Cocktails & Chic Boutiques

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Which came first, the Lil' Chick or the Bee?

Our friends at Lil' Chick are ever exploring new ventures. The most recent of which is bees. Lil' Chick has put out a fantastic all natural and hand-made chapstick, available at Lil'Chick's Etsy shop, perfect for the cold months ahead. Following in the bee theme, Lil' Chick asked us to create a new label for future plans of creating their own honey. We were buzzing with excitement to continue developing their brand.

The evolution of Lil' Chick has reached into many divergent services and products. Its important to support the continuity of identity. SMMS realized this early in the process and built-in elements within the design to manipulate as Lil' Chick changes and grows.

Culture in the City

So how did you spend your summer? You may have noticed that SMMS took a summer break and filled our days with sun, surf, beach and the Brooklyn Flea. We also managed to get in a bit of culture and art. Here are some of our favorite picks of amazing art and design, so go check them out before they're gone.

MoMA: Applied Design till January 20, 2014

"There are still people who think that design is just about making things, people, and places pretty. In truth, design has spread to almost every facet of human activity, from science and education to politics and policymaking, for a simple reason: one of design’s most fundamental tasks is to help people respond to change."

 Guggenheim: James Turrell till Sept 25, 2013

"James Turrell’s first exhibition in a New York museum since 1980 focuses on the artist’s groundbreaking explorations of perception, light, color, and space, with a special focus on the role of site specificity in his practice. At its core is Aten Reign (2013), a major new project that recasts the Guggenheim rotunda as an enormous volume filled with shifting artificial and natural light."

Cocktails and Couture

This past Saturday I attended COCKTAILS & COUTURE: a Designer and Vintage Style Event, hosted in the Varick Room at Tribeca Cinemas. The event was full of amazing fashion, timeless vintage, fantastically friendly designers and yummy drinks while a live DJ filled the room with amazing music.

Check out some of the amazing Designers featured at the event. They all brought truly inspired and lovely pieces. I walked out of there with my new favorite vintage brass triangle bracelet for $6. I saw a similar one at Anthropoli-something for a whole lot more. I feel good about supporting a local designer and vintage supplier.

BUISandWHISTLES / Syd & Pia NYC / BC Design by DG / Visantine Collective

Palate, Palette, and Pallet Gardens

The weather's warm and the sun is shining, get outdoors and start that garden you always wanted. A Pallet Garden is inexpensive and a great up-cycle project. If you have limited space, a Pallet Garden allows you to go vertical with your planting.

This video is simple to follow and will help you get started on your Pallet Garden:

Now get going and get creative. Here are some amazing Pallet Gardens to inspire your green thumb. Feed your palate by planting edibles and feed your eyes by planting a palette of colors.

Four Walls and a Bunch of New Ideas

Put away the painter's tape, rollers and trays because its a mess and so last year. Anyone who knows me, knows I Hate (with a purposeful capital 'H') painting! So I'm always on the hunt for great ways to transform walls with big impact and without the headache of time consuming painting. Here are a few of my favorite wall finishes.

TEMPAPER

Imagine Tempaper like a really big sticker, its that simple to install. To take it off, peel up the corner and let 'er rip. Doesn't get easier then that. Ps- Tempaper works on any flat surface, so get covering.

GRAHAM & BROWN

Get up close and personal with your wallpaper. Frames by Graham & Brown is completely interactive and can be whatever you want it to be: scrapbook of memories, color by numbers, workspace inspiration board

THE PAINTED HOUSE

Ok, get the roller and tray back out. This is probably the only time I'd put the 'H' away and say Love this technique. Perhaps its because with the patterned roller in just one coat you get this fantastic effect! My suggestion, don't just stop with your walls... let that roller roll, over furniture, frames, wrapping paper...

Clerkenwell Design Week

Last week in London, May 21-23, was the annual Clerkenwell Design Week. Showrooms throughout Clerkenwell were opened for tours, hosted talks and activities. The Farmiloe Building was the main hub, exhibitors ranged from furnishings and finishes to accessories and lighting. Emerging designers were found at the House of Detention while the Order of St. John was the location to find design luxury.

In my opinion, those exhibitors who utilized the unique qualities of each location were the most successful in displaying an exceptional product. The product theme which most caught my eye was LIGHTING.

