Setting the Stage, Part 2

A few weeks ago I shared my staging inspiration boards for a cute little house in DC.  The house had been completely redone and needed fabulous furniture and decor to make someone's future house a home.

I loved this living room, it maintained the heritage of the home and yet felt very modern, clean and beyond livable.  

Living Room

Living Room Inspiration

Who doesn't want to come here for dinner?  Seriously, no one would turn down a seat at this table.

Dining Room

Dining Room Inspiration

Even the bathroom deserves some love, and I love how this little powder room came out - and I love those towels!

Guest Bathroom

Guest Bathroom Inspiration

I didn't share the inspiration photo for the Master Bedroom, but the real life photo is more than inspiring!  The closet space, the clever office, the way the light floods the room, waking up in here would be a dream come true.

Master Bedroom

Very happily this house has already sold!  If you like this style of home and live in the DC area, I'll point you in the direction of the developer Walnut Street Development.  They're mission is to create better homes, for better living, and this sweet little home illustrates it perfectly.

Setting the Stage

Normally I think of home decorating and collecting furniture as sort of a piecemeal process; you pick up great pieces when and where you can.  The process is organic as you sort of figure out what works in your space, and what doesn't.

Or, you can do what I did this weekend and stage an entire house in a matter of hours, with the help of our good old friend, the Internet.  I had the chance to stage to coordinate the staging (furniture/accessories) of a newly remodeled DC row home.

This was a great exercise in design, but it's also provided some great tips for anyone setting out to make their first home, especially those with a limited budget.  

In the bathroom: have fun!  The entire concept for both bathrooms came from the towels.  Towels (from World Market) are a really affordable way to add personality in a small space.  Then, because I am like this, I matched the wastebasket and soap to the towels - that is clearly not mandatory. 

Here's a tip: in designing for staging and open houses, or for any high trafficked guest bathroom, skip the soft white floor rug.  I went with gray, it will be more durable underfoot.

In the living room I went with the bold choice of a light colored sofa.  In theory it is safe for a staging house, or a house without kids or pets (like ours, in real life!), but what you forget about is the times when the furniture needs to be moved by movers, and not with your tender loving care from house to house.  No worries, this sofa (also from World Market) is completely slip covered to allow for ease when changing styles, or hiding spills.

In the kitchen allow yourself to make a statement.  For me it was these cute little stacked coffee cups (World Market), that inspired the rest of the color palette and semi-retro aesthetic. 

I had a few challenges: make it affordable, make it fabulous, and make it livable. I am not an interior designer, but I learned a few tricks along the way, that were worth sharing.  

If you're in home set-up mode here were my favorite places to search and shop: 

• World Market,  great for accessories and unusual items, textiles, that sofa!
• Pier 1, great for vases, candles, kitchen kitsch
• Target, great for lamps, rugs, bedding, affordable accent furniture
• JCPenney, great sales on large furniture, rugs, dining
• Wal-Mart, great for lamps, affordable accent furniture, bedding
• Crate & Barrel, great sales on dishes, table linens
• Amazon, great for price checking
• Overstock, great for price checking, rugs

Looks like Christmas

It now officially looks like Christmas in my house.  There is a small tree and mini lights somewhat haphazardly wrapped around and their are small glass ornaments, and sparkly snowflakes and finally a "Giving Peace" and "Giving Hope" from the Pottery Barn collection.  The mantel even has cute, little stockings, sewed with care.

Crafty for Christmas

This weekend I am going to endeavor into the world of Christmas crafts.  I have never had a Christmas tree, or hung stockings on a mantle, but as I told a colleague this week, when you have a real house and like decorating, it is hard to not get into the Christmas spirit.

I have spent weeks searching the Internet and have found many sources for pure decorating delight.  I find myself trending towards a vintage aesthetic, and really loving the soft, muted shades of silvers and golds that give the decor a little extra glamour.

Back in September I spotted this ornament in my regular Pottery Barn catalog.  Let me be real here, few companies, in my opinion, do holidays or "just perfect" seasonal decor better than Pottery Barn... Okay, so with that out of the way, I spotted this ornament in my regular Pottery Barn catalog in September, and then I was in love. 

Pottery Barn Ornament

It was a part of the Family Giving tree collection, and I was just captivated.  I love the sparkle, clearly, but more than that, I love the message of giving hope, peace and love, plus it reminded me of one of my all-time favorite books, The Giving Tree.

Pottery Barn Family Giving Collection Tree

 This is Pottery Barn's perfectly designed tree.  That is fake snow, but knowing the magic of Pottery Barn's catalog styling I am sure if they wanted to use real snow when they shot this catalog in May they could have done it -- quick call to Santa, of course.

I am also loving this mantle collection.  While Pottery Barn sells everything you see here, this would be really easy to achieve a) for a lot less, or b) with items you already own.  The aesthetic is simple: glass, candles and shiny... 

Pottery Barn Vintage Silver Mantle Collection

If you want more directional, categorized and yes, last minute decor shopping, check out ZGallerie - they have it perfectly broken down by color groups so you can design with guidance.  For a more modern twist of the shiny, happy holiday decor, Crate and Barrel is filled with pieces that are as perfect in December as they are in June.

