The Luxurious Life

Today's Luxury, Doing What you Love......

2011-11-08T08:42:00.000-08:00

My favorite place to sit and relax.....

It has been quite awhile since I've posted. I've missed writing this blog, but work and life got in the way; that is my inspiration for today's post, doing what you love. So many times we get caught up in the day to day grind that we forget to sit back, relax, take a breath and do what we love. I had forgotten how much I like to write about home, interiors and what I find to be everyday luxuries, until I recently took the time to revisit some of my posts; I have neglected to even take notice of the simple luxuries in my everyday life!!

So today I'm going back to the start, I am going to get back to doing and noticing the things that I love to do; taking the time to list at least 5 a day.

Today's list includes:
1-Sitting in my favorite spot (pictured above) having my morning coffee (and hopefully a glass of wine tonight!!)
2-Meditating on the positive things I hope to bring into my life. I've read a lot of good books on this subject that have helped and I will post about at a later date.
3-Wearing my new pair of boots.
4-Talking to my daughter after her day at school; it is always so refreshing to hear a 6 year old's perspective!!!
5-Thinking of new subjects I can post about!!

Simply listing things that you love, want to do or are thankful for is such an easy and uplifting thing to do. It can help you through a trying time or make a good time even better. I suggest you take a few minutes today to make a list, I promise it's one of the simplest and best luxuries there is!!

I'll Just Take a Minute of Your Time...

2010-11-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

Katie Lee Joel's townhouse, photo courtesy of Hooked on Houses

A close up of the seating area courtesy of decorpad

My computer has another virus (the 2nd one within 3 days!!), so I am using my mom's computer to finish a few documents for clients. I thought I'd write a quick post on a room that I love, Katie Lee Joel's New York townhouse living room designed by Nate Berkus. I like the mix of colors, the blues, the browns, the grays... The room has a sophisticated formality, but because of the fresh color palate and interesting furniture combination seems young and vibrant. Another thing that caught my attention about this room is the use of metal. The soft texture of the velvet, used on all the furniture, warms up the metal. The texture of the velvet, the rug, the pop of gold, make it lush but not stuffy. There is a lot of detail in this room, but because the color palate is minimal, it has a quiet formal simplicity. And it has a settee over by the stair!! Today's little luxury is looking at a beautiful room for inspiration!!

To A Luxurious and Relaxing Weekend!!!

2010-11-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yves Delorme Linens

Some days nothing would be more luxurious than to climb into a big bed full of fine white linens with a big stack of magazines and a pot of tea!! Like sleeping on a big fluffy cloud of down!! To a luxurious and relaxing weekend!!!

From Inspiration to Reality.....

2010-11-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

I have blogged about my fondness for Canadian House and Home magazine and its website several times. I love to watch the videos and stumbled upon the episode about the 2009 Princess Margaret Hospital Showhouse Living Room. The architecture of the house was based upon European farmhouse design. The interiors have a Belgium influence. Lynda Reeves, former editor of the magazine and the PMH showhouse coordinator, describes the living room as, very grown up in style, traditional with a hip flair and trendy influences and a warm spice color palate.

I love the elegant simplicity of the room. The lightwood floors, the minimal use of accessories, the beautiful linen fabrics and the natural elements throughout give the room its Belgium flavor. What struck me about this room is the gorgeous fabric on the ottoman; it is the one pop of pattern in the room. As the camera zoomed on the fabric I thought it would be perfect as curtains in one of my client's dens!! Lynda said, in the video, all decorative fabrics were by Kravit and that the patterened linen on the ottoman was by Ralph Lauren. A little searching around the internet and I found out the pattern was Divima Linen Paisley color onyx. I ordered a sample, showed my client the video and a printed color picture of the fabric and she loved it!! I hope the actual sample looks as great in the room as the printed version!! I will keep you posted on the progress. Just shows, inspiration can be anywhere. This is one of the reasons I love Canadian House and Home Magazine!

2009 Princess Margaret Hospital Showhouse Living Room

View of the inspirational ottoman

Ralph Lauren for Kravit - Divima Paisley in Onyx

Inspired By Martha, A Grilled Cheese Challenge.......

2010-11-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

I caught the episode of Oprah, the other day, that featured Martha Stewart. To say I am inspired by Martha, is an understatement. I am not only inspired by her creativity and business acumen, but by the way she conducted herself during her whole "unfortunate incarceration" (see my blog entitled Martha, Martha, Martha!! 5/25/10) - but I digress.......
During her appearance on Oprah, Martha made "grown up" grilled cheese sandwiches. She had all kinds of combinations: gruyere, procuitto, arugula and tomato on white... fontina, harissa, and pear on rye.....cheddar, jalapeno and cilantro on white, to name a few. She also had tips on how to perfectly grill the sandwich.
I love grilled cheese!! It, to me, is the perfect comfort food. When I was first pregnant, a toasty, warm, silky smooth grilled cheese was the only thing I could keep down!! During Martha's presentation, I was salivating!! She suggested having a grilled cheese bar as a party theme; please invite me!! A gourmet grilled cheese and a glass of crisp white wine sounds like a perfect evening to me!!
I was inspired to develop my own combination and challenged myself to come up with one from ingredients already in my house. Below is my creation - not as creative as Martha, perhaps and my pictures aren't expertly styled as hers (I took them in actual time as I cooked) - but, please enjoy.

Mozzarella, asiago, pesto and roasted red pepper on 8 grain bread....

I buttered the backs of both bread slices and
covered the inside with pesto

Added mozzarella, asiago and roasted red pepper
to one side of the bread.

Covered the roasted red pepper with another
layer of the 2 cheeses to help the bread stick
to the roasted pepper.

Grilled the sandwich on a panini press. Buttering
the bread first gives it lovely dark, crisp grill marks.
I served it with nice crisp, sweet honeycrisp apple
slices.
What I like about this combination is that the mozzarella's mild flavor and great melting ability works well with the sharpness of the asiago. The sweetness of the roasted red pepper goes nicely with the sharp taste of the asiago, while the pesto adds a herbed freshness. It would go well with a nice crisp sauvignon blanc, but I had it for lunch so I had sparkling water.
The combinations are endless when it comes to this great sandwich type; I challenge you to come up with a grown up grilled cheese sandwich with ingredients available in your kitchen today. What can you come up with?

Decorating With A Box Of Chocolates.......

2010-10-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Yummy Godiva chocolates dressed for the season

It's Halloween weekend and candy is on everybody's mind!! I am not going to lie..... I am a chocoholic!! I love chocolate, dark, rich, smooth and aromatic. When it comes to chocolate, the darker the better for me please!! I love the crisp sound it makes when breaking a chunk off of a bar!! My love for chocolate goes far beyond the taste, I love the color. To me, nothing is as welcoming as a dark chocolate brown velvet chair or sofa; it looks so cozy and relaxing. I love the way velvet feels on the skin, simply luxurious!! Like biting into the most decadent dark truffle!!

Years ago, when I was contemplating my first real furniture purchase, I saw a dark chocolate brown velvet sofa in the Ethan Allen catalog. As I recall, it was in a white room with low bookshelves below the windows, lots of books piled around and cream colored pillows. The shape of the sofa and the color were exactly what I wanted for my first purchase. I went to purchase it, but decided on a dark caramel colored velvet and upgraded the sofa model also. But my love for chocolate brown interiors never faded. I painted my kitchen and eating area brown. I love the look of cream cabinets and brown walls!!

Chocolate brown goes with so many colors; it is a nice contrast against cream, nice with pinks, blues, greens..... the possibilities are endless!! Think of a box of chocolates, the different hues of the milk and dark chocolate work very well together. Think of how the colors of the fillings look with the chocolate, the pinks, the raspberries, the lavenders, the creams, the whites, the mint greens and blues let this be your color pairing guide.

Below are photos of rooms with chocolate brown; I have included many, because just as when I'm eating chocolate, I couldn't stop!! Real Halloween eye candy sure to satisfy your decorating sweet tooth!! Happy Halloween!!

All above photos from Decorpad

Just Add Flowers........

2010-10-29T03:58:00.000-07:00

You need little more than a vase full of one type of flower to dress a table or other empty surface in a room. When in doubt on how to address the empty surface, add a vase of flowers and a stack of books or a few other objects. Vary the heights if adding 2 or 3 vases of flowers and you will have a lovely little vignette without much effort. Simple, beautiful, elegant and easy. Add flowers to your Friday, it is an effortless luxury!!

Photos from Sarah Richardson, Mariette Himes Gomez, Decorpad and my house!!

Have A Settee At The End of My Bed.......

2010-10-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I blogged about my fondness for settees at dining tables. My other favorite place for a settee is at the end of a bed. I love this look!! An upholstered headboard with a settee acting as a foot board is such a chic, luxurious and functional look!! A bedroom is a room for relaxing, why not add another space to lounge? I always imagine a glamorous scene, sitting on the settee, at the end of the bed having a cocktail before going out for a fabulous evening..... having a romantic chat with a significant other while seated on the settee at the end of the day..... starting out the day with a cup of coffee and a book while lounging on the settee.... I have a settee at the end of my bed and have done none of the above on it, but a girl can dream, can't she?; and what better place to do it than at a settee at the end of your bed.......
Enjoy the pictures to follow!!

This room, by Frank Roop, is one of my all time favorite bedrooms!! It's chic, sophisticated and urban feel makes me want to put on a jazz record and have a cocktail. I would have friends for cocktails in this bedroom!!

This bedroom, by Mariette Himes Gomaz, is another of my all time favorite bedrooms. It's soft tones and upscale furnishings would be like waking up in a luxurious hotel suite everyday!!

Photos sourced from Elle Decor, House Beautiful and Vicente Wolf

Dining on a Settee......

2010-10-26T09:28:00.001-07:00

I love settees!!! A settee is a small or medium sized sofa for 2 or more people, with a back and usually with arms. Settees date back to the 17th century Europe, which shows that well designed pieces or archetypes never go out of style!! I think that settees are appropriate in many settings (foreshadow to future blog....), but my favorite use is at a dining table.
I first became enthralled with the settee when I first moved into my house; I have a kitchen with a breakfast nook that is also open to a dining room. I didn't want to enter the kitchen and see a table with chairs looking onto a table with chairs. I thought a settee would be a perfect solution for this space; as luck would have it, the day I moved in there was an estate sale in my neighborhood and they had 2 settees available!! I fell in love with one, it had wood arms and legs and a simple straight lined upholstered back. It was from the 1950's and the price was good, but alas, sigh, it had a big stain on the seat. I was planning on having it reupholstered anyway, but the owner had several cats and I was afraid it was a urine stain and I would never be able to get rid of the smell; I could get new stuffing, but was worried about the wood and the springs being sprayed also. On to settee number 2 - it had a wing back and was quite charming. I bought it , took it home and it sat in my basement for 2 years until I found a Mitchell Gold settee that sits in my breakfast nook now. Settee number 2 ended up at Goodwill and I hope it found a good home!!
There are several reasons I like settees in dining areas: First of all, I love the look of them, I like the soft upholstered surface in a kitchen area, I like the unexpected element of it at a table, I like that they add a pop of color or pattern to a space, I like that they are comfortable and people can lounge when watching you cook, I like that they remind me of dining in a restaraunt (in my own home) and I like the fact that they encourage people to linger after a meal and have a glass of wine or coffee. In short, I am a big fan of the settee!!
Below are a few photos I found of settees in dining areas (including mine). Enjoy!!

My Breakfast Nook........

All other photos from, Elle Decor, Canadian House and Home, Sarah Richardson Design,

Decorpad, Barbara Barry and Frank Roop Design

Chris Coumo's Hampton House From Elle Decor

2010-10-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I was really impressed with Chris Coumo's, from Good Morning America, Hampton home when it was published in Elle Decor a while ago. I came across the photos and thought I'd share.

The color palette and materials suggest a relaxed comfortable and breezy space. It reminds me of a lazy, breezy summer day!! (To put it in "designer" lingo :) ). One thing that I would love to see accompanying all interior photos in magazines, is a floor plan. I try to piece the homes together in my head, but sometimes they photograph portions of the rooms and I would like to see the progression of spaces!!

The sunroom. The Gray and the yellow are surprisingly fresh together!! Love the white trimmed furniture with the gold table; the warm color of the gold works so well with the cooler tones of the grays and whites because of the warm honey tone of the floor.

I love a settee!!! The fabric used here is sophisticated enough to stand up to the ornate trim on the settee, but modern enough to feel bold and fresh!!

What I love most about this living room is that it is a bold choice of colors, but it works because they are all in the same tonal family. You would not think that brown, magenta, olive green, yellow and soft grey would produce such a warm and sophisticated room, but they work very well together!! Notice how the drapes, wall color and the furniture and accessories along the wall are soft muted tones that blend well together as a backdrop; the furniture and accessories in the front are all rich tones of color that pop in the foreground. This careful and clever color play makes this a playful, yet very sophisticated room.

This is such a lovely vignette!! I wonder if this is the eating area and the chairs are pushed away for the photo, or if this is a display table and there is one beyond...... this is why I'd love to see a floor plan!! I really like the idea of having a "display" table between the kitchen and the eating area, it is very charming!!

Beautiful kitchen!!!

Tickled Pink.......

2010-10-11T08:50:00.001-07:00

Canadian House and Home

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month; Its purpose is to increase the awareness of the disease and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and cure. I have two survivors of the disease in my family, thanks to early detection. My Great Aunt Ginny was diagnosed at age 69 and this past July turned 100!!! It has been 7 years since my Grandmother's diagnosis and she is healthy and happy. This is a great cause to get behind because being aware is the first step to early detection.

The color pink has become synonymous with the fight for the cure for breast cancer as its symbol is a pink ribbon. Pink is associated with femininity; although I read that until 1940 it was used for boys (because it has a base of red, associated with masculinity) and blue was used for girls (because it's associated with the Virgin Mary and thus virginity)(I thought this was an interesting aside). In home decor pink is mostly thought of in little girls rooms or in outdated accents in the form of mauve (you remember mauve, that bluey pink way over used in the '80's). But pink can be flirty, soft, feminine, bold, electric, fun and sophisticated dependent upon its use. Pink can be a wonderful accent to a room. A brown sofa with soft pink pillows can be sophisticated and chic; bright pink upholstry on dining room chairs can be a bold and fun accent; Pale pink glassware, napkins and flowers can make a table girly and sweet; Pink peonies always add a pop of color appropriate for any room!!

Below are some photos I found of rooms with pink accents. As you can see, they all look fresh and inviting. Add a little hint of pink to your decor for October as a reminder of the good fight being fought against breast cancer and the brave women who have faced the disease. This can be as simple as a vase of flowers, a few accent pillows or glassware. Make pink your October luxury!!

Sarah Richardson Design

Elle Decor

Country Living

House Beautiful

Canadian House and Home

Designers Guild

Decorpad

Sarah Richardson Design

Traditional Home

My Perfect Fall Sunday........

2010-10-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

To me, Sunday is all about family, friends and self reflection. Sunday is a day to enjoy your home and family, the one day of the week that everyone has fewer obligations and is able to spend together in the space you have created together. I love the thought of a leisurely Sunday lunch that is spent with the people you love, eating the food you love in a space that you love and make ready for that time. It is a day to relax and recharge for the week ahead. It is a chance to reflect on what you want the new week to be. Sundays should be filled with love, laughter and good times. I love Sunday!!
Here is a pictorial of how I dream my Sundays to be:

Living Room by Barbara Barry
Wake up to a beautiful room where I have sometime to myself while the house is quiet to have a cup of great coffee and read a book.

Pancakes by Martha Stewart
Have a breakfast of big fluffy pancakes with my family.

My Backyard
Spend sometime outdoors to enjoy the beauty of nature!!

Nino Salvaggios
Take my time at a great market browsing and collecting for a feast ahead!! Then spend the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen, lovingly preparing comfort food for my family to enjoy.

Salad by The Barefoot Contessa
We would start off with a simple salad

By The Barefoot Contessa
Then indulge in a big portion of cheesy lasagna.

By The Barefoot Contessa
Finish the meal with a decadent cake.

By The Barefoot Contessa
Served, of course, at a beautifully set table filled with laughter and good food.

Relax enjoying my favorite TV show, Madmen, before going off to bed.

I wish you a great Sunday!!! Enjoy!!

The Story of Flaming June......

2010-10-08T04:01:00.000-07:00

Flaming June by Lord Frederic Leighton

When I was in graduate school I came across a print of Flaming June in a sale bin in an art museum gift shop. I was struck by the color and the composition of the piece and the $10 price tag was perfect for my budget. I had my first real job in an Architecture firm, that I worked during the day, and went to graduate school at night. During this time I had my first "real" apartment, in a building with a pool and a work out room, very different from the old houses converted to student apartments I lived in during my undergrad years. This was the first time I was able to start collecting my own new furniture and accessories and start to develop my own independent style. I had always loved the color seafoam green and added it as an accent around my apartment; I collected a set of mismatched wooden chairs from various estate sales and used furniture shops and painted them all seafoam green; While browsing these shops I discovered McCoy Pottery pieces in various shades of aquas and seafoam and started building the collection I have to this day. When I brought the print home, I was struck with how well the soft orange/apricot of her dress went with all my light greens!! The painting has a back ground of various green tones and the addition of the orange gives it a fresh, lively look.
I took my $10 print to a local framestore, I chose a beautiful guilded frame for the print, no mat. Being young, niave and a new home decor consumer, I didn't think to ask what it would cost. I went back to pick up my print a week later and the clerk said "that will be $400, please". I was agast!! How could the frame for my $10 print cost $400? On my limited budget and my graduate school expenses, I could not justify $400 for a frame. I told the clerk my prediciment, she told me that someone was admiring the print and they could sell the framed piece to her; I agreed, was given $10 for my print and walked away. A couple of years later, after graduating from school and getting married, I was driving by the same frame shop, I spotted Flaming June in the front window, in the frame I had selected!! Her price tag was $300, nobody had purchased her, she hung on the wall in the shop for a few years and was now on sale. I was planning on purchasing her with my next paycheck. A few days later, I came home to find Flaming June in my living room!!! My husband saw her in the window, knew the story of my missed purchase, and bought it for me. He said, "the print was meant to be yours!" Flaming June sits on the mantle in our living room to this day.
Flaming June brought to my attention a color combination I still love to this day, seafoam green and orange. It is both calming and electric; the soft hue of the light green with that pop of orange is very refreshing and refined. Thank you Flaming June!!! Thank you JT!!

