'Feng Shui Away'

There are those that believe in karma, harmony, destiny and the spiritual world. While I am no fanatic, I do believe that certain elements contribute to our own sense of inward balance.

How many of us feel irritable when we come home to a messy bedroom, kitchen or living room? I, for one, cannot sit down to write in my home office knowing that my house is in disarray.

Feng-Shui is simply that.

The ancient Chinese practice, dating back 7,000 years ago, believes in the energy “chi” force of both the animated and inanimate world. And that by harvesting this energy through feng shui, we may directly contribute to our health, prosperity, success and love.

Now, it’s highly certain that you have heard about feng shui through decorating before, probably discussed using obscure terms (wait, in what compass direction is the bed supposed to face away from the door?). Feng shui, in my opinion, should not be so complicated. After all, the goal is to ensure our home is a place where positive energy can flow through.

The most basic feng shui principle:

This one is a no-brainer. Removing clutter is one of the most basic feng shui principles, and the first place to start.

The only items that should be exposed are those that you deem useful, sentimental and aesthetically pleasing. It is difficult to think, let alone live, littered with clothes/dirty plates/cans, etc., crowding your walls and floors. Sift through the rubbish and sort, store, recycle or throw it all out. Just last weekend I re-organized my walk-in closet and afterwards it felt like an enormous weight was lifted from my shoulders. The point is to clean on a regular basis and to make sure that not only is your lighting adequate, but that your windows are not left dirty.

You will need to make sure that nothing blocks doors and windows, being that energy from the outside flows into the home from these openings. Hanging crystals, for example, is a popular feng shui method to hold energy in one place. Mirrors facing windows and entrances deflect negativity outside. Foyers and entrance ways, similarly, must be kept open and free of clutter.

Whether you decide to position your furniture at an obtuse angle or hang a mirror inside your hallway, begin first by removing clutter. Finding a sense of renewal in your home through feng shui doesn’t have to be difficult.

-S. Gonzalez

*Luxuryinteriordesignroom.blogspot.com and bedzine.com

'Hats Off to Eugenia Kim'

Eugenia Kim and her collection of hats

Just when you thought that women’s hats were dépassé, along came Eugenia Kim.

Today, the milliner is the focus of Stylecaster video series titled “Stay Extroardinary,” which takes a look into the success story of the designer who put hats on the fashion radar.

Kim, 35, designs quirky hats in a variety of trendy styles, available in retail stores such as Barney’s New York, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales. Earlier this year, Kim partnered with Target to launch an affordable collection of hats inspired by ‘Old Cuba’ from the forties and fifties. Her fedoras and cloche hats have been spotted on all kinds of celebrities, from Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears, to Paris Hilton and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Eugenia Kim SS10 Collection

Before all she "thought about and dreamt about were hats," Parsons School of Design alum Kim started out as an assistant at Allure magazine. Later fired from Allure and a victim of a bad haircut, Kim took decided to shave all her hair off. (Kim now credits the shaved head as her brand logo.) The designer took refuge underneath a feathery hat of her own creation.

Pretty soon, Kim had hat orders trilling in from New York based boutique Bond 07 after the store owner spotted her shopping in Soho, and after Barney’s New York viewed the hats in the Bond 07 shop window and wanted its own.

This was the start of the building of an empire.

Kim as seen on Stylecaster

An ‘East Village’ girl at heart, Kim reaches out to customers who have a bit of that downtown flare. Kim admits that she never ventures north of 14th Street in New York, with the exception of shopping trips to Barneys. Her hats reflect her hip personality, cleverly embellished with bows, prints and funky add-ons.

The designer admitted to New York Daily that she didn’t always dream of being a designer. Born into a family of doctors, Kim first studied medicine at Dartmouth. “Then I broke my back and was in the month for a hospital,” she said. “I thought, ‘This is so depressing, I don’t want to be a doctor.’”

Hats off to Kim for becoming a designer instead. Otherwise, what would I wear on my head?

