fabulous giveaway {lydali}

I am so excited about Lydali, a new online lifestyle store that sells a unique and beautiful selection of products made by artisans around the world, in and effort to support small businesses and creative entrepreneurs. I love every single item in the shop, especially the two pieces be given away to two lucky delight by design readers! The first is a Proud Mary (which you may have noticed from my last post -I love, love, love!) striped clutch that is 100% cotton and hand woven and sewn by artisans in Guatemala. 

The second item is this stunning set of wood and leather bangles, Handcrafted in Northern India and made out of locally sourced wood wrapped with gold and silver leather pieces.

All you have to do to enter is visit the Lydali pinterest page, re-pin your favorite image or pin your favorite product from their online store (believe me, you will want to repin them all) and leave your e-mail address by commenting on this post. The deadline for this amazing giveaway is 8 PM CT on Sunday June 1st! 

proud mary palette

I have long loved Proud Mary, not only because their products are out of the park stylish but for their socially responsible business approach. These images from the recent look book stopped me in my tracks -- such brilliant palettes and ones I would love to recreate in a home! They are energetic + vibrant without being over the top...

craving {little luxuries}

Happy Monday! I have a busy day ahead, but wanted to stop in and share some of the little luxuries I am currently coveting, from adorable camera straps (would be perfect for my dads old camera!), a vintage chanel bag to matelisse coverlets...

Curious to know a little bit more about me and my love for the mountain west -- hop on over to The Egg out West for a little interview we did while I was in Jackson Hole!

inviting glamour {sue ellen gregory}

I just discovered the stunning work of Virginia based designer Sue Ellen Gregory, thanks to the latest issue of Veranda. She has a wonderful talent for blending modern with glamour to create inviting spaces, particularly in these two dining rooms. I just love the way she used mirrored insets on both the walls and the beautifully arched doors.

She uses the same head chairs (love the shape of them) in this project, which also features a beautiful mirrored tabletop, one of my favorite glamorous buffets and grey and white painted floors. 

(images via August 2012 Veranda and the portfolio of Sue Ellen Gregory)

 I know that I will be checking her portfolio often for inspiration. I have pinned a few of her other spaces over on my pinterest board. 

outdoor therapy

Well, I am back in Chicago, completely refreshed and ready to get back to it! It really is amazing how therapeutic and rejuvenating time in the "great outdoors" can be. Until my next trip to the mountain air, I would settle for getting my fix in these natural surroundings....

(via AD Germany, NZ House and Home, Elle Decoration and Canadian House + Home)

mountain chic must haves

As I have now mentioned many times, I am currently vacationing in Jackson Hole. It has been a whirlwind trip full of chai, lunch, pre-dinner, post-dinner, dinner and breakfast plans with friends. This morning I had breakfast and a mini photoshoot with the super talented, all around adorable and fashionable local blogger behind the Egg out West, who I guest posted for a few weeks back. She had asked me to round up a few of my favorite chic mountain home must haves. These were my picks...

(Ralph Lauren hand knotted rug, geometric pendant from Arteriors, plush wool throw, cognac magazine rack, stacking agate boxes, grasscloth with rivets from Phillip Jefferies and mid century hide chair)

mobile inspiration

Although I am having a beyond amazing vacation, the one thing that I do miss is my workspace filled with my favorite images and product samples. However, before leaving home I did take some photos of some of my favorite palettes and looks to serve as mobile inspiration.

 

 

 

Do any of you have the same attachment to your workspace!?

whisked away

Even though I am headed to one of my absolute favorite destinations today, Jackson Hole, for a little birthday weekend I really wouldn't  mind also hopping over to Bali. That is if I could stay in this beautiful British Colonial style home. I particularly love the outdoor living areas!

 

(images via Vogue Living)

Happy weekend to you all!

b*style

Thank you all for the outpouring of encouraging tweets, emails, facebook messages and blog comments that followed my announcement earlier! Each one made an already exciting day better and leaves me even more excited about the future of this new venture. As I recover from the excitement and late nights getting ready for the launch, I wanted to share another example of the services Blair Friedeman Design will offer. This is an example of the a la carte design service, b*style, for those homeowners or renters that just need little push in the right design direction. In this case, the client was a first time homeowner that had already invested in a classic sofa and graphic primary color rug for their living room. They needed help pulling the rest of the room together. Their goal was to create a comfortable and casual space that embraced a rustic, yet classic California look. 

 I promise to be back to regularly scheduled delight by design content tomorrow! Thank you all again and again for your kinds words!

