Salle d'eau. (The Powder Room.)

The more I get to know my house, the more I appreciate the former owner and her fabulous taste. I gushed about her in my last post; and I'm back to do it again.

My house has only one bathroom, and it's not a huge one. However, the balloon shade and shower curtain are made from this fabulous fabric:

I love toile, because I like to think that each pattern tells a story. Milkmaid picking flowers. Handsome shepherd man-boy playing flute to an audience of adoring peasant girls. Children on swing with their toes up in the air, watched by their pet baby lamb. (Yes, I have spent far too long gazing at toile in my lifetime.)

But this toile pattern is special-- not only for the luscious color palette, but for the print.

It has elephants.
And tigers.
And zebras...
oh my.

Of course I wanted to know the who and where of this pattern; after a rudimentary Google search of keywords "toile," "pink," "orange," and "fabric," I was almost immediately able to identify not only the designer (Manuel Canovas), but the real name for this print: "Bengal," (and the color is paprika, not orange. Just so we're clear.)


...And I'm sorry, but I must digress just for a moment and say that I want to go to the Manueal Canovas Showroom and just go nuts filling carts full of amazing fabrics. Sort of a Project Runway's "Designers, you have 5 minutes" moment merged with a manic canned-good aisle competition on Supermarket Sweep. Nope, I definitely wouldn't mind being 'that girl' for fabrics like this:

L.A. Design Concepts

...But back to the Bengale in paprika. Who knew this could be so beautiful in so many different capacities?

Omni Interiors, courtesy Lily Kim


SHELTER: Sneak Peek




Accent pillow, Homes and Gardens May 2009 via NenaghGal

O, The Oprah Magazine Spring 2006 issue










And, I even found this:

Whouafette & Petite Truffe

What? Too much?

My dogs don't think so.

The main aspect of the room keeping it from having a "wow" factor is the bland, cream-colored solid surface sink and counter top. Thus, I have decided that the teeny tiny bathroom needs black accents to bring some pop and break up the pink/paprkia/off-white color scheme. There is limited wall space, so I'd like use that to my advantage as much as possible.

I have two ideas in mind.




Mirrors in various shapes and sizes,
hung by black ribbon.

Like this, but a little less matchy-matchy than in picture 1; and
More mirrors than in picture 2.

I love the concept of this, but the wall these would hang on are reflecting... the door of the bathroom closet. That may be defeating the entire purpose.

Comical, Eccentric, and Gorgeous:
Victorian meets Pop Culture

From http://silhouettemasterpiecetheatre.com/,


I first saw these on another one of my favorites,
the ...love Maegan blog.*

*You must go visit this blog. I'm planning a post in the near-future dedicated solely to "...love Maegan" because it's so flipping amazing. The author is an L.A. native with impeccable taste and keen eye for style. She's beautiful, a great writer, and really likable-- get this: she shares her favorite tips and tricks so readers can try it out for themselves. (I owe my latest fun hairstyle, the "messy side bun," all to her.) I know many a Mean Girl who, despite being out of high school since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was #1 on the Billboard charts, keep great beauty secrets to themselves. I can assure you Maegen is definitely not that way, because I know her personally I read her blog a lot.



I don't typically gravitate toward trendy or avant-garde, but these Wilhelm Staehle prints are so clever. I love the juxtaposition of 19th century Victorian propriety with Urban Dictionary slang. I'll be the first to admit that the prints are uncouth; isn't that one of the novelties, though?

And yes, some may even push it to the borderline of a vulgar, "Yo Mama" joke (cue the Gibson Girl giggling behind a white-gloved hand). Again, I find the whole concept really funny.

There are a few prints that coordinate with my bathroom AND are suitable for all audiences.
And really, what other room allows for this kind of fun?



These prints in particular are the ones I have my eye on:


My personal favorite, it's got the paprika and black, and I love the lion.



Not quite in my color scheme, but ... an ode to all the Rico Suave-types throughout history.

This one gives me flashbacks to college history courses... countless portraits of British Prime Ministers and 19th century American robber barons. The richest, most powerful men of their time, immortalized in silhouettes just like this one. But the text here changes the entire tone of the rendering. (Maybe it's a little leftover resentment I have left over from having to learn all those historical facts?) This one is also pushing it for color coordination, but makes me giggle.

Ah, an ode to my boyfriend, who uses the Michael Scott "That's What She Said" line at every opportunity. Sometimes, there doesn't need to be an opportunity, he'll just say it anyway.

Again, how incongruous: a dapper fellow, speaking to a leashed rooster (?), who replies a la "The Office." Makes no sense. I love it.

What girl hasn't been here at one point or another? Good thing this little lady has a beautiful rococo-style background in which to wait for Prince Charming.

I used to hate the song "Baby Got Back." I think I could just relate to it a little bit too well.
But I'm a big girl now, and I now embrace the bedonkeydonk the Lord gave me.

This one made me literally laugh out loud.

So that's what I'm considering right now, to spice up my uniquely toile bathroom. I have one other idea too... similar to the Victorian prints concept but more use of black and less use of colors. I won't go there now, as this post as now officially taken me 3 days as is!

I would love any feedback as I try to decide!

Inspiration: A Dream of a Home

Photo: This is Glamorous

It started this morning with this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/garden/24cottage.html
I'm totally inspired.

Although I've been in my house for almost a year, there's still a lot I want to do with the interior. It's a small house, so I want every room to be special, useful, and have a unique personality. Admittedly, right now I spend the most time in the main living room (i.e., where the big TV is mounted. How very Homer Simpson of me.) It's summer and I have some spare time. Time to leave the college dorm room look behind and complete this baby.... I want a house like this.

The former owner had amazing style and vision. She took a 1930s house with blue vinyl siding, and transformed it into a gorgeous cedar-shake Cape Cod cottage, complete with a columned back porch and white picket fence. I fell in love at first sight. Unfortunately I never got to see the house furnished in person, but I did get to see pictures. Another huge plus: She left most of the window dressings and light fixtures, and for that I wish I could hug her.

So I moved into this "happy house" (as I dubbed it before it was even mine) as a newly single girl trying to get back on my feet after some major life changes. Luckily for me, it was move-in ready; so that lethargy I felt from Life's slap upside the head didn't keep my house from looking like a home fairly quickly. But it still has a long way to go. I've dragged my heels on really making this little house all mine, to a point I am embarrassed to admit. This is my punishment: publish it on a blog and out myself.

On yes, and one other thing: I have three dogs. THREE. And they are Shetland Sheepdogs. I don't run from the fact that I am, indeed, a Crazy Dog Lady. (I wonder if the neighborhood kids tell spooky stories about me around campfires?)

The Canines of the Household

Front sunroom: It has built-in bookshelves, and a huge window. It's also the first room you see when you walk in. It is the perfect "sitting" room... tranquil, and if it had the right decor, a room that brings the outdoors in.

Middle bedroom/Living Room: Le sigh. This room came to me just waiting to be made into a fabulous guest room-- the lovely former owner even had an amazing geometric shape painted onto the floor in lime, yellow, and taupe hues (I know what your knee-jerk reaction may have been to what you just read; she anticipated that too. So she smartly put up a page from Southern Living with a gorgeous room she'd obviously modeled this one after.) This room needs a guest bed, some major furniture re-arranging, and... oh yeah, those moving boxes really need to go.

Dining Room: Close to being "there." Except for the fact that, the chairs are like sitting on a plank elevated by toothpicks and superglue. I am not exaggerating. They are the most uncomfortable pieces of furniture ever. They are a great dinner conversation topic, however.

Main Living Room: My first real "big kid" purchase was a sofa from ZGallarie that is the center of this room. The color is Pool, it is entirely impractical but I love it more than one should love an inanimate object. (My boyfriend has assured me that it's "actually comfortable," which makes me feel better.) Clean lines, silver nail head accents, dark wood trim... and no animals allowed.

I have silk dupioni window panels my mom graciously handed down to me, in a sage/yellow/red plaid pattern. I never realized aqua and red could coordinate until my mom assured me I should try it. So I did, and it does. This room doesn't need too much more, but it definitely needs a pretty rug to tie in the taupes/aquas. I also have a wall that is very bare.

The Bathroom: Yes, THE. One. Single. Small. Something will have to give if this ever becomes more than just my house, as I am a product junkie (that's a whole different post). Former owner left the shower curtain and balloon shade that is a fabulous pink/orange toile (very Anthropologie). I had a time trying to decide what color to get for towels and floormats (no more orange or pink)... so I went with black. It works, now I just need a few things for the blank wall.

Kitchen: Small but pretty. In keeping with the New England theme, the floors are painted light gray and cabinets are white. The island has a thick light wood/cutting board type top, and a similar light colored wood hides the pantry and washer/dryer. Three french doors make for great lighting and easy view of the backyard. I've brought in some aqua here and there, and for this room really just need some kitchen accessories (NOTE TO SELF: not clutter), and a roman shade for the window over the sink.