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of nydailynews.com; stylecaster.com

'Back to School'

Sharpen those no. 2 pencils and get your notebooks labeled and in order, it’s time for back to school shopping.

The teachers have already sent their supply lists and your college bound kid has his room assignment already picked out. Looks like it’s time you went shopping. And since the early bird always gets his worm, enjoy free shipping on orders more than $50 at Décor Innovation.

Star blackout curtains in a boy's bedroom

Plenty of bed rest (and healthy eating) ensures that your child will be at his peak performance in school. Blackout curtains in a wide range of styles, colors and prints will greatly reduce outside noise and block unwanted light from streaming in. That means no interruptions – especially crucial for the younger students that have an early bedtime compared to everyone else.These star blackout curtains work well in both girl and boy bed and playrooms, available in colors like beige, black and navy.

Dorm rooms are about as synonymous with comfort and style as a shoe box. This same rule often applies to off-campus housing options for students as well. When was that frat house last renovated? Let’s be honest, not every cash-strapped student can afford the luxury apartment complete with amenities.

Striped pillow instantly brightens up a bland space

Decorating must start with basic accessories, beginning with the simplest pillow. For $19.99 (a set of 2), transform your college space with polka-dots, stripes, floral motifs, or mosaic prints. A pair of modern stripe pillows will brighten up your college boy’s room, or opt for feminine sophistication in a gray, black and white flower print pillow for the college girl in your family.

Mink Faux Fur throw against a leather chair

For late night studying, consider buying a warm throw to keep your child warm, comfy and focused. Faux fur throws in a solid short hair mink or Persian lamb transition from the couch to the desk chair. The micro-plush lining of the throws is incredibly soft – so comforting that I typically carry my lynx throw with me as I tend to be sensitive to the cold during the fall and winter months.

Procrastination will get you nowhere. Shop now, enjoy free shipping and be ready when it’s time to hit the books.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of decorinnovation.com

'Selby in the House'

Todd Selby in his East Village studio

Most people would hesitate opening their doors to a stranger who wants to photograph their apartment. Not when that stranger is Todd Selby.

The blogger/photographer recently has been gaining popularity in the home décor blog circuit, capturing the essence of his subjects in their private homes on theselby.com. Only for those spaces deemed “cool,” Selby will photograph any one from fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and model Helena Christinensen to an unbeknownst Los Angeles filmmaker and Brooklyn artist.

The space must be: lived in, interesting and original. But not because an interior designer has made it so. As for the subject? The subject must be interesting too, Selby tells The New York Times.

At the bottom of each profile of images will be a hand-scribbled interview, where Selby poses questions like: “Who are your style icons? Could you draw your favorite object in your office? What do you like about New York City?”

The answers are random and offbeat, in keeping with Selby’s persona.

Selby in his own shop window at Colette in Paris

A tour through his East Village studio/office is as telling as those featured on his blog. The studio/office is an eclectic mix of colorful doodads and remnants from past freelance projects. (The photographer has recently shot ad campaigns for Nike and Jack Purcell, in addition to special projects with Louis Vuitton and The New York Times T Magazine.) Mounted against his wall is a tye-dye T-shirt, magazine cutouts and drawings. There are stickers of an alien and peace symbol on his desk drawers and a rug in the shape of a cartoon-like lion lies on the floor.

Selby wearing purple pants and a cat t-shirt

His unkempt, raw interpretation of home décor might very well revolutionize our pre-conceptions about what interior decorating is all about. Nowadays, interior decorating places less importance on ‘cookie-cutter’ setups, but on arranging a home in such a way that color, texture and personality shine through. Usually there is no clutter, no mess generated from the day-to-day. But to Selby and a lot of his subjects, clutter is real. And realness is what a home is all about.

Take a look at theselby.com blog and then ask yourself: “Would you let Selby into your house?”

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of The New York Times, nuninuna.com; fashionindie.com