Lonny Magazine | It's Great To Be Home

Darn it, I’ve found another way to procrastinate during the day.

I’m not sure I should tell you about it because then you’ll be tempted to procrastinate as well. Hmmm….

Okay, here goes – Lonny (the online magazine that I’ve talked about here and here) has launched a new website that has a library of all of the interiors that have been featured in the magazine. I know, right?!?

Here’s a little eye candy from the site for you to enjoy – and there’s plenty more where that came from!

Drool-worthy, right? I’ll still be using my own design archive a ton, but it’s great to have all of Lonny’s images at my fingertips. Do you think you’ll use it?

P.S. Lonny also has a new blog that could be interesting, and you can also order a print-version of the online magazine (although I know I won’t be shelling out 34 buckaroos per issue when I can get it online for free! Supposedly they are working on getting the price down, though, so we’ll see.).

All images courtesy of Lonny.

Have you had a chance to check out the newest issue of Lonny yet? I think this third issue is the best by far, filled with gorgeous images and inspiring designers – if you haven’t browsed through it yet, you must!

Having lived with and decorated an apartment with my older sister during law school, one of my favorite stories from this issue was about Antonia and Victoria Thompson – two wildly talented sisters with very different design aesthetics.

{ Here’s another great thing about Lonny – you don’t have to be a professional designer to be on the cover of the magazine. Cheers to that! }

After living in Manhattan their entire lives, the sisters decided to take the plunge and buy their first apartments. Their real estate searches led them far and wide, but they ultimately purchased separate apartments . . . in the same building . . . on the same floor . . . with the same layout!

With an artist mother and extensive travels, it’s no wonder both sisters developed an eye for design. Antonia, the younger of the two sisters, tends to be more impulsive in her decorating, setting out without a master plan and picking up pieces she loves as she goes along – the result is an eclectic, lived-in look with a somewhat masculine edge. Victoria, on the other hand, takes a more meticulous approach to designing, identifying her key pieces and building a design plan around them for a look that is tailored yet youthful.

{ Living / Dining }

Many of the key elements of each sister’s space are the same – pattern (particularly zebra), splashes of turquoise, glass-topped coffee tables, furniture arrangement, upholstered stools (in zebra!) in front of the fireplace, and bold artwork.

{ Powder Room }

However, their tastes quickly diverge as Antonia prefers what the article’s author, Shawn Gauthier, describes as a “Parisian sensibility married to a chic eclecticism” while Victoria gravitates toward a “1950s Palm Beach vibe infused with a classic, mid-century vision”.

{ Kitchen }

This difference in design sensibilities is striking when their renovated kitchens are compared side by side. Antonia’s is a picture of function and utility, from the hanging pots and butcher block countertop to the commercial-sized refrigerator – reminiscent of Parisian kitchens and industrial chic. Victoria, on the other hand, injects a bit of glamour into her hard-working kitchen with penny tile and turquoise cabinet interiors.

{ Bedroom }

Both sisters designed soothing bedrooms, but Victoria’s is feminine and somewhat traditional while Antonia’s leans a bit more eclectic and muted.

{ Home Office }

From the floor plan above, it appears that both sisters have chosen to use their somewhat awkward dining areas as home offices – a great use of space as their living rooms are more than large enough to accommodate dining tables.

{ Bookcase }

Both sisters chose to paint the backs of their bookcases, a trend that really serves to highlight the styling of the shelves. {Check out Averill’s great post on this subject for more discussion & gorgeous inspiration pics.}