Kid's Bedrooms - Sweet but not Twee

When reading design magazines from Canada, England and Australia, I often come across words I had not heard of before. One of those words is "twee". For example, "The child's bedroom is sweet and lovely without being too twee." I think these children's bedrooms definitely qualify as sweet but not too twee.








all images via Living etc.

Martini anyone? Liquor as a home accessory...

I"m not sure what this says about me, but I think beautiful liquor bottles make a great home accessory. This portrait, along with its stocked tray of spirits, sets a certain mood. I can imagine someone asking for a Manhattan or a Rusty nail as they head off to an overstuffed chair by a roaring fire. My preference is for a bar to be set out on a table although there are wonderful bar cabinets available. I just think there is more visual interest as you can change the choice of liquor bottles and accompanying accoutrements with the season.








Image via House Beautiful. Design by Craig Schumacher and Phillip Kirk, portrait by Arn Hansen.














































Our bar cabinet is positioned between two french doors in our family room. This photo is from the summertime. As you'll note, there are two, not one, bottles of Bombay Sapphire. I love this gorgeous caribean blue color! ( and a well-made gin & tonic with a twist of lime.)

Living etc, Jan 2008, Inside-Out chest, Fresh West Design


Williams Sonoma Home Montmarte Cabinet

Inside Avenue bar cabinet

And for those wine aficianodos - a vintage bottle holder.

Wall & Trim - Same Color?

image via Beach Bungalow8

Thank you to Beach Bungalow 8 for a post about the above demi lune table, noting that she was happy to see the wall and trim the same color. Her insightful response to a question I posted started me thinking about times when the better design choice would be to abandon the classic white/ivory trim and woodwork and opt for a more seamless, uniform look.

Before - my living room with trim in White Dove, Benjamin Moore
The white chairs seemed to emphasize the trim - which is very basic and very non-descript.


























After - trim and wall Beacon Hill Damask, Benjamin Moore

I'm really pleased with the results. Our house is a 1950's ranch and except for a family room and office addition, the ceilings are 8 feet in height. As soon as the trim and wall were painted to match, the ceilings felt taller. So much so that I'm pondering painting the crown molding to match as a way of de-emphasizing it and also increasing the feeling of height. The crown molding is starting to feel out of place in this mid-century home. What do you think - should I paint the crown molding? Other thoughts on when it makes the best sense to have the wall and trim match?

*part way through my "photo shoot" I took the sconces off the fireplace wall. It took a photo to make me realize I didn't like them anymore! Wall (and the hurricane lamps) are looking a bit bare...

For contemplation, here are some more rooms with matching wall and trim color.

House Beautiful, Robert Goodwin designer. Per interview by Christoper Petkanas: "Goodwin painted the trim in the entry the same color as the walls. He prefers this modern-looking treatment to the tradition of painting it in a contrasting color."


Barbary Barry image via Alkemie

D Home Feb. 2008, design by Kelly Hardage, photography Timothy Kolk
The uniform color choice treats this elegant, clean lined entry table as sculpture.


Martha Stewart's Maine guesthouse Here it's all pink - even the crown molding with dentil trim and the formal fireplace surround and wall paneling.

Pretty Pink

Living etc, May 06

Living etc, Jan 08

Living etc, March 07,
wallpaper in room and below from Timorous Beasties






We were "iced-in" today - no school but also no snow to have fun in. On this grey day I found these rooms with touches of pink to be a great antidote. The first two rooms remind me of how one accent color can create such a huge impact. I also love the third room because it bravely revels in all its pinkness. For more pink, check out Pigtown Design's post on Ashes of Roses and All Things Bright and Beautiful for the pink peonies in her new masthead and a wonderful post on Joe Nye that includes more pink-inspiration.

And the Oscar goes to...House Beautiful

The March 2008 issue of House Beautiful - saw it on the stands - had to have it right then eventhough one would be coming in the mail shortly! This is one of the best issues of HB. I had my concerns a couple of years back when things started getting stale and then, under the leadership of a new editor, they switched to the interview style format. But now I'm smitten. This issue is better than a huge hunk of dark chocolate!


Design by David DeMattei and Patrick Wade, photography Jose Picayo


Design by David DeMattei and Patrick Wade, Photography Jose Picayo

Designer Kathryn Ireland, photography Victoria Pearson


Designer Kathryn Ireland, photography Victoria Pearson

Wood Sinks...

In addition to contemplating a concrete counter/sink for our eventual master bath redo, I've been thinking about wood sinks. At first thought - water + wood - how can that be a good match? Well, check out the beauty of these sinks and then scroll down for some information on why they may make a good pairing after all...
Aura walnut sink

Aura wood sink

Aura walnut integrated basin

Aura butternut sink

Aura sink

William Garvey teak sink

William Garvey integrated sink

William Garvey sink

Aura, a Canadian firm, was the first company I came across that crafts custom wood sinks. As noted on Aura's site, "AURA custom wood sinks are made from solid wood and can be crafted in virtually any size, shape or design, from a wide range of wood species. All the sinks are sealed in a clear protective finish to preserve the wood's natural beauty. This hard protective finish creates an impenetrable barrier which prevents water and moisture from penetrating the sink."
The English bespoke furniture maker, William Garvey, also makes wood sinks. As noted on their web site, "The Garvey company made their first sink in 1978, for a local client who wanted to transform the chore of washing up into a pleasure. In the early days the sinks and baths were made from natural teak with no additional finishing. Teak is chosen because of its natural waterproofing properties – it has been used for hundreds of years in the marine industry for this reason – teak also has natural antiseptic properties, which is a bonus for its use in baths and sinks. Now their sinks are virtually maintenance-free as their TeakSeal™ finish is incorporated into the teak itself providing a tough, easy-to-clean product that will stand the test of time. Their first sink is still in use to this day, and the owners love it so much that they took it with them when they moved."

hmm...a wood sink could be a definite possibility. I'm looking for something different but I also don't want to be too impractical. Any thoughts?

Love this room

image via Living etc, Nov. 2006

Patricia Gray's recent post about Beautiful Brown was on my mind when I came across this room. Love the white fireplace, window moldings and artwork contrasted with the sharp, saturated fabric colors by Designers Guild.

Designer Angie Hranowsky

Designer Angie Hranowsky has been featured on a number of blogs but I couldn't resist posting these images. The lush colors inpired me to be hopeful - Spring come around the corner soon!



images from AngieHranoswky.com and House Beautiful, March 2007

Happy Valentine's Day! - VIrtual chocolate for you

Artisan Confections - where art is chocolate and chocolate is art. Having indulged in these more times than I would like to reveal, I can tell you they are as delicious as they are beautiful.