The 2010 Downtown Lofts Tour will feature eight extraordinary private residences in beautiful historic downtown Galveston.

Historic buildings provide a unique palette for the creation of modern living spaces.  Unusual building materials, some of which are no longer available, and beautiful patinas that only many decades of use and exposure can create, enhance the rooms.   Built long before modern air-conditioning and in some cases even before the advent of electric lighting in the city, the design of the buildings responded to the tropical climate with high-ceilings and large windows allowing the interiors to be bathed in natural light and let the ocean breeze flow through.  Today, these once practical considerations result in spectacular loft spaces, resulting in what we call “Urban living with an Island Twist!”

This year, guests will have the chance to explore a wide range of living spaces and decorative styles each unique to its owner.  From a young couple’s chic loft decorated in a monochromatic white palette, to a sprawling family compound that spans the upper floors of three adjacent buildings, variety is at the heart of the tour.  Absorb the carefully balanced blend of styles, colors and accents in the vast loft of an interior designer, and then be wowed by another home that takes a black and white color scheme and with a splash of red.  No matter your own style you are sure to find something you like in this year’s great selection of loft homes.

As someone who utterly adores Galveston and its wonderful and vibrant downtown area, I encourage those of you with similar interest to attend.

I have a great lust in my heart for two things: Shoes and hats.

So I was super thrilled to see fourteen jaw-droppingly gorgeous hats pop up in my inbox last night.

Two legendary names in hat design have teamed up to create a limited edition collection like no other. This Fall 2010, America’s iconic brand, Stetson, and world-renowned milliner, Albertus Swanepoel, will unveil their first-ever collaboration, ALBERTUS SWANEPOEL for STETSON.

What I think is awesome about this collection is that while these felted beauties may look amazing on a man, they’d also look utterly darling on a chica rockin’ the menswear/Annie Hall look this fall.

Says Swanepoel, “It’s a great honor to collaborate with a legacy brand such as Stetson. They are the Rolls Royce of hats to me in America and I’m thrilled to be associated with this brand. This is also is a great opportunity for me to inject a more modern sensibility into their iconic designs.”

Swanepoel, a CFDA member, approached this collaboration by combining his own design philosophy with Stetson’s heritage and technique.  He spent time immersing himself in Stetson’s archives in order to develop a full sense of the brand’s rich history. Swanepoel then drew upon his own fascination with surface texture and his famed method of applying distressed elements in innovative ways.

“I reached out to Albertus because I thought there was something interesting and groundbreaking about a designer of his background joining forces with an iconic American brand like Stetson,” said Pam Fields, CEO of Stetson.

Folks in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area can find the hats at Barney’s, located at North Park Mall.

The Plaza at Preston Center is hosting its third annual fashion preview, Plaza Style, on Thursday, September 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sponsored by CBS 11, this year’s fall fashion event will benefit The Fashionistas.

Plaza Style showcases the unique offerings from Plaza tenants, including a sneak peak at the hottest trends for fall. Models will strut their stuff in fashions and be adorned in products from participating Plaza tenants with even man’s best friend, Fido, taking a stroll down the catwalk – ME-OW!

Guests will have the opportunity to bid on goodies from Plaza tenants in a silent auction while sipping wine and cocktails and munching on hors d’oeuvres served from various Plaza restaurants.

All proceeds from Plaza Style and the silent auction will benefit The Fashionistas, a non-profit organization who mission is to celebrate the art form that is fashion and raise scholarship money for fashion design students.   Ticket prices will range from $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Click the image below to purchase your tickets today!

Join Mockingbird Station and West Elm on Thursday July 21 (6-9pm) for a Summer Celebration benefitting The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS: DIFFA. Be the first to view the new custom upholstered furniture line and new fall collection at West Elm while sipping cocktails by Hudson Ferus and shopping for a cause.

A $20 donation at the door includes a 10 percent discount at West Elm as well as a donation of 10% of all purchases made that evening to DIFFA. Additionally, your ticket includes shopping privileges and discounts at participating Mockingbird Station merchants and chances to win great door prizes. A trip to New York City including 2-nights at the boutique hotel Eventi, located in the heart of Chelsea, and meeting a top West Elm designer for a VIP tour of their design studio will be up for bid.

Related articles

• Good Eats, Good Cause: Chef Chris Ward Cooking Class to Benefit Greyhound Adoption League of Texas
• DIFFA Private Preview of The Red Bull Art of Can July 15th

Oh, the much maligned egg carton. Though its primary function is to gently caress and protect objects which have been expelled from the rear end of a laying hen, the egg carton has long been used for a variety of things. From kiddie art projects to seedling containers, the egg carton has a shelf life far longer than its eggy inhabitants and now the egg carton has been re-purposed once again for home design and decor.

From creating your own gorgeous artwork to making your own unique lighting, I’m thinking it might be time for you to starting thinking of the egg carton a little differently.

Let’s talk three dimensional art by Dutch artist Enno de Kroon:

Too complicated for your tastes and talents? Start small with this idea from graphic designer Patricia Zapata.

Want to try this? Here are Patricia’s easy-to-follow directions.

Brighten up your space with a new twist on recycled lighting. Both projects below are a super easy and unique way to spruce up your digs.

This pendant light was created by the minds behind Addicted to Decorating. Make your own for about 30 bucks!

Full instructions can be found here.

And finally, my favorite of these projects are these sweet fairy lights from esprit cabane. A string or two of these would be a wonderful touch of whimsy for any backyard party, a child’s room, or nestled together in a bow as a table centerpiece.

Want to make these? Here are the directions!

Next week: Recycled Design – Giving new life to magazines and newspapers

I was Googling things a few weeks ago, what things I don’t remember, but I was Googling things nonetheless, when I stumbled across The Most Freaking Amazing Map of Texas Ever. (Though I’m really late getting to the discovery party.)

Created by award-winning Texas Monthly art director, Austin resident, and Pentagram partner DJ Stout, and dubbed ‘A Texas Designer’s Map of the World’, the map was created as a part of a Sappi Fine Paper advertising promo and was inspired by the old Texas Brag Maps.

Whether you’re a fan of maps, or have a love of design, it’s really worth downloading and enjoying the whole thing.

To learn about the map and its creator, visit Pentagram’s blog entry here.

Directly download the map here. (Warning: The file is large.)

Extra credit: Check out Dj Stout’s beautiful bovine masterpiece.