buy this house

Whenever I'm feeling a little homesick for the U.S., I pick a state and start window shopping their real estate ads. I know, strange. But the other day I found this gorgeous lake house built in the 1880's and just a short drive from Chicago in Wisconsin. I'm smitten with the enclosed wrap around porch and original woodwork. So take a peek:

It comes replete with the original boathouse and gazebo. It even has a bowling alley!

Naturally there is some restoration and updating I would consider but I hope whomever decides to call this home keeps all the charming details and woodwork.

downtown nest, part 2

Back to the Manhattan apartment - I am so looking forward to flushing out our friends' vision for their new abode. But until then, I'm already inspired by Kevin Sharkey's Midtown apartment:

images from apartmenttherapy.com

My tastes tend to be traditional (and antique-hoarding) in my own home, but I love helping to create spaces that reflect the homeowner and that will make our friends  happy. It is fun to flex some design muscle in another direction! Any ideas? What would you do with a blank canvas like this?

downtown nest, part 1

The second project I'm working on is a gorgeous, light filled apartment in Manhattan. It will be a love nest for two very dear friends just starting their lives together. The building is really unique, a design project by Phillippe Starck and architect Ismael Leyva with tall ceilings and South-facing windows. So here's what we're working with:

What direction would you take with this? What colors are you seeing? I'm excited to hear more about what our friends have in mind!

india hicks at hsn

Spotted on India Hicks' blog that she is doing a line for HSN. I've been a long time reader of her blog, which is a little slice of vicarious beach living.

 sourced from here

Some fun items, all really reasonable, here are my favorites:
 
Diamond Throw, $29 (I just ordered one, the weave reminds me of my favorite baby blankets, Shi Shu):

Harbour Island Pillow Pair, $49:

Seagrass Trays, $109:

Bradbury Seaweed Prints, $69:

california cool colors

Even though I'm super busy tending to our baby girl these days, I've got a couple projects underway just for fun. Friends on both coasts are planting roots and I am helping rework their real estate purchases. I'm not a professional but I'm having fun working on these really amazing spaces. The first is a classic San Diego house with soaring two story ceilings and Mediterranean iron railings but they wanted to go in a fresh direction. For a new family of three that recently relocated from Boston, here's some of the ideas that have been inspiring us:

Moth Design

classic kitchen featured in Style at Home
 

mydesigndump.blogspot.com
 

inspirationfordecoration.blogspot.com

Moth Design

 

http://theaestate.tumblr.com/post/22118397841

http://www.hillarythomas.com/

Bill and Giuliana's son's nursery

decorpad.com

My favorite thing about doing spaces with friends is accommodating their tastes and making them a home.

soothing sights - grokulsky interiors

One of the things I've become quite adept at is pinning one-handed on my iPad while I walk circles trying to soothe our colicky little girl. I spotted a pin by Karen Robertson the other day of a room done by two lovely friends, Kelly Grokulsky and Alex Gebicke.

 

They're two sweet Florida ladies and Kelly runs Grokulsky Interiors. All her spaces are so peaceful and relaxing - something I'm craving when my poor little lady is crying all day!

All images by and belonging to Grokulsky Interiors