100th post & Caribbean eye candy

Confession: I started blogging because I was a little lonely.

Now I should quickly add that I have wonderful friends I've known for decades but they're spread out all over the country. I also had experienced the all too familiar moving away of friends that is the hallmark of living in a transient area such as Washington, DC. So, along with having a design addiction, I think I was hoping blogging would fill a void.

My sincerest thanks to everyone who has visited my blog, left comments, emailed me and welcomed me as a visitor to their blog. Your kindness, humor and, of course, great talent for design, has made blogging more than I could have expected. Thank you! For all those Swedish bloggers who I visit and leave comments for in english - Tack så mycket!

In celebration of my 100th post, here are some caribbean design images. Back in 1989 when my interior design magazine addiction began (I remember it well!), I fell in love with British colonial furniture and the West Indies aesthetic. The image above is from the hotel Round Hill in Jamaica. The symmetry is wonderful. If this were a private home, imagine how cheery it would be to come home to it!

Designer India Hicks, image via Domino

Bob Greenspan, Orange County Register

Living etc.

Fustic House, designer Oliver Messel via Lime in the Coconut

I think these painted aqua floors are brilliant!

Round Hill resort, Jamaica (above and two images below) I want these ceilings!


The Blue Beach house by designer Phoebe Howard

Sneak Peaks - International Magazines & Video Links

I woke up this morning a bit earlier than usual and wanted to share with you the results of my surfing - digital magazine previews and videos from international design magazines. Enjoy.


British Homes & Gardens - click here for a digital sneak preview


For Trade Secrets Video from Living etc. featuring designers Nina Campbell, Ben de Lisi, Jane Packer, Suzy Hoodless, and Joanna Wood- click here

For a preview of Canadian House and Home via their digital edition - click here

For video of Maus Park Home tour of a renovated 1850's Georgian Retreat - click here

For video of The Perfect Loft and tips for small space living - click here

For a digital priview of Australian Vogue Living - click here


For a digital preview of Ideal Home - click here

House Crush

I have a house crush on Chris and Eric Fenmore's ranch in Corona del Mar California, recently featured in Better Homes and Gardens, July 2008. Maybe I'm partial to ranches because I live in one but it's great to see how the 1950's feel washes away when walls are removed and rooms are opened up and connected to the outdoors. Plus, I have a soft spot for dutch doors - notice their yellow one above. As it happens, the Fenmores are landscape designers and owners of Front Porch Creations. (these photos are from The Orange County Register, photography by Paul Rodriquez. Click here to see more of the photo slide show.)

44 today

I'm 44 today! Back to real blogging tomorrow.


Rainbow that appeared over the lake in Hallstatt, Austria.

More from Hallstatt

A lake in the Austrian Alps - the water looks Caribbean to me

Mamma Mia! - wanting more Greek Interior Design

Have you had a chance to see Mamma Mia, the movie? I've never seen the play so the story line for me was new and I loved it! Watching it I couldn't help but to notice the bohemian style of Villa Donna and the gorgeous sheets, fabrics and embroidery featured in the interior design. Originally I couldn't find a still that highlighted the interior but thanks to Boat Shed Chic here is one - think bluish lavender washed bedroom walls with red & white linens, aegean blue contrasted against white and multi-colored table cloths and bed linens.

The movie left me wanting more Greek style! Here's the results of my internet Greek island hopping.

(Source for still photo from movie - Cinema Blend. Images of the hotels below from their web sites.)

Greece Style by Angelika Taschen

Pervivolas hotel in Santorini - these bold colors are so appealing. In the bedroom below, the inclusion of one strong color is soothing.


Katikies Hotel, Santorini A restrained and elegant bedroom design.

Vedema Resort, Santorini. This resort was redecorated in 2004 by the well known Greek decorator Aggelos Aggelopoulos.

Mystique Hotel - very textural.

Tsitouras Hotel


So if you can't make it to a Greek island this summer, be sure to see Mamma Mia! the movie and enjoy not only the songs and the story but the beautiful scenery. To get into the Greek mood consider a vintage greek tunic from this Etsy purveyor

and these vintage grecian sandals

and this greek key pillow from Williams Sonoma, albeit a little predictable
and these linens from Haute Home

Hopefully, the bigger box retailers will notice the vibrant bedding from Mamma Mia and deliver more options for the Fall.

In the meantime, you can read more about Aegean textiles in these books, Aegean Crossroads or Embroidery of the Greek Islands and Epirus Region, available at the Textile Musuem Shop. Opa!!

Bully Hill- vibrant and inexpensive art from a true Maverick

"They have my name and heritage but they didn't get my goat." - Walter S. Taylor, the maverick vintner who challenged the Fortune 500 powers that be and "lost" but then won on his own terms.

Walter S. Taylor broke from his uncles and The Taylor Wine company in the 1960's to focus on wines made without relying on additives and preservatives. Subsequent court battles ensued. I met Walter S. Taylor in 1985 at a college lecture and was thrilled when he signed my poster - at that time he was under court order not to associate his last name "Taylor" with his new vineyard, Bully Hill. If I remember correctly, the fine was $10,000 per incident. But as I said, he was a maverick.

Walter was also a prolific artist with many of his works being used for wine labels. These labels are now available as colorful posters - at only $8.00! I have a number of them in my home.

(Click here to visit the page where in the bottom right corner is a link to his art gallery.)





I have the Aurore one in our basement rec room.


The Ravat poster hangs in my kitchen.

The above two are currently hanging in my periwinkle colored office.

Walter S. Taylor served as an official artist for NASA and painted the Columbia III Shuttle in 1982.

Walter S. Taylor on the right. I wrote to Mr. Taylor in the spring of 2001 to request an interview with him about his life but my letter was returned with sad news. He had passed away April 20, 2001 at the age of 69 after being paralyzed from a car accident ten years earlier.

Hats off to this maverick - "a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates." source dictionary.com
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