enter

the entryway of your home is the first impression people see upon entering your house...would they stop and linger or would they just pass it by....is it a firm hand shake or a soft one?

*images courtesy of katie sellers, domino, unknown (please forgive me), domino

color trend

i feel like lavender has been creeping into interiors more and more lately. even though as a young child, i would always choose the pink crayon over the purple one...i am digging the way these rooms feel. and if you are looking for a paint color to give you this kind of tone, Ben Moore's Excalibur Gray 2118-50 is a great choice...i used it in a client's bathroom and it reads as a nice masculine purple.

*images courtesy of jessica condatore design studio, abbey goes design scouting, house and garden/ gwyneth paltrow

vintage wildlife silhouettes...

i was recently reminded of these fabulous vintage wallpaper silhouettes when someone asked me about the giraffe i drew on taylor's wall....i saw them in domino a little over two years ago when i was trying to figure out taylor's nursery and fell in love with them. at the time, they only offered three wallpaper patterns and unfortunately, they didn't go w/ the pink and brown we had already painted the room. but today when i went on inke's website, i saw that they offer a huge amount of vintage wallpaper...i think they are just fabulous!

*images courtesy of inke, domino/real simple, washington spaces

the skinny...

i know i have featured monogramming in the last couple of posts but today, i thought i would share my tips on the matter. while it is my ultimate goal to one day own beautiful bedding from leontine linens, unfortunately at this point in my life, i cannot. so i tried to brainstorm how i could get a custom looking monogram but w/out breaking the bank...

here are my tips:

-take your linens (whether it be pillowcases, shower curtains, hand towels, etc.) to your local embroidery shop and start browsing....if the place only offers 10 styles of monograms, this isn't the right place

-i think it is super important to think outside of the box...stay away from any kind of monogram that you may find in a mail order catalog or on a beach tote...we are aiming for something more unique

-when selecting a monogram, the font is really important. you want to find something that is different; i went w/ a scroll b/c it seemed more old world and traditional. modern lettering is great too, just find something w/ a little edge (there are several fonts that have an asian flair that would work great)

-next, monograms with borders give a more custom appearance...for instance, adding a side detail or framing the lettering is a great way to get a custom look. you may have to add this element to the lettering.

-getting the right color is the next important step; you want to select a thread that will allow the monogram to pop...brown is always a safe go-to color. if you are feeling adventurous, add more than one color in the lettering or details. (sometimes finding the exact thread color is hard...it's better to play it safe (brown) then get a color that is slightly off)

-lastly, SIZE totally matters. my thoughts are: the bigger the better; an over sized monogram really gives a punch. for my king shams, i did a 10" monogram. the lady at the shop thought i was crazy (i think she suggested 4"). however, once she saw how they looked, she fell in love w/ them, taking pictures to add to her book.

i hope i have answered some of your questions about my pillows...i created a custom monogram for $17 per pillow. it took a little more time (i think i was in the shop for like an hour trying to figure it all out) but the results made me so happy. now it's your turn to go out and create something beautiful....

*images courtesy of leontine linens, melissa rufty, ny social diary/miles redd

a girl after my own heart...

i recently stumbled upon an interview w/ palmer weiss for the SF Gate and just fell in love w/ her list of favorites...leontine linens- perfection when it comes to luxury bedding (just a little out of my price range at the moment), a lucite and brass ram lamp she found for next to nothing at an antique store (can you get better than mid century lucite?), and raoul fabrics- their beautiful hand blocked patterns on linen make them one of my fav's.....

i also loved reading her tips/ cheat sheet: shirted console tables to hide clutter (i have been in love w/ this idea since i saw her spread in domino), shopping local (something i want to strive harder to do), and steering away from themed kids rooms (they get dated quickly)... palmer, you have great taste!! catch the whole article here.

*all images courtesy of SF Gate

wonder....

if that girl is contemplating whether she should take a nice, long ride on her spiffy pink bike or finally get around to unpacking those vintage hatboxes that are piling up in the LR.....oh, decisions.

