I’ve just returned from a fantastic trip to the island of Oahu in Hawaii. Staying at a friend’s house right on the water in Kailuah Bay, about thirty minutes from Honolulu, I was able to get a first-hand look at how Hawaiians and visitors achieve that classic island style.

My friend’s house was well-appointed and stylish, yet relaxed and unpretentious. The exterior was lively with bright white walls accented by lime green trim and dashes of yellow. In a house that has been there for years, there’s always room for more sandy footprints on the rustic hardwood floors and more views to be seen on each of the quaint private patios.

Back on the mainland, the lifestyle may be less tropical, but that’s no reason to shy from tropical design. Since my return, I’ve noticed it everywhere, in kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and all over the house. Here are a few pieces that can bring island style to any home:

For more Beach Style inspirations, see our Beach House Lookbook.

Most designers tell you they learned to appreciate design at an early age.  I did not.  I learned to appreciate the value of design on the job — specifically, the job sites where Carolina and I renovated or built five different houses over a ten year period.

When we’re planning a house, we’re often trying to figure out what to do with the space.   A simple example of that went something like this: Take a look at this picture:

Huh?  Look at what?  There’s nothing but an empty corner here.

Now look again:

Gee, wouldn’t it be nice to sit here and relax, maybe read a book for a few hours?

“Aha!” says the Engineer in the Left Brain:  “Design is really engineering.  Just like engineers tweak components and interactions to maximize their functional usefulness, interior designers do the same thing with all the components that go into a home.”

“You know, a more useful space is more valuable space,” chimes in the Wharton grad in the Left Brain.

But surely good design must be more than just engineering for “functional” usefulness, lest we go back to living in Stalinist concrete blocks?   (Which weren’t very functional either, by the way.  Trust me.)  Look at the picture again and ask yourself: Is this a chair you’d want to sit in and relax for a few hours?  Or would you be happier curling up into one of these?

Source: Google Images search for “armchair”

No matter what your style, the right chair will make you want to relax in it, not to mention feel good about yourself for having such great taste.  The wrong chair will inevitably elicit an “I can’t believe my husband/wife/mom/dad/grandmother bought that thing” whenever you see it.  In other words, good design should make you happy.

When you walk into a space and everything feels right, it’s because somebody designed it correctly for you.  The space should be useful, and you should feel happy when you’re there.  That’s why design matters.

I am not a designer.  But I’ve learned a lot about design, and I’ve grown to love it.

I’m probably your poster child left-brainer.  I went to Wharton and worked as a fund manager, managing investments for pension funds, central banks, foundations, and hedge funds.  I’ve also been writing software since I was eleven, and today, I’m responsible for the technology that runs Gracious Style.

“Designer” was simply never something I imagined myself to be.  Yet, over the last twelve years of working at Gracious Style, I’ve learned a lot about design.  This knowledge of design has opened up my eyes, and  I have a better appreciation of people and culture because of it.  It has also helped me in my other professional endeavors.  From software to real estate development, I can now see that success often hinges on better design.

I think — I know — that there are a lot more people like me out there.  We’re not professional designers, but we innately appreciate good design, even if it’s in the form of a well-crafted deal or a well-designed app.  We’d like to know more about design, but in that structured, top-down, ask-all-the-questions way of ours.

So today I’m starting a new series, “Design for the Analytically Minded,” to share with you how one finance/technology person learned design, what it’s taught him, and why it’s opened his eyes to the world.

– Si Chen

We recently took a trip to the curious world of Natural Curiosities. Set in Echo Park’s converted Jensen Recreation Center, the studio itself is an ode to the ever-evolving and fantastical nature of art. Once an Ancient Egyptian-themed bowling alley, it’s now an inspiring space for creating oversized prints, silkscreening, metallic leafing, and other artistic techniques.

With Natural Curiosities pieces being spotted everywhere these days, with notable appearances in Elle Decor, Vogue.com, House Beautiful, and Stylebeat, among many others, it was refreshing to see that owner Christopher Wilcox and his team remain close to their hands-on roots. Beyond the inventive design of the space itself – high ceilings, exposed brick, and other thoughtful remnants of the original Jensen Rec Center – the art house is filled with beautiful finished pieces hung floor to ceiling as well as large tables for aging prints, drying racks filled with delightful new pieces, printing screens and inks, and sustainably sourced natural specimens awaiting their close-ups.

Despite their popularity, Natural Curiosities has managed to retain the feeling of an intimate artists’ co-op. This comes through in each of their whimsical collections, which they take care to keep from overproduction, retaining the integrity of the art.

