8 million years ago I wrote a post on my map fixation, and you all seemed to agree that maps rule the world. Well, don’t spend too much time fixating on how I brilliantly used language and the internets to write something long before the Big Bang, because part deux is coming at all you map lovers bright and early this morning. Set your international time clocks to awesome and let’s get this globe trotting.

Now I could do my usual patter that goes something like: maps… globalization… maps… economy… maps… self deprecating political joke. But in my own little latitude x longitudinal coordinate, pollen is dripping from the trees in our canopied neighborhood and making my life a living hell, so I’ll settle for maps… pretty. That works, right?

Interior designer, S. R. Gambrel goes nautical in this room decoupaged with maps. I’m a thinking this look can move beyond the solely sea worthy, though. Industrial glam would work equally well.

Annie Schlecter makes this map retro fresh by adding a dash of Mimosa yellow to cool gray, dropping in a sprig of shiny pendant goodness, pouring in a heaping helping of shaggy delight, and garnishing with a burl wood cross section that acts like nature’s own growth chart. Delicious.

Per Ranung

This humble little map pirouettes on center stage like a prima ballerina in this… boy’s (?) room. Whatever. I’m keeping the metaphor. Boys can dance, too, right?

At night, little Billy Elliot in training could cover up with an amazing map quilt by Leah Evans. This beauty is already sold, but you should check out her other work which walks the line between symbol and abstraction with stunning intricacy.

OWI

This Belgian architect couple spends six months out of the year traveling around Europe in a very swank mobile home, and the other six living in a garage they’ve tricked out with various and sundry creature comforts. A map is a must for planning future journeys.

Here they show off their essentials: Ligne Roset’s Togo sofa, kitchen appliances, a picture of their beloved camper, and the ever popular globe.

Speaking of globes, check out what this crafty chica did to hers. One whole makes two halves (and a very cool pair of pendant lights).

Here’s another nifty idea for all your peeps unafraid of a little glue, courtesy of The Bedlam of Beefy’s funny blog. Based in the UK, online retailer All Things Original stocks their virtual shop with tons of cute and quirky selctions. Good thing the interweb makes hopping across the pond nothing more than a skip and a jump.

This incredible TEXTILE by Young British Artist (YBA) Gavin Turk hits all those political notes I alluded to but am too lazy to actually cover in this post. The map is fashioned from bits of commercial packaging that reflect the increasingly global nature of consumerism. What’s most important is that Coca Cola is available in Uzbekistan, right? Insert your own analysis here.

Nope. Not the same house as the first image, but just goes to show that great minds think alike. Courtesy of the now defunct Domino, via Alicia B. Designs.

Say hello to my current obsession: maps of Tokyo designed by cartographer extraordinaire, Hajime Ishikawa. This little gem is even conveniently featured in chartreuse and turquoise, a hot color combo discussed here and here. Its veiny rivers and jagged arteries set my heart to double pump!

Mmmmm… topolicious.

A few days ago, Stephanie at super awesome radicool blog even*cleveland posted on all kinds of crafty pompoms, those fuzzy wuzzy balls of good cheer. I’ve been lusting after a pompom bedspread since summer, so I feel compelled to post an intrablog follow up to show you some more… balls. This time in interiors. Soon, you’ll want to sew pompoms onto everything, but control thyself! Balls are very powerful, and require a judicious measure of restraint. So without further ado, here’s the pair that first inspired my desire:

I’m not a big fan of the peppermint patty headboard in this Tom Scheerer bedroom, but I love the dreamy quality the pompom fringe brings to the edge of the bed. My dear sweet mother sewed fringe onto EVERYTHING (Couch: check. Every pillow on the couch: check. Curtains: why not?), so I certainly have a nostalgic appreciation for those little dingle berries, as well as a healthy fear for the havoc they can wreak.

But, hark! Here is the very same bedspread featured in Domino (apparently available only through ABC Home and Carpet. Grrr! Why don’t I live in New York?), and does it not captivate? The soft texture it adds to rough surfaces and hard lines balance this simple room out beautifully. Please ignore the bleed through from the back page… Miles Redd and his striped rooms are also very powerful stuff.

If you want just a splash of texture, a colorful throw like the one in this lovely apartment featured on Decor8 might do the trick. Oh, and I will also take everything else in this room, please. Thank you.

