ROUNDUP: GRAB A CHAIR!

It's the time of year when our full and happy homes may find themselves in need of some extra seating for all those out of town guests or party goers! And really, there's nothing worse than pulling out some rickety old fold-up chair that feels like it may collapse at any time. So how about investing in something stylish and sturdy this year?

Even my small apartment could easily store a pair of these in a closet or corner! The only question is... which one??

*clockwise from top left: louis folding chair, ballroom party chair, the fifi chair (in a variety of colors!), acrylic folding chair, safari folding chair, lina leather chair, terai chair, classic metal chair

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LET'S GET DRAMATIC

We can't really talk about holiday decor without discussing a little styling in the dining room too...

Along with my dramatic black Christmas tree, I'm going to have to create a table setting that can compete for attention! Perhaps some classic sophistication in black and warm neutrals (and a hit of red?). 

Or a super vintage inspired mint and pale pink (with doses of black to tie in with the tree of course). I could see this going very retro meets deco.

Or, what my be my favorite (no surprise) a rich shade of green with tons of shimmering gold. Care to place your vote?

*images by benjamin alexander, alina gozina, signe vilstrup via dustjacket attic, mary macdonald, david roemer

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WORKWORKWORKWORKWORK

Ever have one of those days where things seem to just pile up around you? I've literally got stacks of paper all over the dining table (that is still waiting to be refinished), boxes of items that need to be shipped, a pile of laundry that needs to be folded and an inbox full of over 200 emails...

So guess what I'm doing today? Taking deep breaths. I just made some tea, and I'm attempting to tackle one thing at a time, starting with the pieces that are stressing me out the most so I can get them off my list. Do you have a strategy for those days you feel overwhelmed?

I always try to console myself with little things that make me happy and grateful - like the fact that I now actually have a dining room table to spread out on, some comfy chairs to plant myself in, a gorgeous sunny day to keep me cheery, and some fun plans for this evening to look forward to! And now I'm also determined to get some furry throws for my dining chairs to put a real smile on my face. I don't care how many times I see it done, I'm still not sick of it!

*images via tumblr, sources unknown

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ROOM OF THE WEEK: CHANGING SEASONS

Now that autumn has officially arrived, there will be no more outdoor dining in these parts. Already, our mornings are taking forever to warm up from the chilly nights! So, I thought this week's Room of the Week was especially appropriate... and interesting to say the least!

At first glance, it may not look like much, design wise. Sure, the flowing curtains give off an amazing warm glow, and the layers are lovely, but woven chairs and a slightly undersized rug? Not so sure.

But then, you take a deeper look and realize... the walls. They look textured right? Well, that's because they are. Extremely textured. This is the home of Alina Apteker, and her vision was to create a space that felt like dining in a Parisian garden or courtyard. And those walls? They're faux boxwood. Add an antique chandelier and mismatched Versace china, and yes, you've definitely got yourself a little piece of Paris.

While most of us don't have the type of room (or the guts) to do something so extreme, it certainly has me thinking of ways to stage the home for for a dinner party or two during the chilly months ahead! I also love the idea of swapping out my white curtains for something that will add a little warmth to the tone of the room - a filter that recreates that infamous Parisian lighting... or as close as one can get.

*via elle decor

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ROOM OF THE WEEK: CHANGING SEASONS

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GET HAPPY!

I thought we'd start the week off with something fabulously cheerful...

These chairs! I mean, really... wouldn't they put on a smile on your face every morning? I'm not one to usually insert pink into my interiors, but these Casala classics are just too good! They're making me want to snatch up this pair for my own.

This home belongs to artist Kirra Jamison, whose pieces are pretty damn perky themselves:


What do you think?


*image via the design files, shot by daniel mahon for kirra jamison.

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GET HAPPY!

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UNDERSTATED

This is kind of space I'm willing my head to be in right now...


Clear of clutter, absolutely fresh, and focused on the important things. Like bold wall decor. And leafy accents (whether gilded or recently plucked from the garden).  And great seating (even in the form of a miniature stool).

*images via here, here and here.

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UNDERSTATED

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ROOM OF THE WEEK: 5.26

When blogger had it's little *ahem* 'accident' a couple weeks back, it deleted this Room of the Week post.  So I brought it back! Because this room really is quite deserving, in my opinion...

There are a few colors I'm consistently drawn to wherever I go, and coral happens to be one of them (you may have noticed). I have loads of it in my wardrobe, but hardly any in my home. Every time I've tried to bring it in, it feels just a little too loud and overpowering. But I think I may have just found the solution...

Given a room all its own, the color blocking combination of coral and peach feels just right, and extremely fresh against all the white! I love the updated traditional styling of the room - simple rich wood chairs, beautiful white walls with lovely molding, and antique accents. Nothing too stuffy or over-the-top here. The addition of the potted urn atop the modern white column, however, might be the final piece pulling it all together. The room needs that dash of greenery to give it a softer, garden feel.

PS - If you hate the peach, you can swap it out - bonus!! What color or pattern would you rather see on the table? 

*room featured in veranda via mfamb

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LIONS AND DINING ROOM CHAIRS, OH MY...

This table deserves a fiesty roar... 