The Next Step + New Buisiness Cards

Exactly four years ago I was sitting at my dining room table and wrote my first post for Delight by Design. I had no idea if anyone would ever read it. Well, they did. I am now lucky enough to have over 8,000 subscribers and loyal readers. Starting this blog turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made--for the people I met, opportunities I have been given, ideas I have been exposed to and for my love of  interior design evolving into a true passion. A year ago that passion led me to leave a full-time job working for a non-profit, in order to take on a part-time opportunity at an interior design firm. It was a risk, but I am so glad I took it. I soon found myself moving back to Chicago and working for two local interior designers. Today I am very excited to announce the next step of my journey, launching my own e-design firm---Blair Friedeman Design. After weeks of planning, the official website  and facebook page are now live!

My goal is to make high end design accessible, no matter the budget or scale of the project--everyone should have access to the tools, materials, and resources needed to create beautiful spaces. Blair Friedeman Design offers various levels of services, from the b*spoke very personal "traditional" e-design  to the more "a la carte" b*style offering. Just to give you a visual idea of what that means-- this is b*spoke board I recently created for a friend and client looking to transform a narrow office space into a modern girl's nursery. You can find the detailed images, floor plan and elevations here.

 Oh and since it was the name of my post, here are my new business cards:

You can learn more about my philosophy and services on my new website!

Thank you to all the readers that have supported delight by design over the past 4 years. I would have never been able to do this without your support and the encouragement of my friends and amazing family.

romantic + refined

I have a big week ahead--not only does it include my 30th birthday, a vacation to my favorite place, Jackson Hole, but I also have a very exciting announcement to make (you have no idea how hard it has been to keep my lips sealed.) I think it calls for an amazing outfit. If only I could shop the runways looks from the Chloe 2013 Resort collection, which is full of flawless romantic + refined pieces...

 

 

 

a magical mix

I am rarely at a complete loss for words. I don't think any commentary I could write about this home would do it justice, other that "wow" -- which I uttered with each new shot I admired! Every room has a magical quality that I have always longed for in a home. Perhaps it is the amazing high ceilings paired with those windows? Or the arches through the home? The basalt counter and walls in the kitchen? The whimsical + rustic staircase? I honestly cannot pick just one element.

 

 

 

(via c magazine)

Truly one of the more amazing and inspiring spaces I have seen for a while, do you agree?

golden {weekend} glamour

Without fail when the weekend approaches I crave a little bit of glitz and glamour -- I trade my weekday pearls for statement sparkles and my black gucci flats (they are indestructible) for those less practical shoes and laced in gold. As this weekend draws near, these at the golden and glamorous pieces that I am craving...

(Christopher Guy Pebble Beach mirror, miu miu belt, quartz necklace from leif and bradley hughes athena chandelier)

One Sweet Slumber

These days when I see a room that inspires me I usually save it for pinterest. However, this room deserves so much more than just a pin that gets buried within a board. Almost every aspect of this bedroom by Miles Redd inspires me -- the beyond amazing valance, the botanical prints against the floral theme de Gournay wallpaper and all of those elements mixed perfectly with a stunning a ebony Napoleon III desk/dressing table.

(scanned from AD, photography by Miguel Flores-Vianna)

What element of this space inspires you?

flair for the exotic

At this time last year I was experiencing my first trip abroad (Italy + Spain) and ever since I have craved international adventure, until I can satiate that desire I will crave pieces that embrace a global + exotic flair.

(mara hoffman suit, paulina pendant from stray dog designs, suket pillow from serena lily and kage handbag)

Glamorous Energy, Meet Beach Chic

I was just flipping through the new issue of House and Home when an interior in the bottom corner of a page caught my eye. It was a single picture of a Toronto restaurant interior, designed by Montana Burnett.  I immediately went to her website to see the rest of the images from this project. I was not disappointed. The restaurant's interior is a bold and inspiring combination glamorous energy and beach chic.

 I love the mix of different stools, the marble bar, brass lamps and green framed mirrors.

 Not to mentioned the lattice walls and rattan chairs throughout the space.

 Oh, and beautiful upholstery and statement lighting? Yes, this space has that too!

 

 And it gets even better -- I would love to dine in one of the booths and be encompassed by these beautifully upholstered walls under a mirrored ceiling.

 The outdoor lounger and bar area embrace a much more casual take on the look but are as equally as beautiful.

pretty in paper

When it comes to sprucing up walls I instantly think "paint!" However there have been some subtle and very bold graphic wallpapers catching my fancy lately. These charming and whimsical papers are giving me a very good reason to hesitate before thinking paint is always the answer. 

(wallpaper via madison grow, brett design and grow house grow)

weekend retreat {roped in charm}

I wonder if the owners of this modern agrarian inspired home would let me come stay for the weekend, or all of the weekends of the summer. This Cumberland Island Home (designed by the architect, Ken Pursley) has everything that makes a wonderful weekend retreat--it is comfortable, charming and playful. It is beautiful yet doesn't have one ounce of pretension -- surely this home is just waiting to have muddy feet running though it . And the use of rope for the banister and on the chandelier just sends me over the edge in delight - a perfect touch of character.

 

 

(images via Garden & Gun Magazine)