For a dose of color in an all white room, consider sewing a colorful ball fringe on a white blanket, and hey presto! You have a sexy little number to keep you warm at night. Photo via the Style Files.

An old school chenille bedspread packed with pompoms adds bohemian charm and texture to this bedroom. Plus it makes me want to jump up and down on the bed and scream, “Wheeeeeeeee! I love balls!” Photo via Elle Decor.

Perhaps you’d like to keep your ball lovin’ on the down low. Discreet pompoms sewn onto these coverlets are cheeky without resorting to kitsch appeal. Photo via Domino.

Then there’s this hot little throw, strewn oh so casually across the bed, that gives me a warm feeling inside. It’s tres elegant — looks very high class and expensive — but you’ll want to spend all night long with it. Photo via Elle Decor.

Speaking of throws, this is — all kidding aside — the MOST amazing throw, ever. It comes courtesy of Etsy seller Modern Fiber Lab, and it is worth every penny of its asking price. Felted by hand of wool and mohair using traditional techniques, it’s simply the most weirdly elegant pompom pelt in the universe. Period. You know what I want for Christmas next year, so start saving up.

Although I obviously have a crush on pompom bedspreads and throws, you can feel free to spread the balls far and wide throughout your home. Case in point: this crazy rug beckons for your sweet, sweet love down by the fire. Courtesy of Sew Very Prairie.

Karly has a killer pompom pillow that makes her couch look like a million bucks. Be like Karly and bring a little squishy love into your life with these fringe elements. Clockwise from top left: Pillow via Country Home Living, Red or Brown Pillow at World Market on sale for $7.48, Minimal Pompom Pillow Cover at West Elm on sale for $6.99 (indigo only), Handmade Retro Red Pillow at Weezi for $24.98.

If you’re crafty, you could sew a line of pompom fringe onto just about anything, like this window cornice. Photo via Domino.

More ballsy craft ideas… or just feel free to buy from the source. Sheer curtains with tiny pompoms available at PB Teen (!), Crazy pompom fringe parrot lamp at Whatiszot Design, Ball fringe blanket at Calypso.

No jokes here, only a gorgeous image that combines a lot of pretty pretty elements all framed by an amazing vintage crocheted curtain dripping with delicate pompoms. Me likey. Picture courtesy of Bohemian Hellhole, a great blog with a great name.

So, don’t be afraid cheer for the return of the pompom, because it’s time to get ballsy with decor. If these two strapping young bucks could go down out on the fringe, so can you.

Dear Domino,

I consistently receive your magazine one month late.  My Holiday Gift Guide arrived, rather conveniently, on December 31st.  My Thanksgiving copy landed on my doorstep in early December and my October issue arrived just in time for Thanksgiving.  

I have contacted your customer service department, while the gentleman I spoke with was beyond nice, the issue remains unresolved.  He was sure it was a problem with my post office.  I can assure you it is not.  The address on my subscription is correct and has remained the same through the duration of my enrollment (it arrived in a timely manner for the first month or two).  I have subscriptions to 7 different shelter magazines and they all manage to arrive on time so I’ve ruled out postal sabotage as an option.

I do enjoy your magazine but, despite the fact that I have paid for 2 years in full, I am really only enjoying it online.  If this issue remains unresolved any longer, I will continue to only read the online version and will request a refund for the full subscription amount.

Best

Karly

Did I ever mention that my husband is a handyman / contractor?  No?  Well that’s just plain crazy.  Let me catch you up to speed:  my husband is a handyman / contractor.  Recently he was hired by Design Crisis reader, Diana to clean up the colonial mess of a fireplace that was haunting her living room.  There are still some finishing touches to be done but I just couldn’t wait to show off his little project.  Behold, the before and after(ish):

Sick of having guests throw up in their mouth when they came over, Diana decided to have Matt do this:

That’s right, bitches, beautiful pristine plaster.  Yum.  And don’t you traditionalists go getting your undies in a bundle, no bricks were harmed in the resurfacing of the fireplace.  He built some fancy thing around it then covered that with the plaster.  He also made little cubby holes in the back for her stuff.  That TV is going to be mounted (I’m not 100% sure where) and Matt will be doing something very complicated and technical to hide all the wires in the wall.  Ok, complicated to me only.

Believe it or not, the paint on the sides is just grey primer,  she’s going to be covering it with Sanders approved Harbor Gray.

