Friday, December 24, 2010

All Roads...


On Christmas Eve... all roads lead home!


Last minute Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.


Merry Christmas Friends!!!


Thursday, December 16, 2010

I Wish...


I wish I was here...

Telluride, Co.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

DYI: A Little E.R. Inspiration

Remember this little number from Eddie Ross? I still love it and I still haven't made one.


This Christmas, I'm trying to be a little "craftier". And I have a lot of you ladies out there to thank. I've been so inspired by some of your projects that I've decided to try an easy one myself. So, I'll start out with a simple "Eddie Ross" inspired outside wreath.

I like the idea of using non-tradional colors. It's fun and less expected than the usual Christmas colors.



I really like this ribbon for some reason... I'm using it!!!


So I pulled out a couple of lengths, and fashioned this bow.
(Always the hardest part for me)



Next, I went to my favorite Big Lots and found these great shatterproof ornaments for $2.99 a box.



I sorted through all the ornaments and decided to use only the matte finished ones.



Then, I found an old wire hanger and bent it around into a circle with a little hook on each end.




Then, I just started stringing the ornaments onto the wire.



When I used all the ornaments, I bent it back into a circle and attached the two ends using the hooks I fashioned on either end of the wire hanger.


Then I just fastened on the bow... and DONE!


Now as I look closer, I wish I would have changed some of ornaments around for better color distributation and made a bigger bow... !

It's no "Eddie Ross Wreath" but it's not bad, huh?



Monday, December 6, 2010

Rent the Runway... Brilliant!

The attic of my parents' house is a graveyard of dresses from years gone by. Prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, dresses worn to formals – you name it, and you can find it up there. Seriously, I put Katherine Heigl’s 27 dresses to shame. And the worst part of it all is that these precious and costly dresses only saw the light of day once in their entire existence. They got all prettied up, made their debut, and then got stuffed back in the closet never to be seen again. Honestly, it’s a little heart-breaking.

In this day and age of recession and cutbacks on my wardrobe, I simply can’t afford to keep on living this way. Which is why RentTheRunway.com is such a lifesaver. Their slogan is “Love. Wear. Return.” and one look at their website will have you clutching your chest believing the "big one" has finally struck.

This mail-order service (I liken it to Netflix for fashion) allows women to rent high-end fashions and accessories for about one-tenth of the retail price. Running from $50 to $300 for a four-night loan, that M.Missoni dress you've been eyeing will be delivered to your doorstep, in TWO SIZES just in case. After you’ve had your fun, you simply mail it back to the company (at their expense) and they take care of the dry-cleaning. It’s so effortless I may slip into a fashion coma.

Do you know what this means? Never spending a fortune on a dress you’ll probably wear once before it goes out of style. Always looking better than everyone else at the party because you’re in the latest Christian Siriano design. And finally, the end of outfit-repeating. I’m literally hyperventilating at the thought.

Praise be couture, Rent the Runway is Mecca. Now I just need somewhere to go.


Meet the Masterminds, Jennifer Hyman Co-founder and CEO.


And Jennifer Fleiss Co-founder and President.



Check out a few pieces in their collection that are available to rent today...


California Dreamin' gown by Matthew Williamson
Retail price $2,195
Rental price $300



Sailor Bandage Dress by Hervé Léger
Retail $1590
Rental $150



A Formal Affair Dress by Carlos Miele
Retail $1,575
Rental $200



Sail Away Dress by Milly
Retail $425
Rental $50



Princess Sweetheart Gown by Bibhu Mohapatra
Retail $3500
Rental $350



Varsity Dress by Pency
Retail $475
Rental $75



Aqua Ombre Bacall Earrings by Elizabeth Cole
Retail $196
Rental $25



Miriam Haskel Interlocking Pearl Necklace
Retail $300
Rental $35



Midnight Blue Blait Necklace by Gemma Redux
Retail $680
Rental $50



Cherry Bomb Handbag by Judith Leiber
Retail $1595
Rental $150



Dreamweaver Clutch by Judith Leiber
Retail $1695
Rental $150



Coeur De La Mer Clutch by Judith Leiber
Retail $2295
Rental $225


With Christmas and New Year's upon us and party dresses a must...
What do you think of renting a dress? Is it kinda gross or is it a totally fantastic option considering the money you could save??
I'd love to hear what you think!!

P.S. I got a little sidetracked on my DIY's. I'll post them very soon!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Dreaming of a White Christmas...


Today, we got our first good snow of the Winter.
Everything looks so clean and bright!
I hope this is what Christmas will be like!



I'll be spending the weekend decorating, baking and finishing up a couple of DIY's.
Tune in on Monday for the finished projects!

Merry Weekend, Friends!!!


Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Wait just a minute... Upside Down Christmas Trees?

Over this past weekend, I took a lovely walk through my neighborhood to check out the festive Christmas decorations. For me, this time of year awakens a feeling of warmth, family, and tradition. In my travels, I was a little taken a back to see my neighbor setting up his beautiful Christmas tree, upside down. Stay with me here... It’s not April Fools. Now, upside down Christmas trees look a bit surprising (to say the least) but it seems that they might actually be the real deal. With a little research, I found out that this tradition may actually go back way further than the upside right ones! Apparently, when the tradition was first established, people wanted it to be obvious that the tree was not some trivial floral decor idea. To give it more meaning, they had to hang it upside down... of course! Ok, that's my slightly skewed, super-duper abridged version of the story {you're welcome!} but if you're interested in the real story you can go here to read more! And if you are really feeling adventurous this year, go here for a complete "how to" guide for hanging your own tree upside down.

