Southern Inspired

Laura Vinroot Poole "Wonder Wall"

 Photographed by Stacey Haines

Good day lovely friends, I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. It was a gorgeous here in NC and I was able to enjoy some much needed outdoor time with the family. Yesterday I sat outside read a book, some magazines, and worked on the computer while the kids bounced their little hearts out in the bouncy house Santa delivered in our backyard... the best investment ever!  It is amazing how much better you feel when the sun is out and the thermometer reads above 50 degrees.

Over the weekend while catching up I came across Haskell Harris from Garden and Gun and her wonderful interview for their blog Belle Decor with Charlottean and Capitol boutique proprietor Laura Vinroot Poole. This photo is stunning! I am not sure if it is the colorful  skirt, gorgeous velvet sofa, or the vertical garden by French botanist Patrick Blanc but collectively it is an exquisite picture. I love a little inspiration like this to start the work week and hope you enjoy too.

You can read the interview Here

                                                                                                                                                             

Friday Feature with Molly Luetkemeyer

Hello and Happy Friday friends, I am very happy to see you both. I am looking forward to a relaxed weekend with some warmer weather here in NC, thank goodness. Old man winter it is time to take a hike, this southern girl is ready to move to a pretty caribbean island and stick my feet in the sand.

I cannot think of a better way to end the week than feature a designer whose 

interiors are off the hook creative, awesome, and really so me...come to find out she is an Aries too so maybe there is something in the stars.

Molly Luetkemeyer is the design genius behind LA based M Design Interiors. Since 2001 she has been designing residences for clients including Hollywood A-listers, entertainment industry insiders, and stylish people in need of Molly's creative touch. Luetkemeyer has been named one of House Beautiful's top 100 designers for the past 4 years and once you see her website with a sampling of her work you will surely know why. Her use of color, pattern, and the ability to cohesively mix them together to create a chic abode is pure magic. Luetkemeyer has also recently started a blog, Molly Loot, that is chock full of inspiration and full of her witty musings on, well everything. 

Today we are getting the scoop on what inspires Molly and a day in her life. She was gracious enough to have a little

 q & a session with me and I think what I love more about Molly than her designs (which is almost impossible) is her personality, she is so fun and hilarious! I know the first person I am visiting on my next trip to LA...that is if she will have me. Thanks Molly! 

1. Where are you from?

baltimore, md

2.  What you led you into Interior Design?

i came out to los angeles from nyc working with mike nichols and ended up falling in love with the color and light everywhere in the city.  i decided to stay and enrolled in ucla’s interior design program. as luck would have it, my first week in school, i met kelly wearstler at a party.  she told me about her new design firm and i managed to finagle an internship (unpaid, of course).  that was the beginning and i never looked back...

3.  Describe your style?

colorful.  personal.  bold.  exciting.  unexpected.  lively.  balanced.  i love incorporating modern and contemporary art in my interiors.

4.  What are some of your favorite looks, accessories, items?

i’m obsessed with the sexy furniture and mentality of the 70s, flirting coyly with early 80s color palates and furniture shapes, having a torrid affair with the patterns, precision and soft modernism of the werner werkstatte.  design books tend to be my favorite accessories because they do double duty – not only are they great to read but you can use them to create height and add color and interest on almost any table.  also, i have a thing for table lamps - they really are the jewelry of the room and give the room its flavor and personality.  oh, and i would take anything designed by piero fornasetti, charles hollis jones, pedro friedeberg, paul evans, and line vautrin in a heartbeat.

5.  What other designers, architects, do you admire?

gio ponti, muriel brandolini, yves saint laurent and peter berge, david hicks, piet boon, alexander cambron, tony duquette, terance conran, ilse crawford, kelly wearstler, antonia hutt, miles redd, luis barrigan, pedro friedeberg, john lautner

6.  Can you give me a brief summary of " a day in the life" of Molly Luetkemeyer?

in the immortal words of my co-m. designer, kate, i try “to cram 10  pounds of sh#! into a 5-pound bag day” every day.  suffice it to say there is always ample time spent on the phone (with clients, subcontractors, manufacturers and the office); in front of the computer (blogging, answering emails, desperately trying to make sense of my schedule); in the car (hustling from clients’ homes to fabric showrooms to the upholsterer’s to the drapery fabricator’s, blah, blah, blah); meeting with clients; in the studio working on fabric designs.  it can be a bit crazy at times so perhaps kate is onto something.

7.  Describe your personal fashion style? do you lean toward solids or patterns?

i tend to wear solid-colored basics (super psyched for this spring’s color-blocked pieces!) and then flesh out the look with jewelry.  i guess i should admit i’m an addict.  hi, i’m molly luetkemeyer, and i’m a jewelry addict.

