The Scene: Homegoods in Framingham. Lots of housewives and old couples buying truly heinous thanksgiving themed dishware and dishtowels with christmas trees on them (you know since it's RIGHT around the corner and all). Me, trying make it to the cash register with my glass apothecary jars ($12.99! Score!) without running into the CRAZY lady who kept asking me if this blindingly ugly rug would match the equally nauseating wall tapestry in her cart. (I kindly suggested something else). When all of the sudden I stop dead in my tracks- stacked right by the checkout isle were two vintage Louis Vuitton hard suitcases. Just sitting there- no crowds of women oogling them or fighting WWF style in order to snag one. They were just walking by, leaving the gorgeous cases unappreciated!! I thought perhaps I was hallucinating- I hadn't slept well last night after all. Upon approach I saw that they were in fact real- with very real pricetags of $1,300 each. Apparently, select Homegoods now have a small section of authentic antiques from Paris. Cute signs, prints, vintage sports equiptment....and FREAKING LOUIS VUITTON SUITCASES.
Insane.
Sadly I had to checout sans Louis, but maybe next time I go in they'll have Le Courbusier chairs.

Although some days it feels like I have not even made a dent on decorating this place, some days I am able to sit back and give myself some credit.


My dining chairs are reupholstered- am not sure about the red now. Again. The dining room is so bright and light now that Andrew painted it in preparation for the wallpaper to go up, a cooler color might be better.

Like white.
Which is what I wanted to do in the first place.
But Andrew said "Noooo, that's too much white".
*Ahem!*


Anyways, I digress. They are fun.

The zebra linen looks tres chic and I find zebra to be very nuetral- it can go with any style decor. And I'm liking my West Elm mod metal and wood chandelier. This is a crappy picture, but you get the idea.

Also, the rest of my lighting went up for the most part, thanks to the electrician who robbed me blind. The vintage style schoolhouse pendant in the pantry, the $20 IKEA fixture in my office which I love, even if it does look like an artichoke. Oh, and a crystal chandelier in the bedroom, which there isn't a picture of because I have not made my bed yet. Yes, I know it's 10:15, but that is the beauty of working from home (i.e. my justification for being lazy).



OK, now you've made me feel guilty. I have to go make my bed (with my CLEARANCE bed linens I got at Bed Bath and Boyond for next to nothing and look PERFECT!). I had to throw that in there.

I came upon this source today and it so reminds me of my favorite shop Pieces in Atlanta. Those southern belles sure know how to refinish mod furniture! C.Bell has some great classic pieces punched up with strong color and high gloss lacquer finishes. Again, something you can do yourself with some scouring of local flea markets and antique shops (or grandma's attic) and a good coat or two of glossy paint...but if you are too busy, then this is a good place to find it all ready for you!
Speaking of, dropped off my now red lacquered antique dining chairs today to be upholstered in chocolate and ivory zebra linen (Kate, you inspired me)- I cannot wait to see how they come out.



And I have to give my little pals King Dog and Frankie in West Hartford a shout out. Their mom is a daily reader and Baxter is tres excited to hang with them. Holla.

This girl has got it all. A closet that probably resembles Barneys, ex-boyfriends like Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck, a husband who is the lead singer of my favorite band, classic, stunning beauty, two gorgeous kids (albeit with weird names)...oh, and a little guy named Oscar sitting on her bookshelf. Share the wealth, sister! My goodness.

And now we get to drool over her even MORE perfect home in this month's House & Garden. The look of the interiors completely mirrors Gwyneth- crisp, feminine, luminous, classic yet avant garde. Let's take a peek...





Her living area is decked out in all pale shades, which make the items that do have color really pop. But with two little kids, I hope she Scotch Guarded the hell out of those sofas.
The three prints above the fireplace would be easy to replicate. Check out the Shaded Memories Etsy store for abstracted prints of nature, like those above. Frame them in white IKEA frames with white mats to enhance their colors.


