"Sleeping on the Porch . . . "

Greetings and Salutations,

How much do you love this "Sleeping Porch" project by Phoebe Howard ! I can only imagine the restful weekend that I'd have in such a stylish retreat.

" ahhhhh . . . "

such beautiful details. love the mirrored cocktail table.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend planned. Mine is somewhat jam-packed with great friends, opera rehearsals, trail runs, and a well-needed break from the office.

Also, hop over to "What is James Wearing?" and help James celebrate the 1st anniversary of his wonderful blog.

easing into the weekend,

tartanscot

for more information on Phoebe Howard.

And the winner is...

Alicia from Delightful & Delovely! Alicia, please send me an e-mail with your choice of color along with your shipping address and we'll get the vase on its way to you. Thanks again to Maureen over at The Inglenook Decor for the generous prize -- and the generous store discount! For those of you who didn't win, the discount will run through August 9 -- simply enter the discount code "Te Amo" at checkout to enjoy 15% off on your entire purchase.

I'm out for the weekend. Dave and I will be installing cabinet hardware, waiting on the refrigerator to be delivered and satellite TV to be installed, and doing some more painting. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a lovely, productive and restful weekend! I'll be back Monday with more pictures of the new house (including, hopefully, some good "afters").

Photograph courtesy of Amy Atlas.

My First Project!

I am so proud to present my first solo project! This client was a dream first client - the condo is definitely a wonderful collaboration. Not only has she been my biggest supporter, constantly recommending me to her friends and family, but she's also become a great friend. It's hard to call what I do "work" when it's so much fun...

I snapped some quick photos after we had lunch today, I will definitely be getting professional pictures taken soon!

Enjoy!


Mirrors over a mirrored console in the entry. The wallpaper is a faux-ostrich.

The powder room.



Dining



Living room


Living room

Breakfast nook



Master bedroom

Punchy Pink and Blue - Tween Girl's Bedroom

I've been designing a bedroom for a darling eight year old girl and wanted to share my presentation boards with you.

She loves the color blue and wanted her walls in that tranquil color. Another prerequisite was to use the existing wooden furniture - bed, sidetable and dresser - all painted in a soft ivory. She also has a fun, modern hot pink fury chair she enjoys reading in that will be incorporated in the room's design. The room's window has classic white wooden plantation shutters that will also remain.

Here are the paint colors suggested for the room. All have zero VOC options which is great.

Because the little girl is eight, we wanted to design a the room that will grow with her. The bedding selected is from Serena & Lily and it's perfect for a tween room. The sophisticated Aqua Trellis and Aqua Melon Mosaic Sheet Sets will be mixed & matched and established the split complementary color scheme of blues, pinks and melon. The sweet Pink Diamond Quilt will help break up all the blue elements and add texture.

We haven't determined which of the lovely Serena & Lily decorative pillows will go on the bed, but are leaning toward this hand-appliqued floral design Bloom Punch pillow.

The wooden floors will be covered with a beautiful cut and looped wool Trellis Rug in blue from Pottery Barn Kids. The trellis pattern will repeat the pattern on the bed's quilt.

Most of the artwork in the room will be the little girl's own creations. Several of her favorite works will be framed and we'll create an art-wall. Another option for wall art, is this beautiful Cherry Blossom Birdies Canvas Reproduction available at Posh Tots. It pulls the color palette together nicely and the adds a bit of nature to the room.

I like chandeliers in little girls' rooms and fell in love with this striking Gabrielle Pendant ceiling light fixture - the silk flower shade is feminine and sophisticated. The sweet Early Bird antiqued table lamp by Land of Nod is also being considered for her bedside table. Aren't those perched feathered friends just too cute!

It warmed my heart to see the little girl's giant smile when I showed her the images of her new room. She loved it - and I love that!

*images from Serena & Lily, Pottery Barn Kids, Posh Tots and Land of Nod

"The New Antiquarians . . . "

Sean Crowley and Meredith Modzelewski

Greetings,

While flipping (or whatever the laptop equivalent is . . . lol) through the New York Times this morning, I ran across this marvelous article that sent my pulse racing.  Since I share that love of all things "club insignia, taxidermy, and  ancestral portrait," I find these whimsical spaces so intriguing. 

The link between Mr. Crowley's objects and his impulse to acquire them them isn't nostalgia, he said.  "It's the draw of authenticity."

 just absolutely wonderful.  

and you just know that there's a great story 

behind each and every item . . . lol.

for more information.

Preening like a Peacock

John Derian

Recently I've been loving peacock motifs, both in home decor and in fashion. And while it's undeniable that peacocks (especially their feathers) have been having "a moment" in the world of design for the past few years, the peacock has been popular as a symbol of royalty, beauty, paradise (and even immortality!) throughout human history.

In India, the peacock has long been associated with the Hindu god Lord Krishna and has been used in Indian art and architecture for centuries. I love the abstract use of peacock feathers above the door on the City Palace inside Jaipur, Rajastan (shown above).

