lofty ambitions

I have a slight obsession with lofts. Many years ago most of the warehouse buildings in this city were converted into condos. They are cramped, smelly, and extremely overpriced. But I still would like to live in one!
Then this year the National Rice Mill was converted into the most gorgeous lofts I have ever seen - overlooking the Mississippi River.
They went from this:

To this:

They even kept the interior and exterior grafitti...

And the upper decks are all ready for you to have dinner and parties year round...

Aggghhhh! I want to live there so bad. Maybe when my lease is up on the tiny apartment. Do you like lofts?
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Maddie girl

So my bestie in Cali with the baby that I did this nursery for:

would like to have another baby soon. She is keeping the nursery as is, since we did mostly unisex stuff, and we are going to make Maddie a big girl room next door. I think we will take the ottoman from in front of the chair and use those colors - pink and red and maybe some orange, though she doesn't like it. Also, the entire house has aqua and grass green in it so there must be some of that. I would like some exotic suzani in there also. Her fave inspiration pics are these simple, modern, graphic ones. Can't wait to get started!
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Christmas Shopping: Mama

My mother just started wearing glasses. She wanted some really funky cat-eye frames but her doctor (in Mississippi) was a little rude about them so she didn't get the ones she wanted. She has a small, round face shape. Selima Optique just opened a location next door to me and they have some of the craziest, funkiest frames I have ever seen - some even look like Mardi Gras masks! Below are some of their more basic, tame frames... hahahaha
What are you getting for your mama?
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sick saturday spaces

Usually when I feel a cold coming on, I just take some zinc and ignore it and it goes away. But this weekend I want to fall into it - in one of these rooms. See you next week...
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Double trouble

So over the Thanksgiving week, I found out that a friend is pregnant, my niece's room is ready for a makeover, and I have been thinking more and more about adopting in the near future (3-5 years from now)... seeing as holidays are all about the kids and they were running around underfoot all week, they have been on my brain. My mother got a magician to entertain them and the adults ended up enjoying it more!
Here are some magical kids rooms that make me ache for a child....Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of love and joy with your family - be it a family of two or two hundred!
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Celebrity Home: Hilary Swank

Hi, all! I hope you had an amazing weekend and are gearing up for Thanksgiving. I have been so busy lately I barely have time to write these posts, much less go see all the movies that are out now that I have been to! hahaha (how gorgeous was the house in Twilight: Breaking Dawn? It was filmed here and several of the pieces were from my store!)
Speaking of movie stars, here is the home of Hilary Swank, featured in the latest Elle Decor. What do you think about it? I like the bedroom, but I honestly feel like the living room looks like a Crate and Barrel catalog. This apartment seems like a corporate rental. She says that there are very personal touches like the art and some African pieces she collected over time, but I honestly don't see it. It does not feel warm or lived in at all to me. This issue caps off a few months of disappointing spaces in Elle Decor - is it becoming the new Architectural Digest? Filled with impersonal spaces of celebrities? This condo is oddly reminiscent of Courtney Cox' house. What do you guys think?
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hi ho, hi ho

Ok, gang - I am off to Mississippi tonight to help my sister. She owns the Handworks Holiday Shopping Show - it is around 150 booths of handmade crafts and beautiful things - can't wait to shop! I leave you with my favorite library/office/den of all time. This is one of the only spaces I have consistently loved for the entire past decade. The Bakalowitz chandelier, the Hicks patterned rug, low parchment coffee table and dark velvet sofa, lacquered or glossy wood walls, and hint of organic with cowhide pillows, etc. has always blown me away. Have a fabulous weekend - will catch you next week!
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i think this stuff is pretty

I think these are pretty...Happy Monday!
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