Seafoam green and orange beautifully combined
in this room from Canadian House and Home.

A few vases from my McCoy collection with orange roses.

Starting Monday Off With A Room I Love......

2010-10-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

Sloan Mauran's Living Room courtesy of SloanMauran.com

The above pictures are of Designer Sloan Mauran's Toronto living room. The entry to the room is in the middle and she has a seating area at either end. Sloan has said about her style "My look is sophisticated and tailored with a nod to the classics". I think that is a perfect description of this room. I first saw her home on an episode of Canadian House and Home's tv show. That was a few years ago when it was on HGTV; HGTV stopped airing the show, just like they do with any good design show they have on, but I digress......
I like her clean, tailored and modern approach to the design of this space. There is nothing fussy or complicated about this room. There are a lot of elements to the design of this room but by neutralizing them it becomes sophisticated and clean rather than busy and cluttered looking.
For example:

Painting the molding the same color as the wall gives it a clean and modern look.
A limited color palate combines the varying elements of the room. The two seating areas have different furnishings but are done in the same color palate; both sets of chairs are browns, the sofas are creams and the wood tables are dark. This makes the two separate areas of the room, a whole. If she would have had one side brights and the other neutrals the room would have seemed disconnected. This affect can be acheived with any color palate, as long as it is the same on both sides of the room.
The fireplace at one end of the room is balanced out by the statement art piece at the other end. The bold blue piece works well against the dark box of the fireplace and the large sculpture by it.
The amount of accessories are balanced on both sides of the room. The animal print on the stools is also balanced by the fur pillows on the sofa at the other end.
The room maintains symmetry at either end without being an exact replica. For example, both sofas are flanked by two side tables, two chairs and a coffee table, but are different on each side.

Modern Glam is my favorite style of design. I think the above room is a great example of that style. Looking at a beautifully designed room is my little luxury of the day. Enjoy!!

Furniture As Art

2010-09-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

I took a little break from "blog land" this past week, now I'm back!! I thank all of you who have checked in during my absence and hope you will continue stop by!! I would love to hear comments from you!!

I have always been fascinated with furniture design. The Mid Century Modern period, from about 1933 - 1965, is synonymous with clean simplicity, geometry, visual lightness and experimentation with new materials such as metal, plywood and plastics. It was an exciting time in design with a lot of artists, craftsmen and architects experimenting with shape, form, function and materials redefining how we look at and feel about everyday objects.

A lot of furniture that came out of this period became instant classics, still highly recognizable and sought after today. Some of the more popular designs came from designers such as, Saarinen, Bertoia, Eames, Mies van der Rohe and Breuer. Their designs have a simplicity and timelessness that makes them still relevant in today's design world. You see their furniture used by many designers today mixed in with new pieces, but the Mid Century items appear as functional art. The "conversation piece" in the room that is both useful and beautiful.

I came across the work of a not as well known artist of this period, Gerald Summers. He designed The Bent Plywood Chair pictured below. Charles and Ray Eames are better known for their experimentation with bent plywood, during this period, creating beautiful furniture designs. The design of Summer's chair is breathtaking; it's clean curved lines and simple structure all created out of one piece of plywood, show that he was a true master of his craft. Summers was a carpenter that formed a furniture company in the 1930's called, Makers of Simple Furniture. The bent plywood chair was created in the 1930's and is his most recognizable piece. He is also known for his experimentation with Airplane Plywood, which is a high strength plywood made from mahogany and/or birch and uses adhesives with increased resistance to heat and humidity. So you know that the chair is not only beautiful but strong as well !! I would love to have this piece in my home, but found out that one just sold at Christie's for a cool $14,253 !!

I am very grateful for all the great artists and designers, of the past and present, that have created such works that continue to inspire and amaze. I hope to discover and share other lesser known gems, such as Summers, through my journey in design. Because to me, that is a great luxury!!!

Bent Plywood Chair by Gerald Summers. All chair photos from PeterPetrou.com

The gracefull curve and finish of Louboutin's Prorata pump in tortoise shell (from my collection),

reminds me of lines of the bent plywood chair. Fashion and interior design united!!!

My Ode to Monday..............

2010-09-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

Today is Monday, it is the beginning of a whole new week; A week of possibility, a week of new beginnings, a week that can be anything you want it to be!! There is a Gaelic proverb that states, Monday is the key day of the week, I believe this to be true. Monday is the measuring stick for the rest of the week. If you perceive Monday to be bad, sluggish, full of angst, you will drag that attitude with you for the other 4 days. If you view your Monday as full of possibility and renewal, you will take that attitude with you for the other 4 days, being amazed at what you can find when you open your eyes!!

Monday is one of life's little luxuries!! It is a chance to start a new, take a step back and re evaluate what you would like the whole new week to be!! If you didn't like the way your last week went, too much work, too many crabby people, no time for yourself...... not to worry, you are still here and Monday is a whole other opportunity to start fresh. Monday is a day to start over, look at problems and anxieties in a whole other light. Set goals for the week ahead, tell yourself that everyday is full of possibility and Monday is just the beginning!! Start the week off with the best luxury of all, an attitude of grattitude!! Be thankful for Monday and have a beautiful day!!!

David Jimenez And The Art of Display.

2010-09-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

I adore David Jimenez's Kansas CityLiving Room!!!
HouseBeautiful.com

I love David Jimenez's living room, pictured above. I could easily live in this room!! Every element is carefully balanced and it is accessorized in a way that is stylish and not over decorated. The room looks comfortable, relaxed, sophisticated and well coordinated. David is a visual merchandiser who has worked for The Gap, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and is now at Hallmark. I first heard of him through an interview on the blog, La Dolce Vita, but recognized his home from a previous spread in House Beautiful Magazine.

The first thing that drew me to this living room is that my personal aesthetic is very similar to his; He has said he is drawn to "rooms that are warm, inviting, layered and look collected". I did a post, in May, about my personal style entitled "Warm Mine Up, Please....", I am always drawn to warm, inviting colors, fabrics and accessories. The next thing that I appreciate about his work is his artful way of accessorizing. I began my career doing visual merchandising for a large department store. My formal education and training are in architecture. After I received my first degree, jobs in my field were scarce, so I found a job in visuals. Through my education I learned the fundamentals of design and spatial relationships, but doing visual merchandising I learned the art and the importance of accessorizing. Basically, in visual merchandising you are accessorising a department; bringing products (merchandise), color and lighting together in a way that is appealing to gain the customer's attention. Through doing this work, I learned the art of balance, proportion and placement in accessorizing. Of course, in a store, the displays are bigger and more dramatic than you would use at home, but the approach is the same.

Well demonstrated in David's living room above, is the importance of accessorizing to bring a look together. The architecture of his room is beautiful, as are his furnishings, but well chosen and well placed accessories finish the story, they are the jewelry to the beautiful outfit. Accessories fill the gaps and complete the story you are telling in your room. But notice I said well chosen and well placed items!! Accessories can give a room character but too many can look like clutter!! Careful placement and editing are key.

A few tips to consider when accessorizing:

Think of a triangle when grouping objects; tallest item in the middle, shorter items to the sides. Once you have the initial "triangle" set, you can add smaller items in front. Play with the composition until it looks balanced and attractive.
Vary heights of objects to create interest. If you have similar height objects you want to display, use a stack of well bound books to use as a riser.
Create balance with the objects, don't let one area of the room become heavy with accessories and another look empty. I always look for "gaps" in the room when placing objects; stand back, look at the space, is there a part that looks empty compared to the rest of the space? If so, that is where you need to place some objects. David's living room above is a good example of a balanced space. He placed a chest, with a mirror hung above, accessorized with a lamp, a print and other objects, that filled the room's "gap". Notice how he balanced the amount of objects; since he has the coffee table well filled with items, he placed only 1 object on the side table and a few behind the sofa.
Look to design magazine's for inspiration. Choose rooms that appeal to you and look at how they are accessorized. Copy the layout and proportion into your rooms (yes, we professionals look to magazines for inspiration too!!)
Group collections of items together. Like items have more impact as a group than scattered around. (I have a future post in mind for displaying collections, check back!!) This works for framed prints too.
Most of all, have fun!! Display items that reflect your design sensibility and mean something to you. Afterall, being surrounded by the things you love and sharing that with the ones you love is the most luxurious thing of all!!

A great example of the classic triangle!! Notice how the print in the
middle becomes the tip of the triangle and the other objects taper
down from that point. The orange boxes and obelisk are layered
in front for added interest. Image from David Jimenez.com

A "gap" beside the window filled with well displayed
objects. David Jimenez's home in House Beautiful.

A collection of prints arranged on a wall. David Jimenez's

home in House Beautiful

A Chance To Dream - Girl's Bedrooms......

2010-09-10T06:38:00.000-07:00

My daughter is 5 and just started kindergarten. She is starting to take interest in her personal space, ie: her bedroom. She asked me for a chandelier like the princesses have in their ballrooms and said she wanted pink bedding. This prompted a small re do of her room. I got her a chandelier, we changed her bedding, edited out some of her toys she wasn't interested in anymore and re accessorized. I took her to a few stores and let her help pick out frames and other trinkets to display on her shelves and dresser. She wanted silk flowers, (I don't usually use silks, they are one of my pet peeves!!) We found some acceptable pink roses and gerbera daisies, afterall it is her space. This all got me thinking about children's rooms and the challenges they pose.
As a designer and a mother, I find children's rooms one of the most difficult to design. Most of us start designing the room before the child is born, thinking of sweet baby things and the needs of a baby; the catch is that baby is going to grow and grow rapidly!! The needs change, the tastes change and unless you want to re do the room every few years there are a lot of variables to consider, this room is going to get used a lot and have to meet the constantly changing demands of a growing and active child. Not to mention the ever changing and growing amount of things to be stored, toys, clothes, books, collectibles!! Yes, maybe I am over thinking this, but I'm a designer, that is my job!!
When I start a new project, I always take time to make a program for the space or the house. Carefully listening to the client's needs in the space, what functions will it serve, what type of entertaining will they do, what their spatial and taste needs are. With a children's room, it's all guessing. Yes, we all know, basically, what a child will be doing in its room, but each child is unique with its own tastes and interests and until they are old enough to express this and we have observed how they play and what their interests are, it is the parent that has to think ahead and plan accordingly. Another question is, how old is old enough to have the child decorate their room? I remember, as a child, my wish list for my bedroom was, orange shag carpeting, bright orange walls and a yellow and green bedspread. Thankfully my mom didn't follow my early wishes, but made me wait until I was a pre-teen to redecorate my room.
The key is to get pieces that can grow with the child, have a flexible floorplan that can accomodate changing needs and select a color that won't limit your options for bedding or appear too "juvinille".

A few tips to consider when planning a child's room:

Select furniture that has longevity. Select pieces that are sturdy and can be used in an older child's room. Don't select furniture with childhood scenes or themes that they will quickly out grow, unless you are planning on re furnishing when they are older.
Pick decor that suits your child's personality while still reflecting your aesthetic. If you are choosing for an infant, choose "flexible" colors and furniture. An example of this was given of my daughter above; the paint and furniture stayed, we just changed lighting, bedding and accessories (whew!!). A few small changes allowed for her personality to be shown and kept the cost to a minimum.
Storage is essential!! Think about closet organizers, a well organized closet can hold a lot!! Also, think of pieces that are easy for your child to access and open, remember you will want them to put away their things!! A sturdy, secured to the wall, book shelf with easy to access baskets can be flexible, stylish and keep things neat and organized.
Add "themes" in the accessories or bedding only. All children have their favorite characters and heroes, but designing a whole room around this can be very limiting and labor intensive to change as their interests grow. If you have a sheet set, pillows, prints and trinkets of their favorite characters around the room, you have satisfied their interest and can easily replace as they change.
I think decorative shelves are a great thing to add to the room. If done right, they not only add to the decor of the room, but give an organized space to display collectables and trophies without having the room look disheveled; believe me kids collect!!

Below are photos of girl's bedrooms that, I think, are young, stylish and add room to grow. A children's bedroom is an important space; think of all the dreaming and planning for the future that goes on in their minds in that room. It is also a place to feel comfortable, secure and cozy!!

Palmer Weiss Interiors

Canadian House and Home

Ruthie Sommers Interiors

Elle Decor

Restoration Hardware

Elle Decor

Canadian House and Home

Elle Decor

The Quintessential Fall Decor - Ralph Lauren

2010-09-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

Fall is in the air!! In my part of the country, the weather is still warm, but the soft breeze, the slightly turning colors of the leaves and that crisp fresh smell in the air all signal that fall is very near!! To me the quintessential fall decor is a room adorned with Ralph Lauren. The warm colors, the menswear inspired fabrics, the very layered beds with many blankets all look like a place that would be great to curl up and keep warm, read a book or watch an afternoon of college football. The plaid, the houndstooth, the paisley, the herringbone, the leather, the velvet, all the wonderful textures and hues of his rooms remind me of a very well put together fall ensemble. Looking through the roomscapes you feel as if you are about to step out of the house into a landscape of colored leaves!!

With a chill in the air, a look at http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/, is as satisfying as a trip to the apple orchard!! The site is a fall feast for the eye; There are slide shows of the rooms to view, video tours of homes and informational videos with tips about using color to setting up a bar (think glamorous like Madmen!!). There are plenty of tips for adding a bit of "Lauren" style fall inspiration to your room!!

There are simple ways to add a bit of "Lauren" style to your room without major reconstruction, purchasing all new furniture or picking up a paint brush (although painting your room a warm rich color certainly would be a start!!). Adding accessories and "Lauren inspired vignettes" around the room would certainly do the trick and add a little bit of that fall richness. Layers of accessories and carefully chosen mixes of fabrics and patterns are key to acheiving the look. He always has a balance between "old" and "new", making the room look as if it's evolved over years of careful collecting or pieces that have been passed down from family members. Antiques and one of a kind pieces are always present. Here are a few ideas to get you started if you want to acheive this look:

Adding pillows in a mix of "ready to wear" inspired fabrics. For example mixing a houndstooth or herringbone fabric with a silk paisley; A bold plaid in silk with a rich velvet or a subtle plaid with a soft silk stripe. Think of one fabric being the suit and the other the blouse or tie that accompanies it. Pair the pillows, on a sofa, with a thick, warm blanket of cashmere, plaid or faux fur (like the overcoat to the suit, to continue the analogy!!).
Go to your local consignment store and pick up an easy to upholster bench or pair of smaller benches that can be added to the "layered" look of the room. Add a "ready to wear" inspired fabric.
Add a pile of worn leather bound books with a small glass vase of flowers placed on top to a table, pair this with an assortment of frame types, ie: wood, metal, glass that all work together and look like you've had them for years.
To add a bit of the "Lauren Glam" look (see his Brook Street photos on his site), pair a crystal based lamp, in a structured or deco style, with silver pieces and black framed photos or follow the video's steps to set up "the perfect bar".
Select a series of prints, artwork or images to combine and hang artfully as a collection on a wall. Make the frames interesting, choose all black in different finishes for a glam look, or combine wood and leather for a more urban country look.
A layered bed is essential for the "Lauren" style. To achieve a more "fall" feel to an already exisitng set, add a wool throw blanket at the end of the bed in a complimentary pattern. Add new shams in a rich velvet and textured throw pillows.

Remember, the Ralph Lauren look is not a structured or matched look; it is meant to look like it has been accumulated over years and tastefully lived in. It is full of contrasts, masculine and feminine, old and new, high end and low end, therefore have fun with it, no hard fast or steady rules. Layering, adding your personality and having items that mean something to you are key to this look!!

The following photos are from RalphLauren.com

Bohemian Garden Party....

2010-08-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Bohemian Garden Party at Wisteria.com

I was searching through Wisteria's online catalog when I came across this Bohemian outdoor garden party. Looks like a fun, playful, scene for a lazy Sunday afternoon. I think I would serve guacamole and chips and homemade fish tacos to go along with this. The food doesn't sound bohemian, but the bright colors and cheerful flowers remind me of a fiesta!! Fish tacos and guacamole are some of my favorite foods, so they go with everything to me!!

