Highlights of 2010

Now, we couldn't wave goodbye to 2010 before highlighting a few of our favourite posts of the year. Over the last twelve months we have posted three hundred and something times but below are a selection of the very best...

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Style Salvage Speaks To...Hannah Martin - We set out to learn more about her and the craft of jewellery design and what better way than to visit Hannah Martin at her studio for a cup of tea and a chat. Here we talk to the designer about her work placement at Cartier, Russian gangsters, the influence of Count Saint Germain on her next collection and seeing her at LFW through her collaborations with Carolyn Massey and Hannah Marshall.

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Dr Martens: The craft of an iconic shoe - On April 1, 1960 the first pair of Dr. Martens was produced by the Griggs factory in the village of Wollaston in central England. Eight eyelets, ox blood red with distinctive yellow stitching, the design was dubbed "1460" after the date of its creation. More than one hundred million pairs of Dr. Martens have been sold since that first pair was unveiled 50 years ago. To help celebrate reaching landmark Dr. Martens invited a few of us bloggers up to their Wollaston factory to help cover the event.

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The Craft of Cheaney -  Cheaney represent the height of English Bench Made shoe making. It takes eight weeks to make a pair of Cheaney shoes, it involves around one hundred and sixty hand operations, from cutting the leather through to finishing, combining the best of contemporary design with superb quality. Given how much of a factory pervert I am, you can only imagine how many photographs I took as William Church guided me through and in to the nooks and crannies of this well oiled assembly line of true craftsmanship.

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Experiencing Harris Tweed - The story of Harris Tweed is one of a remote island community that lies between the Highlands of Scotland on the north west tip of Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean. I have lusted over this truly unique fabric and have longed to visit the beautiful setting in which it is created for some time now. Thankfully, the launch of the Nike Air Royalty Harris Tweed meant that myself and Susie were invited up by the sportswear giant.

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Nigel Cabourn's Studio -  Nigel Cabourn has worked in the fashion industry for forty two years, yet his clothing has very little in common with most people’s understanding of fashion. Cabourn is a designer who is driven by his longstanding passion for vintage clothing, fabric and details. He has collected vintage clothing since the 70s after falling for their charms on visits to Portobello Road with Paul Smith. Since then he has amassed an archive of over four thousand pieces. It is this ever expanding vintage collection that is the cornerstone of each collection, not a response to a particular trend or demand. Each collection has a real story, is grounded in history and integrity underpinned by the highest level of quality.

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Style Stalking...Imelda Matt - You might think that the phrase 'style stalking' is an exaggeration, but this time you'd be wrong. Ever since we laid eyes on Imelda Matt in a gold suit we knew we just had to get him to do a style diary for us. After months (no, really) of chasing, cajoling and downright begging, he agreed to let us showcase seven days of Imelda style.

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Style Stalking...Ca - After a few months of fruitless voyeurism we finally stumbled across an old favourite who has thankfully resurfaced on the blogosphere. Ca's previous blog, The Cablog, was a constant source of inspiration and it was a sad day when he decided to pause blogging. A number of months later and Ca has returned and we are pleased to declare that he lost none of his style. Ca is a man who knows how to use colour and play with textures to make truly wonderful, multi faceted outfits. He is a man who knows how to balance vintage, high street and labels in such a way that the admiring observer has absolutely no idea where he shops.

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A Visit to Trunk - The year has seen a number of exciting menswear stores open their doors in the capital but Trunk Clothiers is something quite special indeed. Located over two floors on Marylebone’s Chiltern Street, Trunk introduces a much needed new style to the menswear retailing scene in the capital which I was able to experience for myself. The seventy square metres brings together a carefully curated selection of the finest menswear and accessories from across the globe. Trunk is a store that sets the standard for gentlemen seeking modern classics of the highest quality matched with impeccable service.

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British menswear in 2010 and beyond

Now, I had started to embark on an epic review post and spent a few hours revising bookmarks and admiring saved images. I began reminiscing over the colour rich Jil Sander SS111 show which was held in the elaborate garden of a spectacular villa in the far hilly reaches of Florence, the dazzling lazer display at the culmination of JW Anderson's SS11 show, experiencing the making of Harris Tweed in the Outer Hebrides and my numerous retail discoveries throughout the year. The last twelve months have been fruitful and have seen us enthuse, reveal and discuss a myriad of menswear subjects over the course of three hundred and eight posts. However, having seen the gluttony of 'Best of' lists clogging the arteries of the blogosphere, I have decided to take a different stance. Yes, 2010 has been a good year but how can we make 2011 a great year?

