I couldn’t be more excited for the new year and  in the spirit of moving forward with new beginnings, it’s the perfect time to reflect back on the last 12 months. 2011 was a great year both for me and for So Haute and it sure flew by fast! These were some of the highlights…

One of the goals I set for 2011 was to start dabbling in television so I was THRILLED to appear on HGTV on a new show called My Favorite Place where I gave viewers a tour of my home. I was featured alongside Jonathan Adler and Jill Zarin…A total pinch me moment! I appeared in other TV segments as well but HGTV was definitely a highlight!

I also interviewed a number of designers whose work I admire greatly including Robert Couturier (above), Kristen Panitch, Hillary Thomas and more…

_{Ethnic textiles at the New York International Gift Fair}

I did lots of scouting for the best in design to showcase here on So Haute…

I  garnered press coverage in some amazing publications like Better Homes & Gardens, Money magazine, The Nest, ElleDecor.com,  Singapore’s Home & Design (above), Apartment Therapy and more…

And even penned an article for the New York Observer’s home edition…

_{Nathan Turner and his design director Carrie Kravetz – the subject of our very first ‘Meet the Assistant’!}

I also introduced a new feature on the blog called Meet the Assistant which received an overwhelmingly positive response…

_{Moi with Jennifer Boles from The Peak of Chic, my friend Colette, and Paloma from La Dolce Vita at Greystone Mansion} 

I caught up with blogger buddies…

_{Blogger & Designer Amber Lewis}

And met some awesome new ones…

All in all it was a great year and I can’t thank you enough for following along on my design adventures! There’s lots more to come in 2012!!

xoxo

Nicole

Just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a wonderful holiday! I hope you all are enjoying time with your loved ones and filling your bellies with amazing food!  I know I am! It’s been such a great year and thanks to YOU for reading and for your constant support! It means the world!

Wishing you lots of love!!!

xoxo Nicole

Little old me and my apartment are featured on the Glitter Guide today and I couldn’t be more excited! The images were shot by the talented Emily Anderson who captured my apartment so beautifully. I would love for you all to check out the feature so please visit the Glitter Guide to read the interview and see all the pretty pictures! xoxo

Photos of me & my apartment by Emily Johnston Anderson for the Glitter Guide

I absolutely love Thanksgiving. There’s nothing more comforting than being together with loved ones, enjoying an amazing meal and giving thanks for our many blessings. Today, I am thankful for each of you who take time out of your lives to read So Haute! Your support is much appreciated! As a special treat, enjoy these photos of Aerin Lauder’s country home all decked out for the holidays!! Lots of love and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Photos by Claiborne Swanson-Frank for Vogue.com

Admittedly, I’ve been slacking on the blog a bit due to overwhelming amounts of work that has consumed my life as of recent. But while I haven’t been blogging on the regular, I have been working on several exciting projects offline. I’m excited to share a story I wrote for the Fall edition of the Home Observer about the fashionable, Upper East Side apartment of InStyle publisher Connie Anne Phillips. The studio apartment was designed by Elizabeth Bauer who created a colorful, glamorous, Parisian-inspired retreat for Phillips to live in temporarily while her dream apartment is being gut renovated. (Bauer is designing that space too!) Photographer Emily Gilbert captured Phillips’ studio beautifully and I’d love for you to check out the full article – titled “Paris, Uptown” – which also includes Elizabeth Bauer’s secrets for living large in a small space. Click the cover of the Home Observer below to check out the entire issue including my article on page 49!

Click the cover above to read my article – Paris Uptown – in the Home Observer! (Note for my non-New York readers: the Home Observer is magazine is published twice yearly by The New York Observer which is one of the city’s newspapers.)

I’m still on a high from my HGTV appearance this past weekend! Although I have done some television appearances before, it was quite exhilarating to have my apartment featured on HGTV – a network I’ve watched since I was a kid! A lot of you who missed the segment have asked if/when the episode will repeat. I put in an inquiry and will let you know when I hear back. Also – I’ve gotten tons of emails, comments and tweets asking about some of the items in my apartment so later this week I’ll be featuring an Ask Nicole where I’ll answer some of your questions and reveal all of my sources! I’ll also be sharing more details about a few of my home projects shown in the episode that haven’t been featured here on the site. Stay tuned! And for anyone who may have missed the segment, I included a few screenshots below!

