Design Wisdom

A brief history lesson: Athena, the Goddess of war, civilization, strength, skill, justice, and most importantly wisdom. He sidekick is an owl, she is almost always pictured with one and many sculptures of her have one included (including the giant 8' sculpture of her in our restaurant, Athens Pizza.) Lately I have noticed owls making a resurgence in the design world, specifically in home accessories and jewelry...YUMMM! I have jumped on this trend and incorporated some owls in our Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Christmas House design (AH&L Christmas House Open November 26th-December 12th--come check it out!) you will have to come see it and try to find where I hid them! Here are some owl accessories that I love right now:



This is a copy of a Greek coin with Athena's owl, I can't count how many I have in some form or fashion, I know I have a pendant or two for sure.



Lovely lamp from West Elm, I really like that the owl is simple and clean and white, can't go wrong with white...ever.



Owl apron from Anthropologie, if I knew how to cook I would wear this...I might just wear it for effect.



Kind of cute in a weird funny way, I do like this owl tea set for some reason. It's from VivaTerra...there is something strange about it that I am drawn to.



Super yummy hardware also from Anthropologie, you can feel smart every time you open a drawer.



Super adorable owl pillows I found on Etsy made by Hilary Cosgrove.



Any my favorite, a great holiday gift (are you listening Sandy?) The "Fantastical Tale" owl bangles from Marc by Marc Jacobs, available at Nordstroms.

Mixology

Typically this term is mostly reserved for the mixing of cocktails--in my world, that makes it all the more appropriate for the mixing of furniture. To me the sort of go hand in hand, I think that's the case for most designers. Different pieces sometimes just speak to me as far as what cocktail needs to be had when you are lounging in different types of seating. Some of the best times and my favorite memories have been over a great bottle of wine with friends, too many cocktails on a girls night out, or toasting a momentous occasion. I am by no means a raging alcoholic nor am telling you to go get these chairs and sit and drink in them.

To me design is all about mixing. I don't like it when things all look shiny and brand new, it looks too much like a furniture showroom when everything is fresh out of the box. It's the mix of elements that is important. Mixing color, texture, materials, that is what makes design interesting and fun. Mixing the unexpected is what keeps it unique and fresh. So that's what this post is about, mixing the unexpected.

Mimosa
The Beverly Chair by Oly Studio (www.olystudio.com) This chair is just stunning. Beautifully delicate and to me it just calls out for a glass of Champagne & OJ. I would just want to perch here and toast something fabulous while noshing on an amazing brunch. Brunch is my favorite thing to do with my amazing friends and Mimosas are the best part!

Bloody Mary
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is sit on the patio with the girls and have a nice spicy Bloody Mary. The Supernatural Chair by Moroso (www.moroso.it) comes in a million fantastic colors, can be used outdoors, can stack for easy storage when not in use, can be wiped clean with Clorox wipes (my personal favorite), and it is extremely comfortable. Please pass the celery.

Dirty Martini
The classic Platner Lounge Chair available through Knoll Studio (www.knoll.com) This chair to me just looks so glamorous and makes me wish I had lived in the 60's. This chair is an icon, most commonly seen is the classic dining chair version, but the lounge chair, fully upholstered is just an amazing mix of steel and whatever fabulous fabric your heart desires. A classic dirty martini in my opinion is most appropriate.

Scotch on the Rocks
To me this chair is so wonderfully masculine I feel like it deserves a real man's drink. The Tirup Chair from Ikea (www.ikea.com) just has this great shape and weight to it. Visually I can see it in an office or study next to a bar cart that has an amazing scotch collection. Maybe I am just responding to the color but despite the curves there is something about it that is just sexy, like a hot man who knows a good scotch.

Red Wine
Great read wine and a good book (or design magazine) is all I want when it comes to this chair. I am loving the Briar Chair from West Elm (www.westelm.com) I just love that the subtle wings and the high back give you a bit of privacy. I must confess I'm not a big reader, but if I were I would sit here. I can imagine resting my head in the corner where the wing meets the back, with an amazing cashmere throw blanket and a great Pino Noir.

Tequila Shots
This is amazing--it's totally unexpected, just like the things that can happen when drinking tequila. The Miss Rio Ottoman available at Design Within Reach (www.dwr.com) is all around fantastic, and the fact that it's made from recycled flip flops just makes it even better. I can just see a line of shots, lots of salt and lots of lime, all which would seem totally appropriate!

*Please Drink Responsibly
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