Inspired by a Vintage Fan

September 7, 2009

Have you ever seen a picture that you loved, even if you didn’t know why?  I came across this picture when writing a previous blog post about retro kitchen appliances.

Then one day, while driving errands, I saw this fan outside a junk shop:

I pulled over, told the kids not to touch anything breakable, and bought [...]

Read the full article →

Cape Cod Homes 101

September 3, 2009

Summer came and went quickly this year!  But we were able to squeak in a week at Cape Cod before school started.  As it was our first trip to the Cape, I was very excited to view the architecture of authentic Cape Cod homes.  Especially since I grew up in one during my early years.  [...]

Read the full article →

Hooking Up Kids Rooms For School

September 2, 2009

It’s back to school season! To help things along, I tweaked my kids carefree summer rooms a bit in hopes of helping them get ready faster in the mornings and to inspire them to do homework. Ok, so maybe I’ll settle for just getting them out the door with no tears. Here are a few inexpensive tweaks I made…

Read the full article →

Do you love your home office?

August 21, 2009

I get so super-charge in the fall.  Maybe it’s because the kids are school-bound, or maybe it just the crispness in the air.  Either way, this feeling tends to materialize in nesting behavior in my home office.  And I love it!
I don’t have any big redesign plans in my office at this time, but if [...]

Read the full article →

The Linen Closet Challenge

August 12, 2009

As we think about hunkering down for impending fall, we experience a natural urge to organize. Call it “nesting” if you like. I find this organic urge more strongly in the fall than the spring. Maybe it’s because we get extreme seasons here in CT (and I tend to be a bit dramatic about the weather). This time, I’m going to use labels, hoping it will help maintain this newfound organization!

Read the full article →

B.Y.O. Lobster Party

August 4, 2009

How about hosting a B.Y.O.L. (Bring Your Own Lobster) party? To help get you started, here are some random thoughts about selection, preparation and presentation of the lobsters.

Read the full article →

Best of Summer 2009 (so far)

July 30, 2009

For me, summer provides so much inspiration for my home – from the colors to the casual feel. Guess I know why green is my favorite color. ;) So here are some photos I’ve taken this summer to visually illustrate what summer means to me.

Read the full article →

I’m so excited I could almost cook!

July 23, 2009

Seriously, this week’s reveal of the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year for 2009 did not disappoint. Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) inspired a space I could easily learn to call home! I’m looking forward to Koty 2010!

Read the full article →

House Beautiful’s 2009 Kitchen of the Year!

July 15, 2009

The 2009 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year is right around the corner! Get the latest on what’s going on and be sure to share your thoughts here after the big reveal!

Read the full article →

Twentieth Century New England Charm

July 5, 2009

We live near the Farmington River, just next to a quaint little town called Collinsville.  There is a wide bend in the river that serves as a beautiful backdrop to the eclectic culture of this little town.  It’s a busy little town with lots of kayaking, cycling, arts, antiques and lots of history.  In fact, [...]

Read the full article →

Rx for Hospital Room Decor

July 1, 2009

Decorating children’s hospital rooms is a real challenge. Most hospitals don’t have big budgets for interior design, there are many safety concerns that take top priority and children’s hospitals serve all ages of kids (including the parents). Here are a few easy and inexpensive ideas.

Read the full article →

Bold and Beautiful Kitchen Appliances

June 18, 2009

When it comes to kitchens, are we playing it too safe? Whatever happened to big, bold color expressions right smack dab in the heart of the home? No apologies! Here are some great ideas for bold, retro kitchen designs.

Read the full article →

My Dream Kitchen

June 11, 2009

I wonder…If I had my dream kitchen, would I cook better? Who among us hasn’t drooled over a kitchen in a Hollywood movie, or taken mental notes of a friend’s to-die-for kitchen. Here’s my dream kitchen. I call it “modern bungalow”.

Read the full article →

A Non-Princess Pink Room

June 3, 2009

Most little girls will want a pink bedroom at some point in their early lives.  Here’s a redesign project where a four year old girl reached a compromise with mom.  A pink room, but without any princess influence. 
Doable?  Absolutely.  For under $200? You bet. 
The strategy was to let pink be pink, but anchor it with earthier [...]

Read the full article →

Open letter to the current owner of my next home

May 30, 2009

Dear Homeowner,
We’ve never met.  And I don’t know when we’ll meet because we don’t have current plans to move.  But I’ve moved a lot (3 times in the past 11 years) and I’ve had it up to here (visual cue: hand above head) with DIY paint jobs gone bad.
I won’t even talk about wallpaper because [...]

Read the full article →

Update to The Bold Redesigner

May 25, 2009

You may remember back in March I rearranged my parents furniture (within reason) when I stayed at their home for a visit (no they were not there).  Yes, it was bold. I blogged about it here.
Well, since then, my Mom got inspired to do more (sorry Dad!).  They moved more furniture around, and removed their [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →