Blog

Highlights. Trends. Insights. We’ve got the scoop on everything you need to know about interior design right here in one tidy space!

February 14, 2011

Getting Into the Trend: Mirrored Furniture

At all the shows and in design magazines I’m seeing lots of mirrored furniture. This might seem like a hard trend to get into since mirrors are often seen as modern. But don’t worry, whether you’re style is French country or shabby chic there are plenty of ways to incorporate mirrors into your home.

Put It Together

A fun way to make a large mirror is to buy a bunch of smaller mirrors and butt them up against each other on a focal wall behind the sofa or behind the buffet in the dining room. Do six or nine of them to create the grid.

Antique Chic

A great way to make mirrored less edgy is by looking for antiqued pieces. I’m in love with this Estelle Cocktail Table we sell online.

Re-Purpose

Take the framed mirror hanging on your wall and use it as mirrored tray on top of a cocktail table. Get a big one so that it virtually covers the top of the table.

Reflect Light

Mirrored chandeliers are a great way to bring mirrors in as a statement without doing a major design change. This shell and mirror chandelier from Nieman Marcus is a great transitional piece.

February 7, 2011

Valentine’s Gift Guide

Studio Chameleon is a place where you find something unique everyday and for every occasion. Valentine’s Day is no exception! We want to help you celebrate those you love. We have gifts for friends, kids and significant others that you can buy in store and online. We hope this guide helps you shop or helps someone in your life shop for you!

Blabla Dolls
$45-60, doll clothes $15-$25
Dolls are hand-knitted by Peruvian artists and made of natural fibers so they are irresistibly soft and cuddly. Display on entry bench or child’s bed. Perfect for kids and kids at heart.

Blabla Doll

Tile Art
$215 each
Pair multiple color tiles to make your own eye-catching wall décor or stack on a table top for an artsy display.

Tile Art

Selenite Tealight Holders
large $24, small $18
Energy from a selenite crystal can provide calm and peace. Perfect for the Valentine who could use more zen.

Selenite Tealight Holders

Heart Crysal Bud Vases
$40
Heart versions of our popular-selling vases. Stick a bud from the garden in it or attach a note of love to a pen or pencil.

Heart Crystal Bud Vases

Stone Hearts
$25 each
These hearts are carved from millennia-old stones that are as unique as your Valentine. Comes in banded amethyst (purple), fire quartz (pink) and desert jasper (multi-colored).

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Stone Hearts

February 1, 2011

MAKE YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY PERSONAL

Valentine’s Day has a lot of pressure for romance. Remember that romance is just another way to say “I love you.” When you think about it like that, it’s easier to make it personal and meaningful. It helps you to get beyond candy and flowers. Here are some ways to make Valentine’s personal.

Message in a Bottle

Have a small jar or container with a sweet note set out for your Valentine. You can even take it up a notch and fill the jar with several notes of “Reasons Why I Love You.”

Personal Touch

Buy a large canvas and a sponge brush and paint your declaration of love such as “John Loves Ann” or “J + A” and the year. Put it on an easel with a cool gift in front of it, preferably wrapped. Studio Chameleon has beautiful crystals, fossils and minerals that are 20 million years old—they say “I love you forever” in a unique and more affordable way than a diamond.

Cozy Up with Your Valentine

Snuggling with a good cashmere throw makes for a cozy evening with your sweetheart. And it’s a good way to introduce color into the room. Buy a red one for a seasonal touch! Add hot chocolate and your evening is complete!

and your evening is complete.

We hope these help you. Feel free to drop by the store with your personalization dilemmas!

January 25, 2011

Color Turns February Into Fabulous

Color is such a mood changer. Just adding a spray of colorful flowers can change a sad corner into a happy space you will love walking by throughout the day. But many aren’t sure how to integrate color. Don’t be afraid—be bold!

Introduce Color in Unexpected Places
If you have a color story that is happening in blues and aqua with whites then you may want to use orange as an accent—hang artwork with highlights of orange, drape an orange throw on a chair, or set out orange candy in the candy dish Those pops of color will move your eye around a room and make your look complete. On a pristine desk place a container with turquoise pencils for a fun accent or hang a chandelier that is yellow for a more dramatic effect! Little touches of color can help get you in the mood for spring, which is just around the corner…

Paint or Paper an Accent Wall to Add Interest
Adding color using an accent wall by painting or using wall paper can spruce up any room. Just do one wall—like the back wall behind the sofa or bed. It’s easy to do in a day, but big on the effect!

How do you bring color into your home?

January 18, 2011

Cozy Chic: Banishing Winter Blues

Many people don’t realize that it does get cold here in Newport Beach (though lately the gorgeous weather has made me forget that it was grey and below 70 degrees). While there may not be snow on the ground, we still look for ways to make our homes cozy when the temperature drops outside. Here are some tips bring in warmth to your home—whether you live in Orange County, CA or Orange County, NY.


Fuzzy and furry throws look cozy and are warm.

1) Go Under Cover: Blankets and throws placed on sofas, chairs and beds don’t just look cozy—they ARE cozy. They come in so many textures, patterns and price points. We love ones in golden or red hues that give the feeling of the glow of a fire. Furry throws, or even the faux sheepskin rugs IKEA has, are great on the back of an occasional chair. Placed at the head, you will feel cozy as you snuggle up against it.

2) Bring the Outside In: Living things need warmth to grow, so when you have plants or flowers inside there is an immediate association of warmth. They are available year round and you can get a dozen roses for like $15 at the grocery store. Cut two dozen level and bunch tightly in a vase for a very professional look. Small plants are great additions to side or cocktail tables.

