Star light

Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight,

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have the wish I wish tonight.

Happy Independence weekend all, what a fun holiday to celebrate. We stayed in town this 4th weekend and I must say I was a little down about not traveling to the beach this year. Although this evening I have a quite different perspective after a fun day of bike riding, followed by a fun farm party with good friends, and more festivities to follow...technically tomorrow is Saturday all over again, yay! 

Stars and stripes are the theme of the days to come and who doesn't love either? It is a toss up for me, I adore both. So today we have whimsical stars and tomorrow we will see chic stripes...together in regal red, white, and blue they signify our Independence.

Moravian Star

Images courtesy of Pink Wallpaper, The Estate of Things, Domino, Betsy Burnham, Decor Pad, Osborne and Little, and House Beautiful

Friday Feature with Betsy Burnham

Hi to all my lovely friends, I am so glad you are here and I am delighted for our Friday Feature today. Tonight we are stepping out on the town well technically to the country for a party in a barn...that is what I call "Country Chic." Should be fun if we can survive the weather. Layers will be key and I will have plenty of them! 

On to the important business of today. I am more than ecstatic to feature today's designer as she has been a favorite of mine since her home was featured on the pages of InStyle Home in 2005. I fell in love with her gold living room wall color, python covered dining chairs, blue china, and her signature look that always involves a leopard print. Betsy Burnham is one cool California chic, oh and a phenomenal designer as well. 

Burnham's interiors have been featured in many publications including Western Interiors, Metropolitan Home and named one of House Beautiful's top designers. Her Instant Space design concept allows her to consult clients all over the country through email and online correspondence.

In July I featured Betsy in a Designer Spotlight and showed images of her children Carson and Will's rooms that she had just shared in an interview with the Decor Demon. I think we can all agree that they are more than your average teenage rooms, very stylish indeed. A union jack painted dresser signed by the one and only Amanda Bynes? 

After the feature Betsy was kind enough to personally thank me with an email...it absolutely made my day. Thank you Betsy for being an inspiration! So with no further ado friends... 

Betsy Burnham

Where are you from and what brought you to LA?

I’m originally from Connecticut.  I Went to college in new Hampshire and afterwards moved to new york to work in fashion.  My husband (then boyfriend) moved out to L.A. to work in the film industry and I followed two years later, when i figured he was never coming back.  That was 22 years ago now, I guess I can call myself a native.

What led you into Interior Design?

It was an organic process, really.  When I realized that the fashion industry out here wasn’t for me, I enrolled in UCLA’s Extention program in interior design to learn some fundamental skills.  At the time, I used to throw these elaborate parties, and a celebrity friend who came to one asked me if I’d help her with her house.  I haven’t stopped working since.  I started Burnham Design in 2002.

Describe your style?

I like to describe it in fashion terms: thrift meets couture.  It’s all about a mix of high and low, and layers of texture and pattern.

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

I like anything python (faux!), & leopard print-always have.  I’m crazy for Turkish rugs, like Caucasians and Samarkinds-they have the most incredible color combinations, and in my opinion are even better threadbare than new.  I love shiny finishes-polished brass and nickel, glossy ceramic tile, high gloss paint.

Is there a color right now that you cannot get enough of?

That’s not fair; there are so many.  I just designed a prep kitchen (secondary kitchen space, with pantry) and had all the cabinetry painted olive green.  It’s super chic.

Can you give me a brief summary "a day in the life" of Betsy Burnham?

Well, every day is different, but there are a few constants:  up at 6 or earlier, exercise, work in the office (or meet with clients, shop, site visits) 10-7, spend any spare time with family (kids Carson, 16 and will, 14 and husband Mark Stern).

Describe your personal fashion? do you lean more toward solids or patterns? 

Definitely patterns, they’re so much more fun.  But with them I wear a lot of black and denim.   I’m a huge fan of layers, clunky shoes, Belgian designers and accessories.

What or who do you look to for inspiration?

Every trip I take, even if it’s just to san Francisco, gives me some kind of inspiration.  I stayed at the Hotel Cipriani in Venice last summer and was completely blown away.  Aesthetic overload!

Your dream project?

I love my clients, and I’m really fortunate with the creative freedom they give me, but I think my dream right now is to work in a different avenue of this business:  a fabric line, a rug line, maybe even furniture.

What is on your ipod or the music playing in your car?

Jurassic 5, Lauren hill & Beyonce.

