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Did I just read something about DC being the "next hot youth magnet city?"

Uhhhhh, ok. That's nice. But I'm more interested in this:
D.C. is ratcheting up its interior design game.

Where'dja read THAT?

Right here, Gentle Readers. You read it right here.

Look no further than 14th Street. I swear, why would anyone drive to the 'burbs when you can roll on over to 14th Street, park anywhere, and hit Mitchell Gold, GoodWood, Miss Pixie's, and Vastu, and then saunter over to Cork - a personal favorite of mine - and have a leisurely glass of wine and dinner?

Vastu is gaining momentum. I love it. It's locally owned and eminently cool, and Jason and Eric truly understand how to outfit urban spaces stylishly. (Urban= hip, but it also can = smaller scale.) They're filling a void.


The upholstery selection is fantastic. Colorful, textured, edgy, modern...


They customize sizes. That's their thing. Some clients of mine loved the Capri sofa, but it was a little too deep for them. So Vastu, being all custom and service oriented and stuff, had it made 3" shallower. Perfect. We paired it with the Serengeti chair and called it a day.


Did I mention that they're an authorized Knoll dealer? Total bonus. And their blog, Design Clique, is excellent. (They post really, really often. Bastards :) )

So stop reading this and just go. Tell them bossy color sent you. And have a fabulous time.

Happy last day of summer.


I had the pleasure - nay, the privilege - of spending some extra special time with one of my daughters recently, because her school started, get this: two and a half weeks after her sister's. Unfortunately, our babysitter's school started when daughter #1's did.

We read books. We went to Costco. We baked things. We also burned things. And, when I just needed a sneak peek of the grownup life that awaited me in 5...4...3...days, I took her to work.

We went to Mitchell Gold.

About Mitchell Gold, let me say this: I'm a fan. There are several reasons:

1. Their furniture is well made and well priced
2. Given the right nudge, it can swing traditional or contemporary
3. There is a store right here in D.C., about 9 minutes from my house, so I can send my clients here to look at the things I recommend
4. The people who work there are wicked nice and helpful. Don't underestimate that.

So, off Ruthie and I go, to check out the new stuff, the old stuff, and the sofa I'm eyeing for our own living room. Behold, the Liam:


But if I'm to adhere to my own rules, I'll start with the rug, and the sofa will have to wait...

Generally speaking, I'm always on the lookout for for elegant, non-gargantuan sectionals for clients. The Charlotte sectional is great for traditional settings. Like when you secretly want a sectional but worry - with good reason - that it won't look right with your traditional architecture. This one will. They don't list prices on their website, so let me help you out: as shown, the Charlotte retails for $3070:


I also was impressed with the Clifton sectional, which Ruthie was kind enough to test-sit. My picture shows the wood trim at the bottom in a darker stain than on the website...I think it would be a nice complement to Asian pieces. The stock price is $3640:


The Clifton floor model is upholstered in Soft Suede - Honey, which I've used on not one but two Dr. Pitt sectionals:



That fabric is bulletproof. One of my favorite clients took a swatch of it and, as I watched in horror, dumped a glass of orange juice on it. It beaded up and rolled away. It was awesome.

Moving into the bedroom, I liked the Yates bed. (The yellow bedding on the website is horrifying, though.) With the nailheads, it's kind of a cousin of the Liam sofa. We're all headboard crazy these days (including me), but the wings are a nice twist. Great in front of a window, if that's your room's best option. The Yates as shown is $2495:


The Byron leather chair has lovely , small proportions. Perfect for a small study or a man's dressing room. The Byron's stock price is $1695:


And the Brooke could go in a woman's study. Or library, but I love the subtle, graceful curves. It's also very comfortable for someone of, ah, smaller stature. This one is $1275, which I think is a very good price:


At this point, I think Ruthie's getting a little antsy...oh, but wait. Check out these Mason leather arm chairs. Each one is $1295:


You really can't tell from the picture, but the upholstery is really beautiful. It's kind of pearly, kind of metallic -


Oh, all right...we can go. But wait! These lamps are really great. The Ferris table lamp's stock price is $295 -


- and the Rubix is $250 -


Huh? Did you say something?


Oh, for Pete's sake! I get it. Vamonos. Thanks for being so patient, bub.

Gentle Readers, have you ever walked into an ugly room, looked around, thrown up your hands and asked aloud, to no one in particular, "Where do I begin?"

Well, wonder no more. Sidle on over here. Closer...

Start with the rug.

That's right: start with the rug. Whether you're working with the one you have or it's on your wish list, START WITH THE RUG.
Here's the ideal order of things:

1. Rug

2. Window treatments if they're going to involve fabric.


3. Sofa


4. Upholstered chair(s)


5. Coffee table


6. Other non-upholstered chairs, other tables


7. Then, and ONLY then, paint colors.


That's the list if you have a completely blank slate and an equally blank check. Never happens. And I'm not factoring in things like wallpaper, art, lighting, your great-auntie's hot pink vase...all things that could throw a wrench into the works.

But if you're floundering, this should help you get started. I hate inertia.

Finally, regarding the "paint color last" thing...obviously you'll be thinking "yellow," or "light green" as you put the room together, but don't choose the exact shade until the other things are chosen and you've had a chance to put those swatches on the walls.

So, in sum, let me hear you say it, loud and proud: Where do you start?

With the RUG!

Nice work, people. Nice work.

Mila rug from Anthropologie. 2. Prada-inspired drapes from Domino (may it rest in peace.) 3. No attribution - sorry about that. 4. Designersguild.com 5. Decorpad.com 6. Livingetc.com 7. House Beautiful. Photos 2-7 have been compiled by the fabulous XJavierX on Flickr. I don't know who this guy is, but he is a genius.