polka dots & moonbeams

it’s incredible to watch your children grow up to be semi-clones of yourself, sometimes for good and others times not so much.  i often wonder why each child seemed to pick and choose what kinds of behaviors and tendencies that i displayed over the years and then stray at times from my more redeeming traits.  i am grateful for their differences and individuality, and am happy to say each of my children has a very big heart.

this post is focused on the matters of the heart, especially with the recent engagement of my daughter Kirsten.  when we speak of the heart we think about love and romance. sometimes love for our families and relationships, but today i am not writing about people, this is the polka-dot kind of love in which kirsten and i share the same genetic chromosome .  when we were recently discussing her thoughts on her wedding she recited that she would like the theme of her wedding to be polka-dots.  after my long and exhausting happy dance upon hearing this news, i quickly set to work to determine how we can neatly fit this super cute theme into the most perfect wedding design concept so no “dot” or “i” was left unmarked.  they say when an idea is destined for it’s course, the magic begins and this was no exception.  yes, we had the graphic, but we needed the substance, the glue, the one main idea that would always turn us back to where we should be, and as if my nuptial prayer was answered, there it was, a gift from the internet heavens in the form of the song “polka dots and moonbeams” sung and recorded by Frank Sinatra in Los Angeles in May of 1961.

perrrrrfection!

Polka dots and Moonbeams – by Frank Sinatra

[Recorded May 2, 1961, Los Angeles]

A country dance was being held in a garden
I felt a bump and heard an "Oh, beg your pardon"
Suddenly I saw polka dots and moonbeams
All around a pug-nosed dream

The music started and was I the perplexed one
I held my breath and said "May I have the next one?"
In my frightened arms, polka dots and moonbeams
Sparkled on a pug-nosed dream

There were questions in the eyes of other dancers
As we floated over the floor
There were questions but my heart knew all the answers
And perhaps a few things more

Now in a cottage built of lilacs and laughter
I know the meaning of the words "Ever after"
And I'll always see polka dots and moonbeams
When I kiss the pug-nosed dream

enjoy the style sheet and stay tuned for more updates…dot, dot, dot!

happy seeing [@][@]!!

i’m just seeing: winning windsors

i remember the purchase of my first dining set (in the 1980’s buying a furniture “set” was the norm), it was an oak table and a set of 6 sturdy windsor styled chairs, heavy to move and thick parts and pieces.  i loved that set especially when country décor took over the nation by storm.  being a youngling then my taste was right there in the thick of everything country.  it seemed that this set, in all of it’s oakey glory, would be something I would pass down to my children and it of course was forever to be in my family.  but alas, there finally came a time to let the set go to another owner who hopefully had the same zeal for it’s chunky character and english heritage.  it’s been quite sometime since the passing of the country craze and my dining room set and now that my tastes are much more refined, less trendy and definitely more contemporary, i am intrigued by my new fascination for this iconic chair.  i admit i am drawn to furniture that is historical in nature and spun in a new way, it’s the saying “what old is new again” that makes me do a double take!  and as this chair takes on a newer modern aesthetic, the roots are clearly visible. i am so happy to report that windsor chairs are making a comeback and more stylish than ever.

1. New country by ethan allen burton arm chair – talk about a whole new attitude, this furniture company has defintely reinvented itself, I would take one of these chairs in a heartbeat.

2. Windsor Love Chair by anthropologie – I love, love, love the gradated painted finish, so tie dye like, hippie meets modern country!

3. and if you weren’t yet convinced, look at how amazing these red windsor like chairs look in this very hip and contemporary restaurant!

4. Smile Chair by Lievore Altherr Molina by Andreu World – one of my favorite examples of this new modern classic, I think the red is perfection!

5. Wegner PP550 Peacock chair by Hans Wegner from the Danish Design Store – there’s something to be said for iconic never goes out of style, like this masterpiece designed by Hans Wegner in 1947, so current, simply stunning in it’s scale and proportion.

6. Pair of Blue Windsor Chairs offered by Huniford from 1stdibs – the blue paint instantly updates the look of the chairs that are actually quite old, yet they are slim and uniquely interesting enough to showcase. This pair mixed with a group of simple clean wood chairs is definitely a “do”!

7. Modern Windsor Accent Chair from West Elm – I loved it when I first saw it and I still do.

8. Straight Backed Chair by George Nakashima for Knoll from DWR - another timeless classic that will endure all the trendiness of design.