So I’ve been keeping a little secret that I am BEYOND EXCITED to share!! Back in November I taped an episode for a new show on HGTV called My Favorite Place where I give viewers an up close tour of my apartment and I just found out that it airs on Saturday!! I’m so excited for everyone to watch! It airs THIS SATURDAY July 2nd at 6pm Eastern / 5pm Central / 3pm Pacific and the episode will feature my house tour along with the homes of Jonathan Adler and Jill Zarin from the Real Housewives of New York! I’m humbled to have my little Harlem apartment featured alongside the homes of such amazing names! Since premiering in May, the show has featured celebrities, decorators and TV personalities such as India Hicks, Kathy Griffin, Cynthia Rowley, Jamie Durie, Nancy O’Dell, Cheryl Burke and more. I couldn’t be more excited!! Below is the synopsis of my episode from HGTV.com. Please tune-in on Saturday to watch! It would mean the world to me!!

Also – here’s the official description of the show. To find out about other upcoming episodes click here!

“We all know designers and trendsetters who inspire us. But have you ever wondered where their inspiration comes from? You flip through magazines gazing at the stunning houses and spaces they decorate, but wouldn’t you like to know how they came up with the design behind them? My Favorite Place is an all-access behind-the-scenes look at the spaces today’s top designers and trendsetters find most inspiring.”

I am so excited to share a recent press hit in the most recent issue of Better Homes & Gardens! This one is particularly exciting because Better Homes & Gardens happens to be the most read women’s magazine in America with more than 7.6 million readers!!! Thank you so much to the BH&G team for featuring So Haute!! I’m thrilled beyond words! I’m also excited that BH&G is the first to break the news about a new feature here on So Haute that I know you all will love! “Meet the Assistant” will profile design assistants and associate designers who work behind-the-scenes alongside some of the world’s most notable interior designers to help make it all happen. Lookout for features on the assistants of Laura Kirar, Mary McDonald, Betsy Burnham and more! And tonight, I’ll be debuting the first Meet the Assistant profile where I will introduce you to Carrie Kravetz – Nathan Turner’s design director who can also be seen making regular cameos alongside Nathan this season on Bravo’s new series Million Dollar Decorators! Be sure to tune-in tonight at 10/9c and check back later to read the first installment of Meet the Assistant!!

Hope your day is filled with lots of love!

xoxo

Nicole

Malin Ackerman Shot by Matthew Rolston

Liz von Hoene

Jason Hindley

Vincent La Foret

Photos: Stockland Martel

Today marks the launch of High Gloss – a wonderful new online lifestyle magazine that’s packed with loads style inspiration plus features on notable celebs such as Chelsea Handler and Louise Roe. Of course there’s plenty decor inspiration as well…My favorite spreads include the homes of blogger and designer Jamie Meares and LA based designer Tia Zoldan.  I’m also super excited because I’m featured in the pages of High Gloss too! I curated a page of “City Chic” finds that were inspired by my fabulous and fictitious style icon Holly Golightly!  High Gloss was the brainchild of my blogging buddy Paloma Contreras from La Dolce Vita who teamed up with an talented group of bloggers including Erin Gates of Elements of Style, Kyle Knight of Knight Moves, Shannon Wollock of Life. Style and Ashley Steen of Orchard 11. Thank you ladies for allowing me to contribute to High Gloss and congratulations on a fabulous premiere issue! You can check out High Gloss including my feature on pages 18-19 here.

_{Check out my City Chic picks in the premiere issue of High Gloss!}

_{My Favorite Everyday Bag – by Alexander McQueen}

Tam over at Get It Girl Style recently featured me in her super fun series called Baggin where she takes a look inside the bags of tastemakers around the blogosphere. Click here to check out the feature and see what’s inside my bag!

The lovely Caitlin from Sacramento Street recently asked me to participate in her popular  “10 Things That Make Me Happy” series and I’m so excited that my guest post is now live on her blog! Pop on over to Sacramento Street to check out my 10 favorite things!

I want to give a huge thank you to MSN’s lifestyle site Glo for featuring me in a story on the top 10 design experts and designers to watch! And not only was I featured, I made the homepage cover on Nov 16th! Super exciting! Here’s a peek and you can check out the full story here. Congrats are also in order to my fellow bloggers & designers Grant K. Gibson, Jeannie Hays of AphroChic and Victoria Smith from SFgirlbybay who were featured too!

I’m so excited that my blogging buddy Paloma Contreras from La Dolce Vita, recently gave me the opportunity to share a few of my favorite things in her popular blog series “10 Things I Can’t Live Without“! I had such fun compiling my list of the top 10 things I love the most, from movies that make me laugh to my most prized possessions! Be sure to read the feature here and thanks so much to Paloma for including me!

I want to give a huge thanks to House Beautiful for including me in its Nov 2010 issue! This issue’s “Send us a Picture” feature takes a look inside the coat closets of 8 taste makers including mine! I’m so excited to be featured and seeing my name in print in one of my favorite magazines is truly an honor! THANK YOU HOUSE BEAUTIFUL!!

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