Simplicity

After a crazy weekend like this past one (congrats, cheeseheads!) I really crave simplicity. I have always been inspired by Sofia Coppola's style, and this pic of her Paris apartment is a constant in my inspiration file. I found the Elle Decor this month to be a real letdown, except for the space designed by Bunny Williams. Clean, simple, and fresh. I also really loved the J Crew catalog this month. The shots in and around Los Angeles just strengthened my love of casual California style. The most exciting thing for me this past weekend was that I bought a Moroccan Beni Ourain rug(like the rugs in the pics above)! I have always wanted one and I finally found a huge one for a great price. Simplicity isn't cheap!
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*Pic via Moodboard Blog

Thanks and New Project...

Thanks so much to Jen at Made By Girl for posting on the nursery the other day. I have received tons of emails asking about different details of the room. It is such a wonderful feeling when others like your work! Thanks, Jen! Check out the post here.

I have loved this red, glossy closet since it was featured in House Beautiful. Unfortunately, I am a renter and cannot do this to my own closet. So, I decided to do it to a piece of furniture. I got this burl wood tall chest on Ebay, added lucite handles from The Paris Apartment (my fave handles and knobs!), and now I am going to paint just the inside high gloss red. Here is the first step, with one coat of primer! (sorry, camera phone pic)

So now it looks like we will have two projects revealed next week. Have a fabulous weekend!
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Refinished Vintage Chests

I can't wait to show y'all the bedside chests I am having refinished - they will be ready in about two weeks. They are a little 70's glam - with a brass band around the base, but they were thickly varnished wood and I am having them done in a white lacquer. I love vintage chests because they are solid and heavy and last forever - so many of today's pieces are more expensive and made of MDF!
Here are some vintage chests that various designers have painted to update. It is also a great eco-friendly plan to reuse and recycle instead of buying new!
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Hooray for Jewelry

I love jewelry! I even worked for a time in a gorgeous jewelry store in Puerto Vallarta. We had to wear a piece of jewelry every day and went out and modeled it at night. What a dream! I have tons of jewelry and almost never take any out to wear. But if I had any of this fabulous vintage costume jewelry I would find a reason to wear it. I swear! House of Lavande has amazing pieces that celebrities wear to events and all us regular folk can shop it on their website...it makes me happy just looking at it!
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Twilight Sets

Lots of movies are filmed in Louisiana now - in fact, New Orleans is called the Hollywood of the South. Every week set designers are in looking for things for their movie sets. I have been lucky enough to be working with some amazing set designers for the Twilight movies this past four months. They are filming the final films in the series in Baton Rouge, and there are very few contemporary showrooms in Louisiana. Even though everything I have is quite classic, my showroom is still viewed as very contemporary to most people - and almost everything in here is cream and white - perfect for the Cullen vampires. Can't wait to see how they place my furniture and accessories in the film - in the meantime here are a couple of shots of the last Cullen house...
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Designers I love: Frank Roop

I really love Frank Roop's work. Sometimes I wish he would branch away from the blues and greens a bit more, but he designs almost every piece in his spaces and uses tons of interesting materials and textures, not to mention gorgeous artwork. The painting in the last pic is one of my absolute loves, Bernd Haussman (through Guthrie Contemporary). These are some of my faves, but check out his website. Have a great weekend!
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Romantic Bedrooms

Well, V-day is nearing and romance is in the air. These bedrooms are not my idea of a great resting place on a daily basis, but one romantic night could be nice...which do you like?
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