Birds of a Feather

It's no secret fashion and interior designers' ideas feed off each other (hence the basis of my blog), but this time they took the saying "two birds of a feather" a bit more literal than usual.  The result? Chic, feminine beauty.  If you don't have a reason to wear a feathered ballgown, maybe you can find a place in your home for a little aviary glamour...

{pillows via Anthropologie and Calypso St. Barth}

{fashion, in order, by Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Nina Ricca & Jason Wu via Style.com}

Can This Be Made Into A Room? Gucci Pre-Fall 2011

Gucci's Pre-Fall 2011 collection combined my current two loves- shades of grey and updated 1970's silhouettes.  The collection made me think 'can I make a room that's entirely void of color and still make it seem warm and interesting?'  It's a challenge I took on so let's see how it turned out.

{images via FRG}

The trick to designing monochrome (one color) or achromatic (no color, which grey is technically a neutral so it's not a color) rooms is varying shades and textures.  I started my room by finding the perfect modern sectional in a charcoal grey wool flannel (Room and Board).  To ground the room, I would add a large and luxe flokati rug in a lighter shade of grey (Teak, Wicker, and More).  On top of this, I'd place a sleek and streamlined cocktail table in chrome with a grey quartz top (Room and Board).  The polished look of the cocktail juxtaposes nicely against the heavy pile of the area rug.  Mixing opposite textures like this is what gives the room interest.

Now for the finishing touches.  I'd place multiples styles of pillows on the sectional for more added visual interest.   I wouldn't worry that some of the fabrics are warm (Etsy) while others are cool (West Elm) as mixing the diverse tones adds the variety an achromatic room so desperately needs!  I would dress any window in dove grey velvet curtains that puddle elegantly on the floor (Pottery Barn) and add a shiny starburst mirror (Arteriors) for some dashes of glamour.  The crowning moment in the room?  Jonathan Adler's Meurice chandelier (I new I'd find a room to use it in!).

So what do you think?  Could you live in a room completely void of color?

Elle Accessory Photo Shoot

As much as I complain about being stuck in Utah, I sure do love Southern Utah.  Wish it would warm up a wee bit more so I could plan a day trip to Moab or Zions with the hubbie...

...and of course we'd drive a vintage Mercedes loaded with Gucci and Louis V luggage.  Is there any other way to take a road trip?

{images via Elle}