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Pantone 2014 Color of the Year: Radiant Orchid
Well hello there, perfect shade of pretty pastel pinky-purple. Last week Pantone announced the 2014 Color of the Year and the award goes to (drumroll) “Radiant Orchid”! We weren’t sure anything could top last years malachite-esque green but this comes dangerously close.We’re absolutely loving the new “it” hue and can’t wait to start incorporating it into our interiors. (Spoiler alert: we’ll be debuting a new finial in this color very soon!) This is the perfect accent color to add a little POP and it pairs gorgeously with turquoise, dark green…even red! We also can’t wait to let it inspire our spring wardrobe and beauty regimen. It’s bold, feminine, yet still refreshing – everything we could ask for in our new color of the year!
The easiest way to bring this color into your home? Pick up an orchid from your grocery store or flower market and plant in a pretty container!
Bookcases painted in a bold berry hue turn this cozy library into a glamorous retreat.
We love this color incorporated into a dining room, like Miles Redd has done so brilliantly here!
It’s the perfect shade of pinky-purple that’s sweet enough for a little girl’s room, yet sophisticated so she can grow into it.
A small amount goes a long way – like these upholstered seat cushions in this powder blue kitchen.
We love how it pairs with jewel tones like red and brass in this chic little vignette.
Mixing different shades of purple gives this guest room a luxurious feel.
How chic is this outfit?
To add a little pop of Radiant Orchid to your home, top one of your lamps with our Maybellene finial!(all images via Pinterest)
P.S. Follow our Pinterest board for more “Radiant Orchid” inspiration!
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Traditional Home Napa Valley Showhouse REVEAL!
We couldn’t say “YES” fast enough when Traditional Home asked us to design a room for their Napa Valley Showhouse this year. Located at Charles Krug, which happens to be the oldest winery in the area, we took on the task of designing the front sitting room in Peter Mondavi Jr.’s former home located on the property.
Tory Burch’s house in Southampton instantly came to mind as inspiration – a chic layered look with a global flair. We selected Meg Braff’s “Ferns” wallpaper as the perfect canvas to complement Napa’s understated, yet charming atmosphere. From there we brought in muted tones of jade green, slate blue, and coral mixed with brass accents. Our goal was to stay true to the surroundings but with a touch of glamour and sophistication.
A HUGE thank you to all the vendors that donated and loaned us everything for the space. It couldn’t have been done without their enormous generosity…we’re so excited to finally reveal the finished product!
Be gone ugly beige carpet and boring white walls! Meet your new friends…we think you’ll like them much better.
Meg Braff’s grey and white “Ferns” wallpaper was the first thing we selected to set the tone for the whole room. The wall-to-wall sisal from Holland & Sherry gives a casual & inviting vibe layered with a 1940s vintage Moroccan rug.
We’ve been lusting after these chairs from Jeffrey Alan Marks‘ collection for Palecek for a while so we were really excited to finally use them. The cushions and throw pillows on the sofa are upholstered in our favorite MK Collection fabric – “Spot On” in Arctic.
The ceilings, doors, and trim are painted in Benjamin Moore’s “Chantilly Lace” – one of our go-to paint colors!
The oversize brass mirror from Made Goods serves as a focal point over a parchment covered console and hide benches from Coup d’Etat in San Francisco. The pair of table lamps are from Ro Sham Beaux with custom silk shades and the framed Mandalas are from Harbinger.
The Parisian inspired settee is from Cisco Home which is off set with jade green garden stools from Made Goods. The vintage 1970s metal floor lamps (complete with a pair of Strawberry Fields Forever finials!) and glass cocktail tables are also from Coup d’Etat.
Books are the best accessory! Thank you so much to Martin Showroom and Ma(i)sonry (two must-visit design stores in Napa) for letting us borrow these fabulous tomes for our room.
Inner Gardens provided the tree and square basket. The barware is from the online shop of yours truly and the art is by Alex K. Mason.
Fully stocked!
The giant marble bowl and shagreen box are from Made Goods. The gorgeous succulent arrangement was done by local floral designer Julie Stevens.
Julie also did this pretty little arrangement of pink dahlias.
The African bone beads are also from Martin Showroom in St. Helena.
The Showhouse is open until November 17th so if you’re in Napa be sure to check it out – and have a wine tasting while you’re at it! More info here.
