Inside Avenue on "Ex Wives Club" -ABC TV

Did anyone see us on "Ex Wives Club", aired on ABC last Monday? Okay, if you blinked you probably missed it. We did too, actually.

So this is what happened. About a year ago we got a call from a producer from ABC TV. They want to use our store to shoot a scene for a new reality show staring Marla Maple, Angie Everhart and Shar Jackson (Shar who??). Shar Jackson, let us inform you, used to be married to Kevin Federline, who used to be married to Britney Spears, got it?

Being in Southern California, we are just as celebrity obsessed as anyone else. Plus, we thought it would be a nice little publicity for our store. Mind you, we are a little store (and we meant, LITTLE) with no more than two pennies to rub together for an advertising budget, so we jumped at the chance. We got all dressed up, all made up, cleaned up our store--all in anticipation of the filming.

The next day the crew came with Marla Maple and Shar Jackson. They were extremely nice, and we could tell they were amused that we were all dressed up. I, the owner, was given one line--"cash or charge". I was told to pretend that they are buying all these things, but that they will give them back after filming. Fair enough, I said. Free publicity, who can ask for anything more?

So let us tell you something about reality TV, there is nothing realistic about it! It's all scripted. From what we can see, people were told what to say and how to say it. That doesn't even count the editing that is done afterward.

We saw the first episode of the show and to be honest with you, it is such a YAWN!! We never see so many blubbering people in our lives! Man, these people cried and cried. You just want to slap them and tell them to get over it already.

And that is why we might have missed our 5 seconds of fame on TV....

The Prettiest Shades of Blue

We have this thing for blue. Not all shades of blue, of course, but soft blue, robin's egg blue, gray blue... You know, the kind of blues that don't make you feel blue but soothe your heart and your soul. We like mixing it with white (for a beachy look)and with lots of mirrors (for the Hollywood Regency look). It's quite a winning combination. Check out this picture below from Methome to see an example of what we meant:

And here are a few products in blue that we just adore (all can be found in the home decor section).

Desi Stool

Blue Light Spencer Table




Flamingo Lamp

Blue Chinoiserie Box

Black is so...90's--Decorate with Colors Instead!

Black is so 90s, so claimed Vera Wang in the business section of the New York Times this past Sunday.

We unequivocably agreed. Frankly we're tired of black. Or beige. Or brown for that matter. When it comes to home furnishings we think colors are SO in! Not gaudy, obnoxious colors that hurt your eyes when you look at it, but vibrant, sunny colors that are used cohesively...

Here are few examples that show colors being used widely and successfully:

Note the intensity of the wall colors, and how it is offset with the softer, more neutral colors of the furnishings.

Here is another view of this room:

(Photo courtesy of Met Home)

If you are into colors right now, check out the shop by color section at Inside Avenue. It groups items into color scheme to make it easy to shop by your favorite color theme.

Elle Decor Magazine-The Ultimate Design Magazine

Elle Decor magazine is one of our most favorite design magazines in the world! Its features are always original, whimsical, and totally sophisticated. It also use extensive colors, which is our favorite thing to do when it comes to interior design. Neutral is nice, but color is way hotter!

If you like Elle Decor's style, you'll probably like these...All can be found on the home accessories section at Inside Avenue.

This lamp comes in blue (shown), pink, white and black. We just love the shade.

This pendant is a nice touch of colors for your outdoor room. It is available in pink, orange, white, yellow and black.

This set of print is colorful and fun. It's Asian but not overly so... We love these stools. We've seen them at Mondrian hotel in Scottsdale in white. Shown here in green, they are also available in white, black and blue.


And check out this awesome table! It is also available in a longer version (this one is 30" long, the larger one is 48" long). The table is available in blue, yellow and white.

Cool Wall Decorating

When it comes to wall decorating, the typical solutions are a) paint it with different colors 2) decorate with arts or 3) use wallpaper. Once in a while, though, we find a product that we just love...Check out these wall panels from B& N Industries. They are just way cool!

Typically installed in commercial settings, we find these suitable for residential applications as well. Use them in a bedroom or bathroom and voila, instant chic!

Shown mostly in white, these panels are available in different colors (you can see them on the B & N web site). We love the color options.

Check out this blue one:



We like this white one as well:



This one is quite hip...


To see more of these panels, check out the company web site at www.bnind.com.

Kelly Wearstler-Part Deux

We have to admit, we are totally obsessed with Kelly Wearstler. We think she is a brilliant designer! It's true she gets more press in the interior design world than most, but she deserves it.

If you are a fan of Kelly Wearstler, you probably see her work at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, Estrella in Palm Springs and others mentioned in her book "Modern Glamour". Here are few products that will help you achieve the look...

All can be found at Inside Avenue home accessories section.

White Temple Vase

White Elephant Table

White Venus Bust

Yellow Hollywood Regency Lamp

Asian Horse

White Greyhound

Kelly Wearstler offers a selected product porfolio include fabrics (available through Decorators Walk), carpet (Stark), Wallpaper (F Schumacher) and various other products. A good discount source for Kelly Wearsler fabric and wallpaper is Discount Fabric Resources.com. Kelly Wearstler fabric is made by F Schumacher.

Decorating a Bedroom

We spend a tremendous amount of time in our beds, why not make it as beautiful as possible?

Here are a few quick ideas on how to decorate your bedroom:

-Buy the best linens you can afford. Nothing beats sleeping on good sheets.

-Buy the best mattress you can afford. A comfortable bed helps you sleep better.

-Have good reading lamps. Eye strain is the most common cause of headache.

-Have some fresh flowers and scented candles on your nightstands. Both are very soothing...

-If you must, have a TV, but keep it hidden if you can.

-Get rid of those god-awful electronic alarm clock. There are many nice clocks out there, and did you know you can use your cell phone as an alarm too?

-If your room is large enough, put a couple of comfortable sitting chairs seperated by a beautiful small table.

-A chaise is a great piece of furniture for the corner. Be sure to have a small table next to it to set down a book or a drink.