• Best Wedding Blogs

    As a wedding planner, I look a lot at wedding blogs...seriously, way too many.  I love them, some for their tips and ideas, some for their gorgeous photos and weddings and some, well some just because.  Here are my top four (yes, four...not five) must view blogs for wedding and event planners (not including Sheffield Says of course!). 1. 100 Layer Cake           This blog has it all!  Gorgeous photos, amazing ideas, and just an overall beautiful aesthetic.  Plus it's not all mason jars and burlap...but has some very modern featured weddings.  Here are a few photos from some recent weddings. 


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  • 2012 Wedding Trends

    If I see one more mason jar, I am going to scream.  If I see one more vintage suitcase or typewriter, I am going to pull my hair out.  If I see one more photobooth or cupcake or chocolate fountain, I am going to run in the other direction.  I'm talking about the trends of 2011 (and worse...the trends of 2010!)  We, as wedding planners, have seen these trends at nearly every wedding with each (very, very sweet and well-meaning) bride proclaiming that she wants the most original wedding.  Thus making her wedding the opposite of original and becoming the dreaded cookie-cutter wedding.   As an ode to beginning of 2012, here are the newest trends (please note, not a mason jar in sight!!!). 1. Bright Colors - Gone are the muted, vintage inspired weddings.  The 2012 wedding will be full of bright colors in every aspect of the wedding, from the bouquets and centerpieces to the dessert bars (another 2012 trend) to the pettiskirts of the bride's gown.  I say, Bring On The Bright!! 2. Dessert Bars - Amy Atlas is my idol!  She designs the most amazing cake/dessert tables.  If you don't know who she is - run (don't walk!) those fingers to her website.  She is a revolutionary to her craft and an inspiration to those of us who love styling weddings and events.  The above photo is certainly a work inspired by Amy Atlas as well as this photo.


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  • My Favorite Things

    You’ve probably received your holiday gifts and chances are your wish list is still unfulfilled.  I always like to gift myself from my own wish list (hey, I gifted everyone first!) as a reward for just getting through the year. (Wink, wink!) Being a designer, my wish list for design books is VERY long, so I’d like to share some of the books that inspire me and maybe they will end up on your wish list too!  These books come from all industries – I don’t limit myself just to my field of interior design.  You never know where inspiration may come from so I keep myself open and attuned to all trends in other fields.  From Design Magazines: Abitare: 50 Years of Design: The Best of Architecture, Interiors, Photography, Travel and Trends 1961-2011 Abitare, an Italian design magazine launched in 1961, informed the world of the latest trends in the design world, from interiors to accessories to graphic design, bringing it all under one cover.  This compilation reproduces the best articles of the magazine in Italian and English.          From Photography: Cecil Beaton: The New York Years by Donald Albrecht The Museum of the City of New York is currently hosting a retrospective of Photographer Cecil Beaton’s works – a beautiful reminder of the work that’s he done including photographs of the beautiful and famous as well as illustrations of costume designs for the opera. Beaton photographed icons such as Greta Garbo, Truman Capote, Audrey Hepburn and Andy Warhol.   Bill Cunningham New York – DVD – Richard Press, Director "We all get dressed for Bill," says Vogue editor Anna Wintour of Bill Cunningham, New York Times Photographer. His column, On the Street, for the Style section is a must-see for the fashionistas as well as for those who aspire to be street photographers.  From Fashion Design: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (Metropolitan Museum of Art) by Andrew Bolton The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently hosted a blockbuster retrospective on the recently deceased fashion designer, Alexander McQueen.  The exhibit was jam-packed with his breathtaking creations and equally jam-packed with viewers! If you weren't lucky enough to see the exhibit, then this book will give you a taste of his genius.      Emilio Pucci by Vanessa Friedman This book is covered in fabric using one of Pucci’s fabulous patterns (you have several choices) and quite hefty, hence very expensive. But the author spans Pucci's fashion creations throughout his career– great snapshots of la dolce vita - molto bella!


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  • A Featured Wedding from Style Me Pretty

    As a wedding planner, I love all styles of weddings, from the understated and intimate City Hall ceremony to the lavish Hindu weddings.  It is pretty much a guarantee that if it's a wedding, I will love it.  However, there are some that stand out far above the rest, where the bride is just so beautiful and sweet, the setting is breathtaking, the flowers are amazing and the food is to die for...these are the ones we as wedding planners live for.  Everything about this wedding was perfect, even the rain that had myself and my assistant running to set up two possible ceremony locations at the very last minute, it was still perfect.  I hope you enjoy the stunning photos by Leo Patrone Photography.  Here is a link to the original post from the always enjoyable Style Me Pretty and also my blog. 


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  • Table Lamps Galore!

    Table Lamps are very practical light fixtures – sometimes doing double duty in some rooms as they can provide task lighting as well as accent lighting for the room.  In our previous Designer Monthly, Suspended Light, we talked about how hanging light fixtures provide ambient lighting for the room.  Table lamps are more specialized – because of their smaller body, they can only throw light on a small area.  They’re great for specific tasks – reading, doing deskwork, and for providing an accent light in a corner of the room, where a ceiling light may miss. 


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  • Room of the Month

    Every issue of Sheffield's Designer Monthly features a Room of the Month where we analyze an interior using a simple Three-Step Method. It's beyond the scope of this Web site to teach you every nuance, but you will get an inkling from our Room of the Month Analysis articles.

  • Sheffield Student Successes

    Here's your chance to read more about the accomplishments of Sheffield students in our Sheffield Student Postcards. These are just some of the Sheffield success stories that have appeared in Designer Monthly over the years.

  • Decorating Children's Rooms

    Getting bored with the ubiquitous design ideas for kids' rooms you seem to see everywhere? We thought it was time for some fresh looks for Baby's nursery or Junior's room; Don't miss these favorite Sheffield articles on decorating rooms for children.

  • Green Design

    In our Green Design series, we look at sustainable, low-impact elements of design. Check out these great tips to add both a sense of style and responsibility.

  • Wedding & Event Planning

    Don't miss these favorite Sheffield wedding and event planning articles.

  • The Little Things

    Our Little Things columns place a spotlight on those home accessories that are often overlooked, and we'll show how they can be improved to make a world of a difference.