9. Windsor Chair by Chris Specce from materialicious – a fun twist and super cute windsor chair design

Well there you have it, windsor chairs are no longer old fashioned or countrified, and hopefully will be around for a long time to come! Happy seeing {6}{6}!

see so good: dining ala serengeti style

in a world of imagination and love of design, i embark on an anthropologie (www.anthropologie.com) wonderland, with the first of my stops to be the african serengeti plains.  a subtle promise, to be sure you will not be left high and dry on this excursion, oh no, a dining setting that sets the scene of watercolor like grasses, parched and rustic weathered wood, exotic fanciful animal imagery layered among tribal inspired handiwork, please join me as we safari to the serengeti…

{all from anthropologie}

1. Constaninople Chandelier – candlelit beaded dining heaven, 3 of these centered over the table in various heights keep the look relaxed.
2. Sculptor’s dinnerware – handmade dinnerware that is so rustically refined.
3. Bright Morning Teacups, Blue – sipping just became more intentional, no hurry to go, savoring the moment and keeping it real with no handles.
4. Menlo Lamp – a randomly placed small grouping give instant ambience without being pretentious, can you say very romantic and inviting.
5. Brushstroke Branches Mural – this paper is so modernly beautiful I want to frame it, i think i can see the zebras and gazelles just beyond the tall grasses yonder.
6. Ettore Console – who could have known something so rustic could be so hip and simple, the perfect piece for trays of tiny little cakes!
7. Springkbok Benches – the inspiration for this post and i gotta have these benches or else, i mean how fun are they…you can split them apart or cuddle them together, placed on one side of the table with some soft cushions, you’ll want to camp with the animals.
8. Idling Iguana Pillow – a couple more animal friends to share the night…
9. Lucid Outline Pillow – and a pillow or two for extra comfort.
10. Lever and Lumber Table – a solid table for a backdrop to the magical moments and stories to be shared.
11. Grafton Chair – a homespun chair with a sophisticated frame equals sitting pretty.  a pair of these on the short ends break up the animals from the natives.
12. Dutch Wax Ottoman, Green Diamonds – 3 or 4 of the colorful fabric wrapped ottomans look like the dresses of the native land.
13. Grass Striped Rug – what’s better than a field of grass to soak your toes into after a long day on safari or to lay on and soak in the beautiful sunset?

Thanks for traveling with me, stay tuned for more dining experiences and happy seeing <0><0>!

see so good: HB relief

work has been so good that it’s taken my time away from blogging but when presented with this new design challenge my mind had a migraine/design fever and it would not subside until i finally became my own client.  so here’s the symptoms of my predicament:

• a slightly numbing plain apartment in HB (for you west coaster’s you’ll know what i’m talking about, Huntington Beach, California of course)
• existing conditions -  his and hers mish mosh of furniture
• compounded with the function of second office for my husband and me as his pain in the neck
• and then finally severe delusion of the designer brain until i’m completely metaphorically semi-conscious because i simply have to figure out how to make this place look beachy cute without spending hardly any $$!

prognosis: good, thanks to the inspirational images from Belle and Elle Decoration magazines…

 

prescription #1: the inside, take the following 19 items, sit back, enjoy and you should be on the road to recovery!

1. ornate mirror – from World Market
2. amazing image of the ocean (this is even better because it is actually a HB beach pic), get permission or buy from the photographer, enlarge to a really big size at least 6-7 feet, have it stretched onto 2” deep stretcher bars, hang, you’ll feel like dipping your toes in the water – image from Flickr by by John Paul Rodriguez
3. own it…or something like it, a dark stained TV stand – from IKEA
4. own it…or something like it, two floor lamps to flank each side of the sofa – by World Market
5. for texture, rattan poufs – by Pottery Barn
6. my happiest beach ikat pillow find, two for a double dose of goodness – by Z Gallerie
7. own it…it’s a hers/mine from my bachelorette days from Z Gallerie
8. own it…
9. how do you combine office meets dining, just roll on over with this white leather office task chair – by World Market
10. my next happiest beach tie-dye pillow find – by Z Gallerie
11. beachy is not beach without a stripe or two, pillow – by Pottery Barn
12. what’s a design haven without a collection of apothecary jar for seashells and rocks – World Market
13. pretty glass balls – Pottery Barn
14. wanna ditch the table and eat alfresco the sofa, this tray is just the answer – by CB2
15. hair on hide pillows add a touch of glam and fab – by Restoration Hardware
16. own it…Lack coffee table – by IKEA
17. layers of rugs to help the speed up the recovery time or to add extra yumminess, striped rug – by World Market
18. own it…flokata rug – by IKEA
19. own it…his dining table from the bachelor days – by Bo Concept

prescription #2:  the outside balcony, add these 11 items and you are sure to be in beach heaven!

