yes please

Anyone that knows me at all, knows that I LOVE animals.  Pygmy goats are at the top of my list. Wonder if they would fit in my backyard?

Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone is enjoying Christmas Day! This Christmas has been so special.  My sister & her family live in New Hampshire & got to come to Texas this year! Kids sure make the holidays so much more fun.  We are visiting my husband's family today.  If you haven't listened to Annie Lennox's Christmas Cornucopia, you should! I'm not always into the holiday season but this music could change the mood of even the biggest Scrooge:

Bright & Happy

[image by Francois Halard for Vogue]

The home of Christopher and Susan Sharp, owners and founders of The Rug Company, featured in 2010 Vogue is one of my very favorites for the year.  Blue velvet sofas get me every time.

Progress?

Like many design bloggers out there, I'm always working on a million projects at once.  Here are a few I've been meaning to post about for a while!

Before:  master bathroom. Needed a temporary fix until I can afford a new countertop to replace the faux granite laminate. Yikes. Hate the pinkish tiles behind the sink too but, another day!

After (still in progress): first pic is master bath wall behind the sink. Covered in Cole & Son Egerton wallpaper. Also painted & poly'd countertop gray, painted wood cabinets, and added vintage aged brass bamboo hardware. Did not have enough for door hardware but hoping to find knobs.  Better?

Entryway of house almost finished! Ran out of wallpaper (Graham & Brown Manderley) but new roll came in so hope to finish soon.  This big blank wall needed something & my sweet husband (he wants me to put "masculine") was a HUGE help.

Made an easy roman shade out of mini-blinds for the kitchen. Instructions via Little Green Notebook.

Next big project is a loveseat I found on Craigslist for $40! Was inspired by one I saw at Spruce.  I think I'm going to try to make a slipcover (my first!) in gray linen for it (that is why there is a gray jacket draped over the back!).  I also made the pillow recently, but not sure if it will stay there.

I guess I have made some progress with the house but there is a neverending list...sometimes it is difficult to rejoice in the stuff I have accomplished b/c of that list in my head!

Chrome Lovin'

My heart started racing & my stomach had butterflies when I saw the following items on Ebay.

 Chrome Barrel Chairs

 

Arco Sconces

Does this happen to anyone else? This happens to me a lot- especially when I see good deals on something I find unique! These items could be so glamorous (if the chairs were reupholstered-wow!). I've been into some 70's inspired pieces lately, which was when I was born..my mom thinks this is due to nostalgia.

Obsessing

It seems like I'm always obsessing over something. Usually it is multiple things if I'm being honest. That is what reading blogs during my lunch hour & when I get home does to me sometimes.  I thought I just read them for inspiration but inspiration often turns into WANTING TO BUY.  Here are some of my current loves:

I would love any jacket from Smythe http://www.smythejackets.com/. If I was rich. Here is one of the best:

A chesterfield loveseat for in front of my bookcases. Kind of like this:

 This one is a George Smith so totally dreaming.

Trying to find just the right side table. I think this Saarinen tulip table reproduction from DWR would be close to perfect.

i think i've found it

I've lusted after Ferm Living' Fairy wallpaper for almost two years for my entryway wall.

It has a little glitz & whimsy w/out being overpowering that I LOVE.  But at $110 per roll (& I need two!), I haven't been able to do it.  I've searched online everywhere for something I love just as much that is less expensive & have never been able to find anything that compares...until now. And it is all because of an article in Canadian House & Home on Arren Williams' home. Feast your eyes on this baby:

This wallpaper is called Manderley from Graham & Brown & is half the price of the FL Fairy wallpaper! It is a serious contender.

Arren Williams is a stylist & editor and has a great blog: http://www.arrenwilliams.com/.  I think he is genius-he combines affordability with high end & is not afraid of color.  Here are some other pics from the H&H article (where you can really see the wallpaper).  There is lots more pics on his blog.

His home is the whole reason I spent $6 on this magazine.  So beautiful & interesting.