DESIGNING A COLORFUL SUMMER STONE FRUIT SALAD IN 5 MINUTES!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

A design non sequitur this Sunday. I put the word design in the title so I could feel like I was staying "on brand" and bringing you only design and style posts. But for those of you who think that an off brand post is just fine then don't read this admission that I purposefully went off brand this Sunday morning...please just enjoy the story. For those of you who are decor purists, I know this is not a focused decor post, but I hope you in enjoy nonetheless...(sorry?!??!...tee hee)!

So was at one of my favorite food places the other day...Joan's on Third. For years, Joan's has catered many a party for me and my sis (note to self...need to have a party in September and have Joan's come up with some food) and is a great place for a gourmet bite to eat. I love it there. The food is delicious and the ambiance is wonderful...kind of a gourmet food marketplace really.

The other day, I was at Joan's picking up some food and I saw a wonderful summer fruit salad in the case...I ordered a side...when I got home I tasted it and all that came to mind was how fresh and sweet the salad was. The second thing that came to mind was how simple it looked to make.

Yesterday, I went to Whole Foods (oh have you guys seen that hilarious online spoof music video about the Whole Foods called Whole Food Parking Lot? It is so true about the Whole Foods experience here in Los Angeles!) and bought what I thought I might need to duplicate the Joan's on Third fruit salad. It was pretty simple...

Ingredients -
Pluots
Nectarines
White Nectarines
Blueberries

I noticed that there was nothing delicate about the way the fruit was cut up in the Joan's salad and it really was just about large chunky rustic pieces of fruit ... all stone fruit except the blueberries...cut up and mixed together.

I got home from the market and immediately began chopping...the whole thing took me about 5 minutes to wash the fruit and slice it into large pieces, throw it into a bowl and toss. The only thing I might add next time is a bit of mint...but in 5 minutes or less I had a wonderful summer stone fruit salad!

Started out by washing all of the fruit and tossing the blueberries into a medium bowl - 1 minute (above)

Cut the pluots first wth their beautiful succulent red flesh and I used 3 or 4 of them - 1 minute. (above)

Then it was onto chopping up oh maybe 4 nectarines both regular and white - 2 minutes (above and below)

Then I gave the fruit salad a good toss, stared at it a bit, and plucked out a pluot piece to taste and then was good to go - less than 1 minute. (above)

There..a quick summer stone fruit salad designed...and nibbled at ever since. The salad was so pretty that I thought it could be a great addition to summer brunch array or refreshing after dinner palette cleanser. Love this.

What is your favorite quick summer salad recipe?

Happy Sunday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Went to a fabulous dinner last night at the Petit Ermitage here in Los Angeles.  It is a quirky hotel secreted away on a small street in West Hollywood.  The roof  top private club is amazing...pool, dining, fire pit and lounge area - all with fantastic views of the city...spectacular!  Thank you KD for inviting us!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

COCOCOZY AUDIO POST!

My first audio post experiment! Oh boy. Take a listen! Nothing ground breaking here at all...but hopefully I'll get the editing down to actually make these interesting to you.

This one is an audio post and it is just me saying hi to you for the first time. I was so clueless about editing that I just put up a bunch of pictures you have probably seen. I wanted to change them out but then I got scared that I would lose all of the audio. Oy va voy.

If you have patience with me and these audio posts...I plan to make them far more exciting and interesting (I hope). In the future I will be sharing gorgeous images and giving you my thoughts on design, style, fashion and much more (including a little more about me!). I'll answer any questions you all email me or if you have a design dilemma send me a photo and I'll talk about it and show it to everyone on my YouTube channel.

My voice sounds really weird and scratchy and I sound very serious in this one. Trust me I am not a serious weird voice girl...I just play one on my YouTube channel...LOL! I will admit though to the scratchy voice part...people have said I have a "raspy" voice (a guy I used to work with called me "Raspy" for an entire year).

You might ask (wisely) "Coco, why would you put up an audio post with old pictures and you sounding serious, weird and raspy"? My response would be, "It took me almost 2 hours to figure out how to even record a 2 minute interlude and then add in some basic photos...truthfully, I didn't have the energy to do it all again" (= lazy). So much for the motto of "putting your best foot forward"...I just put my best weird raspy serious voice and old photos foot forward! Yoohoo! That's the way I roll.

Happy Saturday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Look forward to hearing from you!

SEE THIS HOUSE: HOW TO LIVE LARGE IN UNDER 600 SQUARE FEET!

I like this little space in Spain. A small little 1 bedroom apartment that is 570 square feet at most...but made to feel open and airy...light and bright.

