Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Bamboo View

From the pages of Architectural Digest, Domino, House Beautiful, Southern Accents & Traditional Home....inspiration on how to use versatile bamboo.

A bamboo side chair is an elegant addition


Antique bamboo chest with mirror serenely inhabits a weekend home


Black bamboo chairs complement this pale palette living room


Bamboo blinds accent this window in Sidney Poitier's home

Antique bamboo cabinet showcases shell treasures and beautiful books



Bamboo screen adds an antique element to this fabulous California room



Bamboo & bird wallpaper in Nancy Reagan's White House bedroom (photo courtesy of Architectural Digest)



West Elm's bamboo bathroom accessories work well with any style




Vintage bamboo stools covered in bold pattern work beautifully in this colorful, funky room


Modern chic bamboo bureau with white paint adds a fresh, young and now feeling to this master bedroom


Belly up! This bamboo bar neatly keeps party supplies on hand and does it with such style.








































































Sunday, January 25, 2009

Bet on Bamboo

Secrets to successful style include finding something you are passionate about and incorporating it into your design. We are absolutely feverish over bamboo....wallcovering, fabrics, furniture, accessories all put a personal twist on your home. When you add versatile bamboo in some way, you can be confident it will stand the test of time while working with almost any style ... contemporary, traditional, preppy, urban chic, southern sophisticate, paris apartment...

Bamboo is both classic and earthy at the same time ...comforting and soothing (think spas). According to homedecoratingnews.blogspot.com, bamboo symbolizes longevity in China and friendship in India. No wonder we like it so much! Here are some of our bamboo favorites...

Featured above, Thibaut's Spring Lake Collection 'Bamboo Lattice' wallpaper and fabric comes in several color ways and offer a great way to put a fresh twist on a traditional space.


Bamboo-themed accessories add style and grace to your table. Featured here (left to right) Rogers Bamboo Dream flatware, 45 pieces for $49.99 at http://www.overstock.com/ and to-die-for chic china pattern Nancy by Charlotte Moss for Pickard China, $225 for five piece placesetting at http://www.pickardchina.com/

Tiffany & Co. offers the Bamboo bowl in crystal, available in two sizes, 6" $75 and 9" $125. The cheese knife on the right is also from Tiffany but belongs to the Social Lions personal collection. For more information on these items, visit http://www.tiffany.com/



Bamboo furniture and accessories are easy to integrate into your design. You can find something to suit your style at West Elm, ModernFurniture.com. Ballard Designs and Z Gallerie to name a few. Featured above on the left, the bamboo accent table is a classic piece that works hard keeping those fabulous books handy. The center cream porcelain bamboo lamp graces a living room, bringing a fresh perspective to a traditional room. The gold bamboo nesting tables on the right are very Paris apartment feeling but work well with this retro-chic Palm Beach style sitting area.

Have a seat. Glossy black-painted bamboo chair is part of a pair and one of Social Lions best finds. Originally painted a battleship gray, these chairs got a quick make-over with some paint and new monogrammed cushions. We use them as side chairs or around the circular table in our office. We certainly added a funky, yet personal touch to this timeless treasure.

Staying stylish is easy when you buy pieces that you love and that can change and grow with your life and tastes. Look around at what you have and see what you can use in a new way. Discover your own patterns and passions that are probably already in your design. If you are adding to your collection this year, choose carefully and find things that are versatile like our beloved bamboo.






















































Sunday, January 18, 2009

Welcome Glow

Whether you are having an elegant cocktail party or an intimate dinner for two, fragrant candles always make your guests feel welcome. For a chic get-together, the Social Lions choose candles which fill our homes with a beautiful fragrance that promises the night is full of opportunity.

  • Social Lions Favorite: Trapp Candle's Bob's Flower Shoppe is a party-perfect candle discovered in Palm Beach. BFS is meant to remind you of walking in an open-air flower market...and it certainly delivers on that promise. When you burn it, you almost feel as though you are at a wedding or fabulous party with lots of wonderful flower arrangements...

  • Fragonard's White Flowers always sets the party mood with its just-right amount of floral mystery and French fabulousness..

  • Evening Garden by Virginia Anderson will transport your guests to an outdoor party in a beautiful antebellum mansion...

If you are in the mood to help set the mood, the Social Lions suggest Oscar de la Renta's City Home Candle, a blend of white & night blooming jasmine petals with white pepper and green leaves...intoxicating. Another hit for bringing sexy back is Votivo's Tuscan Olive ..a great choice for a party of two, it is sensual, earthy...everything you'd associate with Tuscany.


Having the girls over for cocktails, bridge or just plain gossip? Seda France's Clementine is a festive, fun choice which almost makes the air smell like candy...Votivo's Clean Crisp White is described as a 'lifestyle worth wishing for' and your house will smell like a crisp, Spring evening with it burning...


Maintain your sense of style despite the ups and downs of Wall Street. Having signature scents is a great way to personalize your house and welcome your guests. Invite some friends over today.


http://www.trappcandles.com/


http://www.votivo.com/


http://www.sedafrance.com/