New Year

Kate Spade earrings | Marc Jacobs Dress | Mark Blackwell Champaign Flute | Polkadot Coaster | Gold Clutch | Kate Spade Shoes 

Merry Christmas Eve

A Few Festive Touches

If going all out for Christmas is not your thing, you only need add a few festive elements to get the seasons tidings going for the big day. I know several people who only decorate the days leading up to Christmas {I am not one of those people} and something like this would be a fun, festive yet modern approach (the main elements being a small tree with tone on tone finishes and mixed metallics).

Brown Paper Packages

There is something romantic about brown paper packages. Maybe its the song or just this time of year, either way I found a festive variation with some winter greenery. These would smell lovely as well.

via

Packaging DIY

It is my opinion that packaging makes all the difference when gifting. Presentation can make something special.

via

Silvers and Reds

So this year I have decided to decorated with red and silver as my holiday decor. I love the old time-y glass ornaments and more traditional decorations, but my furnishings and accessories tend towards a more modern eclectic feel. Of corse I have many photos for inspiration here, but his is more what Im going for this year. I love the little touches of silver in the greenery.

Host and Hostess Gifts

As we enter into party season, I thought I would pull together some gifting ideas. I think keeping things simple is always best for this sort of thing.  

A beautiful bottle of Spirits | Personalized Stationary | Cook Book By Ina Garten | Clover Honey | Jonathan Alder Corkscrew | Roasted Chestnut Candle | Distortion Candlestick   

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope every one has lovely plans full of food and fun. See you back here after THE shopping day of the year. I have some fun planned for Christmas with gifting ideas, decor and decorations and holiday sweets!

Decorating on the Cheap

Having been in our apartment now for 5 months I thought it was fit time we did something with our bedroom. I had been putting this off for some time because D and I have completely different taste when it comes to furniture. I would love nothing more than a lovely upholstered headboard like this one, but alas this one's a no-go. So until we can settle on something we both like {i.e. I can give up control on this one thing} I was thinking of doing a wall painted headboard like these:

Domestic Dreamland

I'm having house envy today after seeing this kitchen. With a place for everything, this cream and black kitchen is the stuff of dreams {if you are an obsessor of all things kitchen like me}.  The colors used in this kitchen work really well for showcasing the food.

I love how elegant everything looks just by putting things on display. 

kitchen by:

 Deulonder - architecture domestica 

In the Kitchen.....

Ok this hummus is promised to be the best I will ever have. That is a lot to live up to but I am going to give it a go. Hummus is one of my favorite things and I am always looking for a new way to eat it. I have never made it myself before but I think this recipe by By Sara Forte of Sprouted Kitchen {via a cup of jo} will be quite doable. I have an outing with the girls coming up for an upcoming wedding and I might have to bring the snacks.

Lemon and Herb Hummus
Serves 6-8 

You'll need:
3 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 roasted shallot, see note
3 tbsp. tahini
Zest and juice of one lemon 
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh parsley 
3 tbsp. fresh dill
3 tbsp. basil leaves

Optional garnish:
1/2 an English cucumber, sliced thin
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional

Currently Working On....

Bathroom is the name of the game today. I am working on a bathroom for an Indianapolis home and have a couple of options. One is a sleek marble bath of creams and whites with grain cut marble walls, mosaic marble floors, and a black marble sink. The other is a warm travertine bathroom with white paneled walls, bone subway tile, and a warm wood vanity.

On the Job

I need {so badly} a new and updated work space. We have a spare bedroom that has our extra bed, but also all of the clutter I didn't want to see in the rest of the place. I think we should turn it into a multi use space for D and I. Because I know I will probably use it the most, I can probably get away with doing what ever I want to it. I love this office from The Devil Wears Prada. I don't think I need the intimidation factor in my own office, but the clean pallet with the pops of color from the books and accessories, I could do that.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Currently on My Desk

I am currently working on a kitchen design for an Indianapolis couple that just purchased a historic fixer-upper.  I wanted to give them some options to look at, but also I wanted to show how easy it can be to change the feel of a space with cosmetic changes. The couple I am working with is young and fun and wanted a kitchen to suit. The first is an updated look maintaining the traditional feel of the home, the second one is more modern with the finishes, keeping the overall look more what they had in mind. I rendered the third option just for you readers to show how simple cosmetic changes can completely transform a space.