Here are 5 things you can do to make your small space feel big:

1. Light colored furniture and accessories - the white sofa, lacquered white would pieces and light color rugs, help make the space feel bigger than it is.

2. Clear things - Go clear. If in a small space, strategically pick a few furniture items to go clear. Lucite or glass pieces mean an unobstructed view of a small space.  See the coffee table in this living room (above) but there are a million lucite or glass pieces like chairs, dining tables, side tables and more in the marketplace today.

3. Sheer window coverings and large windows - The more light you let into your small space the better...bring the outdoors in by using shades that let a bit of natural light shine through.

4. Use interior sliding, pocket or barn doors - Don't let a regular door take up space.  When you can trade out a regular door for a sliding door.  This means they'll be less square footage taken up for the door to open and close and more footage for furniture and open spaces.

5. White walls with a feature wall here or there - Not ground breaking but true...light walls make a small space feel larger.  So paint all walls white (and I like bright white...not off white or beige) and then take one small wall in a bedroom (as seen below) or living space and use wallpaper or paint to add a burst of  color or texture to a room.

In this small apartment, an open living plan was used for the kitchen, dining and living area.  Normally I'm not a fan of open living rooms but this one definitely works.

What do you think of this small apartment?  Could you live in the space?  What tricks do you have for making a small room in your house just feel a tiny bit bigger?  Do share!  I love reading your comments.

Happy Friday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Please go to COCOCOZY Twitter to see some new colorways I am adding to the COCOCOZY textiles collection for the New York Gift Fair in about two weeks.  Am also adding cotton pillows!!!

Photo: Mi Casa Revista

TILE FILE: MOSAIC MADNESS!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

Okay...so I love a good mosaic marble tile in black, gray and white. Love.   Here are just a few beauties on the bolder side that I spotted at Ann Sacks a few weeks ago. Pure eye candy to me.

If I had my druthers and I would tile everything in the home with marble mosaics...floors, walls, ceilings, furntiure, sofas (can one tile a cushion?), accessories, lighting...anything I could get my hands on...I would tile it all...no surface would be safe!!!! Let's do it. Yes! Go tile. Go mosaic tile. Go. Go. Go. Mosaic Madness indeed (forget March Madness that guys are obsessed with...I vote that we have a Mosaic Madness month...woot woot...!! Who do I talk to about getting this on the U.S. calendar?)!

Okay...deep breath...have calmed myself. In reality, I do know that too much of anything can be a bad thing even with gorgeous mosaics. The bottom line is...I may not tile EVERYTHING but I would definitely strategically use these stunning marble mosaics to add wonderful visual texture to a space. They run between $250-400 a square foot. That being said...I clearly would not be tiling everything.

Which of these do you like?  Any...?  I think I like the second one best.  I would use on a bathroom floor.  Oh if only...

Happy Thursday!

xo
Coco


All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

ROOM TO LOVE!

Cute dining room...right?

I like it...very delicate. The soft blue, the airy crystal chandelier, the precise periwinkle blue carved wood geometric relief style mantel, the round white Saarinen table with simple traditional wood side chairs, the refined detail in the crown molding and the white painted wood floors - all say delicate to me.  Not frou frou, not overly girly...just decorated with a light touch. Even the flowers are delicate.

Did I say I like it? I meant I love it!  Please excuse.

Very sweet feminine dining room. Wonder if my guy friends would like it though? :-)

Do you like, love, don't care or dislike strongly? Thoughts please.

Happy Tuesday again!

xo
Coco

P.S. Your comments on the post from yesterday featuring the $30 million dollar NYC apartment with the fish chandeliers made me laugh...especially the one comment that said "I don't get rich people". Hee hee.

Photo: Pale & Interesting

CHEAP TO CHIC: BLOCK IT OUT - MEDALLION PRINT PILLOWS!

Jonathan Adler - Bobo Medallion Pillow - $90 (20"x20" block print 100%  cotton flax pillow. Feather down insert. Made in India.)(above) 

All made in India. All block printed. All with some sort of medallion and shades of blue. All across the price spectrum.

Finding I haven't done that much on textiles since launching my own pillows in the COCOCOZY collection earlier this year (totally self involved with my own fabrics and creations...LOL!...don't worry, ego mania is in check...me...me me me me...me...I...I...me...me....maybe need a little more of a check it seems!).

Well now it is about time to look at the larger marketplace of other people's pillows to see what else there is to love.

I'm really loving all of these block print medallion pillows. They are so versatile. The medallions are intricate and detail yet bold and graphic (I love bold and graphic).

So in today's CHEAP TO CHIC I bring you block print medallion pillows in blue!

