Happy New Year with Sequins + Fur

I am dreaming of 
SEQUINS + FUR
for the New Year.  
Can you think of anything more luxe?



I will be donning this furry little beauty New Year's Eve:


I've never been happier on a single splurge my entire life.
Now to find a some sequins...

I wish you all a wonderful, safe and prosperous 
NEW YEAR 2012!!!
See you next year.

{images via weheartit & Lord&Taylor}

Portland, Oregon: Powell's Books + Portland Art Museum

I hope you all had a merry Christmas!  
I apologize for not posting before leaving on my Christmas vacation to
PORTLAND, OREGON


(well, Kelso, Washington actually),
but life just whizzed by those last few days before I left.
Here's a quick recap of a day trip we took into downtown Portland:

We went to 
Powell's City of Books


...and I decided I want to move in. I could spend a life time perusing their shelves.
This place had not only newly published books
but hard to find VINTAGE books as well. Oh. My. Goodness.

We grabbed a quick bite at Baja Fresh:
(I know it's probably nothing special to a lot of you out there, but for us Utahans, 
it was AWESOME to have good gluten-free, dairy free food. Mmm....)


...then headed to the Portland Art Museum.  We saw some of my favorite artists, like...

Mark Rothko...


 ...& Franz Kline.


Amazing.  
There were also some artist's works that I didn't recognize but were inspiring none-the-less:



... and some pieces that were down-right creepy (in my opinion).
We couldn't tell if this installation was a real person or not. 
Since he looked like a serial killer, I avoided getting too close.


Did I mention there were Franz Klines?


Seriously, I fell in love with Portland.  
I am smitten with all the cafes, shopping, culture, the hustle and bustle, 
and you just can't beat their scenery.
Who knows, maybe the hubby and I will end up there one day?

What did you do for the holidays??

Modern Masculine Chic

I love boys.  I love boys with style. 
I love interiors that are clean and tailored with a dabble of boyish ruggedness. 
Here is a collection of images I like to deem as
MODERN MASCULINE CHIC.



Most people think of furs as glamorous and feminine but 
look how amazing they are when styled more manly. Rarrr...



Oh, uhh.... sorry.  I have masculine chic on my mind and, uh... ya... Ryan's hot. 
Ok, back to hot rooms...



Let's here it for the boys!

{images via Convoy & Pinterest}

Get Cozy: Reindeer Hide Rugs

I'm sure you have seen cowhide rugs everywhere these days in modern interior design.  
I still love the organic and chic feel they give to a room but when I stumbled across some
REINDEER HIDE RUGS,
my heart skipped a beat.  
Maybe it stems from my Nordic heritage, or maybe it's the whole Rudolph thing since
Christmas is a week away, but I can't get enough of these beautiful skins.
Before you call PETA on me, know that the people of Lapland hunt wild
reindeer herds, use the meat as their food source and use their skins for clothing, blankets, rugs, etc.  
The reindeer hides I'm posting are the by-products and complete the sustainable recycling process.


Aren't those colors to die for?  
The whites, beiges, taupe greys and charcoals would fit PERFECTLY in my living room.  Just sayin'...




If Rudolph isn't you thing but you want to add the same color palette through a fur, 
why not try some naturally dark Nordic sheepskins?  
Or while you're at it, why not have a reindeer hide in one room a coordinating sheepskin in the next?
Adding either would a be great way to cozy up any space to get us through winter.


Alice Lane's 2nd Annual Blogger Social

If it's possible to have a crush on a store, my true love would be Alice Lane.  This past week, I attended
Alice Lane's 2nd Annual Blogger Social
and had an absolute blast.


It was held in Alice Lane's beautiful showroom with good food and great company.
 Local bloggers were invited to mix, mingle, and even swap handmade gifts!
(don't mind my goofy face.  Sometimes candid shots aren't the most flattering...)

Look what I scored in the gift exchange:


Some of the cutest wrapping paper I have ever seen from Fifth & Hazel.


Alice Lane sent us home with a gracious gift of homemade biscuits and strawberry basil jam. 
I didn't try the biscuits, but the jam made my gluten free toast 10 MILLION times tastier.


It was so fun to visit and see all those who attended!


Thank you Alice Lane!
I had a wonderful evening.

Random Beauty: Black + White + Gold

I hopped on my computer today and two thumbnail images on my desktop caught my eye.  
I opened each on up and thought "that's weird. These images look really good together..."  
Here is a little slice of the 
RANDOM BEAUTY.



You know I love me some black + white + gold (a dash of Chanel doesn't hurt either)!

The top image I labeled as "sexy faucet."  Sorry I don't have the source for it.
The bottom photo is from the ever chic The Coveteur

Don't you love random acts of beauty?

Objet D'art: Sculptural Antlers

Using antlers in decorating has received a bad rap in years gone by.  Lately though, I've seen 
SCULPTURAL ANTLERS 
show up in some extremely chic rooms.






They are perfect for the holidays too! 
How adorable would it be to hang delicate ornaments from each point?

The antler in my home is from a hiking trip I took with my dad and brother about 15 years ago.
My dad had kept it in his basement and I was able to dig it up.
Now I need to figure out if I want to leave it plain, 
paint it white, or maybe paint it a funky metallic like chrome or antique gold....

If you aren't lucky enough to live in an area where you can search for naturally shed antlers,
no need to worry, check out these picks:


Isn't the antler wreath bananas?  And LUCITE antlers?? I mean... I die.

2. Oly Studio Antler Wreath
3. Jayson Home Lucite Antler Large

{images via That's Chic, unkown, Michael Penny, Design Sponge}

Art Wall: Cable System

Remember way back when I was waffling between art gallery walls and art displayed on shelves?  
I am STILL going back and forth on what style I prefer and now I have a new conundrum. 
What about hanging 
ART FROM A CABLE SYSTEM?


I am using this art hanging technique in a client's house right now.
All you need to recreate this look is to install a solid curtain rod near 
the ceiling, grab some S hooks and some pretty chain and 
hang up your art collection to your heart's content!
(make sure you screw the rod into studs and don't go over your load baring limits. 
That could be disastrous...).

What do you think? Is this style of hanging art in the running to compete against 
gallery walls and art ledges?

{image via House&Home}

Pink and Tiffany Blue Christmas

I stumbled across a single image of this 
PINK AND TIFFANY BLUE CHRISTMAS
on Pinterest and instantly feel head over heals.  
Call me crazy but I have a thing for non-Christmas Christmas decor and 
this home is one of the best examples I've seen!
Check out this eye candy:











Makes you want to buy some sheepskin throws and some candy colored confetti, no?

View even more amazingness at

{images via Sitting in a Tree}