New Colors from Dunes and Duchess

Dunes and Duchess, one of my favorite purveyors of handmade lighting and furniture, added two AMAZING, bold new colors to their lineup - Cap Ferrat Bleu and No Scurvy Lemon. Both hues were custom mixed and are so fresh and unique...which is not surprising because the entire D&D collection is the epitome of fresh and unique. Here's a sampling of their wondrous creations...

I'm quite inspired by the new super saturated colors and my wheels have been turning about how I can incorporate some Dunes and Duchess pieces into current projects. Their product line is diverse and the overall style is super versatile, so I'm sure a plan will come to fruition. And aside from real projects, it's always fun to play make believe and design mood boards that completely revolve around knock-out pieces like the D&D Single Spindle Candelabra Lamp in Cap Ferrat Bleu and the Solid Top Champagne Table in No Scurvy Lemon...

Piece VIII, Original Artwork by Keila Marino - Furbish

Bliss Living Argo Throw - Nordstrom

Jeremy Desk - Jayson Home

Alexandra Von Furstenberg Acrylic Chiclet Bowl - Jonathan Adler

Single Spindle Candelabra Lamp in Cap Ferrat Bleu - Dunes and Duchess

Blue and White Garden Stool - Furbish

Geode Bookends - Etsy seller Ashley McCall

Lydia's Fainting Chaise - Etsy seller Susan Baker

Color Greek Key Bolster Pillow - Furbish

Life in Lemon Yellow, metallic limited edition print by Jen Zahigan - Etsy seller Jen Zahigan

No Scurvy Lemon Solid Top Champagne Table - Dunes and Duchess

Pair of Reupholstered Vintage Chairs - Chairloom

Silk Ikat Pillows - Etsy seller MaterialRecovery

Turquoise Candy Dish - Etsy seller Cheryl Byrne

Vintage Footed Glass Vase - Etsy seller Victoria Lynn

Chinoiserie Coffee Table - V&M

Porcelain Pineapple - Furbish

Yellow Greek Key Pillow - Shop Ten 25

Tailor Sofa - Crate & Barrel

Long live Cap Ferrat Bleu and No Scurvy Lemon! The colors are so fun and they perfectly complement the classical, hand-turned Dunes and Duchess aesthetic. What are your thoughts?

If you got to pick any D&D piece in any color, what would you choose? I'm crazy about the entire collection so it's tough to narrow it down, but I would die for the Chappy Dining Table in the Cap Ferrat Bleu! Here is the shapely beauty in black...

And if you don't already know, Dunes and Duchess is a wonderful American company that produces all of its products in the US. It is owned by stylist Stacy Kunstel and photographer Michael Partenio, two of the nicest, most talented, fun, and stylish people that I know. The dynamic duo combined their broad skill set and let creativity and craftsmanship lead the way...and now we have Dunes and Duchess! Because I adore the owners, their business ethos, and their gorgeous creations, I'm a MAJOR fan of D&D (and surely you've caught onto that by now).

If you're gaga over Dunes and Duchess too and are looking to buy, you can find their merch at selected retailers including Hudson and Barney's, online via All the Best on Dering Hall, or you can contact D&D directly. And be sure to keep up with their latest on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest too! 

Unsaturated + Saturated Living Room Board

It's been a while since I posted a design board, so I decided to create one that shows a living room scheme. I started with a fabulous smoky coal gray sofa from Jayson Home and a few bold pieces of art by Susie Reiss that I saw on Artsicle (another gallery that offers a rental option like Rise Art). The idea was to bring subdued tones together with saturated ones. I also mixed some rather classic pieces with more modern wares. Have a look...

Untitled 2003.25 by Susie Reiss

Touch by Susie Reiss

1940 Large Aerial Silver Gelatin Photograph - Etsy

Faceted Capiz Pendant - Furbish

White Marble Lamp - VandM

Greta Table - Jayson Home

Ellis Sofa - Jayson Home

Neon Orange Piper Pillow - Shop Ten 25 w/ Julia B. Monogram

Deep Abstract Pink Wash Pillow - Shop Ten 25

Vintage Italian Marble Triangular Coffee Table - VandM

Brass Ginger Jar - Etsy

Vintage Murano Candy Dish/Ashtray - Etsy

Midcentury Campaign Style Tables - Etsy

Empiric 2055 Rochelle Lounge Chair and Ottoman - Empiric

Pair of Retro Pop Lime Lounge Chairs - VandM

Olin Grey Rug - Crate & Barrel

Well, what do you think? Do you like the color mix? There is a lot of pink and red and I'm really liking how those shades look with the greys. Do you have any favorite items? I love the wild lime chair with the retro fabric...the shape is amazing. Unfortunately, it's part of a pair that is pretty pricey. On the unsaturated side, I really like the vintage aerial photograph. Because of the rural landscape, as first glance it looks like abstract art.

Online Vintage Shopping at VandM

I've confessed before that I am a total 1stDibs junkie. I can spend hours plowing through the never-ending inventory of art and antiques. The main downside to this activity is that a good majority of the items sold on 1stDibs don't fit into most budgets that I work with (and certainly not my own). Well I'm happy to report that there is a somewhat similar site called Vintage + Modern, or VandM, that offers a compelling array of antique, vintage, and contemporary furnishings at a lower average price point.

Through a network of global dealers, VandM offers a huge inventory of furniture and lighting, accessories and accents, artwork, jewelry, and textiles. They also have Design Atelier and inTheMoment sales events that only run for a limited time and feature some kind of special product offering. For instance, a sale featuring Lori Dennis' bespoke collection of furnishings is going on now and there is also a sale offering prints from Stanley Kubrick's photography oeuvre.

VandM is a big world to discover and I've really only spent time looking through the decor inventory so far. There is some really fabulous merch and it's a great resource. Here are some of my favorite finds from their coffers...

Vintage abstract painting - Walking Away On The Streets of New York Limited Edition Photograph By Director Stanley Kubrick from 1946 for Look Magazine - Venetian Chandelier - Black and White Vintage Sofa - French Stripe Bench - Vintage French Marble and Brass Table

Vietnamese Ceramic Dragon Urns - Literary Classics in Blue - Opaline Glass Lamp - Regency round side table - Chinese chippendale style armchair - Malachite Composite Bookends - Lori Dennis Kaye Side Table - Wingback Chair - Gabbeh Loribaft Turkish Carpet - Blue and Silver Leaf Faux Bamboo Cabinet

I also am lusting over this killer French chandelier made of ormolu and crystal from fav dealer House of Honey...

So, have you explored Vintage + Modern yet? Their inventory includes a wide variety of styles, pedigrees, and price points so browsing is time consuming, but luckily their search function works pretty well if you're on a specific mission.