You Gotta Get A Chandelier!

Recently a rather questionable "chandelier store" opened up near one of our favorite restaurants.
Mark and I quote lines from this SNL short all the time now.

SoCal Modern

I could scroll through your site for hours:) And yes I will take this house...as long as the car is included.

You can find more photos of this modern ranch here.

Hot Off The Presses

If you are like me, you took a Monday off from blogland. If you did you may have missed the release of
Refueled magazine's third issue. If you haven't seen it, its a great collaborative effort by bloggers Chris Brown,
Cheryl Schulke, and Don Weir. I'm a big fan of their styles and love this magazine! Check out the
article featuring Courtney Barton's home...although it makes me a little sad that Courtney is so far away now:(

I also love the article these photos taken at the hotel Saint Cecilia. definitely need to put this on my list of
places to stay. It is the most recent venture of the creative minds who formed the Hotel San Jose. So fabulous!

Hues Of Yellow And Black Provide A Chic Room Style

What a delight to see beautiful pastel yellow colours complimented by black, it gives a rich gold effect without being over the top and ostentatious. The blend of colours brings a warm and very inviting feel to the room.

Even the simple touches such as the black piping on the cushion covers bring a sense of harmony to the room.

I adore the large mirror which is used to bring the illusion of more light and space into the room. Although there are no patterns as such this makes the focal points even more interesting. The modern table lamps with its trendy glass base and more traditional style of shade brings a delightful and impressive touch of chic style to the room. Even the yellow/gold trim on the little black table is so exacting.

Of course there is not a thing out of place, the books under the table add a real homely touch, while the reflection in the mirror enables the gorgeous floor length pale yellow curtains to be seen. This room offers such a peaceful feeling which could easily be replicated and makes a real change from seeing monotone black with white which seems to dominate many of the latest interior design styles.

With the mix and match of old and new one being one of this seasons interior themes; chic style at affordable prices seems to fit the bill perfectly here. Other great examples of gorgeous inspirational rooms can be found at Delight By Design

This Just In....

At this precise moment, I am obsessing over this dining room.
More news later.

(Found via Deco-Inspiracion and Houzz)

A Woman's Point of View: Carol Isaak Barden

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Houston developer Carol Barden. It was an interesting series of events that got us in touch. Several weeks ago I posted photos of one of my favorite Houston homes that is on the market. The photos were picked up by several other sites which brought them to the attention of Carol. Why is this significant, you ask. Well, Carol is responsible for saving the home from the scrap heap several years ago. Swamplot wrote an interesting article breaking down the time line. So, we got in touch and I got the opportunity to visit with a fascinating woman with strong convictions on what makes a house a home.

As the developer, Barden conceives of every new project and then infuses her personal touches throughout the space. Several details I like in her homes, are first, the importance of nature. When a new home is ready to be built, existing trees are left standing. This is not something that is done nearly enough in Houston. Also, windows are placed to allow the homeowners to actually enjoy the beautiful greenery. This doesn't sound like an Earth shattering idea and yet many builders never actually do that! Perhaps my favorite details are the natural feeling brought inside via natural materials and textures. For someone who loves texture and earthy colors as much as I do, these homes really entice me:)

Carol believes women have a natural advantage when it comes to building and designing homes because they can visualize all the small details that a home needs. For example, the idea of having natural light in a bathroom for applying makeup. Separate vanities in the master bath, so couples don't have to watch each other spitting into the sink every day. Hey, we gotta keep some of the romance alive somehow! Barden's company is especially known for their beautiful and well thought out kitchens. Of course, designed with real people who cook in mind.

The Wabi Sabi house is one of Barden's most recent projects that garnered a lot of attention. It was based on the ancient Japanese concept of essentially finding beauty in imperfection. Personally, I am a believer in this concept and I'm sure many readers would not be surprised to know that about me;) If you are unfamiliar with the concept of Wabi-sabi, I highly recommend studying it.

This beautiful home was completed so succesfully that Carol already has a second one in the works. It should be scheduled to finish in the fall of '09 and I can't wait to see it! Hope you find these photos as inspiring as I do and have a great weekend, everyone.

