I wanted to share a wonderful art gallery opening I went to this past Friday evening.  I was invited by Steven Lowy, one of the principals of the new Wendt Gallery in the Fuller Building on 41 E 57th St.  It was the perfect space for exhibiting the interesting and beautiful modernist collection titled “Non Objective Or Not: Dialogues In Modernism”.  Some of the works included in the show:

Newspaper Collage by Seymour Fogel

Trois Profils by Xanti Schawinsky

Transforming Night by Irene Rice Pereira

If you get a chance, I encourage you to treat yourself and stop in for a look…remember, there is plenty of great shopping right in the neighborhood if you want to make it a day!

We just can’t get away from fashion (and who wants to?)!  As a recovering fashionista, I feel fashion helps us express who we are.  Living in New York, we are surrounded by inspiration!  Case in point: this weekend was the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show at the Metropolitan Pavillion.

I took my 13 year-old daughter in the hopes that it would pique her curiosity and inspire her creative soul.  Alas, she may have been too young to fully appreciate the “newness” in the old!  I, on the other hand, got lost in it!  I love collecting antique jewelry and vintage clothes.  I’ll always find something different and unique and of course…I love the hunt!

How fabulous are these LBDs (Little Black Dresses)?  I’d love to wear any one of them.

I thought the black and white dresses in the front were fabulous.  Perfect for when you want to stand out in a crowd!

2009 brought a lot of changes to Robin Baron Design…and for me personally.  We redesigned our website and began a more personal approach to marketing through blogging and social media.  It’s been an adventure learning all the new technologies, but it’s been fun and worth it!

They say that social media builds community…and I’ve certainly experienced that.  I have become part of a large group of people who share a passion for interior and lifestyle design.  An example is my Daily Design, an ode to all things fabulous, whether I find them on the web or in print.  I’ve been able to share my daily inspirations and connect with those who feel the same (or differently).

In 2010, my resolution list is quite short…to inspire and be inspired!  Thank you to everyone who tuned in to my blog and tweets.  It’s been a learning experience and I can’t wait to continue on in the New Year!

Getting your home ready for the holidays is both fun and stressful!  It’s critically important, though, as it sets the stage (and mood) for any gathering.  Here are five tips that work for me.

1. Stock up on extra dinner and salad plates. With more people at your home for the holidays, you probably don’t have enough plates for everyone.  Simple, white plates mix in beautifully with ones you already own.  A set of 12 plain white plates sell for less than $60 at Crate + Barrel.  Or if you love “the hunt” as much as I do, head down to the flea market or your favorite local antique shop to add vintage or antique plates to your table settings.

2. Seating is everything…there’s nothing worse than not having enough for everyone you’ve invited!  For Thanksgiving, I called A.J. Fritz (718-361-0499) who has been in Long Island City for decades.  I ordered 14 chairs for my dinner and now I’m always prepared!  At $41 per chair, you can’t beat the price or the lead time!  You can select from ultra-suede, velvet, or vinyl seating in many colors…you can even choose the frame colors.  They are the best buy in town!

3. Head to Michaels for everything you need to create wreaths, garlands, holiday cards, and decorative tables.  With beautiful paper, ribbon and a calligraphy pen, create place cards for your guests.  Go wild!  Michaels is the perfect place to get anything you need to put your stamp on the holidays.

4. Stop by your local fresh tree stand for free (sometimes they charge a small fee) pine trimmings…the scent really captures the season!  Feel free to be inspired!  Make homemade potpourri with cinnamon and cloves.  Trim and wire the pieces together to create an elegant centerpiece around giant pillar candles or use it to adorn your gift wrapping.  The possibilities are endless.

5. Buy a good mix of seasonal fruits and vegetables to spice up your holiday décor.  Artichokes, pomegranates, tangerines, and squash look rustic and add a seasonal burst of scent and color to any arrangement or tablescape.

Be inspired and have a joyful holiday!

Finally, a Michaels in New York City!  I could barley contain my excitement when this great craft supply store opened in Manhattan.  So this past Saturday, all by myself, I went and got lost in the creative world of crafts at the new 97th and Columbus Avenue store.

