Masculine Furnishings for Men

Men usually don't have that much say in the decorating of your home, do they?  We think because if we leave it up to them all they will buy is big screen TVs and Lazy Boy chairs.   Say what you will about stereotype.  It exists because it's usually true.

So consider this a "Straight Women for Straight Guys" intervention. Furnishings can be very masculine and stylish at the same time.  Here are some of our favorite furniture lines that have that combination:

Thomas O'Brien for Hickory Chair:
This line is what we would describe as modern American classic. Very clean-lined. Solid, neutral colors. A little bit pricey, but it's the kind of furniture that won't go out of style for a long time.

Michael Weiss for Vanguard Furniture

This is another one of our favorite collection. Manly, but not overly so. There are some soft touches in the details that we like.  Less expensive than Thomas O'Brien, and the quality is just as nice.

Brownstone Furniture:

If you are looking for an affordable line with coordinating and matching items, Brownstone is a good choice. Very inexpensive. They just added a new upholstery collection, which is really nice.  We like the upholstery collection a lot more than the casegoods (industry term for wood pieces).

Bolier Furniture

If your man likes really, really simple, clean-lined things he'll like this line.  Pricey (more on the wood pieces than upholstery-the upholstery products are a bit more reasonable).  It could be a little severe (because it's all straight lines and geometric and muted colors).

As always, warm up these rooms with accessories--such as rugs, artwork, fresh flowers, books etc. We can't emphasize enough what a huge difference this would make.

Ultra Cool Barstool

We love this new modern barstool from Nuevo. It's so sleek!

The seat is upholstered in Italian leather and the base is a solid steel. Very substantial and heavy. The seat runs a bit small in size. Shown here in black, it is also available in white and brown leather. The base is hydraulic, which means you can adjust the seat heigh.

The price is $475.

What happened to our taste?

Okay, so we can't help wondering outloud, what the hell happened to our taste?  What is it that make MTV's Jersey Shore popular?  What is it that sells magazines that featured Gary Coleman's deathbed's picture?  Worse yet, CNN's poll shows that 85% of people think that it's OKAY for his ex-wife to sell those pictures!!!  Why, why, why we ask?

And did you know, the White House crasher made the cut to the Bravo's series Real Housewives of DC?

Here's an excerpt from the Bravo site:

"Michaele Salahi
This northern Virginia native and model is a big part of the inner workings of the D.C. life. She and husband Tareq together founded America’s Polo Cup, for which he is the U.S. team captain. Through her involvement in the Polo Cup, which has become one of the largest and most high profile polo events in the U.S., Michaele has met numerous political leaders across the globe. Additionally, the two are involved in running the Salahi family vineyard, Oasis Winery. Always on the move and juggling multiple projects at once, Michaele is heavily involved in charity work, including being an advocate and fundraising for MS and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A family girl at heart, Michaele loves spending time at the family vineyard with her stable of horses and beloved dog Rio."
 
No mention of how tacky these people are and how many lawsuits they are involved with (check out the details here).

Carrie's TV Cabinet in Sex In the City II

A couple of people have contacted us about the TV cabinet/desk in Carrie and Big's apartment so we thought we'd tell you where you can get it.  It is designed by Thomas O'Brien for Hickory Chair and it's called the Hailings Secretary.  




To see more product specifications click here.

Carrie's Bed in Sex in The City II

Did you see Sex In the City II this past weekend? We thought it wasn't as bad as the reviews said it was... Seriously, don't you think the critics take this movie a bit too literally?  After all, the movie is all about the clothes and the fantasies...

Anyway, did you like the bed in Carrie's and Big's apartment? We do. And we know exactly where to get it too.

The bed is made by Vanguard Furniture and you can see it here (it is shown as tufted but it's an optional feature.  You can get it untufted plain as shown in the movie.  The nail heads can be changed to polished nickel  as well).

The fabric, which is what made the bed, is by Kravet Couture and it's called Velvet Gate, pattern number 29868.  Shown in the movie in black/white, it is also available in other colorways. The fabric is a linen/velvet combination. Very, very pretty in person.  You'd love it.

The fabric is priced at $149/yard but you can get it for $104/yard at the Kravet fabric section on our site. Enter the pattern number "29868" (the quotation marks is recommended for precise search) and you can see all the colorways available.

Gorgeous Beach Shell Chandelier from Currey

We're crazy about this new beach shell chandelier from Currey & Co. Isn't it marvelous? Can you see this with a white linen couch and white-washed floor? You'll need a very high ceiling though. This chandelier is huge!

The size is 37rd x 64h and the price is $5750 including shipping, a little expensive, perhaps, but oh it's so worth it.

This will be posted on our Currey Chandeliers section soon so please check back for more info.

Designers We Love

With the death of so many design magazines of late, we thought we'd share with you some of our favorite designers' web sites.  They are full of beautiful photographs and great ideas that you can steal :)

Note:  Click on link to go to the designer's web site.

Jan Showers-Soft, pretty designs.

Kelly Hoppen-simple, modern, luxurious designs.  Muted colors, simple lines.

Orla Collins: Modern, luxurious.  Simply divine.

Rabih Hage-Scrumptious, luxurious. Rich colors, modern lines.  Marvelous details.

Nini Andrade Silva- Zen, modern.  Ethnic.

Michael Reeves-Simply divine!  Mostly modern but some traditional too...

Let us know if you like this list and we'll make it a regular feature in our blog in the future.