Sunday, May 31, 2009

Tranquil Bedroom Inspiration

Currently I am designing a bedroom for a dear friend and client who recently lost her husband after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She desires (and frankly needs) a soothing, tranquil retreat that reflects her simple, yet sophisticated style. The room will be in soft hues of white and blue and will have mix of traditional and contemporary elements. We are also doing this on a very tight budget. I will be sure to share her new room in a future post.

Here are some beautiful rooms that have inspired us along the way…

This bedroom by Margaret Bobsyshell is gorgeous and I found the image in the post, “The house that keeps haunting me” at a wonderful blog called, Things That Inspire. The four poster bed by Julia Gray is lovely. The serene wall color, milk pail by Martha Stewart is nice a contrast with the white elements in the room.
(The above picture: photography Erica George Dines)

This bedroom is simply elegant and hands-down my personal favorite in this series. It was designed by L.A.’s very talented Brooke Giannetti and the image was found in her blog Velvet and Linen.
Brooke frequently collaborates on architectural projects with husband Steve Giannetti providing clients with full architectural, interior design and landscape services. In this room, I particularly like the wall colors, Farrow and Ball Skimming Stone with All White trim. But, my favorite design element is the nostalgic 40's mirrored bedside table from Aiden Gray. My client loves it too, but it's not in the budget... darn it!

Here’s another bedroom that has inspired my client. The image was found on House Beautiful and a darling blog call House of Turquoise.
I simply love the use of combined contemporary and traditional elements in this room. Such a peaceful, dreamy room… just what my client needs.

"Me walk long way . . . "

Greetings,

As part of my plan to keep my mind 'in neutral' this weekend - this morning was spent on the "Miwok Trail" (mee-wahk) in the Marin Headlands State Park.

It was only about a 7 mile hike, but good grief, it was beautiful.  Earth.  Sky.  Sea.

There was a brief moment when I was SO reminded of hiking in Scotland - and yes, there was a wee tear of joy at remembering that experience.

But, the best part was being with 'my tribe' - my great friends - who never cease to amaze me with their friendship, their love of life, and the endless laughter that ALWAYS results when we're together.

Ready to face the new week,
tartanscot



Saturday, May 30, 2009

"The To-Don't-List . . . "

Good afternoon,

Greetings on a warm afternoon here in San Francisco.  I hope everyone is having a quiet, or perhaps productive, weekend - or maybe both . . . lol.  I know I have a few projects around the house that need completing.  But, I'm being very specific about having some 'down time' before the new week starts.  Inspiration only seems to come to me when my mind stops working a billion miles an hour.   So, no over-scheduling.  No chore/errand frenzy.  Relax.  Be quiet.  See what happens.

Cheers,
tartanscot

and don't forget - the voting booths are still open on the California Home & Design "Best Dining Room" contest.  I'd appreciate any support you can give . . . I'm #23.


Friday, May 29, 2009

Making Progress and Organizing All That Paper the Pretty Way

Still procrastinating? May be your need to “be perfect” is getting in the way. Don’t seek perfection (hey, nobody’s perfect right?), but aspire for advancement or growth. So, Step Five in overcoming procrastination is to Aim for Progress.

Speaking of progress, I have been tackling the vertical piles of paper on my desk this week and have decided to store some in magazine holders. Yep, they’re not just for magazines anymore. They do a terrific job of hiding papers, keeping your horizontal surfaces clear and control how much you can store before having to purge. Here are some very stylish magazine holders that would dress-up any office.



Aren't these magazine holders above by Thomas Paul beauties! They come in such yummy colors and amusing vintage prints.


Classic white. How could you go wrong? These white magazine boxes above are covered in laminated paper and can be found at See Jane Work.


This Motorp magazine holder above is made of palm leaves and is found at Ikea. Looks great and inexpensive too.


Love this earth-friendly bamboo magazine holder by John Lewis. So simple and timeless.


