19. May 2011 by Parker.

I love the fact that fashion goes in circles. In the 20s, women wore beautiful head pieces, the 50s was all about gorgeous hats, the late 70s and early 80s were all about head bands, and now, we have gorgeous fascinators. Here’s a look at some of the ones I have my eye on:

A cool blend of black and chartreuse….

Simple pleated ribbons in 2 shades of green. If only the center pin was Irish themed.

This one would be easy to make myself with all black and peacock feathers.

Ahhh….the bigger the better! An amazing blend of flowers, feathers, and gold embellishments.

Part of me would be worried about taking someone’s eye out with such a tall pointy feather!

I want this one. ‘Nough said.

By blending soft jewel tones, this fascinator seems quite appropriate for early Spring!

Big. Floral. Sparkly.

I think the pink hair sells this one for me. I really like it but worry it wouldn’t look as cool on say, a blond head of hair!

Posted in Fashion | No Comments »

10. May 2011 by Parker.

When the Ghost Whisperer was on the air, I must admit I watched it more for the wardrobe than the storyline. I was absolutely in love with Jennifer Love Hewitt’s entire closet from hats to shoes. If her wardrobe consultant could just come on over and go shopping with me, I would be the happiest girl in the world. Better yet, just send me the wardrobe trailer from the set since it is no longer on the air. Anyone think they can make that happen for me? I’d be forever grateful.

Either way, here is a selection of my favorites….

I’ll be keeping an eye on the mail for a package….Wink.

Posted in Fashion | No Comments »

26. April 2011 by Parker.

I’ve been working on a condo project for the last few months in which we gutted the space and started over. The client said she was looking for a sophisticated beach theme so I immediately began creating a Pottery Barn-esque condo for her. Unfortunately, she was still kitchy at heart and some of my ideas were vetoed.  Here’s a look at some of the before and after pics…

Aside from the use of the exact same 1980’s picture above the couch, I am pretty happy with the outcome of this space.

I love the cleaner, more open look to the kitchen. I would have liked to pick up some great accessories for counters as well but the home owner was going to take care of it.

The mirrors, due to budget, had to stay which actually worked in our favor.  But the pink walls, ivory bamboo furniture, and flamingo lamp had to go!

The number one piece of advice I give all clients regarding rooms without windows is to paint it a light color! When you use dark paints and wallpapers in a cave-like space, it is just going to make it feel more like a cave. By softening the walls and breaking up all the white, the space feels more inviting.

By far, my favorite room in the house to transform. Since the condo is a rental and the guest bedroom would be used for kids more often than not, I wanted to give it a playful, nautical feel.  What do you think of the final product?

I wish there had been more money in the budget to really “finish” this room. The contrast from before to after was really coming along when we ran out of money and I was unable to complete it. Maybe one day….

I adore this vanity space now that it is done. The turquoise, wax covered mirrors give it just the right amount of pizazz.

Sometimes all a patio needs is a new configuration of furniture, comfortable seating, and a burst of colors with pillows!

Though this project had a few hiccups, I’m happy with the overall final product. Wouldn’t you agree?

Posted in Decor | No Comments »

17. April 2011 by Parker.

Staircases get overlooked all the time in the design world. People spend their money on elaborate kitchens and bathrooms and never take a second look at something as simple as the stairs. My question: why not add a hint of your personality to those stairs you climb every day or that might be the focal point when guests come through the front door?

For all you DIYourselfers, try adhering yard sticks to the stairs for a simple change or if you are more ambitious, pick up remnants of like colored wall paper and adhere a different pattern to each step.

 For a more clean look, paint the stair front with chalkboard paint so that you can change the message whenever you like. Just make sure you have legible hand writing first. And, if you have kids, use the stairs to highlight some classic books.

 Song lyrics and piano keys are a great way to express your love for music!

And for all you Bibliophiles,  try using the stairs to list book sections or better yet, cut into the stairs and use them for an actual bookcase.

Well, my file on stairs is massive and if I tried to include all of it on this one post, I’d be sitting here for days writing and uploading images. So stay tuned for future posts as I make my way through this file OR if you have anything you want to hear about, let me know and I’ll make sure to get to it sooner!

Posted in Decor | No Comments »

10. April 2011 by Parker.

I try not to go to the Anthropologie website too often because I always find a ton of items that I want, want, want. Unfortunately my pocketbook isn’t big enough to satisfy those wants so I post them here to remember them forever. Here’s the latest craves:

This must be the cutest and coolest settee I’ve seen in  a while. It’s modern and traditional at the same time which makes it that much more appealing to me.

