Packing it all in.

I will be M.I.A. from the blog world for the next month due to the growing length of my to-do-list. Hope everyone has a wonderful and fun holiday season! I'll be back with lots of new inspiration for 2010!

photo by Corrie Bond

Hostess with the mostess

I am loving Anna Maria Horner's fabric collection. This is definitely a great example of serving up a little holiday cheer in style. For more info, www.annamariehorner.com

I'll get you, my pretty and your little dog too!

Since I love Halloween, I decided to publish another post on the festive and always fun holiday. This time highlighting one of my FAVORITE retail spaces, The Curious Sofa. The talented staff at Curious Sofa really get into the whimsical and fun side of the holiday. Each Halloween season, Debbie Dunsenberry and her team get busy decorating her Kansas City store with the most interesting and entertaining eclectic assortment of props and merchandise. "Freak Show" is the theme at the store this year. If you find yourself in Kansas, keep your eyes open for the wicked witch of the west and treat yourself to the ever changing, intriguing and always theatrical decor of the Curious Sofa.

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

My favorite creative pumpkin decor ideas from Martha and House of 3!





photos 1-3:marthastewart.com
photo4:houseof3.com

Pretty in pink

This is the latest edition to The Brushed Bureau. I found this rare gem at Christies on Main (antique store in Pineville, NC). It is an adorable little vanity/dresser piece from the 1960s. Cute as a button!

Sugar and spice and all things nice!

These are recent pics of the store....the feminine side of The Brushed Bureau. If you reside in Charlotte, please stop by for a visit. We are in the BlackLion (Charlotte Park Rd.) along with 300+ other merchants. It's a fun place to shop for furniture, accessories and gifts. And, a great place to get inspired for decorating ideas!

Serene Surroundings

Be inspired by Phoebe Howard, a talented Atlanta interior designer, who has mastered the art of creating beautiful serene interiors. Her stately decorated rooms will give you the gratifying feeling of lavish comfort from head to toe!

Pink is the new green!

Ahhh, it is good to be a girl! Check out this vintage re-claimed "shabby chic" dresser. It's hand-painted in a low VOC pale pink color with a distressed finish and glass knobs. For sale at The Brushed Bureau in Blacklion.

Magnifique!

This lovely California estate was inspired by the beautiful south countryside of France. The decor is exquisite with giant chandeliers and velvet sofas. It also sits on a 65-acre piece of land with many breath-taking views. It was re-decorated and renovated by Suzanne Sommers and is currently for sale.

It's Fall, Ya'll!

The store is decorated for fall! Please stop by The Blacklion to check out the Brushed Bureau's (Space # 360 & 370) new fall and Halloween accessories. Blacklion features over 300 merchants displaying gifts, furniture and unique home accessories.

Reclaim it!

I find many old discarded pieces that are begging to be salvaged. The possibilities for recycling these items are endless. So, the next time you are throwing out an old shutter or cabinet in the garbage bin, consider re-purposing it. It will add much creative character to your decor, save dollars and mother earth will thank you! (Examples below: old shutters re-purposed for headboard, old picket fence made into a decorative hook, distressed cabinet with old glass knob turned into a wall ornament.)

Sayonara Sweet Summer

This is the time of year when I start feeling melancholy because I know I will soon have to trade in my flip flops for boots. I am dedicating this post to my favorite month of summer featuring this fabulous HGTV Dream House of 2008. This fantastic abode is located in the Florida Keys where summer is everlasting!

Stay green in GREENSboro.

Believe it or not, one of the greenest hotels in the U.S. is here in the Carolinas ...Greensboro, N.C. Proximity Hotel is one of the North America's most talked about luxury eco-friendly hotels. Proximity uses 41% less energy and water without compromising comfort. The modern chic architectural details are very dramatic with extra large windows that invite in natural light and give guests a glimpse of the natural gardens surrounding the building. This hotel also features an regenerative elevator that captures energy and feeds it back into the building's electric grid. So, if you find yourself in Greensboro, Proximity Hotel would be well worth checking out. Tours can also be arranged at http://www.proximityhotel.com/

Bottoms up

Check out these innovative chandeliers made from wine bottles. I'm sure this lighting would start great dinner party discussion. Although these fixtures use new bottles, this would be a wonderful recycling idea!

