A ROLLING STONE

Charlotte Moss for Fabricut fabrics.

...gathers no Moss. Charlotte Moss visited the Washington Design Center today, and admonished designers hoping to make it on the quick:  "Work, work, work!" Her talk was a breathless tour of exteriors (India to Europe) and interiors (fabric design to fetes in French chateaus), that left audience members slightly winded - Q&A revolved around one central question:  how do you do it all? To which, Charlotte:  "Work, work, work!" And if you're not talented? "Work harder!"

Moss's line for Fabricut, Caroline, displayed in the Currant, Forget Me Not, Grass, and Rattan colorways - her presentation included images of the baskets in her own home that inspired the pattern. Her furniture for Century also incorporates a subtle basketweave.

You've seen the ad...

Sadly, the dogs were not included. A fabulous skirt and crisp white shirt - Carolina Herrera would wear this!

Moss's newest book, her EIGHTH, comes out in October - it's on scrapbooking. 

"A house is like a scrapbook - an accumulation, layered, autobiographical." - Charlotte Moss. DC can be grateful to Moss for sharing some of her own autobigraphy - she is an inspiration!

Images/ my own/ ad, scrapbook:  Fabricut/

MILLION DOLLAR MARTYN

Fabulosity! It's Martyn Lawrence-Bullard for Schumacher fabrics, wrought by Schumacher in weaving centers around the world (paisley in England, velvets in Italy, ikats in India). Every enviable stitch is so exquisitely designed, it must be unattainable to those not of the trade... 

But where Cinderellas have Godmothers, amateurs have Etsy. And LabDesigns on Etsy has Bullard's Nebaha fabric in Citron for your pillow purchasing pleasure. Greek key AND chevron - pattern nirvana! 

Bullard recently came by the Washington Design Center and gave a talk, ostensibly about merchandising fabrics, but really, it was pure entertainment with a few fabulous tips thrown in. His jokes were such a hit, the design house sounded more like the house of mirth. 

That's him on the right - tiny, grainy, hilarious Martyn on my tiny, not so hilarious iPhone (and that washed out photo on the left is one of his new Schumacher fabrics, based on the Tree of Life and featured in the Schumacher ad above).

Pillows below are Adras Ikat by Bullard for Schumacher. Adras Ikat in the Jewel colorway is such a hit, Schumacher's shopping bags are patterned in it.

Guess where you can buy these beauties? Etsy, of course... from 3BModLiving. Below, Caravan and Sky colorways.

A riot of color! Bullard's style is Morocco gets married to a kaleidoscope. 

Bullard's own dining room, with a ceiling stenciled in a pattern he took from antique fabric.

Sikar Embroidery by Bullard in the citrus colorway - available on Etsy!

You can view the entire Bullard for Schumacher line HERE.

 /Images/ Schumacher/ Martyn Lawrence-Bullard Design/ Etsy/

RALPH LAUREN AND THE BLOGGERS

Bloggers on home design represent an unusually divergent field of faithful - after all, everyone lives in houses, so why not figure out how to live in them better? It's not always the degree that certifies a tastemaker. The resume is incidental - just like Go Remy says:

"I've got an MBA!"
"Ah - business administration?"
"NO! I got a Master's in Be'n Amaz'n!"

Anyway, so I was thrilled with the results of the Ralph Lauren/Bloomingdale's blogger designs and their four great picks to style their products. But, I would have been even MORE thrilled with a few of the lawyers/flamenco dancers/stay-at-home moms from blogger-land to represent. That's the only thing I could find to complain about with this campaign, though - it's fabulous (just scroll and say "ahhh").

Since I'm writing from DC, where introductions don't end with your name but your job title, here's the Ralph Lauren blogger ad campaign, CVs included.

