a new pic for my profile. :)

The zen of laptop desks

I'm loving what Siew Lian did to the Babord shoe rack. Perfect for sitting cross legged while sipping green tea.



She says, "My husband recently began working a lot at home, displacing me from the desk and PC. Forced to use the laptop for longer periods, I started to look for a laptop desk.

I had given away my nice pine Ikea breakfast tray with foldaway legs and couldn't find it again in the store, and the Bagn breakfast tray is too flimsy.

I was considering the Benjamin stool hack, but decided against it due to the stool's price in Malaysia (RM59 which is about US$17 but probably equivalent to maybe US$40-50) and the fact that it couldn't be folded flat.

Then I remembered I had hoarded away a couple of Babord shoe racks (about RM10 or US$3 each) to use as shelf inserts and decided to make a laptop tray out of one.

I used one of the rack's two shelves for the tray itself, and the other shelf to make the legs.

I sawed both ends off the shelf at a height of about 15cm for the tray legs. The ends are best for the legs, because they're held together by the dowel rod running through the slats.

I used one of the slats from the remainder of the shelf to reinforce the bottoms of the legs.

Then I sawed eight small blocks off the Babord legs to insert into the spaces between the slats of both the tray shelf and the tray legs. (Saw the Babord legs to fit the width of the gaps between the slats, and the block will not extrude from the top or the bottom of the shelf or legs.)

A bit of glue and some nails later, the three pieces were ready to assemble with small hinges. (I bought some nice brass-finished ones from Ace hardware)

Tip: Don't attach the legs square to the tray because it will tend to collapse to either side. Instead, the horizontal top edge of each leg should extrude from the side edge of the tray by one centimetre or so, so the legs when open are at an angle to the tray. This way when you use it, the legs are "wedged" open.



Another tip: Round off the long side edge of the tray. It's not splinters, just that the square edge can be tough on the under side of your wrists.

I was a bit worried the laptop might tip over when I move so I got a bit of braid, looped it around the dowel rods and ran it through a drawstring cord lock. (This might have been unnecessary, the laptop's rubber pads sit in the gaps between the slats, and the weight of the laptop has kept it firmly on the tray. And don't close your laptop with the braid holding it -- it could break the laptop hinges).

What I love about it is its length. I've always found other shorter trays a little constricting after a lengthy period. Now I can sit (cross-legged even) on the sofa and surf!"

Related hacks:
- Need a laptop desk? DIY your own stand
- Hack a floating laptop table
- Door stoppers for computer shelf