Having given the subject more thought than any of the other aforementioned volume of posts, I decided to look at the state of British menswear. Menswear Day during London Fashion Week has certainly  continued to grow over the course of two schedule packed days in 2010. Presentations, catwalk shows and film screenings have all celebrated the exciting diversity of menswear design talent which uniquely exists in this capital of ours. It has been hugely exciting to see stalwarts of Savile Row sit so comfortably alongside high street regulars, established designers and enthralling new talent alike. Both  days helped cause a sartorial stir or two whilst collectively flying the flag of menswear and tiring me out in the process. Dense, exciting schedules and flag waving aside, I have found myself with more questions than answers when I come to give British menswear design the once over. Have these ever evolving moments really pushed British menswear design forward as far as they can? Is Menswear Day enough? Are retailers really supporting the talent? Can the design talent that I celebrate forge viable and successful businesses? Are we, as consumers, doing enough?

In moments of questioning, it is always helpful to turn to a different voice.  As I have enjoyed so many discussions with menswear retailer Daniel Jenkins this year, it was fitting to hear his thoughts on the subject... 

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"What is the point of British menswear? Now I must confess to being redhanded and place my cards upon the table. Anyone who receives a Christmas or birthday present from me is accepting ill gotten gains funded by British fashion.

Confession aside I have no interest in using this article to promote the labels that we already sell and those that we will sell in the future. I believe in what we buy and therefore if it doesn't sell I take full responsibility. This leads into my main point, Steve mentioned the end of year review to me a few months ago. I'll admit I was slightly wrapped up in finding the best flat white in London (Woman in Present if you are interested always go for the 6oz). Dalston cliche aside it made me think. So much so I had a rant which I have managed to slightly temper. Two days later I was fortunate to be invited to take an economist around the Whitechapel Gallery with the aim of ignoring the art and discussing the future of British fashion. The question was should British fashion be 'saved' or not. I spent two hours arguing for its survival then received a text message about something far more important and realised the charade was up. Perhaps it shouldn't be 'saved'. 'Saving' as it currently stands could in fact damage it further.

I see it like this. I understand that many within the industry disagree with me and think me a fool for expressing my views however, I simply cannot go on any longer labouring under the pretence that this situation is adequate, normal or acceptable. Despite this year having spent more time with my head in books than look books trying to figure life out, I have seen enough to realise that in terms of sheer design the industry in the UK is in rude health. I don't care who you are or what you do I simply cannot understand any argument claiming that there is better design talent outside of the United Kingdom. Yesterday, Steve and Eliza ran a feature on Joe Casley Hayford, a sublime talent who along with Charlie is changing how the world dresses. This is what we do in the UK. We set the parameters. Yet the press discussion about the best labels, the most exciting stores, the items that men truly would sell their girlfriend for always includes items predominately from outside of this sceptred isle. Why is this? The power of paid for advertising or a deeper and more dangerous issue? We are in real danger of losing a lot of talent which if given a little bit more of a push could really achieve something.

We have a dedicated 'Menswear' day at London fashion week. This I applaud for its intention and execution - this year it was highly professional, but it isn't enough. I'm bored with the conversation that the menswear industry in the UK will simply never be profitable enough. This is sheer nonsense perpetuated by those unwilling to take a risk. We need to ask ourselves why isn't it working. Why are labels having trouble cementing themselves? Each time I read an article about how rosy British menswear is I'm reminded of John Le Carre's words in 1963 'men condemned to death are subject to sudden moments of elation; as if, like moths in the fire, their destruction were coincidental with attainment'.

Please don't confuse me with someone wishing to do damage to the industry. Yes my suit may be painted black and I might admire and enjoy  Auden's poetry noir whilst taking a wistful glance through memories but, I just want to give those with talent in this country a fair and level playing field. If they fail then so be it. They would always have done so. To deny them the opportunity to succeed or fail because they aren't immediately commercially viable is criminal. I understand the financial implications better than most. We are funded solely by sales. If we do not sell we cannot continue operating. I believe that we have a duty to promote those that perhaps would not be given the chance elsewhere. Yes we profit from it, I run a business and I attempt daily to challenge Tony Wilson's mantra regarding history and money  - failing probably on both counts - because someone once took a chance on Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen and anyone you could care to mention. Yes, these were business decisions but they were also seven inch leap's from heart to head.