And an extra special thanks to Patrick Cline for taking all these gorgeous photographs. Check out his new website UPLO if you haven’t already – an awesome way of printing and sharing photos that we’re totally addicted to!
Xoxo Hillary
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Laundry by Design: Before & After!
Remember the “Laundry by Design” Pinterest contest we recently co-hosted with the Good Home Company? Well, the lucky winner, Stacy, turned out to be perhaps one of our favorite “clients” so far! Stacy lives in Texas and even has her very own design blog (which we highly recommend checking out) filled with tons of inspiration and photos of her own chic abode. We could instantly tell this girl had style and were so excited to help her create her dream laundry room!
With a few pictures of the space and a floor plan we went to work coming up with a stylish solution to Stacy’s relatively small laundry room. Since she rents there were limitations to how much we could do (no wallpaper, sadly), but we made it work and think the outcome was a success.
We gave her two options to choose from and shopping lists for both. Decisions, decisions…
Stacy opted for the first scheme and we think it turned out super fun & flirty. Check out the before & afters:
There’s a rule in Stacy’s lease that says she can only paint one wall in each room, so we went with Benjamin Moore’s “Sunlit Coral” for a sweet little punch of color. We love it with this mini size Dhurrie rug from West Elm too!
Not only did Stacy win a free design consultation, but she also scored some of Good Home Co.’s FABULOUS eco-friendly laundry products. It was sheer luck that they perfectly matched the yellow striped baskets from Land of Nod!
The Serena & Lily basket serves as a perfect floor hamper without taking too much space. The hanging planter was Stacy’s idea and we think it’s an adorable touch!
You’d never guess this chic sunburst mirror is from Home Depot! Martha does it again…
“Sunlit Coral” by Benjamin Moore – $37.99/gallon
Martha Stewart Metal Antique Gold Framed Mirror – $34.97
Yellow Stripes Around the Cube Bin – $12.95
Contour Semi-Flush Fixture in White – $69.00
Ironwork Hook in Bronze – $14.00
Phoenix Wool Dhurrie in 2’ x 3’ – $49.00
Senegalese Storage Basket, White/Natural, Medium – $98.00
BIG hugs to the Good Home Co. for letting us be a part of this super fun contest – and, of course, Stacy for bringing our laundry room design to life! Xoxo Hillary
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Back to School: Dorm Room Style & A Fab GIVEAWAY
Who doesn’t love back to school shopping? There’s nothing like putting on that fabby new outfit that’s been waiting patiently in your closet for weeks and loading your tote with freshly sharpened pencils and untouched notebooks. It feels like just yesterday…
For those packing up and heading to college this year, back to school shopping doesn’t just mean clothes and office supplies. HELLO dorm rooms! While there isn’t much freedom when it comes to decorating your brand new 200 square foot digs, there are a few ways to get creative and add some style without making your new roommate think you’re crazy.
via Lonny The easiest way to show off your personal style and make a big statement is with your bedding! Mix and match pillows, sheets, and duvet cover in fun patterns for an original look.
via NY Mag If you have the willpower (and are allowed to) try painting your dorm room a bold color to stand out from the rest. We also love this student’s creative way of storing his ties. (Yes, this is a REAL dorm room…)
via Lindsay Cowles Art If painting isn’t in the cards then try some removable wallpaper! One of our favorite artists, Lindsay Cowles, offers a stunning line of self-adhesive wallpaper which is fully removable – a perfect solution for those boring white dorm walls.
via Pinterest Don’t let any shelf or nook go unstyled – keep your books in neat stacks and mix in some of your cutest accessories for a chic display.
via Pinterest Store snacks and condiments in clear glass jars to keep your room from looking like a messy pantry.
via Fabulous K A lot of schools won’t let you hang anything on the walls…but don’t fret! Create a layered look by leaning some framed prints against the wall on your desk or nightstand.
via Pinterest Bulletin boards are a MUST for every college dorm room! Collect things that inspire you and memories throughout the year to create a stylish collage.
via Pinterest It may not be in your college budget, but fresh flowers can make a huge impact and are great for stress relief. Tell your parents we said so! ; )
You won’t miss Mom’s home cooking with fabulous dorm decor like this…sayonara!