West Elm - Hand Block Leaf Pillow - $19 (18" square cover only. Insert sold separately.  100% cotton. Made in India.)(above)

John Robshaw - Mindinao Pillow - $115 (20"x20" pillow cover only. 50/50 cotton linen blend.  Insert sold separately. Made in India.)(above)

Madeline Weinrib - Blue Stella Pillow - $550 (24"x24". Insert included.  100% cotton. Made in India. ) (above)

Which is your favorite? I'm having a hard time choosing. I love the one by my design crush Jonathan Adler...but am also loving the Robshaw and the Weinrib versions too. What do you like best?

Happy Tuesday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Email me at cococozy@gmail.com if you know of any similar block print pillows and maybe I'll include!

SEE THIS HOUSE: SWIMMING IN A $30 MILLION PARK AVENUE PAD!

So, was perusing real estate listings (for no apparent reason) and came across this $30 million dollar home for sale. $30 million! Not 1, or 2, or 3 or 4 but 30.

What could be worthy of a $30 million dollar price tag? An apartment with a prime address in New York City...Park Avenue at 72nd street - in the sweet spot of the posh upper east side of the city perhaps?

This real estate listing is in a prewar building designed by renowned residential architect Rosario Candela (Candela also designed the building a few doors down on Park Ave. that housed a huge 20,000 square foot apartment once belonging to J.D. Rockfeller Jr.). Listed by Sotheby's International Realty, this coop apartment boasts 5 bedrooms and 5.5 baths.

Most distinguishing feature based on these photos though seems to be all of the crystal fish chandeliers hanging throughout the living room...swimming above the living room.  Huh?  Interesting.  Such a bizarre choice of lighting done with such boldness (not one fish chandelier in the living room but a total of 5 fish chandeliers it seems)...fishy indeed.  Oh also all of the lavender and purple throughout the apartment is another interesting choice.  Well crystal fish lighting and lavender color scheme aside, I am loving the to-die-for herringbone wood floors throughout this grand space.

Have included a photo of the floor plan too just for fun...notice the tiny tiny tiny staff quarters right off the kitchen..the staff room is smaller than the master bedroom closet!

If I were given this apartment...by whom I do not know...but if it were given to me (in my dreams), I would certainly take it.  I would take down the fish in the living room, change out the purple and add in some fantastic lighting, fab furniture and maybe even a rug or two here and there.  I would take it...if someone offered it to me.  I would.

Would you take this space or leave it?  How might you change it up to suit you?  Would you keep the fishy chandeliers or would you set them free (in an ocean maybe...LOL)?   Please advise dear readers.

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Hope you had a fantastic weekend!

Photo: Sotheby's International Realty

BYE BYE WHITE - HELLO DARK KITCHEN CABINETS!

If you read this blog, you know me...I love a bright white kitchen.  Love.  Lust.  Have.  Want another.  Would do every kitchen in all white...or white with a pop of color somewhere.  White white white kitchens...hoorah.  Ready okay.  White kitchens all the way! (Excuse me...losing my mind today perhaps...)

Okay...so I wax on about the bright white kitchen only to demonstrate how I am constantly contradicting myself .

Today...I'm loving dark dark kitchen cabinets...black, grey (my assistant KS just pointed out that I spell grey several different ways in the product descriptions for COCOCOZY...she put her foot down and said from now on we are spelling grey...gray...), or dark dark grayish brown.

And here I am...exercising a woman's prerogative.  Although, I haven't entirely changed my mind...I do still prefer a white kitchen, but I see the appeal of these kitchens with dark cabinetry.  So warm, inviting, bold in a way...I like.

Here are 7 kitchens with cabinetry in the color spectrum from gray to black.

If you prefer white kitchens, could any of these darker kitchens change your mind?  If you like this look, which is your favorite.

Tomorrow I'll probably find some white kitchen I like and post it.   So be prepared for a flip flop.

Happy Friday again!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Haven't showered yet...oy vey...it is 8am...have to drop off car to be fixed, get to work, drop off sample bedding to sewing workroom (may have KS do this one), go back to work, go to a taping of a new show my friends are producing....lah dah dah dah.  Here goes....let the day begin!


Photos: New England Home Magazine; Veranda Magazine; Melanie Acevedo; At Home Arkansas; Bunny Williams; Julian Wass; Herron Horton Architects

TEAK WITH A TWIST!

This is the cutest to me.  Taking basic classic teak furniture and adding texture with cute outdoor polka dot black and white upholstered cushions.  So adorable.  Wouldn't it be nice to spend the day on this patio with a cool drink in hand?