Ethan Allen Upholstered Headboards

2010-08-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

I have a client that is looking for a headboard for her new condo bedroom. I looked at her room; She had painted her walls a light grey, had selected graphic patterned black and white bedding and had ebony furniture. The bed is the first thing you will see when you enter the room, so she wanted a headboard that would be dramatic. She had selected a beautiful, big, curvy ebony bed. It was certainly a dramatic shape, but with the colors, the existing furniture, the size of the room and the bedding already selected, I thought the size and color of the bed would be overwhelming for the space. I thought a white, curvy shaped upholstered headboard with a black "crystal" chandelier hanging above would give her the drama and the effect she was looking for and work well with the existing selections.
I have had upholstered headboards custom made for clients before, this can be a pricey option. I was looking for something more budget friendly. I was so pleased when I saw the upholstered headboards from Ethan Allen. I have always thought that Ethan Allen has a great quality product with a good price. They have done a great job lately of offering a wide variety of furniture styles to choose from. Most people think of them as being very traditional, as in years past, but they have broken out of that mold.
I thought the Alison headboard, shown below, would be perfect for my client's needs. The price is great on these, $799 for starting fabrics; the price varies according to the grade of fabric chosen. That is a great price point for the quality and the detail that each of these has. I want the Alison myself!! I had an Ethan Allen bedroom set, from the age of 5, that my daughter has in her room now. It has held up really well!! I also have a few Ethan Allen sofas in my home that have stood up to lots of wear (I should blog about some of the trials these sofas have seen!!) , so I feel confident that these headboards will stand the test of time.
Finding a stylish, well made product at an affordable price is a luxury worth sharing!!

Ethan Allen Jenson Headboard

Ethan Allen Isabel Headboard

Ethan Allen Alison Headboard

The Jenson Headboard dressed up.

Horchow Catalog Full of Inspiration......

2010-08-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

I was browsing online through the Horchow website the other day and was very impressed with the site. I haven't been on it in awhile, I peruse through the catalog and I occasionally find an item for a client online, but this was the first time I had spent anytime looking through the categories. What I really liked was the Rooms & Ideas category. If you click on that and then Shop Our Rooms, it comes up with several categories to view room settings with their merchandise. They have Living Rooms, Dining Rooms, Bedrooms and Entries and More, all set up to spark your creativity. Pottery Barn's website, years ago, used to have a similar feature with a house tour decorated with all their merchandise. They would have the homes decorated for the holidays too; They discontinued that feature, I really enjoyed it.

Horchow was the first luxury mail order catalog started by Roger Horchow in 1971 and later sold to Neiman Marcus in the late 1980's. They carry everything for the home from bedding to furniture. I remember the catalog around our house when I was young and looking at the bedding, tableware, furniture and lighting and dreaming of the rooms I could put together with them. When I moved into my first apartment, after college, I started receiving the catalog in the mail. Although, at the time, I could not afford anything from the catalog, it was still a source of inspiration. I remember a photo of an assortment of gold framed prints and mirrors of different shapes and sizes arranged in a very interesting composition. I loved this and decided to do something similar on a wall in my apartment. I went to Target, Pier 1, TJ Maxx, sales at Hudson's, stores I could afford, and looked for gold framed prints and mirrors in similar shapes. I arranged this on my wall and it turned out great!! I got a lot of compliments on it, loved looking at it and it cost me a fraction of the price in Horchow.

A few years later I made my first purchase from the catalog. It was the Bahia stemware, that I still own. I still love the colors and the "art deco" inspired stems. It goes great with my Portmeirion (that I posted about a few days ago). I was pleased to see they still carry it. I can add to my collection!

Bahia stemware from Horchow online.

Pictured below are a few of the living room settings to shop from Horchow online catalog. Sure to spark my creative juices!! Enjoy the luxury of browsing luxury goods!!

I will not be able to post again until next week. I hope you will come back then!!!

An Oldie But Goodie......

2010-08-17T03:42:00.000-07:00

Remember this before and after from an earlier post on recovering furniture? The before picture was a chair a client had found. It was in bad condition, but like Charlie Brown said of his Christmas Tree, "All it needed was a little love", and I added, "and the right fabric!! " I think it dressed up well with a bright pop of color and a flirty little skirt!!

Before -----------------------After
Yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised when looking through Horchow's website to find the Nicole Chair (pictured below). It is similar in style and color to our "dressed up" chair. The Nicole Chair is more tailored than our chair, the silk fabric used allows for a more tailored box pleat. We used a velvet, so I thought a more "free flowing" skirt would suit the strength of the fabric. But both chairs are similar in size, color and shape. The original chair did not have a skirt, but I thought the shape called for one - looks like I was right!!

Horchow's Nicole Chair -------------------Our flirty little number
I thought it amusing that I took the picture at almost the same angle as the Nicole Chair. I took the picture over a year ago.

But not in price!! The Nicole Chair retails for $1799 with a shipping cost of $125. The reupholstered chair was a fraction of that cost. The original chair was free, the fabric used cost $300 and the labor was $200 - for a total of $500!! I think they both seem like elegant little jewels for a room. What a luxury it is to recycle a found object into a beautiful piece that people would pay a nice price for. A little imagination and design know how can take you far!!

Portmeirion

2010-08-14T07:04:00.001-07:00

I started out my Saturday morning with a cup of coffee and the July issue of Canadian House & Home. As I was flipping through the magazine, I came across the image below of Sophie Conran's collection for Portmeirion.

I stopped in my tracks..... because, if you have been reading my blog, you will know that this photo represents a lot of the things that I like: white dishes, white table linens, white hydrangeas, white roses.... I also thought this photo was fitting for a Saturday morning because it reminds me of the "remnants of a party". It made me think of waking up the morning after a party and seeing all the dishes and serving pieces ready to be put away, the flowers awaiting a new spot, boxes of presents ready to be looked through, a chance to reflect on the festivites the night before.......
This photo also reminded me that my "love affair" with dishes started with Portmeirion. When I was in my teens, Martha Stewart was just becoming well known. She had a Thanksgiving special that I saw on PBS. I was hooked!! I remember her having a dining room that had a closet, she opened it up and it was full of stacks of dishes, serving pieces, glassware..... she was looking through the closet to find the appropriate pieces for her table and was explaining, "this came from a tag sale at such and such", "this piece was passed down from whos it", "this was a wedding present". I remember watching this and thinking, I want one of those closets someday!! I didn't know what a "tag sale" was, but I surely wanted to find out!! I come from a large family and have always been interested in setting the table for the various holidays, parties and dinners. My mom used to let me shop for the table accessories for her from a young age.
After that, I decided to find a pattern of dishes to start my collection. I went to the china department at our local Hudson's and fell in love with Portmeirion's Botanic Garden. It appealed to me because, it was floral, but not too "girly" and I was fascinated that each piece had a different floral motif on it. The Botanic Garden collection has been around since 1972, designed by Susan Williams Ellis. She based the pattern on herbal and botanical drawings from the 1800's. She named them after an 18th century poem, The Botanic Garden by Erasmus Darwin, Charles' grandfather. The pattern has stood the test of time, becoming an icon of English design. When I traveled to England, I saw it everywhere.
I was very pleased to see Sophie's collection for Portmeirion, because, although I still love my Botanic Garden, my taste runs now to a more modern white set. It is good to see that they are catering to a wide range of tastes, but still sticking with their classic styles. Their pieces are all well made and stand up to oven and dishwasher, pieces that you will have in your collection for years. I occasionally mix pieces of my Botanic Garden with white dinnerware. It will always have a special place in my heart, as I have been collecting it for years dreaming of my future. My then boyfriend, now my husband, would buy me pieces stocking up for our life together, it was a reminder that we would someday be married. When we registered for our wedding, he was with me selecting serving pieces and the dinnerware we still needed, thinking to the dinners and parties we would have together. The pattern, to me, represents my dreaming of the future, family and togetherness. Although I have not been collecting it for years, my husband came home awhile ago with a set of Botanic Garden square plates. He said he saw them and knew I would like the different shape; it touched me because we have been together for so long and that was one of the first things we collected for our future together.
Looking online for the Sophie Conran collection, I saw it is available widely at stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond and Macy's, perfectly accessible for someone collecting and dreaming of their future....

Part of the Sophie Conran collection for Portmeirion.

Gorgeous bowls from the same collection. I like how the grooves and irregular shape make it seem as if it just came off the pottery wheel.

Such an interesting pot, by Sophie Conran, I would love to see it sitting on my countertop.

This collection, by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion, is called White Oak.

The Botanic Garden Collection, near and dear to my heart!!

A place setting from my collection.

Part of my collection of serving pieces.

Stacks of Botanic Garden dinnerware in a small corner of my dish closet; thanks, again, for the inspiration Martha!!

Funny how something as simple as an advertisement for dinnerware can make you think back through good memories. That is truley one of life's little luxuries!!!

Comfort Zone

2010-08-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

One thing that is often on my mind is personal style. I have blogged about this several times; about how to start recognizing yours and following it and also about being fascinated with people's personal choices, in fashion and home decor, and how they come to these. Along with all of this, I think people generally have a "comfort zone" when it comes to personal choices. I know I do when it comes to fashion. This becomes very evident when I step out of mine and try something new. For example, months ago when my husband and I went to a resort in Mexico, I bought a maxi dress. I wore it to dinner, one night at the resort, with flat sandals, bangle bracelets and a pair of hoop earrings. At the resort, I felt very comfortable and stylish in this dress, I had never worn a maxi dress before, but felt like it fit in with the carefree resort atmosphere. Flash forward to this summer. I wore the dress to a dinner function we attended, I felt like I had a costume on!! The style of dress was appropriate for where we were at, I am 5'-10" so I can carry a maxi dress, if I saw somebody else in this outfit, I would've thought she was stylish; so what was the problem?
This got me thinking about how comfort zone, surroundings and expectations often influence our personal choices. I think,when I was at the resort, being in different surroundings and atmosphere than normal, I was able to easily step out of my "comfort zone" of dress and be a little more carefree. Being in my "normal" environment, surrounded by people I normally see, for me wearing something "trendy" made me feel out of place. I was surprised at myself, because, although I am not trendy per se, I consider myself stylish and am not generally worried about what I am wearing compared to what people I'm with are wearing. For example, I would not feel out of place if everyone was wearing jeans and I was wearing a dress. My husband wears a suit to work everyday, so when we go out to dinner he likes to be casual, I like to dress up, so we are often miss matched, c'est la vie!! So this is why I started to think about "comfort zones" (my husband often says I over analyze things!!).

Thinking about this, I realized I have a fall uniform:

J Crew Jeans J Crew Velvet Blazer

Michael Kors Purse Kitten Heels

Running errands, grabbing lunch with a friend or shopping on a typical fall day you will see me in some variation of dark boot cut jeans, a J Crew black velvet blazer, kitten heels and a hobo style purse. I change the accessories, sometimes a scarf, sometimes a chunky necklace, sometimes a print shirt, sometimes a corduroy jacket or long sweater, but the basic ensemble stays the same. I have kitten heels in different colors, leather and suede.

Michael Kors Jacket Cole Haan boots

Or I will add a printed jacket, I have many, and kitten heeled low boots. I brought the topic of "uniforms" and "comfort zone" up at dinner with girlfriends the other night, and one of them said, fall is coming you will soon bring out the kitten heels!! But think of it, we all have some sort of "uniform" that we fall back on that we feel best in. How many times have you thought, I have to look good so I'll wear such and such because that's my best look?

All 3 shoes by Calvin Klein from my closet

Wearing flats felt out of place to me because, above, are a sample of the heels I usually wear out at night; they are my comfort zone for evening.

So the question is........ If you feel confident and stylish in your "comfort zone", should you mix it up? With fashion today, (and partially thanks to the Sex and the City girls who mixed it up well!!) there are no hard and fast rules. Well, having said that, I would consider a good cut and a good fit a rule not to break (just think of "mom jeans"!!). Individuality is often expressed with fashion choices and good ones stay in vogue; What images are conjured when you think of Jackie O., Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Catherine Deneuve, Coco Chanel...... they are just a few style icons who stayed true to their look, had basic style principals that they hung onto and whose style still reigns supreme. The look of confidence that you get when feeling good about yourself is the best fashion accessory you can have!! This comes from being in your "comfort zone", whether it be trying out the newest trends or wearing your same fall uniform!! Embracing yourself and your style is key!!

Having said that, I think I might inch out of my "comfort zone" this fall and purchase an item in the classic style I'm comfortable with but in a beautiful buttery color or animal print, such as the boots below. Or in a great color like the turquoise Kooba bag I'm crazy for!!

Over the knee boots and python boots by Stuart Weitzman at Nordstroms and Kooba Hadley bag from Neiman Marcus.

Afterall, feeling good, feeling confident and fabulous accessories, are great luxuries!!

Saturday Afternoon Luxury, Lunch With My Sister

2010-08-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

I wasn't planning on posting today, but I made a lovely, quick lunch with my sister and I thought it was worth sharing. The photo is not styled, it is taken as it was plopped onto the plate and before I ate it. My sisters came to stay the night with my daughter and I last night, my husband is away. It is nice, and a great luxury, to have sisters who are also your friends!! We had a great time, made pizzas on the grill, the bean dip my friend was kind enough to share the recipe (I will share it at another time), wine and homemade cookies. I had actually planned on writing about our "girls night in", set the table, arranged the food, lit the candles and well..... a few glasses of wine and giggles and the evening took off before the camera came out.
This afternoon, we had an early lunch and are heading to the pool for the afternoon (not a bad day, I might add, the weather is lovely!!). I thought I'd share what we ate as it was really quick to put together and very good!!

-Whole wheat Naan bread spread with goat cheese and covered with fresh beef steak tomato slices baked until bread was crunchy and cheese soft.
-While that was baking, I mixed arugula and basil leaves and dressed them with fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil and fresh cracked pepper
-When the bread was out of the oven, I topped it with the arugula mixture and topped that with avocado, (because frankly, this summer I am addicted to avocado and am topping almost everything with them!!)

Served with a glass of sparkling water outside with wonderful weather, it was a perfect little lunch with perfect company!! Now off to the pool to enjoy my luxurious day!!

White........

2010-08-06T07:02:00.001-07:00

When choosing things for my personal interiors, I generally go with earthtones with occasional pops of grayed colors such as greens and blues. I don't have any white walls or ceilings in my home; I love the look of white walls in photos, but don't think I could personally live with white walls, since my furnishings are warm colors, I would always want to "warm them up". Having said that, as I was shopping for flowers yesterday, my daughter asked, "Mommy why do you always pick white roses?". That got me thinking, that even though I consider myself an earthtone gal, there are certain things that I always choose in white. In certain areas, I can't resist the clean, crisp, simply elegant, lovely feeling that white represents.

Roses for sure!!!! Always found in my house.

These roses are still going strong after almost 3 weeks!! I couldn't bare to throw them out, plus I like the way the slightly browned edges look with the golden frames and golden veining of my bathroom marble. I trim the tips of the roses every few days and change their water, this keeps them going for a long time!!

White kitchens. Again my dream kitchen, Lynda Reeves of Canadian House & Home.

White bathrooms. This one is from Canadian House & Homes. The textures and details give this white bathroom a sophisticated, elegant and crisp feel. I am adding this to my dream house list!!

White bedding, always!! This is from Scandia Downs website. Luxurious like a soft cloud, you are destined for sweet dreams!!

I always go for white dishes. These are Aegean White by L'Object (I think I must start collecting them!!). I love, not only the look, but that you can mix so much with them. A large white dinner plate with a small patterned salad plate on top is so elegant and versatile. An all white table with a burst of color from the napkins or flower arrangement can take on so many styles!! Playful, fun, elegant, dramatic, it's endless!!

White table linens. Again, as above, starting with all white and accessorizing can give you endless possibilities!!! Look how divine, serene and elegant the subtle green hues added to the white make this wedding table, featured in Veranda, look. The beauty goes on and on.......

There is something so clean, lovely and fresh about white candles. Not only in one of my favorites, Jo Malone, but in pillars, tapers, votives...... I always go for white.

To me, nothing says luxury like a clean, fresh smelling, soft stack of white towels!! I always choose white towels. They bleach like a dream and always seem spa like to me!!

Can't forget a cool, crisp, floral glass of white wine!! My go to!!

By the way, my daughter got 3 beautiful hot pink roses for her room. Hot pink is her go to color!! Starting my day thinking about white, clean, fresh accessories and rooms, has added a little bit of luxury to my morning. Now, time for a shower with a clean, white towel!!!

What colors are you drawn to?

I Had A Dream.......

2010-08-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

It might have been my sound sleep thanks to my new pillows but last night I had a beautiful dream........

I dreamt I woke up in Italy......

I stayed in a luxurious Villa on a hill, overlooking the Italian countryside.......

I had on a white eyelet dress like this one from Anthropologie........

Tory Burch lace up espadrilles.......

I had a Pucci scarf wrapped on my head a la Audrey Hepburn, to add a little flair of glamour and drama......

And big Chanel sunglasses a la Jackie O.......

I ran down a country hill (very gracefull, I might add!)........

And followed a carnival parade.......

To a gorgeous alfresco picnic, with beautiful views.......

I was served the freshest ingrediants from the region.....

Lots of homemade pastas.........

Beautifully divine and decadent desserts (I ate and ate and didn't gain a pound!!).....

And of course, lots of Vino.......

Back at the Villa, I took a long, luxurious bath, with a great view and a gentle breeze.........

Watched the breathtaking Italian sunset.........

Slept in a cozy overstuffed bed with lots of fluffy new pillows!!!!

It was a glorious dream!! I am going to take these happy thoughts with me all day today!! I wish you sweet dreams tonight that fill your day with happy thoughts and luxurious memories!!!
Better yet, I hope all our dreams come true!!

Bed Pillows and Wine Glasses......

