Young thirty-something, Vermont-born Stephanie Walker opened Walker Contemporary in Boston’s artsy Sowa neighborhood almost two years ago, just as many Boston gallery owners were abandoning their storefronts due to the recession. Deemed a little bit crazy by friends and family, Walker stuck to her instincts. After almost ten years toiling in galleries in rural New England and Boston’s Newbury Street, followed by a two-year tour of the West Coast art scene, Walker knew she was ready. And her gut steered her right. Today, the gallery is thriving. The sleek white space showcases contemporary works in a variety of mediums, from emerging and mid-career artists. Walker talks to us about her artists, gives us a glimpse into the day in the life of a gallerist and trolls eBay for artful objects. read more

It isn’t rare these days to hear about designers that are artists, artists that have bands and musicians that serve as muses for some of the biggest couture houses in Paris. But 53 years ago, when Vera Neumann (1907-1993) took one of her bright geometric prints, had it screened onto a leftover piece of parachute silk from WWII and called it a scarf, she single-handedly revolutionized the idea of fashion as art. Until then, artists were artists and designers were designers—and no one crossed mediums. But Neumann believed that art should be accessible to the masses, and wearing it seemed like a pretty good way to go about achieving that goal. So she put her colorful prints on everything from wallpaper and bedding to blouses and dresses, all emblazoned with her iconic ladybug signature. Over half a century later, her wearable art—originally collected by Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly—is still just as coveted. Try searching “Vera Neumann” on eBay for further proof. read more

This time of year we’re thinking about tucking away the towels and flip flops, sweeping up the sand, and making sure our entry is ready for fall. The tenets of good entry design are straightforward enough—it’s all about making a good impression and controlling the clutter. Here are tips from three designers who know how to get a WOW while reigning it all in. read more

On the eve of the third annual Dwell on Design conference in Los Angeles (June 25-27), Dwell's publisher Michela O'Connor Abrams chatted with The Inside Source about how she styles her own Mill Valley, CA, home and which eBay items she'd love to own. This year for Dwell on Design, sustainable living site ecofabulous is decorating a PreFab home crafted from recycled goods, and the house will be auctioned off on eBay during the event. Check back here in coming weeks for more dispatches from the conference, including an interview with ecofabulous founder Zem Joaquin. read more

While botanical and zoological drawings and prints have long been celebrated as elegant and often attainable artworks, these days trendsetters are getting to the heart of the matter—literally. Designers are hanging medical charts in well-turned-out spaces and discerning shopkeepers are elevating anatomical models to objets d’arts. Jewelry designers too, are finding inspiration from internal organs and skeletal structures. read more

Elephants have long reigned in pop culture, from Disney’s Dumbo, Dr. Seuss’s Horton and Jean de Brunhoff’s Babar, to Richard Avedon’s memorable photograph “Dovima with Elephants” shot for Harper’s Bazaar in 1955. Danish designer Kay Bojesen, an apprentice of Georg Jensen who was famous for his wooden toys, created an oak elephant in 1951 that is still produced today. And let us not forget 1998 Turner Prize winning artist Chris Offili, best known for his paintings using elephant dung. read more

Frank Roop is my favorite designer in Boston. As in, if I had the money, he’s who I’d hire. Years before I moved to the city, I had torn pages of his work from magazines. He’s been published in the best of them, including Elle Décor, House Beautiful and Metropolitan Home, and he was just named one of the world’s top 70 international designers by Architectural Digest France. read more

It can be difficult to find a retail environment that truly and instantly feels like “home” (or, in many cases, the version of home you are striving to achieve) but we found it in Great Barrington, nestled in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. We are referring to Germain, a multi faceted lifestyle boutique that is the collective brainchild of clothing designer Anne Johnston Albert, interior designer Elena Letteron, and most recently, Valerie Maynard, who brings to the group stationary and gifts as well as an event design studio. read more

Blogworld it-gal Jamie Meares has made her mark on Raleigh, NC with a shop and interior decorating business. Now, fans rejoice as she launches her online shop. read more

Interior decorator and eBay enthusiast Katie Ridder does boho chic with the utmost sophistication. She brings gorgeous color that enriches, not overpowers, rooms bedecked with Middle Eastern patterning and punctuated with easy to live with upholstered pieces and proper antiques. The result is a sort of smart whimsy, an ethnic take on grown up spaces. read more