Boring Beige

There is a lot of talk out there about the fallacies in a boring beige room. The thing is, there are a lot of people out there who are afraid of color, and thats ok. It is true that beige can be boring, but only when it is not done well. The trick is layering tone on tone color with contrasting wood and millwork. The variation in tone and saturation will liven up an otherwise boring beige.

Fashion to Furnishings

I often see a look or an outfit that makes me think of a similarly styled space. I apologize for all of the navy, as I have been crushing on navy lately, this look instantly made me think of a classy tailored space.

[1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5] | [6] | [7]

{image via Cup of Jo}

The Finishing Touches

It truly is all of the personal items and family heirlooms that make a space personal to you. I am a firm believer in the idea that a space should reflect the people living in it. Yes the gorgeous spaces in Architectural Digest are amazing to look at and I would only be so lucky to call one of those spaces home. But if you look closely, a lot are devoid of personal object, pictures, or life. Who wants to live a magazine {not me anyway}. 

Moving

D and I are moving into our place this weekend and it is going to be HOT! We have lots of help though and we are so grateful. Hoping you all have a happy, relaxing weekend.

Something New

I have an interesting space for you done by designer Laura Bohn. I think its unique and certainly inventive with an industrial flair.

OK so I have never seen a rolling metal cart as a sink vanity before... Thoughts?

Today's Inspiration

[image via]

I was inspired this week by some of the masculine spaces that have been featured in Lonny lately. I really love the bold, moody feel you get from the rich textures and clean lines. The crisp white linens add a classic {refined} element balancing out the dark colors and finishes. This is a style I like myself and I'm thinking of incorporating a masculine influence our new bedroom... perhaps with more refinement.

Entryway

I found a few entry spaces I like:

So I'm excited because our new place actually has an entry/hall way. It is not grandiose by any means but I actually have one so I am pretty happy. I have been trying to come up with ideas for a nice table or artwork or something to give the entry some presence. I like the idea of a table to put the mail on and set our keys on. It is not priority number one but it would be nice to have something there. {ps. the image with the stripes is of my cousin Killy's apartment in NYC}

TGIF

Happy Father's Day weekend everybody. I hope you all get to celebrate, we are doing a dinner thing with my Mom and Dad. I'm sure Ryobi will enter into the picture at some point. The rest of the weekend is devoted to packing yay!!!

A few links for your weekend reading:

Glamping

Check out these beauties

25 things you didn't know about "Mad Men" that will blow your mind

Too funny

Girls Night?

Fun cover for your listening pleasure 

Must make these

Image

Ode to Camping

Lately, I have been in the mood to go camping {the friends can attest to that}. With this great weather and the prospect of relaxing with a good book and a cozy fire, how bad can that be? Plus, anything involving a toasted marshmallow is alright in my book.

[1] Fute tent [2] Anorak Kissing Rabbits Sleeping Bag [3] Hershey's S'more [4] Highlander Bombay Style Picnic Basket Set [5] Red Butterfly Chair [6] Duck Boots [7] Hanging Lantern 

Bathroom

On to the Master Bathroom! Ok so I have been trying to focus in the key living areas so the move will seem less stressful {Bedroom, Kitchen, Bathroom} and in doing so I have been really focusing on the master bath. I think getting the master bed and bath done will give us a nice place to go after a long day, and a place to escape from the rest of the work in progress.

A Romantic Setting

Inspiration can come from the littlest thing; a place setting, a flower arrangement, a photograph, its the small things about them that might spark those creative juices. D and I move into our new place in seven days {eek!} I am so excited I can't hardly stand it. I know how I want our new place to feel, but getting it there can be the hard part. The mental blockage sets in sometimes when I work on a space that is mine. I want a space that feels soft and romantic {much like these pictures}. The trick is achieving what I want on the shoestring budget that I do have; but I am crafty, so there will probably be some work in progress photos here to come.