I want that...

I want that mirror from Gwyneth Paltrow's lovely bathroom featured in House and Garden...and then I found it!

Vero Mirror from World's Away, available at Tonic Home

Have a good laugh today...

Thank you Design*Sponge for making my Friday! Yesterday's post on site "Eurobad '74" was just what I needed...a good helping of European interiors gone wrong.


Some aren't so bad...but others, well see for yourself. The pic above is what I would call a case of Kelly green gone wrong...way wrong...but I do like the idea of matching your car to your kitchen (I'm practical, what can I say:)

So, treat yourself today and stop by Design Sponge and Eurobad '74!!!

Happy Friday and Hope you have a great weekend!

Let it shine!

So about a month ago Shine Home introduced new product to the public, but in case you hadn't seen what this new collection is all about, I selected a few pieces to showcase today...same old white and bright colors but in a whole new way.

Well, how's this new collection looking for you?

Step it up!

So I'm back at it again with faux animal prints, please don't hate me. It may just be my latest obsession, but who knows cause I'm obsessed about a lot of things. See, if you didn't know me, you'd think I meant the over the top animal print..one you might find at some obscure/ "out of the movies" type home. But, thankfully you know I'm not like that!

(Designed by Haynes-Roberts, featured in House and Garden, Oct. '07)

I thought I would share some of my latest inspiration, of where stairs meet their counter part: faux animal print runners...and together they make a perfect team.

(Designed by Michael Simon, featured in House and Garden, Feb. '07)

(Designed by Miles Redd)

Sometimes a space needs that added bit of exotic and these runners certainly do the trick, don't you think?

But, these prints even look great as broadloom too! Jan Shower's design (above) makes a statement with this Stark Carpet leopard print. Stark is where it's at when it comes to rugs and carpet, including their animal print line, do check them out!

Wassssssss happening!!!!

Okay so I didn't' fall off the face of the earth but it just so happens that I've been a pretty busy girl lately. I am working on updating my site's look including a new banner (oooooooo....awhhhhhhhh). As well, I was asked to do a guest blog spot with Glam.com's editor Erika Lenkert and her great blog Glamnest (take a looksy, but nevermind the background in my pic, it was hard to find one of just me without a glass o' wine in my hand and a funny face! :)

Needless to say, my postings may be a bit sporadic for the next week until my blog is fully updated. Hope you understand and Happy Blogging!!! Oh, and thanks again Erika!!!

Dine in style...

When it comes to your dining area I think you should nook it!!! I have been seeing more and more these cozy "little supper club" like areas for dining. What a great idea, you could use a settee or custom make a banquette for a restaurant/living room like design approach to the room. Here's some examples that I"ve come across, let me know what you think! Hope you enjoy.

(Designed by Celerie Kemble, featured in House Beautiful, Nov. '07)

(Designed by Michael S. Smith, featured in his book Elements of Style)

(Designed by Chad Eisner, featured in House Beautiful, June '07)

(Designed by Steven Gambrel, featured in Elle Decor, Jan/Feb. '07)

(Designed by Frank Roop, featured in Met Home, Oct. '07)

There's enough to go around...

So, I think this is how you prevent "Honey, where's the toilet paper, I can't find it!" Um, it's right in front of your face, in that massive holder.

I couldn't resist, when I saw this shot from the home of Chara Schreyer designed by Gary Hutton and featured in this month's issue of Western Interiors. This steel vessel was created to hold several rows of toilets as if it where another art piece for Schreyer, this art collector and SF MOMA board of trustees member, as well it acts as a modern privacy screen.

So, what do you think? Sculpture? Storage? Privacy Screen? Unpractical?

Mean "green" recycling machine...

I've been tagged by Miss Sarah over at Toast and Tables blog (thanks a lot :) to reveal in my own blog my "green" side. Not my money hungry side, but the other "green". I know it's hard to believe that you can be glamorous and planet-friendly at the same time, but it's true!

Okay, maybe I don't drive my car on alternative fuel or grow my own organic vegetables in my backyard (It's in my nature to kill plants, I think it's genetic)...but, I think in general it just matters that on a daily basis I'm planet conscious in some way or another big or small.

With that said, here's 10 things I do to that make the planet like me....

1. Recycle...duh! Okay, and I don't mean just tossing out cans into a bin. I do that. But, really recycle...like paper, electronics, tires...ect.

2. Reuse...okay I promise the next ones will be creative. But, I consider buying refurbished furniture pieces an act of "reusing", am I right?!?!

Love this refurbish white faux bamboo chair from Pieces

3. Purchase sustainable furniture...it's out there, I assure you. Not just for office furniture anymore, but there are great companies, like Eboniste for example that are using reclaimed wood in fabulous ways...

Paris Console from Eboniste

4. Ceiling fans...they are some great looking ones available these days. So, say goodbye to that horrible "contractor" fan (you know the one I'm talking about) and look into Modern Fan Co. or the like...

I put some of these in my spare bedrooms...Concept II by Minka Aire

5. Turn off the lights!! You know they say things look better in the dark. Well, it's true. But, if I need light to see so I don't stub my toe on something, then I use compact fluorescent bulbs in all my fixtures. Ikea has these great ones that are shaped like an A lamp bulb, check them out...

