One of the top design-related trends I am seeing as we enter the new year is a new interest in redefining “luxury.” I find it interesting that as we navigate the waters towards greater fiscal balance, there is an uncompromising quest for the good life. Luxury on a better budget seems to be the buzz, but we are not giving up the luxury part at all.

The old meanings of luxury that we are trying to overwrite have to do with excesses and pure status statements. The new meanings seem to me to have more to do with value and very importantly, with experience.

When I think of how value translates to the new luxury I feel it has less to do with value as an absolute bargain, and more to do with ensuring that what we invest in is inherently valuable to us. Here value takes on an individual dimension because it has to do with what makes you personally feel good. Do you require the best quality? The cleanest lines or appropriate styling? Does beauty or comfort resonate most with you?

Value also has to do with the ongoing benefits. At the highest level, people are buying collectors pieces that will maintain value. As we move along the scale most everyone is concerned with investing in pieces and styling that will stand the test of time. Hence classic pieces and a base level of quality take on greater importance.

Now the question of experience. I have definitely been on a journey towards understanding the importance of aesthetics in our life this last year. The reality is that interior design is not just about how something looks. It is about experience and the way that being in a beautiful space makes you feel. This is my new truth.

Emphasis on experience will define the new luxury. As we become more wired and high tech, local and personal connections and the ability to experience something in real life rather than through the web or a movie becomes quite important. We want to feel with our bodies and our interiors will reflect that need for authenticity and experiential pleasures.

In my utopia this trend will translate into interiors that are personalized enough to express their inhabitants in true effect, so that you can walk into the space and feel their essence. Rooms will have a more tactile quality and will really accommodate and create a place for true connection. There will be engaging details that draw us in and comfort us because they soothe the mind’s eye. But not too many details. Our rooms will feel good in the simplest sense of having that “aahh” feeling when you walk in, and have a good flow of energy to them. Think light, air, space. All the basics, but put together in a way that feels extraordinary. True luxury.

Experiments for the New Decade

Paint one space in your house a neutral color. In the last decade, applying the correct color to our walls was a mainstream design obsession. This year try beige, taupe, or an off-white for a change of pace in one major living area and feel the “aahh” effect.

Unstuff one room in your house. Take out EVERYTHING you don’t really truly love. Organize or remove all the clutter. Apply the “useful or beautiful” maxim to evaluate every item. See if you can borrow things you love from other rooms if there are things you really need in the experimental room. Now how does it feel to be in a space filled ONLY with things that made the cut?

Research ways to really make a personalized statement. Can you buy some original art? Create your own? Showcase a collection or a passion? Highlight old family photos or personal travels? Do it. This will create that feeling of authenticity.

Create a place just for conversation. No TV. No computer desk. Just people face to face, making a connection.

I will be testing the waters with you this month. I need to do each of these experiments now too! Let’s touch base about it in the next month or two. Meanwhile Happy New Year! Sign up to receive this newsletter via email at www.furbishhome.com/news.html. Read more about my forecasts for design in 2010 on our website by clicking here: Design for the Next Decade.

I always have a collection of pictures on a giant cork board in my room at home. I like to look at it before I sleep and get inspired to solve design dilemmas in my subconscious.

I thought I’d share some of the pictures I have up now.

From House Beautiful 2008. Interior design by Jeffrey Bilhuber. This montage of images has inspired me all year long. I love the furniture, the subtle plays of color, and the feeling that this house has all these corridors to tuck furniture,sculpture, and art into.

This stairway is so brilliant, it just really moves me. Featured in an Elle Decor from earlier this year, I LOVE the interplay of organic vs. mod. The image below is from the same spread. At first I loved the oversized “mantle,” but now it seems a bit too imposing for me. Still the composition of this room is very masterful.

Below, this article about Barbara Barry in the August issue of Traditional Home really DID inspire me. The lesson I learned from it is that mastery has to do with taking what you do to the most absolute level you can. Barry lives and breathes design and her life is all about aesthetic pleasures. What I wrote in my journal after reading this: “Worship at the altar of aesthetics.” The page is on the board to remind me.

