Here are some samples of Eric's work:
Deadline to enter is: January 31, 2010.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Free Engagement Photoshoot Contest Alert!
Fabulously talented Portland photographer Eric Chan of Clear Imagery Photography is offering a free engagement session to a lucky couple! To enter, simply submit a picture of you and your fiance and write a short blurb about why you should win.
Here are some samples of Eric's work:
Deadline to enter is: January 31, 2010.
Here are some samples of Eric's work:
Deadline to enter is: January 31, 2010.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Baby it's cold outside
We've woken up the past few weeks with dried, itchy feeling noses and parched throats. With temperatures dangling in the low teens, our central heat has been going non-stop! Then it hit us: our atmosphere was too dry! We haven't had time to go to the store so the past few days, I've been boiling pots of water and making soup just to get water into the air. We also bring up a hot cup of water to place on our bed side tables. It serves two purposes: a tiny bit of steam and water within reach when we wake up gasping. After a few nights of that though, we were determined to just make time to get the humidifier. After some initial online research, wewere kind of horrified by things going wrong, burning, fires, and decided to place a tentative hold on it.
Instead, we decided to try an air purifier first. I suspected the itchy nose feeling to come from our tempurapedic bed. Also, it has this smell that was really strong when we first bought it but even after 4 months, it still lingers. Although the company claims it's not carcinogenic, I cannot help but be worried. So, to ease my mind, we got this Honeywell HEPA permanent air purifier for about $170 at the local home depot. We left it on for a few hours in our bedroom but we woke up the next day without itchy noses! Yay! It's supposed to help with smells too so I will have to try it out the next time I cook. Right now, it is going full blast in the living room. I like how light and portable it is. It's a huge unit but I can carry it easily and move it from room to room. We haven't been able to open any windows for weeks now so this really freshened up the house. The only con is that the noise is rather loud so I haven't tried using it as we sleep.
We still woke up with parched throats though so we decided to ask around for suggestions. We looked at several humidifiers but in the end, got a good ole' fashioned Vicks Vaporizer that SIL recommended. Hubby used it growing up and hey, at $15, we were willing to give it a try. The smell is kind of plasticky in the beginning but I expect it will dissipate over the next few uses. Maybe I should move the purifier back into the bedroom for the night.
The last thing we did was get a portable Brita water pitcher to keep upstairs. Our fridge downstairs has a built in filter. This way we'll always have clean filtered water within easy reach. So now, armed with our purifier, vaporizer, and water filter, we are ready to brave the coldest nights!
Instead, we decided to try an air purifier first. I suspected the itchy nose feeling to come from our tempurapedic bed. Also, it has this smell that was really strong when we first bought it but even after 4 months, it still lingers. Although the company claims it's not carcinogenic, I cannot help but be worried. So, to ease my mind, we got this Honeywell HEPA permanent air purifier for about $170 at the local home depot. We left it on for a few hours in our bedroom but we woke up the next day without itchy noses! Yay! It's supposed to help with smells too so I will have to try it out the next time I cook. Right now, it is going full blast in the living room. I like how light and portable it is. It's a huge unit but I can carry it easily and move it from room to room. We haven't been able to open any windows for weeks now so this really freshened up the house. The only con is that the noise is rather loud so I haven't tried using it as we sleep.
We still woke up with parched throats though so we decided to ask around for suggestions. We looked at several humidifiers but in the end, got a good ole' fashioned Vicks Vaporizer that SIL recommended. Hubby used it growing up and hey, at $15, we were willing to give it a try. The smell is kind of plasticky in the beginning but I expect it will dissipate over the next few uses. Maybe I should move the purifier back into the bedroom for the night.
The last thing we did was get a portable Brita water pitcher to keep upstairs. Our fridge downstairs has a built in filter. This way we'll always have clean filtered water within easy reach. So now, armed with our purifier, vaporizer, and water filter, we are ready to brave the coldest nights!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
A shoe-in!
I love the layout of our house. Upon entering, you see a dining room to your right and a hallway that takes you into the great room. We're not sure what to do with the transitional hallway that links the two but right now, we have a console against the hallway wall. I am in love with these panel mirrors from Ballard Designs. They emulate windows and would make the hallway brighter and more expansive.
The only concern we have right now is where to store shoes. Asian people all remove shoes upon entering the house and we are no exception. We have shoe racks in the garage where we enter, but I don't want a cluster of shoes all over the entry way when we have guests. We have a tiled entry that is about 5 x 5 ft but there is no space to place a shoe rack. Also, since our dining room is right next to the entry, we don't want want shoes to be visible from the dining table. It's just not appetizing, ya know? Regular shoe racks seem so out of place. How can we conceal shoes but make it easily accessible to our guests so it'll actually be used?
