CLEAN LINES & SIMPLE DESIGN

As this first month of 2014 races by...I am thinking about ways that I might streamline the interior decor in my tiny little cottage in the Hollywood Hills (to see my house click here). My home is pretty neutral in tone...I have lots of texture and pattern going on. While I probably wouldn't remove all of the different prints (very COCOCOZY Collection to layer patterns)...might I consider going the clean line, simple design route. I love my home...but something to consider. Just spent last night shredding documents from 2005! Oy vey. Have to organize today.

Anyhooo... I love this all black and white home from Anna Leena's Home blog. The cleanest of clean lines and a monochromatic design scheme. No frills, no fuss. Refreshing. Leaves room to think.

What do you think of this super super minimalistic design and decor?

Happy Monday! Happy Martin Luther King Day!

xo
Coco

P.S. Taking a moment today of course to reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King and all of the amazing things he did for our country. People like him, who have a vision about making things better for everyone, are truly truly inspiring. Happy b-day MLK!

Photos: Anna Leena's Home

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AN black and white, concrete counter, countertops, decor, kitchen, living room, minimal, minimalism, stairs, white sofa

WEEKEND PHOTO - BLUE STAIRS

Fantastic sleek modern blue stairs.  I like.  A touch of playfulness added to the decor in this apartment.  Love these stairs.  Would consider doing something a little daring with stairs if I had a two story home. Would you?

Happy Saturday!

xo
Coco

Photo: Henrik Bonnevier

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AN blue, railing, staircase, stairs, turquoise

THIS OR THAT - FOYER DESIGN

What do you think?  Which of these entry halls do you like best...simple "less is more decor" foyer above...or the decked out designed foyer below.

Which would you want to come home to every day?

I love the wide plank wood floors, the pale blue front door and the paneled walls in the first photo.

I also really like the black penny round tile floors, sisal stair case runner, the black framed art and mirrors and the great Madeline Weinrib rug in the photo below.

Hmmm...thinking.

So...which do you prefer...I have my pick...once you weigh in I'll let you know what I think tomorrow.

Comment below please!

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

Photos: Alex James Photography; House & Home

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AN entrance, entry hall, foyer, front door, stairs, THIS OR THAT

COCOCOZY EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE BEAUTIFUL PREVIEW OF DESIGNER TOBI TOBIN'S HOLLYWOOD HILLS HOME!

Am obsessed with sisal, sea grass, grass cloth and more lately.  It could be a phase I am going through.

Imagine my delight when SA who does publicity for House Beautiful sent me these photos of  the Hollywood Hills home belonging to interior designer Tobi Tobin.

These photos are from House Beautiful's May 2013 issue hitting stands on April 23rd.

I love the sisal rugs on floors throughout, grass cloth wallpaper in the foyer, the sea grass runner with black trim on the stairs.   Natural woven fibers...I like this look..especially as we approach summer.

Foyer with glossy black front door. (above)

Sisal runner with black trim on the stairs. (above)

Rustic modern dining room with natural fiber sea grass rug, Parsons chairs, capiz shell chandelier and a reclaimed wood dining table make for a nice place to dine and entertain (above)

A sparkling chandelier, white counters and glossy black kitchen cabinets! (above)

An outdoor living room and fireplace surrounded by trees - the woven furniture and gray pillows blend will with the garden setting. (above)

What do you think of this Hollywood Hills home?  Do you like the use of natural fibers?

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Fab weekend in San Francisco.  TE took this photo below on one of our long walks with his so nice sister -in-law SE and brother ME.  San Francisco is gorgeous!  Ate at some fantastic restaurants and shopped around town.  A nice weekend getaway.

TE took this beautiful photo as we were walking near the water in San Fran this weekend.(above)

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AN black front door, COCOCOZY EXCLUSIVE, decor, dining room, foyer, grass cloth wallpaper, Hollywood Hills, home, house, interior designer, natural fiber, rug, runner, rustic, sea grass, sisal rug, staircase, stairs

STRIKING BLACK & WHITE DESIGN!

A striking glass staircase with black railing trim makes a bold modern statement in this New York apartment! (above)

Ooooh.  Black and white in interior design.  Not a new concept at all but one that I like.

I like these three spaces because not only is the decor on theme...but the architecture of the rooms embraces the black and white theme!

Color blocked hall -  long grand hallway complete with arches and columns and tall striking baseboards painted black! (above)

Fashion mogul Vera Wang's Los Angeles home - dining room in black and white! (above)

Do you like any of these spaces?  Does this color scheme work for you?  Too modern or just right?

Happy Thursday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Went to a party for Westweek the other night at uber interior designer Michael Smith's design showroom - Jasper.  Very nice party.  Ran into Michael's partner JC who had their cute labradoodle whose name is Jasper!  Before I knew it, Jasper had hopped onto a very posh sofa in the middle of the showroom and was posing for photos for me.  I only had my iPhone so I got just a few photos and missed the good ones with Michael, Jasper and Architectural Digest head Margaret Russell all posing for the official photographer who started taking photos too!