What is your favorite outdoor space at your house (or for city dwellers near your house)?

Happy Friday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Sorry didn't post anything yesterday.  Was traveling back to L.A. from my whirlwind trips to Atlanta and New York.  So much fun.  A little exhausted and so much more to do.  Got back and fab assistant KS has been hard at work and now we both have to dig in...about 20 days until we leave for the New York International Gift Fair and there is so much to do.  I need to stop stressing...but I can't.  Arghhhhhh....need just a little pool time, relaxation time, lounge time....just a bit.  I just have to go back to the wise words of my friend A.Ro. though when I start longing for lounging...she once said, "You never hear about successful people taking lots of naps."   I've quoted her before and I'll quote her again on this subject.  She is right. There you have it.
Photo: Jean Randazzo

BY HOOK OR BY NOOK!

Must love a good breakfast nook. Here's one. White, crisp, cheerful, sunny...a nice place to enjoy the first meal of the day. The built in banquette with a seat upholstered in leather from Holly Hunt, paired with the white Saarinen chairs from Knoll make for a comfy and cozy area to spend oh at least an hour drinking tea, reading the paper, doing a nice crossword (that's for my mom, she loves crosswords), plotting and planning out the day.

I would even lunch in this nook too!

What does your kitchen eating area look like? What do you think of this little nook?

Happy Wednesday!

xo
Coco

P.S. Great dinner last night at Locanda Verde here in NYC with best of friends Anne and John! New York is so funny. We didn't sit down to dinner until 10p and the restaurant was jam packed. It was Tuesday night!  Also got a chance to see A.Ro and her new guy too when we stopped by Morandi in the West Village.  That place was hopping too late on a Tuesday night.  New York. New York!

P.P.S. Off to a work party (I know...a daytime work party?) for my day job. Am debating between a totally business work appropriate dress or one that is a little more questionable for the work environment but that I love...hmmm...what to do?  The questionable one is from Armani and is almost see-through and has the back out...I know...not appropriate for work but I LOVE it.  My dilemmas are such non dilemmas I recognize.  There are bigger things to fret about and more important issues to focus on for sure...but for today I'll circle around this little dilemma!  Just for a bit...and then I'll get a grip.  LOL!

Photo: Elle Decor

LACQUER LOVELY FROM CHELSEA TEXTILES!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

So was introduced to Chelsea Textiles for the first time in Atlanta. Their showroom was about 4 doors down from the Christian Mosso & Associates Showroom (I showed the COCOCOZY collection to buyers this past week at Christian Mosso...what a fantastic experience).

On a break from my showroom, I was wandering the halls of the Atlanta Mart (a huge complex with a million furniture and design showrooms) with a friend and he took me into Chelsea Textiles so he could talk business with the owner. I didn't want to talk business...I wanted to look around! I fell in love with all the lacquered furniture from a company with the word "textiles" in its name. Go figure.

I particularly coveted this little wood three drawer blue grey dresser with brass pulls (I didn't really love the pulls and asked if there were other options...I was told that the pulls come with the dresser as is).  I like the lines, I love the high gloss lacquer finish, the soft blue gray reminds me of old buildings in Philadelphia for some reason (I know strange), a traditional piece with a modern finish!  I like the flared legs too.

The dresser retails for about $2000.

What do you think of this little piece?  I'll try to post a few others on COCOCOZY Facebook for you to see and to weigh in on too. Please give me until the morning for that.

Now am in New York! Staying at the fabulous Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca. Will share photos of my sweet suite (or room).   Am very very happy here!

A belated Happy Tuesday (I say belated because I usually try to post earlier in the day for the East Coast...but was on a plane from Atlanta to NYC)!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Had a nice dinner at Local Three in Atlanta last night with my wonderful friend JH who drove in from South Carolina to see me and then tend to some design meetings with her posh Atlanta based designer.  I was so bummed to only have less than 24 hours to catch up with JH but we had a great time talking design and other things!  She and her husband are redoing their home in South Carolina (it sounds quite stunning) but we only scratched the surface of all of the design details!  I've known JH for 11 years now...we met in Aspen years ago through our mutual friend FF (my best of friend).  JH and I are "co-god mothers" to our friend FF's son (we think FF made us co-godmothers because she wasn't sure if either of us could live up to the task (hee hee)...I had never heard of co-god mothers before...but it exists...we are living proof...LOL!) -- so nice to be a co-god mother with such a dear friend!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

MAKE YOUR BED - DREAMY LUXE LINENS!