We originally thought about placing wicker baskets under our entry media console a la pottery barn. We even measured different baskets to make that it'll fit!
The problem with that is people will probably not pull out the baskets to put their shoes in it. They will also have to plop their shoes on top of each other and it'll just look messy. I doubt the guys would care much but speaking as a gal, I wouldn't want my dainty shoes smushed by giant man shoes.
So what do we do?
The answer my friends, is blowing in the wind. IKEA of course!
We've seen these shoe holders at the IKEA store but wasn't sure if it'd fit right. I thought about it some more, went online, checked the measurements against our current console, and realized that it's just about the same dimensions! It is a few inches less in depth but it's still deep enough to provide a nice ledge for small decoratives.
At $99, it's a lot for shoe storage but we could probably use that in lieu of our current console. The unit holds at least 8 pairs of shoes. When our guests arrive, we could just tell them, "go ahead and place your shoes inside the console". Wouldn't that be perfect? We plan on getting a runner from the door to the dining room. That will keep the carpet clean because it'll outline a clear place for them to walk! Brilliant! Our entry way is long enough for us to even use two. What do you think?
There is another option that could work too. We could keep the current console and place this tower between the door and the dining room. It is available in white, black, or red. We'd probably use white because our baseboards and molding is white. It's 60 inches tall and fits perfectly in the space. The depth of 7 inches is just enough to place a small ivy plant or small framed pictures hung on the wall atop it. It would define our dining room and hallway a bit more too. This unit fits at least 6 pairs of shoes. Not bad, but I think we'd have more then 6 guests over at a given time. There is also a small open space for people to put hats or small umbrella, or even more decoratives.
I'm leaning more towards the 2x2 design. It has knobs instead of a fabric pull and just looks more polished. What do you think? Which one do you prefer more?
The only concern we have right now is where to store shoes. Asian people all remove shoes upon entering the house and we are no exception. We have shoe racks in the garage where we enter, but I don't want a cluster of shoes all over the entry way when we have guests. We have a tiled entry that is about 5 x 5 ft but there is no space to place a shoe rack. Also, since our dining room is right next to the entry, we don't want want shoes to be visible from the dining table. It's just not appetizing, ya know? Regular shoe racks seem so out of place. How can we conceal shoes but make it easily accessible to our guests so it'll actually be used?
We originally thought about placing wicker baskets under our entry media console a la pottery barn. We even measured different baskets to make that it'll fit!
The problem with that is people will probably not pull out the baskets to put their shoes in it. They will also have to plop their shoes on top of each other and it'll just look messy. I doubt the guys would care much but speaking as a gal, I wouldn't want my dainty shoes smushed by giant man shoes.
So what do we do?
The answer my friends, is blowing in the wind. IKEA of course!
We've seen these shoe holders at the IKEA store but wasn't sure if it'd fit right. I thought about it some more, went online, checked the measurements against our current console, and realized that it's just about the same dimensions! It is a few inches less in depth but it's still deep enough to provide a nice ledge for small decoratives.
At $99, it's a lot for shoe storage but we could probably use that in lieu of our current console. The unit holds at least 8 pairs of shoes. When our guests arrive, we could just tell them, "go ahead and place your shoes inside the console". Wouldn't that be perfect? We plan on getting a runner from the door to the dining room. That will keep the carpet clean because it'll outline a clear place for them to walk! Brilliant! Our entry way is long enough for us to even use two. What do you think?
There is another option that could work too. We could keep the current console and place this tower between the door and the dining room. It is available in white, black, or red. We'd probably use white because our baseboards and molding is white. It's 60 inches tall and fits perfectly in the space. The depth of 7 inches is just enough to place a small ivy plant or small framed pictures hung on the wall atop it. It would define our dining room and hallway a bit more too. This unit fits at least 6 pairs of shoes. Not bad, but I think we'd have more then 6 guests over at a given time. There is also a small open space for people to put hats or small umbrella, or even more decoratives.
I'm leaning more towards the 2x2 design. It has knobs instead of a fabric pull and just looks more polished. What do you think? Which one do you prefer more?
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Oh my doily!