*images courtesy of domino, simply seductive, classic ivory

just a little pretty....

i feel sorry for monday's...everyone dreads them. hope your monday has a little pep in her step....

*image courtesy of flickr/pilllpat, flickr/sarah leeab

making an upholstered headboard....

i have had several people ask me about making my headboard so i thought i would share my insight on the matter: this project is super easy and very budget-friendly!

Supplies:

- wood

- foam

- batting

- fabric

- saw (if you are going to cut it yourself)

- staple gun (the kind you plug in is a must)

Getting Started:

-First you are going to need to decide on the shape of the headboard, if you are going out on a limb, you might want to make a template so you have a pattern to use when you are cutting the wood....we didn't want to take chances so we stuck w/a nice rectangle!

-Next determine the size of the headboard; the width should be a tad bit wider then your mattress and the height is totally up to you.....

-Now that you have the shape and size, it's time to purchase the wood...we used MDF, but plywood would be fine too. You want to make sure that the wood is at least a 1/4" thick.

*if you stuck w/ the rectangle shape, get them to cut it right there (make sure to take the scrap wood, it will work for your legs).

-Okay, now it's time for the insides...here is my money saving tip, use one of those egg crates for beds for the foam...it saves a lot of money. if you don't want to save money, you can go and get foam cut (2" thick is what they usually use). You will also need batting, it looks like gauze and is in the quilting section of the stores (remember to get enough to be able to wrap it around the headboard)....if it helps we got all of this stuff at walmart.

-Fabric is the next step, make sure that you get enough to wrap around the back of the board and for the legs (this gives a more 'professional look')...i got 3 yds for my king.

-Putting it all together: Start w/ the wood on the bottom, then add your foam (if you are using an egg crate, make sure that the smooth side is facing up), next is the batting, finally the fabric...

*note to self: make sure that the foam, batting, and fabric wrap around the back and sides (probably about 6")

**at this point, i got out the iron and ironed my fabric to make sure they weren't any creases showing.

-Now, you are going to need to flip the headboard over and start stapling the layers down onto the wood...we stapled four ones first and then looked to make sure the fabric was sitting right before securing the whole thing in place....you will want to keep smoothing your hand over the face of the fabric as you staple.

*the corners can be tricky...leave this task to the anal one in the family...you just have to keep tucking until you get a nice clean edge.

-Last step, attach the legs....we wrapped them in fabric and stapled the back...looks very nice to have them covered vs. seeing raw wood. We used flush mounting hardware to attach the headboard to our frame.

**Voila** a beautiful headboard for under $50. (well, that's if your fabric doesn't break the bank)....hope this helps for any DIY'ers out there!!

lazy days....

all of these images seem so inviting....just like they are calling out to me to go grab a book (okay who am i kidding, the latest US Weekly), curl up in a fluffy down comforter, or relax in a nice hot shower...

OK, back to reality- i'm off to empty the dishwasher, clean up the stickers thrown all over the floor, and sit on the phone w/ comcast while they try to figure out why our cable doesn't work...

*images courtesy of laura moss photography, domino archives :(, BHG

a mental picture...

girl w/ the pink shorts sporting a classic case of 'runner's wedgie'...bouncing up and down on the concrete, doing an occasional fist pump to the ipod mix, baseball cap low to cover the day old mascara, panting...

i am trying to run...it's not a pretty site (feel free to point and laugh if you see me)...three days down...i turn 30 in june..WOW, that's crazy. i am officially out of shape. you should totally join me...here's your recommended playlist for the one mile jog (yep, i said it- one mile):

-That's Not My Name by the Ting Tings

-Paper Planes by M.I.A. (i have to make a conscious effort not to make imaginary guns during this portion of the jog)

-Live Your Life by T.I. featuring Rihanna (this is where the fist pumps come into play...i mean, you just can't help yourself)

*image courtesy of run like a girl film

it's official....

easter's come and gone so it's OK to walk out of the house wearing white....although tay and i have been sporting it for sometime now...i know, *gasp* how dare we.