Shifting gears for a minute here, below is an image from a recent Anthropologie catalog. Of course this made me think of how little Aadi is always hanging on a leg, or using me or Michael as a play “tunnel.” But then of course there is the sub-text of Paris and the joie de vivre.  I just love everything about this. I tried on the coat at Anthro last week too : ).

This image inspires me because lifestyle is part of the work of a designer and shop owner and this encapsulates a feeling that I’d love to translate into a room. Here is another set of images of Paris from an old Cookie magazine that is on the board:

Again, this series of images captures that sense of “life experience” or worldliness that I love to incorporate in my design work.

OK. Let’s finish with the most recent design images to make their way onto the board. This first one is from a back issue of Domino mag. I really LOVE it and resurrected it from an old pile of clips.

It is tacked up right next to this one from a 2009 summer issue of House Beautiful.

What strikes me most about these two photos are the similarities in design approach: neutral wall color, the primacy of a single color in the scheme (copper tones in the first one and blues in the second. They are both rather simple and pattern and embellishment is brought in through the furniture and accessories rather than through fabrics. They also both have a dialogue with nature in their own way.

Something in these two images speaks to me about future directions in design. You will hear me talking about this a lot as we approach the new decade! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter at www.furbishhome.com to get the full scoop!

It was our last day in Oregon and we were exhausted, but I insisted on one more pit stop. The most peaceful place in Portland, the Japanese Gardens. This is a “designer” place as far as I am concerned. Each eye view is meticulously crafted for maximum impact while the overall effect is still soft and natural. I will be quiet and just let you take in some of the sights as I saw them. Shhhh! Time to meditate on the transcendence of nature and design : ).

Bye-bye Portland. I so appreciate the view of earth and life from your lovely vantage point!

The Columbia River Gorge is a stunning and magical place. You cannot help but feel a sense of awe and peace.

The shots above were taken from the Crown Point Overlook Vista House, a historic lookout point built in 1916. The building itself is pictured everywhere associated with the gorge so I thought I’d give you a good close up view of the architecture here instead.

The lookout point is along the Old Columbia River Highway, which also hosts stops at the area’s many beautiful waterfalls. Ever since my first visit the sight of these falls have remained in my head as a place I conjure up when I need to relax. On the first visit (five years ago) I stopped at every single one that was open. This time we did the abridged version because Aadi was coming down with a cold…oh, and we were flying back home the same night.

We saw the Latourell Falls again. Really magnificent, a single column of white water. The photos make it seem more intimidating than it is. It really is a welcoming waterfall.

The second stop was Bridal Veils Fall, which had been closed during our last visit. It was a bit of a hike, which would have been nothing had it not been that we had to carry Aadi down and then back up.

But it was worth it, a very pretty site. The approach:

Getting closer:

A very beautiful “veil” of water cascading gracefully:

Of course the ledge of the lookout deck is carved with graffiti.

I really can’t describe adequately the experience of being here. It is really a spectacular place. My words and rudimentary photography skills can’t do it justice. The cherry on top is Mt. Hood. You can see the falls, drive to Hood River and then loop around Hood. We did not get there this time but I kept shrieking every time the majestic mountain appeared as we navigated our way around Portland and environs. Here is a photo I bought from the very talented Peter McNamee who sells his work at the Saturday Market.

Please go and let me know what you think. Plus, I’m looking for contenders for the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. Any recommendations?

I just put out a new newsletter with 5 trends I love for fall. Here is the evidence that these are indeed trends! Straight from the September issue of Elle Decor, the bible of interior designers and decorating addicts : ).

Asian style fixture and chairs. Warm color.

Asian styling, purple, warm colors.

Ethnic silver accent, Indian-feel coffee table.

Purple accent, Indian carved panel headboard.

Ethereal art, purple tones.

Purple dining room!

Lots of Asian accents. Art with that pale blue background color again!

So there you have it. Design for a new season. Here are the five trends again:

1. Purple tones: I am seeing lovely shades of purple everywhere, from burgundy to heather, to pale almost grey lavenders.

