Does that seem like an oxymoron? Designer Liz Levin was asked to design a front parlor and back room of a home in Alexandria, VA, that would do several things:

• Use a baby grand piano as a focal point
• Incorporate an existing art collection, in addition to a newly commissioned piece that takes up almost the entire wall of the front parlor
• Accommodate the couple’s 4-year-old daughter
• And stand up to the family’s two dogs.

Before, the front room had dated, oversized maroon furniture in it, and the back room “had a dangling chandelier and a lot of toys in it,” Levin says. “They wanted it to be adult- and entertaining-friendly but still safe for a 4-year-old.” The answer: use the piano to turn the front room into a parlor, with chairs for adults to listen to music and/or enjoy cocktails, while saving the back room as a place for the child to play and the husband to watch TV. The home already has a family room, so this back area would be an alternative hang out spot.

The piano enjoys top billing in the revamped area. Levin used Ultrasuede on the chairs that can stand up to stains, and Roman shades on the windows that can stay safely out of reach from small hands and dog paws.

… And in case you are looking for a fabulous cocktail table, this one is Liz’s “secret table.” She gets this Catalina table, which is available in 20 finishes, from Hickory Business Furniture,  “I love that it has a shelf underneath.”

The rug from Galbraith & Paul (whose textiles we blogged about in May), is a nod to the adults. The wool pile on a cream silk loop background isn’t made for lots of heavy traffic, but the Cool Zinnia colorway beautifully incorporates the piano, chairs, and commissioned artwork.

The family’s existing artwork, along with the new chair and ottoman, help blend the two spaces. The rug is a nylon blend, so it cleans easily.

The rooms flow from a pale green and blue in front to a tan color scheme in the back, but the furniture in each area ties the spaces together. Benjamin Moore’s Celery Salt covers the walls in the front (the commissioned artwork is at the right), while Moore’s Golden Hills covers the back walls.

This spring, we profiled John Kiernan and his Blue Line Studios as part of a story on ceiling décor.  His ceiling mural portraying icons of American history was stunning.

Kiernan just sent us an e-mail with photos of his latest project, a kitchen in a McLean, VA – an example of your basic upscale kitchen getting a treatment that makes it really unique (the sky might have been more realistic without pendant lights hanging from it, but it’s a kitchen, after all). The walls, meanwhile, were also painted and textured by Blue Line. Very cool.

Janelle Tracy at Vastu sent us an e-mail this week with some pictures of incredible rugs for which they are the exclusive retailer in the DC area. The rugs are from M.A. Trading Company in India,  and instead of the standard Oriental fare, their line is surprisingly fresh, bright and modern.

Vastu used the Bilbao pattern for a condo model unit here,

And the Shanghai Mix for this living room.

Other cool designs they currently have in the store include Madeira White,

and Pamplona.

But Vastu has samples of all M.A. Trading rugs for you to check out. And it’s really worth it. For instance, Portland Brown makes a strong, crisp statement;

And Planet Red/Orange/Brown would literally make a room pop.

For a little girl’s room, Flora Pink or Messina White would be just the ticket:

There are so many great designs from M.A. Trading, I spent way too much time surfing to look at them all. So stop by Vastu so you can look AND feel these great rugs.

Pink leather. Jewel-tone silk. The famous Fendi Fs.  It’s hard to separate Fendi’s fashion from its furniture, and indeed, these details are descriptions of the latter.

Fendi Casa, along with Habatat Galleries, hosted a reception last week at its showroom in The Washington Design Center, which featured designer Dominque Alexander of City Style Interiors.

“Audrey,” by Noi Volkov through Habatat Galleries, was displayed at the Fendi showroom reception, along with several other Habitat works.

“We’re living in a time in which fashion and art and contemporary living are really at the forefront of design,” Alexander says. America “is now much like Europe – we live in older homes with contemporary finishes.”

American fashion designers, such as Oscar de la Renta and Ralph Lauren, are known for their regal, traditional looks that hearken an old-line American aristocracy. But for the inspired contemporary looks that are becoming ever more popular here, the Italian fashion houses are the way to go. Keep reading for more Italian looks for your home.

One of my favorite trade shows is the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, or ICFF, and it begins in New York this weekend. Ordinarily, these kinds of shows are closed to the public, open only to retailers, designers and architects. But ICFF will admit the public next Tuesday, May 20, so if you are a contemporary design junkie, this is the day to play hookie from work and hop the train to New York.

I won’t be going myself, but my friend Grace at Design*Sponge is previewing lots of great products that will be on display, and she will be blogging from the show this weekend. Just enter “icff” into her search box.

Among Grace’s previews, I love the furniture coming from Iannone Design Ltd., which is known for its intricate carvings into the sides of credenzas, dressers, and tables.

Also, I was excited to see that Thomas Paul has new rugs. I have a fabulous pencil holder of his design, as well as a mouse pad/notepad. One of these adorable rugs would certainly complete my workspace.