2010-08-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I purchased a simple, yet necessary luxury; new bed pillows!! Pillows are often a little luxury that gets overlooked. We spend a good portion of our lives in our beds, and with busy lives and busy schedules, the time we spend in our beds should be comfortable, peaceful, restful, and well... a little indulgent!! You should have a pillow that supports and pampers your neck. Only you can decide what is best for your sleep!! There are a variety of fills you can choose from, down, fiberfills, foam and a combination of fills. Martha Stewart often talks about buckwheat filled pillows!! I prefer down pillows; They can be fluffed or flattened; I like mine fluffed, my husband prefers a flat pillow so the down does double duty. I like that they keep their fluffed shape on the bed too!!

After I finished college,(years ago!!), I worked in visual displays at a department store. One of my duties was to dress the beds in the linen department. That meant a lot of ironing and primping!! That notion of a well dressed bed has stuck with me all these years. I still iron my sheets, (well the pillow cases and the top of the top sheet, only what you will see). I also like to change the sheets twice a week, a fresh bed makes a refreshing rest!! I like my beds simple, elegant and luxurious. I generally do all white and cream and buy the best quality linens I can afford. I usually go for the hotel lines. Yesterday, since I was buying pillows, (and a new coverlet) I just bought new pillow cases, 500 thread count, because I didn't want to splurge on a whole new set, but wanted to be a little indulgent!! That is the nice thing about keeping to a certain color combo, for me white and cream, because you can mix and match and still have it look well dressed.

I have a queen sized bed, I like 2 king sized pillows in the back, 4 standard pillow in front and one rectangular decorative pillow to finish it off. I use a coverlet to dress the bed, (my new one is a cream matlesse with a "mod" graphic stitching pattern) and a down comforter with a duvet folded and fluffed at the end of the bed. You often see tv shows that say "decorate your whole room for $500", in the bedroom, I would rather spend that $500 on making your bed as luxurious as possible and save to finish the rest of the room. Remember this is where you start the day and end the day, it should make you feel as refreshed and luxurious as possible!!

I have mentioned before that I think Mariette Himes Gomez, Vicente Wolf and Barbara Barry do the best beds!! The keep to that clean elegant sensibility that I just adore, to me that is luxury!!

Barabara Barry for Baker. The white crisp linens against the dark wood just looks so comforting. This bedroom has a clean, refreshing, luxurious, calming "Old Hollywood" feel.

Mariette Himes Gomez, her rooms look so clean and fresh and look at all the fluffy pillows and the white linens!! My idea of a beautifully dressed bed!!

Vicente Wolf, beautifully dressed bed, lots of pillows, beautifully mismatched bedside tables; I would love him to do my house!!

Can't say enough about this divine bedroom by Vicente Wolf!! The fabrics, the subtle color, the artfully hung mirrors, the pillows, the linens..... What dreams I would have!!

Vicente Wolf, again!! Pale, divine, dreamy!! How glamourous!!

Had to end with a picture of my new wine glasses. Villeroy & Boch, clean, simple, elegant. I drink mostly whites, but I like to drink them out of a Bordeaux glass. I like the look and feel of this shape!!

What do you think is a luxurious bed? I'd love to hear your comments!!

Late To The Party........

2010-07-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

Word of warning.... this post is full of pictures of delicious looking food, so if you are hungry, I
apologize from the start! We spent this past weekend at our friend's lake house. It was a lovely time, lots of food, wine, family time, beach time, sun, good conversation..... It was also a time of discovering a new luxury for me; my friend had a stack of back issues of Food & Wine magazine. I am embarrassed to say I have not read this magazine before!! I can't believe it, I am completely addicted to magazines and this one is right up my alley! It was a perfect accompaniment for sitting on the sand, watching the waves, enjoying the kids having a ball and relaxing. It was also great to look at them while eating my friend's awesome white bean dip with crudite and a chilled glass of white!! Maybe I can coax her to share the recipe with us, it is fabulous! We also spread it on turkey sandwiches for lunch on fresh baked pretzel bread..... awww..... but I digress......
Their slogan is, "Food & Wine, inspiration served daily". I like that. I love the interesting and artfully arranged photos of food also!! The magazine features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, information about chefs, wine pairings, cocktail recipes, serving suggestions, photos of people enjoying a get together.......they even had an article about planting a cocktail garden!! Planting herbs and vegetables that go into cocktails. I love to eat, cook and set a table, so my head was swimming in thoughts of fresh ingrediants and turning my kitchen into a testing ground for a whole new list of recipes and ideas!! Setting the atmosphere for a great meal was also on my mind. They have a great website with their recipes, tips and articles archived, http://www.foodandwine.com/. Needless to say, I signed up for a subscription!!

The new object of my affection......

Goat cheese and rosemary stuffed mushrooms, I will be serving these....

A deconstructed shrimp and crab tostada appetizer, I could make a meal of this.....

Delicious looking grilled flatbreads, the flavor combinations are endless....

I want to pull a chair right up and dig in!!!

Strawberry shortcake puffs, how divine......

A fabulous presentation!!!

Of course, we can't forget the wine!!!!

Burgers a la Bobby Flay!!

Ricotta pancakes with orange syrup, I can taste them already!!

Goat cheese pudding, thought this sounded really interesting a combination of sweet and tart. I want to make this!! Love the glasses, they give the source to find them. I will own a set!!

Do you read Food & Wine? I can't believe I'm so late to the party!!

A Few Things On My Radar.......

2010-07-28T09:57:00.002-07:00

Below is a list of a few things that I am using a lot lately. Thought I'd share!

Tee shirt dresses. They are one of the most versatile style of dress. You can throw one on with a pair of classic style thong sandals, hoop earrings, big sunglasses and a cool bag and look chic and casual for errands. Use them as a beach cover up. Add a funky belt and platforms for drinks. A long sweater and riding boots take you into fall.... the possibilities are endless!! They are easy to find, almost every manufacturer carries some version. A good wardrobe staple!!

Swarovski Crystal has a lot of cool and chunky cocktail rings. I love them!! They come in a variety of shapes and colors. They add a bit of fun sparkle to evening attire.

I use Burt's Bees lip shimmers a lot. They come in a variety of colors. They are very inexpensive, are widely available and leave a nice shine and minty taste on your lips!!

I have been carting out the small bowls a lot lately. They are great to have on hand for entertaining. I put dips in them for individual servings, no double dipping!! Put nuts or snacks in them that people can pick up and move around with. Single scoops of ice cream.... You get the picture!!

T.J. Maxx re usable shopping bags!! They are 99 cents each, come in cool patterns and are great for taking to the pool or beach; they hold a lot of towels and are wipeable if they get water or sand in them. I also use them for carrying samples to client's.

I love One Minute Manicure!! It has a scrubbing salt and nice oils. You rub all over your hands and rinse, it leaves them soft and smooth. It is especially great in the winter!! I like the original mint, but it comes in a variety of scents. It is available on line and in most salons.

L'Occitane is a long time favorite of mine!! I love their soaps and lotions, but have been burning the candles a lot lately. My favorite scents are clementine and verbena. They are in a handy tin and easily portable. I think they make great gifts too. A beautiful scented candle, a glass of wine and a great design book is a little luxury to me!!

What are some things that you find yourself using over and over? Sharing things you like is a fun luxury!!

A Random Photo and a Post.......

2010-07-22T05:32:00.000-07:00

I found this photo at Canadian House and Home. I like it. I like the composition. I like the older distressed look of the mirror frame contrasted against the white, sculptural table lamp. I like the mix of the feminine roses and pale hues contrasted with the more masculine box and brass trinket with the number 22 (not sure what to call it). I like that the vignette seems to tell a story, where is the plate from, what does the 22 represent, why the choice of books, were they special to the owner at one time? I like the pale aquas mixed with the browns, that color combination is found in several areas of my home. I like the subtle reflection of wallpaper from the room in the mirror.

This got me thinking about choices that we make to represent ourselves. Ever since I was a young girl I was fascinated by what people chose for themselves. Their clothes, their shoes, their personal belongings, their hairstyle...... There are thousands of choices out there, why do we gravitate to some and steer away from others? I still am fascinated to this day with personal style choices, that is why I do what I do. I not only love design, but I love helping somebody bring the things and the style they love into their home; a home is a reflection of self. I went shopping yesterday, there were several women in the store with me, we were all choosing different items and styles of clothing to try on. There were hundreds of choices. Why did we each choose different items? Was it price point, body style, comfort level, influence from childhood, influence from friends, influence from fashion magazines? These things fascinate me!! That's why I love the idea of design journaling ( see my post from June 24). You can keep track of your influences.
The beauty of it is that there is choice!! Maybe at times too much. We are able to play it safe within our comfort level or be daring and mix it up!! We can mix vintage and modern, old and new, different styles, colors, textures.... The possibilities are endless!! The key is to have fun with design and fashion. A lot of people impose rules on what to do, what is right and wrong, what height to hang things at, how to place accessories..... so much that most people become frozen before trying something new thinking about all the things they could do wrong!! Most of the time these are not rules, but suggestions on how to start; to me that is the best way to look at things. What better luxury is there then to jump in feet first and see where your inspiration will take you?

I would love to hear your comments!!

A Virtual Escape!!!

2010-07-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

Today is not going as I planned..... so I am going to take a virtual trip for the day!! I love museums and London is full of them. I would need months to tour all of them, which I would love to do!! I love any kind of museum!! I love old houses, seeing how people used to live, I love art, architecture, design, old tools, furniture...., basically put together a museum of well appointed items and I'll come!!

First, what to wear?

I will be carrying this Lanvin clutch...

I will be wearing this Alexander McQueen dress, the color would be divine on me........

I will be wearing these Loubitans; I think the color would be perfect with the dress!! Impractical for walking around London, you say? Hey it's my fantasy, plus my virtual tour comes with my own virtual driver.

I will visit Freud's house, I need a few minutes on that couch .....

The Design Museum........

Darwin's House, see where he figured it all out.....

The Danson House.......

Gaze up in awe at the Chihuly hanging in the Rotunda of the Victoria and Albert......

The Fashion and Textile Museum.......

The Tate Modern, love the repurposed architecture.....

When I have taken it all in I will dine in the private dining room of The River Cafe with some fabulous guests.......

I will retire to my sophisticated suite at The Berkeley with a fine cocktail. I will take advantage of their spa treatments before I virtually fly off in the morning!!

A virtual escape in the middle of a rough day, how luxurious!!! Where would you virtually escape to? What would you do? I have more virtual escapes saved for a later date!!

Comments are appreciated!! I love reading them!!

A Very Simple Sunday Supper.... (say that 5 times fast!!)

2010-07-19T06:09:00.001-07:00

I need to preface this post by saying that I am not a very good photographer!! The presentation turns out much better in my head than in the actual photos; with that being said, I am jumping into the post feet first, bad photography and all!! Enjoy!!

My simple Sunday supper; It was a dreary day in my part of the country. The sun wasn't out, it sprinkled on an off. The outdoor activities we had planned were scrapped. My husband and I decided to get some work done (mine was fun, picking colors for a kitchen reno I'm working on!!) We thought about going out for dinner, but decided to stay in because the day had taken on an easy, laid back vibe, having to fix myself up seemed like too much work!! I thought supper should be just as laid back; I decided to doctor up some jarred marinara sauce. I love starting with an already made sauce, there is so much you can do with it!! You can eat it as is but why not add some extra ingredients to it to make it more special? There are lots of things you can add, this is what I did and it was very yummy!!

My mise en place: A can of chopped tomotoes for extra texture. Chopped scallion for a sharp taste. I went to the olive bar at my grocery and selected, gorganzola stuffed olives, garlic stuffed olives, roasted garlic cloves and the sweet little red peppers and cut them into bite sized pieces. Crumbled gorganzola cheese and white wine, some for the sauce, more for the cook!!

I added all the ingredients to the marinara sauce (holding back the cheese) and let it simmer for about an hour. I added the cheese, and a little of the pasta water, just before serving, letting it melt into the hot sauce making it creamy and luxurious!! I served it over whole wheat spaghetti.

The table set very simply to complete the laid back theme. (My daughter's place was set after the photo, she is still using plastic dishes!!)

I served a very simple salad of mixed baby greens, endive for crunch, blanched thin asparagus and dressed simply with red wine vinegar, olive oil and pepper.

The pasta served!!!

Wine, sparkling water, votives and roses of course!!

The pasta was great!! Rich, creamy and very indulgent. We finished up with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt and a scoop of raspberry sorbet. Dinner was easy to make, easy to clean up and very satisfying. Starting with an already made ingredient and personalizing it to your taste is an easy way to get a supper on the table that tastes like you spent a lot more time preparing. Afterall, isn't having more time to relax on a Sunday very luxurious?

I love hearing from you!! Comments are appreciated!!

Ingredients For An Easy Breezy Summer Morning....

2010-07-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

Starting my day, this Saturday morning, I began to think, "what would make a luxurious Saturday morning?". First and foremost waking up to a clean and tidy house!! The other ingredients follow:

A perfect setting for an outdoor breakfast with a cool breeze and the smell of flowers in the air.....

A large stack of homemade blueberry pancakes......

A large and frothy latte......

Fresh flowers, always.......

A cool, refreshing drink.....

A dip in a beautiful pool....

A peaceful outdoor place to relax and read or nap......

But most importantly, being able to start the weekend off full of great possibilities!!! Have a wonderful, luxurious weekend!!

Write It Down, Make It Happen......

2010-07-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

A luxurious life can be defined by many things; some may think it's living a life of leisure in an opulent setting with all the best items money can buy. Some may think that it's having a close knit family , a secure home and a great group of friends. The key is, your luxuries are defined by you. You know what makes you happy, you know what you like to be surrounded with, you know what you like to do and life only becomes luxurious when you are able to define what you want and need and seek those things out. Not just to go after what you think others might want for you or what is popular at the time. The "brass ring" that you grab has to be what you want or you won't be satisfied.

I found a book, while browsing at Barnes and Noble the other day, that is called, "Write It Down, Make It Happen", by Henriette Anne Krauser. It's premise is that setting your intent, focusing on the outcome, being clear about what you want in life can make your dreams come true. It is full of stories of people who have done that and achieved their goals and has simple exercises to help you start. I bought a copy, I am only half way through it, but am really enjoying it. I am a big proponent of journaling, I have posted about design journaling and how that can help you define what you want in your home, how it can help you define your personal style and make it easier to spot it when you see it; this book takes it a step further. It is about setting your goals, seeing them on paper to help you focus and make them a reality. It can be about anything in your life, your relationships, your home, your career; one key component of happiness is being able to know what you want and be in control of how to get it. Only you can make you happy, nobody else can. Others may help enjoy in your happiness, but only you know where that comes from.

I have started writing down goals every morning. What I like most about this is I start the day off full of possibility. That is a really luxurious way to start the day!! There are lots of things I want to achieve, see and do and writing them down keeps me focused and makes me excited about what's to come!! Even writing about problem situations, how you would like the outcome to be, how you think you can control it from your vantage can help you come up with a solution or at least help you control how you can deal with it or make peace with it. Having a truly luxurious life goes beyond material items, it is being able to define your dreams and start living them. I wish you luxury everyday!!

Pear Vanilla Vodka at The Hotel George, How Divine....

2010-07-12T04:20:00.000-07:00

The Very Chic Hotel George in Washington, DC

The Bar at the Bistro Bis in The Hotel George

Another view of the Bistro Bis

A meeting room at the hotel, love the decor!!

I was thinking about summertime drinks and reminisced about a wonderful infused vodka that I had at The Hotel George's Bistro Bis bar in Washington, DC. The decor was very hip and sophisticated. As I walked in, I was intrigued by the zinc bar with a large mirror and its very modern and stylish display of the liquors. The other thing to strike me was the huge vats of the infused vodkas that they had sitting on the bar. I chose the pear -vanilla infused vodka. It was served slightly chilled in a martini glass, the liquor was slightly cloudy and the taste had a perfect balance of the pear, vanilla and the vodka. The smell was divine, again an aromatic mix of the pear and vanilla, I wanted to dab it behind my ears!!

I had to try to make this infused concoction on my own!! I knew nothing of infusing vodka and after a few tips from bartenders and a few trials and errors, I came up with a delightful version of my own. This is what I did:

Get a clean, air tight container large enough to hold the contents of a bottle of vodka.
Place in a pear, peeled, cored and cut into a few pieces

Place in a vanilla bean that has been washed and cut length wise (I did find that you could use a tbls of pure vanilla extract instead)

Pour a bottle of vodka over the fruit, make sure it is completely covered. Wash and save the vodka bottle and cap to pour the vodka back in after it's infused.

Make sure the container is properly sealed and place in a cool dry place for 1-2 weeks, agitating the container daily. The longer you leave the vodka infusing the stronger the flavor. I wanted a strong pear taste, so I left it for 2 weeks.

After it's infused, line a funnel with cheesecloth or a coffee filter (something to strain the liquid) and pour it into the vodka bottle, seal and refrigerate or put in the freezer.

Enjoy!!

This infused vodka is very good, smooth and silky in texture. It has been awhile since I have made it and I am going to try again soon!! It is very flavorful, so you can savor it in small sips, indulging all the way!!

Mid afternoon smoothie break...

2010-07-11T14:24:00.001-07:00

Nothing tastes more satisfying on a hot afternoon than a homemade smoothie. They are filling, cool, refreshing and simple to make. The bonus is that they taste like you are drinking a dessert, but they are good for you!!

My recipe is really simple, children love them and it's something easy for them to make. My daughter loves filling the blender!! I just fill the blender, I don't measure anything. For about 4 1 1/2 cup smoothies (the size in the picture above) use:

Fill blender about 2/3 with frozen fruit. I used strawberries and blueberries, but any combination will do.
Use about 2 cups of yogurt, I use vanilla to add a little extra sweetness for the berries. If you are feeling really indulgent, use frozen yogurt.
Add about 1 1/2 cups of apple juice. Add more if too thick. I think apple juice works the best with berries, it's flavor is mild enough not to over power the delicate flavor of the berries. I used to use orange juice but I think, unless you want a strong citrus flavor, it is too strong for the berries.