Benedict Canyon Residence

Burnham Design Office

Photos courtesy Betsy Burnham, NY Times, Decor Demon, and Lonny 

Designer Spotlight

Betsy Burnham

It is no mystery to those have read or followed my blog that one of my favorite interior designers is LA based designer Betsy Burnham, seeing that I just featured some of her rooms last week. Today receiving my blog updates it seems that the ever so stylish Kelly from High Street Market worked for Mrs. Burnham before she relocated to the East Coast with her husband. Makes perfect sense, I can see the influence in the items she features in her shop on Etsy. Kelly posted that Decor Demon recently wrote an article along with pictures detailing the new rooms of Burnham's 2 teenage children Carson and Will which are eclectic, fun, creative!

When Betsy Burnham first came on my radar it was the 2005 issue of Instyle Home and her personal residence was featured. I was moving into a new house and desperately searching for a color for our family room. I had been through stacks of magazines with no inspiration in site, when the mailman came and wham, I matched the color below to Benjamin Moore's "pirate's chest". 

Leopard lamp shades, python covered chairs and blue porcelain china

Sherwin William's "Needlepoint Navy" on the walls

The collage of pictures above are of Carson and Will and their digs in 05.

Betsy Burnham named one of House Beautiful's top 20 Designers

"Instant Space" by Betsy Burnham

Burnham's work space in Lonny Magazine, where all the magic happens!

Carson and Will's New Rooms

Carson, all grown up

Print "Chinese Garden" by Hazelton House

Fit for a princess, coverlet... Mexican Otomi, multi-colored.

Love Foo Dogs and Turquoise, For Like Ever!

One of a kind painted Union Jack dresser...

Signed by Amanda Bynes, equals a teenage dream come true.

Carson's awesome powder room with wallpaper by Katie Ridder and window treatment fabric by Albert Hadley. Don't miss the python mirror, perfection. 

Will's sophisticated yet very cool room.

Union Jack accent lamp.

Window treatments in F Schumacher's "Galloway" and wall color by Farrow and Ball "Drab".

West Elm desk and Jonathan Adler lamp

All boy on a fabulous rug from The Rug Company "Ponti Red"

You can't go wrong with a farm sink in a boy's bath!

Betsy Rocks!

Images courtesy of Burnham Design, Decor Demon, InStyle Home

Worlds Away

The past few weeks between work and play I feel like I have traveled around the globe yet have only been in 3 states. I suppose that is a good thing, being able to find so many worldly goods without traveling to the ends of the Earth. One of my current client projects is finding outdoor accessories including topiaries for their front porch, the perfect planters and the greenery that will complete their "Low Country" front porch look.

 

Success in finding ligistrum double ball topiaries, low maintenance and beautiful.

 

Beautiful, affordable black urns...picture of the finished product will have to wait until the project is complete... Success!

Market Imports

 

My hunt for the perfect accessories took me to an amazing store, warehouse, not sure what you call it... Market Imports located next to the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, NC has the most amazing finds! It is a treasure trove of eclectic furniture and accessories for indoor and outdoor. While I am picturing the most extreme and diverse of their inventory please know that they have a great collection of blue porcelain china, clay pots in every shape color, size, fountains galore and the list goes on... 

I wish I were as comfortable as this Merlick in the 100 degree weather while working.

Furbish Studio

I was also able to do a little shopping for myself while working of course, hazard of the job but I dropped into one of my favorite new haunts Furbish Studio. Lucky for me they had just received their newest shipment of Roberta Roller Rabbit for home. All I can say is ooh la la, fun fun! First of all every little accessory in Furbish is a designers dream. Jamie Meares the creator and owner behind all the beauty paints most of her furniture with a little help from her friend she has that pops up from the basement. She has ready made pillows ready to walk out the door onto your sofa and great knick knacks for your home.

I happened to pick up these 2 Roberta Roller Rabbit pillows for my newly painted wicker chairs and voila ready for my party.

Remember my chairs for a deal?

Before

After

Love the blue and green elephant print.

This bamboo bench at Furbish is tres chic.

Perfect sized asian inspired side table.

Furbish Studio

1020 Glenwood Avenue

Raleigh, NC 27605

High Street Market

New fantastic finds just listed last week!

Images Courtesy High Street Market

Calypso

St. Barth

2 things would love to have... Calypso's Chevron Kurta and

Jodhpur Pouf

Betsy Burnham

One of my favorite designers is LA based Betsy Burnham and her designs are edgy and eclectic. I like her because she is under the radar yet her work is phenomenal. She always loves to use an animal print which I think too is a staple for any space.

Images courtesy of Design Sponge, InStyle, Lonny Magazine