M.A. Belle: March 2008

Monday, March 31, 2008

Inspiration

I always find it fascinating to see where designers get their inspiration, and one of my favorite sources is the "Behind the Curtain" section on Kate Spade's website. The desktop profiles in this section highlight Kate's designers and what makes them tick, ranging from flea market finds to vintage fashion magazines. Recently, I noticed the vintage movie poster above on Ruth Parsons' profile and decided to hunt one down for myself! It turns out the poster is from the 1966 Czech film The Knack, and can be found in limited quantities at vintage poster stores such as Posteritati here in the city.

Below, I thought I'd share with you some of my own inspirations, as well as some favorite boards and images. Enjoy ;)

Initial inspiration board for Rubie Green (one of many to follow!)

My office inspiration board that's constantly changing- business cards, feathers, matchbooks, photos etc.

Initial inspiration board for M.A. Belle. My goal was to celebrate design classics and to share a bit of my life and style ideas.

I've always been a fan of this board by Laurie Smith (yes, Laurie from Trading Spaces!) I love the multiple layers and saturated colors. Photo: William Stites for Discovering Home.

Here's another style of board completely. I love the simplicity and the fabric covered tacks! How adorable! Board: Paula Gibbs via Jupiter Buttons.

Individual images can often be inspiring as well. I can't get enough of Paula Gibbs' riding boot sketch at left, or the image at right torn from an Anthropologie catalog via Creative Little Daisy.

Monday, March 17, 2008

The New Eighteenth-Century Style

Photos: Gilles Trillard

Last weekend I discovered The New Eighteenth-Century Style by Michele Lalande, and am loving its cabinet of curiosities vibe. Many of the interiors remind me of John Derian's famous east village boutique, brimming with French antiques, tattered upholstery, vintage art and found objects. Here's a few of my favorites.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

"An Object is Like a Book--Objects Have Stories Too"

Photo: Ditte Isager for domino, March 2008

These are the clever words of Lili Diallo, a highly regarded prop stylist whose work appears regularly in domino, Town & Country and O, to name a few. In her Brooklyn loft above, Diallo sticks to a limited color palette and pays close attention to balance and scale. The result is a collection of objects that tell a story about her life. Check out some more of my favorite examples below. (Click on each image to really get a feel for them:)