FARMILOE
 

Foscarini / Holloways of Ludlows / Workhouse / Luminosity

HOUSE of DETENTION
 

Donna Bates / Fred & Juul / Philippe Malouin for W Hotels / Fellicia

ORDER of ST. JOHN
 

Ochre / Louis Henri

Saatchi Gallery

My new favorite gallery in London is the Saatchi, and it's free to the public. Located in posh Chelsea next to Sloane Square, the Saatchi Gallery is housed in the Duke of York HQ Building on King's Road. It's an impressive blend of old and new contruction with it's grand exterior and light-filled and spatial interior. My favorite aspect of this gallery is that there are no ropes, barriers or guards keeping you from getting up close with the art, in my opinion the best way to experience an exhibition (but hands off, respectfully). The gallery's exhibitions are a mere sampling of Charles Saatchi's extensive personal collection. This multi-millionaire is a self proclaimed 'Artaholic', thankfully he likes to share.
'The Saatchi Gallery aims to provide an innovative forum for contemporary art, presenting work by largely unseen young artists or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK.'

50 Shades of Grey

Walking down Portobello Rd. Market in Notting Hill you can't help but to gaze up at the wonderful Victorian style row houses dressed in lovely shades of pastels. This color choice was no accident when you see them against the typical grey British sky. The grey almost gives the houses a luminous quality on a cloudy day. Clever way to add interest and color to a usual gloomy background.

David Bowie is...

...at the V&A till August 11th and completely worth the visit. The exhibition is a concert of his life full of amazing visuals including costumes, video clips and album covers all playing to the soundtrack of his life's greatest hits.
At one moment during the exhibition you come to an open space with two enormous screens playing live concerts from the 70s and another wall full of stacked boxes each housing a Bowie mannequin wearing an icon costume. Each box lights up in beat with the music. The experience is absolutely engulfing and amazing.

Whether you're a fan of David Bowie's or not, after experiencing the exhibition you cannot deny his powerful influence on music, art, fashion and pop culture for decades.

Color G-Range

As I was walking down Marylebourne High St. popping in and out of shops, I found an interiors store named Grange. Their collection wasn't very impressive until I started finding color in unexpected places. My next thought, after seeing too many numbers on the price tags, was how easy this would be to accomplish myself. It would be as simple as sanding down an existing piece of furniture, plotting out a pattern, and committing to a color palette (for help selecting a harmonious scheme try COLORSNAP by Sherwin Williams). As soon as I'm back state side, this will be my first weekend DIY project. The tea cups are just because I fancy them and a hint of color for a plan tablescape.

Will the real Banksy please stand up?

For those of you unfamiliar with the street artist, Banksy, don't worry because no one is. "He's" an unknown artist with gorilla-style graffiti all over the world, though the majority of his work can be seen stenciled on random walls in Bristol (his home town) and London. Banksy's art is controversial because of its political commentary and some government authorities consider it public vandalism, so if you catch a piece today it may be gone tomorrow.

Starck Appeal

Recently, at the Brooklyn Flea, Coydog Vintage made a big sale to an iconic designer. Before we introduce the legend of design, let's talk about the fantastic piece that was sold. Coydog Vintage restored an old piece to its original glory and went above and beyond to put their trademark creative twist on it.

Cyprus wood with a tough oil finish, matching industrial carts from Amsterdam, New York's old industrial town

These carts were purchased by legendary designer Philippe Starck! Yes my jaw dropped too when I heard the amazing news. Starck is one of my favorite designers and I make a point of visiting Interiors he's designed on my travels, one of my favorites is the St. Martins Lane Hotel London. Starck is known for well-designed products with a twist of whimsy, its no wonder he was attracted to the carts.

Watch Starck's TED talk and I think he'll become your favorite Designer if not favorite person. Enjoy!

Holi Easter

After months of cold, snow and early sunsets its finally here... SPRING! The season of new beginnings, warmer weather and longer days is celebrated with lush colors, symbols of new life, sweet tastes and floral perfumes. Holi is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus as a festival of colors. Easter, most of us already know the story of Jesus which is separate from the bunny laying eggs.

My suggestion is to make it to India for the Holi Festival, or maybe there's local celebration in a city near you. Otherwise, Design*Sponge has a great and simple DYI project using Holi pigment.

From egg hunts to beautiful table-scapes, Easter is full of great reasons to be creative and colorful. Check out Apartment Therapy for amazing ideas on unique techniques for decorating eggs.

So how ever you celebrate this new season of Spring, we hope you find inspiration through new colors, blooming flora, and spending more time enjoying the daylight. Happy Spring!