During my morning ritual of french press coffee and Design Sponge today, I came across the most beautiful and perfect rug! I love lace but doilies generally eem a little too fussy to be used in common decor. Somehow, when magnified, the rough texture of the cotton ropes make this much cooler and modern. This is a lovely handcrafted doily comprised of knots and twists. The designers behind this masterpiece are so creative!
Isn't it just exquisite? Majah want!
Isn't it just exquisite? Majah want!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Decorating Ideology
Well...we've been trucking along for the past few months now and slowly adding pieces to our little nest. Although our future plans are uncertain, we are very happy and fortunate to have purchased our house and qualify for the blessed First Time Homeowner's Tax Credit. If not for that, we probably wouldn't have purchased so soon because we may not even live in this area much longer. It's a lovely home though and I can imagine raising a young family here but it all depends on work/commuting. We really just wanted to get in when the market was low and the incentives were high.
In the meantime, I cannot allow myself to get too attached to it otherwise I will be heartbroken if/when we leave. For that reason, I have taken to referring it to our "first house" although I doubt our "second" or "third" or what-have-you house will be much nicer! If we move to OC/SoCal, we could probably only afford a little townhouse! Even so, our house is wee bit of a financial stretch as it is so we've had to be frugal and slow to decorate. (New handbag or a media console? No longer do I hesitate!) Hubby is very practical and insists on getting the necessities first: sofa, dining table, TV while I gravitate towards finishing touches: matching soap dispensers, hand towels, plants, candles etc. It will be a year yet before I feel like it's finally "done". That's part of the charm though...I love a fresh canvas!
Before hubby and I got married, we used to muse about what we'd do when we had a house. We'd talk about drinking hot cocoa in front of the fireplace, snuggled up with a warm blankie. Now that it is wintertime, we can do that! Except we don't have a snuggly blankie err...throw. ( I had a really cheesy title name for this post...something along the lines of "throes of passion" but it looked too much like something out of a bad Victorian romance hehe.) I thought about getting a throw in an accent color for our neutrally colored living room but I am more drawn to textured, luxurious neutrals. Lately, I've been attracted to the plush feeling of (faux) fur.
This white one from Pottery Barn has vintage mink designs and looks so soft and welcoming! At $119, it's rather expensive especially since it is dry clean only. I'm not sure if it'll be too overpowering draped over our sofas.
Then there is this one from Macy's Hotel Collection. At $109, it's not cheap either and it's not nearly as luxurious as the Pottery Barn one, but I've felt it at the store and it feels soft and dreamy. It's not as thick so it will probably drape better on the sofa.
I will keep an eye out on both. When Macys has a sale, the prices get cut drastically. I found a Barbara Berry quilt (retail $400) for $50 during Black Friday. We didn't get it because it wasn't a necessity and didn't go with our decor but that is just one example. Another, more painful example, were a pair of crystal orb lamps that I found on cyber Monday (nearly identical to the ones we purchased for $100/ea) for $89.99/2! I should have gotten them yesterday too because now they are back up to $100/ea.
After Christmas sale is where it's at!
In the meantime, I cannot allow myself to get too attached to it otherwise I will be heartbroken if/when we leave. For that reason, I have taken to referring it to our "first house" although I doubt our "second" or "third" or what-have-you house will be much nicer! If we move to OC/SoCal, we could probably only afford a little townhouse! Even so, our house is wee bit of a financial stretch as it is so we've had to be frugal and slow to decorate. (New handbag or a media console? No longer do I hesitate!) Hubby is very practical and insists on getting the necessities first: sofa, dining table, TV while I gravitate towards finishing touches: matching soap dispensers, hand towels, plants, candles etc. It will be a year yet before I feel like it's finally "done". That's part of the charm though...I love a fresh canvas!
Before hubby and I got married, we used to muse about what we'd do when we had a house. We'd talk about drinking hot cocoa in front of the fireplace, snuggled up with a warm blankie. Now that it is wintertime, we can do that! Except we don't have a snuggly blankie err...throw. ( I had a really cheesy title name for this post...something along the lines of "throes of passion" but it looked too much like something out of a bad Victorian romance hehe.) I thought about getting a throw in an accent color for our neutrally colored living room but I am more drawn to textured, luxurious neutrals. Lately, I've been attracted to the plush feeling of (faux) fur.
This white one from Pottery Barn has vintage mink designs and looks so soft and welcoming! At $119, it's rather expensive especially since it is dry clean only. I'm not sure if it'll be too overpowering draped over our sofas.
Then there is this one from Macy's Hotel Collection. At $109, it's not cheap either and it's not nearly as luxurious as the Pottery Barn one, but I've felt it at the store and it feels soft and dreamy. It's not as thick so it will probably drape better on the sofa.