Porada Mirrored Bedroom Furniture collection

Italian designers have used mirrors on one of their latest bedroom ranges to reflect the imagery and bounce natural light around the room.

Rather than have the usual small bedside tables the designers have gone large on all aspects of their design by introducing these large table lamps to compliment the room, bring a chic and stylish Parisian feel to the bedroom.

Neutral colour combinations provide a chic and stylish look to the room along with both bedside tables and chest of drawers with beautiful mirrored finishes.

The large bedside table light illuminates the room well and offers sufficient light for those who like to read before sleeping! The modern base style adds the all important finishing touches, along with a plain unpretentious shade.

This neat and stylish look could easily be replicated and for those who like to dabble in re-vamping their furniture could possible achieve a similar effect by using mirror tiles stuck onto the existing bedside table!

Beautiful large table lamps can be found online at very competitive prices to complete your new bedroom look, along with in-vogue stripped or laminate flooring and a stylish neutral rug.

I admit you would have to be pretty arty to achieve a design as stylish as this, but with the recession still hitting hard it may be a great way to update a tired bedroom.

For further great inspirational ideas and further images of the Porada furniture collection visit Freshome

To The Market and Back!

(Peek at my booth)
Well, we did it! Over the weekend we showed at the Houston Urban Market for the first time.
I'm only now recovering enough to write about it. (I also had a kid who got sick on Monday).
It was quite an undertaking, I have to admit. Its funny that I never gave to much thought to the process of setting up a booth, whenever I was out shopping!
Both Paloma and I (and our handsome assistants) began setting up Saturday afternoon. Everyone was a little nervous because of some ominous looking skies, but we kept going. In fact, it did rain that evening, but
thankfully it mostly just cooled everything down. After that we returned early Sunday morning to finish preparing for the 9:00 opening.

Paloma's chairs were amazing! I can't believe I forgot to take more photos of the rest of them!

My two favorite guys were very helpful. Liam even set up his first display w/ his own cars! Of course I wasn't allowed to actually sell his cars. If you're wondering, Liam didn't hang out all day, Mark was a very accommodating babysitter.

Some of our blogger friends also made an appearance. It was great to see them!
Left: Lauren (Material Girls) and Paloma (La Dolce Vita) Center: Joni (Cote de Texas)
and her trustee Starbucks coffee. Right: Paloma and Courtney (Under a Paper Moon).
Unfortunately, I missed meeting Sarah of Jeune Marie. Sarah, I also missed meeting you at
Courtney's garage sale last month. Maybe we'll coordinate some day:)

I didn't have time to walk around very much, but I did find a couple interesting pieces I really loved. Including, what else; but a couple of amazing chairs!

I couldn't resist snapping shots of several interesting characters roaming around.
What surprised me was how willing they were for me to photograph them.

By the end of the day everyone was pretty worn out and I was wishing that I could be magically transported home.
I loved getting to meet several readers. I especially cracked up with a lady who called me by name to ask for a price and talked to me like we were old friends. That was fun! Thanks to everyone who stopped by and thanks to Paloma and Fabian for sharing a booth with me. Most especially I want to thank my wonderful husband for helping and supporting me. I had a great time and hope to do it again!

Brighten Your Living Space With Fabulous Colour

Make your living space a happy home! By injecting vibrant colours will lift you mood instantly!

Clashes of colour are very trendy at the moment, which is great news for those who struggle to get the right blend of colour schemes which work well.

I just love the orangey-red, it brings a real sense of warmth to the room and coordinates wonderfully with the wood flooring.

Not quite so sure about not having any curtains or blinds at the windows, or maybe they are there and just discreetly hidden!

The apple green chair reminds me of the swivels chairs which were all the rage in the 60s and early 70s. While the orange modern table lamp makes a real visual feature to the room.

Bringing colour into your home also brings colour into your life, it will energise you and make you feel bright and chirpy! Colour therapists will guide you as to which colours will be most apt or following the ideas of feng shui may also inspire you to add colour to your home.