For a cost-effective magazine holder that could be easily customized to your decor, check out this do-it-yourself version on Kaboose.

Find of the Week: Polly George Ceramics

I've been pining for a vase or a teapot from British ceramist Polly George for months now. I love how graphic and modern her all-white pieces feel and the three dimensional motifs lend the pieces a sculptural quality. Unfortunately, there are very few distributors of her products here in the U.S. and her prices are, while probably justifiable given the amount of work that goes into each piece, certainly not wallet-friendly. Sometimes though, patience and some strategic Internet shopping can pay off big time.

Online emporium 2Jane is a great online source for "of the moment" housewares from independent designers around the globe and is one of the few shops online that sells a selection of Polly George's goods. Last week, while killing time between meetings, I checked in and saw that several pieces were substantially discounted. Acting quickly, I ordered the Small Butterfly Vase, for a mere $30 -- and the piece normally sells for $115! Yesterday, the vase arrived in the mail and I was completely floored by the quality. First of all, this is bone china, not just stoneware. Secondly, it's really not that small (it's 12" high) and, finally, the craftsmanship is really evident in person.

Here are two other great deals to be found at 2Jane:


Mr. Jones Teapot, originally $120, now $30

Ribbon jar, originally $20, now $5

And, while not currently on sale, I love the Mr. & Mrs. Jones Juicers ($94/pair). They're just the right amount of twisted and would make a great wedding gift for a close friend.

So what do you think of Polly George's work? Is it your cup of tea (horrible pun intended)?

Knotty Girl

Sometimes knotty, raw woods can look country and hokey. But sometimes they look absolutely fantastic.

I really love this organic driftwood sofa - the Bounty sofa by Bleu Nature from ArtEtMaison[dot]com (which has a great website, btw)...

Featured in Metropolitan Home June 09. Though I'd probably put some cushions on before I sat on it. Ouch.



I also like this mirror - it could work in a nature/organic room, or in a more industrial space...


Yellow pine from mossstudiosinc[dot]com as seen in this month's Elle Decor. Loves it.

Cool buildings, part two

On Wednesday I posted on this fabulous building - here is another great one (and I don't think this one would give me vertigo).

This is Aqua Tower of Chicago - hotel and condo (I would definitely buy one if I lived in the windy city!) by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang...


from Metropolitan Home, June 09

Thursday, May 28, 2009

"Shameless Self-Promotion . . . "

click image to enlarge
Greetings and Salutations,

There always seems to be lots going on here at the house - lol - and now, I am quite delighted to announce that my humble little abode has been accepted in the "California Home & Design - Dining Room" contest.   Click here to cast your vote.  I'm #23.  (And you can vote as often as once a day - if you are so moved.)  Thanks in advance!  The voting closes in a week.

If you're a long-time reader of the blog, you might recognize the room - kind of.  When I first re-worked the layout of my flat a few years ago, I really needed a space where I could entertain - but, didn't have the square footage to have an exclusive space for formal dining.

So, I made sure when I first started designing my study, I would need it to transform into a cozy little dining room without too much fuss.  Take a small cocktail table out, put a larger table in, move some chairs around - and voila - instant (well, not really, but you get the idea) dining room.

And clearly, as you know - I have a enormous collection on china and stemware - here all dressed for a Springtime luncheon.  Anytime there are large amounts of fresh cut lilacs in my home, I'm pretty happy.

And now, after having a few friends over, everything is back to its usual place.  No fuss.  No muss.  

Thanks again for your support and for voting for #23.

And a big "thank you" to Nicolas Smith for his amazing photography - and his great sense of humour.

Girlie girl: the flower power edition

A little more girlie girl design (see below for more!) - the Lana ottoman from Moderndose[dot]com...


I (heart) this! Would be SUPER cute in a girl's bedroom - though I'm not sure a little girl could keep a $395 pouf clean...

From Metropolitan Home, June 09

Girlie girl

I must be feeling particularly girlie today, because this image from this month's Elle Decor totally jumped out at me.