Energy-saving bulb E26 from Ikea

6. What's in your wash? Well, like Sarah, I too use planet friendly soaps, cleaners, detergents, etc. I usually get mine from Trader Joes, but there are plently of products on the market, like Method sold at Target.

7. Have a blog....see I could be writing all these thoughts down on paper, but I'm not! And there in fact, I'm saving the planet :)

8. Do the dishes for god's sake! As much as I would like to sometimes with our house in such a disarray and that dishwasher built the year that they were invented, I use our dinnerware and not paper plates or paper cups. At work we do the same.

9. Carpool. Okay, I don't carpool to work, but I carpool to drinks and dinner. Yup, it's the best way to go. Meet up and drive together, you kill to birds with one stone and have an automatic DD. Either that or cab it, I figure they're driving around wasting fuel either way, why not be in the car with them.

10. Tote your own. I bring my trusty Trader Joes bags everytime I go to the market, and even if I'm not at Trader Joe's but at another grocery store, I still bring them (tucked away in my cute hobo bag).

An ebay steal...

I found this faux bamboo mirror (21 x 44) on ebay just now...currnet bid: $15.58. Um, can you say steal...thought I'd share it with you, bidding ends in 4 days, click here to see. Oh and I found a few foo dogs as well...

(Pair of Foo Dogs, current bid: $22.51, ends in 13 hours, click here to view)

Rustic Glamour

I want you to channel that rustic side of for a moment...we all have one even if we weren't born in the wilderness and raised by wolves. Now, this side of me, I feel is best mixed with a bit of glamour. What better way to bring that out then with using, what I think it may be the next "coral" or "antlers" trend...horns! Take the Kelly Wearstler design below (you can put any adjective in front of glamour and I still think of her)...and the others, showing how rustic meets glamour in the best way possible.

(Kelly Wearstler, via Domicilium Decoratus)

(Miles Redd, via Rooms to Inspire book)

(Fashion Designer Jenni Kayne, featured in Domino/Dec./Jan. '07)

(Image via Leah at morewaystowastetime blog, click here to see her post on horns)

Here are some other horn finds I thought I'd share with you...

(Italian Horn Lamp from Plantation, $1,695.00)

(Horn Sconces from eccola on 1st dibs)

(Barrel Chair with horn legs from Woodson & Rummerfield on 1st dibs)

(Buffalo horns from Z Gallerie, only $39)

So, what do you think...are horns the next big thing? Have you been seeing them around much more these days?

Get real!!

Well, I mean only if you want to. See this has been a real interesting last couple of months...chalked full of "get real" moments. My mom seems to think this comes with age, but I'm thinking it's because I'm just finally opening my eyes. So in while in bloggerland today I was visiting what I believe to be a great and fairly new blog Design for Mankind , when I stumbled upon a website called Picture of Walls...



I may be wrong, but the owner's behind these graffiti slogans...well, are documenting their "get real" moments... just for use all to have a good laugh. I tried to keep it clean and non-political, but there's some real good ones, do check it out!

If you're going to mix it up...

(image via dedece.com)

which I suggest you do! There's no better furniture series than that of Warren Platner to give you a classic modern twist (if you so desire). I am a big fan of all the pieces from this collection, which includes various tables and chairs..and even more so love when they are juxtaposed against a hand carved casegood or the like. If you can't picture it...here are some great examples I thought I'd share with you.

(Kelly Wearstler design, image via Apryll Annie blog)

(Home of Ken Downing and his partner featured in Met Home/July/Aug. '04)

(Designed by Brian Hoy and featured on Design Sponge)

(Vicente Wolf, who is no stranger to the Platner series, design featured in Met Home/Feb. '07)

(Design by Jeffrey Bilhuber featured in House and Garden/Oct. '05, image via Katiedid blog)

Well, do you love all things Platner now, like I do...

A hip Hampton's retreat...

designed by movie star/rocker wife Gwyneth Paltrow. Yup, you heard me. I came across this home featured House and Garden website while surfin' the net and thought I'd post it to see what what your thoughts are...come on, it's Friday, it's not like your really working :)

"I've become an encyclopedia of design for my friends," says Gwyneth during the interview...

Cool colors all round and I love the Madeline Weinrib's Hollywood Regency chair aside the fireplace...

Um, it wouldn't be a rocker's house with out a pair of worn out chucks lying around...

A big open kitchen, which was Gwyneth's idea to double the size...

Little Apple's room, which features a custom canopy bed by Jonas, Inc., NYC, and boasts fabrics from Raoul Textiles...

I think that print looks quite familiar...maybe a custom black on black Imperial Trellis by KWID...

The Master Bedroom features the Thurman bed from Usona and Wendell Castle's Muse side table...

So, what do you think...should we now be calling Gwyneth a movie star/ rocker wife/ interior designer ?!?!?

**Well Happy Friday!!! Hope you have a great weekend! Oh, and check out Habitually Chic blog because I was just told she has the behind the scenes photos of this shoot :)**

(Feature written by Jay McInerney, photographed by Eric Cahan)