There are those making a difference and there are solutions which have been proffered from greater communication between independent stores and the BFC, increased presence at Paris fashion week - London falls outside of the majority of foreign buyers' schedule each season. An understanding that talent in this country does occasionally need guidance in making sure that they aren't let down by manufacturers, stores and other parts of the 'fashion chain'. If these steps were undertaken I'd be part way to happiness and if the BFC or anyone with ideas regarding how we can turn 2011 into a watershed, wishes to contact me then I'm ready, daniel@danieljenkins.co.uk"

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I don't know about you but I found myself nodding quite a bit throughout this rant. More, on a number of different levels, can be done. For me, one of the real positives of the year has seen the real gems of British menswear take important steps towards Paris. The LONDON ShowROOMS have been successfully running for five seasons now but SS11 saw it extend to include some of the best emerging menswear talent in the UK. The scheme, a joint collaboration by the British Fashion Council, Fashion East and The Centre for Fashion Enterprise took fourteen designers to show in Paris. The likes of Bernstock Speirs, Blaak, BOYOstudio, Carolyn Massey, Christopher Kane Men's, Christopher Raeburn, Miharayasuhiro + Husam el Odeh eyewear, James Long, Katie Eary, KTZ, Lou Dalton, Omar Kashoura and Tim Soar were all present. Their designs showcased at a time in line with the real buying season. Regardless of talent, in order to survive, our favourite designers require sales and even though Menswear Day is wonderful theatre, I'd love to see the very best of our talent continue to charm the world. Here's to British menswear design talent winning over buyers and consumers in the same way that it has won critical plaudits in recent seasons.

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What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

Happy New Year to my dear bloginistas (bloggers with style!) and friends and strangers who read this humble rag.
For many years I had a business that provided decor. So when New Years Eve rolled around, I was usually engaged to decorate a party or two. Most were huge events, though some were more intimate house parties.

Valorie Hart Designs
The huge fabulous Lichtenstein always hangs in this office building lobby.
The giant pine cones were added as the seasonal decor.
The party decor took its cue from the painting.
Each table had linen color picked out from the painting.
The flowers were arranged both high and low,
and the flower choice was simple: red tulips in winter!

I never resented working New Years day into eve. My crew was a great collection of talent, and we became friends through the years, so we made the job our special party. Before I became a business woman I had a show business career, so often I worked in a club on New Years Eve.

Valorie Hart Designs
This event is at The Brooklyn Museum.
I love the glass block floor lighted from below.
The statues are the museum's, but I brought in the fountains.

On the rare New Years Eve that I wasn't working I preferred to go to a party that I could walk to from my brownstone on 15th Street. New Years Eve in New York is brutal. Everything is overpriced. It's cold, so that evening shoes and a cute little party dress gets a lot of wind up the skirt. Taxis are impossible to get, and if you do get one, you pay triple the meter. Many a time I had to resort to the subway, sharing it with puking teenagers, or worse yet standing alone on a cold train platform at midnight into the new year waiting and waiting for a train to come.

Valorie Hart Designs

The Mac Daddy of all New Years party locations: The Rainbow Room!
Gold and silver and white were the obvious choices.
We made the huge cocktail filled with lights behind the long buffet table.

The best party outside of putting on some slinky pajamas and laying out a supper of every exotic and expensive food we loved (caviar, smoked salmon, pheasant, oysters, lobsters, chocolate), was a little supper party given at a restaurant around the corner from my home called Luxe; it was given by my friends Timothy Pope and Robin Berg.
It was s sit down dinner for twelve. I decorated of course, and I recall vast quantities of white narcissus flowers and candlelight. After dinner we danced to big band music. It was an unusually warm night, and with a fire roaring in the fireplace of our private dining room, we were overheated. We threw open the windows at midnight, and tossed flowers to the passersby.

Valorie Hart Designs
This is a party at The Puck Building
It was called White Winter Wonderland
Lucite chairs, tons of white branches and lights,
iridescent table lines, white Amaryllis, lots of candle light
made this one of my favorites, and a favorite of my clients.
I revamped this look for many a wedding!

Loading docks on New Years aren't fun either. There is so much stuff that has to be schlepped to make a party. The logistics are worthy of a five star general planning a battle. There's never enough time no matter how early you can set-up, or how many magic crew people you amass. But somehow it all gets done, and we would all stand together and look at our handiwork, amazed that we did it. I always brought along a few bottles of Champagne for this moment to share with my decor squad. Glasses were lifted, toasts given, and off we went to a hot bath and a night at home.
Looking at photos of milestones usually include friends and family. Mine also include a body of work. But back then I was careless with my talent, and didn't think to document it all. The few photos I have were taken by Adam Anik and Juris Mardwig. And of course I have some tattered tear sheets I managed to save from editorials along the way.