Natural Curiosities silkscreen and metallic-leaf pieces, like the Rumana Seahorses, are stunning. See how these incredible techniques are used: Metallic Leaf and Silkscreen

We also love the uniqueness of hand-colored prints like Noah’s Ark. Take a look at the process: Hand Watercoloring

Photographs from Natural Curiosities carry a nostalgic and magical feel, while remaining chic and modern design statements.

Their sculptures breathe new life and beauty into objects we’ve seen many times before.

Prints come in a variety of styles with something for any room. The Lord Bodner Triptych speaks to Natural Curiosities’ octopus fascination.

Finally, we think their specimen art, like Fallen Feathers, is right on trend in the art world with clever ideas we’ve never seen before.

For more art from Natural Curiosities, visit GraciousStyle.com. And don’t forget to take a look at our entire Art section.

Gracious Style takes inspiration from Morocco, one of today’s most popular travel destinations, in our latest Lookbook, Escape to Marrakech.

*Start with colorful pillows from Lacefield. We’ve chosen the Marrakesh Throw Pillow in Firefly and Batik Indigo.

*Add even more color with fun pottery, like the Vietri Turquoise Garden Large Bowl.

*Create the perfect ambiance using decorative Selamat lanterns, like the Calabash Large Hanging Pendant.

*Layer in a beautiful scent with NEST’s Moroccan Amber diffuser.

*Catch the travel bug and invite your guests to take a peek at this incredible leather-bound book of 1,000 places to see from Graphic Image.

*L’Objet Tabriz Dinnerware is special and will add drama and warmth to your table.

*The iconic form of the Gold Mogador Table from Dransfield & Ross will bring Marrakech style right into your home.

*Dress up the dinner table with a gorgeous runner, like Kim Seybert‘s Medallion Linen Table Runner.

For more inspiration, check out Hotel Chic’s blog post on Peacock Pavilions, a retreat outside of Marrakech, and Marisa’s amazing photographs from her recent trip to Morocco on Stylebeat!

Round two of our Lookbooks series is live! Gracious Style Lookbooks are where we put together great ideas for your home using some of our favorite products. The Chic Bathroom is all about taking your bathroom to the next level, creating a spa getaway right in your home.

Recreate this look in your bathroom with our chic finds:

*Lighting will set a calming mood – Pair of Double Arm Sconces from Barbara Cosgrove

*Pillows add comfy luxury – Leather Pillows in Antique Gold and Warm Silver from Lance Wovens

*Treat your skin to lavish Claus Porto Soaps in a lovely blue box.

*Simply updating your vanity accessories can make a big difference; change out the old with Vizcaya Bath Accessories from Kassatex.

*Add color and texture with an elegant Bedminster Scroll Bath Rug also from Kassatex.

*The Tini Tufted Chair from oomph is perfect for giving your bathroom a spa feeling that makes you want to linger.

*Give little items a beautiful place to rest with the Mary Jurek Aurora Tray.

*Finally, don’t forget the basics like Marvis Whitening Toothpaste; also available in other gourmet flavors.

The charming Good Morning America lifestyle anchor was featured in House Beautiful’s column “I Love My Bed” for June. We fell in love with the fun yet relaxed style of the bedroom in her Connecticut home.

We couldn’t help but notice the resemblance of her thrift store nightstands to the Bungalow 5 Jacqui side table:

So if you love this look, but don’t have time to browse thrift shops or antique stores for the perfect piece, you’re in luck!

Here are a few more ways to bring this eclectic look home:

Here’s our first Gracious Style Lookbook, The Beach House, created just in time to get you and your home ready for summery beach house style!

Want to capture this look? Here are the items featured:

*Casual-chic Lacefield Casablanca Throw Pillows in Midnight and Geranium.

*Kim Seybert‘s Coral Branch Napkin Rings are a fun accent for any table.

*Lance Wovens Classic Navy Tote is a best bet for beach trips.

*Games of all kinds bring fun into your home, like our Barbara Cosgrove Dominoes with Box.

*To complete your summer table try adding Aladdin Antique Taupe Flatware by Vietri.

*Make guests feel right at home with the cozy Slipper Chair from oomph.

*Pamper yourself with Claus Porto Blue Guest Soap Pastilles.

*The Taboret table from Bungalow 5 in Light Blue adds just a touch of seaside color.

*Dine in style with playful tableware by Caskata. We love the School of Fish Blue Platter.

*And last, but definitely not least, don’t forget soft, luxurious beach towels, like the Bali Batik Indigo Beach Towel from Fresco.

Find these great beachy finds, and much more, on our site.

Celebrate Memorial Day with these patriotic pillows!
 

We hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

After they were featured in Oprah’s “My Favorite Things” holiday TV show, the drawer liners created by elizabethW in San Francisco were sold out for weeks.  And with good reason.  Who doesn’t love to walk into a closet that smells fresh and filled with natural scents?
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