And yes, yes, we know, those tiles are killing our eyes, but hey, no worries, Diana’s a smart and savvy lady, which is why she’s having matt shred ‘em to install a glorious expanse of hardwoods.  When he’s all done I’m going to kick her out and move in.  Then I will post more photos.

For now, I’ll leave you with Diana’s inspiration pic from the October ‘08 issue of Domino Magazine:

KISSES!

PS Here’s hubby’s site if you’re so inclined: Austin Fix It

As promised, today I am presenting Sanders the Paint Guru’s picks for the hottest upcoming trends in color, and when I say “color,” I mean COLOR. If the gray days of fall are getting you down, then this palette is sure to jump start your morning. When I asked Sanders what the most popular colors for next year would be, he immediately said “electric blue, bright orange, acid green, red, yellow.” As usual, Sanders was on the money. Check out what the October issue of Elle Decor UK said would be the “Hot Trend For Homes”:

Versus the color palette Sanders put together during our interview:

I told you that Sanders was good! If you ever had a crush on Roy G Biv in school, then these rooms are for you. Witness the power of dramatic paint to completely transform a space. (All photos courtesy of Domino)

Don’t you feel more cheerful, well rested and motivated, already? Maybe you won’t even need that extra cup of coffee. Perhaps you should start a new exercise routine… Who’s up for climbing Mount Everest???! Ok, let’s take it one step at a time, shall we?

Since I’ve asked for help from you dear readers at least twice, you probably all know by now that I have a red dining room and kitchen, and I’ve been worrying that maybe it’s a twee bit overblown. Perhaps instead of taking it down a notch, instead I should pump it up with a steroid injection of brighter, orangier, funkier, red:

(Photo courtesy of Living Etc.)

Or maybe, like Karly, you’ve been craving some sunshine in your space. Why not go for a zany shade of yellow on the walls?

(Photo via A Mad Tea Party With Alis, who also has some great posts on color)

I love the super bright funkadelic yellow paired with dark dark trim and subdued, weathered floors. Shall we just say that the dead fish on the table adds to the rustic charm? Yes, we shall. Those chairs are pretty boss, too.

For those of you who love color but want something a little more sober, why not a bold, cobalt blue?

(Photo via Living Etc)

It’s much more unexpected than the usual aqua tinged walls, but still restful enough to catch some much needed Zzzzzz’s at night. A silver leafed ceiling could be a magical complement (and gold is always fab).

Or perhaps you prefer to just scramble the whole color palette together and have a delicious rainbow omelette?

This whole house decorated by M. Design Interiors is a madcap acid trip fantasyland, and I really want to live there. The sleek furnishings and square lines have an awesome 70’s vibe, so perhaps we should throw a hip blogger’s disco party? I think I’d have to ditch the tulips, though.

If you’re not into all out color, maybe just a peep of bright paint would do the trick.

I love the use of primary shades in this super white space, courtesy once again of the fabulous M. Design Interiors.

Ok, I know that lots of you out there love color, but would prefer to confine it to accessories and furnishings for a splash of bright something something against a neutral background without the commitment of paint. Here are some renter friendly solutions that will still give your pad some punch.

(Photo credits for each row, left to right: Living Etc, Living Etc. Domino, Living Etc. Terramia, Andrew Suvalsky. Living Etc, Domino)

Why not reupholster a vintage couch or chair in a shockingly bright fabric to create a substantial focal point in your otherwise neutral room? Or you could always do some super mod pillows for a cheap and easy burst of color (bonus points for resourcefulness if you can sew your own). Also, I kind of want a lime green clawfoot tub now… If only I had a bathroom big enough for one!

Anyone want a cush headboard fit for a princess in a color that won’t make your prince cringe?

(Photo via M. Design Interiors)

Yeah, baby, I can dig it. Now how about a red green combo that’s miles away from Christmas?

(Flux Interiors)

That is one delicious lampshade, and I love the repeat of the color on the window frames. Is that an Ikea couch? If not, they have a very similar version that comes with a zillion different slipcovers, so you can redecorate annually without breaking the bank. I am voting for new pillows though. How about a row of Obama heads instead of Mao and Marx? Yes we can.

If you already have great bones, highlight them.

(Photo via A Mad Tea Party With Alis)

A burst of sunny yellow makes this old school stunner look fresh, clean and modern. How much do you love the charcoal piping? Fabulous.

Even bold color can be subtly softened by its surroundings.

