if you need me, i'll be hanging out here....

i just ordered one of these....for a client of course. i wish it was for my bathroom! she is so beautiful.....

*found adorable dog pic on erika's blog...i was in love w/ this picture when it was in southern accents!! and it shows the tub off great!

charles edwards...

i recently found the company charles edwards (thanks domino) and boy, do they have some beautiful lights!! the company is based out of london and makes antique replicas of 19th and 20th century english and french lanterns. i emailed to company to find out more about their products because i think one of the lanterns would look fabulous on a job i am working on. the only thing that stinks is that the company is only based out of london and has no showroom representation in the states. have any of you designers out there used this company before?? i am in love with that polished nickel finish right now- can you tell??

aga range

so i was recently introduced to the appliance company AGA when i started working on a kitchen project that was using one of the ranges. the appliances arrived to the job site yesterday and the range it is super cool. it is made out of cast iron so it looks like a 1930's style stove but w/ all of the modern day entities.

sorry...

for not posting today...my daughter had her own idea of how the morning was going to work. instead of her AM nap, she decided it was time to move on to bigger and better things- standing in her crib. she was screaming several times during her nap and when i would check the monitor, she would be stuck on her knees. the last time, she made it to a full on standing position. which is great b/c she's 11 months today and needs to be doing this! i couldn't resist getting her up.

the farmhouse sink...

i love the farmhouse sink...probably b/c it has that vintage feel that i am constantly going back to. i can't help it, it totally gets me. there are so many choices out there when it comes to this deep utilitarian sink basin. believe me, i just spent my afternoon yesterday and then again last night, trying to decide on the right one for a job i am working on. there are so many sizes out there. we have found that it is really important to know exactly which farmhouse sink you are going to use when you start the "kitchen designing process"....this is especially true if you are going to use a vintage one. and the quality of the product varies a lot according to the vendor (we weren't very pleased w/ one we just put into a kitchen this week). plus, you have to keep in mind that many of them taper at the bottom- generally this is found in the ones made from porous fireclay. just a little info i thought i would pass along in case any of you are in the market for a fab farmhouse sink!

hot meets hotter...

outdoor furniture has risen to a whole new level and janus et cie has taken it there. fear not any of you out there who are over the "traditional outdoor look" b/c dedon's super fabulous outdoor collection is just drooling w/ style!! can a girl please get a fruity drink w/ an umbrella in it while i sit in the orbit and soak up the tropical rays...gosh, if only i had a pool and an unlimited bank account....

axel vervoordt

after a SUPER fun weekend spent w/ my best friends, i needed some down time to say the least!! i was flipping through my pile of magazines that arrived while i was gone and was reading an article on darryl carter (love him) and who inspires him. i decided to google axel vervoordt, who darryl quotes as loving for his "dexterity". i am amazed by the beauty on his website. the pictures are breathtaking. i too can understand why one would admire such work....

Road Trip!!!

i'm off for a weekend of fun w/ my best friends and i just can't get there soon enough. i woke up 3 x's last night and finally got up at 6:00 b/c i couldn't stand it anymore. i got the baby up as well b/c i will be missing her this weekend- my husband could have killed me for this since he is in charge of her!! we are having a bachlorette party at the beach...although i dread the thought of having to put on a bathing suit, i can sacrifice the pain to be w/ these friends. have a wonderful weekend!!!!!

steven sclaroff

he had me at one click...the second his homepage appeared on my computer screen, i was smitten. he is an interior designer and a store owner who takes great pride in american and european vintage finds. he is not afraid to change the appearances of the pieces he brings into the shop to suit his style...and from what i can see, he shouldn't be b/c he obviously has outstanding taste! find out more about the master mind here or check out his inventory on 1st dibs...

wallpaper tile

ever wonder where tom scheerer gets that amazing tile for his beach kitchen backsplashes- cuban tropical tile. they have a gallery full of amazing custom made products. because each tile is hand made, you are truly able to customize the tile by selecting your own colors and pattern. i am sure you are thinking that its got to be expensive to do this but a 12 x 12 is about $7 per tile. not too shabby for something that is so visually stunning and unique to your home!

now that is a toliet....

talk about some bling! the miniloo is sure to be a conversational piece in any home.... and as always, luxury never comes cheap! she's real cute though!

i'm back....

well i am back from my pity party and i have to say 'fantasy' spring break rocked. it was nice to have a week w/out the commitment of writing but at the same time, seeing everyone who left such nice comments made me realize why i love doing this. thanks so much! they put a smile on my face...but i promise my break wasn't a plot to "fish" for compliments...it was just to take some time off!

i did get a lot of work done last week which was great. and it was sunny enough to go the beach of sat w/ the tot. i can't believe i am even admitting to this but prior to us going to the beach, we stopped by the ultra tacky beach shop by our house to pick up an umbrella (now that we have a kid, we have to start acting like adults)...i tried to talk my husband into buying one of those beach wagons so we could pack all of our goodies in there (diaper bag, sand toys, cooler, umbrella, kid) but we didn't want to go overboard in supporting the tourist shop.

taylor really enjoyed the beach...she didn't seem to mind the sand that covered every inch of her body or eating it. and the hour that we were there was a great "family bonding experience"...then she was over it...and so we packed up our tacky beach gear and headed home and "spring break" was officially over...no wild stories, no tattoo or bellybutton piercing, and no hangover....

you don't own me...

