Interior Design Minimalist

This week, Megan, Joni and I chatting with up and coming interior designer Grant K. Gibson. Based in San Francisco, Grant is cutting quite a swath through the interior design world with three San Francisco Showcase Houses under his belt and some really great press.

I was interviewed for a story about working with an interior designer that appeared on The New York Times online. Thanks to Camilla McLaughlin spoke with me, Susanna Salk and others about the process of working with an interior designer and what we bring to the process of designing one's own home. Specifically, my virtual decorating service was profiled. Click here to read the entire story.  Fun!





And finally, Grayson Handy, whose book FLOWERS FOR THE HOME I reviewed yesterday shared with me a couple of additioal pics of his dachsund Romeo, whom I've developed a huge crush on. So, I thought I'd share the cuteness. Photos by Ellen Silverman.




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This has just been a crazy week (aren't they all!!?) and I'm trying to catch up with postings and the news.

This week, Megan, Joni and I chatted with Margaret Russell, editor-in-chief of Elle Decor about her background and career, her twenty years at the magazine and the design industry today. I have to say that I am so enjoying doing The Skirted Roundtable and the opportunity to chat with some of the most amazing people in the design industry today!

In this interview, we asked Margaret to select three rooms that were among her favorite photoshoots and images from her new book Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Decor so that we could chat in specifics about what makes a room work in life and in a magazine. 

Margaret is also one of the busiest people in the industry and has lent her support to many fine charitable organizations over the year. Currently, she sitting on the boards of the Alpha Workshops, which provides training in the decorative arts to those living with HIV/AIDS, and to God's Love We Deliver, which provides meals and nutritional information to those living with life-altering illnesses. She is also beginning to focus her considerable attention to the issue of arts education for school children. For ten years, she was active with DIFFA (Design Industry Foundation Fight AIDS) and the annual Dining By Design events. I first met MR at the Boston Dining by Design event two years ago. We ended up literally face to face in a very crowded space and let me tell you, she's even prettier and younger looking in person that in photos!

So, thank you Margaret for spending a great hour with us! Click here to listen!




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This week on The Skirted Roundtable, Megan, Joni and I chatted with the fabulous interior design Suzanne Kasler about her work, career and her newly released book "Inspired Interiors". During our discussion, Suzanne mentioned the concept of "color sequencing" or "progression", which raised some questions about what this meant and how it applied to interiors. I had specifically mentioned a section of the book - the chapter on "Color and Light" which had a series of images that very clearly showed this concept. And, even though these rooms were not actually related to each other (they weren't from the same homes), there was a clear relation that made reading that section of the book all the more interesting. Below are all the images that we discussed during this segment, plus the 2 minutes of conversation around it. Enjoy!

       


    And don't forget to listen to the entire conversation here.


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This week on The Skirted Roundtable Megan, Joni and I discuss accessorizing. Our conversation ranged from ferns to frames, bouquets to books. And, speaking of books-how does one fill up a big bank of books shelves? Are fake books okay, or just filler? Listen here to find out what we all think - and heads up, we definitely don't agree!


And stay tuned for our upcoming chat with Suzanne Kasler!



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Last week at The Skirted Roundtable, we talked about the new FTC Guidelines for blogger's endorsing products and disclosures of freebies. You can listen to our podcast here.

Here is an interesting article in the New York Times on the subject.  Some bloggers will be publishing their formal policies on the subject, and others are scoffing at the whole thing - after all, how will it be regulated?

I am not sure if I will be publishing a "formal" disclosure policy, but for now I will say that if I post about a product that I've received gratis (whether for review purposes, or as swag at an event) I will always say that I received it gratis. I never write a post for pay unless I clearly state that it's a sponsored post (which I've only done once) or is a post about one of my sponsors, all of whom are clearly showcased over there on the right. I've been asked to do it, and I never will. I'm a capitalist and a firm believer in making money, but I'm also a firm believer in honesty and openness and maintain those convictions here on ::Surroundings::.

So, take a listen to our podcast and let us know your thoughts!



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This week at The Skirted Roundtable, Megan, Joni and I were honored and thrilled to welcome design icon (and I don't say that lightly!) Miss Charlotte Moss to the table.


Charlotte is truly an inspiration both for her decorative sense, for her business savvy and to the bone common sense approach to client relationships. Our discussion was far reaching, from what makes a room work, to how she deals with clients to her extensive philanthropy work. This is a woman whose career any interior designer would do well to study and learn from.



We were enraptured and you will be too! Listen here.


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