Spring is Here

By Erin Ferucci
Celebrity Lifestyle Designer

It's Spring this weekend. It's time to open the curtains, fling back the doors and let the light in! The truth is that when you let the light in sometimes you notice...let's just say...spring cleaning is necessary. House Beautiful ran these pictures in their current issue. I want a door in my office that opens to a sunny garden with the ocean lingering in the distance! But take a look at this office! Time to Spring clean...but not this weekend! This weekend enjoy the light, and the warm air. Next week we can start on spring cleaning.

I Just Can't Get Enough!

By Erin Ferucci
Celebrity Lifestyle Designer

I just cannot get enough of Suzanis. I know they were all the rage last year with designers, but now they have gotten me!! In a good way! This is Anne Becker's home in Manhattan. Photographed for the March 2009 issue for Elle Décor by Simon Upton.It’s everywhere.....
Photos courtesy of House Beautiful......
Cheerful no?
For real antique Suzanis visit Ruzzetti & Gow via their website or New York showroom.
Christopher Gow of Ruzzeti & Gow is a treasure trove of information on these wonderful designs.
According to Gow, "Most of the suzanis were prepared and used for ceremonial functions like wedding dowries and furnishings for the bridal bed or the embellishment of reception rooms and trappings for horses and their riders. As such the antique ones usually have some signs of age especially with the black colored embroidery: the black dye does not age as well as the others and is the first to wear away, leaving designs that were not originally intended but sometimes equally as interesting.
Given the general “not perfect” condition and the dramatic patterns of the Suzanis it takes someone with a lot of style to pull it off! Usually I only used to see them in European homes but now they are popping up more in American homes and they look great!"


My friend Martyn Lawrence Bullard
has even re-created the "Suzanni" pattern into his own fabric line.
He loves Suzanni's so much, they were the inspiration for his new candle line.Note the packaging. I love it!

Ina Garten

By Erin Ferucci
Celebrity Lifestyle Designer


I have been a big fan of Ina Garten for many years...dating back to her gourmet food shop in the Hampton's called "Barefoot Contessa".

I love watching her show on the food network, and am an admirer of her simple and effortless cuisine. Her recipes are bulletproof.

House Beautiful has a feature article on Ina in their November 2008 issue. She built a "barn like" extension to her already existing property in Sag Harbour, Long Island.
I love it! Who wouldn’t want an open kitchen into the dining area where all your friends can watch you cook?and- the counters are 18" feet long.!!
I love the idea of picking flowers from your garden and herbs for your meals and bringing them inside within minutes.It must be the "country" in me.
I love the open shelves everywhere in the kitchen and the pantry. No leaky zip-lock bags hiding your leaky flour sacks here! And that pantry-so open and so clean, no surprises anywhere. I love that. Notice how perfectly stocked it is…no old pans with rust stains on them. This is truly gracious living.