Upstairs/Downstairs

For the past few months anyone I talked to would ask me, "Are you watching Downton Abbey?" to which I would answer "no" followed by a jaw-dropping reply, "you have to!" So this past week in a marathon viewing I finished seasons 1,2 and 3. One thing I noticed over and over is the amount of running up and downstairs (mainly by the servants). This got me thinking, what a great place to create a visual impact, stair risers. Here are some fantastic ways to make the vertical climb more picturesque.

Work a pattern with mosaic tiles or decorative wallpaper

Be bold with paint choices or painting techniques such as fading

Be original with chalk paint and inspiring words

When making the stairs the focal point of the space, its nice to have the background clean and simple, thing blank canvas and white

For the full story about where and how-to visit RealSimple

Happy Emerald Day

Pantone has declared EMERALD, Color of the Year 2013!
So let's get to know this luxurious and lively color, just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Radiant, jewel-toned Emerald promotes balance and harmony (Fashion by Barbara Tfank)

Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.

Emerald for the Interior
Enhance your sense of well-being at home by rejuvenating the interior with Emerald paint, accents and accessories. This jewel-like hue will create a luxurious feel in an entryway, powder room, dining room or study, and bring life to a living room as an accent wall. Add a splash of color to the kitchen and dining room areas with Emerald dinnerware, stemware and appliances.

Happy Valentine's Day

Simplicity and thoughtfulness
with a brush of creativity...

For the complete how-to, click here

Are you ready for some football!

On this Super Bowl Sunday whether you watch to support your favorite team, have money riding on the big game, enjoy the new commercials, or it's just another reason to eat wings and nachos, lets take a look at the teams and their home cities. Perhaps design can play a roll in who wins, not likely but I've heard crazier reasons why teams have won the Super Bowl.

CHIPIT! by Sherwin Williams is an amazing tool, turn any pic into paint chips; SanFran typo map; Ferry Bldg. SanFran map

Have you checked out CHIPIT yet?; Baltimore map art; Baltimore Letterpress card

West coast/East coast, Gold Rush/Edgar Allen Poe, Rice-a-Roni/Maryland blue-crabs, Full House/The Wire

... good luck choosing your game-day team!

Weekend Warriors, simplify the DIY

For those of you who watch HGTV and immediately run out to your local home improvement store only to have a pile of unopened or half completed projects come Sunday evening, here are a few simple weekend projects you can start Saturday and finish Sunday.

Steppin' Up the Storage

 

Re-purposing an old step-ladder into a shelving display is a simple project that can be completed in a matter of hours. Consider using a wood ladder and showing it a bit of love. Sand it down to get rid of any nicks and digs and sprucing it up with a layer of tinted-primer or wood stain. Gently sand the ladder in random spots to give it a little character. IKEA has great wall shelves that are already finished (look for the EKBY, ANTONIUS or LACK series, www.ikea.com) which can be placed on the ladder rungs, finishing the shelving display. Added bonus, the shelves are adjustable and depending on the objects you're displaying you can adjust the height.

Dyeing for Some Color

I recently saw this in Inside Out magazine (an Australian home design publication) and thought it was amazing! This most definitely is going to be a weekend project for me, especially since I saw the exact style of pillows over-priced at Urban Outfitters.

What you'll need: pillowcases (or other fabrics), rubber gloves, fabric dye (we used Rit dyes in Teal and Dark Green), salt, dishwashing liquid, large rectangular plastic tub, broom, masking tape, two dining chairs. Using rubber gloves, fill the tub with hot water and add the dye, salt and dishwashing liquid according to the manufacturer's instructions. Wet the pillowcase, squeeze out excess water and tape the side not being dyed to a broom handle. Place the tub on the ground between the dining chairs and balance the broom horizontally on the chair seats so that the pillowcase hangs directly into the tub.To achieve the ombre effect (shaded light to dark), leave the bottom third only of the area to be dyed immersed in the dye for 10 minutes. Unwrap the pillowcase a little to allow the middle third to be immersed for 5 minutes, then unwrap further, so that the final third can be dipped briefly to achieve an even-lighter shade. Remove the pillowcase from the tub, run under cold then warm water until the water runs clear. Wash the pillowcase separately in warm water with detergent to remove excess dye. Repeat for other pillowcases. Tip: Natural fibers, such as cotton, linen and silk, will achieve much richer shades than man-made fibres. Create projects with Tamara Maynes at her workshops. For information and bookings, visit www.tamaramaynes.com