Mixes of old with new is also a very trendy and economical interior design style at the moment, which is great for scouring junk shops for bargain finds, re-covering or painting things to spruce them up!

There’s no need to completely re-vamp a room jus add some wonderful injections of colour with modern table lamps, second hand chairs and a multitude of cushion in complementary colours and a variety of textures to transform your living space into a house of fun!

For further information, image source and great inspirational interior designs visit laissezfairedesign

Living With Collections.

I was casually reading through the Location Works site and found
this beautiful home. Architecturally, it is nice but what I really love is the amazing collection of unique furniture.
It looks to me that ever single piece has meaning behind it. Pretty, pretty:)

I am a big believer in living with pieces that are personally meaningful and not bought to
be filler, everything in the home should be like family, don't you think?

Inspirational Design Concepts

Take an old concept and transform into a new revelation in your home!

Niches were commonly used in the past to have a bed situated which was then curtained off to give privacy, this was back in the days when families shared a room! This was more commonly used by country folk or those who had limited space. It was also a way to keep warm in the winter!

Having a bed with drapes and curtains was also employed by the wealthy in the form of four poster beds. These had lavish heavy weight curtains to keep the occupants snug and warm.

Many antique beds were specifically designed to fit either into a niche or against a wall. Some of the fabulous wooden bed frames can be found in antique and house clearance warehouses. Look out for the styles which have beautiful carvings on one side, the side which was not pushed up against a wall to give you an indication as to authenticity.


Restored and renovated homes can use this idea and rather than have a bed within a niche use the space to include a bath! Provide privacy, along with a stunning interior design feature, by hanging curtains from a metal curtain poles to create a country cottage look. Use neutral tones for a rustic look which offers a great place to relax and unwind.

A great alternative to an en-suite bathroom and a new twist on an age old way of utilising a niche!

For great inspirational interior design concepts and image source visit Bloomacious

Lovely and Mysterious.

I'm in love with the mystery of ElleMoss's beautiful photos.
I think I could stare at them for hours:)

Clever Uses Of Table Lamps

This is a exquisite use of table lamps to light a piece of wall art. The idea of using two contrasting styles of lamps is a great way to add real interest to the area.

The entire shelf, wall art and objects marry together in a beautiful and visually appealing way. The concept of having personal objects used to create places such as these is a perfect way to draw on the natural beauty of each object and yet bringing them together so gracefully.

The light and shadows cast upon the wall art makes it come alive with the 3D visual effects bringing a sense of intrigue.

The use of white and cream to create wonderful living spaces is my humble opinion one of the easiest interior design concepts to inspire and recreate in your own home. If you can’t bear white you could also inject colour by having a similar arrangement in your favourite colour such as Delft blue porcelain pieces.

Collections of personal objects have been included within interiors for hundreds of years, the key point is to make them focal points which draw the eye with visual appeal and intrigue.

Use ideas such as this to show how to off set one piece against the other so that you don’t end up with a jumble and confusion. The difference in styles and height between the lamps are what make this idea work so beautifully! if they were matching the whole affect would be ruined!

For further inspirational design ideas visit Habitually Chic

Mark Your Calendars!

This weekend I am going from just photographing the Urban Market (here, here and here) to SELLING at the Urban Market!!! I have to admit that I am feeling very nervous. I mean, unlike when I sold my furniture at an antique store or when I write this blog; I will have to be present along with my furniture. I feel like I will exposing myself! The good thing is that I will be there with the lovely Paloma of La Dolce Vita. Hooray for friends!
So, I'm using this post as therapy; I'm talking it out and I'm hoping some of you will come by and offer some support. (If you want to literally support me and buy some stuff that will be very welcome too:) I collect unusual things that catch my eye and that are what else? Very eclectic and off-beat. Okay, I'm taking deep breaths and practicing my faith.
Click here if you aren't familiar with the Urban Market and I hope to see you there!

Gifts For Mama

A Formula For A Great Mother's Day!

1. Add some delicious chocolate.
2. A few favorite flowers
3. Maybe some pretty shoes. (Extra points if you get these right)
4. Most importantly...smiling faces

Hope that helps!
Happy Mother's Day.