Go Blue and Orange!

One of my very best friends is a huge Chicago Bear's fan. Actually, living here in the Quad-Cities, only a couple of hours from Chicago...I know loads of Bear's fans. And yet, year after year, although my intention is to become one of them and join in the fun cheering at the touchdowns ( I actually just spent 20 seconds as I tried to think of the word touchdown...goal? no. home run? no. hole-in-one? no.) and screaming at the screen when Urlacher(?) screws something up. But, to no avail. Here I sit in front of the big game and find myself looking at the uniforms thinking about if I could design a room around the team colors. I'm sure I could, but not sure if I'd want to. That mustard yellow on the Packers uniforms is a doozey, isn't it? Wowza. Good for a lacquered chair with a bold black and white fabric, but not so much for the walls. But, the Bear's colors are a bit more palatable with the majority being just blue and white. The pop of orange is fun and though you don't see the combo a whole lot, here are a few spaces I found that do it rather well:

Love this. The palate is so pretty here and I like that the colors are used in a more classic style, rather than using them in their boldest forms and going more contemporary. 

I'd gladly climb into this guest bed on a rainy Sunday afternoon for a nice long nap.

This is right up my alley, too. I think the mix of color and pattern is so inspired and fresh. Doesn't it feel collected instead of "designed"? 

If you're a Bears fan, I hope they step it up with only 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter and the score 21 to 7. Not looking good, my friends. If you're a Packers fan, your day is probably going a bit better. If you're like me and you wish you could just change the channel to finish watching "You've Got Mail", this too shall pass. 

Have a wonderful night and an even better week!

xoxo

Little gems!

A simple search for a silhouette tote bag lead me right to a wonderful website that is chock full of antiquey looking finds that could have been easily found at a Paris street market. If you're a lover of all things French like me, you must check out their stock, but even if you aren't I bet you can find something you'd like to plop in your virtual cart and bring home. Here are some of my favorites, but make sure to check it out for yourself at www.mothology.com!

Love these antique toast holders and the idea of using them to hold mail or even old letters that your grandmother sent your grandfather back in the day.

Some of you will hate these, but the kitsch factor is so great and I actually can think of several places they would be fabulous. I'd hesitate to use them in an already heavily ornate space filled with antiques, but in a more contemporary and clean-lined space, these would be the statement piece I'd use. Really fun.

I love a good desk lamp and this articulating one is right up my alley. I see some great ones at thrift stores all the time, but this one is special with that amazing patina and the squaty nature of it. 

This hand carved candle holder from India is incredible. I can imagine a row of them on a mantle...my mantle, to be more exact. 

For only $14 a piece, these are super cute for the grocery store or just running errands. 

Since my brief but wondrous foray into the world of textiles and apparel years ago, I have been enamored with dress forms of all kinds. Wire ones like this are my favorite and would be great in a collection above an armoire in a dressing room.

Come on. He's adorable and hand carved! His little eyeballs just crack me up!

You can't go wrong with a leaning floor mirror and this one stands alone. The unfinished pine would suit any space and the lines are just gorgeous, don't you think?

Numbered anything makes me get all excited. These vintage inspired stacking boxes would be perfect for jewelery, but also great on an entry table for mail, keys and the like.

I love newsprint paper and so these little notebooks filled with blank newsprint with the vintagey looking Bingo covers are so darn cute. Perfect bedside notepads for all those brilliant ideas at 3am and can't remember by 7. 

It doesn't get much better than this key rack inspired by the old hotel ones. I really, REALLY love this.

One week til Christmas! Yikes! Happy shopping!

XOXO

Classic With a Twist

I often have clients ask me what my own personal style is and believe me, it's never the answer they assume it will be. It's funny how the expected response is "really contemporary" when it couldn't be further from the truth. I'm definitely classic with a twist. A little bit of traditional mixed with a few unexpected pieces from other styles is really what I'm drawn to. So, I suppose that's why I'm drawn to other designers like Matthew Frederick in New Jersey. Just when one of his spaces is really leaning towards tradition and classic style, he pops it with a bit of color or animal print that wakens it back up. The great thing about designing like this is you know that your main pieces...your sofa, your casegoods and such are going to be timeless. Then it's just a matter of changing out a few accessories or changing a wall color to keep it updated over the years. Take a look and tell me what you think. Is this your style? Do you wish it were? 

 His design shop in New Jersey.

Notice how classic each of the pieces are in the space above? It's really just the pop of color on the wall and that zebra print that steps the space outside of traditional. 

Clean lines, down cushions and velvet...come to mama.

 Check out that luxurious shower. I could spend a few days in there. I'd be pruney, but clean.

 Would you have thought to add in those zebra print ottomans? It's what makes the space!

 Leaded glass closets? Bien sur!

 I'm always shocked when people have such a distaste for sunburst mirrors. 

They're so classic and yet so current!

 That blue grasscloth on the walls is just what this space needed. Have you seen all the grasscloths available right now? Every color under the sun and we have access to most of them! 

 Love a custom side table cover. The key is to use a larger table than you think you need. Otherwise, no matter how great the cover, it's going to look like the ones we used in college purchased at Target for $8.00 or so. You know, the ones with the three screw on legs. No good.

More grasscloth, this time in plum (swoon), and mixed with some softer shades of purple. Loving those custom cornices that follow the lines of the angled ceiling. 

 A study in classic design. Utter perfection. The symmetry is stunning and I love that open-bottomed coffee table, the non-skirted sofas, the geometric rug and that horse is the scene stealer.

 Inside his lovely shop. I just want to touch everything!

Hope you have a great day, friends! 

Make sure to stop and smell the pine trees!

XOXO

Get Outfitted For Less!

If you're an Antropologie stalker like me and have a constant war of wits between needing to own the whole store and having to leave with nothing due to your money acting funny, well I might have some great news for you. If you haven't heard of or shopped at Urban Outfitters (www.Urbanoutfitters.com) than you're in for a treat. It's kinda the poor man's Anthropologie and while you might have passed by it a hundred times thinking it was just a teen/college geared store then you're missing the boat. The website is the best way to go and the prices are so fabulous that you're able to load  up your virtual cart and still not break the bank. It's a wonderful place to snag some Christmas gifts that aren't the average pair of slippers or gloves in a box. Here are some of my recent favorites...some are currently sitting in my cart awaiting my credit card info as we speak. That is, unless you want to let me use your credit card info...no? Not so much? It was worth a try!

What do ya think? Fun and funky, right? Hope you're having a great week!

XOXO