I have a hard time imagining rocker Chris Martin eating in this uber-girly dining room! The pink, white and sand color scheme is soothing and ethereal and oh-so Gwyneth. This crystal branch chandelier costs $37,000- gasp- but to get a somewhat similar look for less try Bloominglites branch and crystal chandeliers (still a little rich at $2,200).

Her bathroom is wallpapered in Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis print, which I love and had considered for my own bathroom. It looks very dramatic and crisp with the white framed mirror and console.



And her kitchen is just fabulous! I love the brown-grey cabinets against the Carrera marble counters. The best touch, in my humble opinion, are the unexpected white chandeliers over the butcher block island. For a similar look, try this all white Crate & Barrel Gracie chandelier, which just happens to be on sale.






And just to make SURE you know how ridiculously fabulous Gwyneth's life is, this little tea house style outbuilding is her own private yoga and pilates studio.

I hate her.

No, I love her.

*Sigh*

(I adore the "after" version of this room. Courtesy of Domino)

Working hard to fix up my own home on a budget has reminded me of how daunting this process is, especially for those who are not in the design industry. Winning the lottery, or finding out Andrew IS in fact related to Bill Gates, would make it much simpler. But who wants to take the easy way out? Put in a little of your own sweat, blood (box cutters can be tricky!) and no doubt tears, and you'll feel quite accomplished and proud at the end!

There are some really simple and not so pricey ways to give your home a face lift.

#1 PAINT- The change a fresh coat of paint makes is amazing. If you only do one thing, do this. Look through home magazines and see what speaks to you. Look through your closet and see what colors you tend to wear most. Don't be afraid of bold color, especially if most of your furniture is neutral. After all, you CAN paint over it if you decide it's too much! If you are meticulous about taping things off, it is quite easy to make it look like a professional job.
If you are a renter and painting is not an option, take a hint from what I did over my bed (see below). Find some wallpaper in a great bold color and frame large cuts of it. IKEA has great larger frames for about $25. Hang three or four in a row on a large wall and you'll get a nice pop of color. You can even frame solid colored paper and go for a very mod look! Or buy some pre-stretched canvases and paint them one color; you know like those paintings you see in museums where you say "I could do THAT!" Do it!

#2 REFRESH YOUR FURNITURE- Most of us who are young professionals have hand me down furniture from various family members or friends. Or perhaps a side table picked up at a flea market. Make them look hip and new by painting them! If you flip through Domino or the like, you'll see how of-the-moment painted vintage furniture is. Get some 1-Shot Sign Painters Enamel (mentioned in my last big post) and paint that boring old wood dresser! Pick a color, or just go glossy white! Go to a place like Anthropologie and buy fun new drawer pulls. For about $75 you could have a brand new piece of furniture! If you have a little extra cash, do what I did to my dining chairs and buy some funky new fabric (mine was only $9 a yard from Fabric.com) and reupholster!


#3 THROW PILLOWS- Do not underestimate the design power of these little darlings...changing your throw pillows (or adding throw pillows) packs quite a punch! If you are super crafty (or have a super crafty friend/mom/aunt) create your own! Sewing a square can't be THAT hard, can it? Those darn zippers can give you a headache though! Anyways, check out places like Target, IKEA and Bluefly for on the cheap versions.

#4 FLOORS AND WINDOWS- I shall again sing the praises of IKEA. Adding some simple hardware with equally simple window treatments can really make a space look more grown up. I am particularly fond of IKEA's grommet top panels! To make your ceilings look higher, hang the rods about 3" from the ceiling- the higher the drapes are hung, the more drama and height they give.

If you can't commit to a patterned rug, buy a fabric bordered sisal and call it a day. It's clean, neutral and easy to take care of. IKEA has great ones, but if you Google "sisal rugs" you can find TONS of them.

Try one or two (or all!) of these and see what a difference they make!

It was like Christmas morning getting a package from Elisabeth at Black Pearl Press this weekend! My gorgeous, custom designed letterpress stationery! I love it so much! The yellow and coral colors make me smile and the pattern Elisabeth designed is a tribute to David Hicks AND if you look closely, is made up of capital E's!
It speaks so truly of my style, modern but with a traditional core.
Splurge and get yourself some!