Archive for March, 2015
No Naps Till Purple
Pheobe Howard
As of now, Josie’s favorite color is purple. I realize that this can change about as often as her rapidly growing body adds on another couple of inches. But sometimes I think to myself what if she comes to me requesting a purple room in about five years. Is this something I should “worry about” now? God no. But it does make for good blog material.
I find purple to be a tough color to work with and in a little girl’s room all I can think about is Disney Princess. Yuck.
Here is purple done right in a girl’s room.
Country Living
Going with sophisticated fabrics and lighter color palette – more lavender than grape seems to do the trick.
If Josie were to come to me tomorrow and say that she would withhold all of her naps until I designed a purple room for her, this is what I would do
Whimsical Delight
If ever a case needed to be made for the importance of vintage, look no further than Celerie Kemble’s Dominican Republic home. Have you seen it?
Those dining room chairs are ridiculously good. It’s a home filled with whimsy, perfectly fit for Celerie, Boykin, Rascal, Wick and Zinnia.
Tablescaping Again
I’m a tablescaping phene lately. Call it boredom, call it my creativity outlet, call it my way of procrastinating chores, whatever it is, I can’t stop putting together tables. Ha! Ridiculous but true.
We’re hosting Graham’s family for Easter and I’ve got the table on my mind. Yesterday during nap time, I sat by our table and pondered exactly what I would do. There were quite a few times when I was tempted to grab my phone for pinterest but I’d like this to come out of my very own brain. That being said, I’m sure it’s been done before. Oh internet.
Now that I have my table set up in my mind, I thought I’d share pretty images from Pinterest in case any of you are looking for ideas.
These images have got my mind spinning even more. So much beautiful inspiration. One thing I know for sure is that the moss runner I used for Graham’s table will be reused; it’s just so easter.
I’ll post pics after Easter.
Easter Basket RoundUp
St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone in a flash and now it’s time to prep for the next holiday: Easter!
Last year for Easter, I threw together some things around the house for Josie’s Easter basket (ahem banana, cracker and a toy she already owned). It worked out just fine because Josie was so little that she didn’t really get it.
And now that she’s a big old two year old, she’ll get it like a tiny weeny bit. So, I want to make her a cute basket this go around.
I started thinking one place to start upping the cuteness factor is with the right basket.
Here are some choices…
History + Industry on OKL
Get out those pocket books ladies. History + Industry jewelry is on One Kings Lane starting today at 8am through Monday. It is goood, y’all.
Every time I wear a History + Industry piece, I get one million compliments on it. One million? Yes, one million! Wouldn’t you want one million compliments? Then get your ass to One King’s Lane, girlfriend! Or head on over to the trusty History + Industry site. All necklaces are handmade by the artist herself, Miss Irene Wood – only one of my besties since college and the raddest girl on the planet. Now, she deserves one million compliments.
Project Procrastination
Does anybody remember this vanity stool that I blogged about after our trip to Palm Springs three years ago?
If you do remember – good memory – and thanks for reading!
To catch everyone else up, I bought that vanity stool during a weekend trip to Palm Springs in 2012 and I thought I’d recover it right away. Of course, I didn’t end up recovering it after all.
Then, about two years ago, the designer, Grant K. Gibson very kindly gave me a remnant of Madeline Weinrib fabric. Grant is just the nicest and it was so very sweet of him to do. I treasure the fabric and his generosity so much.
However, both the vanity stool and fabric sat unused for years.
Fast forward to last week, the fabric and the vanity met in a wonderful union. I believe my two loves make quite the pair.
They sit proudly together in Josie’s room and they act as the perfect perch to sit on . About one evening a week (or realistically every other week), before bed time, we all go sit together in Josie’s room and read books as a family. It’s a very special time and I’m so glad we now get to do that in style. 🙂
Grace was with me while I was attempting to take a good shot of the room; I’m very much still learning how to take a good photo. While she was laying on the floor, I realized that the bloomers I had her in match the decor – such a happy accident!
Also, the little bundle of complete joy turned seven months this past Saturday.
Counters that Stand the Test of Time
The other day, I was in my mom’s kitchen and it hit me that I have never written a post on one of favorite kitchen counter options – stainless steel.