(from top to bottom)
LEFT: FURBISH STUDIO Gem Lamp in Pink $165 | FURBISH STUDIO Blue and White Garden Stool $185 | HILLARY THOMAS Boyfriend Pillow with Navy Trim $340 | TARGET Sunbeam Air Popper Popcorn Maker $20 | MIDDLE: SERENA & LILY Grass Gobi Embroidered Sheet Set $145 | HEIDI MERRICK No. 8 Baz Lumbar Pillow $95 | HILLARY THOMAS Careless Whisper Lamp Finial $55 | PB TEEN Linen Framed Pinboard $139 | RIGHT: ARIANNA BELLE Conga Line Moss & Aqua Pillow $108 | AMAZON True Prep by Lisa Birnbach $15 | IOMOI Monogram Lacquer Tray $150 | STEPHANIE JOHNSON Torino iPad Case $50
In celebration of “Back to School” we’re partnering up with The Good Home Co. for a special event where we will be giving away 2 of our fabulous Boyfriend Pillows! Enter to win this Thursday August 15th by clicking the link below. And to put a cherry on top, we’re offering 20% your entire order this week with code “BACKTOSCHOOL20”.
Good luck my fellow scholars!
Xx Lexi
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Playing Favorites: Our Must-Have Coffee Table Books
A design-loving gal can never have enough coffee table books. Not only are they a necessity when creating chic vignettes around your abode but they can also be quite informative and inspiring if you actually read them. All (4) of us at Hillary Thomas are major collectors and always trying to get our hands the newest and most fabulous tomes to hit Amazon.
Here are some of our tried and true faves…I think our selections sum our individual styles up perfectly!
Hillary’s Picks: C.Z. Guest: American Style Icon by Susanna Salk | American Beauty by Claiborne Swanson Frank | La Dolce Vita by Slim Aarons
Clara’s Picks: The Selby Is in Your Place by Todd Selby | Stuff by Carey Maloney | Nomad by Sibella Court
Kristan’s Picks: The Grand Tour by Harry Seidler | Once Upon A Time by Slim Aarons | Domino: The Book of Decorating by Deborah Needleman
Lexi’s Picks: Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People by Hamis Bowles | Hue by Kelly Wearstler | Gypset Travel by Julia Chaplin
And we’d be lying if we said we’ve never judged a book by it’s cover!
Xx Lexi
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The Power of Pink
One color we can’t seem to stop thinking about lately (or designing with) is pink. Coral, hot pink, light pink, blush, fuschia, we can’t stop! (And we won’t stop…). We love it paired with kelly green for a Palm Beach chic vibe, or navy blue for a nautical look that’s a little naughty.
You don’t need much, a pop of it can make a huge impact. It’s easy to go overboard with this one though so check yourself before you wreck yourself!
Or just take some cues from the masters…
via Lonny
via Hillary Thomas
via Elle Decor
Powder Room at Swanson Vineyards
via Windsor Smith
“Pink Lemonade” by Liza Matthews
Maybellene finial by Hillary Thomas
Blushing yet?
Xx Lexi
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It’s Time for a Trim!
We’ve always held firm to the belief that beauty lies in the details of design. It’s those little unexpected touches of luxury and whimsy that take a simply pretty room and make it ridiculously chic!
Trim is one of those little luxuries that adds an instant “wow” factor and forces you to do a double take at whatever it’s applied to. Pillows, sofas, drapes, stairways, lamp shades – all perfect canvases for some fabulous fringe. Here’s some of our fav ways to get creative with trim…grab a spool and get inspired!
Give your boring white drapes the royal treatment with a punch of colorful pattern tape trim.
Run it along the sides and bottoms of your drapes to create a framed look.
Love this technique of doing 2 rows of tassel trim…double the trouble!
Add trim to your simple Roman shades for some interest & elegance.
The black tape trim on this sofa give it a chic, tailored look.
Color outside the lines! Run a pretty trim down the middle of your sofa cushions.
We love Mary McDonald’s use of thick trim along the skirt of this sofa.
Simply gorgeous!
The black trim on this stairway runner keeps your eye traveling.
Easy DIY! Grab a glue gun and add some craft store ribbon to the top and bottom of your lamp shade.
The green zig zag trim makes these simple pink pillows super adorable. (Available for sale in our shop!)