Among the Romans, the peacock was commonly associated with paradise, renewal and spring and many wealthy Romans kept peacocks in their gardens. Early Christians later adopted the peacock as a symbol of immortality because of long-held myth that peacock flesh did not decay. Examples of peacocks in surviving Roman mosaics (both Christian and non-Christian) are numerous.

The Peacock Skirt, Aubrey Beardsley (1894)

More recently, highly stylized peacocks and peacock feathers became a popular motif in the Art Nouveau and later in the Art Deco design movements. Today, the peacock has reemerged as a design element in both fashion and home decor and there's a "peacock style" for just about every taste: from ethnic to bohemian, flapper to rock 'n roll.

Preening like a Peacock by averillh1

In fashion, I can't get enough of peacock feathers-cum-jewelry or in art deco-style print dresses that reference the classic motif. Flapper-style headbands and head pieces covered in peacock feathers are a great way to perk up an ordinary cocktail dress. For the less daring, peacock feather earrings or a single feather on a necklace are a lovely and more subtle accessory choice.

Birds of a Feather by averillh1 on Polyvore.com

In truth, I am perhaps most drawn to the intense colors of a peacock -- the shimmery blues and greens are some of the boldest and brightest that nature has on offer -- and I think these jewel tones translate beautifully to your home. You can go big and bold with wallpaper from Ferm Living or Osborne & Little or you can just add a few small pops of color with a pillow or even some fun new dinnerware.

This Peacock Armchair by Cappelliani is my new obsession. If only $3,622 were within my budget!

Save the Bees - The Great Sunflower Project

It should come as no surprise - I'm a bee lover. I love their beautifully organized beehive homes, team focus and sweet honey creations. I even love honey bee art. So of course, I was very troubled to learned a few years ago that bee populations were declining.

Recently, I read a hopeful article in Sunset Magazine (August 2009) called Hive Minds promoting a grassroot effort aimed at learning more about this problem and finding solutions to restore the numbers of pollinators. Founded in 2008 by San Francisco State University associate of biology professor, Gretchen LeBuhn, The Great Sunflower Project distributes free 'Lemon Queen' sunflower seeds for people to plant in their yards. After the sunflowers have bloomed, participants are asked to track and report any bee activity. LeBuhn says, "Sunflowers are easy to grow and wildly attractive to bees."

Why is this important to us all? LeBuhn says it best and puts the problem into perspective -

"Economists and ecologists have started working together to find a way to place a financial value the contribution of natural ecosystems to human existence. The estimates are eye-opening. For example, the value of pollination services from wild pollinators in the U.S. alone is estimated at four to six billion dollars per year. While these ecosystem services are currently produced for “free”, replacing the natural ecosystem would cost many trillions of dollars. Unless human activities are carefully planned and managed, valuable ecosystems will continue to be impaired or destroyed."

The project has been wildly successful and now has approximately 55,000 participants. The data these volunteers collect will provide valuable insight on determining the root of the problem and how to help reverse it. To "hunt for bees" and join this worthwhile project, visit The Great Sunflower Project.

Also, if you are interested in making your yard more bee-friendly, here are three easy ways from Sunset Magazine -

1. Plant diverse bee-friendly flowers and edibles like asters, lavender, strawberries and of course sunflowers.
2. Avoid using too much mulch or pesticides - it discourages native ground-nesting bees and approximately 70% of native bees are ground nesters.
3. Don't pick those weeds! Weeds such as dandelions and clover provide quality pollen and nectar. Simply pull them after their blossoms are spent. This last one is tough for me! Guess I shouldn't worry too much about the the clover that has popped up in my yard.

Or you can do what Martha Stewart does and have your own beehives. In June of this year, she blogged about having nearly 12,000 honeybees and one queen delivered to her farm. The incredible photo above is of her lovely queen bee - the large bee with the blue dot. She hired Guy Hodges of Bee Guy Apiaries LLC in South Salem, New York to handle the buzzing project.

Now let's go help save our favorite pollinating friends. Buzz, buzz, buzz...

*honey bee artwork from Candice H. McDonald on Etsy, Jennifer Lambein on Etsy, and ronniegunn on Etsy, photo by Martha Stewart Blog.

Take me Out!

With Smith + Hawken going into retail history (so sad!) I've got to start looking for some other purveyors of fancy pots and things...

Elle Decor featured some GORGEOUS ones:

Celerie Kemble (in a cute dress!) with the Leon Brickmaker planter from Mecox Gardens.
Very French chic.

Another French chic look from Elle Decor:
Wood Cross Planter by Accents of France. Just looked at their website and they are here in Southern California! Woo hoo!



I've had a crush on this one from Design Within Reach for a while.
Does it break any California state laws to have a crush on a planter?

"Once upon a time . . . "

Good morning all,

28 years ago today. It was still dark outside. I had placed my alarm clock across the room so that there would be no way I could sleep through it. Stumbling out into the living room. Calling friends who I knew were also sitting blurry-eyed sipping coffee (actually, I think it was diet coke - I was only in high school.) Excited. Waiting. Watching. Giddy.

But, nothing could have prepared me for this. I still well-up with emotion whenever I see images of Diana stepping out of the covered carriage. And hearing the roar from the crowd . . . a roar that seemed the grow louder still as 'the dress' began to erupt onto the steps of St. Paul's. It was all so beautiful. The pageantry. The flowers. and oh my, the music. It all seemed so full of hope.