We used to create sofas like this in a digital program for fun and now stores are selling them for real? This plaid chaos would be perfect for a cozy library or large cabin family room.

A bed that addresses three loves of mine. 1) Vintage items with a rusty layer give furniture character, even if they are brand new. 2) Clocks. I’m obsessed with clocks as I have one in every room in my home and would probably have two per room if my husband let me. 3) Sleep. Who doesn’t want a cool place to lay there head to rest?

  Any time I see a dresser that has been refurbished into a trendy, interesting piece it makes me want to go out to Goodwill and pick one up. Hmmm…what would I put on the front?

  These knobs are so random that I simply must have them for odd places in the home. Perhaps a trunk in the living room needs an update or the chest of drawers in the billiard room. Something around here has to have these!

I threw a halloween party last year that was based on wicked fairytales. If only I had seen this chandelier when I was setting up my mad hatter tea party. I still could not have afforded it but I could have mimicked it fairly well.

Perhaps I will send a link to my husband about this woodpecker door knocker. We live in the woods and hear woodpeckers often so I think this would be an awesome addition to our front door.

There is nothing  special about this collection of mirrors. I simply liked the match up of colors and sizes to create an original art piece. And if you cannot tell by now, I love finding items on websites that I can create my own way later.

I’ve torn every piece of wallpaper off the walls of my homes for years and now I keep finding papers that I want to cover nooks and crannies of the home in…. Must resist the urge….or do I?

Posted in Decor | No Comments »

25. March 2011 by Parker.

I recently stumbled across a new website, CSN Stores. This place has just about everything you think you might need and all the things you definitely don’t need. I got completely absorbed in their pillow collections and fell in love with the following kids prints. If only I had a kids reading room to decorate right now. If only…

Posted in Decor | No Comments »

19. March 2011 by Parker.

My husband and I are volunteers and foster parents for Coastal Pet Rescue so we took our current foster, Zoe to the Tour for Life adoption event at Grayson Stadium today. Take a look…

Spare with our foster Zoe!

All in all, 46 dogs found new homes today which makes me happy. Our poor Zoe, on the other hand, is still available.

Posted in Event, General | No Comments »

4. March 2011 by Parker.

I’m a huge sucker for a soft throw pillow that is stylish and motivational to boot. Urban Outfitters currently has a collection that I would like to toss all over my house. Without another word, here they are:

Posted in Decor | No Comments »

23. February 2011 by Parker.

My husband and I don’t have kids yet. I have no reason, whatsoever, to be dreaming of a fun bunk room for kids and their future sleepovers. Nonetheless, I still collect pics of what this “pretend” room might look like in the future.

I adore this coastal bunk room but I don’t live on the coast (I’m 30 miles inland). The soft blue bead board with the stark white and ship-like rails make me heart swoon.  Maybe one day, my clients on the coast will need a bunk room for their grand kids.

The unconventional nature of this small bunk room is refreshing. The long sweeping curtain that can be pulled across for privacy and the practical staircase up to the top bunk make this a clever alternative to basic bunk beds.

I would change a lot of aspects of this room if it were my design. Number one, the colors? Something about tan on tan on tan does not scream kid friendly to me.  And though the swinging arm lamps are a nice touch, they are way too big for the space which will cause the kids to hit their heads on them more often than not. The positive side? It’s a great space saver and the individual book compartments make me smile.

Saving the best for last. A warm, inviting play room/ bunk space that sleeps eight. I’m so in love with the bunks being numbered and having pillows embroidered with activities. Though I may never need a room that sleeps 8, I may still have to duplicate a large chunk of this room. After all, it looks to be about a 12 x 14 space which isn’t bad considering how much bang you would get for your buck. Plus, by adding storage under the bottom bunks, you could guarantee every bunkee a drawer!

Posted in Decor, General | No Comments »

11. February 2011 by Parker.

Oh, Alexander McQueen….It’s been one year since your amazing talent left us so I wanted to pay homage to your many visions. I pray that you are resting in peace and like to think of you designing gowns for Greek goddesses in the heavens somewhere. We miss you!

…which leads us to men’s fashion. A hint of Victorian Gothic with a dash of modern.

Can’t you just imagine Edward Cullen running around in these clothes?

Posted in Fashion | No Comments »