I love the chandelier, the white romantic bed, the flowing billowy drapery, the flokati rug, the purple flowers... This room definitely says "bow chica bow bow."

It's the home of Rita Norona Schrager, photographed by William Waldron, interior design Hernan Arriaga...

This lamp is from Pottery Barn Kids. I may not be a kid anymore, but this lamp is ADORABLE.
If I had an enormous walk-in closet with a sit down vanity/make-up station, I'd definitely rock this lamp.
Check Spelling

Week Five: A Tour Inside


Last Saturday Dave and I took Dave's grandmother and her best friend on a tour of our new house. Both widows in their 80s, these ladies drive around the South and Southwest volunteering their time and energy to various Christian charities and churches and I am constantly amazed by their energy and faith and we had a great time visiting with them. In any case, as promised, I took a few pictures of the inside to give y'all an update on the progress. I am still amazed at how much progress has been made in just about a month's time. After all, just a few weeks ago, the house looked like THIS.


When you step into the house, you're greeted by this two-story entryway and gently curving staircase (both two of my favorite features in the design). On the immediate right is the dining room; on the left, the study, which will be separated from the hall by french doors. Straight ahead is the family room, with kitchen off to the right.


The family room's primary feature is a huge wall of windows that overlook the backyard (right now, just a bunch of Texas red clay). The other prominent architectural feature is the fireplace, with large nooks on either side. Once we move in, Dave and I are hoping to create some built-in shelves/storage in each nook for books, pictures, and maybe even a small TV. This picture was taken from the kitchen, which will be separated from the rest of the family room by a bar-height counter.


The original plan also had a large nook over each of the lower nooks as well as over the fireplace. Fearing too many holes would make the wall look busy and just become collectors of useless ephemera and dust, I had them removed.


Since we toured the house late in the day, the long shadows made it difficult to photograph many of the rooms. Here's a shot though of our master bath in its current state, complete with the tub smack in the middle of the room, and a view into the closet and study beyond.


The entryway from the top of the stairs. I love the west-facing clerestory windows at the top, which will let in plenty of afternoon light.

Here's a shot of the exposed ceiling on the second floor. At this stage you can still see everything, including the huge amounts of wiring running through all the walls and up clear to the roof.

Unfortunately, I paid absolutely no attention to the location or number of recessed light fixtures in the house when we customized the plan. Since so many homes seem to come with limited lighting,
I may have been a little afraid to actually get the answer and had already factored into my budget the likelihood of having some installed myself. After taking a close look though, the house appear to have ample lighting in the "public spaces", though it looks like I'll have to be added much of my own lighting to the bedrooms (which is fine, since I think recessed lighting can be a bit harsh for a bedroom anyway).


Alas, this picture is almost too dark to be worth posting, but I went ahead and included it anyway so you could see the window seat that's going into one of three bedrooms upstairs. I've always loved the idea of a window seat (though in practice how often does one actually sit in it?) and completely forgot that one was included in the design, so this was a very nice surprise on Saturday when I saw it.

This is Dave's "man room" (also known as the media room). The curved ceiling and small windows should give the room a nice, cozy feeling. By the way, does anyone know why some of the lumbar is hot pink? We had Borax (an anti-termite treatment) put on the lumbar used in the foundation, but that turns wood bright blue, not pink, so I have no idea why we've got pink here.

This week, much of the construction will be on hold while various inspections are done to confirm all the wiring, etc. is correct before they Sheetrock the walls. Once Sheetrocking begins (hopefully next week!), things will really start to come together and I'll be back with more updates.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Just Bee - Art

It's no surprise, I love bees. I also love art and believe every home should be filled with original artwork. And guess what, you don't have to break the bank doing it.

OK, I didn't know the Honey Bee is the official insect of Georgia. L. Young's "Georgia Honey Bee on Canvas" above is bold yet whimsical. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! It would look great in a modern or vintage kitchen. Check out more of her gorgeous designs at Etsy and see if your state insect, flower or bird is showcased in her art.