(via If the Lampshade Fits)

Purpley gray walls set this versatile tomato red couch afire, but an otherwise subdued color palette keeps things cool and sophisticated.

If you’re feeling more daring, go for the gold:

(Photo via Living Etc)

I really hate barstools, but at least these are camoflaged by a similarly hued tangerine kitchen bar with matching countertops. I love the harmony with the orangey wooden floors, as well as the contrast with the blue mirrored glass in the background.

And last but not least, some gorgeous shades of green and blue that are fresh but not overwhelming:

If you’ve never checked out the Brooklyn home of Fawn Galli, go there now. Her house is a gorgeous reminder that color is fun and doesn’t have to be opressive or vulgar. And she has a giant deer sculpture. My hero.

That’s it for this Sanders-inspired roundup of ultra ultra brights. What do you think? Could you live with these acid hues, or are you planning to stick to neutral basics? Tell us all about it.

I have a red dining room. With orange chairs. And a sleazy velvet painting of a tiger. And a zebra rug. It might be – maybe — a little much. Now I love me some drama, but I don’t want my house to look like a psychotic palm beach housewife took acid and decided to spruce things up a bit. So, dear readers, I am enlisting your help today. I am offering up my dining room like a wee sacrificial lamb for your entertainment. You know how it’s really easy to go to a friend’s house and rearrange furniture and pick paint colors and choose a new couch (all within the span of an hour), but sometimes it’s nigh IMPOSSIBLE to make decisions at your own home? Well, sometimes is now. Yes, I’m asking for advice, and I know that several of you are interior designers, so come out, come out, wherever you are.

Your mission — if you choose to accept it — is the first room I decorated in our first house. So it’s feeling a bit 2007:

Now don’t wuss out on me, ok? Before you start formulating strategies, let me say that I know the plant stand needs to get painted black and the pot is fugly, so just pretend I already fixed those things. That’s what I usually do.

Here are main the issues at hand: Should I keep the red and get a new rug? I’m considering this relatively inexpensive hemp and white leather flat weave rug from Overstock (it’s reversible! Yaaaaaay!):

Or should I paint the walls navy blue instead? Somehow, I feel like I could keep the rug if I painted the walls navy, even though zebra is officially double dead. Sadly, the rug, at $350 buckaroos, is far and away the most expensive thing in that room. What have I learned from this experience? I will never buy a patterned rug again.  Also, I will never buy an expensive white rug again, because my cat LOVES to puke on rugs. (In case you’re wondering, Folex is the best carpet cleaner ever.)

The suspect in question:

Hina Hina thinks she’s modeling for Cat Fancy magazine. She’s so vain that I had to turn on the vacuum cleaner to get her off the table and out of my photo shoot. But I digress (surprising, right?). Other possible points of contention include the always popular orange chairs with red walls combo. Yep. And an orange tiger painting to boot (but he’s such a handsome fellow).

Obviously blue and orange would look better together… but maybe I shouldn’t have the tulip chairs with that table, anyway? I actually have 6 of the Danish ropecord chairs, but 3 of them need repairs. Two are currently in the living room, to be used when we pull the leaves out of the table. Also, I used to have the tulip table in the dining room, but it was too small for company, so it’s now my office desk. That’s pretty much the catalog of available furniture, and I’m definitely not buying any more. (Have you checked the Dow today? Wowsers).

And what do you think about the lamps? I’m kind of on the hunt for new shades at the very least, but I only buy secondhand stuff, so that has limited my options severely (that, and my $50 budget).

One last teensy consideration:

My humble kitchen, as viewed from the laundry room. (Don’t worry — it doesn’t actually look like a cubist painting in real life. It’s just the camera lens.) The kitchen shares a wall (along the right side) as well as a clear line of sight with the dining area, so it has to be the same color as the dining room, and I think the kitchen is really cute in red. We’re planning to knock all the upper cabinets out and install shelves (can you see from the upper right hand corner that the cabinets float over our bar? It’s WEIRD. There’s like, 8 million of them, too. We have 75 gargantuan square feet of countertops, all with cabinets hovering overhead. They must have cut down an entire forest to make those stupid cabinets. But, alas, this tragic story is way too big to be contained within this little post). Anyway, the point is that navy would have to look good in here, too.

