We made our way to Lake Bluff last week to hear New York–based interior designer Charlotte Moss talk about her latest book, A Flair For Living, and a tour the magnificent 2009 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens. The sunny day and gentle lake breeze provided the perfect backdrop for an even more perfect day. “Observe, observe, observe,” said Moss, as she encouraged attendees to see, interpret, and recreate the beauty that surrounds them. Moss provided examples of how she does this all the time: an espaliered vine that inspires a china pattern, the remnant of an 18th-century architectural element that inspires an embroidered drapery, a sea of pansies that inspires the color scheme of a room. “Good design is not about big and it’s not about money,” she said. “It is about caring and it is about vision.” Although Moss has jetted back to New York and you’ve missed your chance to see her, you can still see the Showhouse, which is open until May 6.