I will keep an eye out on both. When Macys has a sale, the prices get cut drastically. I found a Barbara Berry quilt (retail $400) for $50 during Black Friday. We didn't get it because it wasn't a necessity and didn't go with our decor but that is just one example. Another, more painful example, were a pair of crystal orb lamps that I found on cyber Monday (nearly identical to the ones we purchased for $100/ea) for $89.99/2! I should have gotten them yesterday too because now they are back up to $100/ea.
After Christmas sale is where it's at!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Holiday Cheer!
This will be our first Christmas together and I really wanted to start some traditions in our wee little household. Over the weekend we went to a tree farm and cut our own little noble fir tree. We purposely chose a "table top" size because it was easier to transport and set-up, not to mention a steal at $15. There were lots of dried needles and wee little spiders clinging to it so the light weight made it much easier to shake most of it out before we brought it inside. We don't have ornaments yet but we're going to choose one each year together.
Here is our first tree! Too large for any table but kind of small on the floor, it's just perfect!
We also turned on our fireplace for the first time this weekend. We still have our fall decorations (ok, just a mini pumpkin) on the mantle but seeing the roaring fire made me want pretty Christmas decor too! I've had my eye on these elegant and luxurious holiday stockings from Pottery Barn for a while now but couldn't justify the cost for monogramming and shipping. To my great pleasure, I found that they are on sale today only for $15, shipped with monogramming! Woo hoo! I cannot wait for them to arrive! They are available in several shades and thread colors but I'm going with the classic. It's just perfect.
Here is our first tree! Too large for any table but kind of small on the floor, it's just perfect!
We also turned on our fireplace for the first time this weekend. We still have our fall decorations (ok, just a mini pumpkin) on the mantle but seeing the roaring fire made me want pretty Christmas decor too! I've had my eye on these elegant and luxurious holiday stockings from Pottery Barn for a while now but couldn't justify the cost for monogramming and shipping. To my great pleasure, I found that they are on sale today only for $15, shipped with monogramming! Woo hoo! I cannot wait for them to arrive! They are available in several shades and thread colors but I'm going with the classic. It's just perfect.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Contractor Please
I would like to find a contractor who can build something like this entry way divider for me. I'm sure it cannot be too hard to do but I just don't know who can/will do it. Hrm..
Sunday, November 22, 2009
On point!
Woot! While browsing through my beloved design blog, Material Girls, I stumbled on a post dedicated entirely to camelback sofas! I didn't know that camelbacks are considered "traditional" design but now I realized our streamlined version is just a modern interpretation of the vintage settee. I'm glad that the sofa is considered "trendy" of the moment but gladder still to know that we didn't invest thousands of dollars into furniture that has no lasting power.
Here is an example of a traditional camelback:
A bold take--I love the fuchsia color! Such a surprising choice paired with a classic brocade.
Even Oprah is with me on this! I was googling around for other pictures and found her post on "Perfect Sofa".
Mine looks like the one in the middle. When the Ethan Allen decorator brought the swatches to our house and compared it to the carpet/wall color/baseboard, we both thought it'd be a very light ivory-just a shade more pigmented then our creamy white window trim. I knew that large swatches of fabric look more intense because we made that mistake with our new carpeting. The little carpet square looked light but after it was put it, it looked much darker as a whole. I have been mistakingly referring to our sofa as "white" when it's actually a rich creamy ivory. Memo to future sofa buyers- although our mistake was serendipitous (we love how the ivory warms up the room), keep in mind that colors look more intense when used in large proportions!
Here is an example of a traditional camelback:
A bold take--I love the fuchsia color! Such a surprising choice paired with a classic brocade.
Even Oprah is with me on this! I was googling around for other pictures and found her post on "Perfect Sofa".
Mine looks like the one in the middle. When the Ethan Allen decorator brought the swatches to our house and compared it to the carpet/wall color/baseboard, we both thought it'd be a very light ivory-just a shade more pigmented then our creamy white window trim. I knew that large swatches of fabric look more intense because we made that mistake with our new carpeting. The little carpet square looked light but after it was put it, it looked much darker as a whole. I have been mistakingly referring to our sofa as "white" when it's actually a rich creamy ivory. Memo to future sofa buyers- although our mistake was serendipitous (we love how the ivory warms up the room), keep in mind that colors look more intense when used in large proportions!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Fab or Fug?