So, I’m not sold on the navy, but I’m definitely considering it. I have a lot of black furniture, and most people surveyed say that blue and black together looks bruised, but I’m thinking the right color of blue would be ok. Kind of like the color on this crazy rocking chair that doesn’t go anywhere in my house

:

And here are some navy rooms to help you further visualize the possibilities. I spotted several of them at Alicia B Designs, where she did this fantastic post on dark rooms… Worth a look.

This one is from Todd Alexander Romano Designs, and honestly, I’m not even sure if this color is navy. Or purple. Or charcoal. But it’s pretty, and my couch in the living room (visible from the kitchen and dining room) is the same color leather as those chairs.

These are from Domino, and I like the one on the right, but lefty is a little too blue for my purposes… I think?

Navy grasscloth from Drake Design Associates. That desk is Ohmigod gorgeous. Drool. Drool. Drool.

Somehow navy and zebra is a popular combination… I guess it’s slightly less obvious than red and zebra. Courtesy of Kristi Lei Interiors, this is a trifle froof and poof for my taste, but the paint color is nice.

I am a little worried that navy will feel stuffy and too… federal. We don’t have an eat in kitchen, so I’d like to keep my dining room fun and convivial. Not like these rooms:

It’s not that I don’t like these rooms from Markham Roberts and Tom Scheerer, but they’re just not for me.

I think if I do navy, I will definitely have to do some punchy accents, sort of like this vignette from Domino:

Ok, friends, I’m ready. What do you think? tell me what to do. Don’t be shy. Do your worst best. If I like you advice I might even take it…

It’s such a perfect day here in Austin — the sun is shining, birds are singing, and I should be outside planting fall trees, but no. Huh uh. I’m huddled in front of the computer screen, waiting for last night’s vodka to relax its greasy fingers and release my poor pounding head. The upside? My Obsessive Computer Disorder always reaches epic proportions in the fever pitch of my worst hangovers, and as a result, I found this on the Domino website:

Another Robert Longo sighting! All five of you who have been reading DC since the very beginning know I have a wee fixation with Art trend spotting, and months ago I wrote a post on the flurry of Longo prints that were cropping up in interiors. For the vast legions of our new readers, time to review:

Seriously — how apropos are these 80’s Longo lithographs of suicidal stockbrokers? Remind you of anything?

(Thanks to the lovely Raina at If The Lampshade Fits for this excellent montage)

But wait! There’s more! While some folks may be downsizing or downright panicking about market volatility as a financial harbinger of the end of days, others are comforted by the fact that art is always a sound investment… Right? Right???!

Architect Peter Marino’s clients certainly seem to think so, as the now ubiquitous Yves Klein table continues to make its rounds in the homes of the well heeled. A few months ago I chronicled the rise of the Klein blue table in tony interiors, like the home of design superstars Yabu and Pushelberg:

But if you’d like to review, check out the post here, where you’ll find such gems as this quote by designer David Netto: “You’re not living until you have an Yves Klein coffee table.” Newsflash — I’m dead! Well, that explains the tremendous headache and dizziness, now accompanied by nausea. Thanks!

Suddenly, though, I am struck by the thought that an Yves Klein coffee table might not be such a bad investment after all.

Just make sure you get the one stuffed with 24 karat gold flakes.

Dear Domino,

I’m probably not the first to say this, but it’s not you — it’s me. You know I love you, what with your frequently updated FREE shelter site and its endless galleries of “Quirky Kitchens” and “Inspiring Paint Palettes.” I check nearly every day to see what gratis goodies you may have for me, but lately I’ve been a little disappointed. No, not in Nick Olsen’s fab blog (he is a cheap bastard after my own heart), or in the Germinatrix‘ foliar delights. No, it’s YOU, Domino. Who do you think you are? Actually, who do you think I am? Do you think I have $1250 to spend on a 7″x9″ (not even a square foot!) painting featured in your “Affordable Art Gallery?” I see that you snuck the word “relatively” in front of the “affordable” part, but that don’t make this ok:

To add insult to injury, you blithely recommend displaying the whole grid to make a “striking statement.” WTF?! I see 50 pictures there, times $1250 each, equals $62,500. Sure those little cans are cute, but do you think my last name is Hilton or Trump or Cheney? Besides, if I had that much money, I’d probably spend it on an Andy Warhol print.

Then there’s the photography you’re featuring. Maybe you are aware that I am was a photographer, that I, in fact, used to teach photography (not that I’ll ever get hired for a job again after writing this letter).

