Where has 2018 gone? It’s passed like a flash, so we’re practicing a little gratitude and taking a moment to look back at some of the extraordinary highlights.

In January we launched our My LA column, a recurring tastemakers feature that has included some pretty fabulous people like designers Kerry Joyce and Wendy Haworth, and Chef Kat Turner of Highly Likely (click here to see the whole group), we toured the Paris fairs through the eyes of WestEdge’s Megan Reilly in the spring, and we saw ourselves in a couple of glossies: Ventura Blvd.’s story on its Editor-in-Chief Linda Grasso’s kitchen renovation and Elle Décor’s feature on Kathryn M. Ireland’s new home in Santa Monica.

Over the last twelve months, we’ve also brought you product news and hopefully lots of design inspiration (hello, Chef Wylie Dufresne and your sexy True kitchen), plus practical advice, like realtor Bret Parson’s input on how to increase the value of your home through simple upgrades. We were also thrilled to partner on several fall dinners with some of our favorite magazines, C and DesignLA. Beyond the blog, two of our greatest highlights this year have to be our wildly successful insiders-tour to Salone del Mobile (2019, here we come—stay tuned!) and our just-announced collaboration with Michael S. Smith on his Mapleton Drive home renovation. It’s been a really, really big year! Oh, and Russ met Martha.

On that happy note, we turn our attention to 2019 and celebrating our 70th anniversary, but not before looking back through some of the photos of our big holiday bash a few weeks ago. Thank you to everyone who came, and especially to DJ Gabriel Stevenson who created our custom playlist, caterers Hospitality Collaborative, magician Ben Seidman, tarot reader Natalia Benson, and the Haiku Guys who created personalized poems for guests. Also our extra-special thanks the BSH Group (Gaggenau, Thermador and Bosch), Rohl, Kallista, Sub-Zero Wolf, Toto and Dornbracht who helped sponsor the evening’s festivities.

We send you all love and light, and the happiest of wishes for the New Year. We’ll see you back on the blog in January!

Still looking for a little last-minute holiday inspo? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide. Kalamazoo also has some great ideas for the outdoor chefs in your life. And Martyn Lawrence Bullard shares his decorating tips with Galerie magazine.