Lovely Layered Art

"It's more interesting to have just a picture of a small detail - then you can dream all the rest around it. Because when you see the whole thing, what is there to imagine?" 

-Dries Van Noten

While I'm Out...

This week is nothin' but work, work, work... not fun.  I hope I get around to post at least 3 times this week and until then, here's another sneak peak at another client's room-in-progress:

Nothin' wrong with a lil' pink leopard, now, is there?

Inspirational Quote

Couldn't have said it better myself.

{image via Pinterest}

Mongolian Wool Pillow

Want some instant glam in your home?  Look no further than a 

MONGOLIAN WOOL PILLOW.

  It's pure sexiness in a pillow and they are offered in a variety of price ranges, 

so anyone can afford this chic accent.

Pieces Inc:  $295

Crate & Barrel: $89.95

West Elm: $59

Pier 1: $31.96

Can you belief this one from Pier 1 is genuine wool? Looks like I'll be heading over to Pier 1 this weekend...

{images via Crate&Barrel, Pieces Inc, West Elm & Pier 1} 

Perfect Pair: Milo Baughman + White

I gotta say, I'm still obsessed with Milo Baughman.  I wish I could find more information on his life and work 'cause Wikipedia just isn't cutting it for me.  Until then I will drool over his creations:

 

If you want to own a piece of Milo from this era, look no further than Crate & Barrel!  The Milo Classic Leather Lounge Chair is based on a 1966 design and comes in four fabulous colors.  If white isn't your thing, try grey, black, or brown on for a change.  Tres chic!!! 

{images via 1st Dibs & Crate&Barrel}

Eye Candy: Modern Entry

I hate seeing the doctor but after 6 months of living with an unknown illness,  I'm forcing myself to go.  While I am waiting to be pricked, poked and prodded, I'm sure I'll be day dreaming of beautiful rooms like this:

Beautiful, no?

{image via Pinterest}

House Crush: Domicile Interiors Apartment

You may have come across the home of Jolene Ballard of Domicile Interiors before, but it is too gorgeous not to re-post.  The retro-meets-feminine-modern is TOTALLY my style, (if I was a single gal. Not that my husband for ban pink walls and milk glass vase collections, but I try to be considerate that our home is his space too).  Most of the pieces are either vintage finds or custom made, to really reflect Jolene's personal style.  This home is banana-crazy beautiful.

See more of this chic home at Domicile Interiors.

Jonathan Adler Channing Collection

Now that I purchased a desk for my living room, I have started focusing on the finding the perfect credenza to coordinate.  I've scoured 1st Dibs (you know it's my favorite!) and other high-end furniture websites looking for a vintage-y but not too traditional and not too modern credenza.  I was actually sitting at a park up the canyon yesterday afternoon when I stumbled across this little guy from Jonathan Adler on my iPhone:

Perfection.

Unfortunately, the price is not perfection.  My plan is to recover from the latest curtains+desk+(hopefully)chair purchases and then custom build a credenza quite similar to this to keep costs down (maybe twice as long with 4 doors?? Hmm...).  Until that great day happens, here's a look at the coordinating pieces to Adler's stunning Channing collection to dream about:

Remember this philly from this post?  I still adore it.

I'm CRAZY for this screen.  I may have to attempt a DIY to recreate look.  It couldn't be too hard, right?

This chair isn't a part of the Channing collection but it was too pretty not to include.

There are no words...

{images via Jonathan Adler}

Art Wall: Gallery vs. Shelf

I really can't decide what look I like better- art displayed in a gallery style or layered on a shelf?  I have been waffling between the two styles for a while now.

I"ll see an image like this:

....and I am enamoured.  

Then I'll come across an image like this:

...and my jaw will drop.

Which makes me me wonder,

gallery...

...or shelves...

...gallery...

...or shelves...

...gallery...

...or shelves...

I need to come to a decision as I need to place art above my sofa.  Arg... This decision is just too hard.

 Which look do you like best?  I need to know!