You see, I grew up with stainless steel counters; those counters have now been with the kitchen for over 40 years now. While other pieces of the kitchen may need facelifts from time to time, the stainless counters have remained. They never date, they are very sterile and they’re easy to clean.
(My mom’s kitchen)
It’s perhaps an unexpected option since you don’t see it as much as marble or quartz in residential kitchens but it is one to consider. If I were to do stainless, I would use it on the kitchen counters and then either marble or butcher block for the island so that the kitchen doesn’t feel too sterile. This kitchen shown below does a great job of mixing the counters and pulling off a warm, homey vibe.
I tried to find inspiration photos where the kitchens still felt inviting with stainless counters and didn’t go too industrial or commercial. I think one thing that helps soften the look is to stay away from white cabinets so that it doesn’t go too sterile.
I’m curious – would you ever go for the look?
Folkthread
Thank you so much for your comments about my dad. They mean so much to me. Writing posts about my dad are always very meaningful to me.
Now, on with the decor show…
Kit Kemps hotels are simply a delight! Instead of being a home away from home, they are a complete fantasy. It’s a bit like staying in a Wes Anderson movie. Her fantastic use of patterns, color and unique furnishings give a little hop skip and jump for joy to anyone’s inner decorator.
Well now you really can bring Kemps hotel feeling home. She’s just came out with a line for Anthropologie and it’s killer.
The Folkthread dining chair I want so badly for our one day kitchen nook. “I want it, I want it, I want it” – screams grown woman. I wonder where my children pick up their temper tantrums from?
Also, I saw that Kit used the same art print that I own in one of her hotels…
hers…
mine…
Since we have the same print, we need the same chairs. It’s a fact. “I want it, I want it, I want it” Please excuse the puddle of tears all over the Burlingame Anthropologie store.
Happy Birthday, Dad
Yesterday was a pretty perfect day that embodied all that my dad loved about life. We began the day slowly and then meandered into the “sport” for the day: badminton played whole heartedly and foolishly – dad style. We were there to play but also to giggle and to make fun of ourselves and our opponents.
The badminton games overlapped with the beginning of the party. In true dad form, we didn’t run around stressing ourselves out before guests arrived, we didn’t primp and prim ourselves; we relaxed, we played and we waited for our guests to join us in the festivities.
And what guests they were; we put together a list of my dad’s favorites. The people who he grew from a boy to a man with but always made sure they remained boys at heart. They were my dad’s best friends from college and their children and their children’s children. The USFers.
The USFers are a privileged group of people. A group that can’t hit a note for the life of them but will die singing. A group that makes fun of each other just about as much as they make fun of themselves. A group that comes early and stays late for a party. A group that respects a good-bye and lets it linger well after the sun has gone down. A group that may moan about an “all down hill hike” but ends up rolling down the hill in fits of laughter. A group that hugs. A group that sees each other and lights up. A group that feels like family.
So many of these wondrous, spectacular elements of the USFers are thanks to my dad and the yearly reunions he would throw with his college friends and families at our ranch. Dad had such charm that he could rally up his troops with a simple phone call; no one ever missed a weekend at Camp Cirrhosis. We sat around the camp fire singing songs, telling stories and acting out jokes until the wee hours of the night. We hiked long, at times steep, hikes to reach breathtaking vistas and jump down shale fields with childlike joy. We ate at one giant picnic table amongst the redwood trees letting the wine flow and the memories take over. Dad, ever leading the charge.
Today, my dad would have turned 70. It had been six years since we had a USFers reunion and six years since he passed away. The past few months, I felt in my soul dad was looking down begging for a USF party. I knew it was up to me to get the invite around, up to my dad to provide the good weather and up to everyone to bring back that old USF charm.
It was everything dad wanted it to be. A beautiful day with beautiful people catching up and reminiscing. And at the end of the day, always singing as we do, we joined in one last song – Happy Birthday.
Dad, thanks for teaching us what true, long lasting, deep, deep friendships are all about. We love and we miss you every day. Happiest of birthdays!!
Kate Collins Interiors 