I heart this office...

who wouldn't love Besty Brown's home office that was featured in House Beautiful magazine this month. I just think that offices need to be fun...or then it's just a drag to do any work in them. To me this space is perfect...just enough storage, a desk and a place to scatter inspiration...and that green, what a green! Although, my other half would say...of course you like it, look at all those magazines spread across the floor :)

Have a great weekend!!!

domino magazine design project

It's already underway...

(Cindy from AL)

You probably know this, but Domino magazine is holding a decorating contest! Old news to some....but if you go to their website you can view some of the entries all ready. And there's no excuse as to why you can't enter...I have an excuse, all my stuff's in storage...but you don't. Plus you can win 10,000 bucks!!! Well, regardless, I thought I would post some of the ones that caught my eye. Let me know what you think.

(Brent from NYC)

(Lori from NC)

(Victoria from CA...you know her as sfgirlbybay. Way to go Victoria, I'm rooting for you!!!)

**And this is from Megan, I think you know her too...BeachBungalow8 blog. Just love your bedroom, I'm rooting for you too girl!**

Still crushing on...

(Image via Hotelchatter.com)

This cute little Staffordshire Dog lamp from Viceroy Hotel (designed by Kelly Wearstler).

Straight from the vault...

A little Southern Charm to put you in good spirits. This is the New Orleans home of decorator Vesta Fort featured in May '06 Domino issue. A place so full of color, texture and life...if this is the Southern way then I'm packing my bags right now. An infatuation I couldn't hold in the vault of inspiration any longer...in hopes that only you feel the same way.


A sitting room that actually welcomes visitors to take a seat, mixed with period antiques and affordable pieces...


In my dreams this how I envision a porch to be, the perfect mix of indoor and outdoor...


The striped walls make such a bold statement...and if you try to envision the kitchen without it, well then it's not right!


Looking at this image, I want nothing more in life, than to have such lush pink draperies flanking my windows and doorways in my Master Bedroom...


Elsie de Wolfe inspired, this Dressing Room/Office is covered in, none other than, Home Depot lattice...


Fit for a little king, this boy's room blends so well all the various prints: Cowboy, Zebra, and Mod like duvet from Jonathan Adler...

**For other great reads on Vesta Fort, see Style Court's vault here.**

While searching...

I came across this lovely chair...maybe not for me and my dining area...but it's new to CBell furnishings, this painted Chippendale Style Arm Chair just caught my eye, and I couldn't resist posting it :)

My search continues....

for the perfect dining chair. See, my dining area doesn't lend itself to much room besides the necessities...and so my solution is a similar table like seen below (48" round, possibly White Carrara marble top) with 4 chairs. But sometimes I find myself floundering in the decision making department when it comes to my own home...


so, when seeing this Domino issue about pairing the right chair with your table...I thought, that's it! I'll do a Chinese "Chippendale" chair...maybe with a Josef Frank fabric inspired fabric, and voila we're done!


But, then came along this Miles Redd design (above featured in Domino/Oct '05) with a Ram's Head chair, I thought...maybe we have another candidate on our hands! So what do you think, should I consider the Ram's Head chair for my dining area too (like the one from this Miles Redd design)?

(Nina Griscom home, House and Garden/'06)

To me, it's a classic and timeless chair...definitely not a trend, or is it? What do you think of this chair in general?

( photo by Paul Costello, image via Desire to Inspire)

I love this image! The wallcovering, the chair, the dark hardwood...and the rug too! And I have to say, if I haven't said this before, that Desire to Inspire blog...does just that, always inspires me...so thank you for your great posts!

(Image via Graham and Green)

Not for my dining room, but check out these Ram's Head chairs I found on Graham and Green. Above is a bone-inlay Ram's Head chair with an intricate floral decoration, below is embossed white metal...zoom in to see how much detail is there!

(Image via Graham and Green)

**I'm currently leaning towards the Chinese Chippendale chairs! So if you want to sway me, present a good sale :) and thanks for all you comments!**

A print that never gets old!

(Suzie from Palazzo Pizzo blog was kind enough to pass along this image from a recent Elle Decor issue for my post, thanks!!)

I find that toile is a dish best served with a side of toile...