Tampines One Mall, Singapore.

Traditional Trinity of Fir Branches.

St. Peter's Rectory.




Whether or not you’re into the idea yourself, the fact is that it seems to becoming a fast growing trend. And trends catch on pretty quickly. Come to find out that nearly any tree shop will sell upside down artificial Christmas trees. White upside down Christmas trees, pink ones, plastic ones, or even real ones. No joke. You can call yourself a traditionalist, but if the real tradition is in the upside down tree…

Then where have I been?

Friday, November 19, 2010

B & B interviews Tom Buckley

I'm still catching up on all of my required reading, so some of you will have already read this. But for those who haven't read it yet, there is a great interview on Balustrade & Bitters with Los Angeles-based interior decorator Tom Buckley. Buckley relocated from New York to LA in 1969, after 20 year at the legendary design firm McMillen. He’s been crafting beautiful rooms in Los Angeles ever since. Unfortunately for design mavins, examples of his talent have rarely been published. Being the perfectionist that he is, photographs didn't adequately capture his use of color, so he did not have them photographed at all. Such a shame for us fans! I do know that what photos we do have, I absolutely L.O.V.E.! Bottom line, Tom Buckley has exquisite taste!

I particularly loved this part of the interview about following your instincts as a designer:

I believe instinct is that little inner voice that says to you, “Do this, do that, or that is it, that’s the right chair.” Every time I’ve violated that rule, I’ve gotten into trouble. My little inner voice says,”I don’t think you should do this.” And I think, “Oh, shut up, I’m gonna do this, it’s gonna be fine.” Sometimes it works out and sometimes it’s been a disaster. I should have listened to that little inner voice. I believe we all have those little inner voices, all we need do is listen.


Go here to read the entire interview. It really is fascinating glance into the mind of one of great designers of the last century.




All images via Balustrade & Bitters.


I think his room designs are just as relevant now as they were 40+ years ago...
What do you think?

Friday, November 12, 2010

Blog Makeover

I think I've been going through some *ahem* seasonal things... so I decided to spiff up the ole blog and get psyched up about posting again. Well, we'll see if this works!!!
A very special thanks to the wonderful and talented Jenna, over at {q.a.} design for the makeover! If you ever need a little change or a whole new look for your blog... seriously, she is your girl!!! If you have a little time, jump on over to her etsy store to do a little Christmas shopping! Great stuff!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Fall Clean-Up

I'm off to the Irish Hills to help my parents with the Fall clean-up. Leaves to rake, boats to put away, furniture to store and cover... it should be a beautiful weekend!

Via Getty Images.

Any Great Fall Weekend Plans?
I would love to hear about what you're doing!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Painted Furniture: Lucas Rise

After my last post about whether to refinish or paint my newest find, I was perusing the interweb to find some images of painted furniture. I came across this incredible artist named Lucas Rise. Based in Buenos Aires, Lucas creates incredible mural-like paintings on furniture that range from 1960 psychedelic to tribal-themed patterns. I am blown away by the level of detail in each piece and immediately felt the urge to bust out my paints and get to work on something in my house. Being a realist, I know that I would wreck anything I painted, so for now I’ll have to live vicariously through Lucas’ pieces. Check out his full portfolio here.


Lucas Rise... easy on the eyes.





All images via Lucas Rise.

Good Stuff, Huh?

Friday, October 8, 2010

Look What I Found!

Look what I found... My friend just moved and he was trying to sell everything that wouldn't work in his new place. Guess how much I paid for it? Go on... guess! Would you believe he gave it to me in exchange for a batch of homemade cookies! Awesome, right? This piece has great bones but the finish is a little worn.

Here's my question.

Should I paint it or refinish the wood? I've been in to painting pieces but lately I've been enamored with the wood look too.




If I paint it, what color should I use?

Help!!!

Happy Weekend My Friends!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Painted Floors... The Other Fifth Wall

Are you looking for a great way to spruce up your space? How about painted floors? If you need to disguise a less that beautiful wood floor, this is a great trick. Not to mention what a big bang you get for your buck. Check out these examples and get inspired!


Mary McDonald has made this soft blue and white bathroom a little bit snazzier with a painted chevron pattern on the floor. There's nothing that I don't like about this bathroom.

Domino

This costal motif stenciled onto a painted wood floor adds a playful touch to the decor. The checkered wallpaper reminds me of an old tablecloth. This draws your eyes upward to showcase the beautiful copper cookware collection.

Coastal Living

Check out this black and white faux bois treatment. It almost looks too pretty to walk on. This hand painted pattern takes the traditional wood floors from standard to stunning.

Coastal Living

This kitchen is an absolute beauty. I've been kind of obsessed with the idea of having checkered flooring somewhere in my house.

Elle Decor

This wood floor has been stained with two colors and painted on the diagnal. This makes a big bold statement, don't you think?

Elle Decor

Domino Mag had a guide on how to stencil your floors with custom patterns. Here is a playful spiral design. It really is a great way to inject some whimsey into a space.

Domino

I'm really taken with this macro gingham.

Cottage Living

This Nancy Boszhardt interior uses a wood stain to create a "rug" in this entryway. Such a clever idea. Check out that hat rack. Awesome, huh?


This black and taupe floor is a bit dizzying at first but it shows that painted floors can also be elegant.

Joel Woodward


Painted wood floors are one of those things that you either really like or really hate. I think if they are done right they have the potential to be real show stoppers. I love them because they create interest and have the ability to make people stop and say "WOW"!

What are your thoughts on painted floors? Or as I call them, "the other fifth wall."