String Theory

You know what I've been loving lately? Fringe. That's right. I said it. Now I know y'all are probably thinking: what's gotten into you, Erin? First you're asking us to approve of shabby slipcovers, now this? Are you turning into a musty old cat lady who sleeps on a stack of newspapers you've been collecting since that nice man Roosevelt was in office? While it is true that I find the twin odors of mothballs and urine particularly appealing, I assure you that I am still young and hip. I mean, did you see the Black Eyes Peas at the Superbowl? AWESOME. But I digress.

BOOM. How do you like me now, whippersnappers? Every single thing in this room by Pamplemousse Design is the MF bizness.

Remember the unimpeachably chic home of Marie Olsson Nylander? That's where this lovely resides.

Oh yeah. You know you want a huge fringed chandelier in a light bright shade of red. Special bonus: that sucker would make a fantastic cat toy.

Sure, according to Encyclopedia Raina this room is from 1992, but just because I love it doesn't make me old. Right??? It's got squiggly lines, for Pete's sake.

Ok, we are headed down the primrose path of waspville here, but Tory Burch does have a pretty green velvet couch with gold fringe that reminds me very much of a couch my mom had. Of course, my mom's couch started out as a white sectional (please see yesterday's post about the perils of white couches and children), but then she recovered it in green and gold damask with gold fringe all up in that joint. My mom also used to pick me up from school in a topless Jeep (when I was hoping for a minivan mom), and she wore flashdance sweatshirts with bare shoulders. So, now you get that fringe is not for old boring people, right? I'm sure my story made that crystal clear.

This is just a bonus picture from Richard Powers that will allow me to sing:

All the world will fly in a flurry When I take you out in the surrey, When I take you out in the surrey with the fringe on top!

The lyrics may come from a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, but that doesn't make me old at all.

Does it?

Sanders Gibbs, Superhero at Large

Up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane -- it's Sanders! Austinites from all over the city regularly travel down south to meet with Sanders, the super skilled, superhero of paint. Readers of this very blog have even benefited from his knowledge by taking advantage of Sanders' expertise in our Ask Sanders column. And today this interview I conducted with him near the start of our working relationship is being featured over here by Benjamin Moore. That's because Sanders is the man.

Karly and I have worked with Sanders for years, and without his super help, I'm not sure either of us would have ever painted a single wall. But just look how awesome our houses turned out:

Karly's nursery -- a symphony in Harbor Gray (and lots of other colors).

My house -- painted with Abalone gray and BM's gold metallic paint.

You can check out the rest of our houses here and here to see some of Sanders' other perfect paint choices. That's right. I said the P word.

Did I mention that Sanders is also a nice guy and fun to hang out with?

Here he is with Ike when Ike was just a little shrimp. Sanders has two kids of his own, including a six month old, so he never gets mad when Ike won't stop messing with the water dispenser at the store.

If you don't live in Austin -- well you're missing out on Sanders' charm, that's for sure. But you can still write in with your questions, which we will review for inclusion in our ongoing Ask Sanders column. Just drop us a line at hollaback@design-crisis.com and we'll see what we can do.

See? Sanders transcends space and time. He really is a superhero.

Black Sheep

As the proud parent of a very energetic toddler, I can say there are a few things I will never own: 1) a white sofa 2) a fabric sofa 3) another chesterfield sofa (you would not believe what secrets those button tufts can hide). I know a lot of people have their little munchkins trained to eat in (gasp) the kitchen or dining areas, which is right and good since that's where food should live. And it's not that I am trying to raise a wild animal, it's just that life happens. Well, that and I have a hard time standing over an 18 month old in the kitchen, watching him take his sweet time (like, at least an hour) futzing with four squares of PB&J. On the other hand, could this be the solution to all my problems?

Are you guys sick of all the Belgian linen slipcovers yet? I have to say I kind of love the romance of it all. Of course, you could throw a burning pile of poop in the middle of this gorgeous room and it would still look fabulous. But would this super soft look work in a more casual space or just come off as sloppy?

I do generally prefer a more tailored look for a sofa. I'm all for comfort, but I'm also a little concerned that the super flowy white slipcovers look like Aunt Martha just closed up her Hamptons home for the winter.

Now this looks kidproof. Black covers, they never get dirty -- the longer you use them the blacker they get.

I kind of always thought I wanted a white sofa, but I find this refreshingly different and super easy to pull off. Just think -- that fabric could be anything. Something that matches jelly would be preferable.

Happy Monday, dudes. I have a craaaaaaaaaazy busy week coming up, but Ima do my best to shower you with blog love. Maybe even every inch of my love.

[Marie Claire Maison and MR Architecture]