My Favorite Things Right Now

First of all, thank you SO much for the nice comments and emails about my returning to blogging.  Wow - what a nice feeling!  :)

Now that I'm blogging a bit more often, the design bug has gotten back into my veins.  It never really left, but it's now in the forefront of my mind again!  :)  Anyway, here are a few things I am loving right now:

...these gorgeous obelisks.  Well, the whole vignette, actually...

Functional items displayed beautifully!

This gorgeous table.

Rustic, feel-good and natural.  Yummy.

More yummy.  Love that lavender!

What are some of your favorite things right now?

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Ketchup & Mustard

...well, hold the ketchup, at least for now.  Can you tell I'm in a silly mood today?   :)

Maybe it's the leaves in all shades of yellow, gold and orange that have been crunching underfoot lately, but mustard yellow has been top of mind.  Here are a few that I thought were worth sharing:

I also came across these two inspirations which I thought were uber-cool.  Check them out:

If you're interested, a while back I did a post inspired by sunflower yellow which was  similar.  If you liked this post, I thought you might like to see that one too!

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Ready For Guests!

Here are a few ideas for entertaining guests this Fall and - of course - a few decorating ideas too, just for grins.  :)  Enjoy!

I love anything individualized - aren't these so pretty and fun?

Gorgeous!

Kid-friendly and adorable.

A lovely, simple wine tasting party.

Holiday parties are right around the corner! 

We have done desserts in champagne flutes and other decorative glasses like these several times and they are always a hit.  Don't miss the great risers too.

I'm a big fan of the versatile mint julep cup but this idea was new to me!

Now that is an amazing use of a dough bowl!

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Ideas For Styling Shelves & Vignettes

The hardest part of a room design (but also the most fun) is adding those finishing details that make it truly special and unique.  Here are a few beautiful ideas for styling vignettes and shelving that may help you out.  I know I got some great ideas!

Great detailing on the inside of that shade!

Great tips found here!

I love it when the vignette is layered in front of artwork...

Another great use of art...in front of the shelves!

Love those brass knobs!

What's your best tip for styling a great vignette?

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Petrified (in a good way)

When we were in Bali a few months ago my husband and I were drawn to the petrified wood products, imported from the neighboring island of Sumatra.  We browsed various open air galleries of products and decided on a petrified wood stool.  We found one that we loved, bought it, and were on our way.  When we went back the day before we flew home to arrange delivery, we found out it had been sold to someone else!  That brought on another search (no pressure there) and also brought on close to heat stroke for me.  Alas, it was worth it in the end.  :)


Here is a picture we took in Bali (keep in mind that was back in early February) so that we could remember what it looked like!  

After jumping through many hoops with customs, it has arrived as of yesterday, and I love it!  It's a great souvenir for someone who loves design.  :)  Below is a picture of it in our living room, which right now is decorated with fresh, beach-inspired accents and colors.  Those will change when Fall arrives but the stool isn't going *anywhere* - it weighs about 450 pounds!

Here are a few other petrified wood products that I think are beautiful and, dare I say, even a bit sexy?!?  See what you think:

Such a cool serving tray!

Of course these  have been around a while, but I still love my set.

Magnets - they would really glam up the fridge.

If we had been coming back to Seattle to build, I would have bought one of these for the powder room for sure.  What a statement piece!

A sphere - what a fantastic addition to a vignette.

More stools in a rougher, natural state on the outside.

I'm not crazy about the whole set but we did consider a table like this - to be used as a unique bench.

I can't even imagine how much this would cost but it would make an amazing bar back splash, don't you think?

Masculine, timeless, beautiful coasters.

I'm really diggin' this ring!  Wow.  Talk about a statement cocktail ring!

I did another post on my love for petrified wood-like countertops a while ago - you can find it here.


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Ottoman Empire

Hi Everyone!  Happy Wednesday to you all...things are moving along here at home and I'm having fun starting to round out the house with furniture pieces I have had my eye on for a long time.  I just ordered these ottomans from Wisteria.  I can't wait to see them in person! 

I'm planning to use them in the living room in front of the fireplace, but I think they''ll also be great at the foot of the bed in our master, in the entry, or separated throughout the house. I think they'll be great for additional seating at parties, and kids love sitting on them too! Can you tell I love versatile pieces? :)  These are a few rooms that inspired me to add these to my home:

Windsor Smith

They add a hint (or more) of style tucked under a sofa table when not in use. 

Love the greek key detailing of course!



Stuart Membery Home



 Such an intriguing mix of Asian and African design here...

Brown Designs

 Love this look next to a luxurious bath.  Can you tell I really like zebra ottomans?  More to come.

Jayson Home & Garden

Vintage french.

Great in an entry and an easy way to store them in a smaller space.  This table may be high end but I spy a pretty easy IKEA DIY table here...





via Zhush Blog

Zebra, nailhead and that great finish on the legs?  Yum.

One of my favorite rooms of all time...especially the sofa table and ottomans. 

So what do you think of this versatile piece?