We've been hunting around for media consoles but I'm not loving the ones we come across. Placing it above the fireplace would have been ideal aesthetically but not practically. At that angle, everyone would have to crane their heads to see it. A few upward glances here and there wouldn't hurt but sitting through a LOTR trilogy marathon would be torture.
We also considered getting a big armoire (hotel style) to hide the television but to fit our 50 inch telly, we'd need a pretty massive piece. A big bulky piece of furniture like that would just weigh the room down. Also, there is something just silly about hiding a pretty standard item. I don't want to "display" a telly but there has got to be a better way to blend it into the room. Plus, a nice media console will keep everything orderly: cabinets to store dvds and remotes, shelves to hold receivers and various game toys, and preferably a glass or lattice door that allows you to use said remote without needing to open the doors. Metal frames of our college days need not apply.
I prefer something more unique then a traditional low, rectangular, wooden media console even though it's the most useful. In my quest to find something more interesting, I stumbled upon this antique buffet on my favorite home design blog:
I absolutely love it! The worn sage green and metallic tones are so romantic and sweet. Unfortunately, that piece is no longer available but I have found other similar vintage pieces that could be remodeled for the same effect. Here is my current love. At 60 inches wide, it will hold the TV perfectly. It is about a foot taller then what is ideal but I am trying to convince the hubby that it'll be ok. A vintage piece will require more work to get it started but it is so much more interesting!
After discussing this with two trusted individuals, I now can't decide if it's fab or fug..I love the intricate wooden legs and the etched design but the color doesn't look like much right now. To modernize it, I would give it a coat of fresh creamy white paint and perhaps switch out the knobs for black cast iron hand pulls. It would take considerable effort to remodel the drawers so that it'll be big enough to hold all the equipment and as a buffet, it's about a foot taller then what is ideal for a television.
But I don't know if it'll match with the rest of our furniture. It has so much character though! Another possibility is to try giving it the worn metallic and sage green look of the French buffet to help it disappear a bit into our wall.
I guess we'll see when our sofas arrive and we can play with it some more.
We also considered getting a big armoire (hotel style) to hide the television but to fit our 50 inch telly, we'd need a pretty massive piece. A big bulky piece of furniture like that would just weigh the room down. Also, there is something just silly about hiding a pretty standard item. I don't want to "display" a telly but there has got to be a better way to blend it into the room. Plus, a nice media console will keep everything orderly: cabinets to store dvds and remotes, shelves to hold receivers and various game toys, and preferably a glass or lattice door that allows you to use said remote without needing to open the doors. Metal frames of our college days need not apply.
I prefer something more unique then a traditional low, rectangular, wooden media console even though it's the most useful. In my quest to find something more interesting, I stumbled upon this antique buffet on my favorite home design blog:
I absolutely love it! The worn sage green and metallic tones are so romantic and sweet. Unfortunately, that piece is no longer available but I have found other similar vintage pieces that could be remodeled for the same effect. Here is my current love. At 60 inches wide, it will hold the TV perfectly. It is about a foot taller then what is ideal but I am trying to convince the hubby that it'll be ok. A vintage piece will require more work to get it started but it is so much more interesting!
After discussing this with two trusted individuals, I now can't decide if it's fab or fug..I love the intricate wooden legs and the etched design but the color doesn't look like much right now. To modernize it, I would give it a coat of fresh creamy white paint and perhaps switch out the knobs for black cast iron hand pulls. It would take considerable effort to remodel the drawers so that it'll be big enough to hold all the equipment and as a buffet, it's about a foot taller then what is ideal for a television.
But I don't know if it'll match with the rest of our furniture. It has so much character though! Another possibility is to try giving it the worn metallic and sage green look of the French buffet to help it disappear a bit into our wall.
I guess we'll see when our sofas arrive and we can play with it some more.
Monday, November 16, 2009
10 weeks of waiting...
Soon! Soon, we will finally have our sofa! We ordered our Ethan Allen sofa & love seat way back around Labor Day and were told it'd take 8-10 weeks for delivery. Since we knew that it'd take a long time, we promptly put it out of our heads. Turns out that it'll be completed tomorrow!! Bad news is that just because it's completed doesn't mean that it'll get shipped out right away. The manufacturing facility is on the east coast and they usually hold items until there are enough of them in the local area before making the shipment. Boo! Oh well, we waited over 2 months...what's another week or so? I'm actually going to miss it a bit because the empty living room makes for great yoga.
This is a picture from EA's website but our sofa will look very similar to it. Hmm...after looking at this picture some more, I am really starting to like the bright pops of coral. I'm not sure how it'll look against our walls but it's very pretty and fresh.