I’d like to pretend that I might even know something about photography, but I am confused as to how this is “affordable” “art”? $4000 for a digital print of trees? $6000 for a monitor calibration pattern? $1200 for a 9″x12″ photo of a shirt? (Actually, Domino, that shirt kind of looks like my old work… let’s talk, ok?) So, maybe I am just another starving artist and maybe I’m just a little miffed that I can’t whip a 6k print out of my back pocket (hey there, it’s me again — I’d be super happy to print some $6000 test patterns right up for you. I’m nothing if not accommodating. Call me!), but is this honestly the best you have to show from the Unaffordable Art Fair?

A “collage of a French bulldog made out of French paper scraps. Just take a moment to process that.” Uh, no, not when you reduce it down to kindergarten terms, and though he is… cute, not for $6000. And I definitely do not have $5500 for “Bright Trees” (I could have a life sized Robert Longo lithograph for that price!). Do you think I am drinking the Suzani flavored kool-aid? To make matters so much worse, I know you could have shown better art from the Carrie Haddad Gallery, like some work from Jean-Marc Superville Sovak or Stevan Jennis. They even carry Laurent Millet, for Chrissake!

Let’s see: $700 for a 16″x20″ original toned Laurent FREAKING Millet print, or $5500 for “Bright Trees.” Hmm. Did I mention that I may be slightly biased towards photography?

Domino, all is not lost. There are a few gems to be found within your slim pickens:

At least I think this work is good. I just don’t happen to have $1300 for a 30″ square papercut, although I wish I did. Someone needs to pay Anna Howarth for actually working. And Anders Knutsson’s acrylic on linen painting of the tree is kind of amazing and not so much bright as wise and brooding, which I personally appreciate (plus I really like trees. A lot). $2500 is pretty expensive for those of us with modest real budgets, but at least he offers a $400 print. Maybe he can afford to do that since he sells through his own studio, and not some bloated gallery that takes a 50% cut of your hard earned money. Not that I’ve ever been shafted by a gallery or anything.

But do you know what’s really hard to swallow? It’s that we, your adoring readers, are yearning for great, affordable art now more than ever. Not to depress you, but have you been reading the news? The economy sucks and the dollar is worthless. I know that taste is subjective (and hey, I guess cost is relative, too), but would it kill you to throw in some awesome Etsy picks? (click for bigger picture)

1. Grand Array poster, $20. 2. Oh My Cavalier! print, $26. 3. Valerie Galloway hand colored print, $25. 4. Huldra Press painting $80 (sold! but others available). 5. Berkeley Illustration print, $15. 6. katnicolas photograph, $150. 7. Pam Glew original screenprint, $490 (reproductions available for $25), 8. Jerry Cargill, Selenium toned Silver print, $25.

You see? It can be done.

Sincerely,

A bitter and burned out fame whore who still loves you.

Remember Wall Street in the shining chrome-plated 80’s? Impeccably dressed stock brokers raked in millions through day trading while repeating the corporate mantra, “greed is good,” with zombiesque vacancy. And for the privileged few, living in a pressure cooker meant a penchant for Oliver Peoples glasses, Valentino suits, Crane’s calling cards, and glass walled apartments overlooking Central Park, much like Patrick Bateman, anithero of Bret Easton Ellis‘ brilliant satire of elegant 80’s excess, American Psycho.

(Ok, I need to get this off my chest: this is the part of the film where Christian Bale/Patrick Bateman talks about how much he likes Phil Collins, which almost (but not quite) ruined Christian Bale’s uber hotness for me because I REALLY HATE PHIL COLLINS. SUSSU SUCK ON THIS, PHIL.)

But I digress. Bateman’s tastefully minimal apartment swathed in white, beige and white — all the better to showcase the housekeeper’s skills as well as his ultra luxurious accoutrements — represents the apex of 80’s wealthy urban living. That and his life-sized Robert Longo lithographs.

Images courtesy of the artist at Artnet.

Much has already been made about the dark side of 80’s greed. There’s Patrick Bateman himself, a self-imagined psychotic killer, Less Than Zero’s protagonist who dies of cocaine overdose in a hyperfast society driven by glamor and wealth, and then there are Longo’s prints of corporate archetypes writhing against the confines of their high pressure lifestyles.

So what does it say about the state of our current society and economy that prints from Longo’s Men in the Cities series have recently made a comeback on the walls of today’s well-heeled homes?