2. Silver revived: Last year saw people gravitating towards soft gold accents for home. That is still true this year, but we also see silver, especially “ethnic silver” with a lot of detailing, like etching, filagree, and carving.

3. Asian styling: I couldn’t resist a good selection of Asian and Indian-style wooden furniture this season, and I’m not alone. Many interiors are incorporating classic Asian and hand-carved Indian pieces.

4. Green gold and copper tones: Warm colors are experiencing a bit of a revival. The yellows are golden with green undertones and the oranges are burnished and coppery.

5. Ethereal art: I have been seeing artwork painted in light ethereal colors in many magazine spreads. The color has softness and translucent qualities, and often themes of nature.

See more at FURBISH this fall!

Sellwood is a very cool neighborhood in Southeast Portland. It is known for its plethora of antique shops. And there are plenty of good places to eat and drink coffee, so you can make a WHOLE day of it. Here are some of the fabulous finds I stumbled upon:

A gorgeous and very big hand-painted Indian doorway that could be used as a headboard, table, or actual door.

Just really liked the color palette in this vintage piece of local art. I definitely developed a thing for the Oregon Coast : ).

I really liked these Asian-style chairs and silk tapestry artwork. There are many asian influences in Portland so stylistically they make sense there.

This wooden art deco mantel piece just felt so right to me. In great condition and the finish had a richness to it.

LOVED this lamp made out of a printer roll for a wallpaper pattern!

Want to shop for antiques in Portland? Start here for some pointers. Want to design a beautiful home around one-of-a-kind finds like these? Call us at Furbish Home to learn about our first rate design services.

We need another week in Oregon to check out all the sights on the Coast, including the Tillamook Cheese Factory which we were sad to miss (big cheese lovers in this family).

But we did drive to Cannon Beach on a whim. Beautiful beach and cute town with lots of little shops and restaurants to check out, all squeezed together in a very compact town area.  Check out this lovely, lovely beach…

Michael, Aadi, and I spent a few days in the heart of Oregon Wine Country, in the Willamette Valley. Some folks were surprised to hear that there was good wine tasting near Portland. Many others were surprised to hear we took little Aadi along with us! What can we say. We are optimistic and we really love wine. But it was not easy.

Aadi learned to smell the wine and was happy doing that while we sipped. And we all enjoyed the beautiful landscape from the vantage points to be had from the vineyards. Wineries often have that great blend of rustic and chic, just naturally. After all making wine is an agricultural process, while enjoying it is cultivation of the senses.

The first vineyard we visited was Domaine Drouhin. It was also the most beautiful of the very few places we made it out to. The gardens were lovely, the interiors had beams and you could look upon the metal barrels, and there was a lovely veranda for sipping and taking in the view.

The day we were at Drouhin was so clear you could see both Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson. It was magnificent. But my little quick shot cam couldn’t pick up the mountains. Here is a parting shot of their garden.

On the way down the hill we saw a sign for olive oil tasting, and since many places were about to close we decided to go for it, and came home with a few oils from the Oregon Olive Mill, shown below.

I have done an oil tasting with friends before, but I am always surprised by how spicy the aftertaste, and amazed at the diversity of flavors you can pick up: varying degrees of softness and sharpness, fruitiness and mintiness…very fun.

The next day took us out to Carlton where we made a detour at the local park for Aadi and met some locals who are in the wine biz. It is so interesting to learn of people who love wine so much that they uproot and move to the somewhat lonely and isolated wine countries to pursue their passions.

Our main stop here was the Carlton Winemaker’s Studio where we sampled wines from several wineries who have collaborated on this tasting room. Again, I was struck by the urban feel and vibe in contrast to REALLY small town and backroads feel of the area. These experiences are what make wine country so fun.

Carlton also had a great little lunch place called The Filling Station Deli, with an entire menu of vegetarian sandwiches!

We also went to Lange Estate (sorry no pics). This was a crazy gravel road ride up steep hills, with twists and turns, but worth it as we enjoyed these wines the best and met the friendliest pouring staff. Michael and I tasted separately as Aadi was napping soundly in the car.

Our last vineyard was a crazy trek all the way down to Salem, Oregon: Cristom Vineyards. Another beautiful place and we really loved the Viognier, but we were done with dragging baby to wine tastings!

Since we were headed so far South we decided to take a major detour to Silver Falls State Park up in the Cascade Mountain Range. On the way we saw a honey bee farm just outside of Silverton, OR. Really lovely and unusual sight. Michael immediately pulled over to snap a pic.

We ate a nice lunch in Silverton at the Rolling Hills Cafe.

Again, we found good veggie options as a nice surprise. This seemed like a really cute town that would be worth strolling in but we were in a bit of a hurry to meet up with friends in Portland. So on we headed to Silver Falls State Park.

Aadi’s first little trail walk! These images are all of North Falls. The first is a vantage point a little way up the road where the fall seems dwarfed by tall pines. Then as you get closer you can see a side view, and walk all the way around, behind the falling water where it is cool with that lovely roar of rushing water.

Since we were not prepared for a serious hike we got creative with the photography. I was trying to capture the lovely ferns and the towering height of the pine trees.

What a great city. It seems quaint in comparison to NYC, but still very cool. The big moment for me was when I was waiting for a “train” and instead a two-car trolley pulled up. It was so sweet! And caused me to wonder about how many passenger cars are on a typical nyc subway train? (8 to 11 by the way).

Quick note: with baby in tow I had a tough time taking as many photos as usual so I have borrowed from websites, etc, in some cases.

from fenouil website

Day ONE took us to the Pearl District. We had lunch at the NY Times reviewed restaurant Fenouil, recommended by my friends Clare and Justin. Lovely French food with an accommodating staff . Generally Portland is very vegetarian focused, but this IS a french restaurant after all, so they custom made a vegetable plate for me and a fruit plate for Aadi. The restaurant was bright with rustic elements, and very comfortable seating.

posted on flickr

Afterwards we went outside and were met with the unexpected surprise of the Jamison Square Fountain where kids were swimming with delight in the water, which ebbs and flows like the tides. Aadi, of course, ran straight into the water without reservation.

We checked out the boutiques and tea shops in Pearl District as we strolled back towards downtown, with a MAJOR stop at Powell’s Books!! We were in heaven. Aadi had fallen asleep after his heaps of fruit and frolicking in the water, so we could peruse freely while he napped in his stroller.

on powell's website

It definitely feels more like a library with its color-coded numerical index system, multiple rooms and floors, and no frills atmosphere. It is a book heaven with titles you can’t find everywhere, and several locations including one with a sole focus on home and garden that I couldn’t fit into this visit. Another NYC comparison: people in Portland buy more books per capita than in NYC. A good city to host the largest independent bookseller in the world!

Day TWO took us to our first breakfast meal of the trip. I always LOVE breakfast food, and Bijou Cafe was REALLY good.

There is a wait to get in on a Sunday morning, but not too long and well worth it! I had a garden vegetable omelet which had sauteed fennel, cauliflower, carrot, and other veggies in it. Very different. They also added goat cheddar which took the whole thing to a new level.  Aadi once again received a gorgeous pile of locally grown fruit, this time atop Nancy’s Yogurt. Lovely, lovely meal.

from nytimes.com

Bijou is right near the famed Portland Saturday Market (also open Sundays), an outdoor shopping bazaar with interesting arts, handicrafts, and imports. I always find cute jewelry, beachy dresses, indian print spreads, artwork, fudge, jams, handbags. Bring $100 in cash and it will go a long way to getting you souvenirs for everyone on your list. There is also live music and great food.

photo by pie

The other neighborhood we kind of checked out was NW Alberta Street. We ended up there on a fluke, though it was recommended, but I would go back in a second to get a better look. This neighborhood is very funky. Every shop we peeked into had devoted at least some wall space to local artisits’ galleries. Michael bought vegan shoes made of hemp and recycled car tires from Pie Footwear.

photo by tour de crepes

photo by tour de crepes

We then ate across the street at Tour de Crepes. We didn’t know what to think when we ordered at the window of the kitchen, which was an outdoor trailer behind the restaurant!

photo by tour de crepes

The crepes were REALLY good! And the place is VERY kid-friendly to boot.

