Crown your Dreams...

Perhaps if you slept in this bed, your dreams would always be magical...

Poggio Piglia - Retreat in Tuscany

I find villas in Tuscany achingly beautiful. And Poggio Piglia is certainly no exception.

(Oh how I would love to drive down this little road towards the villa...)

This beautiful property is in the hamlet of Macciano in the Tuscan countryside (and I'm sold on that sentence and the pictures alone). It was lovingly restored over seven years, contains nine unique bedrooms and boasts charming features such as original fireplaces, exposed brick detail, wooden beamed ceilings and vistas overlooking the surrounding valleys.

Climb these stairs to your retreat...

There is also an intimate restaurant on site; from what I understand from the website there are also 900 olive trees on the property and olive oil is in abundance here for guests. I am a bit of a connoisseur of olive oil so that coupled with...EVERYTHING ELSE about this charming property has me rapt with attention.

So while most of us are biding our time until the ravages of cooler winter weather wear off, maybe we can take a little comfort in these pretty images of Tuscany...and dream a little of a villa far away.

Kitchen Tour - Sarah G

It was such a treat to visit my friend Sarah G and shoot her delicious kitchen...

Sarah has put a lot of love and work into her kitchen (indeed her entire home) and it shows. In fact, her kitchen positively glows with warmth and charm. When I asked her to sum up her kitchen in 3 words she replied, "Clean, Open, Modern Country". After spending time in the space, I'd have to agree.

(Farmhouse table purchased from Old Town Furniture in Vacaville, CA; Chandeliers from Ballard Design)

An abundantly long old farmhouse table, well equipped for art projects, sewing endeavors or a good meal with her family of 7 and friends anchors the dining area. Sarah says that what she loves most about her kitchen is "the giant table because it can really take the abuse of my 5 children. I also really love my chandliers. Another favorite is my collection of salt and pepper shakers and my new curtains".

(Curtain fabric from Waverly Fabrics; print called "Small Talk Black Bird")

Old vintage windows line a wall adjacent to the vaulted ceiling. And notice that the ceiling is beadboard? Love it.

Sarah painted ALL of these cabinets herself (in their former life they were regular stock oak cabinets). And having been in this kitchen I can attest that there are a lot of cabinets. SO much work and elbow grease...

But the black painted island, contrasting lower gray cabinets and upper white cabinets make for such a lovely combination. She did a fantastic job. The time she put in was worth it!

Rustic Kitchen

I am loving this kitchen...

The ceiling..., the hearth, the long well used farmhouse table. All of it.

(Image courtesy of bright bazaar)

Artwork

Found this fresh piece of artwork in a lovely room and had to share. Isn't the room so pretty? I wish I knew who the artist was... (image courtesy pink wallpaper)

Lovely Attic

Here's an inspiring space to gaze at today...

Look at that thatched roof! The billowing curtains! The chandelier and and flowing bedding! Swooooooooon...

And in the course of my cleaning up my desktop, I have lost the source for this gorgeous attic image...

But isn't it breathtaking? Makes me want to curl up on that daybed, take a nap and dream...

The Accidental Carpet

By far, THE COOLEST carpet I have ever laid eyes on. Oh, how I want it. I love how it looks like multiple cans of paint spilled and pooled together to create a gorgeous MESS! A beautiful carpet makes a room. And good carpets, nay, GREAT carpets are created by artists. Look at the detail on this carpet:


This sublime piece was created by artists Atelier Remy and Veenhuizen. According to the Droog website where I found it, the carpet was originally created for children who are epileptic to cheer up their surroundings. How genius and heartfelt is that?!

Does this carpet inspire you? If you had it, where would you put it?

Bathroom Grafitti!

I found this the other day and thought it was beyond awesome. Paint your bathroom walls in chalkboard paint, leave some chalk in the bathroom for guests (really, a powder room would be the best place to do this project) and let everyone leave their "thoughts" behind.

I can see a room like this becoming more and more colorful over time. And hey, if someone leaves something a little TOO colorful behind, you can always erase it :)

Turquoise and Red Kitchen

Did you know that the color combination of turquoise and red is my favorite? Which is probably why this kitchen speaks to me so much. The chandelier and sparkling white cabinets don't hurt either...
The whole set-up is perfection in my book.

(Images from a beautiful blog known as House of Turquoise)

Cashmere Sweater Pillow Poofs

(Picture through Daily Candy and That Funky Boutique)

The picture alone makes me want what they're selling :). Try adding some ruffled, recycled sweater-knit rose pillows to your sofa this season for a pop of color. Available at That Funky Boutique through Eisman Design.