{images via Pinterest & Sarah Richardson Design}

Jones Living Room Design Board

Remember this post after I sold my living room chairs to make room for a desk? Well, like most of my projects, as soon as I changed one thing, the project snowballed into changing 2... 3... 7...  items and now it's almost a complete redo.  Whoops! I'm absolutely loving it, though.  Here's my game plan:

I already own half of these pieces, thank goodness.  The sofa in the board is not an exact match, but is close to my black velvet sofa I designed when I worked at Bassett Furniture.  I've had a love/hate relationship with the fabric but as it's nylon and black it wears like nailes and cleans like a dream!  The mirrored end tables I bought at Target years ago, I think for $40 a piece-- such a steal!  The nickel and glass coffee table is another memento from my Bassett days (originally it was $1200+, but add in my employee discount on top of the clearance price and I walked out with it for less than $200.  Awesome.).   The lead crystal floor lamp is from Restoration Hardware and retails at about $600+.  I found mine at a scratch-and-dent store (anyone else in UT love DownEast Home?) and it was mis-tagged for only $25.  I asked the sale associate about it and she said she's honor the price. CHA-CHING!!! $575 savings for me! And believe me, it's a quality lamp, 'cause that thing is heav-VY.

Here's where the new stuff comes in.  I had dove grey velvet curtains in my head for my large picture window but in Texas I visited a Restoration Hardware OUTLET.  They accepted my designer discount on top of their prices. I picked up a pair of charcoal grey Belgium twill grommet panels for less than $100 (they were more than that a piece originally). DONE! If you live anywhere near San Marcos, Texas you must visit the outlets-- Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn/West Elm/William-Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, etc. etc.  It was a shopping paradise. 

Last week I stopped by a different location of the same scratch-and-dent store where I got my lamp.  In all honesty, I went shopping for a client but ended up buying something for me.  Surprisingly, that doesn't happen as often as you would think.  Anyway, I came across a desk that looked a LOT like this:

Be still my heart...

...except the top portion of the DownEast desk is french blue.  

Upon a little inquiring, I found out that the polished nickel trestle bases are the real deal from William-Sonoma but the top, though it looks the exact same as the WS original besides for the hardware and ...ahem... blue finish, use to have wooden legs that were freight damaged.  With a savings of about $1575, I took the soon-to-be-gorgeous 'Frankenstein-ed' desk (I'm currently in the process of researching who could paint the top white.  The blue has got to go.).  

Next on my shopping list is this little beauty, as seen from Pieces Inc:

I didn't spend $1850 on the William-Sonoma desk, so there's no way I'm going to spend that on a chair.   The chair is from the late 1960's-70's designed by Anton Lorenz.  I have found a few vintage ones on etsy and eBay in pretty good shape but all are in need of some hair-on-hide re-upholstery.  Since hair-on-hide can get spendy, I'm holding out until I can find this chair for less than $100.  If you see one in your local Craigslist, LET ME KNOW!!!

After my pocket book recovers from there, I will invest in a custom-made credenza for my television (have I ever written about how much I HATE media credenzas these days? I don't mind seeing the TV, but do we have to see the cable box and X Box too?).  I'm thinking something that completely closes off the components, in white lacquer, inspired by the 1920's or maybe the 1970's.  

As far as the rest of the accessories, well, I think I'm going to save that for tomorrow.  I think I may need your help on that part...

Not too bad for a savings of $3850+ and counting!

{images via WS Home & Pieces Inc}

Cowhide Rugs: Not Just for the Country

Maybe it is still that little bit of Texas I can't get out of my blood but lately I've been loving anything and everything cowhide.  Since the first half of the 20th century, cowhide rugs have been a classic element for any chic home.  With the variety of colors and finishes available on the market,  most everyone can find a hide to fit their style.

Neutrals:

Metallic Silver:

Metallic Gold:

I think hair-on-hide rugs are the perfect solution when you have a small space or a large beautiful solid surface floor which need a little warming up but you don't want to cover too much real estate.  Use them in a grand master bath, at the corner of a king size bed, or to ground a little seating vignette.

If a rug shaped like the animal it use to be isn't your thing but you still want to add a little hair-on-hide in your home, try upholstering a vintage piece in cowhide:

Circa 1960s

Circa 1950s

Circa 1970s

Can you tell I'm obsessed??

{images via RawHideCompany, PiecesInc., DecorPad, HouseBeautiful & 1stDibs}