DAY 3 was a day of friends and family. We met Clare and her son Harrison for a quick tour of the Portland Zoo. Aadi and Harrison bonded over their shared love of trains, as we took the ZOO train. This train gives you a good scenic tour of Portland’s vast forested park area.

Clare suggested lunch at Old Wives Tale Restaurant. This place looks like a basic diner, but it is chock full of vegetarian options and has a playroom for kids. This is my refrain for Portland dining, I know, but hey: “the food was REALLY good.” Here is Harrison and Aadi hangin’ in the playroom.

For dinner we headed back to “the pearl” and had the most wonderful meal at Andina with my cousin and his family. This Peruvian restaurant is SO good, and very veg-friendly. They provide separate menus for vegetarians so that you know you can eat anything on the list!

We sampled a lot of everything. And the kids did so well here too, though not necessarily a top choice for a family meal. Here are the two sweet peas making friends over dinner, in Andina.

Hi Everyone! I’m back from our family trip to Portland, OR. Hopefully you read about how this city and environs inspires me  so in my newletter. If not, please visit www.furbishhome.com/news.html and sign up now. It’s FREE and fun!

Today’s post is about the hotels in Portland. I’m writing about them first for a few reasons:

1. I’m obsessed with hotels and their decor
2. Because of this obsession I spent HOURS researching where to stay
3. Many hotels in Portland are really COOL and well decorated!

So let’s get right into it. Michael, Aadi, and I stayed at the Heathman Hotel. It was not my first choice (I spent so long agonizing over which cool place to stay at that most rooms in town were booked by the time I made reservations). But it was a neat choice because it is kind of legendary. Many famous people have stayed there and the hotel displays original artwork throughout the public spaces and even in the rooms. The Heathman also houses one of the best restaurants in town (though it is NOT very veg-friendly). They also offer the city’s most high end high tea (which we skipped because of the 1 year old we had in tow with us : ).

Above is the hotel lobby. It is a SMALL lobby, showing signs of wear and tear, but it also has a certain eclectic flair that I like. The tea/sitting room off of the lobby. Grand stairwell. It is a  dark, heavy kind of space. Moody. More like tea at the Ritz Carlton than at the Plaza.

They upgraded our room to a King Suite, likely because of the crowds in need of a place to sleep. July is high season in Portland and there were several conferences in town too. The suite was small. It felt even more so because of how tightly packed it was with furniture and amenities: tea sets, coffee set ups, mini bar and fridge, multiple television, separate vanity area for the bath, tons of furniture and art. All crammed in. But again, it had a certain flair to it.

What I LOVED was the service. Very gracious and knowledgeable. I also really like the sunrise motif headboards. They are quirky, daring, and signature.

Hotel Modera is a new, affordable hotel with HIGH HIGH style quotient. The rooms are said to be quite small but the lobby and public spaces are really innovative, interesting, and beautiful. Here are some pics:

Apparently at night there are fire pits which you can sit around in this outdoor courtyard. Here is are the room interiors shown on their website:

Next are photos of Hotel Deluxe Portland. Like Modera, it has Hollywood inspired themes but has a lighter, brighter feeling. This is a Lobby shot:

Below is a photo of their restaurant which is pretty much my favorite image among all the pics in this post. This space looks just dreamy:

Hotel Deluxe Portland is on the Conde-Nast Traveller’s Gold List this year and has been written up in the New York Times. It is surprisingly affordable. This is where I was planning to stay until the rooms got all booked!

A good combination of serene and lively happening here.

The next place I considered was The Nines, the new Starwood 5 star boutique-style hotel. Here is the Lobby with a very Modern Art perspective:

And the rooms are very different from other Portland hotels. So elegant yet modern. There photos below are from the standard rooms! The colors actually feel very FURBISH too : ).

A photo from a high end suite at the Nines:

If you want to consider staying at any of these hotels, check out their reviews on tripadvisor.com. That is not a paid plug. I just love that website.

If you want to use one of these images as inspiration to design your own room, call us at FURBISH!