Brass Lighting Love: Fort Knox Pendant

I adore globe pendants and have used plain glass in several interior design projects.

Lately I've had my eye on pendants that are a little more edgy and glam.

My latest crush is on the

FORT KNOX PENDANT.

It's a bit retro, a bit uber modern, and drenched in chic ambiance.

 How gorg would these be in a cluster in an all-white kitchen with coordinating brass hardware?

These aren't helping my current brass addiction but maybe that's not a bad thing?

{image via Viso &The Decorista}

White Washed Brick

Every modern space needs a touch of something old.  

When I am creating a room from scratch, I try to find a way to add in a

 vintage piece of furniture or some architectural materials that add a sense of history to a space.

What could be better than

WHITE WASHED BRICK? 

It punches up the ubiquitous white subway tile a bit, don't you think?

The rough brick is the perfect contrast to the sleek lacquered cabinets.

{images via Convoy}

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??

Made By Girl Contributor Post

Hey guys!! Sorry for the hiatus (again) but check me out on 

Made By Girl.

My post is on design books and decorative objects.

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.

{images via Toast, Cox&Cox, Style Garage and Graham&Green}