I'll be sure to share with you my successes with holiday decorating after the weekend!

How would you decorate for the holidays?

Light the Lights

There are almost as many common spellings for Hanukkah as there are days to celebrate it.  That can be a little tricky, but nonetheless the holiday is a fun and easy one to celebrate.  Unlike other Jewish holidays there are no food rules or restrictions of any kind - so far, so good - and when you add in some latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganyot (jelly donuts) this 8-day celebration is an oil filled party.

The centerpiece of the Hanukkah celebration is a Chanukiah, a nine candled holder, most commonly referred to as a Menorah.  They are often works of art and there is a style to match every home, and budget (I promise)!

When we got married we registered for a menorah that would be functional/cool enough to have out all year round.  I love the work from Michael Aram, and I couldn't resist this menorah when I saw it.

Michael Aram Olive Branch Menorah

For an even more natural look, how cool is this from West Elm?  The Manzanita trend isn't lost on me - it was a huge trend in wedding/event floral centerpieces and I love the natural element and sculptural design of this untraditional menorah.

Manzanita Candelabra at West Elm

If your style is more modern than this menorah is perfect.  It is nine separate pieces so you can change the shape and pattern.  This is like grown up Legos, but for Hanukkah.

Nine Piece Menorah by Marit Meisler at Unica

If your home is one filled with kids, and Hanukkah means lots of presents than maybe you like a menorah that is filled with color and whimsy.  This menorah, inspired by the story of Noah's Ark is almost as much fun as opening the presents every night.

Painted Noah's Ark Menorah at the Jewish Museum

And if tradition is your thing, and like you a menorah that is elegant and a classic piece of art, look no further than the cut crystal by Waterford.  The simplicity is stunning, and I can only imagine how when lit with nine candles it would shine to the delight of family and friends.

Waterford Crystal Judaica Menorah

If Hanukkah is your holiday, I hope it is filled with light and love - and if it's not I hope you'll find a friend to share a latke or donut with over the next week.  Hanukkah recipes are coming soon!

Valentine's Day in October

I love flowers; the way they brighten up a room, they way they smell, what they symbolize.  But, flowers die.  Ouch, so that was a rough point.  But just because they do doesn't mean we can't find inspiration in flowers everyday.

Today's fashion proves that roses are red, and black, and beige.

There are high fashion options from Valentino and Milly what is not to love about this?

Valentino "Petale-Mini" Leather Tote via Nordstrom

Rose Toe Platform Suede Pump via Bergdorf Goodman

Milly Rose Skirt Dress via Bergdorf Goodman

Okay, head in the clouds and empty wallets, where else can we find rose inspiration?

English Rose Robe via Anthropologie

Torn by Ronny Kobo Lila Rose Print Dress via National Jean Company

daniblack Jasmin Rose Sandal via Endless

How about taking the roses home?

Diptyque Roses Candle via Saks Fifth Avenue

Flowering Twig Pencil via Anthropologie

Deconstructed Rose Pillow via West Elm

Come on you didn't think we wouldn't have a rose inspired baking tool? 

Nordick Rose Bundt Pan via Cooking.com

 Or go for the original, the real thing:

Sharing the Love Rose Bouquet via FTD

Wishing you a house full of roses, whether you get them as a gift, or buy them for yourself.  They are a happy, and delightful treat for anyday, Valentine's or otherwise!

At Home in the Wild

My favorite just for browsing website for home is Horchow; owned by Neiman Marcus it is luxe living from bathroom to backyard.  I'll be the first to admit there are definitely some items that are over the top, but having an editorial eye will help.  It is like finding a needle in a haystack; in this case a very luxurious haystack.

As my affinity for animal inspired prints continued I am taking the inspiration home, to my home.  Here are some favorites:

Horchow Leopard Patterned Panels

Horchow Golden Leopard Rug

Horchow Zebra Bench

Horchow Sunflower Zebra Chair

I honestly love, love, love all of these pieces.  

The unifying theme is that they are all animal inspired without being realistically animal print.  The leopard is soft gold, the panels are wood and mirrors, the chair is a vibrant, sunny yellow.  

The inspiration is all there, but it's been refined.  It is as if that nail head upholstered chair is sitting in a posh living room and saying to the mirrored armoire and fancy crystal vase, "you can take the girl out of the wild, but you can't ever take the wild out of the girl".

I will continue my prowl to find just right wild for our house.  I'll let you know what I find...  What do you say, would you go wild at home?

A Pop of Color From Home

A favorite place to visit growing up was Lincoln Road on South Beach.  My Great Aunt had an art studio there, so my mom and sister and I would often go down to visit on school days off to be "ladies who lunch."  We'd pop into stores and galleries and treat ourselves to a great day while people watching.  A favorite gallery of mine was always Romero Britto's.  The Brazilian artist's trademark is the bold colors, pop designs, and joyful characters in his art.