I <3 Ethan Allen. There's something REALLY awesome about being able to hand pick each element of our sofa...from choosing the fabric, the pillows..down to the the wood finish on the legs. Just a few days left before it's finally here!
This is a picture from EA's website but our sofa will look very similar to it. Hmm...after looking at this picture some more, I am really starting to like the bright pops of coral. I'm not sure how it'll look against our walls but it's very pretty and fresh.
I <3 Ethan Allen. There's something REALLY awesome about being able to hand pick each element of our sofa...from choosing the fabric, the pillows..down to the the wood finish on the legs. Just a few days left before it's finally here!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Chilly Fall Updates
Newest WANT from Free People but can I justify the price tag? No...not right now, not when I have a tuition bill with a comma in it due in a month. Much as I <3 retail therapy, I can't imagine going into debt for something outside of school. And perhaps our house. Le sigh. No need to add more. Must...resist!
Still...can we agree that this is the perfect transitional jacket? Lovely military style cut that gives way to Victorian frills. It's wearable early Fall or late Spring. Imagine it with a sweater dress, colorful tights, and booties! Or jeans and abubergine Hunters! Paired with a short and colorful skirt, long tank, and a colorful yellow linen scarf! The options are endless. In the words of Victoria Beckham...this is a "Majah" want.
Hmm...I just bought $$$ of stuff from Sephora that I don't really need. I could get by with Shiseido's low end facewash, couldn't I?
Still...can we agree that this is the perfect transitional jacket? Lovely military style cut that gives way to Victorian frills. It's wearable early Fall or late Spring. Imagine it with a sweater dress, colorful tights, and booties! Or jeans and abubergine Hunters! Paired with a short and colorful skirt, long tank, and a colorful yellow linen scarf! The options are endless. In the words of Victoria Beckham...this is a "Majah" want.
Hmm...I just bought $$$ of stuff from Sephora that I don't really need. I could get by with Shiseido's low end facewash, couldn't I?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Complete 180!
After mulling over the issue of the sofa some more, hubby and I decided that if we were willing to throw $3000 on a sofa set from Crate and Barrel, we should look at comparably high end furniture stores just to make sure we were getting exactly what we want. Also, we're the type who like to customize things to fit our personality. It's not hipster, princess, or traditional. It's just...our style, whatever it is. Thanks to a suggestion, we decided to pay Ethan Allen a visit and walked out with a fully customized set that fits our personalities perfectly!
Introducting...the Hartwell. 
The design people were really nice and pressure free. I loved being able to choose my own fabric, legs, and decorations to truly customize our own sofa set. In the end, we spent just under $3000 for a sofa and love seat but it is just the right mix of European flair (for me) and contemporary lines (for him). Ours will be a warm ivory/pearl fabric that is soft and kind of looks like herringbone The woven fabric is almost reflective in some lights so there's some subtle sheen to it. We added a decorative row of platinum nailhead trim along the bottom of the sofa to make it look tailored/finished. Instead of matching pillows, we customized it with a pale blue/grey damask fabric that has just the tiniest bit of cream in the design, which perfectly matches our sofa. We actually stumbled on that fabric because I fell in love with an accent chair that they had on display in the showroom. The chair would accent our existing pieces perfectly because of the pillows but hubby isn't quite sold on it so we'll just tuck that idea away for a while. It'll take about 8 weeks before it arrives. I can't wait!
The design people were really nice and pressure free. I loved being able to choose my own fabric, legs, and decorations to truly customize our own sofa set. In the end, we spent just under $3000 for a sofa and love seat but it is just the right mix of European flair (for me) and contemporary lines (for him). Ours will be a warm ivory/pearl fabric that is soft and kind of looks like herringbone The woven fabric is almost reflective in some lights so there's some subtle sheen to it. We added a decorative row of platinum nailhead trim along the bottom of the sofa to make it look tailored/finished. Instead of matching pillows, we customized it with a pale blue/grey damask fabric that has just the tiniest bit of cream in the design, which perfectly matches our sofa. We actually stumbled on that fabric because I fell in love with an accent chair that they had on display in the showroom. The chair would accent our existing pieces perfectly because of the pillows but hubby isn't quite sold on it so we'll just tuck that idea away for a while. It'll take about 8 weeks before it arrives. I can't wait! Monday, September 7, 2009
I have no imagination
I fell completely and hopelessly in love with this living room design. Everything from the accent chair fabric to the blush pink flowers in the white vase on the coffee table. I love it. Too bad mimicking such a room would set me back several thousand dollars. Almost in the 5 digit category. 