3) Fragrance and Radiance: Scent and light are huge for creating a cozy home because they engage so many senses. The fire on the wick does, of course, actually give off heat, but when you choose a warm or spicy scent it will also tell your nose that you are warm. My rule is that you need at least two candles, usually in odd numbers, burning and bunched together. This gives a mini fireplace feel in different areas of your home and gives a lot of cozy ambiance.

4) “Shoe” Away the Cold: In your entry or mud room keep fuzzy slippers and fur-lined boots (like Uggs) close by. When you come in from the cold, slip off your cold and wet shoes for something comfy and warm. Grab the throw from off a nearby chair and you’ll instantly feel cozy down to your toes!

January 17, 2011

Great Comforter Debate

Did you know there’s a debate raging about whether down is out? It’s gotten so “heated” the Wall Street Journal has even “covered” it. Okay, enough with the puns. Whether or not you use a duvet or pile high with blankets, we know there are passionate opinions on both sides. My personal bed? Covered in a summer weight duvet with a blanket folded at the end of the bed. We make beds all the time as designers, so here’s my two cents.

Hurray for the Duvet

Down doesn’t have to be messy. If you’re committed to keeping your down comforter, I suggest tucking it in to make it neater. Another way to address it is use a blanket over the top of the duvet like a spread. You can also fold the duvet at the foot of the bed… put the top sheet on then the blanket. Fold both down a little below the pillows at the head of the bed. Then take the duvet and put it on the bed covering the pillows. Fold down to the foot of the bed so its folded in half. If that doesn’t look right fold it in half again. This especially helps the problem of the comforter peeping out of where it gets inserted in the duvet. I like the duvets that have square quilting on them so the down doesn’t move around. They get lumpy if you don’t choose this option.

Also, if you find yourself fussing with feathers, there are lots of great down alternatives on the market (which are helpful with allergies and when washing). Many of them also have different weights if you know you run hot or cold. If you find yourself changing temperatures with the seasons, I suggest also changing your comforter. Keep a heavier, toasty one around in winter and a cool, light one in the summer. Keep different duvets covers on them so you are also changing the look of your bed with the season!

The Beauty of Blankets
What’s great about using blankets is that you can layer for the seasons. Pile them high in winter and strip down to one or two in the summer. This will always keep your bedroom looking fresh and seasonally appropriate!

What I also love is that blankets give you so many more choices with patterns and textures. You can have plaid mixed with floral with a solid color in between. Just make sure it all coordinates, but it doesn’t have to be matchy matchy.

If you do keep a bed with blankets, I love the WSJ’s step-by-step guide to making a bed.

January 14, 2011

Check Us Out in This Month’s Coast Magazine

Coast Magazine did a feature on Studio Chameleon in their “What’s in Store” section.

January 11, 2011

Refresh Your Home for a New Year!

Happy New Year! This is the time of year when we think about what we want to do, i.e. New Years resolutions. I am into doing more entertaining this year. So it’s time to update and refresh my home! The holiday decorations are down and I can see that I need to get to work! Here are some of the things I will be doing myself. I invite you to join me.

Stephanie Han Windham’s “Halcyon 1” would
look great above a bed.

De-Clutter!
Love it? Use it? Need it? Go through your home and start sorting, pitching and storing. It doesn’t have to be a huge overhaul—even organizing your desk can make you feel better. Purging and creating a clean slate generates positive energy.

Breath of Fresh Air
Live plants detoxify and who couldn’t use that after all the holiday partying?

Plan to Entertain
Entertaining more is at the top of my list. Create a decorating or remodeling budget so that you know how much you are comfortable spending—then double it! Everything costs more than you think.

Banish Boudoir (and Bathroom) Blues
Nothing changes a bedroom faster than new linens and new art over the bed. We have some great art by fantastic California artists at Studio Chameleon. Also try a refresh with the bathroom—new towels and mirror will work wonders!

A Fresh Coat
A new coat of paint does wonders to walls. Use one of the new neutrals, smoky grays and taupes. Try accenting walls with deeper shades for a dramatic effect.

December 23, 2010

What to Get the Hostess With the Mostess

There’s still a lot of holiday partying left to do and as a guest you can let your host or hostess know how grateful you are for all of their hard work with a gift. When someone opens their home to you, that is a very personal act and you will want to show your gratitude.

1. Lift Your Spirits: A nice bottle of wine or liqueur is a classic hostess gift. Make it a little more special and memorable by adding an ornament to it. We have these great seashell ornaments for $8 that can be used well past the holidays.

Seashell Ornament adds extra touch
to wine or liqueur gifts

2. Coast Along: Agate slices as coasters ($6 each) and antique teak wood coasters ($8.50 each) are a perfect place to set holiday libations. They bring in a natural element and a great organic feel. Wrap with a bow and present to your host or hostess.

3. Seaside Treasures: Polished Turbo Shells are great placed at individual table settings as guest gifts. Its reflective, mother of pearl surface can enhance any holiday table.

4. About Vase: Present the host or hostess with a holly berry stem or flower you’ve picked from your garden in a crystal Aphrodite Bud Vase ($40).

5. Common Scents: My favorite is the Maura Peters candles we carry at Studio Chameleon. They are soy-based candles in tiny tins for only $10 and they burn for 12 hours. I love the “Twigg n Berry” scent for the holidays.

December 15, 2010

Holiday 2010 Gift Guide

Unique and Special Gifts for Everyone and Every Price!

Find the perfect gifts to complete your holiday shopping list at Studio Chameleon. We have a great selection of beautiful and one-of-a-kind items. If you’re stuck, our knowledgeable and friendly staff has great ideas for creating the perfect present.