I will probably go room by room for my inspiration posts so I can really concentrate on one room and not get sidetracked.

Let the games begin!

{ Birthday Parties and Eighties Babies }

Last week, I turned 30.

I'm not going to lie... I've been dreading this.

Another decade older. In one day.
A new age group in InStyle's "What to Wear at Any Age" feature.
A different box to check on my voter registration card.
I feel the need to start reading The New Yorker
and permanently program my radio to NPR.

Have I been ousted from the world of fedoras, skinny jeans, Chanel's Black Tie nail polish...?
I just can't do Talbot's yet. I can't.
And really, it seems a shame to delete "Party in the USA" from my iPod.

As I tread lightly into the world of the real adult, I am going to take full advantage of the fact that birthdays are the one day of the year you can be totally about yourself.

I am dedicating this post to all things decadent and self-indulgent...
highly influenced by Varuca Salt.

Everything Fabulous

I want a wine cellar.
I want a closet like Carrie Bradshaw.
I want a garden of gardenias, lilacs, hydrangeas, and roses--
and I want them to bloom all year long.
I want to provide educational funding to low income schools.
I want to visit Florence, Italy and the Holy Land.
I want to meet Tim Gunn.
I want to find homes for all the pets without one.
I want to go to Fashion Week in Paris. And London. And NYC. And Milan.
I want someone to discover a cure for cancer.
I still want to be a good cook like the Barefoot Contessa.
I want to publish a children's book.

That was a quick, stream of consciousness list... I am sure I'll be think of more at random times, and will add them as I think of them.

Time to get busy; it seems I have a rather lofty bucket list.

{ Dream Shopping Becomes Reality }

Fantastic news, friends!
I am so excited to share that one of my favorite blogs,

The Swelle Life

just opened an online boutique!

All images courtesy of The Swelle Life and Swelle Boutique


The sweetheart author behind The Swelle Life has impeccable taste, so I knew the boutique would be fabulous and unique.
She has a great eye for all things lovely-- emerging designers, gourmet cupcakes, couture collections, eclectic artwork, new accessories, incredible architecture ... literally, this list could go on for days. She finds beauty everywhere.

And now it's translated into a shop... Helloooo, happiness!

You know a boutique is special when it literally makes you feel giddy just seeing the clothes... imagine the thrill of actually owning them! The pieces are ethereal, feminine, whimsical, yet so very practical. There's a variety of gorgeous hues and textures represented and all pieces are either one of a kind or limited edition. Also of note: the prices are unbelievably reasonable.

Here's a tiny sample.

Thank you Denise for adding a spoonful of sugar to my day!

But enough of this typing... I have shopping to do.

Visit Swelle Boutique at http://www.swelleboutique.com/

{ Into the Book }

I use this blog often as a laundry-list of sorts, a place to compile my favorite websites, people, ideas, etc. I have gotten into a bad habit of writing novella-esque entries... very time consuming and resulting in an average of 1.5 posts a month.

Not today. Today is a To-Do list of books I have seen lately that I "need"... so I don't forget.

First up:

Flair was just featured in the Velvet and Linen blog, and I am in love. All things about how to entertain. Elegant table settings, invitation etiquette, place cards, party favors... fabulous.

Next:

Philippa Gregory is to the history nerd what John Grisham is to the law school graduate.
I'm sure some members of academia would dismiss Gregory's books as fluff because they stray here and there from reality...
but really, it takes the charm out of a love story when you know that the dashing prince took a bath maybe once a year.

This one is on Eleanor of Aquataine, an often-overlooked character of Great Britain's 12th century royalty.

Next:

The B.C. + Parties = Happiness.





One of my favorite contemporary theologians has a commentary to the Bible. I always love reading the footnotes in Scripture; sometimes they give me a unique perspective on an old story, and always give me a deeper understanding of the Word.





I think the title of this one says it all.





Just found this one, and I think I want it too. Dorothy Draper's decorating style fascinates me.



Last but not least:

One of my best friends has given me a project for the summer, and that is to help her 5 year old boy decide on a "theme" for his room. I have already offered up these two ideas...

And for whatever reason, both have been shot down.

Too juvenile? Maybe.
Impractical? Yes.
But aren't they pretty?

Thus it's back to the drawing board for me and my 5-year-old client.