Sofa: $1699 Accent Chair: $1299 Love seat: $1599 (not pictured) Glass coffee table: $699 End Tables: $499 Lamp: $179 Rug: $799 Mirror: $299 Accent Pillow: $69 My obsession with this sofa set, nay, this entire room was borne out of an unfortunate visit to Crate & Barrel when we were looking at gift registries. FI is almost 6 ft tall while I am considerably shorter. It's hard for us to find a sofa that fits both of our bodies well. Surprisingly, this one fit us both perfectly. It was stylish, comfortable, and has just a bit of European flair that will, hopefully, prevent it from looking dated 15 years from now. I loved the cherry blossom fabric of the accent chair and how that theme is artfully carried over by the accent pillow on the sofa. Are we going to get it? I'm not sure. At first we were just going to get the sofa and look for accent chairs elsewhere. I mean, come on. $1299 for an accent chair? But we're having trouble finding accent chairs that actually...accent this style. So now we're looking at the accent chair too. And of course I can't get the fancy accent chair without the complementary pillow for the sofa! The whole idea is genius! It ties the whole look together. Now, looking at this picture again, I realized how nicely the glass topped coffee table goes with this look. A quick internet search for similar tables proved fruitless. I wanted oval shaped furniture because I tend to run into sharp corners. Besides, metal & glass table quality can be really chintzy if one goes the cheap route. One could get away with much less with solid hardwood then glass & metal. Last thing I want is a rusty table! So...I'm eyeing that now too. What's the damage...let's see...about $3500 for sofa, accent chair, 2 decorative pillows, and the coffee table. I could get a very nice but safe (read: generic) 3 piece sofa set plus decorative colors & free pillows!! for about the price of the Crate & Barrel Sofa alone. Add in a generic 3-piece coffee table/end table set, it'd still set me back only $2000. Heck, I could probably find some lamps for that price too. Arrgh..what do I do?
Sofa: $1699 Accent Chair: $1299 Love seat: $1599 (not pictured) Glass coffee table: $699 End Tables: $499 Lamp: $179 Rug: $799 Mirror: $299 Accent Pillow: $69 My obsession with this sofa set, nay, this entire room was borne out of an unfortunate visit to Crate & Barrel when we were looking at gift registries. FI is almost 6 ft tall while I am considerably shorter. It's hard for us to find a sofa that fits both of our bodies well. Surprisingly, this one fit us both perfectly. It was stylish, comfortable, and has just a bit of European flair that will, hopefully, prevent it from looking dated 15 years from now. I loved the cherry blossom fabric of the accent chair and how that theme is artfully carried over by the accent pillow on the sofa. Are we going to get it? I'm not sure. At first we were just going to get the sofa and look for accent chairs elsewhere. I mean, come on. $1299 for an accent chair? But we're having trouble finding accent chairs that actually...accent this style. So now we're looking at the accent chair too. And of course I can't get the fancy accent chair without the complementary pillow for the sofa! The whole idea is genius! It ties the whole look together. Now, looking at this picture again, I realized how nicely the glass topped coffee table goes with this look. A quick internet search for similar tables proved fruitless. I wanted oval shaped furniture because I tend to run into sharp corners. Besides, metal & glass table quality can be really chintzy if one goes the cheap route. One could get away with much less with solid hardwood then glass & metal. Last thing I want is a rusty table! So...I'm eyeing that now too. What's the damage...let's see...about $3500 for sofa, accent chair, 2 decorative pillows, and the coffee table. I could get a very nice but safe (read: generic) 3 piece sofa set plus decorative colors & free pillows!! for about the price of the Crate & Barrel Sofa alone. Add in a generic 3-piece coffee table/end table set, it'd still set me back only $2000. Heck, I could probably find some lamps for that price too. Arrgh..what do I do?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The In-Laws Come Over
Yesterday, we hosted dinner for my in-laws and it was a success! I was a little nervous because we haven't completed the house yet. We've done a lot in the short time span since we came home from the honeymoon but the kitchen floors have been a dirty thorn on my side for weeks. I tried mopping it, it didn't work. Eventually, I had to use full-strength concentrated floor cleaner and a stiff bristle scrub to go over the floors in my hands and knees. I took precious time break to the market to buy a lovely welcome mat and decorative cast iron hanging pot that I filled with scarlet mums. Hubby cleaned up the living room, moved all our boxes out of the garage, tided up the yard, and took care of the nook & hallways. After 12 hours, the house was sparkling clean from top to bottom. It's all about the details. Hubby had to make a drink stop so I told him to pick up some cheap flowers while he was at the market. He returned with two dozen brilliant red roses (on sale, 2 for $10) and they made stunning monochromatic arrangements on our new dining table. When the door bell rang, we opened it together with happy smiles on our faces. Without further ado, dinner! 