Valorie Hart Designs
Brides Magazine Editorial
The idea was a church basement winter reception, for a bride on a budget.
Masses of red and pink mini carnations, herb topiary,
winter love birds, snow flakes, winter evergreens
were all used on a back drop of winter white.
I had to reproduce this party many times over after this editorial.

I never ever went to Times Square once. Except to decorate a party there in a now defunct restaurant called Nirvana. It was atop an odd little building on the median in Times Square. It had a perfect view below of the hoopla. Of course we were invited to stay for the party and enjoy the view, but we politely declined and scurried off home. This wasn't easy since all of Times Square is barricaded by the police in preparation for the massive crowds.

"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve"

When the bells all ring and the horns all blow
And the couples we know are fondly kissing.
Will I be with you or will I be among the missing?

Maybe it's much too early in the game
Ooh, but I thought I'd ask you just the same
What are you doing New Year's
New Year's eve?

Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight
When it's exactly twelve o'clock that night
Welcoming in the New Year
New Year's eve

Maybe I'm crazy to suppose
I'd ever be the one you chose
Out of a thousand invitations
You received

Ooh, but in case I stand one little chance
Here comes the jackpot question in advance:
What are you doing New Year's
New Year's Eve?

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The French House Wife Dinner

One of my favorite fantasies is to be a French house wife. You know, live in France, shop the food markets, and cook like a French woman.




I have been this way for years and years after spending time in France, and then working in a French restaurant in New York for six years. So I schooled myself to cook French dishes, to think like a French house wife at the market, and to latch onto what I perceived as a more genteel lifestyle.

Visual Vamp table setting inspired by France

So for Christmas Eve dinner, I knew I wanted to do a classic French house wife supper, simple and fresh food, well prepared. I chose to do roast chicken with herbs, a medley of vegetables (baby beets, baby carrots, squash, shallots), and herb roasted potatoes. I asked Jack to make a chutney, and he obliged with one made from black berries, apples, and cherries. The wine choice was a festive sparkling rose.

Dessert (and a baguette for the dinner) was purchased from the local patisserie: A hazelnut Buche de Noel. Added to the dessert table: Miss Elaine's cashew toffee, a cranberry lemon cake in the shape of Christmas trees, Alberto's arroz con leche, a bowl of dark chocolates, and the star of the show, flaming Cafe Brulot.

Cafe Brulot cups and dessert plates on the sideboard

Classic New Orleans Cafe Brulot cups have a devilish jester on them

A special copper pot to flame the Cafe Brulot

Setting the table is as much fun as cooking for me. I knew I wanted to do red this year, so I raided the cupboards for all the red ornaments I could find.

Vintage ornaments, sugared fruit, sequin flowers, all in shades of red

I had two yards of a red damask print fabric, that I used for a tablecloth. The print is called Mairselles!

Red Le Cadeaux plates from perch.

I used a white under plate, and a red dinner plate from a company called Le Cadeaux. It's Melamine, and we sell this line at perch. The plates come in many classic French colors and patterns, and you have to touch them to realize they are not china, and even then you aren't completely sure.

Mix and match glassware

I mixed and matched glassware, one glass for champagne, and one glass for water. I used red linen napkins with tiny a twig wreath as a napkin ring. A place card was tucked into the napkin ring. White ironstone butter pats were used to hold individual servings of sea salt and cracked pepper.

White under plate, red dinner plate, red linen napkin
White ironstone butter pat for salt and pepper

Antique flatware - we use it everyday

Chairs were mixed and matched too. The dining room is tiny, and the table unopened holds a snug eight.

Visual Vamp dining room - dinner for eight on Christmas Eve

You can see a couple of videos Alberto made of the night HERE and HERE.

The table was set with L*O*V*E

We are totally enjoying the holidays, and I love when Alberto films our good times so we can share them with you.

Paper white narcissus plant on the white lacquer bar tray

Other little touches included a paper white narcissus plant on the bar tray, and some baubles added to the chandelier.

More baubles on the chandelier

The candles were lighted, the music was playing, the dinner was ready, and ding-dong there's the door bell!

Visual Vamp Christmas Eve table setting by candlelight

Hope you enjoyed this last Visual Vamp Tablescape Thursday. Stop by Susan's Between Naps On The Porch HERE to see what everyone else did to close out 2010.