*images courtesy of we heart it, black eiffel, it's mary ruffle

bye bye.

have a happy easter...peeps.

*image courtesy of flickr/bumblev

industrialized....

the look is popping up everywhere, even in those pesky mail order catalogs that arrive at your house daily. the industrial look is something that makes my heart skip a beat. i don't need a whole house filled w/ stainless steel but little bits of it interjected into a space makes me happy. that is why when i saw the kitchen w/ the locker baskets, i freaked. that image quickly jumped to the top of my "favorites list". i found the article from country living and read the story on the designer, Aaron Foster, who created that awesome kitchen- everything was from ebay, home depot, or flea market fairs.....

then last night, i almost died when i saw please sir's locker set...ohhh, how i would kill to have that living in my house! she spotted it in college and knew she had to have it! oh the possibilities that locker set holds!! so i am on a mission...i will be searching every reStore, flea market, and restaurant supply company (i have never been to one...tay get ready, we have an outing)....i need a little more industrial in my life...like this old metal desk from a french post office...wouldn't it be a perfect place to pay bills?!

*images courtesy of country living, please sir, 1st dibs via riviera antiques

the vintage suitcase...

there is something about the aesthetics of an old suitcase: the worn leather, the engraved initials, the story, the travels...it can bring an automatic interest into a room! i personally love ones w/ stripes; and stacking one on top of another always makes a great statement!

*images courtesy of flickr/ weeweeyun, flickr/hbgordon, design sponge, m.a. belle via patrick cline

hey party people....

in case you didn't know- it's spring break 09'. i looked at the calendar this morning and saw that my 22 month old daughter is now officially on her first spring break. one week, that can have so many connotations....

10 yrs ago, i would have been stepping off the plane into mexico w/ 10 of my bff's- all w/ glowing tans from a month of preplanned tanning bed visits...i can't help but wonder how we constantly pulled this off w/ our parents?? twenty yr old girls downing frozen drinks like we had no tomorrow, yelling at men in sombreros to bring their whistles over and pour mysterious blue tequila shots into our mouths, dancing the night away in sweaty clubs w/ foam parties...

i glance over at little innocent tay shoveling her raisin bran into her mouth...i smile knowing the only dancing she will be doing this week is to the 'rompa stomp stomp' by the wiggles and the only chugging will be in form of whole milk...and thank God that i have 15+ yrs to prepare...

trying to stay afloat...

i knew it would happen...i did, but i was in denial. domino is gone and so are my 700 deco files i used daily to blog about. suggestions please...can anyone recommend another good site to upload photos?? also, if any of you have a great friend or know of a great company...i need to work on a website (someone that is innovative yet affordable- do those words go together??)....happy friday.

*image courtesy of we heart it/fffound

watching paint dry....

morning peeps...i am filling in for my mom today b/c she is busy laboring away w/ gigi.... see what they have already started....a couple more coats and she will be complete (mom was eager to see how the chair would look w/ the cushion back on)...hopefully gigi is okay w/ her chair going from nice and traditional to FUNKY (think mom has lost her mind??).....peace out homies, i've got to go to school.

faux bamboo chippendale chair

this is a widely popular chair that has made it's way around the web a time or two...well, now the faux bamboo chippendale has landed in my house thanks to mom and dad. i have been asking mom for it for about six yrs now...saying you know when you get tired of it, i will gladly take that off of your hands. well this christmas, it magically appeared as one of my presents! and i couldn't be happier. my husband on the other hand was thinking "great, just what we need another chair". the one catch to it was it's cane seat had worn through.

at first we were going to try and replace the caning but we couldn't find any cane locally. so i suggested we pull it off and put an upholstered seat on it. i decided on chiang mai dragon for the cushion fabric. on my last trip home, i took the chair and 'Sha Ron' worked his magic...now i am just left to decide if i am painting her or not....i was thinking a chartreuse green to match a wing chair i have in the room....good thing mom is on her way here...i am putting her to work!

*image courtesy of me, jonathan adler