not my style

whats a guy to do? IF i owned this place i think i would remove this wall covering. BUT, since i don't own this apartment, i live with it. fortunately it was painted the same color as the walls and trim, which makes it less distracting, but rather a nice, subtle texture. oh, did i mention the new lamps from my favorite shop on the west coast? my friend Pam Robinson, who is owner and sole buyer for her "Provencal inspired boutique", red ticking...let me put these lamp's on lay-away. who ever hears of lay-away these days. anyway, they finally arrived last week and i had to make a call out to red ticking. go visit redticking.com

Found Object

words can't express my love for this little lighting inspiration. this desk lamp mounted on this carved wood describes my interest in texture and whimsy. i don't think i will ever be able to part with this light from the south of France. priceless. it was sitting in a box all by itself, almost like a left-over, has been. but let me tell you...it was calling out my name and i heeded the call. a real find and a real bargain

Basket Heaven

metal, wood, wicker, you pick. we were fortunate enough to be the first to view these and it was moving. there were hundreds of baskets throughout the estate and there wasn't one i wouldn't bring home with me. problem is...i already have too many and no space. on the far left of photo you can kind of see a tall cylinder wicker basket that i could easily have fit my 5 foot, 11 inch frame in. never seen one like it.

Size Matters

"if only" i had a small piece of outdoor real estate. these weather worn urns are fresh off the french express. they made their debut in the US at the container sale. if i had a huge indoor space or a fraction of outdoor space i think i would have traded these for the old volvo. the color (or non color) of these French Beauties are a dream color pallet and that pop of green brings them to life.

California Chorus

California is the only place i have ever lived where succulents thrive, so whenever i see them i get a grin. This was taken near Santa Cruz at a French container sale. The gentlemen running this sale, have what seems to be, a city of succulents on their estate. I have never seen such beautiful gardens look so effortless. Of course, these little guys were special enough to make it out of the dirt and into a pot...not sure how lucky they really are, but they were a show stopper in my book.

Controlled Clutter

big pet peeve = clutter. well, when you live in 850 square feet with a hankering for "stuff", its hard to keep your space organized and presentable. i think in a past life i was a monk, as i long for a spare, no fuss, no clutter environment, but i have made an effort for this lifetime to be as clutter free as possible. so, what you do is keep a theme, in any space that displays your treasures. if you have a vast array of treasures with many colors, then rotate them by color (during st. Pat's....fill that space with all the green and gold you can rally...:O).
in this built-in i pretty much only put glass or whites--making it seem organized and clean. you can always throw in black and white photo's and baskets as they are essentials for adding your texture and keeping it interesting.
and of course, don't forget your live plant or flower...it brings that special "wink" to the room and helps it feel alive.

overlooked beauty

carnations were Maxine's (Gma) favorite flowers and then gardenias. i have to say that for $5.99 @ safeway, these poor mans flowers have provided that little bit of freshness to the room and have been debuting for 1.5 weeks now. simple, clean and i think a new signature in our home. they actually have a faint, sweet smell that fills the room. this is actually 2 bouquet's that i cut to a 3 inch stem and put them in 3 of these great little flee market finds (Chinese soup cups from the 50's).