Tom Scheerer, master of all things beige and white, used two original Longo prints as focal points in this extremely tasteful dining room. Snark aside, I actually love it, possibly because I have been reprogrammed to URGENTLY NEED light light walls by the recent blitz of white washed everything, or possibly because the macabre side of me might enjoy the choking feeling that would come from looking at that print while eating. Perhaps it would help with portion control.

Moving on to more Longo sightings:

Left image from Domino, spotted on M.A. Belle’s lovely blog, Right image from Interior Design.

That’s Gretchen, and she’s had a tough day. I think she is a popular choice because Gretchen’s a little less edgy than some of the more obviously distressed people, and her black dress and heels are classic and therefore still au courant. In other words, she’s pretty and I’d have her in my bedroom any day. Heh heh.

The latest sighting was over at Apartment Therapy, at least I think this is a Longo:

It sure looked better in its natural beige habitat, didn’t it? Way too much contrast here. Maybe there is a point to having white walls, you know, other than to highlight my lack of obsessive cleaning and all of the imperfections in my 40 year old walls, not to mention the lower than 20 foot high ceilings and complete nonexistence of decorative woodwork. Sigh.

The good news is that Longo’s prints are not completely unattainable. Well, the original 70″ tall lithographs are (unless you have 5-7k earmarked for artwork, in which case, why don’t you send some of that sweet sweet love my way, pretty please?), but the posters are quite affordable and while they’re substantially smaller, they still have graphic impact. Lithographs and reproductions are available through Bird Fine Art, as well as through Ebay.

If you care to send me a pair of prints, I think I’d like Larry and Ellen here:

So tortured and ironic. What do you think? Could you find a place in your home to do the Longo?

Did you know chevron (no, not the gas station) is the new zebra? Seriously, it’s everywhere. Exhibit A:

Walnut Wallpaper’s amazing collection of wall coverings includes this hand printed beauty by Paper Mills, which is even named Zebra, although clearly it’s a chevron pattern, right? I like this so much better than zebra (even though I do, of course, have the ubiquitous rug in my dining room) because it’s less safari and more classic. Plus I totally feel like I could paint or stencil this (a la Karly, the stencil queen) on a wall myself!

Exhibit B: When I saw this post on Decorno’s blog featuring House of Mann fabric in the grandest scale ever, I knew I was going to have to do some serious shopping research into this chevron business.

I already see myself lazing away in this canopy while DH fans me with palm fronds and feeds me grapes… I have a feeling he probably doesn’t share the same vision, but I may have to order some of that fabric for outdoor cushions anyway. House of Mann swears it’s mildew and UV resistant, and since hemp is a renewable resource, it might temporarily assuage some of the guilt borne by my rampant consumerist tendencies. Probably not, though.

Exhibit… whatever: Once I started looking in earnest, I found that chevrons come in a zillion color combinations, some resembling Missoni from its heyday in the seventies, and some even produced by Missoni today.

Clockwise from top left: Pillow by Twinkle Living at Design Public, Lulu DK chevron fabric, Missoni’s current offerings at Sak’s Fifth Avenue, and a crazy awesome hooked wool rug from the American Country Home Store. Yep.

Although I am digging some of the colorful options — especially that insane rug — I really like chevron  best when it pairs one light tone with one dark one, because simplicity is the chevron’s ace in the hole. Check out these amazing Madeline Weinrib Rugs. Don’t worry. They’re not expensive. They are ridiculously expensive, because Madeline Weinrib is an atelier, you see, and things made by an atelier (insert accent) cost a lot of money. Don’t ask me why.

(Photo on right courtesy of Domino)

God, I really want that rug, but I’m not a millionaire… crap, I’m not even a thousandaire, so I may have to do as adorable deal hunter Nick Olsen did and whitewash a flatweave rug (like a dhurrie, sisal or seagrass) and then paint some colored chevron stripes on it:

(Photo courtesy of Bellasugar)

Love the navy, white, and oregano green, paint palette… and do I spy a hint of my new favorite color in there? Dreamy!

My last issue of Domino also featured this super cool chevron patterned urn distributed by Zocalo:

Hooray for the foray into 3D surfaces! The chevron does a great job of defining volume and classic black and white always works because it’s graphic enough to be punchy, white still accommodating a range of decorating possibilities. This chevron has all the positive attributes of the beloved zebra print, but it just doesn’t feel like it’s trying so hard.