a well lived life...: New York State of Mind

Quotes...

The best decisions are always made at the last minute. Just know when the last minute is.
Holly Hunt

Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever out of style.
Billy Baldwin

All rooms ought to look as if they were lived in, and to have so to say, a friendly welcome ready for the incomer.
William Morris

... to ensure a successful mix, I treat cushions, trimming, lampshades and other accessories as the shoes and handbags of the home. The right shoes can really make an outfit - and equally, if you have the wrong shoes, you can feel old-fashioned in the smartest of suits.
Nina Campbell

Each item in a collection has its own story, its own memory - the search, the day you bought it, who you were with, the vacation, etc.; a collection provides a special satisfaction and sense of achievement.
Tricia Guild

Good design has to tell a story. It has to stop people, and it has to make them wonder. Good design is a conversation.
Zahid Sardar

I spent a few days in New York last week to refuel my creative energy and visit with friends. I love dropping into a big city and going full speed until it's time to leave and this trip did not disappoint! First stop - The Ace Hotel. I was a little skeptical when Mr Wilson selected this hotel but I stand corrected! The energy was incredible 24 hours a day and I definitely had one of the best burgers in my entire life at The Breslin. This hotel was designed by Roman and Williams and according to the bartender, the lobby bar was completely done in flea market finds with the exception of a couple of custom sectionals. Impressive!

After a few glasses of champagne (in the cutest vintage glasses) we were up early and off to the Frieze Art Fair. With "VVIP" passes secured by Mr Wilson we had early entrance to the fair - the art was, of course, amazing but so was the people watching. Strictly from an interior design point of view, some of the most striking pieces were very abstract with a play on painted texture. One of my favourites was by Davide Balula at the Galerie Rodolphe Janssen. His technique involves laying out patterns in wood, burning it, and making an imprint of the charred wood on canvas.

The next day was spent on the Upper East Side at the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse. This the 42nd year for this fundraising event and the house this year is a historic mansion next to The Palace Hotel. I am sharing the photos below from Architectural Digest!