Michelle Adams - formerly of M.A. Belle, now founder and blogger at Lonny (Resume:  Domino, Rubie Green founder)

Marisa Marcantonio of Stylebeat (Resume:  House Beautiful, O at Home)

Jennifer Boles of The Peak of Chic (Resume:  Finance)

Eddie Ross of Eddie Ross - the blog (Resume: Food Network, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart Living, Top Design tv show, online entrepreneur) 

/Images/Bloomingdales/

MAKE IT LIKE MARY MCDONALD

My favorite decor book right now is Mary McDonald's INTERIORS: The Allure of Style. It's a luscious, luxurious feast for the eyes, and there isn't a page I wouldn't like to step into, Alice-through-looking-glass style.

This room, a child's room, is one of the more popular images from McDonald's portfolio. The charming mix of green, pink, and pagodas is a winner. The individual pieces are unique enough that it would be a tough look to emulate - or that's what I thought until I came across a beautiful armoire (the Julia) at Home Decorators.

Despite lacking the beautiful fretwork of McDonald's top-of-the-line piece, this armoire has exactly the same look - and it's stunning with a few just right accessories!

Jacque Wall Brackets/Ballard Designs

Julia Armoire/Home Decorators

Gourd Petite Vases/Furbish Studio

White Ceramic Pagoda/Horchow

Green and White Bolster Pillows/The Bolster Queen, Etsy

Vintage Green Wall Prints/Belleoccio, Etsy

French Louis Style Chair/Ebay

Would you try this at home?

/Images/Mary McDonald room, House Beautiful/Shopping, companies as attributed/

NO-LABOR DAY

I'm in love with this bathroom by Alessandra Branca - so luxurious. Have a lovely no-Labor Day!

/Image/Alessandra Branca/

FOLLOWING CHLOE WARNER

Everyone (by which I mean you, because you read shelter blogs) remembers this bedroom:

It's by Chloe Warner, from her charming pad in the California Hills with blockbuster-level glam. But she hasn't been resting on those cherry blossom laurels. Warner's design firm, Redmond Aldrich, spreads her special brand of eclectic palm beach goes Asian around town - enjoy a few fresh looks below.

 Images/Chloe Warner/

THE GOOD LIFE

Let's cut to the chase - put this fabric in place, you'll love the look. Paper every nook! Wooster and Prince have very fine style; their Good Life chinoise fabric will make you smile. Try it in the paper too - and take spring shades as your cue.

Good Life Collection, in Scarlet

A complimentary Wooster and Prince graphic pattern.

Green colorway

Also available in a wrapping paper.

The Lantern Pattern, green and blue colorway - and lovely matched with another Wooster and Prince graphic pattern below.

Blue colorway

All images, Wooster and Prince. Tablescape, Women's Day.

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES

The magazine serial is a lost art form these days. With websites, Twitter, moment-by-moment news updates, and yes, blogs, who can be expected to remember what happened yesterday, much less in last month's magazine? But serials used to be the lifeblood of magazines and newspapers; Charles Dickens published many of his stories in serial fashion, and crowds would throng the docks in America for the delivery of the latest installment of his stories from London. So kudos to - of all publications - a home decor magazine for experimenting again with the serial. House Beautiful's monthly installments of Frances Schultz's East Hampton's cottage makeover are as charming as the house itself. Here are a few snaps from this month's update (more here for last month's living room makeover).

Ms. Schultz's challenge was to combine two small bedrooms into a pint-sized master suite:

The new study includes work space and a cozy spot for guests. The lacquered blue walls add light and dimension to a small space.

All images, housebeautiful.com.

WHAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN

Every week, my email inbox fills to the brim (somewhere out there on the internets, my emails are spilling out onto the proverbial floor). But sometimes, as I'm desperately trying to restore order to the mailbox mayhem, I find something truly clickable, like H & H Home (that's founding friends Heather & Helen, y'all). This Atlanta-based store refurbishes worthy pieces, burnishing vintage favorites into modern marvels. The results are truly home-worthy, from Vuitton trunks to charming chinoiserie furniture. I'm so glad I organized my inbox!

H & H Home

And a few of my top picks... so much chinoiserie! You can shop H & H HERE.

/Images/ All from H & H/