1. in or out this rug is double fun, striped rug – by World Market
2. super cute side table or stool – by World Market
3. get in touch with your inner elephant so your memory stays strong, outdoor pillow – by World Market
4. layer the back of the sofa with some neutrality, chunky weave pillow – by Pottery Barn
5. a couple of blue outdoor rattan chairs add spice and flavor – by World Market
6. the best outdoor deal i know of, $160.00, this sofa is big enough to lounge the day away and still have money to spare, outdoor wood sofa bench – by World Market
7. mixing it up with some pattern, blue outdoor pillow – by Pottery Barn
8. not much space on the balcony, this will do the trick and weather the weather, coffee table - by CB2
9. line these babies on the coffee table and you have just created zen meets HB cool, oil lamp – by CB2
10. don’t forget to string out the lights for impromptu get-to-gethers – by World Market
11. mix this green little guy in and the scene is set, lumbar outdoor pillow – by West Elm

get well soon and here’s to a beach-speedy recovery!

see so good: wall stickers, so fun!

if you would have asked me 5 years ago about wall stickers, i might have lectured you on the two most don’ts in design:

• don’t ever use wall stickers
• and don’t EVER, EVER put any kind of ANYTHING that looks like a sticker on a wall!

well, times have changed and wall decals certainly have come a long way and i’m actually loving the opportunities for embellishing walls with vinyl works of art.

there’s a couple of great places to buy wall decal art and I’m also throwing in wall murals into this mix, some of my favs are

• www.fermlivingshop.us – wonderful modern graphics and great installation ideas on their website
• www.lanakole.com – another site that has a very nice selection of graphics and design ideas
• www.whatisblik.com (blik studio) – has a ton of wall decalls and many are very bold and craaaaaahzy, they also do custom decals.  be sure to check out their portfolio and e-book for ideas
• www.eazywalls.us – is just murals, and you will find all types of ideas, the murals come in different sizes so you can be sure to cover the entire wall (which is what I recommend :-))

First let me say a couple of things about the do’s and don’t of wall decals before you go “sticker happy”…

1. little stickers on a wall are almost always a no-no, pretty much any type of stationary, scrapbooking stickers and child size stickers with cute little bunnies are a big design DON’T.
2. consider the entire room and wall(s) where you are going to place your new art, does it work together as an entire composition.  your walls are the canvas and the sticker(s) are the subject matter (image from www.fermlivingshop.us).
3. i’m all about go bold or go home, but a subtle tone on tone approach is also good.  going bold-you should have the graphic incorporate as much of the wall space as possible, even, oversized or bleeding images are much better that something that only takes up a small percentage of the wall, UNLESS, of course it is part of a grouping (example below from www.fermlivingshop.us)
4. layer decals of various sizes on top of each other to create a one-of-a-kind mural – check out this cute idea below from www.spearmintbaby.com



5. see more ideas below…

blik studio www.whiatisblik.com – chair mix’a lot

both decals above from www.lanakole.com

dandelion blowing seeds in the wind from www.eazywalls.com

red paint spiral wall mural by www.eazywallz.com

 

Urban Outfitters 3-D Wall Sticks Birds and Ferm Living timber wall sticker….

…happy stickering!

DIY for $100-bathroom design give away

Have you ever wished you could redo your bathroom, and then realize you just don’t have the budget to do what you really want to do?  Fear not my friend, I have come along to help you with your woes!  I am giving a away a free bathroom design for one lucky do-it-yourselfer, wanna know more? 

Photos Courtesy of Lonny Magazine –www.lonnymag.com and photographer for Lonny Magazine Patrick Cline.

Here’s the deets:

What’s in it for YOU?

• a FREE re-design of one of your bathrooms in your home (so think of your smallest bathroom and I’ll think big!)
• my commitment to stick to a $100 budget ($100 = cost of materials such as paint, accessories, it all depends on what makes the best design sense for YOUR bathroom)

What’s in it for ME?