And it was the first time I heard the music of William Mathias - in an anthem written especially for the service -

Were you awake and watching? What are your memories?

like the corners of my mind,

tartanscot

What to Give When Your Friend's Expecting

At 28 I am in the process of transitioning from the "wedding stage" of my life (i.e., where most of your free time and disposal income goes into celebrating your friends' nuptials) to the "baby stage" (i.e., where said friends start having children and, again, much of your free time and disposal income goes into celebrating the blessed events). In short, my weekends in Vegas or Austin have been replaced with baby showers and "sip and sees". [By the way, the montage above is from the now-defunct Blueprint, which featured a spread on a baby shower thrown for two of its editors. This is definitely how an office baby shower should be thrown in my book.]

Sure, I could go the easy route and shop off the registry, but to be frank Babies 'R Us makes me nervous and I don't really enjoy the experience of gifting diapers and bottles. So I say let the new parents by the boring stuff and I'll play grandparent for a day by bringing the fun, unique gift. Over the course of the past year or so I've culled together a relatively fail-proof selection of "go-to" gifts for babies that with make just about any stylish mom-to-be happy and I thought I'd share them with you should any of the rest of you be in the baby stage of your life as well.

Without further ado, here are my favorites (in no particular order):

1. Pop Menagerie Piggy Bank from Jonathan Adler ($48). A piggy bank is a classic baby gift and this iteration (oh the polka dots!) from Adler just makes me smile. Perfect for the modern nursery.

2. Mary Jane Brights from Trumpette ($24.50). Sure babies can't walk, but that's no reason not to help kick start an early shoe fetish. Since baby shoes are impractical -- and not especially comfortable for little tootsies -- a set of these cute socks is sure to keep baby looking cool while keeping feet warm. For boys, try the Cowboy socks. The entire line of baby socks from Trumpette is available HERE. [Random aside: What is it about teenie, tiny baby shoes that make grown women coo and squeal in delight? Just try and surf that site without so much as a "so cute!" peep...just try it.]

3. Sleep Thief Playsuit from Chasing Fireflies ($48). From what I hear, newborns can never have too many onesies (after all, they're making costume changes multiple times a day) so these are always a safe bet. Extra points if the onesie manages to be (a) adorable, (b) not pastel, and (c) rub it in just a little that you, as the childless friend, are still sleeping in on Saturdays. For more inexpensive clothing options, I absolutely adore the baby clothes from DwellStudio for Target; this gift set for a baby boy for under $20 is insanely cute. And speaking of DwellStudio....

4. Stroller Blankets ($40) and Hooded Towels ($44) from DwellStudio. For a range of adorable yet modern patterns and unbelievable softness, you simply cannot beat DwellStudio's line of stroller blankets and hooded towels. I've gifted these in the past with great success and have every intention of doing so again (after all, if it ain't broken...).

5. Take Me Home Gift Set from Serena and Lily ($68). I love this gift set (and, truth be told, just about everything else on offer) from Serena and Lily, the purveyors of all things baby chic. It's lovely, simple and organic.

6. Elsa Peretti Open Heart and Fork Set from Tiffany's ($265). A gift of silver baby utensils from Tiffany's is the gold standard in shower giving. Obviously not something you'd gift to a friend of a friend, but for a sister, daughter or best friend, it's definitely worth giving them something they will treasure -- a future family heirloom. Of those currently on offer, the classic open heart motif is my favorite.

7. Children's books (various). If you want to instill a love of books in children, you have to start them young. Favorites from your own childhood are a lovely, personal gift for new parents. My personal choice would be a selection of books by Tomie dePaola whose beautifully illustrated stories I remember fondly from my own bedtime rituals.

8. Baby's First Book by Rag and Bone ($68). And finally, one of my all-time favorite shower gifts is this handmade baby book from Rag and Bone, an old-fashioned bookbinding company run by a couple out of Rhode Island. The book comes with plenty of space for the parents-to-be to fill in lovingly with all sorts of pertinent (and not so pertinent) information for the child to cherish many, many years later when she realizes just how great her parents are. All of Rag and Bone's books comes in a wide array of cover choices. If you're looking for a less expensive option, the brag book ($34) would also be much appreciated (though perhaps not by all the coworkers and strangers forced to ooh and ahh over the pictures therein).

So what about you? What sorts of gifts do you like to give new or expectant parents? If you're a parent yourself, what sorts of gifts did you most appreciate or cherish?

"Pale and Dramatic . . . "

Greetings all,

Just over the Golden Gate Bridge . . . hang a right . . . then take a left . . . and in about 90 minutes you can be in the wonderful Napa Valley region. And in the middle of the valley is the adorable town of St. Helena. And in the middle of St. Helena is the very clever, and wonderfully talented Erin Martin Design firm.

such a simple colour story. such amazing textures.

love, love, love the light fixtures in the master bath.

still loving the simplicity and the warm dark floors.

and who wouldn't have the sweetest of dreams in this cozy little nook.

For more information on Erin Martin, click here.