Pins...

How adorable...

These pushpins new at Anthropologie certainly make those to-do lists you have tacked to your bulletin board a bit more appetizing, don't they?

Hotel Plaza Athenee

This wins the prize for being the MOST beautiful hotel EVER...at least in my opinion. I mean, seriously. Just look at that courtyard.

"This haven of comfort and elegance, located between Opera Garnier, Place Vendôme and Place de la Madeleine, is on the doorstep of Paris' finest stores and biggest cultural and touristic sites".

(images via Design Addict Mom)

In the immortal words of Liz Lemmon, "I want to go to there".

Heck, I just want to go to Paris period. But staying at the Hotel Plaza Athenee would certainly be the icing on the cake...wouldn't it?!

Living Room Tour - My Living Room

Here is a peek of my living room...

Hanging on the wall here is a large turquoise necklace necklace from Israel that I picked up an estate sale last summer. It is gorgeous; I never tire of looking at it. It hangs on a piece of Indian tile and a hook.

The comfiest couch ever...we all spend a lot of time right here. Crashed in front of a very large TV (which I did not take a picture of - after all,it's just a big black box...).

Views of our mantle. We have a number of different treasures displayed up here; framed pictures of course but also a Christus, a beautiful clay nativity we bought near the orphanage our children lived in in Ethiopia, a silver spraypainted ivy garland that I made (still not sure if I like it or not) that is woven in and out of various said treasures, and a number of other things we brought back from our travels in Ethiopia last year. I love looking at our mantle when I walk through the room.

We finally got our toddlers to stop rearranging the photos and trinkets on this green table in the main living area. It only took 6 months :) The beautiful lamp us from my mom; I grew up with it at home and she relented and gave it to me.

I made this garland; it hangs on an opening between the kitchen/dining area and the living room.

And finally, this is a view standing in the main living area looking towards the foyer at our photo wall and shoe cubby area.

That's my living room!

Stick your Own Furniture - Whatisblik

Whatisblik is pretty brilliant. I wish that I had known about them back in my early apartment rental days of NYC...like when we literally did NOT have furniture :) They would have totally saved the day! Check out this amazing "headboard" decal in an array of colors and even SIZES!

WOW! Seriously, this would have been so awesome since we didn't have a headboard for the first 4 years of our marriage.

Here's a "wrought iron" version, again in multiple sizes and colors:

And then of course there are some shelves...

The furniture is just the tip of the iceburg - there are so many lovely, smart decals on the Whatisblik site - take some time to browse!

Distressed...

Distressed...but not in a bad way, of course :) This cabinet is such a beauty. Found at the Anthropology offshoot, Terrain, I love the green patina best of all.

"Une chambre très fantaisiste "

Mmmmhmmmmm, I think it's tres fantaisiste myself too. Thanks Marie Claire Maison for the peek :) And PS- I am in LOVE with the curtains. In love, I tell you...

Must. Find. Way. To. Replicate.

A Peak of My Entry...

Many years ago one of my besties Carrie gifted me this sign that now hangs in my foyer area. It's a great conversation starter.

I figure if I've got it next to a crystal-looking lamp and some greenery it takes the floozy out...right?

Anyway, this is a a peek of my entry. More to follow.

Rice: Riots of Color and Inspiration

 

I am a sucker for a riot of color. There, I've said it. So I look no further than the genius store out of Denmark known as Rice. They have a gorgeous website and online catalogues to browse. I'll leave you with a few sumptuous pictures to get you inspired...

DIY: Tea Towel to Pillow Cover

I've had this tea towel from Australia for years. I think (although I'm not certain) that I inherited it from my very dear late grandmother. I have a LARGE collection of tea towels that I use everyday, most of them vintage, so it's no surprise that this one finally started to rip.

But I was in love with the colors and more importantly, the fact that it said 'Melbourne' on it. When I was 12 I visited Melbourne with my immediate family to visit our large extended family. Just seeing the word 'Melbourne' brings back such sweet, happy memories of that trip and my family.

So...

I turned my special tea towel into a pillow cover backed with some blue and white seersucker fabric. It came together in 30 minutes. Even if you aren't a seamstress, you yes YOU can sew a pillow cover. Trust me on this.

Now it sits happily on our couch. I'm sure that it is enjoying its new life there much more than sopping up water and mess in the kitchen.