I'm dying over the intricate lion-head (and feet!) legs. And the complimenting modern chairs are almost perfect - I would have gone with something even more simple (maybe armless?) to really let the table shine. It's so good in this clean, all-white space. 

*image via one white apron

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LIONS AND DINING ROOM CHAIRS, OH MY...

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BETTER THAN THONET?

I've been on the hunt for some casual dining chairs for a client of mine, and I keep returning to the classic Thonet bentwood style.

I love them all lacquered up and shiny, and their shape is perfection... unless of course you're worried about little squirmy kiddos slipping through the open design. Which, in fact, we are. The solution?

Well, it just might be these - the new Henri dining char at Anthropologie. I don't love the design as much, but they're still pretty darn good. And I do love the option of that deep navy blue instead of black! What do you think of them? Any other suggestions from my design friends out there?

*black and white chairs from crate&barrel, green thonet chair at dwr

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BETTER THAN THONET?

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HUNTING: WINGBACK DINING CHAIRS

I've been working with a client to create a lovely dining room featuring light woods and an indoor/outdoor feel - ironically it's a very on-trend moment (every showroom at High Point had their version of this 'Restoration Hardware'look') featuring some very classic pieces. Which is why I'm obsessed with bringing in a pair of wingback dining chairs...

There's something so sweet in these petite versions of the traditional wingback chairs. And, I love that you can easily pull them into the living room for extra seating too.

Here are a few options I've hunted down so far. A gorgeous piece from Aiden Gray at Layla Grayce comes in at $840 (a little on the high end!). On the opposite spectrum, a seriously affordable style at (gasp!) Sears for only $230. Not a huge fan of the legs on this one, but nothing a little 'customization' can't fix! Just below, a modern wingback at SOM is surely unique, but way above budget at $2,650 for a pair. And finally we have some pretty little lines at this chair from Hooker - on sale at $650 each. (Do we have a winner?)

Which would you go with??

*top image via creamylife

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A RECURRING THEME...

Not that I usually recommend one color palette for an entire home (unless you have a very small space to work with) but....



The mix of rich teal with pops of red has been one that just seems to stick with me! Yesterday I reported from my twitter that there is still a big surge of teal in the marketplace - we saw it in lots of leather goods in High Point - but my favorite way to use it is definitely as a base for the room - whether on the walls, cabinets or floors - with that pop of red and plenty of natural light so it doesn't feel too heavy. Do you think this a color scheme that's doable for your home?

*images via traditional home, domino and lonny

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ROOM OF THE WEEK 3.31

Sometimes I really have to dig deep into my files to find a worthy Room of the Week... and today I came up with and old favorite...

I have always adored the lightness of this room - the way the chairs' thin lines combine with the lucite table makes it feel like there's hardly any furniture at all! The white chandelier almost disappears into the ceiling, and the simply trimmed shades add just the right touch of detail.

If you see the adjacent living room, it makes sense as to why it's all so simplistic...

Quite a bit of pattern and pops of color going on in here! Designing a space in the round can be tough, but I like how this one was done. I also love how the trim in the pillows echoes the trim on the shades! For some reason, it's not quite my style... do you prefer one space over the other other? Would you take them both? I'll stick with the dining room.

*images via elle decor

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ROOM OF THE WEEK 3.31

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RAINBOW ROUND THE TABLE...

In the latest decision concerning my next living space... I've decided that I absolutely must have colorful dining room chairs...

For a girl who can be a little shy of commitment, I think this is just enough of a pop of color that I won't regret saying "I do." And it adds so much fun to the space! Now the question remains... what color? I did a little dream browsing at 1st dibs last night to consider my options...


I'm pretty sure the yellow are my favorite... but the style of the purple are so glam... and we all know I'm a green girl... Funny how I could design so many types of rooms around these chairs, and yet I'm drawn to each of them for different reasons. What are your faves?? What color would you go with?

*rooms via (clockwise from left): william waldron, mwm, mikkel vang for aussie vogue living, jamie drake, kristin ewart for domino, and elle decor  chairs all via 1st dibs: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple

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RAINBOW ROUND THE TABLE...

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ROOM OF THE WEEK 3.17

It's time for some fresh, fun glamour for this week's Room of the Week! I'm totally swooning for these adjoining rooms and the way the bright pinks + patterns are playing off each other while traditional pieces and modern lines mix in seamlessly...


Do you recognize the fabric on the sofa? It's a fun little Josef Frank print, which I seriously covet. I love all the gilded details too (of course!) and can you ever go wrong with that simple acrylic coffee table? I think not.

I had to point out the art in the dining room because it really connects the two areas together. The designer made an obvious choice to have the rooms really compliment each other because the area definitely could have been treated separately, but by bringing them together it opens up the whole house and makes the space feel  much larger.

I never would have chosen such a pop art-inspired, bold colored piece for this traditional home, but it totally works! One word for this whole space - FUN!

*images via skona hem. ps - for a great josef frank roundup, check out this article on apartment therapy!

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DINING ON SUNSHINE

We're supposedly getting a little sunshine in Seattle this week to ring in the new year, and it couldn't come soon enough as the rain has been falling nonstop! I've been hoarding away images like these sunny little dining areas just to look at while I dream of making a sunny vacation getaway...



If you close your eyes you can almost feel the warmth pouring through those windows... is it spring yet?
*images via french by design

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