• one more happier bathroom in the world that I hopefully get to promote once it’s all finished
• more “design to see” and s.e. design, inc. facebook followers :-)

Here’s how it works…

1. if you’re reading this from my blog right now, click the “Follow” button so I know who you are (you will be instructed to put in your email at that time) AND…
2. click the SUBSCRIBE TO DESIGN-TO-SEE Posts button (and follow the instruction to subscribe) so you will know who the winner is when I make the announcement next Friday, March 25th, 2011
3. if you are not already a fan of my s.e. design facebook, please click this link s.e. design, inc. fan and then click the “like” or “fan” box
4. okay now for the good stuff – I will gather all the names from my blog and s.e. design, inc. facebook page and put them in a very large basket, do a quick little drum roll with my hands and draw a name which I will send out a personal message via facebook and announce on my blog.  Make sure you do both no. 1 and 2 above, cuz I will be making my list, and checkin it twice, gonna make sure who’s naughty and nice (o.k. wrong song for this time of year).
5. one more little detail, if you tell your friends and they sign up, tell me and I will throw your name in the basket for each additional person you recommend.
6. once I have identified the lucky winner and we both do a little happy dance celebration, he /she will provide me with photos of each of the walls in their bathroom, floor and ceiling, etc; measurements of all walls and necessary elements; and will fill out a brief questionnaire about their likes and dislikes for the transformation.
7. my turn – I will then send the winner (and post this to my blog) all the ideas on paper including a sketch of the most prominent wall, a list of items to purchase (remember I’m sticking to my $100 limit!) and a list of things to do.
8. here’s the catch, you should be prepared to clean, paint, hang pictures or shelves, switch out a light, install vinyl floor tiles or whatever an able-bodied person can handle.  If you are completely unsure of your abilities enlist someone to help you!  I want you to LOVE the transformation and since I’m not going to be there to supervise or pitch in, the success of the outcome is one part how well you follow my instructions and how neatly the work is done.
9. Let’s get this party started!!!

11 to see: black & white*** beaut-ees

1. Ikea GUNVOR Fabric.  For the money, this fabric has the most bold-bang for the buck.  You can use it to upholster a headboard, a pair of bergere or wing chairs, make pillows, a bedspread, or drapes, the list is endless. 
2. Urban Outfitters Medallion Wall Mural.  How cool is this mural, like a magical snowflake taken from Masaru Emoto’s Water Crystal images.  Cover a whole wall and see the crystal clear persuasion.
3. CB2”s FLOR™ Side by Side™ floor tile.  I’m clearly a stripe-a-holic, but truly, this carpet square wonder can perform a stripe-miracle in almost any room.
4. Urban Outfitters Russian Folk Tale Tapestry.  Attach a rod pocket to hang from a simple drapery rod or layer over a floor puddling black bedspread made of a thick linen or lightweight wool and your room will feel like a ethereal sanctuary.
5. Anthropologie Ebony Lace Wallpaper.  Wall paper is the new paint these days, you can’t deny the transforming effects.  So wherever you may choose to use this black lacey beauty, just remember it’s not just for the bedroom anymore!
6. CB2 alpha carbon floor lamp.  I think this floor lamp may just be the next gotta-have-it room-essential, whether your decor is traditional, transitional or modern, it works.
7. West Elm’s Ikat Woven Basket Collection.  A tisket, a tasket, what a beautiful basket!  When it comes to baskets I have finally been able to hone my selection skills, this is how it goes:  something unique about the design + functionality = a basket triumph.
8. Anthropologie Rigid Pleats Lamp.  On a kitchen counter, in a bathroom, on a desk, nightstand, bookcase, this is so suuuuper cuuuute!
9. Wisteria Wooden Upholstered Sofa with Bridal Rug.  The anchor piece for this post, for $1,599.00 I was blown away.  You might find something like this from another retailer for 4x the price.  It’s true perfection of texture, contrast and uniqueness, this bridal rug sofa has me saying “I do” all over again!
10. West Elm Modern Windsor Chaise.  When I saw this modern interpretation hit the West Elm presses, I was sooooooo happy!  Finally they reached far out of the mainstream furniture boxy-box they were in and presented a classic icon statement!  And if you are wondering what to do with this ultra hip windsor winner, well there’s so many places it can go it makes my head spin right round like a record, baby, right round like a record, baby:  in an entry, bedroom, living room, office, dining room, large master bath, Open up your lovin' arms, Watch out, here I come! (lyrics by Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round)
11. CB2’s nest chair.  I’m chirping over this number…an outdoor chair I would also use inside:  a pair in a breakfast nook, a side chair in a guest room or a bathroom or in a living room.  An outdoor style that can transform any space into hotel chic.  Pair with solid pieces of furniture with clean simple lines, such as a thick wood or parsons table and tree stump side tables, add glass cylinder candle votives, Cabo Azul here I am….

***Now here’s some good news, in my next post I’m switchin it up, stay tuned!!