Pale Pink Perfection

This sweet little French Provincial table is a vintage 1960's piece. Updated with a coat of light pink paint and distressed for an aged country appearance. The pink glass knob was added for an extra little glam. This table is for sale at The Brushed Bureau, booth #360 at Blacklion.

Red hot summer

I love this 1940's Harmony House 3-drawer chest with original Federal hardware. Painted in this Jalapeno (Sherwin-Williams) red orange color, it will brighten up any room as the perfect hall chest, bedside table or even kitchen storage. Available in Blacklion, booth 370 @ The Brushed Bureau.

Under the big tent.

Blacklion's Annual Tent Sale starts this Thursday(6/23) and ends on Sunday (6/26). If you are looking for high quality furniture and/or a large assortment of home accessories, this sale is worth checking out! This is the time of year where we are reducing inventory to make room for the holiday season. It's the BIG DADDY of sales!!!

Our thoughts create our lives and our words indicate what we are thinking.*

This blog is dedicated to interior design. However, sometimes I feel the need to promote things that bring good will to the world. The concept of what you focus on expands has been around for ages. Will Bowen's book, A Complaint Free World, was written two years ago but it is a powerful reminder that if you change your thoughts, you change your world. And, we all deserve GREAT things in our lives!

Fantabulous Fabric

Amy Butler and Anna Maria Horner are two of the most talented textile artists in today's market. Their designs are fresh vintage inspired with a modern touch. Their fabric can make a dull room instantly come alive. I found these wonderful pillows made from their material lines on the Etsy handcrafted website. You can purchase these pillows at http://www.etsy.com/.
You can also check out Amy and Anna on their sites: http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/ http://www.annamariahorner.com/

Divine Details

On a recent trip to St. Augustine, Florida, I discovered one of the most impressive examples of Spanish Renaissance Revival Architecture. It was once the former Ponce De Leon Hotel and now occupied by Flager College. Built by architects, John Carere and Thomas Hasting in 1885 for Henry Flager, the hotel's exquisite detailing strongly influenced the architecture of Southern Florida for the next century. Louis C. Tiffany designed the interior of the hotel which is equally as impressive as the exterior. If you are ever in St. Augustine, this US National Historic Landmark is well worth checking out.

Snap, crackle, pop, party!

Check out these patriotic party ideas from the queen of party planning, Martha Stewart. The hanging stars are made from fabric, paper and fishing line. The red bucket cooler is decorated with white stars made from adhesive shelving paper. Just add a few snap, crackle and pop fireworks and your 4th of July party is complete.

Something old, new, borrowed and blue!

"Something old" is this great auction find. I do not know the exact age but I would guess from its detailing, this table is from the Victorian era. "Something new" is the metal filigree hardware knobs from Anthropologie. "Something borrowed" would be my husband's saw because these old pieces often need a drawer adjustment. And, of course, "something blue" would be the lovely light shade of icy blue paint!

Color is a girl's best friend.

Did you know that everyone has their own personal color that complements their characteristics and helps navigate them through life? According to Michelle Berhardt (a renowned intuitive and astrologer who wrote Colorstrology), focusing on your corresponding color that matches your sun sign on the day you were born offers insight into your true personality and nature. Check out her fun and informative site: http://www.colorstrology.com You can also send out birthday color e-cards!

Move over Ken, Jon is in the house!

In honor of Barbie's 5oth birthday, Jonathan Adler has designed the interior of this fun and fabulous real Malibu home. Overlooking the Pacific, this house was chosen because of the perfect glamorous setting. Alder has added the ultimate accessories fit for Barbie: an original Warhol portrait of Barbie, a chandelier made from 30 blond wigs, a kitchen stocked with cupcake-making ingredients and a pink Volkswagen Beetle parked in the garage. A well done job for the perfect fantasy client- happy, fun and loving life!

Living in a material world.

In my next lifetime, I would like to come back as a textile designer. A particular fabric that I am in love with right now is Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis (Schumacher). The trellis pattern has made a huge comeback fueled by today's version of Mid-Century Modern and Hollywood Regency style trends. Here are some of my favorites examples of Imperial Trellis. (bed frame, Plantation LA; chair, Stylecourt; lamp, The Brushed Bureau)