i'm not one of your many toys...can't remember the words...don't tell me what to do, and don't tell me what to say...forgot the words.... yes folks, i have reached it- a mental breakdown in the world of blogging and i just did my best to quote the words off of my dirty dancing soundtrack to the song "you don't own me". that song was dedicated to this blog....

i think i have become boring. which means one of two things: a) i quit writing this blog all together or b) i take a "blogging" spring break... not only have i become boring but i have also become a nerd! did i seriously just write a "blogging" spring break?? 10 months ago, i didn't even know that blogs existed...

so after much thought (not really) and seeing that everyone else in the blogging world (i should really wear a pocket protector with all of these "blogging" terms i keep throwing out) took a "real" spring break, i am doing just that...taking a break. i feel like i have had some lame posts lately and if i was a reader, i would be bored to tears w/ my blog. if i was a cartoon character, i think i would be the teacher on charlie brown- you know the one that no one can decipher what she is saying...

this is my problem- i can't figure out where i am going on my "blogging" spring break (jeez- i have got to quit saying that)...it's a toss up b/w spring break circa 1999 w/ my college bestfriends (since this is my fantasy, i will not be that overweight girl that i was in college due to the fact that i loved beer and apparently any food place that served after the hours of 2 AM). i had the best group of girlfriends and i miss them dearly.

the second option would be to go back on my honeymoon with my husband...it was the best trip ever. we had so much fun together and actually met two other couples who we hung out w/ for most of the week. we were so carefree...no worries, didn't care how much money we spent, no baby or diaper bag that i have to pack everytime i step out of the house w/ an obscene amount of toys, finger foods, and diapers, no lame blog that i have to report to every morning! regardless, i just want a break...so, i am taking off the week...

it's everywhere you look...

i recently had an appointment to do a kitchen backsplash for a house i am working on. i was talking w/ the tile rep and i asked him if he was seeing any new trends in tile? he said what i knew already, "subway, brick pattern tile is still what people are using". it's everywhere you look. i spent a couple of hours looking thru my magazine collection for new ideas for a backsplash and seriously, every kitchen had the white, 3 x 6 subway tile. or if they didn't, they had an extension of the material they used on their countertop: like calcutta marble would be the countertop and the backsplash behind the stove.
i like the classic subway tile. you always know it will pair well with other tiles; it gives a clean look to a space, but at times it can be a little monotonous. companies know that this classic tile is what people are using so they are trying to put a little spin on it...you can find the tile smaller or larger in size, crackled, glass, metal. you can also find different takes on the pattern which i like:

you can flip it and create a bamboo pattern (done by kwid in many bathroom applications), you can line it up in rows to create a linear look, or you can find it in a basket weave kind of pattern.

whatever you do, one thing is for sure...it looks like this tile is going to be around for a while longer. and you know, that's okay with me b/c i do think it makes for a great, simple backsplash.

april showers....

seriously, its been raining here for like a week. well, i set out on my appointments yesterday- first i had a meeting at the tile place to select a kitchen back splash, then i headed to one of my job sites to inspect the paint going up. i didn't plan well...i dressed up for my first apt and just went straight to the house after that. i pulled up to the house and was greeted by the yard of mud. yup, and i had on satin, animal print ballet flats. and yep, the front door was tapped off so i had to walk all the way to the garage. my husband said "that's what you get for being so prissy"....it has nothing to do w/ being prissy- its called poor planning. i debated on going barefoot and rolling up my pants...can you imagine what i would have looked like! not to mention there is no running water at the house....so i did what i thought i had to, totally tiptoed the entire way, doing my best to dodge the puddles...it took a good 5 minutes and with every step, i had to evaluate where my next would be. i am sure the workers where all making fun of me inside. this is a perfect example of why i need galoshes....

studio nommo

crazy, crazy, wallpaper...so fun to look at. how funny is that ritz cracker paper in that kitchen! and the animals remind me of dwell studio designs. the girl w/ the umbrella was just so different...there is something captivating about her...

there is something about good customer service....

i don't know about y'all but in my industry, customer service it key. if you want me to come back and use your product, showroom, etc. then show me some southern hospitality. yesterday, was a perfect example of how a good sales rep can totally make my job easier and left me with a pleasant smile on my face. i was working on exterior lighting and we were debating b/w two different lanterns in the showroom. well, the sales rep, chuck, couldn't have been nicer and said "here's what we are going to do shannon, let's take these lanterns and look at them at the house." and that's just want we did. he met me at the job site with all of the goods and we just sat there and held up different options. it was above and beyond the call of duty but made a lasting impression on me...it totally pays to be nice!

warning: this is a mom story vs. a design inspiration...

so i am not a supermom and i'll be the first to admit it. but our daughter is now 10 months and she is suppose to be eating more "normal" foods. so in an attempt to stop giving her the very easy gerber food jars, we took a family trip to the store to get her "real" foods. we scoured this cookbook my mother-in-law left us for inspiration. i got up this AM inspired to get taylor to try new things. i opened the cookbook and following a simple recipe that said it was "yummy by itself or mixed w/ cereal". i peeled the apples and strawberries, simmered them in a pot for 5 minutes, pureed them in the mini cuisinart and Viola- instant breakfast. i was excited for my daughter...this has to be better than the usual mush that can sit on a store shelf for 2 yrs...

well, after all of the trouble i went thru to be supermom, my grateful kid greeted me w/ the most appropriate face: pure disgust...

if i knew i wouldn't offend people, the last picture would have been my middle finger...being a supermom is totally overrated and i am at peace w/ mediocrity.