My Top 10 Picks for Best Design Websites and Blogs

Trying to limit this list to 10 was VERY difficult.  I found that emphasizing local blogs (VA/MD/DC) was important, but I also wanted to expose some unusual blogs that may not be on everyone's design radar.  

I love ALL design, especially French, and my taste can run from Shabby Chic to Ultra-Modern, Swedish to 50's Retro, and everything in between all in one day.  I enjoy all things creative and inspiring in this world.

Well, it’s now time to get the creative juices flowing again! Want to kick-start those ideas that have been rattling around in the back of your mind? These sites should get the old heart pumping again. Check them out:

• French Essence Blog Yes, I am a Francophile, and this is a fascinating and fun blog all about France and all things French: food, fashion, interiors, travel, restaurants, shops, books and more. True to the spirit of the French lifestyle.

• DC BY DESIGN  I grew up in and around D.C. most of my life. This is one of my favorite design blogs. Local architecture and interiors in our nation’s capital are covered along with features on area designers that are up-and-coming, design shows, shops, anything new and interesting on the local design scene. Founded by Jennifer Sergent, a news reporter who was previously affiliated with HGTV and Food Network, and her husband, Jim Sergent, who is in charge of graphics. A very well-written blog filled with loads of local design information.

• Things That Inspire  Out of Atlanta, a great blog for discovering beautiful interiors, architecture and art inspirations. This blog has been cited by the Washington Post as a design blog of the week 10 separate times. Check it out.

• Design*Sponge  This is fun and a very well known daily blog! A young, hip resource created by Grace Bonny with user-generated and Grace's fresh takes on interior design, architecture, textiles, garden and many types of DIY (lots of before & after photos, which are a favorite of mine). Creative storage solutions, painting techniques, crafts and unique ideas for designing in small spaces. Pure delight!

• Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic Lovely is the word I would use for Rachel. I credit Rachel Ashwell (but Martha too) for fanning the flames of design in my heart back in the 80’s and Rachel’s blog is always beautiful to look at as well as to read. Lots of pure whites, fluffy chairs, serene decor, crystal chandeliers, party ideas, and lots of how-to’s on a wide array of design subjects. She gets my vote for a most serene, personal and thoughtful blog.

• Design Milk If you are unfamiliar with what’s happening in modern design, this is a great online magazine dedicated to modern design and contemporary trend-spotting. They focus on what is currently fresh and new in art, architecture, interior design, furniture and decor, fashion, and technology.

• The Storque: Etsy’s Handmade Blog  If you are looking for inspiring crafty projects, how-tos and handmade anything, this is a beautiful site to click through. User-friendly and lots of fun to scroll through for ideas for your home.

• Home & Design  Up-to-date information and expert advice on local luxury homes and fine interiors in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. They answer questions like how to find an interior designer that fits your style and needs, what kind of finishes work best and all sorts of other design problems.

• Apartment Therapy DC They “save the world, one room at a time,” by covering the design scene in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and D.C. Small-space solutions, gardens, unique home décor finds, you name it.

Design World (a.k.a. dsgnWrld)  I have a penchant for anything European, and these folks cover literally the WORLD of design, in a colorful format. Some in-depth articles and shorter blogs on architecture, product design, interior design, graphic design, furniture, fashion, jewelry and books.

Happy Surfing!  

Joanie Ballard

NY Trend Report 2010: Women's Accessories

I’m constantly looking for inspiration to keep my senses alive and to come up with fresh ideas and merchandise for my shop. Besides hunting for home décor items I also scout new trends in women's accessories. Keeping on top of the color and pattern trends is not just fun for me but a fortunate necessity.

Robert and I attend major trade shows throughout the year and one of my favorites is Accessories the Show (ATS), in NY City.

This trade show is big and joyous—think pulsating music, free food, free coffee, happy people. It’s got a different vibe than, say, the Home Décor shows (and I’ll have a future blog post about that). 

ATS focuses on presenting thousands of lines of women’s apparel, scarves, jewelry and handbags to the retail industry. New York is the best place to view firsthand the latest offerings from European and American suppliers, and, more importantly, to see the latest color and pattern trends in the accessories field.

My Trend Report for 2010:

I saw three current and growing trends at a recent ATS show:

(1) Bright animal prints—not real but faux (zebra, giraffe, python, etc.)., (2) Big, bright florals, and (3) Ethnic-inspired patterns with South American and African influences, such as hand-painted beads and distressed leather.

These trends were prominent in all categories of handbags, scarves and jewelry. 

I am personally obsessed with textiles, so hunting for new scarf lines is always a big part of my trips. As I wandered through the sparkling and organized maze of exhibits at ATS, I continually came upon leopard and other animal prints in scarves. I’m not a crazy animal-print kind of gal, but I did find a stunning cashmere scarf line, produced in India and based in California, called Me & Kashmere, and they had an entire booth of animal-inspired prints and patterns (see the picture with Me & Kashmere owner designer Sualiheen Shaw).

Here are some images of accessories I found just by clicking around to apparel websites. This Cheetah Tote is from Chicos, $89.00

These fun earrings are from Anthropologie, End of Rainbow Earrings: $38.00.

Below are Lily Pulitzer brightly colored Murfee Scarves, $118.00.

Juicy Couture Python Crest Cotton Canvas Tote, $88.00 at SaksFifthAvenue.com

One can see evidence of the popularity of animal prints, floral imagery and ethnic inspiration in the diverse levels of merchants such as Chico's, Nordstrom, and Anthropologie. I can confidently predict that these large retailers, and many small retailers, will be stocked this spring, summer and fall with all of the three of these design styles.

