STRIPES & CHEVRON TOGETHER? - FEARLESS DECOR PART 2

Last week I showed you a bright pink living room and said that was fearless.  This week I bring you a home in Morocco with a wild blue chevron pattern floor and bold stripe walls!  Wow!

Could you do it?

Would you go fearless or play it safe?

FEARLESS - Cement handmade tiles...

Zigzag cement tiles (above)

SAFE - Or try a rug to get the same look!

Wool flat weave ikat chevron rug (above)

So regarding the rooms above...I would probably do the floor but not the stripe walls.  I love the idea of a beautiful graphic pattern tile on the floor.

See the rest of the decor on decor on Elle Decor's site.

Happy Friday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Packing day at COCOCOZY!  We're shipping off a lot of COCOCOZY product to many of our customers including one of our newest retailers...Candelabra in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  VP of Operations CM sent me this picture from our headquarters in Beverly Hills!  Yay CM and NG!  Nice work.

Packing day at our COCOCOZY offices!

P.P.S.  Ask Me a Design Question & Pillow Giveaway - I am so excited and thrilled to be this week's Ask the Expert over on Interior Collective blog.  Head over to Interior Collective to ask me a decor related question about color!  Also, if you ask a question, you are then eligible to possibly win a COCOCOZY Pillow!  Next week my answers to selected questions will be answered! Woohooo!  Can't wait to hear what you have to ask!

Photos: Elle Decor

THIS OR THAT - FOYER DESIGN

What do you think?  Which of these entry halls do you like best...simple "less is more decor" foyer above...or the decked out designed foyer below.

Which would you want to come home to every day?

I love the wide plank wood floors, the pale blue front door and the paneled walls in the first photo.

I also really like the black penny round tile floors, sisal stair case runner, the black framed art and mirrors and the great Madeline Weinrib rug in the photo below.

Hmmm...thinking.

So...which do you prefer...I have my pick...once you weigh in I'll let you know what I think tomorrow.

Comment below please!

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

Photos: Alex James Photography; House & Home

MUD ROOM STYLE!

So...I'm a boot girl through and through.  The minute it turns to fall, I pull out all of my boots.  I have leather boots, rubber boots, Christian Louboutin patent boots, Wellies, L.L. Bean boots, high boots, low boots, knee high boots, suede boots, casual boots, dressy boots, motorcycle boots, real riding boots and more.  You name the boot and I've got it or I've thought about getting it.

I have lots of boots but they all are crammed into my tiny closet in my tiny tiny house in the Hollywood Hills.

What I am missing is a proper mudroom.  I want a country house just so I can have a mudroom (by the way...not clear if it is two words or one).   A place to hang coats, bags, purses and most importantly a place to take off boots and shoes before heading inside.  Judging by these photos, it seems that a key design element in mud room style is a good pair or two of well worn boots.

Since we are talking about boots...here are a few stylish options for your mudroom...my favorite of course are the Gucci!

LL Bean - Shearling Lined Side Zip Boots - $239 (Pebble leather and rubber bottom boots )(above)

Hunter - Regent Boot - $150 (Rubber glossy black boots)(above)

Gucci - Victoria Flat Equestrian Riding Boots - $1495 (Flat black leather tall riding boot)(above)

Happy November! Happy Thursday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  My thoughts are still with everyone on the east coast who is dealing with the aftermath of hurricane Sandy.  Good friend A.Ro. texted me last night...she lives in NYC and has been out of her apartment for days.  Tonight she said she and her dog have nowhere to go.  She said..."We are all exhausted and lost".   I almost cried when I read her text.  So early this morning I connected her with best of friend AM...AM had to move her family uptown to her brother's apartment since she too is out of her downtown Soho place.  AM though kindly offered to have A.Ro. come stay with her.  Learned this morning that A.Ro. may have found a place to stay for the next day or two...so all is fine.  But I feel terrible for them and really terrible for those who have suffered major losses.  I also spoke to best of friend NS who lives in New Jersey...she has spotty cell service, no electricity and few downed trees in her neighborhood...but luckily she, her hubby and kids are safe.  What a week!

Photos: Per se Carlsson; Helen Pe; Country Living; Miles Redd; Simon Brown

THIS OR THAT: THE BENCHMARK ON ENTRYWAY SEATING!

Which of these three foyers do you like best?  They all have something in common...traditional Louis XVI or Gustav style benches, white walls, art.

Wish I had a foyer large enough for seating of some sort. I think even a chair would do!

So do you like any of these or would you prefer your foyer bench free? That's the question in today's THIS OR THAT!

So which do you prefer...1, 2 or 3? Or do you not like any? Be honest...do tell! I'm leaning towards 2 but like the brightness of 1.

Happy Thursday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Sorry didn't post yesterday! Running around like a chicken with no head ...work is super busy...plus making all of these changes at my house before best of friend AM and her hubby JE and their kids come visit in 2 weeks. The not exciting thing is that none of the changes are fun design and decorating changes...they are more functional...like tearing down the fence on the side of my house and building a new one, constructing a new front gate, fixing the side deck, covering the side patio, sanding the main deck, drywalling the skylight in my bedroom and fixing a portion of the wood floors in my house and new outdoor lighting...oh did I mention, I'm sending out one of my sofas to be reupholstered? Things I notice everyday that are driving me CRAZY and would totally bug me if guests were here and saw these things...I'm sure they won't even notice the difference...but I will. So my house is a construction zone right now. Yay and oh dear at the same time!

