My little guy

Tomorrow we will be celebrating the 2nd birthday of this cute little guy God has given us. I'll post more pictures tommrow.

I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER

Brocade Home is back!! I lost track of them and their website was down but now they're back. I love their mix of modern, whimsical, eastern, and uber feminine furniture, bedding and accessories. Here are somethings that I'm loving on:

Ruffle Edge Mirror $499

Medallion Print Duvet on SALE right now!

You know how much I love green glass vases right now. These are on sale for $ 29.00.

Lace Cut Storage Unit only $599.00

Time to go shopping to stimulate the economy!


Alicia B.

Kitchens Galore.

Designing a kitchen can sometimes be the most challenging room to design. They are so personal to the individual that every one is different. I think we might have moved on from the avocado appliances (although I've been seeing a lot of soft greens) by now but what are the trends in kitchens? In my research I found a LOT of things--and like I said, I think that kitchens are SUPER personal and individual. See below some of my favorite picks.....

From Living etc, this kitchen has an industrial feel with metal cabinets and a sleek shiny subway tiled wall. Not really my favorite.

In this tiny Stephanie Stokes kitchen, customization of cabinets are very important. No space is wasted. She customized the floor too, which is beautiful. Also, she used green marble for the counter tops here.

Here is the ever popular farmhouse style kitchen with white marble, white wainscoting, and industrial holophane pendant designed by R. Roman Hudson. Personally I love this look--the pitchers on the open shelves are just adorable.

If you don't have a farmhouse style house, this house in the south shows you can still have a calming, simple kitchen (by Ken Pursley). Wood paneling can sometimes be intimidating, but this looks so soft and has a gorgeous contrast with the white marble countertops and backsplash of the stove.

I grew up in a house in which everything was behind a cabinet door, so the trend of open shelves was a new one to me. I have taken a liking to it though and it's nice to display your nice dishes etc. Ken Pursley again.

From House Beautiful, this designer used Jurassic Green Granite. Go green?

This reminds me of what a french farmhouse kitchen might look like. Hillary Hayne uses this wire in place of glass in the rustic cabinets. LOVE THIS.

A fun color like this blue and a fun chandelier is nice for a small kitchen to take the focus off the fact that it's such a small space. From Domino.

I really love this idea of adding this custom copper grill inside the frame of the cabinets. There is a physical barrier but not a visual one. WOW. By Sandra Bird.

Custom storage spaces created by kitchen genius Christopher Peacock.

Christopher Peacock is pretty much the authority on kitchens. This one is crisp and bright and clearly made for someone who likes to cook. How many stoves are there--four??

In my adoration for farmhouse kitchens, I love the farmhouse style sink which is deep and clean white! From House Beautiful.

Again, I am really leaning towards a french farmhouse sort of look if I had my choice. It looks easy to work in, and if you make a mess it is easy to clean up. What is your favorite new kitchen trend OR lasting style!?

Alicia B.

Weekend time!

Doesn't this look so cozy? It's from Southern Accents.


I'm off to my glamorous country home (my parents' house) for the weekend! Have a great weekend!


Alicia B.

Hanging vs. Leaning.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when you see a beautiful or even not so beautiful art propped up against a wall instead of hanging. To me, it takes away from the value of the art to have it casually sitting there rather than displayed up on the wall. I know it has been a big trend and I see it everywhere but finally yesterday I was validated on this sentiment by designer Keith Irvine! There was an article about him (he's 80 and still amazing!) in the New York Times yesterday and he said, "the modern habit of propping pictures against the wall. It's A, sort of pretentious and B, tentative." GOOD POINT Mr Irvine! I think the fact that it's "tentative" makes me feel unsettled and unfinished.

On the other side of this, people enjoy the temporary aspect of leaning the art. It can be seen as casual and you are able to move it about. Derek Larson says, "Leaning art feels effortless and casual. And it makes it easy to rotate pieces in your collection."

In Domino, the art is hanging and leaning. I do like the gallery style on the back wall though--look how low those pictures are!

Living etc. A framed poster (inexpensive art!) is propped on this mantle.

Adore this white washed brick but one of these pictures is being blocked!

Leaning art on the floor. I don't feel well.

Bravo on committing! From Domino.

Even if you're going for a less formal look, you can still hang the art! This is from a Robin Bell house in House Beautiful.

We all know how I feel. What are your thoughts?

Alicia B.

More than a Cup

In Scandinavia drinking is a very important social and personal event. Coffee is essential for an event to be "Hyggeligt", meaning to create a cosy atmosphere. We at ISAK believe that putting a handle on a cup spoils its aesthetic. We enjoy a sleek appearance and a cup that can be "cupped".
We have also added an oak lid to the cups to keep warm drinks warm or if drinking outside (as we like to), to keep unwelcome guests out of our latte. The lid also acts as a coaster if required to protect your tabletops. They also make lovely little storage jars.

The cups come in 2 designs; Lovebird or Leaf, to match the Birchwood serving trays. All available from the ISAK shop and selected retailers.

Lovebird or Leaf cup £8. Large serving tray £25. Small serving tray £15.

ISAK: Accessories for the modern Home, Beautiful Happy Things.

Blossom & Bill's Recommendations No.6

6. Tableware: Kurikyu Magewappa. These exquisitely handcrafted pieces of tableware are made from almost paper-light Akita Cedar. You can see and feel the craftsmanship in each article whether it is a simple rice bowl or a teapot. They look delicate but are robust from the painstaking manufacturing process that can take several weeks. We honestly believe that food tastes better when served from good tableware.