The above painting, "Turquoise Bee" by Susan Najarian is so fun and can be purchased at Etsy (great price-point too). This artist might just like the color turquoise as much as I do... check out her other beautiful works. Perfect with modern decor.

This sweet paisley, polka dotted and striped bee by Acorn Soup would brighten any little girl's room. It's a great transitional piece that will go with many decorating styles. I think it would look best in a series with another bug (butterfly, dragonfly, or ladybug) and a paisley flower from the artist's collection on Etsy. Acorn Soup will also customize paintings to coordinate with your decor and color scheme. Gotta love that!

However, my favorite and most inexpensive "bee" artwork to date is by my six year old daughter. So simple, yet strong (or is that tree blowing over in the wind?). If you have a little budding artist in your home too, I highly recommend showcasing their work in your playroom, family room or child's bedroom. Below is an example of a fun art wall found at Pottery Barn Kids.











"Back to the Future . . . "


Greetings,

I stumbled across this image again recently but, I never seem to tire of it.   

Take a close look.   

A beautiful collection of textiles and wonderful antiques.  A prime example of classic "country design."  An expansive space, but full of intimate emotions.  If by chance you're unfamiliar with the image, take another look.

It is the work of visionary California designer Frances Elkins.

And was designed in 1918.  Seriously.

I recommend that you all read this amazing book.  It's a retrospective of her spectacular  work.  But, be prepared to be impressed.   It always reminds me of the important power of design.  

Leaning Tower of Guiyang

I love modern architecture - they are able to make buildings do things that are almost magical. Santiago Calatrava. Frank Gehry. Zaha Hadid. They are like rock stars.

I love this Tilting Building by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) in Guiyang, China.
From the June 09 issue of Dwell magazine.

I might get a little vertigo working in that building, you?

Dressing for a Hot, Long Summer

I don't know about you, but the long weekend has me itching for a summer vacation -- and a few new fun and easy pieces to freshen up my wardrobe as I brace myself for four months of 90+ degree weather and high humidity. Cue J.Crew to the rescue. My go-to source for weekend clothing is offering several great lightweight summer dresses that are perfect for Houston's hot, long summer. Since many of these dresses, including the adorable bonbon dress shown below, are pretty simple, I'd kick things up a notch with bright summery accessories balanced by plenty of cool white.

Shown from top left:

Rafe New York stripe paisley large shoulder bag from Nordstrom ($196.90)
Steve Madden "Charrger" sandal from Nordstrom ($59.90)
Kenneth Jay Lane gold coin earrings from Bluefly ($35.10)
Cotton one-button cardigan in deep pink from Banana Republic ($49)
Jessica Simpson J354 sunglasses in white from Zappos ($56)
Michael Kors D-ring watch in white ($150)
Cotton bonbon dress in navy from J.Crew ($78)

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

"White shoes, white pants . . . "

" . . . and white furnishings."

Good morning,

We all seemed to have celebrated and survived Memorial Day holiday yesterday  . . . and NOW we can start wearing white clothing below the waist (white bucks, white linen trousers) . . . but, what about the use of white within our own homes?  I've been culling through my "inspiration files" and found a few examples of the exuberance of "white."

Love the white chinoiserie-style dining chairs, the wonderful mill work, and the contrast with the "Tiffany" blue wall treatment.

The beauty of white raised-panel mill work contrasts with the traditional blue and white porcelains and highlights the dark, amazing inlaid floors and furnishings.

Seriously.  Coffered ceilings, charming cabinetry, and again, contrasting with the antiques and wide planked floors.  Stunning. (GrannySmith Green - this one is for you!)

Simple.  Calm.  Beautiful.

White Linen.  White dramatic wainscoting .  And another white coffered ceiling.

Or maybe it's just the shock of a white twig chandelier to bring some excitement to the design.