The best thing about this recipe is that it is simple and satisfying. There are only a few ingredients so it's quick and economical. You can use any combination; I've frozen mandarin oranges and combined it with orange juice and vanilla yogurt and it's like a creamsicle. Frozen bananas blend very nice, giving an almost ice cream like texture, they combine well with almost any berry (take the peel off the banana before freezing, this I learned the hard way!!). They are also good for a quick breakfast or a healthy afternoon snack. You can also leave out the yogurt and it is like a thin, drinkable sorbet. Very refreshing!!! Enjoy!!

Some of my favorite books.....

2010-07-08T06:12:00.001-07:00

Above are some of my favorite design books. This is just a small sampling of my design library!! I look through these books for pleasure and for reference when designing a project. I never become bored with them, I find something new everytime I look through them. Everytime I look at them, I am looking at different elements and details, the way the color is used, the use of fabric, the use of lighting, how the rooms are accessorized, so many elements go into a well designed room you can never become bored analyzing them!!

I love to have design books and periodical around me; they entertain me, inspire me and amaze me. Looking at a thoughtful designer's work is like looking at a painting by a master, to me. I am always inspired by the technique and the composition. Kelly Hoppen, Mariette Himes Gomez, Vicente Wolf and Thomas O'Brien are just a few of the designers whose work I admire. Even though you can explore on the internet, there is nothing better than having a hardcover book in your hand that you can take anywhere and really study the pictures. A glass of wine, a few minutes of peace and quiet and a good design book is one of my little luxuries!! It allows me to escape, for a little while, into a world I love, the world of great design!! I hope this inspires you to find books on your favorite subject and indulge in a little afternoon escape!!

My Newest Simple Luxury........

2010-07-07T06:04:00.001-07:00

Lynda Reeves kitchen is my dream kitchen!!

One of my favorite design publications is Canadian House and Home. I discovered it here, in the states, by watching their design show, that was on at obscure times on HGTV. I loved the show, they had tours of very chic homes and tips for recreating some of the ideas found in them. I would DVR it and then, like magic, it disappeared!! I couldn't find it on tv anywhere. I did discover that Barnes and Noble sold the magazine, which I find fresh and interesting. They present different styles and points of veiw on design, but keeping with a clean, sophisticated and friendly approach.

I did discover that their website had videos of the show, but alas, I couldn't watch it here in the states, said our browsers weren't compatible or some such technical talk. Fast forward to this week, I found that now I can watch the episodes online!! At www.houseandhome.com, under online tv, they have the episodes to view and they can be watched in the states!! They are about 13 mins long and are very well done and interesting. I have only watched a few, but am anxious for more.

It is now my new simple luxury. Before my daughter wakes up, a rich cup of coffee and a few episodes starts my day off right!! Nothing is better to me then a good cup of coffee and well done design. Check it out, I'm sure you'll enjoy!!

A weekend full of flowers.....flowers....flowers.....

2010-07-05T09:52:00.001-07:00

This weekend I did what I set out to do!! I went to the nursery (a few times) and got flowers for my container gardening, on my deck, and perennials for the beds I had dug. I spent a great portion of the weekend planting and arranging pots. I think I did good!! Above are close ups of some of the variety of plants I chose; I will do a post on container gardening and arranging pots at a later date, I am going to wait to my pots fill out a bit.

I decided to keep it simple. I planted lavender, with a silver ground cover border, in the beds. I love lavender!! It smells so divine and when it fills out looks so delicate and lush!! I chose Hidecote Blue, which is dark purple and think it looks very elegant with the silver leaves of the ground cover. I can't wait for it to fill out!! It is at the edge of my deck, on either side of the stairs, so when the breeze blows over it, it fills the deck with such a wonderful fragrence!!

I used a lot of color this year in the pots. I usually keep it more natural and leafy, but for some reason the bright pop of color caught my eye this year. That is the fun of container gardening, you can add what you want and move them around. You are not stuck with the same type of flower every year. Go with the flow!! I created a new seating area by my daughter's play area and added a few pots there too. Now, finally, my yard is almost complete!! I hope it cools off this evening so I can sit out and enjoy it; right now, I am taking refuge from the heat in the air conditioned house, with a tall glass of sparkling water!! To me, at this moment, that is a great luxury!!!

Weekend, here we come!!

2010-07-02T03:50:00.000-07:00

Love this stone liner, wonder if I'll have the patience for doing it!!

I always add a tall and spikey plant to my containers

Violas and pansies ,planted close together to form a big cluster, are my favorite!!

Trailing out of the pot, so elegant

I love a rooftop garden!!

Simple, green and lush!!
All images from MarthaStewart.com

Weekend here we come!! I have had such a busy week, this is my first time posting!! I am planning on taking it easy this weekend. This is the first 4th of July weekend we have stayed at home in the last 5 years!! My plan is to add my container garden to my deck and surrounding yard. I am very late this year doing so, but we had 2 families of groundhogs living under our deck and until we had them relocated, planting was a futile effort!! We had 2 last year and they ate almost every plant in the 20 planters I had on the deck!! This year we had 16 taken away!! My containers would have been a lovely buffet for the little guys!! But, now that this seems to be taken care of, I can concentrate on my plants.

I'm not sure what plants are left to choose from, so late in the season, but I will approach this with an open mind. Big, soft bundles of pansies are my favorite in a pot. In my experience, you have to buy them early in the season, they go fast. They are always cheerful and hardy. One year I found the most beautiful pale blue pansies, gorgeous!! But this year I am looking for anything lush and low maintainance!! I am using the above photos as my inspiration, I like the pots full and lush!! Wish me luck in finding some plants at this time!! I will post pictures of what I find. Give yourself the luxury of having a wonderful weekend!!!

Tile!! Tile!! Tile!!!

2010-06-27T05:26:00.001-07:00

Fabulous tiles!! Anyone have a project that I can use these on? Virginia Tile Showroom.

I always stop by the glass tiles for a look!! Virginia Tile Showroom.

More fabulous glass tiles!! Virginia Tile Showroom.

Accent pieces galore!! Virginia Tile Showroom

Option 1

Option 2

Always look at materials the way you will see them in the space, vertical surfaces up, horizontal down.

Yesterday I went to a Virginia Tile showroom to get some tile samples for clients that are doing a kitchen renovation to choose from. I am completely in my element in a showroom, I get excited about the possibilities when I walk in the door. It always puts a smile on my face and elevates my mood (I am a simple girl!!). But I know these environments can be completely overwhelming for the average home renovator that does not do this for a living. There are thousands of choices and many stores, so unless you are focused and have a plan, you can get lost in a sea of tile!! I am going to share some of my strategies for making it easier to sort through the maze of choice!!

It is important to have a plan and a vision!! If you are focused and know what you are looking for it is a lot easier to sort through the many choices. For example: the clients I am working for want a traditional feel to their kitchen. We selected the granites before tile shopping, 1 type for the countertops and 1 type for the new island. It was decided that the countertops backsplash would be a large stone tile, that will go to the underside of the cabinets and will compliment the cabinet color. It was also decided that there would be an accent tile above the range. I know the clients style preference, the cabinet style, the granite choices and I had a plan prior to tile shopping about what type I was selecting: a stone tile that compliments the cabinet color and accent tiles that will add some impact. Coming armed with this plan, I could eliminate a lot of the tile sections at the store and focus on the stone and a traditional accent piece.
Hire a designer to help you form a plan before you shop. Even if you don't have the budget to hire a designer for your whole project, most do consultations that are a set price and can help you come up with a plan. I have done many 2-3 hour consultations on bathrooms and kitchens just to come up with a plan for the type of tile and the placement; the client then shopped for the tile themselves, but was able to focus on the plan with little distraction. Budgeting a few hundred dollars for a designer's time at the beginning of a project can save you a lot of grief and legwork in the end.
Come armed with "givens" in your project. For example, have the granite and cabinet color chosen before tile shopping. It is also helpful to have decided the "style" of the kitchen, whether modern or traditional etc... This will help you eliminate tile styles at the store. (See, it all goes back to planning!!).
Don't have competing patterns!! I see, in a lot of kitchens, a highly colored and veined granite paired with a backsplash with a tile pattern. Most often, unless you are a designer and have refined the art of the subtle pattern mix, this comes off as too busy. This is where a decision needs to be made about what will have the most emphasis. Do you want the granite countertops to have a lot of coloration, if so choose a backsplash that is simple, such as a lightly colored stone. If you want a patterned backsplash, choose a countertop that has less color.
Remember too, that you will be living with the countertops and backsplash for a long time. My motto is to keep it simple, classic, neutral and to compliment the style of the cabinets. Trends come and go for a reason, save them for accessories that can be easily changed later. Remember the avocado shades in the 70's or the mauves of the 80's?
Always look at the surfaces as they will be placed in the room. For example, lay countertop choices flat and backsplash choices vertically. This allows you to view them reflecting the light as they will in your room. We all know light can change a lot!!

Most of all, have fun!! Walking into a showroom full of possibility is exhilerating!! Walking in with a plan is practical and refreshing!!

Hey Mr D. J..... Keeping a Design Journal

2010-06-24T04:38:00.000-07:00

All Journals shown available
at BarnesandNoble.com

I truly believe that part of knowing yourself is knowing what you like in your environment. Your home is your most personal space and it should reflect your personality and contain all the things that you love to be around. Your home should be all about you and your family. It should have the colors that you love, the textures that you love , the items that you love and the spaces should be arranged to fit your family's needs. One way of exploring and getting to know your design sense is through keeping a journal.

One of the things I love most about my job, as a designer, is discovering how others like to use their space, what their design style is and what type of things they like to have in their environment. At the beginning of a project, I spend time with the homeowner exploring these things. I ask lots of questions about how they use their spaces, I look at pictures they've saved of rooms they like, I look at items that are important to them, in general I try to get an idea of what their personal design sense is. My main objective as a designer is to make my client's space reflect them and work for them. Most people will say to me, "I don't have a style". This is not true!! Everyone does!! Everyone is drawn to certain items, colors and styles; the trick is, if you don't recognize these, is to look for patterns. Keeping a journal is perfect for this because you can look back at your entries, notes and pictures and say, "everyone of these pictures have celedon green in them, I should add some of that color to my room" or "I keep noting the crystal candle sticks in every entry, I must need a few". It's fun, easy and a useful tool for working with a designer.

The first question I ask, when starting a new project, is have you saved any pictures? If they haven't, I give them "homework". I give them a pile of magazines to mark what they like in. I tell them, mark anything you like, it can be an advertisment, a bedroom (even if we are doing a living room), a piece of jewlery, anything that catches your eye. I am not looking for a room to "copy" for them, I am looking for patterns. I will see the same colors showing up, the same textures, the same style of furniture. I can see what your eye is drawn too, you can do this for yourself!!

Tips for design journaling:

First get yourself an attractive journal. It can be small to keep in your purse, or large. Barnes and Noble has a great selection.
Look through magazines and paste in things that you are drawn too. It can be a place setting that you like, a bedroom, a lamp, etc.
Make notes of spaces that you like. Why do you like being in your friend's living room? Aside from the company, is it the lighting, the fabrics, the colors? Jot it down. Be a keen observer of spaces and write about what you like(refer to my earlier post about this).
Stuck in a rut with your home? Jot down why you are picking the same things. I hear a lot from clients "I am always picking the same things". Before you buy something that you know is the same and you will be bored with, jot down why. If it is the same shade of blue that you always buy and think your space is too blue, give yourself "homework" before you buy. Look through magazines and find pictures of rooms that mix blues with different colors. I did a post on blues and browns and found pictures that combined them in different ways. Find inspiration to shake up your rut!!
Having a dinner party? Keep notes on the way your favorite restaurant serves or look through magazines and paste in pictures of table settings and food serving ideas. Take this with you when shopping so your inspiration is at hand.
Get paint samples and make different color combos, paste them in your journal for future reference.
Have fun!!

As you can see, a design journal can be fun to keep and a great tool to take with you shopping or hand over to a designer that is helping you. Afterall, isn't it a great luxury to be surrounded with the things you love and be able to recognize the things you like when out? Your home should be your haven!!

The Monday Blues (and Browns!!)......

2010-06-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

My Jonathan Adler journal that I keep client notes and sketches in.

A Restful Blue/Brown combination by Barbara Barry, Veranda Magazine

A mostly brown room with subtle hints of blue accessories, chair back, lamp shade, light fixture and flowers. House Beautiful Magazine

A grand blue and brown scheme. House Beautiful Magazine.

Blue upholstery and dark wood furniture. House Beautiful Magazine.

Bright blue against dark brown. House Beautiful Magazine

A dreamy blue bed against a calming brown wall. House Beautiful Magazine.

Combination of patterned and solid browns and blues. House Beautiful Magazine

Just a shot of blue in this mostly neutral room. House Beautiful Magazine

Mostly neutral with a subtle hint of blue in the ottoman and artwork. Vicente Wolf

Mostly blue with a hint of dark wood. William Sonoma Home

One of my favorite color combinations now is blue and brown. I think it has such a rich and elegant feel; combining both warmth and serenity. I have been drawn to it in photos and in personal item like the Jonathan Adler journal I carry with me to keep client notes and sketches in. I have always loved browns and deep carmel colors but would combine them with celedon greens, for my own personal spaces. I did venture out awhile ago and buy a deep blue chenille settee for my home that sits against a dark chocolate wall.

As you can see, from the photos above there are many ways that you can approach a blue and brown scheme. It is very versatile, it goes well in a traditional, modern, eclectic, contemporary or old world setting. You can have a mostly brown and neutral scheme with hints of blue or a mostly blue scheme with hints of brown. The blue or the brown can come from the color of the wood in the furnishings, the wall color, the accessories, the lighting, the upholstery...... The possibilities are endless!! If you want to try this combination in your home, you could start by adding removable items such as pillows, replacing a lampshade, adding a brown wood box and a blue glass bowl or vase to a table, adding blue hydrangeas... it can be simple. If you are ready to make a big leap paint the walls chocolate brown and add grey blue velvet somewhere in the room. Or, buy a fabulous journal in this color scheme or try brown pants with a light blue shirt!!
The browns and blues should have similar hues to make the combination pleasing. I would suggest playing with paint chips to find combinations that go well together, or find an item that has a nice mix of the colors and follow the color combination already figured out for you!! Have fun, try something new!!

Contrasting Piping...

2010-06-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

A subtle contrast, rope piping in same color as background of fabric.

A colorful contrast.

I like to play with color and texture a lot in my work. One way of adding interest to a custom piece is to use a contrasting piping, it is a good way of adding an accent color or texture without committing to the color on the whole piece. It can either be done subtly by keeping the color the same and changing the texture, as in the ottoman photo above, or you can go for a more colorful contrast as in the sofas pictured above.

I let the style of the room dictate what kind of contrast I am going to do. The room that the ottoman was placed in was fairly neutral. We had a mix of patterns and textures, but they all had the same background colors so the look was elegant and neutral. I loved the little ottomans, we got 3 that are moved around between 2 rooms, I loved the fabric and thought the silk rope would be a nice compliment to the fabric and design of the ottoman. The silk rope gives the ottoman more dimension and defines its shape.

The sofas, pictured above, were used in a lower level walk out. We used a little more color down there than in the rest of the house. The tv built in wall and the kitchenette were painted a rusty red, so we brought some of that into the furniture by adding a raspberry velvet colored piping to the herringbone fabric of the sofa. We further accented that contrast with pillows in the same raspberry velvet and a silk plaid with a fringe detail. I like the contrast of the more masculine menswear herringbone of the sofa fabric with the feminine raspberry velvet piping detail. It adds a little femininity without being girly.

When selecting fabric for furniture or pillows, think about adding contrasting piping. It can be a fun way to add a little spark to the piece without committing to too much color.

Have a Lovely Monday!!!

2010-06-14T04:55:00.001-07:00

The loveliest roses, cabbage rose.

A close up of a delicate peonie

Vintage tea cups carefully stacked. Photo from Little Doll Face's photo stream

Both Jo Malone's candles and the packaging are lovely. JoMalone.com

Temple St. Clair jewelry is a vision of loveliness. TempleStClair.com

A lovely little tea party. CountryLiving.com

A lovely bridal lunch. Veranda magazine

A lovely white Shabby Chic bed

Nothing is as simple and lovely as a Tiffany box, except what is inside!!

Lovely little Petit Fours by Dragonfly Cakes

One of my favorite words is lovely. It's definition conjures up all sorts of beautiful images: Lovely; full of love; loving; Inspiring love or affection; having beauty that appeals to the emotions as well as to the eye; enjoyable, delightful. When I think of something lovely, I picture things that are very feminine. Thoughts of afternoon teas, simply adorned bridal tables, pale pink flowers, scented candles, soft colors, delicate jewelry and small decorated pastries float through my head!!
Pictured above are a few photos that display what my personal definition of lovely is. I think it is simple, delicate and feminine. The tissue paper softness of a peonie or cabbage rose petal, the fine thin delicately flowered porcelain of a tea cup, the well mannered tea party, the beautiful blue of a Tiffany box and simply ruffled crisp sheets are, well, lovely visions to have dancing in your head on a Monday morning.