8.  What can we look for with your new line of fabrics that debuts this year? Very exciting BTW, congrats! 

thank you!  i’m really excited about it.  all of the fabrics are inspired by artists i love (sol le witt, henri matisse) and the palettes are largely pulled from fashion illustration and advertisement color schemes.  it’s been a hell of a learning curve, but hopefully well worth the effort. 
9.  Your dream project?

just one?  oh no!  here are a few projects i would love to work on:  a boutique hotel at the beach (any beach will do); a bachelor pad inspired by willy rizzo and david hicks; a complete restoration of a trousdale estate (with an unlimited budget, natch).  but really, my dream client is anyone with an adventurous spirit, a decent budget and faith in the design process.

10.  What is spinning on your ipod right now?

i recently discovered how to make a mix based on a song of my choice and it has revolutionized the way i listen to music.  seriously.  i have so much music that it can be overwhelming and i can fall into a rut but these “directed” genius mixes are sort of, well, genius.  you get all kinds of surprises and deep cuts.  i have created some recent playlists using “cameras” by matt and kim, “dancing on my own” by robyn, “use me” by bill withers, “bring on the night” by the police, and “born under punches” by the talking heads.  

Studio City Residence 

M Design Interiors

Have a great weekend.

Wanderlust Wednesday

Hello friends, happy hump day to you.

 In an attempt to maintain somewhat of a schedule going forward on this blog I am going to add in some features here and there, some still yet to be determined. I will be featuring weekly interviews with interior designers and the first one on my list make me really EXCITED so stay tuned to see who is giving me the scoop. Here is a little hint...she has a famous sister that cracks me up weekly. Any guesses?

Wednesday has turned into my travel day. No, I am not actually traveling anywhere other than my usual haunts but since I have a yearning to go somewhere fabulous with no exotic trips in sight, I thought what better travel companions than you? Every Wednesday we will be traveling somewhere different, unique, and fun so pack your bags! 

Today we are visiting this amazing castle in the English countryside. What does it feel like to be queen for a day? Well I surely could call this palace a home. Regal from the outside but updated and cozy on the inside. In the grand scheme of things is this castle to much to ask for? Well yes maybe, that is why we are just visiting.

To see more gorgeous images visit Shoot Factory

A little bit of this and that

Hello week and friends here we meet again.
 I must admit the weather is starting to get the best of me. I am feeling a bit of the winter blues and considering one of those feel good lamps that makes you happy after basking in it's glorious rays much like an afternoon lounging in the warm sun. What do I look to for inspiration these days? Typically what surrounds me inspires me the most but right now it is a gray sky, trees minus their lovely leaves, and dull brown grass that goes crunch when you walk on it. Blah... 
Yep it is time to go to my place of zen where I can get that warm fuzzy feeling back. I do love color and the Spring forecast is oh so exciting with all the beautiful hues it brings. For now though I must refrain a little (maybe just today) and look to soothing spaces with subtle hints of color, fabulous textures, and a mix of interesting pattern to get me through the doldrums of winter. Here is a little mix of my favorites today...an eclectic one I might add.

Wild Horses

Hello friends, I am glad to be back to my blog and ready for the upcoming weekend. What a beautiful week it has been here in NC, a nice respite from the freezing temps we have been having this winter.

This week I have horses on the brain and in particular big beautiful prints that make a statement in a room just like the animal itself. Each time I go to Market I am drawn to the Natural Curiosities booth by Christopher Wilcox and in particular the The Hyden Horses photography series. The prints are large, vivid, and show the true soul of the animal, really stunning. I do need a large piece of art, and this just might be the ticket...

 I came across the bedroom above and fell in love with the orange, black, and white combination. The large scale photograph makes the space for me. Here is a little collection of rooms with horses from different photographers including a life size work of art in the home of Real Housewives Kelly Killoren Bensimon's apartment. Hope these images bring you some inspiration.

 Happy Trails!

Stella McCartney's beauty as seen in Vogue.

Bliss, Lonny, The Little Big House, In Style Home, Elle Decor,  La Dolce Vita, High Point Market, My Little Happy Place, Vogue

Golden Glamour

A bit of glamour for your Monday...I do adore seeing beautiful women in gorgeous gowns, especially on a Sunday. These were my absolute favorites, an eclectic bunch of my choosing I must admit but nothing short of stunning. I am sure I missed a few and would love to hear which if any took your breath away. These gowns are stunning and the designers who I unfortunately will not have the time to credit individually are the amazing designers who inspire me.

Images courtesy of Harper's Bazaar