Growing up in South Florida, and as avid Heat fans, we had this poster:

Miami Heat Commemorative Poster by Romero Britto

If you are a fan of Bethenny Getting Married on Bravo you'll recognize the gift Bethenny gave to her husband Jason: 

Follow Me by Romero Britto at Greg Lane Arts

I have always enjoyed the art for the wall, the signature Absolut bottles that Britto designed, and even a series of watches a few years ago.  And then I saw this:

New Day Luggage Collection by Romero Britto

Who else is ready to jet set, now?  I know this is completely over the top, but that is the Florida in me.  I love the color, I love the hearts (I love hearts), and I love joyful, happy attitude.  Besides what else do you need when traveling besides some clothes and a happy heart?

Are You Ready for Football?

The other day I mentioned that something I love about fall is the start of the football season.  Growing up in Florida, and more specifically with my parents it is difficult to escape football fever.  

Football has been a part of family life since the beginning, I was born on a Monday, before the kick off of a Dolphins/Jets game. In high school I went to every single University of Miami home game, spring practice, fan day, etc with my mom.  The running joke is that my dad declines going because my mom is just that intense.  

We've stood in the rain, amongst drunks, amidst the chaos, rattle and decay that was the Orange Bowl, stood in the 4th quarter, shaken when the canons erupt for touchdown after touchdown, and have cried with the stellar victories and crushing defeats.

I love football, a good sports movie, and sports montage in my book, is the best.  I keep my loyalties to three teams, the Miami Hurricanes, Miami Dolphins and my husband's fantasy team.  It's the best way to spend an afternoon in the fall.   

This weekend we  went on a home filling "road trip".  We drove out of DC to Leesburg, VA to visit the famed Old Lucketts Store, purveyors of the vintage and hip.  Settled on a large piece of land there is a main house that is open 7-days a week and on the first weekend of the month they host a Design House Event.  Both "homes" feature antique, salvaged, and made to look antique home furniture, decor, and accessories.  I am a sucker for the accessories and knick-knacks.

This weekend was a design house weekend and as I kept exclaiming to Mark I loved each room more than the one before it - which is to say, my love kept growing and growing.  

A few styles ran through out the house, there were some breezy, rooms with "by-the-sea" cottage inspired accessories and colors, some with brilliant colors and swaths of bright fabrics, and others still with a more sophisticated and romantic finish balanced with masculine, dark furniture.

Image from Lucketts Blog

Image from Lucketts Blog

Image from Lucketts Blog

It's hard to explain how I could have loved  each room, as on the surface their styles were each so different.  However, their unifying theme was that they were all "just right" without being perfect.  Rarely did more than two pieces match, and often the accessories challenged and enhanced instead of just filling space, and most of all each room gave the feeling that there was a story behind each piece, and that is what I love.  There was no one-stop-shop feel of going to a catalog and ordering everything on the page and being done with the house. 

On this trip we picked up a nailhead leather chair, that perfectly fit the bill for what Mark wanted for the living room, and a possibly antique iron soap dish.  Pictures of the chair later, but since I am sure you are dying to see a soap dish, ta da!

Fancy Iron Soap Dish - personal photo

The design house also inspired us to find some vintage/old world oversized maps for our walls, and a coffee/occasional table to pair with our new chairs!  This is definitely a work in progress as I think any truly great home should be.

Summertime Oasis in the City

It's no secret that summer has officially started, and the warmer weather is calling us outside for our meals and socializing.  Our new neighborhood brings us closer to friends and our new home brings us more outdoor space than we have ever had.

We'd like to eventually have our outdoor space be an extension of our indoor space - comfortable, inviting, and meant for drinking and dining.

This is my wish list:

Alfresco Dining Collection by Crate and Barrel

This outdoor collection is a bit more modern than the rest of our indoor furniture, but I think the clean lines and bright pop of orange serve our space really well, and would keep the space looking fresh, vibrant and fun.

The bizarre mix of high heat and bursts of rain and an abundance of humidity has introduced us to a little friend, the mosquito.  In our effort to thwart his reign of terror we've been stocking up on citronella candles left and right, they aren't typically as cute as these!

Citronella Candles in Pineapple, Cassis and Rain scents at Bloomingdale's

Now that there is a place to sit, and the bugs are being kept at bay, pull up a chair and have something to eat.  These bright plates by Jonathan Adler remind me of my favorite citrus fruits and seem so very sunny and happy!

Jonathan Adler "Kaleidoscope" Summer Dishware at Bloomingdale's

I recently read in Food & Wine (August 2010) the right beverages to drink in these high temperatures.  It turns out when it's 100+ degrees (which it has been, gross!) the only worthwhile thing to drink is a beer.  Drink it in these:

Portland Beer Glasses by Crate and Barrel

Hold the remaining bottles and cans in this - it just says party to me, and what's not to love about that?

Beverage Bucket at Bed, Bath & Beyond

True confession, I'm not a beer drinker.  I want lemonades, mojitos and sangria and other fruity fun drinks - and I want them to be beautifully displayed in this.  I love that its pretty and functional, and reminds me of a favorite Spa Hotel in my hometown.

Beverage Jar at Sur La Table

How will you make your summer space chic?