I also think lovely is more than a look, it's an attitude. You can feel the warmth of a lovely, kind person before they even speak. It is a welcoming look, a kind smile, eyes full of joy that say "approach me, glad to meet you" that make a person lovely. Kindness, thoughtfullness, integrity are words I use to describe a lovely person.

Today's little luxury is to find something lovely in your day. Seeing lovely, being lovely and meeting lovely is one of the best luxuries of all!!

Friday Night Dinner........

2010-06-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Grilled Salmon and Chicken

Individual lemon cakes with lemon cream cheese frosting

I love to cook!! My husband was planning on going out to dinner last night, but my daughter and I decided to make dinner and dessert and surprise him when he came home. We had a busy week of running around and thought a night at home with a good meal would fit the bill. I wanted to make something quick and easy, so I pulled out my roasted vegetable couscous recipe and decided to do a quick marinade for chicken (I had a piece of salmon left that I threw in there too!).
The couscous has a lot of ingredients, but goes together quick. Most of the prep is with the vegetables, but they are left in the oven to roast, so you can enjoy a glass of wine while they cook!! It is a recipe that I developed years ago and everytime I make it, people ask me for the recipe, so I thought I'd share.
For the lemon cake I used The Barefoot Contessa's lemon yogurt pound cake recipe and Martha Stewart's cream cheese frosting recipe with lemon juice and lemon zest added. I made the cake in a sheet pan and cut out hearts with a cookie cutter. I used 2 hearts with frosting inbetween and then frosted the whole little cake, 2 slices of strawberry on top completed it. Simple and delicious!!

Simple Marinade:

1 c ranch dressing
1/2 c red wine vinegar
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
ground black pepper
1/2 c parmesan cheese

mix ingredients together and place in chicken (4 large breasts for the amounts above), cover and place in refridgerater. Bake or grill.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous:

Roasted Vegetables:

1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 red pepper, cubed
1 orange pepper, cubed
4 carrots peeled and sliced
Place vegetables on roasting sheet, cover with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 deg. until tender

Couscous:

1 box couscous (about 4 c, I make the whole box because it keeps for a few days and is good served cold for lunches!!)
2 c chicken broth (or follow box directions)
1 can chick peas
3 tbls curry powder
2 cloves garlic minced
In a sauce pan, place chicken broth, chick peas, curry powder and garlic. Bring to a boil. Turn off stove and pour in couscous, let sit for about 5 mins until broth is absorbed and couscous is tender.

Dressing and garnish:

juice of 1/2 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 redwine vinegar and oil dressing
flat leaf parsley
1 avocado
chopped green onion

Putting it together:

combine roasted vegetables and couscous in bowl
add lemon juice and zest
add vinegar and oil
black pepper to taste
add green onion
toss
garnish with avocado and flat leaf parsley
have a glass of wine and enjoy!!

Have you impressed yourself today?

2010-06-11T07:01:00.000-07:00

The Barefoot Contessa's beautiful new "barn". Image from House Beautiful

Breathtaking!!!! Image from House Beautiful

Image from House Beautiful

What a lovely way to dine!! Image from House Beautiful.

I love covered porches!! Image from House Beautiful

Bringing the indoors out!! Image from House Beautiful

A gorgeous welcome at the front door. Image from House Beautiful

I love Ina Garten's, also known as the Barefoot Contessa, aesthetic. Her homes, her food, her table settings and the gracious way she entertains all have the same warm feel. I love watching her show, to me it is about more than the food she is making, it's about creating a lifestyle. As you are watching her prepare food and set her table for her friends or family, you get the idea that this is how she would be whether the cameras were rolling or not. She seems genuine and lovely; This is reflected in her aesthetic, the way she chooses her personal items in her homes and her table settings, perfectly reflect her. You can see the common thread of this in all her homes. She has given us a glimpse into her lifestyle that is as lovely and warm as she appears to be.

The way she presents, on her tv show, is very pleasant. She is teaching how to prepare meals, but is doing it in a comforting and calm manner that makes you feel you can try to create what she has without being intimidated. Her homes, to me, have this same feel. They are very well detailed, have beautiful furnishings and rich materials, but the way they are pulled together becomes warm and welcoming, not overwhelming and intimidating. You get the feeling, by looking at the spaces, that you would feel comfortable sitting at her table. Her choices of furnishings and accessories are sophisticated, clean and "simple". There is not too much or too little, just the right amount to create a lovely atmosphere that says, "come join me", not "don't touch".

The Luxurious Life, is about creating a world for yourself that pleases you. It's about making personal choices that reflect how you feel and make you happy and not about making choices that you perceive will impress others; It's about impressing yourself!! It's about making choices about comfort and style that make you happy to come home at night and proud to have others see what you've created. I think that Ina Garten has done a fabulous job in reflecting herself in all her choices about food, decor and entertaining. Everything about her says, "Welcome, I'm glad you're here".

Ask yourself this question, have you impressed yourself today? How do your personal spaces reflect you? Are you happy with the home you've created? Do your spaces make you happy, not in terms of what you "think " will impress others, but truly reflect your style? A truly luxurious home is one that you've created just for you and your family; one that reflects what your interests are and is set up for the activities you find important, for how you live. Everyone can have a luxurious home, it just takes some self exploration to find it!!

Table for Six......

2010-06-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

Now that summer has just about settled in, we have been spending more time enjoying the outdoors. I still have a lot of work to do; I usually fill my deck with many pots of flowers but that has to wait until all of the 2 families of groundhogs are relocated from under my deck!! We have had 9 taken away so far and there are still several under there!! So the flowers will have to wait, otherwise they become a continual buffet for them, and I am not setting my table for the groundhogs!!

So, in my wooded yard (amongst the wildlife!!), I decided to set a table for dinner. The table I set outdoors is a little more playful than what I would set indoors. Inside I favor an all white setting. I generally use all white dishes, clear crystal, white or yellow flowers with a pop of green. On occasion I add more color with flowers or the glassware, but I favor a clean crisp table, letting the food take center stage. Outdoors I thought I'd have a little fun. I used a white table cloth so the blue and yellow accents would pop. I centered the table with a pot of big sunflowers with a hint of purple stasis. I surrounded these with little bunches of yellow gerbera daisies and little seafoam green dishes with votives. My place settings were a set of blue and white flowered Spode salad plates sitting on top of a white plate rimmed with a basket weave. I used a deco inspired blue glass with a green stem for wine and paired that with a blue and white water goblet. Hanging above is a candelier.
I like the way the blue and white setting appears crisp against the wooded yard and the rustic stone of the house. Even though I used a lot of "mismatched" elements on the table, the similarity of color pulled it together. It could have appeared "hodgepodge" but by using different glasses and flowers with the same color make them uniform and pleasing to the eye.

Today's little luxury is to have some fun with an outdoor table setting. Do something different than you would do indoors, be a little playful. Use real dishes and linens, like you would indoors and accent with flowers and candles. I don't think there is anything more relaxing than dining outdoors, as long as the groundhogs don't join us!!!!

A Home as a reflection of self.....

2010-06-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

All photos from Elle Decor's Metropolitan Home archives

I am a little nostalgic today for my favorite design publication, Metropolitan Home. The last issue was published in December of 2009; I have years worth of back issues saved to use as inspiration and reference. I loved the urban, sophisticated home decor that they featured. I fell in love with the aesthetic and was always in awe of the way that contemporary and modern were mixed with antique and traditional. Most people's tastes are a mix of styles and the homes featured in the magazine always reflected this character.

As I was looking through old issues, I came across the home of George Stephanopolis and Ali Wentworth. I love this home!! I could move right in. It was done by an interior designer named Elizabeth Martin. I love the way she balanced the masculine and the feminine. The living room is both sophisticated and playful. The architecture of the room is stately and traditional and she balanced it out nicely with some fun elements such as the carpeting (they said they painted themselves with fabric paint!!), fuschia footstools, the hints of lavender and the homeowner's shell collection.

I love the brightness of the living room contrasted with the warmth of the family room. A chance to express two different design concepts in one home but she did it in such a manner they don't feel so removed from each other. That is the beauty of home design; your life has many different facets to it and you should be able to explore this with your interiors. You should be able to combine different styles and design concepts to reflect your self and not think you need to stay with one style through your own home. Your personality is not one dimensional and your home shouldn't be either. Hiring a good designer, even for a consultation, can help you pull the different styles together. Working with different styles can be tricky!!!

I think the designer did a great job reflecting the different sides of the homeowner's personality. You can tell by looking at their home that they are fun, sophisticated and worldly. The mix of the different design elements makes their home both comfortable and beautiful. Think of the different sides of your personality, what makes you, you and how you can incorporate that into your home. Afterall, making your house your home is the biggest luxury of all!!

Fresh!!!

2010-06-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite bedrooms by Frank Roop

All photos from Frank Roop's website

I am ready to change the pillows on my family room sofa. It is a beige chenille sofa and now I have brown silk paisley pillows mixed with a soft blue cotton fabric pillows. I like the mix a lot, but am thinking I want to infuse a little more color now that it's summer. I am going to take inspiration from Frank Roop.

I love the work of Frank Roop. He is a designer out of the Boston area who used to work in men's specialty clothing. He takes the design principals he learned in men's suiting and applies them to his interiors so they have a couture feel. What I love about his work is his fresh use of color. I am impressed how he subtly mixes palates of blues, greens, grays and beiges with pops of a bright. I am focused on his pillows. He always uses solids, mostly velvets and I think the mastering of the color palate is what gives them a sophisticate air, instead of coming off as cute.

Along with my beige sofa I have chairs that have burgundy in them, so I could get away with some of the soft blues and seafoam greens he has in his rooms. This will also give a new feeling of freshness to my room.

I just love the bedroom in the top photo. This room is what interested me to look at his other work. I love the soft mix of color, the eclectic mix of furnishings and the formality of the architecture against the relaxed feel of the furnishings; I think the room looks sophisticated and playful at the same time!!

I am going to look for fabric and have some new pillows made for my sofa. I will post when done. Today's luxury is to look for a way to add a pop of freshness to an existing interior. It could be adding a new color palate in pillows, candles, vases, pictures. Look for interiors photos that catch your eye and borrow ideas from them. I am certainly going too!!

A few minutes of bliss.....

2010-06-02T05:26:00.000-07:00

An ideal room for me!! A fabulous interior by Vicente Wolf

I have a lot to do today!! I have many places to be and many people to meet with. I am absolutely grateful that my schedule is full today with design tasks, but I am already thinking about the end of the day when I can take, maybe 20 minutes to catch my breath before I'm onto dinner and taking my child to her swim practice!!

I am dreaming about lounging in the Vicente Wolf room in the photo above. I love everything about this room, the mix of the classic and contemporary furnishings, the mix of warm hues against the white walls, the mix of formal chairs and area rug with the more casual couch and chair, the horizontal mirrors that appear to be windows...... It is a well done mix that would be ideal for me!!

I picture myself lounging on the comfortable sofa, with a glass of wine and my favorite design magazines. The room is nice and clean, pleasant to look at and I'm sure the temperature is perfect!! Today, take a few minutes before your busy day starts and imagine yourself relaxing in your ideal room. Think about the elements that make up your most relaxing space, picture yourself there doing something that relaxes you. After all, isn't starting a hectic day knowing a break is coming, if only in your mind, the most luxurious thing of all!!

A Day Filled with Flowers!!!

2010-06-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Peonies!!!

Happy Sunflowers on the deck

Poor little Gerbera at the end of her story, but still pretty!!

Above are pictures of my flowers left over from the weekend. I love peonies!! They are so delicate and lady like and smell so gorgeous!! I love the soft pink against the bright blue glass bowl and the contrast of the delicate petals against the woven mat and dark wood of the table. I love contrasts!!

The bright sunflowers and gerbera daisies were used on my outdoor table. The beautiful weather just screamed for a shot of bright color. I am going to post soon about my weekend outdoor table setting that was inspired from the pictures I posted the other day.

While I was walking thru the neighborhood yesterday, I stopped at a yard sale one of the neighbors was having. They had a beautiful set of blue and white Haviland china; 12 dinner plates and 12 salad plates all in good shape; only 5 teacups and saucers and a great price. My plan was to go home and bring back money for it later in the day; in the rush of all the activities of the afternoon I forgot and didn't think about it until it was too late!! A missed opportunity, but I'm sure I'll come across a deal like that again.

Today's little luxury is to fill your day with flowers, literally or figuratively. I have said it many times before, flowers can add so much to the mood of a room and a person. Just the thought of them makes me happy!!

Let me entertain you!! Outdoor table setting inspiration.

2010-05-29T07:41:00.001-07:00

Image from Southern Accents

Image from Country Living

Image from MarthaStewart.com

Image from MarthaStewart.com

I love a beautifully set table outdoors. There is something so lovely and indulgent about dining alfresco with all the amenities of dining indoors. Enjoying the company of friends, while eating a great meal and enjoying your favorite beverage in the fresh air, surrounded by vegetation, isn't that what summer time is all about?

Things to think about when setting your outdoor table:

Pick a unique setting in your yard. Instead of dining on the deck or patio, set up a table by the garden or under a big shade tree for some variety.
Think of your outdoor table as an extension of your indoor table. Use real dishes and glasses. Use cloth napkins and table cloths. Save the plastic for the kids!! Place a row of crystal or glass vases, with your favorite flower, down the center of the table with votive candles in between.
Don't forget the lighting!! Hang a candle chandelier from a canopy, use lots of votive candles, hang rows of lights from trees or your umbrella, place votives around your deck. Candle light adds such a beautiful sparkle while outdoor dining. Search your space for areas to add the sparkle and drama of candles.
Add a pop of color. It's the outdoors so have fun with the color. Use all white dishes with pink napkins and colorful flowers. Add a colorful table cloth. Have fun playing with color.
Think about comfortable seating. Just like in your dining room, you want your guests to want to linger and converse after dinner. Having comfortable seating will keep them at the table longer. Add pillows to the chairs, this can also help to add a pop of color.
Surround your table with a variety of potted plants.
I like to set a smaller table for holding extra food and drinks. This way everything is at your reach, no running inside for extras. Cover with a table cloth and flowers!!
Most of all, have fun!! Enjoy your food and friends!!

I hope the above pictures and suggestions inspire you to dine outside this weekend. I am ready to! Enjoying the beauty of the outdoors is certainly a luxury!!

Crazy days of summer!!

2010-05-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Southern Living
Doesn't this photo look inviting? Would love to have dinner at this clean, white and sparkly outdoor table!!

Summertime is full of activities!! I have been busy with year end school parties and preparing houses for guests and graduation parties. All fun, but I am anxious to post again!! I hope you will check back this weekend when I have sometime to post. Hope everyone enjoys the Holiday weekend, hope you find some little luxuries and hope the weather is fabulous for you!! And thank you for reading!! I am new to blogging and the world of blogs; have found inspiration from so many blogs and hope I am giving a little back too!! Cheers to you!!

Martha, Martha, Martha!!!

2010-05-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

Martha in her guest house, courtesy of Martha Stewart.com

Just say the name Martha and everyone knows who you are talking about; she is a one name celebrity to the likes of Madonna and Cher. Her name conjures up all kinds of beautiful images of parties, flowers, home decor and clean organized spaces. She has become the world's best known lifestyle expert; Ask her any question about entertaining, cooking, crafting, decorating, home maintenance, and she has an eloquent answer at the ready!!

Martha wasn't always "Martha" to the world. Before she created an empire she was a student, a model, a stockbroker and a caterer. I am sure she wore all of these hats with as much finesse as the one she wears now. The one thing she has always had for herself was faith and a vision. I admire Martha immensley; not only for the empire she has created, but for the way she accomplished this. Her vision and her drive have kept her focused on her goal, no matter what was happening around her or what was said about her. She has always come back with such grace and a beautifully set table to boot!!

If you think about what she accomplished during the climate of late 1980's and early 1990's it's amazing. She built an empire out of "home making", during the era of the "super woman", who wanted to be out in the workforce, full time, and turning their backs on the "June Cleaver" days of their mother's. She made embracing the home and all the chores that come along with it, beautiful and graceful, instead of mundane. Woman everywhere wanted a little "Martha Stewart" in their homes. She is doing what she loves and in embracing that vision she has created a beautiful lifestyle for herself and has influenced countless millions of lives in the process.

Martha Stewart has the most "Luxurious Life", not because she has dined with Presidents and Kings, owns countless properties, has lots of money and lavishly travels the world; But because she dreamed a beautiful dream for her life that was so big that the world embraced it. She believed in her vision, stuck to it, had faith in it and has proven that if all her luxuries are taken from her tomorrow, she is still "Martha"; She will come back bigger and better than ever with even more fans!! Her faith and her vision is stronger than any detractor!! She is larger than life!

So Martha, I raise my glass of crandberry cassis, (properly aged for 22 days in my antique cordial glass bought at an estate sale), to you!! For you are a true inspiration of spirit. I hope to take your lessons of faith in yourself and vision with me on my journey, for they are truly something to be embraced.

Today's little luxury is to take a que from Martha's life. Have faith in yourself and who you are. Do what you love and be who you want to be. There will always be "nay sayers", but if you have a true sense of who you are, live your life to the fullest to please yourself and always have good in mind, you will have the most luxurious life of all!!

A Little Respite...........

2010-05-24T05:17:00.001-07:00

Frank Roop Interiors

Vicente Wolf Interiors

Is there nothing more glamourous than a Barbara Barry room?

I feel as if I have been rushing around a lot lately; between work, my daughter's school, her activities and general household chores, it seems there is a lot of preparing and juggling to get to the end result!! I know that I am not the only one trying to fit a lot into a day, life is busy!! So I thought I'd take a few minutes off to dream of "restful interiors".

