Banquette Fun!

+ the following pillows done in this fabric

+ the following fabric upholstered on the whole bench - (minus) the kick pleat - I want dark brown wooden legs, simple, thick, clean.

equals fun!

Delicious Denver design

Beatrice And Woodsley my new favorite spot in Denver. It's on Broadway...without much in the way of signage...but when you enter you have to rub your eyes for a minute to take in the wonder! It is enchanted! Big beautiful aspens up-lit with low mood light, beautiful wispy white cloth enclosing each booth. Then the fun begins! The bar is anchored with vintage chain saws, the exposed lathe and plaster wall have the appearance of a heavily frosted layer cake. Lanterns hang from above, the front room is adorned with small pot bellied stoves(which, frankly, I resembled by the time I waddled outside after a huge breakfast!)


The Bathroom and wash area are delightfully fun! Over scale walls, handles, water trickling down a fine chain to the wash basin...fun, fun, fun.

The food is ridiculously good and the French press coffee, rich and strong. I had a cocktail on my first visit...divine!
The made to order hollandaise sauce is hidden in the jewel case of pastry!



This was a fine claffouti, the best I have ever tasted!
Loved these lamps at the hotel!
Sanctuary is a great home store on the Platte. If you are down there (between the Bohemian Paris on the Platte coffee house and REI) make sure to go to Savory Spice shop and chocolates!
I was a kid in a candy store in Scribbles stationary store. The paper ribbon light killed me!
As did the script on the floor.
Scribbles is located a little closer to REI...can't wit to go back!

Spring Green in DC

We loved Sweetgreen-

loved it! The Green concept wasn't just for show. Wind power, compostable packaging, bring back a bowl idea, bamboo seating, sustainable mission... The best part, though, was the wildflower lined menus that will sprout if you plant them!



We had their yogurt for dessert after going to Afterwords. I swear to you it was THE BEST frozen yogurt I have ever tasted...ever. It was tart and creamy, must have been those delicious little active live cultures. The toppings were perfect. 3 of any thing: fresh berries, nuts, choco chips, coconut, agave syrup, etc. I bought an extra serving, one with blueberries, mango and nuts for breakfast tomorrow. We have a cute little fridge/freezer in our room. I thought this was a brilliant idea...funny, I didn't get any other takers. Just you wait, they'll all want a bite tomorrow. It will be my AM case of brain freeze that will lure them in.

Design Note: The first thing that pops out when you walk into Sweetgreen is the color on the walls. The inexperienced home remodler type might be tempted to match this shade and paint his/her walls in the same paint color. DO NOT DO THIS! I beg you.

The reason the green works so well in this space is:

1. There is actually more white than green

2. The ceilings are huge and light is fantastic

3 The graphic wallpaper pattern eats up a lot of the impact of the color green

4. The wood tone balances the colors and the gaphic print.

If you love this green, accent with it. Use it for that one, two punch not coating your whole room. If you insist on painting all your walls this color, and you are not completely knocked over by the hypnotic, kryptonite like power of the paint, make sure that your wall art or furniture is large and can absorb some of the impact.

It has forces of good when used sparingly...pure evil when abused.

You have been warned. Enough said.

Final note: Our hotel has a great organic line of soaps and other body products. Love the look of the hole in the soap.

More base desire: Calvinist dining, or luxe dining?

Well look who's coming to dinner...these are whimsical yet, the trees hint to an austere modern with their stark branches. Love that Spacify.


Moving into the dining room...
This would be a buffet (very first pic) that would look great your with your mid-century modern pieces, classic, contemporary or even mixed with your traditional furniture.
I'm a little obsessed with dining tables at the moment. This would work with my furniture, the banquette base requirement, and the dark woods I so enjoy. Below is my favorite but unfortunately the legs are not going to cut it for banquette seating purposes. It would look amazing sitting in the middle of a room for a library table!! The Corsino

The Calvinist boyfriend I once brought home...Somber, probably painfully punishing for long stretches of time..... I don't know why I am draw to such this guy called Luigi. Handsome though, sigh....

I suppose if I really wanted to make a commitment I'd prefer these, below.

Mmmm velvet...so cushy....the hedonist lover of chairs.
These would look great with the Corsino. Keepers!

Base desires, perfect banquette seating

Banquette table bases are as varied as table designs in general. The interior above by Frank Roop
is a play on the trumpet style base.
I have a client who will be installing a banquette dining table. She will have the typical built in seat in the back and several chairs in the front and at the head of the table. It may not be immediately clear to everyone but certain considerations apply when choosing the perfect table to create comfortable banquette seating.

This Hicks glass top table works beautifully for banquet seating. It's ridiculously affordable and allows adequate clearance to swing one's legs underneath. The proper table base is key to the "scootching" in factor. The worse thing in the world is to bump your knee on a table leg like the modern farm table below -ouch! (Also by West Elm.)

work and design -

Another beautiful table but painfully wrong for banquette seating arrangements. This one needs to float in a room.

I really love the base on this cocktail table and don't see why the gravity defying base would work for a larger scale dining table. It also has that modern rustic, nature inspired, clean design that delights the shazam out of me!

Branch designed by Ruth Livingston

This very architectural number would also work for knee swiveling action!

Context Furniture