The fun for me is never knowing what I’ll be inspired by.  This time, I left with a great mix of papers, tapes, ribbons, and flowers that I’ll use to decorate my Thanksgiving tables and make some fabulous place cards for my 29 guests.  I know…29!

I have a lot of work to do, but it’s going to be fun!!!    Spending the holidays with family and friends is what it’s all about.  Do you do anything special or homemade for the holidays?

This year has been of one of self-reflection for most of us.  We’ve had to reevaluate our lifestyles and priorities.  I’ve also been rethinking many aspects of my life, including my business.  I’ve been saying for years that I want to make interior design available to all.   It’s especially important during these tough times…we all need to feel safe and good about our lives.  I took a look at my business, thought about my goals, and found a way to make my design services more accessible.

I felt that as we are all redefining our lives, Robin Baron Design can redefine luxury with our new services, Luxury à la Carte™.  It’s not about how much you spend…it’s about being good to yourself and loving where you live.

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What a beautiful day yesterday was!  My husband and I decided to go to the “Kiku in the Japanese Autumn Garden” exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden.  Wow!  The chrysanthemums were spectacular…floral sculptures in the tradition of ancient Kyoto landscape design.  Here are four different styles…all of which were breathtaking and unusual!

Shino-tsukuri, or “driving rain”, is grown in thirteen pots arranged in two rows with exactly 27 branches in each pot.  The three varieties of petals, each growing in a different direction, give a sense of falling rain.

Ozukuri, or “thousand bloom”, appears to be several plants when, in reality, all the blooms come from one single stem.  With over 200 blooms in each pot, each shoot is trained to grow completely straight.  It’s truly an art!

Ogiku, or “single-stem”, grow up to six feet tall with one, large bloom on the very top.  They are typically displayed in lavender, yellow, and white…colors that symbolize royalty in the Japanese court. [Not pictured]

Kengai, or “overhanging cliff”, features hundreds of tiny chrysanthemums designed to evoke the look of flowers growing on the side of a cliff/mountain.

Our visit was a lovely respite from city living.  It regenerated our spirits and our souls.  If you live in the NY area, take a trip up to these gorgeous gardens.  It’s inspirational.

Thank you for the overwhelming response on Ask Robin!  I thought I would share one of these questions with you—this one seems to come up a lot, so it will be the first I’m posting.  Hope you enjoy… and keep the questions coming!

Q: What can I do to make my window treatments feel more season appropriate?  I currently have roman shades in a sheer fabric on my windows.  Should I make another set in a heavier fabric for the fall/winter and change them with each season? (Continue Reading..)

Renters, rejoice!  Wallpaper is not just for homeowners.  Now you can make your rental feel like a home…

Here’s a fantastic alternative to paint…Tempaper, an adhesive-backed, temporary wallpaper!  For renters, or commitment phobes, these rolls of wallpaper are as easy to apply as they are to take off.  No glues, no residue…no major commitment.  Affordably priced, they even come in fabulous patterns and colors!

And like all wallpapers, it’s not just for walls…you can line a shelf or kitchen cabinets, dress up the inside of a closet, frame as artwork, or cover your ceiling (I dare you!).

Welcome to the official launch of my newly designed blog!  And this is just the tip of the iceberg…we’re launching our interactive website today, too!  Everyone here at Robin Baron Design has been working for months to get this right, insuring we showcase everything we have to offer.  Check out all of our new features here on our blog, as well as on our website.

I hope you’ll discover our expanded list of Design Services and updated Portfolio.  You can even get to know us all a little better by visiting the About tab and by watching the videos, including the one here on the blog.  Some things haven’t changed though… You can still ask me about anything design related on my Ask Robin page…so ask away, I’d love to help!

Over the past few months, I’ve truly seen the power of teamwork and the creative strength of talented minds.  I want to personally thank Gary Cohen of Speakery for the development (and oh, so much more!) of the new site and blog, as well as Steffi and Jodi of Steffi Design for laying out the design and a huge thank you to Valerie, my marketing coordinator, for all of her hard work, creativity and dedication.  It really does take a village!!!