it's where you make your coffee...

the kitchen is the heart of a home...the spot i greet my husband everyday when he gets home from work, it's the office when i am trying to talk to a "potential" new client and i don't want them to hear my daughter screaming in her room, it's where barron hunts for food that might have been thrown overboard by a little someone, it's our favorite place in town to grab a glass of wine or beer, and of course- it's a karaoke bar/dance floor when no one is looking.....

*pics courtesy of marie claire maison

the art of displaying...

i have definitely spotted a trend in the "art" of hanging pictures...it's no longer just a single picture on a wall or a small grouping of pictures...it's all about self expression and the more the better....there is no system to it; it's simply you and your hammer and whatever feels right...

*pics courtesy of style court, design sponge, things that inspire, tom scheerer, apartment therapy

tick tock...

to feel the void of domino closing, i went to barnes and noble to peruse the magazine section....i was hoping to fall in love w/ a new shelter magazine (but sources are limited). i love canadian house and home and was thinking of getting the subscription but it was $50+ for it to be shipped to the USA...i don't need it that much.

while flipping through my pile of magazines, i came across this grandfather clock decal by blik in O Home (i thought she went under too??)...it's a fun way to add color to your wall and its inexpensive ($37). i hope y'all have a great weekend!!

what's a girl to do....

when her beloved shelter magazine goes under....is it really true or just a bad dream? how could conde nast end something that was so right? if i could afford a plane ticket i would stand outside and picket...

domino was a magazine for my generation...whether you were a designer or just a girl in love w/ home decor, it got you excited. i was giddy everytime i went to the mailbox and saw a new issue. the magazine gave hope and inspiration that "good design" can come in a number of different forms and can be obtainable to anyone w/ an interest in stylish living....so breakout the tissues...this girl needs a good cry.

cig harvey

her photography tells an amazing story...she is a perfectionist at depicting those "in between moments"....there are so many times in life one can feel like the girl in the roller skates and yet at others, the need to feel pretty in an over-the-top kind of way!!!

hot, hot....

one day i will outgrow the color pink...but until then, here are some fun examples of it!!

*pics courtesy of betsy johnson via style files, hoyt/levasseur office via style court, sarah kaplan/ flickr, ruthie sommers/ scoop, food and wine

david collins

want some serious eye candy, check out these amazing projects by david collins. starting out as a small residential design firm, it quickly turned to dazzling the interiors of the hottest restaurants, bars, and hotels in London. and now, they are making their mark in West Hollywood w/ the chic hotel the london (this houses chef gordon ramsay's restaurant).

there's something about it...

my lastest obsession is photography with balloons in it??!! ever since i saw this photograph here, i can't get it out of my mind...i want to be that girl sitting in the chair surrounded in a world of balloons...

*pic courtsey of javiy at flickr, ellemoss/ etsy, juliane eirich, and dorthe alstrup

Industrial Chic...

i LOVE this office...it's so me. this is the perfect combination of industrial and feminine (and it's a classic example of how "junk" can look fab and tasteful). i love the hard lines of the metal desk against the girlie backdrop; the pale pink color in the chest of drawers works so well w/ the floral wallpaper. and the vintage touch in the mix-match accessories makes this a space i would kill to have....

junk style

i feel like my home is surrounded w/ my treasured junk from yard sales, flea markets, thrift stores, etc. i love my junk...it makes me feel at home; that is why i love the book junk style market (which i happened to find while "junking" in brevard, nc). it's all about ways to reinvent flea market finds and has lots of fun eye candy in it (btw, colin when are you going to give me back that book??!)...and i just discovered that they also have a blog that shares diy projects like the ones pictured above.....

the china closet....

i think this picture is so beautiful...maybe b/c it uses my favorite colors so well. and it makes me think about thrift shopping...maybe one day my future house will have a room like this...
i have a new love for the site 20 x 200, which allows anyone a chance to own fabulous art at any level...you should check it out....that where i found this little beauty!

what's on your table?

there are so many details that can go into decorating a home...things like tablescapes can really bring the personality into a room. while tables are meant for function first (throwing your keys on, piling up mail, a place to put your wine glass), adding objects that mean something gives character to a room. now, i am not going to lie- tablescapes are not the easiest thing to create....i would advise practicing, rearranging, and looking in magazines and books to get the hang of it. start by layering objects and adding various heights, proportions, and sizes (this gives you the pouch)...and once you have created your masterpiece, you will be amazed at how it changes your space!!

*pics courtesy of tom scheerer, desire to inspire, domino/ nathan turner, frolic