By the time they left, they were stuffed silly, ooh'd over our beautiful backyard, nodded in approval on our lovely (and economic) hardwood dining table set, admired our solar garden accent lights, and left ladened with leftovers. It was great :)
By the time they left, they were stuffed silly, ooh'd over our beautiful backyard, nodded in approval on our lovely (and economic) hardwood dining table set, admired our solar garden accent lights, and left ladened with leftovers. It was great :)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Furnishing the Abode
Hello! Just got back from our honeymoon in Kauai last week and we were nutty enough to go to work immediately after. In between that time, we visited our families, unpacked gifts, cleaned up gift related mess, and started furnishing our house! First things first, we fully stocked the kitchen and pantry. One of my happiest acquiesces was to go for Emeril "Pro-Clad" instead of All-Clad cookware. I know...it sounds so cheesy and I am a kitchen snob, but! I have to be mindful of our budget. Pro-Clad is half the cost of All-Clad and the handle on Emeril's pro-Clad is surprisingly a lot more comfortable then the All-Clad one for me. As I held each pan in a hand, I looked at the fine print on both boxes and saw that Emeril-ware is also 18/10 stainless steal with the copper core. Further inspection showed Emeril Pro-Clad is manufactured BY All-Clad! Double woot! So far, I like the performance/clean-up. Next up, we need to furnish the study. We have a loft area in the hallway that is about 80 inches wide and fits a large desk or bookcase perfectly. We were going to use that as my desk but I wanted the hallway to look clean and decorated instead of being a visible work space. Both of us need a desk to work/study too on so we converted one of the bedrooms into a study instead. Now, we're trying to decide between these two book cases to place in the hallway loft. Which do you prefer? Price is between $349 and $379 so only functionality/fashion is the deciding factor here. A. 
If we got that, we would get all bookcases instead of 2 bookcases with a middle desk. (Randon, we are both getting the chair in white for our study. ) B. 
This bookcase holds more stuff. I have a LOT of books. Boxes upon boxes of books.
If we got that, we would get all bookcases instead of 2 bookcases with a middle desk. (Randon, we are both getting the chair in white for our study. ) B. 
This bookcase holds more stuff. I have a LOT of books. Boxes upon boxes of books.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Loving BCBG 70% sale
I got downtown with about half an hour to go before the start of a networking reception so I decided to pass time window shopping. BCBG had a big 70% sale sign so I peeked in to see if there was anything there that I'd like. I don't usually have much luck at that store. I don't really like the majority of the dresses but the ones I do like, I fall in love with them. A few weeks ago, I looked at their website to see if there were any potential reception dresses and really liked this silk organza dress. It was too informal for a reception dress but I thought it'd be great to wear to a wedding as a guest. Still, I couldn't justify the cost and I forgot about it until last night!
I spied it on the rack as I was about to leave the store and was surprised to see that they actually had my size. Better yet, it was 70% off so I got it for $102! In person, it's not quite as pretty as it is in the picture but it's still a really lovely dress. The model looks very feminine and sezy in it whereas I kind of look more cutesy. Like you'd want to pat my head haha. Ah well. The color is tan with darker tan design with just a hint of pink/mauve. I think it looks "wedding-y" enough for my rehearsal but definitely colorful enough to re-wear to other people's weddings. It looks lighter and pinker in the picture than it really is.
So there you go...my final wedding related dress purchase! What did you wear to your rehearsal dinner?
I spied it on the rack as I was about to leave the store and was surprised to see that they actually had my size. Better yet, it was 70% off so I got it for $102! In person, it's not quite as pretty as it is in the picture but it's still a really lovely dress. The model looks very feminine and sezy in it whereas I kind of look more cutesy. Like you'd want to pat my head haha. Ah well. The color is tan with darker tan design with just a hint of pink/mauve. I think it looks "wedding-y" enough for my rehearsal but definitely colorful enough to re-wear to other people's weddings. It looks lighter and pinker in the picture than it really is.
So there you go...my final wedding related dress purchase! What did you wear to your rehearsal dinner?
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