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Beauty 101 My Corner Store

I am so lucky in so many ways. I love where I live: city-New Orleans; neighborhood-Garden District, just off Magazine Street where there are lots of great shops including practical ones like a small supermarket (The Breaux Mart), a well stocked Walgreens, Starbucks, a gas station with a great milk and bread store, and Beauty 101 right on my corner.
Beauty 101 carries full lines of top cosmetics (Nars, Smashbox, Bare Minerals, etc.) and skin care products, and they have recently added the cutest clothes, purses, and shoes.
This is Elizabeth who does the buying for the store, and she picks the best things by designers Juicy Couture, Robert Rodriguez, Trina Turk, Nanette Lepore, Luciana Padovan (shoes), Delman (shoes), Laura Matthews (handbags), and many others.
Right now there is a terrific sale going on. I picked up some great finds on the $50. rack.
So if you live in New Orleans and you got some cash for Christmas, get on over to Beauty 101 at 2728 Magazine Street (corner of Washington Avenue). Phone - 504 895-2869.
Don't you just love the decor in this place? It's super glam and girly, just the way we like it!
This pretty dress is on sale now. I think it was on the $50. rack!
There's a blog HERE and a web site HERE. Tell them the Visual Vamp sent you!

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In discussion... 2010

The desire to develop a dialogue around men's style and fashion has always been one of our key motivations to blog and this year we embarked on a new series that aimed to stoke the fires of menswear conversation. Each month, starting from May, we invited a cross section of thoughts on and around a range of subjects from the most stylish men they've ever known to the best piece of style advice they had ever heard. Over the course of the year, we heard from a mixed bag of knowledgeable folk air their thoughts and responses came from designers, store owners, PRs, journalists and a few fellow bloggers alike. With this in mind, we couldn't turn the page on the last twelve months without hearing from a few of our favourite figures of menswear on their highlights of 2010...

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"My highlight of the year for menswear would be Dries Van Noten's Fall 2010 collection. Never before have I wanted so much from one collection and I've been buying quite a bit."

Tommy Ton, photographer and blogger.

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"I think personally, making the film that we did for SS11. I find fashion film difficult, its often horribly self indulgent and pointless with it, with little or obvious narrative. We wanted to make something interesting, odd and beautiful, and I'm my harshest critic, but I think we came up with something pretty special there."

Carolyn Massey, designer.

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"Collaborating with Mogwai and Woolrich Woolen Mills for The Rig Out short film was the highlight of my year. A week spent in the north of Norway in July, messing about on glaciers and the odd weird effect of 24 hour daylight was very cool. Plus, the film's not bad too. Check it out!"

Glenn Kitson, co-founder of the Rig Out magazine, PR and brand consultant.

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"My highlight of 2010 was getting let loose in the RRL showroom for the first time. The environment was incredible and with everything RRL no stone had been left unturned. The collection was authentic Americana Vintage and one of the best I had seen all year. I can’t wait to see it launch in store in February in the first RRL shop in shop in Europe."

Stephen Ayres, Menswear Buying Manager at Liberty.

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"The best find of 2010 for me is Japanese brand Sasquatchfabrix. We are the first to bring this over from Japan and I have no doubt that in the coming years this brand will be on peoples radar in a big way. I absolutely love the aesthetic and the raw feeling of this brand."

Dan Mitchel, Buyer at LN-CC

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"The highlight of my fashion year has to be the number of decent menswear stores that have opened up in London over the past 12 months. It is the first time in many years that London has a retail landscape which reflects some of its unique energy."
Joe Casely-Hayford, designer.

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"The most exciting Fashion find of 2010 was all the fatboy fashions coming for SS11. Mr. Hare is only a healthy, bon vivant, size 54, yet even stores in which my shoes are stocked only keep there ranges up to a 52, which in the week before fashion week, due to stress and over work I can just about squeeze into. A few Parisien steak tartares later though and I am back in the land of ass. But this coming summer whether it is Prada's tie front (Karl Kani) jeans and shorts or Diors " I used to be fat but look at me now yo!! Lost 60lbs in sixty minutes at the LIPO-Fatty spa." Or even Haider Ackermans Opium den proprietor/Lothario apparel Fat is where it's at. And our style icon, yes, we wish you were still here...Fat Joaquin!"

Mr Hare, shoe enthusiast and designer.