1. Kelly Wearstler Groundworks Ombre Aqua/Blue | 2. Lewis and Sheron Textiles Athena Tape Pink | 3. Kelly Wearstler Groundworks Spun Linen Raisin | 4. Fabricut Charente Bleu Lt Blue | 5. Mary McDonald Schumacher Octavius Tape Aqua Marine | 6. Fabricut Carob Kiwi Green
I think it’s time for a trim!
Xx Lexi
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We’re Loving: Watercolor Wallpaper
You know how designers always say “You can do wonders with a fresh coat of paint”? We think that a few fresh rolls of wallpaper can put your paint to shame any day. Honestly, is there anything better than a quirky and colorful wallpapered powder room? Say no more.
While we’ll always love Scalamandre’s classic motifs, Meg Braff’s Palm Beach chic designs, and anything De Gournay, new and interesting wallpapers can sometimes be hard to come by. That was until we became acquainted with Black Crow Studios – a custom wallpaper company with a stunning line of “watercolor” wallpapers. This is not your average wallpaper, people!
Designer Wendy Schwartz is a fan and also sells their wallpaper through her site CuffHome. Here is a foyer she designed using one of their custom designs.
The horizontal lines of this paper extend the hallway to create a beautiful path.
We love how it’s somehow modern, organic, and elegant all at once. It also serves as a gorgeous backdrop for different architectural and furniture styles making it incredibly versatile.
(all images courtesy of Black Crow Studios, can also be found on our Pinterest)
The writing is on the wall…and it reads “CHIC CHIC CHIC!”
Xx Lexi
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Before & After: Washington D.C. Townhouse
Do you recall the 1960’s Washington D.C. townhouse I designed with Jeff Lincoln that was featured in House Beautiful last year? I recently stumbled on some of the “before” pics while purging files on my computer and was reminded what a transformation that was! We essentially flipped the script on the whole house, beginning with an amped up color palette of turquoise blue, white, black, and touches of red. If you’re a fan of before & afters hold onto your hats because this one’s a doozy!
Mahogany red be gone! We lightened up the dreary dining room with shimmering De Gournay Plum Blossom wallpaper and a 1940’s French chandelier for an added element of glamour and whimsy. 
Jeff and I created a custom wall color that unifies everything in this salon-style living room. Turquoise blue was a bold choice but we were lucky to find a perfect balance so that it really opened up the space and showcased the art beautifully. 
The red, white, and blue color palette in the library was our chic, patriotic ode to Georgetown. The zebra rug adds an exotic vibe and the silver ceiling lifts the dark walls so they don’t look too heavy. 
The kitchen underwent a complete facelift. We injected a jolt of pattern and color with the Ann Sacks tile backsplash which served as a great counterpoint to the modern and sleek cabinetry. 
We tried to find a good balance of masculine and feminine for the master bedroom and I think we did just that with a silver-blue color palette mixed with more delicate details. 
Femme fatale! What was previously a breakfast room we converted into an ultra-chic solarium with blush pink walls and hand-carved stone tile floor by Robert Kuo for Ann Sacks. -
Catalog Chic: The Best for Less
The “granny” side in us can’t help but get excited every time a fresh new catalog arrives in our office. We don’t even request them (swear!) but somehow the likes of Wisteria, Ballard Designs and Pottery Barn always find their way to our mail slot and we’re sure glad they do. More often than not we stumble upon some surprisingly chic finds at irresistible prices and think to ourselves who knew?!
With summer catalogs hot off the press we’ve rounded up some of our fav items that have us folding page corners left and right. And not to worry, we find no shame in ordering from a catalog – it’s all in the mix darling!
Wisteria Acrylic Leaning Bookshelf $1,399
Horchow Chinois Mirror $265
Shades of Light Bamboo Tower Chandelier $395
Land of Nod Verona Crib $1,599 (folds out into a full size bed…how cool is that?!)
Serena & Lily Round Belly Baskets – Set of 2 $98
Pottery Barn Metal Rolling Cart Bedside Table $449
Ballard Designs Medeira Chair $459
West Elm Lined Brocade Pillow Cover $31
Target Threshold Tray Side Table – Teal $63
Anthropologie Handira Blanket $188
Pottery Barn Kids Chevron Rug $79-$399
Land’s End Medallion Print Sheets $15.99 – $34.99
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