Worldly Wise

Home of Madeline Weinrib

Whether kuba cloth pillows or tribal masks, Moroccan rugs or Indian block prints, I love a bit of exotic flair in a home!

Guest bedroom by M. Design Interiors

Home of Theory's Istvan Francer

One of my favorite rooms ever! I love the accent colors (lavender and orange - so unexpected), the kuba cloth pillows, the glass lamps, the portraits, the accessories... I love it all!

Bedroom from the Viceroy Mayakoba - Design by Kelly Wearstler

Dining area by Peter Dunham

Typical Dunham style: colorful, cozy, and classically eclectic. (Yes, yes, again with my alliteration!)

Bedroom by Westbrook Interiors

Isn't this room so bright and so interesting? What an amazing combination of pieces.

Library by Tom Delavan

I love the traditional seating mixed with modern (aka, the Saarinen table and zig-zaggy task lamp) and exotic (antique suzani and tribal masks) elements. So sophisticated!

Bedroom by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard

Sky-high mosquito netting? How dreamy!

Living room by Thomas Hamel

As you can see, exotic doesn't have to mean wild or over-the-top. These spaces are comfortable, sophisticated, and sure to intrigue both guest and owner alike!

Here's to a great week ahead!

Nobody's Foo

Pair of wild-eyed foo dogs by Todd Alexander Romano LLC for 1st Dibs

I think by now you all know my penchant for unique and unexpected accessories (and colors... and artwork...). One fun little trendy set of creatures that keeps popping up everywhere are foo dogs. Known in China as "guardian lions" (the animal they actually mean to represent), these figures are thought to possess mythical, protective powers and typically come in design-friendly pairs.

One lonely foo dog on the first cover of online magazine High Gloss

It has become easier and easier to find affordable versions of this festive accessory, and they certainly pack an exotic punch wherever they reside.

My friend and I found this hand-sculpted guy at a local antiques store.

As you can see, they come in all shapes, colors, and sizes and can work in lots of different interior styles! (Although a predisposition to bold color and eclectic furnishings does seem to help!)


Living room shelving by Molly Luetkemeyer of M. Design Interiors


Where's Waldo foo....

Den by Tracey Garnet

Barking foo....

Vignette by Scout Designs

Cool white foo....

A pair of large, ceramic garden foo dogs from Urban Suburban

Chinoiserie Chic recently did a post on these little fellas as well. Check it out here to see even more incarnations of this exotic accessory!

Mod living room by Jonathan Adler

What do you think about this trend?

Let the sun shine

Living room by Schuyler Samperton

The sun is finally beginning to reemerge after days of gloom here, and, in order to honor its reappearance, I thought I would showcase a few rooms that are flooded with light.


Bedroom by Michelle Workman

Sparkling with glass and lucite and glowing with soft peach walls, this room invites its inhabitants (Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony) in to relax.


Bedroom by Michelle Workman



Bedroom by Katie Ridder

This bedroom is a more energetic space, buzzing from the combination of patterns, textures, and colors.


Design by Amanda Nisbet

Blush and fuchsia in the same space? Pink perfection!


Home of Sarah Jessica Parker by Eric Hughes


As this bedroom is part of a Hamptons beach house, Hughes used a good dose of white to create a clean and simple retreat.

Bedroom by Eric Hughes



Design by Molly Luetkemeyer of M. Design Interiors

I absolutely love this bedroom by Miss Molly Luetkemeyer. The warmth from the pink on the textured walls is further augmented by the wood accent furniture, kilim-style rug, and tones from the chevron-striped curtains.

Bedroom by M. Design Interiors


I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and enjoy a little sunshine wherever you are!


Office Space

Design by Kelly Wearstler

Many people work from home these days or, if not, they at least end up taking work home with them. As such, it seems that the need for a home office has risen, leading designers to create individualized spaces for their clients that marry style and function.

Design by Melissa Rufty

Some don't need a whole room designated as an office, merely a small space to sit with a laptop.


Space by Phoebe Howard


The talented Mrs. Howard shows her versatility with these two workspace incarnations.

Office by Phoebe Howard

Design by Molly Luetkemeyer of M. Design Interiors

I love this accent wall covered with this brilliant Rousseau-esque mural. (One of my favorite painters!) Sometimes an office needs to bring inspiration to the owner and what better way than with colorful artwork!

Office in home of Yves Saint Laurent - design by Victor Grandpierre

Maybe it is all that fuchsia, but I am loving this very French interpretation of a home office above. Tres beau!


Design by Jay Jeffers

Jeffers shows us how to go totally mod with this neutral office.

Design by Windsor Smith


Absolutely gorgeous... Typical Windsor Smith.

Space by Kemble Interiors



Design by Martensen Jones

Home of Melissa Warner of Massucco Warner Miller


How cheerful is this home office? A Louis Ghost Chair and tailored tablecloth keep it light and airy, while the wallpapered closet doors add some fun.

Design by Gary Spain

I love Gary Spain... I mean LOVE him.

Office by Keith Johnson of Anthropologie

Great combination of elements here: rough wood, muted tones, mod lamp, Mac computer.

Design by Sara Gilbane

One of the looks I love is a big, cozy wingback chair pulled up to a desk. So here is where I currently sit... My vintage flared wingback, with Greek key throw and custom silk pillow, sits next to my antique, leather-inlaid desk (which has been my desk since I was a child). The mint julep cup holding my colored pencils is from One Kings Lane and the other pencil holder is from House Parts in Atlanta.


My very own workspace

Do you have a home office or workspace? Or do you hang out on the couch with a laptop? I'd love to know or see pictures!

Here's to a great week ahead!

Global Warming

Living area by Molly Luetkemeyer of M. Design Interiors

Don't you just love a home that has that far-away flair? There is something so energizing about interiors that can create a fantasy, making you feel like you are a world away from everyday life.

Molly Luetkemeyer does just that in the living room above with a carefully selected mixture of modern, traditional, and exotic furniture and accessories. I love that rug and the fabrics on the sofa pillows!

Bedroom by Greek designer Tetty Stefanou

From the suzani on the wall to the antique curtain fragments that make up the bed cover, this room's design is sure to carry you away to distant lands. (It's location in the Greek isles doesn't hurt either!)


Bedroom by Peter Dunham

Designer Peter Dunham has been a world traveler since he was a child, and his sense of the exotic is certainly reflected in his interiors and fabric collections.

Bedroom by Kemble Interiors

How great are these vintage suitcases? The pairing of chocolate brown and blue is quite classic, but the pattern of the fabric and texture of the wall gives the room a more modern allure.

Jacques Grange gets playful in his own home, displaying a wild assortment of art and objects.

Could you work a feathered headdress into your interiors?


Bedroom by John Robshaw

I originally came across the bedroom above when I was looking for inspiration for a friend's bedroom, but I fell in love with the room's combination of patterns and wall color (and green is not something I would normally gravitate to). Travelling to places such as China, India, and Thailand, Robshaw has perfected the art of creating exotic, block-printed textiles.

Bedroom by Lisa Fine

Here is a bedroom by yet another textile designer, Lisa Fine. Aren't those green bed posts intriguing?

Vignette by Schuyler Samperton

Love the bone-inlaid chest, love the blue and white vases, and love the fiddle-leaf fig tree peeking in the side of the photo!

Living area by Sara Gilbane Interiors

I think this last room of the day perfectly illustrates what exotic accents in interior design can achieve in a room: interest and warmth. Combining a rich wall color, an unexpected light fixture, a zebra rug, and some striking textiles gives this room a cozy, yet worldly look, and creates quite the romantic reverie!