The A-Z of Inspirational Design

A

Alvar Aalto

B

Maarten Baas

C

Rose Cabat

D

Adrien Dalpayrat

E

Paul Evans

F

Anna Castelli Ferrieri

G

Alexander Girard

H

Poul Henningsen

I

Arata Isozaki

J

Curtis Jeré

K

Thomas Kakinuma

L

Le Corbusier

M

Carlo Mollino

N

George Nakashima

O

Rossana Orlandi

P

Giò Ponti

Q

Qubus

R

Alfio Rapisardi

S

Gaetano Sciolari

T

Torben Ørskov

U

Arthur Umanoff

V

Giorgio Vigna

W

Frank Lloyd Wright

X

The artist unknown and anonymous

Y

Shoei Yoh

Z

Marco Zanuso

22 Albums To Play At Dinner Parties

1.   Sergio Mendez & Brasil 66 - Herb Alpert Presents... 

2.   Maury Muehleisen - Gingerbread

3.   Stevie Wonder - Talking Back

4.   The Verve - Urban Hymns

5.   The Rolling Stones - Aftermath

6.   Nick Drake - Pink Moon

7.   Frijid Pink - Frijid Pink

8.   Portishead - Portishead

9.   The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

10.  Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971

11.  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Gold (1959-1991)

12.  Jim Croce - I Got a Name

13.  Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills

14.  Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights

15.  Modern English - Ricochet Days

16.  The Charlatans - The Amazing Charlatans

17.  Tom Waits - Small Change

18.  Beastie Boys - The In Sound From Way Out!

19.  Dead Presidents Soundtrack

20.  Johnny Cash - at San Quentin

21.  Marvin Gay - What's Going On

22.  Sigur Rós  -  Ágætis Byrjun

West Coast Modernism for the 21st century

While vast amounts of West Coast modernist commercial architecture fall victim to the wrecking ball there is a revival of the medium sprouting up in the residential arena.

Moore Building 626 Bute St. - demolished 2004
Stacy Reynaud

1477 Pender St. - demolished 2008
 Stacy Reynaud 

The award winning Wakefield Beach community project on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia is an example of how today's architects are using their inspiration from Arts and Crafts and Modernism and translating it into contemporary homes for tomorrow's inspiration.

Wakefield Beach Project - Sunshine Coast British Columbia

photo Wakefield Beach

Wakefield Beach - Sunshine Coast, British Columbia

photo Blue Sky Architecture

Organic architecture on the West Coast incorporates, what many often take for granted, into the planning, design and development - the four basic elements of air, earth, fire and water. The elements become an integral part of the overall objective of the project.

Scott House - Gulf Islands, British Columbia

photo Blue Sky Architecture

Kick Start - 8 of The Best Men's Boots F/W '08

Fall/Winter 2009 Here

Pull yourself up by your boot straps because this season is all about boots.

Whether you're grabbing the ubiquitous Beatle boot, the vintage combat or the city over boot you can't go wrong.

Here are my eight picks for Fall Winter 2008: (for Spring/Summer 2009 click here)

1. John Varvatos - anything by Mr. Varvatos looks hot for fall. You've gotta rock when your boutique is in the old CBGB's space.

2. Ann Demeulemeester - Ms. Demeulemeester has made a name for herself with her womens' boots, now it's the guys turn! Go to her site for more pics.

3. N.D.C. (nom de code) - made by hand. Known as everyone's best kept shoe secret, ndc give distressed a whole new name.

4. Vintage Combat - you survived Lollapalooza '92 thanks to these babies so get them out and polish them up,

5. Diet Butcher Slim Skin - the 'bizarrely brilliant' Japanese line to keep your eyes open for.

6. The City Overboot - Marc Jacobs' men have their rubbers on.

7. Vintage Biker - if you prefer leather over rubber.

8. The Beatle boot - always a classic and perfect for the Dior 19 cm raw denim

Related Posts:

Best 9 Men's Boots For S/S 2009

How to Wear a Scarf

10 Desert Boots

How to Wear a Cardigan

If you enjoyed the post please spread the love.

5 Sexy Film Fights

Casting, costume and a certain je ne sais quoi make these some of film's sexiest skirmishes.

1.  1968 Franco Zefferilli Romeo and Juliet - Mercutio's Death Scene

Mercutio at 8:16 - brilliant - and what about that outfit...

2. Rebel Without a Cause

James Dean - he's 'abstract' and 'cute too.'

3. Gone with the Wind

'I only know that I love you.' ' That's your misfortune.'

4.  Psychomania

I've said it before and I'll say it again - hot pants, leather and British bikes

5. Dangerous Liaisons - Madame de Merteuil and Valmont

John Malkovich was born to do scenes like these. 

6. Honorable mention, Zoolander - Walk Off - YouTube it!

The Style Quiz 1 - The Answer

Alberta Ferretti Fall Winter 1994

The answer to the August 19th 2008 post, The Style Quiz 1 -
F/W 1994

Personally, I think the Alberta Ferretti and Marc Jacobs pieces can be pulled out of the back of the closet and no one will know.

