spaces that simply make me smile

Sometimes a beautiful room is all it takes to put a smile on my face. Here are a few that do the job:

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What simple things make you smile?

if i were a golden girl

It's officially summer and for me that means sunshine (please), crisp white linens and cheery colors. Yesterday I reacquainted myself with Somerset Bay, a furniture manufacturer out of High Point, North Carolina that makes me want summer to last forever.  Now, when I think of sunshine and summer I think of Florida and when I think of Florida I think of The Golden Girls, the four (Dorothy, Blanche, Rose & Sophia) best friends any lady could ever wish for. So, if I could ever get my hands and creative mind on the home of those four wonderful women, this is what it would look like with a little help from Somerset Bay.

Summerland Key Bed

Islamorada Chest

Cohasset Double Pedestal Table & Elliot Key Chairs

And as any fan of The Golden Girls knows, it's not a home if it doesn't have some large, palm leafy wallpaper on the walls.

Cole and Son Palm Leaves Wallpaper via Sunset

How does summer change your idea of home and design?

friday: high-low

This week's high-low items might not compare in overall dollars saved to last week's, but the 'low' is still a 15th of the price of the 'high' and with today's economy any difference can be quite a big difference to someone's pocketbook. Well, if you are looking for a simple wood-topped trestle desk check out these two from West Elm and IKEA.

Triad Sawhorse Desk via West Elm - $349

VIKA AMON/VIKA LERBERG via IKEA - $49.99

Both desks are also available with glass tops as well if wood's not your thing.  

Who knows, that $299 savings might mean the difference between the 15" and the 17" MacBook sitting on top.

friday: high-low

I don't know if I'll ever get used to the fact that everyday I'm dealing with clients who have no problem dropping $20,000 on piece of furniture (that's 4K more than the brand new car I want). What I love to know though is that almost anyone can get the same look for a fraction of the cost.

Vassaro oblong chandelier by Gregorius Pineo - $10,000+

Filament chandelier by Restoration Hardware - $895

Tristan tray table by Gregorius Pineo -$3000+

Parsons C-table by Room and Board (with grey quartz composite top) - $359

Crazy to think that both low price pieces are about a tenth of the price of the high price pieces.  Don't get me wrong, I understand that prices can differ greatly due to materials and labor, but it's always nice to know that you always have options.

Have you found a great high-low comparison recently?

revamping a classic

One of modern design's most iconic chairs has gotten itself a revamp.  Originally designed for his German Pavillion at the 1929 International Exhibition at Barcelona, Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona chair has been transformed into a truly versatile piece of furniture by Italian designers Serralunga.

stackable Barceloneta via Serralunga

Taking what is traditionally crafted from the finest of leathers and chromed-steel and replacing it with plastics and aluminum, Serralunga created Barceloneta, a Barcelona chair look-a-like that is equally at home outdoors as in it is indoors.  Taking it another step beyond amazing, the Barceloneta is also stackable, making it perfect for a small space.

Only issue I can find with it has to be the fact that there doesn't seem to be a distributor in the U.S.  At least Canada is just next door and they've got themselves one.

What's your opinion of the Barceloneta? What other updated classics have you found?

get the look with serena & lily

Sometimes I find myself drawn to something a little more "traditional" than I expect myself to be and browsing the Serena & Lily website was one of those times. I love how they have created mood boards to help their shoppers find the items that will create a specific feeling in a room. They have all moods covered from Bold & Graphic to Quiet & Serene. Even though the lines of the furniture are quite traditional, the scale and graphic quality of the textiles and colors modernizes their overall effect.

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Not only can you get your hands on their wonderful furniture, fabrics and accessories, but that wall color you see there, yup, that's for sale as well. Not only are the paints specially formulated to coordinate with all their bedding and fabrics, but it's low VOC and low odor as well. And if you are still looking for something even more special and unique, check out Serena & Lily's Bazaar for their latest one of a kind discoveries and more

What Serena & Lily item or mood would you want to see in your home?

sex sells...

...bathtubs and showers.

Yesterday while researching bathtubs for my clients, not only did I find a few I'd love to be relaxing in but I also found these wonderful pictures. Got to love the Italians over at KOS. Sure, sex sells tiles and tubs here in the U.S. everyday (just open a shelter mag and you'll see just what I'm talking about), but 99% of the time it's just a naked woman and 99% of the time she's doing something that has nothing to do with the product, like floating in mid-air.

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Only a European manufacturer is going to have the guts to sell their product with two male models in one tub or adding a woman into that mix. Hey, why not?! It's reality.

soaking it all in

I spend my days shopping for others' homes and inevitably window shopping for myself. Today I spent my morning browsing the web for soaker bathtubs and on top of finding a few for my client, I found a few I'd be glad to trade my current tub in for. Maybe they won't notice if I add one of these to their bill for myself. Hey, a girl can dream now can't she?

Blue Moon by Duravit

Yume by MTI

Geo 180 by KOS

Who wouldn't rather be soaking in one of these tubs instead of sitting at their work desk?

newsworthy newsprint

I don't know how many of you out there still read the printed newspaper everyday (yes mom, I know you do), but to those of you who do, the home design industry says, "thank you." Recycled newspaper items are turning up everywhere in home decor, even as furniture. I love when designers take the time to find new uses for already existing materials, creating something new, beautiful and good for the environment.

Jouralistic Jugs via Uncommon Goods

Uncommon Goods delivers again with their Jounalistic Jugs. Water tight thanks to a resin lining, these worldly recycled newspaper vases provide a unique and colorful home for your favorite flowers.

Newspaper Armchair via VivaTerra

Tightly woven and corded newspapers create a material as equally strong as tough woven fibers used in standard chair manufacturing. Now you can sit comfortably in newspapers as you read one.

Newsworthy wallpaper via Weitzner Limited

Composed of 30% nylon and 70% recycled newspaper strips, Newsworthy wallpaper is a fun, eco-friendly and completely unique wall treatment perfect for the office or the library.

'edition' wall art via CB2

If you love the look of recycled newspaper on your wall but can't afford to wallpaper you whole room (or you're a renter like I am and your landlord won't allow it), check out CB2's handwoven 'edition' wall art. Just remember that since each piece is handwoven, each one is unique and the colors will vary.

Since recycled newspaper is no longer just for extra padding in your moving boxes, do you have a favorite recycled newsprint home accessory?