I am so excited to be headed back to beautiful Bangkok this weekend with a few girl friends! I love the mix of rich culture and frantic modernity and of course I can't get enough of the all gorgeous architecture and embellishment every place you look. Looking forward to lots of catching up, delicious Thai food, a few tropical cocktails, a bit of sightseeing and of course a little decor shopping too! More to come next week . . . 

What do you guys have planned for the weekend? 

Jim Thompson's Thai Silk & Mystery

While in Bangkok we were able to visit the beautiful home of Jim Thompson. The American born businessman, merchant, one-time spy, antiques collector, gardener, and designer was born in 1906 and worked as an architect in New York before heading to South East Asia during WWII. His fascination with Thai silk brought the material to the forefront of fashion and interior design in the 1950s and 1960s and his legacy continues with the lovely fabrics and furniture at Jim Thompson showrooms all over the country. 


He is credited with reviving the vibrant jewel toned colors so associated with Thai silk today and was an advocate for cottage industry as a way to help local communities thrive. His disappearance while on a walk in the Malaysian jungle in 1967 only adds to the mystique and drama of his amazing life! 

Thompson designed his home by combining six traditional teak Thai style houses into one complex and added elegant touches like Italian marble floors and Belgian crystal chandeliers - the fusion is so beautiful and I just loved the tropical breeziness and old world elegance his interiors captured! 

The gardens, also designed by Thompson were so lush and lovely! 

Thompson at work with local craftsmen {via}

Three fabrics from the modern Jim Thompson line - such rich color and pattern! From top: Eclipse silk-cotton blend; Solar silk-linen blend; and Crystalline silk fabric.

A Michel Smith living room featuring deep sofas in berry colored Jim Thompson silk {via Elle Decor} The slight sheen of the silk adds just enough glamour to the informal space.

Designer Miles Redd chose a vibrant aqua Jim Thompson silk for the curtains - I adore the combination of vibrancy and tradition here! {via Elle Decor}

Jim Thompson at home {via}

xo Allison

Spicer + Bank

The Sala Phuket

I love to travel and one of my favorite parts as an interior designer is all the foreign and unique spaces I see abroad. I especially love to see what surprises hotel and restaurant interiors have to offer. While mostly a residential designer, I think the hospitality space gives such fun opportunities for experimentation and is a wonderful place to find inspiration! After all after a few hours or days you can move on!
I recently visited the Sala Phuket and was just crazy for their particular Thai style of comfortable elegance and organic minimalism. The whole resort is clad in grays (often of untreated cement), tans, creams, and whites with pops of their signature purple (a bold but brilliant choice I think!). The hotel was designed by local Thai architects (although sadly I could not locate the firm's name) and the interiors have won the prestigious ASA award (Architectural of Siamese Association). Overall I think the Sala Phuket is great inspiration for less is more - by using clean lines, creative lighting, and a muted color palette, the resort really allows you to enjoy the natural setting! Perfection! Here are few of my favorite bits and pieces but you really should go and see the resort for yourselves. . . 

A totally open air bathroom! So freeing to shower outdoors and happy to say the architects did ensure you had privacy from the other guests! I love the faded gray and white moroccan tiles.

Our own private dipping pool! And note the signature purple garden stool as a side table.

The lighting design was really something special - they strung up these chains of lanterns all over the property. Beautiful at night! 

One of the suites, so breezy and relaxed! The sitting area is done in all shades of gray, cream and white,  yet surprisingly warm. 

The steps are sunken below the water - giving the pool's surface a chic and uninterrupted clean line. What a great idea! 

The gray painted furniture of the outdoor restaurant, with a great floral design in relief on the ceiling! 

 A whimsical statue to guard the restrooms! 

 www.salaresorts.com

{Images are courtesy of Sala Phuket, Architeria.com, and a few of my own too}

Bold Color Inspiration: Thailand . . . {Surprise!}

A surprise trip to Thailand to celebrate our 2 year anniversary (I adore my husband!) has been a true color inspiration! I love the contrast of the earthy green foliage with the azure water above! Nature is always a fantastic jumping off point for design. I love the pairing of colors which seem just a bit 'off'  - they can give a room spontaneity and interest.  Much more to come on Thailand but here are a few of favorite beautiful and bold color contrasts you can enjoy indoors as well! 

A lively living room by designer Angele Parlange, featured in Lonny magazine's December issue. Hot pink and cyan blue! I would worry it would turn out like a baby shower - but Parlange does a beautiful job! 

Miles Redd, a true master of bold color, pairs primary hues in this entry. The collection of patterns and different materials here helps it from looking too... well, primary! The photo is by Thomas Loof, and was featured in New York Magazine.

Mary McDonald combines dusty turquoises with brick red in this sophisticated room. Black accents help ground the space. I never would have thought of this particular color combo but it looks wonderful I think.

Jeffery Bilhuber picks a surprising plum and tangerine for upholstery in this Pennsylvania farm house. Especially given the more traditional setting, I think this color palette is just so dynamic! 

So don't be afraid of color! Inspiration is all around!