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We will be posting our own review of the year tomorrow which will include the thoughts of Daniel Jenkins. In the meantime, why not tell us about your menswear highlight below...

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Nine

Kristin from Discover Interior Design did a great series about design resolutions. She invited several bloggers to participate. I love them all, and it was fun to see how each blogger took on the assignment. One of my favorites is by new blogger Lynda who has new the blog Focal Point (please check out Focal Point and add it to your blog list).

I'm not big on making New Years resolutions, are you? But I took a stab at it, and approached mine in the vein of a dating advice column....

reprint from Discover Interior Design:

Top Nine New Years Decorating Resolutions

Resolution #1: Define what you want in a decor relationship
Before you can find what you want, you first must inventory what you need, so start the New Year off by making a dream list of stuff you want in a potential room and don’t just file it away when you’re done. Keep the list in mind whenever you see a room with potential, instead of solely relying on physical attraction. It doesn’t matter if a room looks like Domino if it doesn’t treat you well.

I have an ongoing master bathroom project for five years now – will I finish it in 2010?

Resolution #2: Assess your baggage
Be honest with yourself; if you have any residual feelings or anger leftover from your last decor project, don’t take it with you into the New Year. See a decor shrink, vent on your blog, whatever you need to do – just get rid of it!

I love big clocks and cow hide rugs – can I live without this baggage in 2010?!

Resolution #3: Get your booty off the couch
The likelihood of decorating the perfect room while you’re parked in front of your TV watching HGTV is miniscule (unless, of course, your mailman or local pizza delivery boy just happens to be a dead ringer for Candice Olson.)

Resolution #4: Get out of your decorating comfort zone
If you are the type of person who has had the same sea grass rug for the past eight years, it’s likely that you’ve been doing the same type of decor for just as long. If your past interior designs haven’t panned out the way you hoped, it may be time to shake some things up in your family room. In 2010, make it your goal to rethink the kind of slipcover you are keeping around and be more open to pursuing new kinds of furniture. For example, if you are a serial online decor blogger, try getting offline. (And vice-versa).

Just do a fabulous 2005 design mash up – It’s so five years ago so who will know in 2010 that you’re off trend.

Resolution #5: Decorate more than one room at a time
Decorating more than one room at a time helps takes that this-has-to-work-out-or-else pressure off of you that can doom many a fledgling project. So while I certainly don’t advocate written-in-stone-projects, until you get serious, try to see at least three different design styles simultaneously in one room. For those of you who are thinking “But it’s so hard to just think of one!” my advice is to stop being so picky.

Open your eyes and design more than one room at a time.

Resolution #6: Stop trying to make lemonade out of bad lemons
You can’t whip your bad furniture into tip-top shape without dumping any lingering baggage, whether it be river rocks, foo dogs, Buddha heads, or any other zen knick-knacks that you can never quite shake. If these so-called decor schemes don’t have the ability to go anywhere, than it’s not worth exerting your creative energy to maintain them. Refrain from dwelling on, or hooking up with yesterday’s bad news and instead re-channel that momentum into getting something new.

Lemonade from lemons – Yes or No?! Discuss!

Resolution #7: Ditch the deadline
Milestone birthdays have the ability to send even the most rational of decorators into a frenzy, so stop comparing yourself to your friends, sisters, and/or bitchy bloggers, and realize, with as much Zen-Chinoiserie-like tranquility as you can muster, that everyone is sitting on their own unique Ghost Chair. When it comes to credenzas, there is no right time for it to happen.

Tick-tock it’s February and you still haven’t taken down the Christmas stuff –
Forget deadlines and relax, recycle, reuse. And reinvent it for Spring.

Resolution #8: Decorate yourself
Remember that the longest relationship you will ever have is with yourself, so be your own interior designer and don’t wait until you’re room is finished to post it on your blog. Give yourself permission to exaggerate on something that’s totally not your idea and reinvent it as your own.

Why wait for fame? Make your own magazine cover HERE

Resolution #9: Enjoy the journey
Decorating is a process, not unlike applying to colleges as a high school senior. Sometimes it can be exciting (OMG, they like me even if that tacky lamp looks bad!) and sometimes disappointing (How could I have picked that fake Ikat pillow from Wal Mart!) but no matter what happens this year, remember that it is only the end-result that matters. Whatever your decor resolutions are, be the boss of them. Go public with them, if need be. You won’t regret it when you are mentioned in a defunct magazine, or get a book deal, or get on a radio show like The Skirted Roundtable, or on everyone’s blog list in 2010.

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