All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY

Graphic patterned COCOCOZY throw, shams and boudoir pillows on an elegant white Downtown Company duvet cover in the Christian Mosso & Associates Showroom in Atlanta! (above)

Before you go any further...I recognize the last two posts have had the word "dream" in the title.  I am not losing my creative gene nor am I at a loss for words (all who know me can attest to the latter)...I just think the word "dream" has summed up a lot of what I have been experiencing over the last few days.  Wasn't there a song...."dream dream dream....blah blah blah blah blah blah all I want to do is dream"?  Is that right?  I don't know but I think if a song can repeat the word dream a million times in one verse...I can have two posts in a row that say "dream"!  Right? Wrong? Pointless?  I know.  Bear with me.  It is Monday.

So, have spent the last few days surrounded by luxurious linens at the Christian Mosso & Associates showroom in Atlanta. I am thrilled that the COCOCOZY collection is also in this prestigious showroom amongst a group of amazing textile manufacturers...many of the biggest names in bed linens (all creators of  some of the finest sheets, duvet covers, blankets, pillows, shams and more).

COCOCOZY textiles in the Christian Mosso & Associaties showroom window in Atlanta! (above)

 
The Christian Mosso & Associates showroom is huge...I think it is 20,000 square feet. Each line of textiles has its own section and its own look...but all work well together. Husband and wife team Christian and Laura Mosso hand picked all of the collections they represent...a "club" of sorts of the best of the best in linens.

I've so enjoyed showing my collection for the first time in Atlanta in this showroom.  I have also enjoyed wandering back and forth through the showroom seeing all of the collections...dreaming...coveting...admiring. So many different looks. So many ideas.

The coolest thing about the Christian Mosso & Associates showroom is that there are dozens of bed vignettes to see...all of the different bedding is shown on Corsican metal beds.  I had some fun throwing my COCOCOZY shams and boudoir pillows on one of the vignettes from Downtown Company.  Was so great to see my bedding "in scene" so to speak.  In January, in addition to my pillow and throw display (see previous post) I hope to have my own COCOCOZY bed to show as well in Atlanta!

Since I've had so much fun perusing bed heaven in the CMA Showroom...I thought I would let you take a peek and pick your favorite bedroom style. If you could chose, how would you make your bed?

THE ROMANTIC

An iron bed made to look like tree branches frames elegant romantic bed linens from Los Angeles based Pom Pom at Home...a collection of organic bed linens designed by style maven Hilde Leiaghat. (above and below)

THE MODERN PLAYFUL TWIN

Serena & Lily's twin bed vignette features yellow graphic duvet cover and pillows with a splash of fuchsia! (above)

SOUTHWESTERN STYLE

Northern California based Coyuchi shows a organic cotton bedding with a Southwestern feel (above)

DOWNTOWN CHIC


A stunning black metal bed compliments the chic white bedding with classic black trim from Downtown Company! (above



COUNTRY CLASSIC

Pine Cone Hill's red white and blue country classic bed scene looks or so patriotic on a barn red iron bed! (above)



SOFTLY SILK

Southern California based Kumi Kookoon manufactures fine silk bed linens. (above)


TAILORED CORAL & GRAY

A coral and gray bed from Peacock Alley exudes simple timeless elegance. (above and below)

THE SOPHISTICATE

Another grand bed this time in gray and white from Peacock Alley!

BEACH FRESH

Perhaps one of my favorites...a clean crisp beach fresh bed in cotton knits in blue, white and taupe from Maine based Brahms Mount. (above and below)

EMBROIDERED SPARKLE

A little embroidered bling for bed time from Ankasa! (above)

Which of these beds is your favorite?  Which resembles most what you currently have in your house and which of these is your dream bed?

Happy Monday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Have met so many wonderful COCOCOZY readers in Atlanta...a number of talented women who are in design and who stopped by to say hi.  It has been such a thrill.  Had so much fun talking to Kathryn from Georgia and Denise from Dallas yesterday...among so many others!   I'll be back in the showroom this morning, then dashing around the gargantuan Atlanta America's Mart snapping photos and shopping and then on the hunt in the cash and carry section for a cheap sparkling key chain (will explain later).   Then best of friend JH is driving in from Columbia, SC to have dinner with me tonight.  So excited!  Please stop by the showroom this morning if you are in Atlanta.  I should be there for a few hours.

P.P.S.  To see what others have chosen as their bedding favorites...click on comments below...also go to COCOCOZY Facebook to see what followers there have chosen too!  So much fun to see which are your favorites in bedding!

P.P.P.S.  Had a lovely dinner with Peter and Jane last night.  A very talented and successful brother sister duo who I work with on a project of mine.  What amazing dinner conversation and such a nice night.  Thank you for dinner Peter!