For your web-surfing pleasure, I have provided a few stores with links below. You can also be old-fashioned and actually visit these retailers throughout the state of Virginia. Go out and have a little retail therapy with your friends, and get up close and personal with some of these hot trends.

 

Whether large retailers or small boutiques, here are some of my favorite stores offering a broad selection of accessories, with locations in Virginia:

The Big Ones

Nordstrom: Dulles, McLean, Arlington, Richmond, Norfolk

Chico's: Alexandria, Arlington, Charlottesville, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Leesburg, Lynchburg, McLean, Newport News, Norfolk, Reston, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Winchester

Anthropologie: Charlottesville, McLean, Reston, Richmond

Saks Fifth Avenue: Leesburg, McLean, Potomac Mills, Richmond

Small but beautiful:

The Pink Palm: Richmond, McLean, Charlottesville

Gossypia: Alexandria

Lou Lou’s Too, 18 East Washington Street, Middleburg 540-687-4204

 

Ballard Lavender

Want to feel like you are blissfully walking through a field of lavender in the heart of Provence? Visit our shop!

Just arrived today: fragrant lavender grown right here in Rappahannock County, Virginia.  Ballard Lavender bunches sell for only $12.95 each.  

The shop smells divine, and our shop window is stocked with hanging lavender.

Our special lavender was grown using Provence and Grasso seeds. As the soil here in Rappahannock is very similar to the soil 
of Provence, France, lavender can thrive quite nicely here. We love it!

Come in soon or call to reserve your aromatic bundle of lavender. 

We ship everywhere: 540-675-1411 

Benefit Event for The Rappahannock Food Pantry

BOOK READING & SIGNING / WINE & CHEESE TASTING

"Far Flung and Well Fed: The Food Writing of R.W. Johnny Apple, Jr."

To Benefit The Rappahannock Food Pantry

April 24th, 2010

3-5pm

Here are some images of last night's wonderful benefit event at our shop and gallery.

Betsey Apple was joined by close friends and colleagues who honored the memory and food writings of her husband, legendary New York Times journalist, R.W. "Johnny" Apple Jr.  Author and Food Consultant, Clark Wolf, emceed the event and was joined by John Sullivan, (publisher of the Atlantic Monthly), Terence Smith (award-winning PBS journalist), Marian Burros (N.Y. Times Food Writer and FLAVOR contributor), Bill Plante (CBS News White House Correspondent) who all gave brief readings from the book and conveyed personal experiences and memories of their friend, Johnny Apple, Jr. After the readings each collectively signed the book with Betsey Apple, making it a memorable collector's item for all those in attendance.

Food and wine was generously donated for the event by Chester Gap Cellars, Cowgirl Creamery and Red Truck Bakery.

We were happy to contribute a portion of the day's sales to benefit the Rappahannock Food Pantry. Please check out their Plant a Row website to learn about all they are doing for the Rappahannock community and how you can help.

After our book event, many attendees walked down the street to The Meadows, the historic home of Beverly and John Sullivan, who graciously hosted a huge celebration of local, seasonal food and wine from the state of Virginia, all to benefit the Rappahannock Food Pantry. 

Guests enjoyed a lamb and pig roast accompanied by foods from Rappahannock County, a sampling of the best Virginia wines as chosen by D.C.'s top sommeliers and revealed in the April/May 2010 issue of Flavor magazine. Special guests Mark Russell, Betsey Apple, Clark Wolf, Marian Burros, and wine auctions conducted by John Fox Sullivan, featuring selections from the Inn at LittleWashington's wine cellar and R.W. "Johnny" Apple, Jr.'s esteemed private collection. Check out FLAVOR Magazine website for more details of their fabulous event!

RECENT HISTORY New Paintings by Thomas Mullany

 r.h.ballard gallery in Washington, Virginia presents an exhibition 

of Rappahannock artist Thomas Mullany.

April 10 - May 2

Thomas Mullany, who has lived in Rappahannock County with his family for almost 15 years, has absorbed the visual cues of this beautiful landscape and translates those cues into his own vernacular.  This exhibition, consisting of oil paintings, concentrates on this regional landscape.  All the works in this showing are expressive of his unique vision, yet sit within the context of American realism, using his extensive talent and control of the medium.                                         

Mullany’s work continues to be a master an advanced understanding of paint and light reminiscent of a number of his historical mentors, e.g. Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School, as well as such 20^th century American masters as Edward Hopper, Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood.

Robert Ballard, who has been exhibiting Mullany’s work for the past seven years, states, “It never ceases 

to amaze me how Tom can consistently mine imagery that is both unique, varied and timeless and represent 

his ideas so fluently.”

A graduate of the Corcoran School of Art, Mullany lives here with his wife Kerrie (also a Corcoran graduate and an accomplished artist) and two boys, Will and Sam. They have a thriving decorative arts business, Mullany Art Studios, in Washington, VA, and are continually sought-after throughout the region and United States for commissions, murals, sculpture, and faux finishing. 

Mullany has exhibited his work throughout the U.S. in numerous one-person shows in Washington, DC, New York City, and Charlotte NC.  He has received a wide range of public commissions as well, in Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, New York, and his work is included in numerous public and private collections.

Spring Sale at Ballard's

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r. h. ballard

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