information about home design

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Cape Town in a Box

The quest for me to take a good photo of this continues...
This photo was take by Megan Davies at Design Indaba - thank you Megan - I think it captures the form.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Garden dreaming By Invitation Only

I am a little late to the party but let's just say fashionably late. I have spent the last few months gathering inspiration for what is the beginning of what will be one of our longest personal projects here at home. We are laying out the garden and it's rooms. Living in California we spend a great deal of time outside. In the summer months I work outside to be around the kids and to just have the fresh air. Our yard is pretty good size for the neighborhood that we are in so we have quite a bit of room to create. I want a small sitting area just off of the dining room similar to the one pictured above, a sweet space to have tea and waste away Saturday mornings reading magazines and books.

Of course my husband and I also want a pool, never having one really makes us want it all the more. These are both so beautiful.

I love the simple lines of these two pools nothing crazy just good clean fun!

I really love fresh flowers and Hydrangea are some of my favorites, we cannot seem to get Lilac to grow well here but it is so beautiful! So near my sitting area we are planning for a large grouping of Hydrangea and some hedging to back it.

Of course we will have Wisteria along the structures near the house.

I have seen some really beautiful stone troughs that I have been dying to find a use for so we are looking for the perfect place to put a fountain.

We need some large hedges to block out a view from the street above which has been our biggest challenge! These are fabulous!

These are my dream items (items that the husband is opposed to) I would love to have some ladies in my garden to keep me company and give us wonderful fresh eggs.

Finally I really need a pool house with ivy and Hydrangea, don't you think. Oh and this is a great example of what I have asked for surrounding the pool, cement pavers with grass running between.

I am excited to get a plan in place and see these ideas come to life!

Stop by to see what the other ladies have done too.

Spring container sale at Atelier de Campane

The boys at Atelier de Campagne are back with a container full of goodies and they are unloading this weekend! They always amaze me with their beautiful choices and styling that makes my head spin combining that with a gorgeous spring garden and you cannot loose.

This coming weekend April 7th and 8th they will be opening their doors for another sale at their Corralitos, California location, stop by for a look see!

I will be visiting them at the next flea market to feed off of the crumbs everyone leaves behind as I cannot go this time. You can also visit them online and on facebook.

images via atelier de campagne

HIPPITY HOP: EASTER IS COMING!

Photo courtesy of Hammond's
Floppy eared and fabulous, Hammond's Milk Chocolate Bunny adds personality plus to the basket o' sugar rush.

Photo courtesy of West Elm
Monochromatic white papiermache Easter baskets will make sure the candy inside is the star. The bunnies nearby make good gifties, tie a pastel grosgrain ribbon around their neck and they are ready to hop into a little one's hands. Made in Haiti for West Elm.

Photo courtesy of Williams Sonoma
How cute are the little faces on this duck, lamb and bunny? I still have my Steiff animals, and wouldn't mind adding these charmers to my collection. Made in Germany as a Williams Sonoma exclusive and based on a 1950's original, quantities are limited.

Maybe those at the Childrens Table will be on their best behavior once they see these sweet vintage inspired bunnies on the table. Printed Bunny Placemats come in a set of 4 from Williams Sonoma.

Photo courtesy of Williams Sonoma
Amaze and delight everyone at your Easter table with a Perfect Ending's Flower Pot Cake from Williams Sonoma complete with fondant African Violets that look incredibly real.

Photo courtesy of Pier 1
Sticking out of an Easter Basket or a centerpiece, a faux- moss covered bunny - on - the - go from Pier1 adds decorative flair.

Photo courtesy of Target
Don't be the hero, get a relative to step in for this job. Target's Bunny Suit is an egg hunt must!

Monday, April 2, 2012

blush blush

Some days a color just grabs you. I was loving these little touches of the lightest of pinks..

We had a wonderful weekend here at home, just the necessary amount of relaxing and trying to catch up. I am looking forward to getting some things taken care of this week and I promise to get to sharing some great new books I am loving as well as some of the great flea market finds from this weekend that I am super excited about.

Happy Monday and welcome April!

images via pinterest

INTERNET INTERIOR MOTIVES: DERING HALL

Looking for that one-of -kind piece you can only get from a top interior designer? Or that special, bespoke piece you won't see everywhere? Want to do it without leaving the comfort of your sofa? Shopping online for design has become a boon for the interior community as of late. The newest entrant to the mix is Internet marketplace Dering Hall, where interior designers, artisans, architects, and specialized companies offer their exclusive designs through customized and curated storefronts.
The site is the invention of Waterworks CEO/design entrepreneur Peter Sallick and New York-based interior designer Steven Gambrel. The name fuses two things-- the Shelter Island Harbor where the idea was hatched and the idea of a hall as marketplace. In addition to offering items for sale, it serves up shared content from strategic partner Hearst Magazines, specifically Veranda, Elle Decor and House Beautiful, allowing their coverage a wider reach.
There are two ways to shop the site. Searchable by designer name, artisan, product category, or area of the country, you can tap their database to find an array of limited-edition new pieces from a stylistically varied mix. By clicking "inquire about this product" you are put in contact with the designer's office that handles the transaction. Good things come to those who wait, as many items take 4-6 weeks to get made. The newest addition, Featured Sales, are limited-run editorial themed selections that are purchased directly through Dering Hall.
Many of the interior designers can benefit from a presence in this marketplace, since their storefronts serve as an online portfolio, complete with company information, a link to their website, recent press and a spot for any current news they want to share. To create a sense of community, users are able to follow favorite designers, and save items to a product selection folder. Will it also help designers procure clients? Perhaps, but it is probably too soon to tell. The idea, hatched between two passionate and dedicated interior design-industry insiders, should captivate the right audience. With all of the exciting opportunities happening with interior design in this space, both trade and retail consumers win.
Here are some standouts: