a vibrant outlook

Photo from bhg.com
Lately I have been drawn to a more neutral palette than my usual inclination toward deep, but cozy colors. However, I just finished reading a feature in February's Better Homes and Gardens, and I have fallen in love with the design sense of Elaine Griffin. Bold, earthy and contemporary but classic, Griffin somehow blends and balances trendy colors and patterns with a dose of timelessness.

Photo from bhg.com
The combination of rich orange and leaf green has got me wishing I could paint the walls of our new apartment.

I am sort of on a design book buying binge, so I think I'll add her book Design Rules to my shopping list. I have really enjoyed viewing her portfolio on her website, www.elainegriffin.com.


Since I can't paint, I guess I can get my color punches in the form of artwork, accessories and fabric. Maybe once I find those perfect bookcases, I could paint them a nice juicy color, like Benjamin Moore's Rumba Orange. Doesn't that just sound like a good time?

still pining

A photo I took for a previous post on revamping my home office, inspired by this issue of domino.

Well, it has been almost a year to the date that domino magazine announced its untimely closure. Call me a freak, but I still miss it. I find myself leafing through year old issues, each month, opening them up as if they were just delivered to my doorstep. And I still find new things, and rooms to love. It's incredible how comprehensive each issue was in offering of the moment trends, great design ideas by great designers, and all of the sourcing in one place.

I googled domino magazine just the other day, to see if there might be any rumors about it resurfacing. I am sorry to report that I did not find even the slightest thread of gossip on that topic. I did find a couple of good resources though.

Flickr has a couple of groups that feature photographs from the magazine.
The Domino Magazine group also includes photos of rooms and things inspired by domino. The Domino Magazine Files only has photos from the magazine or of the covers.

You can buy back issues for as cheap as $3.59 to as much as $25 on amazon.com.

I really couldn't find much more, except for the old articles written about its closure. And what of domino's esteemed editor-in-chief, Deborah Needleman? What is she working on lately? She was quoted in a NY Times article by Maria Ricapito, about bar carts in December. Anything else?

I guess I'll just keep dreaming about its return. Until then, I'll do my usual perusing of the many great design blogs and reading the other design publications I get every month. Nothing can truly take its place though.

Please, if you are reading this, and you know anything different than what I have reported, let me know! I would love to be proved wrong. Viva la domino!