Interior designer Michael Smith's labradoodle named Jasper at a party at the showroom named after him! (above)

P.P.S. Also ran into so sweet Traditional Home editor Krissa Rossbund at the party too. She introduced me to her friend AD who seems so nice. Was a treat because I got to hang out with friend and chic interior designer Alison Blumenfeld too for a bit. CM who runs all things operations at COCOCOZY was there with JJ - it was nice hanging out with them too. Everyone had heels on but I was too lazy to change out of my low boots...so I looked quite under dressed. Note to self: always make the effort to dress and put on heels? Right? Wrong? Hmmm???

P.P.P.S. Best of friend AM is in Zurich, Switzerland this week. She just sent me a bunch of lovely photos including this one. Lucky her!

Best of friend AM is in Zurich and sent me this photo this morning! (above)

P.P.P.P.S.  Am off to a shoot for a show in Griffith Park this morning for my real job.  We were warned on the call sheet to wear boots because of all of the poison ivy on the trails there.  Fun day!


Photos: Elle Decor; Veranda; Harper's Bazaar; Coco of COCOCOZY; Best of Friend AM

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AN architecture, baseboards, black and white, chrome, decor, dining room, dog, gallery wall, hall, hallway, interior design, labradoodle, living room, modern, pictures, stairs, switzerland, zurich

WEEKEND PHOTO: THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND A LANDSCAPE DILEMMA!

Photo in this post by Coco of Nbaynadamas

My "front yard"! (above)

As most of you know, I live in a tiny tiny tiny cottage in the Hollywood Hills. My house is located on a small trail nestled among the trees on its own little knoll.

This is the front of my house.

Out front, there's a lovely little colorful Japanese maple that my gardener recommended, some fuchsia and white impatiens and 25 winding flagstone steps that lead up to my 1940's house (mini house actually). Oh did I mention the oodles and oodles of ivy out front...including two slightly bizarre ivy covered trellises (I did not put those there...the previous owner did).  I chuckle when I look at those trellises sometimes as I walk up the stairs after a long day at work...they just look so strange....like ivy monsters or something...serving no purpose really...but I haven't gotten rid of them even after almost 8 years of owning this house! :-)

I have a small "outdoor decor" dilemma today...landscaping issues...

My little Japanese maple out in front of my house looks so wonderful right now...bright and vibrant...full of those fabulous deep purple leaves. I love it when leaves come back. I am thinking though of changing this Japanese maple out for an evergreen miniature tree like a little kumquat or something.  Reason...for about 1/2 of the year my little maple has no leaves...and it is little depressing to come home to a scrawny little tree that really just looks like a bunch of twigs. I don't know what to do here. I LOVE the way this cutie looks in spring and summer...but I nearly loathe the way it looks in the winter...

Do I keep the maple tree or do I dig it up and find a little evergreen tree?  What do you think dear readers? Take or leave the maple...?

Am off to the Pasadena Rose Bowl flea market this morning!  Wish me some good vintage hunting!

Happy Sunday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Do you have any part of your yard that you are particularly proud of?  If so, please send me photos and maybe I'll post!  Nbaynadamas@gmail.com

P.P.S. I know, I really should be addressing those two heaps of ivy on the slope behind the tree...but that is for another landscape dilemma Sunday!

P.P.P.S. Follow me on Nbaynadamas Twitter because throughout the morning I will tweet finds from the Rose Bowl Flea Market...from around 9:30am-11:00amPST.

Photo in this post by Coco of Nbaynadamas

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AN cottage, flagstone, flagstone steps, flowers, Hollywood Hills, impatiens, landscape, landscaping, plants, stairs, steps, tree, yard

WEEKEND PHOTO!

Great hall...great curved doorway...great white stairs with black runner...great log ceiling...great white washed walls! Maybe this is some place in Morocco? I can only imagine what the rest of the space must look like...probably fresh, serene, rich in textures but uncluttered in silhouettes...I can only imagine!

Wonderful stairs = endless possibilities.

Went to Soho House here in L.A. last night with JD. Hadn't been to the Los Angeles version yet. Have spent lots of time at the New York Soho House and been to the London one once ... but this was my first time at L.A. (or should I say West Hollywood). Was toying with applying to be a member but then dug my heels in and thought not. Well my mind might have been changed last night. The decor by Waldo Fernandez is just amazing. The panoramic city views are stunning. Check out my twitter to see the photo of the view from the roof at night. Oh yes, the quinoa salad is DELICIOUS and the photo booth is fun too (I pretty much made us do a photo shoot until we got the right shot to put on the wall). All that said...rethinking and may have to join after all! Thanks to JD for the fun eve!

Anyhooo....already have taken the dog on a walk this morning through the hills and now I'm off...into 105 degree weather (wish me luck)!

Happy happy Sunday!

xo
Coco

Photo: Roger Davies

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AN architecture, Nbaynadamas, staircase, stairs, WEEKEND PHOTO

COLOR WATCH: STAIRS WITH FLAIR - SPIRALING OUT WITH HOT PINK!

A minimalist kitchen/dining area with white Panton swoosh chairs, a Saarinen tulip table a leather love seat and a hot pink spiral staircase!(above)

Need I say more. Don't know if I could live with it but I love this bright pink spiral staircase. Way to make a design statement...keep everything else simple and then infuse powerful saturated color in one part of a room! Great stairs!

What do you think?

Happy Tuesday!

xo

Photo: Bruno Suet

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AN COLOR WATCH, Nbaynadamas, pink, staircase, stairs