The photos above, to me, represent restful interiors, ones that soothe your spirit. They are rooms that beckon you to kick back for a moment, sit on a comfy couch, put your feet up and enjoy a cool cocktail. A room that gives the feeling of calm and serene when you enter it, like the busy world has stopped for a brief moment for you to take a deep breathe and relax!!

Looking at the rooms above I can imagine how luxurious the fabric feels to the touch. I imagine the clean smell of freshly cut flowers in the air. I imagine the temperature being just right for the season. I imagine feeling calm, relaxed and tranquil. I feel relaxed just to think about it!!

Rooms that put me in this spirit all have the same elements in common:

Subtle color and fabric contrasts (I've blogged about my definition of these in previous posts)
Luxurious and tactile fabrics, linens, velvets, silks and chenille.
Warm color hues
Lots of plush furniture
Ottomans in place of coffee tables (I love ottomans!! Will dedicate a blog to my awe of them sometime soon.)
Carefully chosen and placed accessories that pull the room together, but don't clutter.
An air of sophistication
Fresh flowers!!!!

I try to incorporate the elements that I find relaxing and soothing into my own home. I love having a respite from the busy day, even if it is waking up 1/2 hour early to have my morning coffee in my most tranquil room, I feel refreshed. Today's little luxury is to take a few moments to define the elements that you find soothe your soul in a room. Incorporate 1 or 2 into your interiors today. It can be as simple as a adding a vase full of beautiful, fragrant flowers or cleaning off a cluttered table and re accessorizing with items that make you feel calm. After all, in today's busy world, isn't the thought of feeling refreshed in your personal space the most luxurious thing of all?

Time for Bed!!!

2010-05-22T08:34:00.002-07:00

All images courtesy of Canadian House & Home, one of my favorite magazines!!

I have had bedrooms on the brain lately!! I have 2 clients that are sprucing up their bedrooms. One client is having house guests next week and we have been getting their guest rooms ready. We have had curtains and roman shades made for the 2 rooms, a fabric headboard for one, new bedding and custom shelf tables, the list goes on and on. A lot of things to think about. This afternoon I will be shopping for accessories and early in the week pulling the rooms together. I will post pictures when they are ready. I always get excited when the spaces I'm working on are coming together.

I pulled the above "inspiration" photos from Canadian House & Home, one of my favorite magazines. These rooms have all the elements I like to incorporate in a bedroom

A restful color on the walls
White or cream bedding with a pop of color in a headboard, dust ruffle, coverlet or accessory pillows
Carefully chosen and placed accessories
Fresh Flowers!!!

Since the bedroom is the place you begin and end each day, I like them to be calm, serene and uncluttered. I like the bed to be dressed in white or cream, it always reminds me of rest and becomes hotel like, luxurious. I am not opposed to color, my daughter has a colorful set, but when I can use plain, soft, plush bedding, I do. Some of my favorite designers, Vincente Wolf, Barbara Barry and Mariette Himes Gomaz take the white bed to a great level of sophistication.

Can't wait to share the "fruits of my labor" with you later this week. For now I am off to find lamps and other accessories. Accessory shopping on a Saturday afternoon, now that is a little luxury to me!!

Inspiration........

2010-05-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

My yard

My yard

My yard

Inspiration Photo from Veranda

Inspiration Photo from Southern Living

Inspiration Photo from Restoration Hardware

Inspiration Photo from Veranda

I am excited to spend a lot of time outdoors this summer. I have been working on a list of things I want to accomplish in the yard, not major work, but refining some of the elements that already exist in the space. My yard has a lot of trees, a variety of types and varying shades of green. I am very lucky to have 4 beautiful Japanese Maples that add a pop of deep burgundy to almost every corner of the yard. The landscaping is very natural, almost rustic, with a lot of ground cover, a stone retaining wall and stone lining the planting beds. My house is dark brown stained wood and stone. I am working on a few small planting beds for some perennials but will be adding most of the color with pots on the deck. This is the back drop I have to work with in my yard, or as I refer to it the "architecture of the yard". These are my givens. Without major construction or re hauling of the landscape, I have to work within these perimeters to achieve my desired look.

My thought is to enhance the natural surroundings. I have gathered a few inspiration photos, above, of the feel I want to achieve in my yard. You can see as you scroll down the photos from my yard to the inspiration photos, there isn't a big contrast. Any of these elements will work well in my surroundings. I love to dine al fresco, surrounded by greenery, so I am going to take ques from the photo from Southern Living. I love the weathered teak dining table and chairs; I do not have a set like this. My table is glass and my chairs mesh (never liked this set, my husband bought it, sorry honey!!) , I probably won't get new this year, but I am not worried about making them work in this context. Why? Because I am going to be able to convey the feel
that I love about the photo. It is cozy, lush and rustic. I have the natural greenery. We just had a pergola built on our deck, over the table, with a candle chandelier hanging above,(more coverage from sun than an umbrella which is a problem for us) which helps achieve the cozy feel. I can add potted annuals around, like my inspiration photos from Veranda, that will surround the table, like in my inspiration patio. I can set my existing table to mimic the table in the picture so the table its self doesn't hinder me.
I also love plush seating outdoors. A few years ago I had a wood benches, with backs built on my upper deck. They are in an L shape, like my Restoration Hardware photo. I am going to have cushions made for them this summer and I will probably add an outdoor ottoman in the middle. So even though I am not going to buy a new outdoor sectional, I can achieve the feel with my existing elements. I just got 2 new chairs that have woven sides and cushions, so I am adding some of the elements of that photo too.

The gist of it is, if you are planning on updating your yard this year, you can achieve the feel you are looking for in inspiration photos. The elements don't have to match exactly, you don't have to buy all new; inventory what you have and compare the "feel" to your inspiration photos. Survey the "architecture of your yard". Look for photos that have the feel of your yard. If you have a rustic, wooded setting, such as mine, look for photos that convey that look. If you have a more formal setting, look for photos that enhance that look. Without a major overhaul, the look of your yard and house are your givens. Think about what drew you to them in the first place and try to enhance that feel. I loved the natural feel of my yard. It has been a work in progress for years and this year, with the help of a few professionals, I will continue to enhance the feel I fell in love with in the first place. I will blog before and afters as it progresses.

Today's luxury is to fall in love with your yard. Select photos that can help you expand upon that, it can be as small as adding a few new plants, to redecorating your deck. Is there anything more luxurious than enjoying your piece of this earth on a beautiful sunny day?

Fresh!!!

2010-05-18T05:27:00.000-07:00

A beautifully fresh space by Vicente Wolf

Photo from Vicente Wolf Associates website

Spring and it's freshness has been on my mind lately (you've probably noticed this from some of my earlier posts!!). I feel like in the spring and summer the lines of interior and exterior become blurred. People are outside more often enjoying the beauty of nature and want to pull that into their homes. I think that's where the notion of "spring cleaning" comes from; when the world feels so fresh, bright and crisp and smells so heavenly, you want to hold onto that and own it in your own space.

One of my favorite interior designers, Vicente Wolf, does this notion of fresh interiors to perfection. I am drawn to photos of his work in every publication he has been in. He uses a limited palette of colors in his rooms and always uses white walls and trim; but the way he chooses to use color, a hint of grey blue or a dark table or chair leg in an all cream setting, make the space come alive and the contrasts seem so fresh!! I am in awe of the way he contrasts furniture shapes too. Curvy paired with straight, modern paired with antique, he is a master of blending opposing elements and forms together creating pure sophistication!! His rooms appear simple but they are quite a masterful balance of the unexpected. I love the unexpected in design, it is what makes it unique, interesting, awe inspiring and fresh!!

Freshness is what we crave in the warmer months. It is so refreshing to walk into a home that conveys the crispness of the season. In upcoming posts I will talk about adding elements to your existing interiors to make them pop with freshness. Afterall, isn't the notion of bringing some of the feeling of summer into your home quite luxurious?

The Sun is a Fantastic Motivator

2010-05-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like a perfectly sunny weekend to motivate you around the house. There is something about the clear, crisp light reflecting on your surroundings that seems to get people thinking about spring cleaning, sprucing up the yard and home improvement in general. I think seeing nature bloom and grow all around us, showing us fresh, bright hues ,inspires us to bring that feel to our personal spaces. A little refresher for the soul!!

This weekend I took inventory of what I want to accomplish around my house this summer. I want to:

Refine a few areas around my yard, add a few planting beds, define the area around my daughters swing set adding a seating area near by and add splashes of color by adding potted plants around (I love potted gardens, I will blog about this later)
Add a pergola to my deck for better shade from the sun and extra seating for comfort.
Add some detail and paint to the small bath

Being inspired to work in the yard this weekend made me think about how a few small improvements can make my space much more enjoyable. I feel lucky to have a beautiful setting with lots of trees (4 of which are fabulously colorful Japanese maples), lots of green and lots of space. I decided I am going to add a few things that will enhance this feeling and make it more comfortable to enjoy. The pergola is really going to help since we get a lot of sun and I haven't been happy with the coverage the umbrellas have given us, I've tried many!! I'm excited to get started!! Some of it I will do by myself and some of it I will hire done. I will blog about these projects as they happen.

Take inventory of your yard, list what it is that you enjoy about it and think of ways you can enhance it's potential. Add seating around a garden you enjoy so you can spend more time around it's beauty, add low maintenance potted plants in an area you need color but don't want to fuss with; there are many things you can do. Being inspired by your own surroundings is a luxury you should take advantage of!!

Let's raise a glass to .... Wine!!!

2010-05-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

I really love to have a glass of wine. To me, it is a relaxing, somewhat indulgent event. I place a nice glass of wine on my list of "life's little luxuries". To me it is important how I have this experience. Not just any wine will do. Not just any glass will do. I like to have it in a relaxing environment, while I'm cooking, with a nice dinner or with friends. Slurping a quick glass at the kitchen counter does not cut it for me!! I like to savor the experience, making it almost a celebration!! Sounds high maintenance? No, I know what is important to me in the enjoyment of the glass of wine and I'll get it myself, thank you!! I think that's pretty low maintenance self service!! Isn't that what the idea of luxury is all about? Finding something you really enjoy and having it the way you enjoy it!!

In line with The Luxurious Life, I have become a "keen observer" of wine, over the years, so I know what I like to drink. I am not a wine expert, by any means, I just know what I like and expand upon that. I am a White Wine drinker. I have several varieties I really enjoy, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Vouvray, Viognier, Muscadet are some of my favorites. I do not enjoy Chardonnay, most of them are too oakey for me. I have composed this list over years of trying different wines, going to wine tastings, attending wine dinners, talking to Sommeliers at restaurants and the experts at wine shops. Since I have an understanding of what I like, I can get suggestions of other wines or brands that will fit my wine criteria.

To me, the glass is also an important part of the experience. Drinking wine out of a paper cup or one that is too heavy takes the luxury out of it for me. I like a very thin crystal glass with a larger bowl. Reidel's Sauvignon Blanc glass is my favorite. The thin crystal allows you to view the wine, the larger bowl allows you to swirl the wine freely and I like the way the delicately thin stemmed crystal balances in my hand!! Sounds like a party to me!! I also have some glasses that have a little curve and shape to them, seem very feminine and indulgent.

Today's little luxury is to explore something you really enjoy and find out how you can expand on the experience. If you like to drink wine, find some new varieties and try a new wine glass!! Invite some friends over to bring a bottle of their favorite type and have a wine tasting. Be a keen observer of what you enjoy so you can add something new to enhance the experience!! Knowing what you like and how you like it is the best luxury!!

Define your luxury. Celebrate your home!!

2010-05-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

Orange roses, simply displayed, is luxurious to me!!

To me, a luxurious life is one full of the things and people you love. It is a "rich" life where one really takes the time to know what is important to them, what their interests are and is able to keep themselves focused on this, build a life around it. It is the simple pleasures that you incorporate into your life everyday that define this idea of luxury for me!!

I associate luxury with the home, not only because I am a designer, but because this is where we actually "create" our lives. Our days begin and end in the home. It is a place where our spouses, children and loved ones live. We use it as a place to gather with people who are special to us, sharing meals and the things that are important to us. It is a place full of special moments, precious memories, family heirlooms; a place where we celebrate good times and find comfort in the bad times. It is a place full of life!!

I think the home should be celebrated!! Take inventory of what you have in your home. Edit out the clutter and showcase what you love. If you love your Grandmother's dishes that have been hidden away, display them or set the table with them tonight!! If you've always disliked the vase that Aunt Hattie gave you, but feel you must display, put it away!! Make a list of the projects you've been meaning to do and put them in order of what is easiest to accomplish and start one!!

Be a keen observer of your own home, go to the space that makes you most comfortable there, take inventory of what draws you to that space and start incorporating that feel into the other areas of your home. I am a firm believer that our environment effects our mood. If you feel your home is chaotic, too cluttered, you are going to carry this feeling with you where ever you go. You want to feel calm and relaxed in your home, this way you can focus on the tasks at hand and enjoy your family without feeling overwhelmed. What makes you feel calm? Is it the color blue? Think about it and figure out how you can add it to your home.

Today's luxury is to "define your luxury" in your personal space. Once you discover it, no matter how small, focus on it and expand it!! Use the things that you've tucked away for a special occassion. Make celebrating your home the occassion you've been waiting for!!

Warm mine up, please.......

2010-05-11T05:22:00.000-07:00

A palate I love, warm with a touch of sparkle

A warm, rich mix of fabrics

Yesterday I blogged about how being a keen observer of spaces can help you start to identify your personal design style. Designers, by nature, are keen observers. We are always disecting components of rooms and evaluating why the choices made in a space work or don't work together. I can't tell you how many, countless, interior magazines, books, trade shows, design centers, show houses, hotels lobbies, restaurants, etc... I've poured over and been in awe of how the details bring it together so elequantly or think about what could be tweaked to give it harmony. Our job is to take all the countless elements of a space and bring them together so they are pleasing to the eye and create an atmosphere that is comfortable to be in.

In my job, I am exposed to many different styles, but am always, personally, drawn to warm, cozy, eclectic spaces with an element of the "unexpected". There are certain types of details in spaces that, everytime I see them, I feel comfortable and want to have in my own home. For me, personally I choose:

Warm, rich paint colors, such as browns, deep taupes, rich celedons
Textured fabrics, chenilles, velvets, silks all mixed together
Subtle pattern mixes (as discussed in a previous post)
A mix of accessories different styles and periods for that eclectic look, alway with a touch of sparkle!!
A variety of furniture styles. I don't buy matching sets, even my dining room table and chairs are variety.
The unexpected, this can be a modern piece of furniture or painting in an otherwise traditional room, a color that goes well, but is surprising in how it's used, formal and informal pieces mixed. Something that works very well in the room but is out of the norm.

Although I appreciate many different styles and types of design, I know what I like to live with and have learned to identify these things; even through the endless amount of choices out there I know what range to look for that will continue to please me. Start evaluating your own style, start to recognize the types of things that you always look at twice or give you a comfortable feeling when you are around them. Keep a list, learn to recognize them when shopping, hire a designer to help you sort them out. After all, isn't creating a home that is distinctly yours and a pleasure for you to be in the greatest luxury of all?

Being a Keen Observer.....

2010-05-07T06:30:00.001-07:00

Trattoria Stella, Traverse City, Michigan

Today, there are so many choices out there. Lots of colors, lots of tiles, lots of carpets, lots of sofas, lots of fabrics and lots of places to find them!! This can make starting a home improvement project completely overwhelming!! My best advice to help you through this is to learn to recognize what you love!! Knowing what draws you to a certain space or style can help make sorting through the sources easier!!

I believe that part of knowing yourself, is knowing your "style". Once you know this, it is easy to stay focused on making the choices that follow that style. There are several ways to accomplish this, collecting pictures of interiors you like and design journaling are a few, but today I am going to talk about "being a keen observer". This is really easy and fun. Whenever you are in a space that you like, whether it be a friend's house, a coffee shop, a favorite restaurant, think about what it is in the space that makes you feel good.

Look around the space that makes you feel comfortable. What is the lighting like? What colors are they using? How many colors are in the space? How are the textures combined? What type of furniture do they have and how much? Really disecting the space and asking yourself why it appeals to you can help you put together a plan for your own interiors. A good designer will take the time to help you figure this out at the beginning of a project, looking through photos, personal items and asking lots of questions. I can't tell you how happy it makes me feel to hear "you really captured me" from a client at the end of a project. Observing your environment in this way can help you to start to figure out your own style, what you like and don't like about an environment. It is also important to ask yourself these questions about a space that you really don't like too; disect what it is that is bothering you about a space so you don't bring any of that feel to your own surroundings.

I think restaurants are great places to do this. Most of the time we frequent spots that, not only have good food, but make us feel comfortable while we are enjoying it. Ask yourself why you like to be in that space. Restaurants are also good places to get ideas about food display and table settings. This weekend my family and I ate at Trattoria Stella's in Traverse City, Michigan. I really liked the atmosphere there. It is part of an old medical building that is being restored, so first off the setting intrigued me. I liked: the way they combined the old brick with the highly polished wood of the new bar, the simplicity of the table settings letting the architecture take center stage, the subtle lighting which gave it a real cozy feel, the presentation of the food and the weight of the wine glass (silly, but always important to me!!). The food and the service was good too!! I always am drawn to very warm, cozy feeling spaces with lots of textures and this I try to bring into my own spaces.

