I considered not attending signing party for Susanna Salk's new book Weekend Retreats at David Duncan Antiques Thursday night because I was still feeling a little under the weather but I'm glad I went because it was a great event that brought out the big guns of the design world. Interior designer Harry Heissmann (above) was excited to get his copy signed as were Charlotte Moss, Christopher Spitzmiller, and even Gloria Vanderbilt! Michael Bruno was also on hand to toast Susanna who regularly contributes to his 1stdibs website.

Former Domino editor Chase Booth not only made it to the party but also into the book! The weekend retreat his shares with his architect partner Gray Davis in the Berkshires has white washed walls and dark floors that are the perfect backdrop to an ever changing mix of furniture and vintage finds as seen in the photo below. Chase was the doorman at the Domino tag sale this weekend and it was fun dishing about what a crazy day it turned out to be, especially after the police showed up! There have been discussions of another tag sale to benefit a charity and I will definitely keep you posted as when that happens!

Many of the twenty five homes in Weekend Retreats also look like they have owners who love a good tag sale but the best part is that they are all unique and interesting and most of all, deeply personal. There is something for everyone from traditional and country to minimal and modern all of which look like a great place to get away from it all, including Susanna's lake house that was also featured in Connecticut Cottages & Gardens last summer. I think I'm going to have to find my own retreat soon! Bon Weekend!

I regularly stalk, I mean check out, Nate Berkus's website hoping for new photos of his work and this morning I was rewarded with not only photos but I little back story. Seems everyone is on a budget these days including his clients, one of whom asked Nate and his team to outfit "two properties with beautiful, timeless, and affordable finds." He also thinks that although these type of projects are a challenge, they push him to be more creative and I agree. It's easy to go out and decorate if you have an unlimited budget but it takes a little more work and thought to find things that look more expensive than they really are and it helps to start with "furniture with clean lines and classic fabrics."

Nate says, "we found some great deals in our favorite catalogs and ordered up one-of-each from my line at hsn.com. A layer of paint added warmth. A few trips to our favorite antique stores and flea markets for objects and accessories added just the right personality to the each space. The end result was amazing!" And I have to agree! If that's not enough Nate for you, you can watch him give a tour of his Chicago apartment at People.com. I just have to say that it's a good thing that Nate lives in Chicago because I might really start stalking him! Just kidding...sort of!

Photos from Nate Berkus

Kimberly Ayres could have been another casualty of the demise of Domino magazine but since the photos of her home and office were taken by my friend Eric Cahan, I get to introduce you to this Designer to Watch for 2009 instead! Kimberly, like many designers, started out renovating and decorating her own houses while she was practicing law as a way to relax. Luckily for the design world, law was not her calling and as she told me, "friends began to ask for decorating advice and I realized I might have a chance to do something I loved and I couldn't be happier with my career switch!"

"After completing studies at International Fine Arts in Miami and at UCLA in Los Angeles, Kimberly jumped head first into an apprenticeship with internationally renowned designer Kelly Wearstler, and continued her development with designer Michael Lee in Malibu. In 2000, Kimberly launched Kimberly Ayres Interior Design in Los Angeles where she quickly established a notable clientele and reputation for deftly mixing eras and cultures. In 2006, she opened her much admired Kimberly Ayres Home furnishings and accessories store in San Francisco."

In the breakfast room, the parterre and curtain fabric is from Raoul Textiles in Santa Barbara. The table is vintage from Blackman Cruz. The chairs are vintage from Kimberly's friend and boutique owner Gabriella Sarlo. The chandelier is vintage. "For parties, we clear out the chairs and this table becomes the bar," says Kimberly.

The room above is the dining room in Kimberly's apartment. Her description cracks me up! "This apartment was loaded with mirrored walls when I found it. Really scary on a bad hair day. Most were removed, but I kept this one. The artwork is a collage created by Lulu de Kwiatkowski from an Eric Cahan photograph. My all-time favorite ebay purchase is the blue pigskin/suede sideboard. The parson's table and the chairs are vintage. The chandelier is Moth Design from my store."

In Kimberly's bedroom, the bed is from Oly and the lamp is from Christopher Spitzmiller. The wallpaper is the Montague print from Twenty2. The curtain fabric is from Nina Campbell and the table is the Bungalow 5 Jacqui Side Table from Eboniste. The painting is vintage.

A beautiful bedroom vignette close up.

In the guest room, the headboard is custom and the pillow fabric is Christopher Farr - Cloth. Kimberly says, "I love this quilt. It's designed and made by hand by my friend, Michael Pechenski." Moroccan lantern is an ebay find. I think the best thing about Kimberly's apartment is all the new sources and vendors that she has introduced to us all!

Kimberly's desk in her office is by Jonathan Adler but the cabinets and chair are vintage. The wallpaper is grasscloth from Twenty2 and looks like a great alternative to Phillip Jeffries, my usual source. "The french plaster sconce is by Moth Design, one of the lines we sell in the showroom," says Kimberly.

I posted this photo once before and it received a very positive response and now I can tell you that the vintage desk, lacquered in Farrow and Ball Dix Blue, is where Kimberly's lucky assistant, Angel Tasso, sits. The wallpaper is grasscloth in Neptune from Twenty2 while the lamp and chandelier are Moth Design in silver leaf finish. The chair is vintage and the drawing was found at Blackman Cruz.

"This room is in my office in San Francisco. The building is a tiny 1890's cottage in the Design District, serving as both my design studio and a showroom for the furnishings I sell. We carry new lines of lighting, accessories, wallpaper and fabric, as well as all sorts of vintage furnishings."

I think we can all agree that interior designer Kimberly Ayres made a great career switch and the design world had better look out! She's definitely one to watch and I can't wait to see what she does next!

Photos by Eric Cahan

Williams Sonoma at Home

I was leafing through the March 2008 issue of House Beautiful when I saw a photo of chairs on a stair landing that reminded me of the new Williams-Sonoma Home store in New York. When I looked closer, one of the names of the designers, David DeMattei, sounded familiar. Then I realized that he is the group president for Williams-Sonoma and I actually met him at the opening party last fall. The home has a Williams-Sonoma feeling but is not a literal translation of the store. I'm swamped with work so for more information, you can check out the details at House Beautiful online. Bon Weekend!

Photos by Jose Picayo