As for Fendi - I'm glad they've made a clean come back for F/W 2008!

Marc Jacobs dress Fall Winter 1994

14 Ideas For A Dining Room

When it comes to dining in a 620 square foot flat the options can be quite comical. Currently, we are using a card table, which to be frank, looks quite naively chic.

To honour the room that will one day be ours, here are 14 rooms I'd be caught feasting in:

Nothing highlights sophistication like giraffe print seating

Issei Hatakeyama residence.  Tatami mats and Edo-period sliding doors

19th Century Italian trestle table at an LA home

The ubiquitous Knoll Saarinen table with custom upholstered Louis XV chairs

Gilt wall-coverings, lacquered cabinets and a dimmer switch

An array of colored plastic Eames chairs set along a Nakashima inspired table

L'hôtel Mystique

Seth Stein's London home was once dilapidated Victorian stables.  He left the original ceramic wall in the dining room - the numbers mark the old livery boxes.  The reclaimed wood on stainless steel does it for me.

The Knoll Saarinen table with stainless steel dining chairs custom upholstered in black leather.  The justification for investing in a signature piece like the Saarinen table is that you can work with it over the years by simply updating your seating. 

A romantic breakfast among linen and Wedgwood

It's the monastic ceiling that makes me want to sing for my supper.

Eclectic chic - industrial drafting chair set amongst charity shop finds and a handmade table.

The dining room of a private carriage pays homage to Gothic Revival architecture, cut velvet and fringe.

The quote that really sums it all up; 'You can't do head-to-toe Chanel; you've got to mix it up with combat boots.'  Anne Fisher on her Stanford White built Manhattan townhouse.

The benefits of thrift shopping - How to feel good about trashing your clothes

In May I chopped two feet off a Diane von Furstenberg dress, the month before I ripped the buttons off a Louis Feraud blazer, in January I threw a 1970s Oscar de la Renta dress in the wash after a night of bubbly and as for that Burberry trench I dyed black, I've never looked back.

The joys of shopping vintage.

I'm a woman of few regrets. Alas, there are two. The first, an ecru colored lace and silk velvet 1930s gown I'd lent to a friend for a Christmas party and she set forth to bathe in red wine with it. The second, a black silk crepe Edwardian evening gown adorned in gold filagree I sold before I could fully uncrate it at the Manhattan Vintage show. The Edwardian gown went to a highly respected collector, so I have some solitude. The 1930s dress was sold, wine stains and all, and the new owner dyed it burgundy, she was happy.

I digress.

You see, if you shop vintage it makes you feel good:

1. You can party in your threads without panic

2. Just think of how unmaterialistic you'll seem when you roll down that grassy hill in your hipster get up without a care in the world

3. You won't have to maim the person who steps on the back of your Dior dress and rips it up to your arse (Kate Moss didn't maim Courtney Love did she...)

4. You'll be the bell of the ball as you pick yourself up off the floor after stepping through the front of your dress perceivably without a care in the world

5. "Oh, those darn little snags in my chiffon!"

6. You can always make it into something new after you wreck it - Vivienne Westwood did

7. You can say you support The Good Life.

8. Cashmere sweaters are great for jogging

9. You can have it dry cleaned about 100 times before you reach the actual perceived value - talk about a return on investment

10. Basic unembellished black never goes out of style

11.You'll never have to worry about appearing in a 'Who wore it better?' post

5 denim selections for my man

The time had come for my husband to buy some new denim. He loves fashion but hates to shop, nothing a few double shots of espresso and a maverick of a wife couldn't fix!

To the fitting room he went with Diesel, Dior Homme, Filippa K, Nudie, and APC.

Review:

Dior Homme 19cm - his favourite. They looked amazing but he didn't like the wash - he wants the dark.

Filippa K - not a good cut. He's a 29 or 30 waist and the hip area looked like riding pants.

Diesel Darron - very nice price, very nice fit. They fit larger so go down a size.

Nudie Long John - looked pretty sexy to me but he felt like he was wearing leotards.

APC NS - didn't have the right size but definitely potential!

Nudie Long John - I said hot, he said not

Filippa K - not an attractive cut

Dior Homme 19cm

The ones that were the best but they didn't have right wash in stock

Diesel Darron - the winner - until we find those Dior's in the dark wash!

The Style Quiz 1

How well do you think you know your favourite designers?

Here's a little quiz to find out. I'll post the answer on August 26th.

What year are the collections below from? Yes, they're all from the same year.

Anna Molinari Blumarine

Dior

Fendi

Alberta Ferretti

Marc Jacobs

GUCCI

Donna Karan

Karl Lagerfeld

Ralph Lauren

Valentino

Yves Saint Laurent

Which look is poised for a comeback? Which should stay in the trunk?

Related Posts:

The Style Quiz 1 - The Answer

The Style Quiz 2