When you are planning on working on your home, take the luxury of visiting some of the spaces that you really enjoy and taking the time to sit, observe and ask yourself why. You can then list the things you like and how you can incorporate that feel into your own home. Take that list when you are looking for items for your home and it will help you focus only on those things that fit within the list. This will save you countless hours of sorting through the stores because you have a direction. Saving time and surrounding yourself with what you like, isn't that luxury?

A Subtle Effect.....

2010-05-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

Same color palate, different patterns and textures.

Same color palate, a geometric, a big floral and an animal print. Here the animal print is small and works as a neutral.

Same color palate, a geometric, an abstract, a stripe and
a large paisley make a very interesting, elegant and
textural mix. The different patterns work because of
the common color palate.

Mixing patterns is a good way to give your space an interesting, polished and pulled together look. There are many ways to approach this, you can go big and bold, keep it neutral, mix lots of patterns or be subtle... the possibilities are endless!! Today I am going to talk about the art of keeping it subtle.

Keeping your pattern mix subtle can be a restfull, elegant way to add pattern into your room. Subtle pattern mixes involve a smaller color palate and a mix of textures to keep it interesting. They remind me of the 1940's Hollywood Glamour interiors which relied on texture, high sheen and shape to achieve their beauty. This type of pattern mixing is the most elegant, but it can come off bland if not done properly since you are dealing with such few colors. If you like this look, I recommend using a designer (I always recommend using a designer!!), but I am going to give a few tips for pulling it off!!

The first thing to think about is where to use pattern. In a subtle mix, you don't want to over power a room, so a good rule of thumb is to keep it in the accessories; a patterned rug, pillows and draperies are good places to start in a subtle pattern mix keeping the main pieces of furniture solid fabrics that have varying shades and textures of the theme. Pillows are the best way to add pattern to a room. They are a great way to experiment because you can use many and they are easily replaceble if you don't like the outcome.

Start by selecting an inspiration fabric. This will be the starting point for the mix.
Select at least 2 more fabrics with the same color palate but different patterns. Remember when mixing: a large print with a small or geometric works as does large florals and stripes. Polka dots are easy to mix too (see above window pane pattern and polka dot).
Remember texture is important!! Vary the textures, mixing velvets and chennilles with silk always works.
An animal print, if the pattern is kept tight and has only 2 colors, can be used as a neutral.
Tie the pattern mix to the room by using one of the background colors of a fabric as the wall color or solid fabric color.
Most important, have fun!! Your interiors should reflect you and if the pattern mix pleases your eye, that is all that matters!!

Fabrics can be glamourous and luxurious. Today bring a little luxury to your room by trying a subtle pattern mix!!

Monday, Monday... The party is over, but the good times have just begun!!

2010-05-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Remnants of a party.........

As I'm walking around the house this morning, picking up remainders of the weekend, containers from the take out dinner I didn't have to cook, magazines I was looking at while lounging , dolls my daughter was playing with; I keep thinking, I miss Sunday!! Sunday is a lazy day. When I think of Sunday I imagine, reading the paper with a cup of coffee, having brunch with family and friends, browsing at the bookstore. The word Sunday, for me, conjures up a quiet relaxed atmosphere. Sunday is your best friend!! But today is Monday; Monday has a bad reputatation. Monday is the day that the week starts, the day when you have to do all the things you put off during the weekend, the day work starts; People call it the "Monday Blues". I will begin my mad rush of carpenters, drawings, carpet samples, paint samples and getting my daughter ready for school in about 10 mins!!

But to put it in perspective...... Monday is a new beginning!! It's the first day of the week, a new opportunity to start the projects you've been putting off or getting a new perspective on the ones you are working on. It's a challange to start learning something new during the week, contacting an old friend or for accomplishing something you've been putting off. You have a whole new week ahead of you that could be whatever you want it to be!! Monday is a Fresh Start!!

Today's little luxury is simply Monday. A lovely day, that sometimes gets mis labeled. Make Monday a great start to a terrific week ahead!!

Stop and Smell the Lilacs....

2010-04-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

I was going to do part 2 of maximizing a small space, but as I was pulling out of my driveway, I noticed the Lilacs are starting to bloom!!! I had to stop for a moment to take a look and breathe in the lovely aroma!! They are just starting to sprout up. Soon the few small clusters of flowers I see will multiply to a full blooming bush. A Lilac stem to me is simple and elegant; so graceful in the way they bend in different directions when several are grouped together in a vase.

Lilacs, to me, are the epitomy of springtime; so fresh and new. Spring is a time of new growth and new beginnings. As my daughter put it the other day, "the world looks so beautiful with all the colors". She marvels constantly at the new flowers and tree leaves springing up. "Mommy, look at all the pink, look at all the purple, look at all the green..." I love to see this new beginning through her eyes.

In the spring people tend to focus more on their home. They talk about "spring cleaning" and new outdoor projects. It is a time when people come out of the winter doldrums and start to gather more often with friends. It is a time of renewel for the home, the yard and the soul. People's moods seem to lighten with the fresh air and sunshine. There is an excitement with the anticipation of summer and all the activities that go along with it.

But just like the spring, the Lilac flowers don't last long. Take the luxury of gathering a bunch and putting them on your desk at work or on a table at home and enjoy them while they last. I love the way the different shades of purple blend so well together and work with many different color vases. I love how the purples work with the blues of my pewabic vases (pictured above). I always place a few stems of the leaves in them also. Take a few moments to stop and smell the lilacs and bring a little spring into your home.

Small Space, Big Living

2010-04-27T06:23:00.001-07:00

Breakfast Nook off of Kitchen

Built-In for storage

Mix of Fabrics

You don't have to have a large space for big living. In today's world, it seems like everyone wants things to be big; Big houses, big kitchens, big pools, big cars; it seems the more space we have, the more satisfied we are. Large spaces can be grand and beautiful, but if you don't have those in your house, don't think that you can't live large.

The eating area in my home is a space that works well for it's size. It is a multifunctional space. It has a space for eating, watching tv, lounging and storage; this little room is working hard!! This eating area is right off of my kitchen; I don't have a large kitchen and I know people always tend to gather there, so I wanted to treat this space as a place that people could sit comfortably when we are entertaining; So I added soft furnishings. I also have a dining room so I didn't want my kitchen to be surrounded by 2 areas of the same function. I love soft seating in a kitchen!! A kitchen is so full of hard surfaces, cabinets, countertops, appliances, that I think it is a great juxtoposition. Plus what better luxury is there than to sit comfortably in your kitchen and enjoy a meal?

Since my kitchen is small, I wanted this space to have storage. When we first moved in, there was a wet bar in this space, hideous!! It had oak lower cabinets, laminate countertops, a sink, smokey tinted mirrors and a fluorescent light fixture!! (I heard a rumor that one of the previous owners had a hot tub in this space!!) Can you say 1973? I designed the built-in, pictured above, to replace the wet bar. It has lots of storage for my overflow of dishes and serving pieces(I will blog about this obsession later!!) and space for a hidden microwave, a tv and a little display. I worked with the existing lower cabinets from the wet bar, to save money, and had it painted the same color as my kitchen cabinets to tie it into the space.

You will notice, that this small space has: a dark color on the walls, a mix of trim colors (stained and painted), a mix of patterns, a mix furniture styles and multi functions. Most people will say this is too much contrast for a small space. I will now tell you why it works. A lot of people are afraid of painting a small space a dark color, they are convinced it will make the room look smaller. The opposite is true, especially if you have rich colored furniture. The darker color makes the walls recede, blurring the line of the rooms boundaries. If you have rich colored furnishings and go with a cool, light color on the walls, it will call attention to them, by the sharp contrast and make the room appear smaller.

The baseboards, window and door casings and archways, in the kitchen are all stained oak; The crown moulding and ceiling, in the eating area and adjoining kitchen, is painted the color of the cabinets. This mix works because the trim color at the top of the room is tied in by the height of the cabinets that are painted the same color. The wall color is dark, the same tone as the oak, so the oak blends in with the walls!! Good tip, if you don't like something in your room, like my oak trim, neutralize it with the wall color. It will call less attention to it!!

I have a mix of furniture, but the styles are all married by the fabrics. I think I will blog more about the furniture and accessories in this room tomorrow!!

Things to remember when decorating a small space:

-Think carefully about how you want the room to function and plan it out carefully.

-Don't be afraid of mixing styles or colors. Keep it simple and you won't fail (we will talk more about this one tomorrow)

-Think about adding non traditional elements to make the room multi functional (like my choice of a settee in the eating area).

-Storage is key in a small, functional space. Make sure the storage ties in with the architecture of the room and is kept neat, otherwise there is too much "visual clutter" in the room!!

-Keep the "visual clutter" to a minimum.(Will talk about this more tomorrow too).

-Lastly, don't be afraid of color; It can be beneficial to pulling a small space together and helping it live large.

Space is a luxury, think about how you can maximize your small spaces potential today!!

A Little Bit of Thanksgiving in the Springtime......

2010-04-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Today is a dreary spring day. It is cold outside, it is probably going to rain, I have a ton of laundry to do, I have a lot of things to figure out for work.... the list goes on and on. I decided I am going to sit back, with a cup of my new favorite blend of coffee, Starbucks Komodo Dragon, rich and bold with splash of Horizon's vanilla milk in it (yum!!), and take a few minutes to think about things I have to be thankful for today. A little bit of Thanksgiving in the springtime to help me recharge!!!

Even in the most stressful of times we all have a lot to be thankful for. In our everyday hectic lives, with kids having to be carted from one place to the next, work, laundry, dishes to be done, feeling there is no time for ourselves; I think we loose track of the bigger picture, I know I do!! Taking the luxury of a few minutes, in the midst of all that needs to be done, to have a relaxing cup of tea or coffee and think of the things that you are happy about or are thankful for, is like a refresher for the soul!!

The picture above is from Thanksgiving Day a few years ago. A few minutes, after the picture was taken, the table was full of food, family and wine!! We had 30 for dinner that year (there are other tables set beyond this one!!). It was a fun day. I had a lot of fun setting the tables, arranging the flowers and helping prepare the food. I like the simplicity of the table setting, I used drinking glasses for the vases, kept the flower arrangements very natural and free form, surrounded votive candles with little yellow pumpkins and used my Great Aunt's dishes, topped with a simple linen napkin (ironing 30 napkins was not so simple!!) I used wooden trays, on the buffet, to hold drink mixes and the red wine (the white wine was being properly chilled!!). I like to keep Thanksgiving tables simple and elegant because the day really is about food, family and friends!! I let the company shine!!

Taking a few minutes to think back to that day of fun, food, family and friends (not to forget the wine!!), has made me feel much better to take on all that this day has to offer. Today, take some time to give yourself the luxury of being thankful. It can be as simple as remembering a special event, as I did. A little bit of Thanksgiving in the springtime can go a long way!!!!

Mixing it up!!

2010-04-23T04:30:00.000-07:00

Above photo: Mix of high end, low end and second hand finds.

One thing I love to do is shop Estate Sales, Antique Stores and used furniture stores for interesting accessories and table ware. It started when I fell in love with the turquoise colored McCoy pottery. I found my first piece years ago, before Martha Stewart made it popular and the prices go way up !! Then I started scouring antique sales looking for more pieces. The thrill of the hunt was addicting to me!! I was so excited when I'd find a piece that was in my color range, in good condition and an interesting shape. As I was searching for my pottery, I noticed that there were a lot of other good finds in these stores. If you have a discerning eye and patience, you can find lovely things for your home. You need time to do this, because you will have to search thru a lot of junk to find the gems.

To get an elegant look with Estate Sale or Flea Market finds, you have to mix it up. The mix is the key, unless you are going for a kitchy or Shabby Chic look. The above photo is an example of a mix of higher end retail items, lower end retail items and second hand finds. I will dissect the look and tell you why it works:

Dishes: Wedgewood china dinner plate (bought retail), Haviland china scalloped salad plate and cup and saucer (Estate Sale). Got a real find with the Haviland at an Estate Sale. Had to buy a whole set, most of it was chipped. I had to throw out all the dinner plates, but ended up with a nice set of salad plates, cups and saucers, cream and sugar and dessert plates.

Stemware: Vera Wang for Wedgewood champagne flute (bought retail), cordial glass and wine glass (Estate Sale)

Vases: Waterford tall vase (bought retail), round crystal vase and curved crystal serving dish (Estate Sale), fluted vodka glass, used as a vase holding 2 roses (Pier 1)

Candle sticks: Both retail, 1 Orrefors from a department store and 1 from TJ Maxx.

Linen Napkin: Estate Sale.

Why this setting works: The dishes are all in the same color range. The dinner plate is white and the cup, saucer and salad plate are slightly cream. The dinner plate is plain and the salad plate has a scalloped edge. The patterns and color are not competing but compliment each other; the modern look of the dinner plate is a nice compliment to the vintage look of the salad plate and cup and saucer and allows it to look current, not too vintage. The vases and crystal all have a similiar cut, but have interesting shapes, some tall, some short and have the same flower in them keeping it simple and not too busy. Varying heights help with the interest.

Remember this when shopping second hand and mixing it into your table settings; look for undamaged pieces, sometimes you will have to discard some pieces of a set to have a smaller set of nice, undamaged pieces. Keep it simple, a monochromatic color scheme works well when mixing from different sets, let the shapes shine!! If using a variety of vases, simplify the flowers, one type of flower in all the vases looks formal and elegant. Don't be afraid to use something for other than it's intended use, ex. the vodka glass used as a vase. Most of all have fun, buy what you like and experiment with mixing!!

All they needed was a little love.... and the right fabric!!

2010-04-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Before

After

After

One thing I love to do is find furniture, with good "bones", and re work it. Doing this not only counts as "green design", but is fun and allows you to have a completely custom piece; as long as you have a good upholsterer and access to good fabrics the sky is the limit!! (A good designer to help you through the process always helps!!) I think a re worked piece of furniture adds personality to a room. Even if I am working with a client who is buying all new furniture, I like to add a piece that has a little whimsy or is completely "one of a kind" to the mix. Chances are you have one hanging around your house that could use a little "love".

The above pictures are from a project I did a while back. The homeowner had the little green chair in her basement, it was in the condition of the before picture. She found it, liked the shape, but didn't think there was much hope for it. When I saw it, I was excited!! I thought it did have a great shape and thought it could be dressed up like a little jewel in the room. The homeowner is a lovely lady, who has a very kind, sweet personality and who also likes things to be fun. I thought the chair could be like her, very lady like, I added the full skirt to the piece, but with a very vibrant color and a rich texture, hence the raspberry velvet, for that pop of unexpected in the room. I think it turned out fabulous!!

The other chair I found at a antique's mall. I thought it had very graceful lines. I had the wood trim painted a neutral color (it was originally white with gold highlights, ugh!!) and kept the body of the chair neutral too, using 2 fabrics with very subtle contrast. The front is a textured beige fabric and the side and piping fabric has a slight sheen and an almost moss green hue. The combo is very subtle and very elegant. I had 5 fabric covered buttons added to the front that add a little interest without being too ornate. I love this chair too, wish I would've kept it for myself!!

Garage sales, estate sales, antiques malls, used furniture stores or even friend's basements are great places to look for pieces that have potential. New fabric, new stuffing and a new design direction can make an unwanted piece a coveted piece. It also lets you have something that is completely custom and truly fits your personality in your home. It is also so much fun to see the transformation!! Green design, the thrill of the hunt, the fun of the process, the luxury of a new piece of furniture that you created, now I think that's a little luxurious!!

I think that I shall never see; A poem lovely as a tree.

2010-04-19T05:13:00.000-07:00

Nature is inspirational!! The lushness of a thick, green lawn; the gracefull ease in which a tall tree stands as its branches sway in the wind; the delicate pattern of a bed of flowers planted so carefully or the random pattern of a field of wild flowers. Design cues can be taken from all of these!!
Nature is the best designer. Look at how well she blends and combines colors!! The greens of the trees works with the blues of the sky, works with the browns of the soil and rocks, works with the pastels of the flowers.... She is not afraid of any color scheme and it is all done with such ease. You prefer monochromatic; look at the subltle hues of a group of shells. The varying shades of the light and bright neutrals along with the variety of textures, some nubby, some smooth, some crinkled, make for a very interesting display. The variety of textures and subtle neutrals makes for a palate full of life, not a sterile environment.

Granite or rocks are another great place to get inspiration for a color palate. There is a lot of color in granite that all blend so well together, browns, greens, blues, creams, all in the same hues, making for a wonderful display of color. Granite is like an art piece, colors and layers in such harmony you can almost see movement. If the color works so well together on the piece of stone, just think of how those colors can pull your home together; giving the flow of color from room to room, that so many are trying to achieve.

Next time you are stuck trying to select a color palate, take a cue from nature. If the hues of the colors please you there, chances are they will work in your home. Natures luxurious color palate can become yours!!

Little Luxury, simple comfort food...

2010-04-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

Feeling a little down today; weather is dreary, lots on my mind, lots of places to be, lots of things to do, lots of lots!! Decided to take a few minutes for a little luxury in the form of indulgence - biscuits!! I love biscuits!! They are warm, flakey, rich and buttery little pieces of heaven. I love them covered in honey, to me the perfect comfort food for a down day.

I have developed a recipe that is as simple as it is delicious. You can roll out the dough and cut it into a shape, but I don't bother. I just scoop them onto a parchment lined baking sheet!! Could it be any easier? Paired with a cup of tea and a linen napkin, I am now ready to take on the day!!

Easy Biscuits:

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 stick butter
1 cup vanilla yogurt

In a big bowl, combine dry ingredients with butter until a course consistancy. Add vanilla yogurt. The dough will be wet. Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes (turning sheet 1/2 way thru). Enjoy!!