(Designed by Alessandra Branca, featured in Elle Decor/Dec. '06)

Wouldn't you agree? Toile is such a graphic print yet it has subtle qualities, which is why it can be applied in so many ways and still come off fresh and charming. If you still can't imagine this to be true, I have saved some of my favorite "toile" rooms for inspiration...tell me what you think?

(Designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, featured in Rooms to Inspire book)

(Designed by Fiona Newell Weeks, featured in Southern Accents, July/Aug. '04)

(Designed by Heidi Friedler, featured in Southern Accents, Jan/Feb. '06)

If designing a room out of toile is a hard sale for you, check out this great idea featured in Elle Decor back in April. Owners Glen Senk and Keith Johnson (of Anthropologie), found a creative ways to display a collection of Toile de Jouy fabrics in antique frames, shown above.


Or you could simply use the fabric as an accent in a room, like what owners Mario and Anne Grauso have done in their dining room here, featured in Elle Decor/Sept. '06.

For a more modern twist on toile, check out Timorous Beasties (a fantastic fabric and wallcovering company) and a previous post of mine here...

A bathroom any guest would love!

and the owners for that matter....


A little inspiration for Maryam at My Marrakesh blog...I hope this collection of images will guide you towards the design of the bathrooms in your home and the Peacock Pavilions. Do keep us posted on your progress.

(I love the mirror suspended in front of the window here, this is the home of Harold and Jamie Stream III, featured in Elle Decor, May '06)

(This bathroom feels warm, masculine, and Moroccan. Featured in Rooms to Inspire book)

(I just love this shade of pink and Carrara marble, not exactly Moroccan, but I just love it! Featured on Domino Magazine website)

(A stand alone tub on hardwood floors just really speaks to me, this room was designed by Silvio Rech and Chris Browne, featured in Elle Decor Home book)

(A simple palette is a great base to add and subtract color from, should you change your mind often. This bathroom is featured on Domino Magazine website)

(I chose this room because of the tiny details and home like feel. This bathroom was designed by Jean-Louis Deniot, featured in Rooms to Inspire book)

**But, if you haven't had a chance to stop by Maryam and her blog, you must! Have a great weekend!!!**

Dark kitchens...Bright idea!

Maybe it's just me, but I am often drawn to white kitchens, and only white kitchens. But I'm feeling different these days, and I say...let's paint our whtie cabinets black and toss that White Carrara stone for some lovely shiny black stone! It's sophisticated, but still very inviting! The image of Kelly Werstler and this "oh so glamorous" black kitchen has inspired me to break out of my comfort zone and explore the dark side...

(Designed by Kelly Wearstler, from O at Home magazine, via BlackWhiteBliss blog)

(designer Miles Redd, via Rooms to Inspire book)

(image via House and Garden website)

(designed by Fearon Hay, via Desire to Inspire blog)

(the Apt, image via Made by Girl blog)

(Designed by Mark Schomish, via Met. Home magazine)

A signature color...

(image via Puerto Swegian's flickr site. The eyes are a little scary, I know...don't stare directly at them, she's thinking too pink!)

**Perfect pink walls are not easily achieved...and not often the first color choice for most. But, I aim to change your minds today! Pink is not just for a little girl's room any more...it can be just perfect in the right setting, and here are some that truly work, hope you enjoy!**

(Inspired as always by Jennifer with the Peak of Chic blog, this images was posted a couple days back, designed by Mary McDonald)

(Designed by Bettina Bachmann, featured in Elle Decor Home book)

(Designed by Jarrett Hedborg, featured in Rooms to Inspire book)

(Miles Redd, the ever so talented...always picks the perfect pink as you will see with these images, shown top and bottom two images as well, all featured in Rooms to Inspire book) Miles, if you're reading (my guess is not)...what pink paint colors do you use?

**Too strong of a pink for you weak at heart, a more subtle pink is just a great...and not too girlie I assure you. **

(Image via Domino Magazine website)

(You could try wallcovering like Jonathan Adler has here, image via Desire to Inspire blog)

**But maybe you're scared, and I get that...you could start small like the image below. The accents of pink in this room just make the difference.**

(Designed by Miles Redd)

Ronda at All the Best posted some inspiring Think Pink images back in July, click here to view them.