P.P.S. In the middle of all of this, COCOCOZY is moving into a new office space, so all of that has to be arranged (yes, I took the Beverly Hills office in the shabby building but with lots of light...it is so central and near my day job so I can pop by after or before work...so I chose location. I did inquire about office space in downtown Los Angeles and it was about 1/3 of the price only problem is that I would never ever be able to get to the office because downtown is so far from my house and from where I am during the day that it would have made no sense. We move in on Sunday. Wood floors have gone in, fluorescent lights removed and paint has been refreshed. CM is helping with all of the moving thank goodness.

P.P.P.S. Prepping for my friend AZ's wedding in Puerto Vallarta too...did I mention that? Don't know what I will wear? Resort, casual, beach appropriate attire is in need. Can't wait.

P.P.P.P.S. How do you typically prep when guests are coming to stay at your house? Do you do construction or do you just add a flower here and there? Do tell any stories about getting ready for house guests!


Photos: Stadshem; Bella Casa Design; Joe Schmelzer,Treasure Bite Studios

SEE THIS HOUSE: A CANADIAN HOME WITH A BIT OF FRENCH STYLE!

I like this Vancouver home. It is the home of Canadian interior designer Effie Genovese according to the feature in Style at Home magazine.

Effie apparently lived in Paris for 10 years before moving to Vancouver. So her home is a hint of Paris, a hint of modern and a hint of traditional all rolled into one.

Take a look at it in today's SEE THIS HOUSE!

Love this entry with the glossy black front door and the marble mosaic tiles.  Paris is known for its fabulous doors...this one would fit right in! (above)

Love the idea of a desk in the kitchen...cook, work, eat...cook, work, eat...repeat! (above)

The bedroom has a soothing vibe with gray walls and french inspired armchair and bench. (above)

Dream bathroom! (above)

Of all of the places in the house the garden with the crushed gravel reminds me most of Paris...the Luxembourg gardens perhaps! (above)

what do you think of this home? Like or dislike? Any room you would transport to your home as is? I like the foyer...love marble mosaic tiles! Let me know what you like.

Happpy Tuesday!

xo
Coco

P.S. I promised you a story and photos about the party at Jasper, uber interior designer Michael Smith's grand showroom...but I just looked at my photos and they are all really dark AND blurry - oy va voy! I was able to salvage one photo below. Anyhooo...attended the festive event with friend JH who was visiting from South Carolina. It was fun bopping around the party and being in such a chic showroom. We had a very nice chat with Michael Smith and his lovely partner James Costos. Since JH had just attended the Obama/Clooney event and as it turns out Michael had decorated George Clooney's Los Angeles area home, JH and Michael had a lot to talk about. We also saw Joe Lucas owner of the fantastic Harbinger showroom there...he is friends with Michael because he once worked with Michael Smith Inc as a designer years ago. Joe was so nice...he helped JH after a person named Angela from Veranda magazine accidentally dropped a glass on the ground and a tiny tiny tiny chard flew into JH's leg. Joe came to the rescue - our hero! Angela from Veranda was so sorry for dropping the glass...she was so sweet and escorted us to the ladies room to help JH. JH is 100% fine...just a small small nick but it was kind of amusing that of all people, JH was the center of a little mishap at the posh Michael Smith showroom! Here's a look at the party:

Inside the Michael Smith showroom, Jasper, last Friday evening. (above)

P.P.S. Saw all of the usual L.A. designers at the party but also ran into Brooke & Steve Giannetti. Brooke has a store here in Brentwood, she is an interior designer, she just wrote a book and has a great blog named Velvet & Linen. I pop over to her blog from time to time for inspiration. I recognized her and introduced myself...that was fun meeting her in person.

P.P.P.S. Had a bizarre day on Sunday. Was supposed to meet my mom for Mother's Day but then my dog, Mr. Boo, got sick (I thought he ate gopher repellent that the gardener put in the garden) so I had to rush him to the emergency room. On the way down Nichols Canyon with a sick Mr. Boo, a lady was walking a black pig (I kid you not). I waited for 3 hours at the vet emergency room and a lady in a yellow Hummer drives up and rushes in with a possum who just ate rat poison...she demanded vitamin K which is the antidote for rat poison (who knew), she was refused service because she had a wild animal...she stormed out. Then a young boy and mother walked in...they were clutching a cat that I thought was sick, turns out they found the cat and were getting it scanned for a chip, the receptionist scanned the cat, found the owner, the owner came, the little boy cried because he didn't want to let the cat go, the owner gave the little boy $20. Turns out Mr. Boo is fine...he didn't eat anything bad he was just acting funny and then at 3:30pm I finally met my mom for Mother's Day. Hmmm...strange...right?

Photos: Style at Home; Coco of COCOCOZY