Perfect Paper: Madison & Grow

Ummm...have I mentioned how much I love wallpaper these days? No? Well...it's too bad I currently rent because I absolutely ADORE this wallpaper by Madison and Grow. 

The fuchsia and grey snake skin design is my favorite...

...but I would not hesitate to use any of these fabulous prints.

Which one would you use?

Madison and Grow is also responsible for the award winning historical renovation of the Calvin theater in Northampton, MA...just around the corner from where I live. 

Google Doodle: Alphonse Mucha

Yesterday's Google Doodle was in honor of Alphonse Mucha's 150th birthday (July 24th). 

Mucha was an Art Nouveau artist in the late 1800's - early 1900's. He was most famous for his paintings and illustrations of women, many of which were made for magazines, posters, and advertisements.

Alphonse Mucha, Self Portrait 1899

I'm so attracted to the colors and patterns of intertwining hair, fabric, and flowers. Here are a few of my favorites...

Mucha was also the inspiration for my tattoo which I have been adding to over the last few years. I'm definitely feeling the itch to add on very soon.

Barely There Ghost Chair

This chair is always on my mind and some day I hope to own it. For now, it's hard to imagine spending $410 on a chair when one of my hobbies is rejuvenating old furniture found at thrift stores and garage sales. I have quite the collection of chairs throughout my apartment, but none of them compare to this one. It's translucent form visually opens up any space and adds a touch of modernized French glamor. 

The Louis Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck for Kartell

Superordinate Antler Pendant

The last time I stepped foot in a house with taxidermy heads mounted throughout the entryway of the home I nearly fainted. Not only was the room of death extremely sad, but also very scary. Imagine getting up in the middle of the night to grab a drink of water? No thank you! I would never take an animal's life to create a decorative piece for my home, but I do love the look of faux animal print accessories. The zebra and leopard are beautiful animals with great patterns to mimic throughout the home. Faux fur rugs are great for their textures and never once have I thought, 'I wish I was laying on a real bear right now'. I would prefer my animal inspired pieces to look fake, so there is no confusion. Even antler chandelier's have turned my stomach...until now...

Thank you Design Within Reach for the Superordinate Antler Pendant designed by Jason Miller. Made completely out of ceramic, now there is no excuse to take them from an innocent little deer (think Marisa Tomei voice in the movie My Cousin Vinny).  

Hang it above an unpredictable dinging room set like the Eero Saarinen tulip table and chairs...

...Or above a rustic dining room table made from an old tree that once stood in your front yard. 

I love interesting light fixtures in bedrooms, and this room could use a little eye candy while snuggled up in this mohair throw (don't worry, Mohair is only the hair from Angora goats). 

Hang it in a cabin style bathroom. I'm picturing a nice soaking tub overlooking a lake to the right of this picture. I'm so ready for vacation!

Google Doodle: Josef Frank

I'm always amused by Google's creative search engine themes (aka "Google doodles") but today's theme was especially intriguing. I was immediately drawn to the bold colors and stylistic and slightly psychedelic patterns that spelled the word "Google"...if you look close enough. 

I know I have seen these patterns before, so I had to learn more. It turns out Google was honoring Josef Frank's 125th birthday today, a famous Austrian-Swedish architect and the creator of the Vienna School of Architecture. 

Josef Frank 1960

I promise I paid attention during my History of Furniture class, but it wasn't until I "Googled" images of his work that I knew why his name seemed so familiar. His patterns are everywhere! In addition to his architectural work, he designed furniture, furnishings, and textiles. Most upholstered pieces and accessories can be found at Anthropologie and Bonluxat...

and textiles at justscandinavian.com...

 

These pieces can run a pretty penny, so keep an eye out for Josef inspired furniture and fabrics at stores such as Ikea and Pottery Barn...

Or wallpaper an accent wall...

But if you are anything like me, and your style changes with the seasons, perhaps recovering a side chair is all the Josef Frank you need...for now.

A tribute to my West Coast ladies

Just as I posted a "sneak peak" of my latest painting to try to motivate me to finish, here is a sneak peak of a project I started over a year ago. Although some have called these glorified glamor shots (and maybe they are) it's actually a tribute to my girl friends and their amazing talents and wonderful personalities. I am truly amazed that I have the friends that I do, and each one is so unique, I wanted to capture this somehow. This is a first draft and I definitely need to brush up on my Photoshop skills, but for now here are four friends that were the subjects of a mini photo shoot last year.

Emily Leger

Corin McGee

Kaylee & Ruby Mayeux

Rochelle Love

I hope to gain the confidence to continue this project very soon because I had a lot of fun with this. Thank you girls for participating in my project and I may be looking for more subjects in the near future!

Basil Infusion

This is my first attempt at infusing vodka with fresh ingredients. I've been growing basil on my front porch and it's finally ready, so instead of making a caprese salad, I'm adding it to vodka. 

 It's also an excuse for me to use my jars I've been holding on to for five years.

And yes, I even made a label for it!

Red, white, and Oooh...I want that table!

My 4th of July weekend plans are I don't have any. It's rare to have two days off in a row, so I'm just going to take advantage of spending the weekend with my boys. However, next year I'd love to go away, perhaps somewhere closer to the water where fireworks can be seen from the beach or a beach house. How fabulous would it be to spend your summer getaways at this home?

White kitchens are classic, but incorporating a touch of color to the cabinetry is a great way to add interest to the space. 

Speaking of classics...I love, love, love this Eero Saarinen "Tulip" table and some day hope to get my hands on one!

Paper lanterns are so simple and inexpensive, yet add such a pleasant and whimsical feel to a space. Different sizes and colors filled with a low wattage bulb can really make a room feel magical at night. 

Did I mention this home belongs to my boyfriend's cousin? 

Perhaps I will see it some day!

Some people tend can get carried away with holiday decorations, but simple touches such as these can really set the scene for a great party. 

If I ever decide to bake it will be with fresh, local fruit. 

This table setting is wonderful! It incorporates red, white, and blue in a very nontraditional way, and I just love that. 

I'll save this idea for when I have little ones some day, but I'll have them decorate their own can. 

Yum indeed! Happy 4th everyone!