WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog

WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog
Hi- It's Tamara. I'm happy you've stopped by, and since 2010 I've been sharing my passion for interior design, history, art, entertaining, travel & fashion. I am an interior designer, textile designer and writer living and working in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. My musings have taken me to international design, art, antique and epicurean events and I have lots to share. I'm grateful to have been listed as the #1 top design blog, blogs to watch, top design blogs and named and awarded Rising Star of Design by the IFDA NY industry organization. Please feel free to reach out to our team for an interior design consultation at NestbyTamara.com -Tamara

The Makings of Our Room For The 2017 Design On A Dime

That's a Wrap for the
13th annual Design On A Dime...
our hard work paid off, we were happy with the results, and many patrons were singing our praise.  
Additionally, we were featured on  
and even interviewed and profiled for television on 
And, all for this very worthwhile cause.  Please shop the room's items and find the sources on our 
This was our third year creating a room vignette for this annual charity event
we are fortunate to have had quality and creative products to work with...
Elizabeth Taber art (left); 
Lenox USA plates, Burleigh Pottery (right)
check out our Behind-The-Scenes slide show 
illustrating how it takes a village of friends and family and brands supporting our efforts 
To pull this event off! 
please find sources for items featured in our room,

April 27, 2017 was a perfect spring event, complete with a disc jockey spinning records and festive cocktails and delicious bites offered up at the 13th annual Design On A Dime.  This year our dining room design came off without a hitch, and we were inspired by our root cellar designs' new wallpaper and fabric collection exotica.  These patterns are a bit more vibrant and festive than our usual ones.  This set the tone for our aesthetic when invited to participate again, so we created a dinner party in the throes, and somewhere warm and exotic with both a sophisticated and casual vibe...we channeled St. Barths.  We layered patterns and textures together for a festive gathering, and grounded it with a rich chocolate brown paint (Classic Brown) on the walls and trim from Benjamin Moore.   
the gorgeous Corniche 
chandelier was donated by Currey and Company 

About Design On a Dime:  For Housingwork's Design On A Dime, each year they invite over 60 designers from around the nation to participate and decorate a room at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea, New York City.  Over three days they host a collection of events from dinner parties to the opening gala where everything is finally sold for a discount and then proceeds going to Housingwork's program to support families suffering from AIDS.    

 On April 27, guests, editors and designers get an up-close look at each room during the VIP celebration, then at 6:30 sharp the bell rings and the evening instantly turns into a shopping frenzy.  This year we had many fans, and several shoppers camped out on each corner of our space, just over the roped off edges waiting for their chance to buy our items. 

We were thrilled when donors started offering quality wares for our design vignette and that immediately set the tone-- Currey and Company gifted us their shell-encrusted Corniche chandelier, and their Rakish mercury glass standing lamp.  Bernhardt generously gave us their beautiful table, Marquesa which we paired with eight stunning chairs, the Pervical from their collections.  The combination of the table with a slight patina and the chrome chairs (which they upholstered in our root cellar designs' weave pattern in indigo) gave our room that pop we yearned to make a big statement.  The chairs were certainly the "talk of the town" throughout Design On A Dime.  We were gifted art by David L. Raines and Elizabeth Taber.  These unusual pieces gave our space the needed edge and sparkle. We met the owners of Bones Studio at the Architectural Digest Home show and he happily gave us the mirror in his space to add to our designs.  We set the table with a cornucopia of rich, layered product showing a mixture of traditional wares and edgy, modern pieces-- Black Regal Soup Tureen & ladle and bowls from British owned Burleigh and stunning Casual Radiance Plate collection from Lenox, we juxtaposed against our own collection of French vintage plates and glassware. Serena & Lily's Mirabelle rug and Blake console table and white-washed raffia lanterns brought a tropical feel.  The rug caused quite a frenzy with three guests almost coming to blows over this rich indigo pattern.  The Rope Company from Maine offered us two navy and white indoor/outdoor baskets (we planted with fig and sea grass plants) which were scooped up in seconds.  Kirby & Company gifted us great accessories including a tray, bar set up, lacquered boxes and table accessories.  It is strangely satisfying to see all your hard work taken apart by enthusiastic fans in seconds, and all in the name of charity! Most of these photographs were donated by professional photographer David L. Raines photography, who also donated these ethereal bubbly art hung over our wallpaper panels. 


Happy Nesting
XO Tamara

we created table linens, tea towels, pillows and these oversized French wallpaper panels using our new exotica collection fabric and wallpaper
Thank you Lenox USA for a complete set of festive Casual Radiance collection and they offered a lovely focus to our table and combined well with these vintage salad plates. 
the table was set and ready for dinner with Bones Studio mirror reflecting it all.
This Serena & Lily Mirabelle rug was lifted off the floor during the sale and carried away!
The Pervical chairs from Bernhardt made quite a statement in our room and upholstered in root cellar designs' weave in indigo they were stunning -- sad to see them go, and one customer put two of them in a cab...such a New York Story!

shop rootcellardesigns here