Each district in Hong Kong has terrific stores, so I want to focus one of my favorites… SoHo. Take the Central-Mid-levels escalators up to Hollywood Street. Turn right onto Hollywood, then turn left on Aberdeen. There are 2 large, white buildings just up the hill on your right. This is the PMQ (Police Married Headquarters) that I wrote about in My Hong Kong
Read moreMy friend and fellow interior designer, Betsy (who took all of the fab photos of my work), and I discussed how we totally obsess over certain furniture and accessory stores where we live. So, here’s a quick sample of just a few of my many favorites (plus one of Betsy’s). Most are located in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, and
Read moreI recently visited the Serena & Lily website, and I was pleased to find it a great source for dining chairs. I was so pleased, in fact, that I encouraged a friend to purchase the Riviera indoor/outdoor chairs. She loves them. Not to sound cliché, but they remind me of Paris. They add a great pop of color and interest to any dining room. I
Read moreGet your vintage on! Vintage furniture pieces create a statement, and they already have a history. You get to tell your friends stories about where you found a piece… it’s all about the hunt. They are typically made with stronger materials using techniques that are constructed better than the typical “big box” furniture that you have to put together yourself. Vintage pieces can
Read moreI was hired to update a family room that had dark wood paneling. The client wanted to lighten up the space, so my solution was to whitewash the wall panels and the panels in between the ceiling beams (the ceiling beams and trim remained natural). The Reclaimed Oak Parquet bookcases from Restoration Hardware on either side of the TV console appear light in
Read moreHere is a just a sample of my photos of a completed project in a new construction, two-bedroom, two-bath vacation home in Lakeside, Michigan. The owners are an architect and a realtor in Chicago. The architect owner who designed the house took advantage of the site by capitalizing on natural light and views of the property with the use of large, sliding
Read moreI just returned from NYC, and every time I go, I visit ABC Carpet and Home. If you’ve never been, you should definitely check it out. Every one of the seven floors is chock full of fabulous home furnishings and the vignettes (shown in the photos) help clients and designers imagine living with the stuff. It makes me happy … very happy.
Read moreOkay. I hate to break it to you, but do you really want your furniture to be all matchy-matchy? Your answer should be a resounding, “No!” As the saying goes, “variety is the spice of life.” So, pretty puhlease resist the urge to walk into Ashley Furniture and order an entire bedroom set in 10 minutes. Let’s face it … it will look like you only
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Rachael Franceschina 