No, it’s not a late April Fool’s Day prank. Ordinarily, I’m the biggest cheerleader for Team Neutral, but this spring I’m crushing on lilac. Or do you say lavender? It’s a wonderful, versatile hue. Consider the spectrum: from icy blue tinged with gray to bright and bold violet. Today’s lilacs pair beautifully with other colors — from understated grays, taupes and black all the way to solar yellow and cobalt. Some of my favorite lilac picks are show here. Hummmm … looks like lilac is the newest neutral!

Pantone called it. I second the motion. What’s not to love about emerald, Pantone’s 2013 Color of the Year. I pine for emerald and we’ve been pinning too. Check out our great green ideas (and more) on the Lisa Sherry Interieurs Pinterest board here.

images via.

Do you know how the right piece of jewelry or trinket can reinvent an outfit and provide a little personal pick-me-up, too? Well, your rooms feel exactly the same way. A little bling can make a space sing.

Let’s start with some brass tactics. First, nickels, chromes and silver finishes have lost a little bit of lustre. Brass is back in a big way. I’m specifying brass details in so many custom pieces right now. I’ll share a simple and elegant piece of design tradecraft to introduce brass into your room — drawer pulls and knobs. Presto. Simply beautiful. If you want more brass presence, well, I’d fight someone for the peace sign tabletop sculpture shown here.  And, the dull brass finished flatware will light up a table (I know!).

Breaking rules just makes my day. The old idea of perfectly matched finishes really is an old idea. I’m crushing on brass right now, but it’s really all in the mix. I love the brass and lucite pairing. Enter crystal (wow). Lucite, silver and brass – in different tones and lustres – create wonderful nuance and interest. Baubles, bangles and beads … not just for ready to wear!

images top to bottom:  one, two, three, four, five.

I don’t know if good things come in small packages (let’s hear it for BIG boxes), but I am absolutely certain that any package outfitted in  pretty paper, ribbons and bows  promises great things inside. Beautiful packaging says I love you. It also elevates what lies within. I wanted to share some of my favorite papers and ties. You’ll find some items in swell stationery shops, others at hardware stores and yet other items in your own desk drawer. Be creative!

P.S. I obviously love the blogosphere and the digital world. I’m lost without my iphone and emails keep my personal and business life humming. But a personal handwritten note on a lovely card with a pretty postage stamp delivered by a real mailman just makes me swoon. You have my address, don’t you?

I am so not a professional photographer. But in all modesty, sometimes I’ll take a picture that (I think) might just take the art world by storm. That’s why I’m super excited to tell you about a brand-new app that will let amateur shooters like me (as well as the truly brilliant pros) not only photo-share, but also buy, sell and frame photo prints directly from a phone or notebook – all in one fell swoop.

Just think about the potential here. We’ll be able to purchase, print and frame some of the great images we see online. All with a point and a click. What goes around comes around. Because my great images (and yours too) will find a marketplace and can produce commissions. Very cool.

The new app is called UPLO (as in upload) and you can download it at The App Store for free. VERY SOON. Photographer extraordinaire and entrepreneur Patrick Cline is the mastermind behind this new app. You should know his name. Patrick is one of the founding partners of Lonny Mag – along with another of my BFFs Michelle Adams.

There’s more to know about UPLO – commission rates, control, rights, file size and so forth. Interested in getting the full skinny? Go to UPLO.com and request an invite. The site goes live soon so you and I are going to be among the very first to experience UPLO. I love innovation, don’t you?

It’s Friday, the jewel of the work week (even when you LOVE what you do, as I do). Won’t you come wander down the rabbit hole with me as I share some of my favorite apps….

Travel is a creativity spritzer. At least for me. Whether I’m crossing the pond or off to meet a client in a nearby city, I love to absorb the sights, the sounds, the rhythms of a new place. Hotel check-in is always a moment of truth. I eat, sleep and breathe great design and nothing can spoil the thrill of travel like a bad hotel room. I won’t name names (we’ve all been there, yes?).

Of course, the solution is just a little bit of planning with a discerning eye for boutique hotels. Happily, it’s a booming industry right now. Boutique hotels are the opposite of the chain concept. They have unique personalities and points of view – from exterieurs to interieurs, including common areas and guests room. Sometimes haute, sometimes quirky, always inspiring. And they surprise with uncommon service to match. Boutique hotels offer a unique and consistent experience. Here’s the skinny on some of my latest unique boutique crushes:

Photos top to bottom: 1-3 Heidelburg Suites, 4-5 Dorset Square Hotel, 6 Ajia Hotel, 7 Proximity Hotel, 8-9 The Standard East Village

Good friends increase the pleasure of life exponentially. Especially when they’re artistic adventurers. Two of my BFFs (designing couple John and Joyce Black) just flew in from the West coast. Their favorite finds in LA? The mesmerizing Herb Ritts exhibit at the Getty. And, a Velasco Vitali’s canine sculptures at the PDC. LA-based designer Susanna Kost was their compatriot for full day of exploration and inspiration. Blogging about it is the next best thing to being there!

ABOUT OUR FRIENDS: John Black is the design genius behind some of the finest furniture styles and collections in the market today from famous brands like Baker, Bolier, Council, Artistica and Kravet. Joyce Black, John’s wife and partner, is our favorite graphic designer and overall image consultant. Find them at jblackdesign.com. At LSI, we love to follow other interior designers. Susanna Kost (susannakost.com) is a kindred spirit on the opposite coast.

 The Getty.   The Micucci Collection.

Here at LSI, we love oxymorons, so it’s no surprise that the new trend in pop-up design hotels intrigues us. So luxurious yet so rustic. Perhaps our design antennas are up because we’re exploring a “design camp/retreat” concept with a longtime LSI client. Stay tuned for more details as this exciting project begins to unfold. Fingers crossed.

Celebrating the luxury of simplicity, this raw-luxe camp in Tulum, Mexico features 99 cabañas surrounded by pristine flora and fauna and offers a creative playground, infused with an urban spirit.

Do you know Mrs. Lilien? If not, we’re delighted to make the introduction. Ever witty with a strong dash of sass, Mrs. Lilien’s latest endeavor is a par-excellence cocktail swatchbook. Instead of fabrics or colors, you see intoxicating cocktails. An idea for an idle summer afternoon: close  your eyes, flip open the deck and mix up the first potent potable you see. Cheers!