I told you last year about citizenM hotel at Schiphol Airport, now you can stay at the hotel in the city. The rooms are small but the rest of the hotel offers plenty of attractive features for lovers of modern design. You could lounge in brand new Vitra furniture including the legendary Marshmallow sofa by George Nelson.

citizenM Schiphol is 10th the Conde Nast Traveller 2009 hot list of best new hotels in the World. With free wifi and public Mac computer stations, I would enjoy staying there a few days. Special rates are in effect for the launch at the Amsterdam city hotel. Special opening rates are 99 euro (normally 129 euro) during the week and 79 euro (normally 99 euro) on weekends.

Self-served Check In

This is an innovative approach in the hotel business. You check yourself in at any of the citizenM hotel. An innovative touch screen terminals give you access to your online booking where you can enter your personal preferences, such as lighting, music, temperature and wake-up call. Your room will be automatically adjusted to your liking. Do not worry, citizenM Ambassadors are there to give you a hand.

After your stay, your room key doubles as a luggage tag. It becomes your proof of membership in the citizenM community at citizenM hotels worldwide. This is a cool concept!

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I was inspired by the Spring and Summer 2009 tableware collection at Zara Home to create a festive tablescape.

The starting point was this amazing turquoise and gold Nilo flatware. It is made in gold stainless steel with a dark blue turquoise PVC handle.

My Turquoise, Gold and Pink Tablescape

I used different tone of three colors. Mixing hues with accent colors and textures add interest. The look is refined and sophisticated. Do not be afraid to add a punch color through the tablecloth. For a scheme like that, a print tablecloth is preferable to a solid.

The components are:

+ Nilo cutlery teaspoon £2 fork, knife, spoon £3
+ Nabuko Crockery dessert plate £5, bowl, soup plate and dinner plate £6
+ Paisley Tablecloth £45
+ Pop wine glass £4.50
+ Idea water glass £3
+ Alhambra Jug £4, water tumbler £2

Zara Home Styled Photo

I am in love with the embroidered floral ramie table runner. It would be great for Easter, Mother’s Day or an outdoor brunch on a sunny weekend.

Here you see the same flatware used with a different color palette. The Zara stylists used the same dinnerware but they came up with a totally different look.

+ Cabana table runner £25
+ Small pop wine glass (the blue and purple one) £4.50

It is too bad that the stuff is unavailable in North America. I think that we should start an online petition to implore Zara to open at least an online store with shipping in Canada and the United States. My way to start the crave is to showcase items from their astonishing collection.

If you wish to see more turquoise décor accessories from Zara Home, the Styles Files wrote a good post on turquoise being the trendy color for spring & summer 2009.

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+ The Nature+Holiday Ornaments by Los Angeles-based artist Karen Kimmel are absolutely stunning. Each wood veneer and colored acrylic laser cut disc comes in a hand silk-screened muslin sack laced with an ultra suede tie. You also get a cardboard letterpress card with a message by the artist. The ornament costs between $18 and $40 each at A+R. It makes a wonderful hostess gift. Via Happy Mundane

+ Bugs and Fishes by Lupin shows us how to wrap a Faux Bois Parcel. This craft project relies on inexpensive supplies. Via Creature Comforts.

+ Who can resist the Pumpkin and Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches? Certainly not me. I give her a big thumb up for the presentation. Get the recipe on Cannelle et Vanille.

+ I spot the wooden star ornament on the December 2008 issue of Living etc. It is made by PTMD. Sadly, I cannot tell you where to find it.

+ Finally, I am in love with these Christmas stockings. They look magnificent hanging on the rustic mantel. Via Design Hole.

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It is popular with mid-century home owners. You can dig originals on ebay and craighlist or buy a brand new Classic Aluminum Christmas Tree from New-York retailer Hammacher Schlemmer.

The appeal of using aluminum for a Christmas tree rests in its reflective quality. The downside is that putting Christmas lights in the tree would be too dangerous. This is why the color wheel was invented. A more elegant option is a single color lamp instead of the 4-color wheel.

If you are not convinced yet, I included more decorated trees.

The left tree was found on Flickr on the Aluminum Christmas trees pool. Jenn Ski paid $25 on Craigslist for a the 6-foot silver tree last summer. Jenn dreams of a pink aluminum tree like the one on the right. Any colors other than silver are hard to find and can be expensive.

Before you buy any trees, verify the width and the height to make sure it will fit your apartment.

Brand New Aluminum Christmas Trees

Hammacher Schlemmer sells the aluminum Christmas tree made popular in the 1950s in 5-foot and 7-foot. They are made of high-quality, long-lasting aluminum foil branches that insert into a hardwood trunk. Their easy-to-assemble tree is made with non-corrosive high-quality aluminum foil branches that will long outlast the brittle tinsel of lesser trees.

Yuletide Expressions produces slim, wide and standard width aluminum Christmas trees from 4 to 9 foot. A Premium version with 30% more branches is available. They cost about the same as the trees at Hammacher Schlemmer. What is great about Yuletide Expressions is that they sell the parts if you broke your tree.

The Aluminum Christmas trees is not for everyone and for every décor. But if you do, they are nice options out there.

SOURCING:
+ 5 Foot Classic Aluminum Christmas Tree – $399.95 USD at Hammacher Schlemmer
+ Yuletide Expressions
+ I.am.dancing aluminum Christmas tree
+ NWW Holiday 2008 tree
+ Via Arren Williams and Jenn Ski

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Gone is the design that Philippe Starck did at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood, California.

The hotel needed to update its Alice in Wonderland concept for some time now. The mastermind behind the new design at the Mondrian Hotel is Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz.

The party to launch the $40-million redesigned Mondrian is scheduled for September 4th, 2008. But I bring you a speak preview, thanks to Los Angeles Times.

What’s New?

The fanciful mirror works as a TV screen. You will see pieces from many superstar designers in the remodeled Mondrian next to affordable pieces like the installation of inexpensive hooks in the bathroom or the La Murrina and nickel lanterns made by Roost on the lobby.

I like the black and white polyethylene table on the guest room terraces designed by modern Dutch designers Marcel Wanders next to the Nest chairs by Tord Boontje.

The ABYU Lighting feather lampshades at the concierge’s desk are supposed to be something. I do not know if it is a different design than the one made for Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz and Steven Wine Private Residence.

The feather lampshades are becoming a signature since Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz used them in many projects since 2006.

SOURCING:
+ Mondrian Hotel
+ Nest chairs by Tord Boontie at Unica – price: $687 USD, in 8 colors
+ Roost Jumbo Nickel Lanterns at Velocity – price: $96 USD for medium, $120 for large
+ ABYU New York Custom Lighting
+ Images photographed by Mel Melcon for the Los Angeles Times
+ Bottom right image featured in Metropolitan Home in October 2006

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