Wednesday, January 30, 2008

i'm leaving on a jet plane..


ok...not a jet plane but an suv....don't know when i'll be back again....ok, i do but i'm not telling!!
i'm off to ADAC, pieces, and home for a little visit. peace out and see you soon!

** here is a little something to make you happy on your hump day...i dedicate this song to this secret crush i have...a tall, skinny guy w/ brown hair who sits in a cubicle....ok, its my hubbie! love you!!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

triple threat (actually it's a lot more then that...)




laura kirar- don't mess w/ her! she is killing it in the design industry (better watch your back barbara). not only is she a super successful interior designer, she is most widely known for her killer furniture designs for baker. when her barrel lounge chair from mcguire was introduced, i carried around the picture and said that you could sum up my design style by this one piece of furniture. i still think it is amazing (i hate that it has knock off's of it). she is also one of the 3 designers for kallista- a high style plumbing division from kohler. you can add an ann sacks tile designer to her resume...and if that is not enough how about a lighting designer for boyd.

Monday, January 28, 2008

i'll have mine straight up...





i don't know what it is but my husband totally got it right last night when he said "you hate things on the diagonal". it's true, i am not a diagonal kind of girl. another revelation i have discovered is that i like balance and repetition. i think it makes a room feel unified. these rooms are perfect examples of just that....
suzanne kasler's room looks so well unified between the color coordination of the books with the frames and the balance of height b/w the bookshelf and the arrangement of the pictures above the chest. barrie benson achieved a gorgeous room w/ the awesome way she displayed this Hermes plate collection above the two leather club chairs. and lastly, this dining room by tom scheerer is just perfection. the repetition of the circular mirrors above the white unconventional wall shelves is so pleasing to my eye. it's strange, i am not a black and white kind of girl but straight on, balanced designs are quickly becoming my cup of tea.

Friday, January 25, 2008

viceroy...part 2

ok, so this is part two to my viceroy piece and i must say, the bed side of this room is a little challenging. to really capture the look of the bed wall you need a carpenter and a glass cutter/ mirror guy. i know, kind of a cop out but i looked for some cool mirror that you could play w/ to create this patterned wall and it just didn't excited me like the original. the bedding is all white so i went w/ an Italian sateen collection and for the grey blanket at the bottom of the bed, i went w/ cashmere. the sconce was way hard to find so i had to opt for a drake table lamp (you have to scroll down on the website to see it). i adore this company and think it still stays w/ the feeling of the room. for the accent on the shade, we will need to add a yellow banding ourselves...sorry. now the chairs, i searched and searched for something close to the porfirio armchair...i found this 60's style asian armchair which looks pretty close if we have to swap out something for the original. you will need to remove the nail head trim and add a kelly green linen fabric. but most importantly, you need to have the fabric embroidered before upholstering it....kelly loves the embroidery palace if you live in LA. ok, the last element i think we need for this room is the coffee table. i adore this 1970's vintage one and think it fits right in w/ ms. kelly's look. well, i hope you like your room...until i have the chance to actually visit it in person, this will have to do! have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

make my room a viceroy one (part one) ....

ok who doesn't adore the wearstler? so i thought it would be fun to take her widely popular "viceroy" hotel room and recreate some of its key components...(please bare w/ me- i am not very computer savvy and i don't know how to display a grouping of pictures.)
one of the key items in this room is the wallpaper. it's a foil and has a cane pattern appearance- couldn't find that one exactly but i thought that this trellis has the same feeling so i went with this one. oh, and did i mention that i am tweaking the room slightly...mainly b/c i like this chair and think it would look great w/ the wallpaper but still follows the idea of the Chippendale design and of course we will upholster the cushion in a slate grey linen. now, this dog lamp is different b/c its a foo dog (but kelly likes the foo) and it has a black shade but i think it works b/c it echos the black in the desk. oh i guess we need a desk- you will have to add the marble top, sorry! and we need the decorative hexagon plates. let's do this phone b/c after all, at your house you don't need a button for the front desk. ok, that should keep you busy for a little while. tomorrow, we will tackle the bedside of the room!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

if i sent you a letter....










i would write it on a card like this.... stationery has totally become hip and classic and my fav- geometric. i adore these preppy note cards and if i was better at writing them, i'd send all of you one! jack and lulu (love the name, although i think if you put lulu in any name combo you've got a winner) make divine note cards. they actually inspired my business cards after receiving these from my sister-in-law (bet you couldn't guess what color it is). all of the note card designs are fab but i picked the lime tiles and windowpane orange and pink to share. another great place to get hip note cards is fabulous stationery. i am a huge fan of the metropolitan collection...again b/c they are bold and geometric. i adore the huge print of the trouble 2 note cards and large text block on stax makes a great statement....its like "hey, you totally just got a letter from SHANNON". ok, w/ that corny comment, i'm signing off...peace out and get yourself some hip note cards!

Monday, January 21, 2008

recycling the past






this weekend i did one of my favorite things....hunting (not for animals) but for the "perfect find". i adore going to antique malls, flea markets, and salvage yards in search for some undiscovered jewel! if you are going w/ something in mind, you usually come home disappointed but if you go just to look, you come home with lots of goodies. you have to be in a mood to dig and not be scared to do this. i found a cool old military trunk and for $10 in was definitely my "perfect find".
when i got home from hunting, i was so excited about what all i saw, i wanted to look more. so i checked out some salvage yards online. i love recycling the past. it has a plethora of jewels at the click of your mouse. you don't even have to dig to find them! here are some of my favorites: these industrial carts have so many undiscovered uses- i think it would make a cool coffee table if you had a piece of glass cut for the top of it! this tudor style door is so amazing- if you were building a house, it is great to find a cool old door and have it incorporated into your home- this could make a cool side door or door to a pantry or powder room. i also love these beautiful, old tiles; this art nouveau tile is circa 1890's and would make a gorgeous backsplash in a kitchen- remember that you are not limited to just new tile when you are planning a backsplash, creating a truly unique backsplash from vintage tiles can make a kitchen or bathroom! these are just some teasers to share w/ y'all. this website is so wonderful and has so many possibilities if you are in search of a "perfect find".

Friday, January 18, 2008

my bro's airstream




my brother is definitely a drifter. as of now, his home is in the usa but we never know when that zip code might change. for the last 10 years, he has lived back and forth from thailand. you ask what he does over there...he drifts...he teaches english sometimes...he acts in commercials and movies (americans stand out there, especially a 6' light- brown haired guy)....and he owns a laundry mat/ bar (yea, weird combo but apparently it makes sense there). my fam has adjusted to the fact that my bro is a drifter.

so when he made the purchase of this 1959 airstream it just seemed to fit. he found it online...he is one of the people who can search the internet effortlessly...very unlike myself. if i have a problem w/ my computer, i immediately start cussing out geek squad (i always blame my computer problems on them...they set up my PC when i started my company (should have gotten a mac) and i think they put a curse on it that only "geeks" know how to fix). one day he called me and said, i bought an airstream and i want you to help me fix it up. and the next thing i know, it was delivered from somewhere across the country and was parked at our cabin. it lives there. the people who own airstreams are kind of like a cool cult...they all worship these vintage steel motor homes. and they rightfully should, it's definitely not your typical motor home....

i am so excited to help my bro w/ the renovations of this 1959 piece of coolness. it definitely needs a little TLC; it's taken some beating up in the last 50 years...the first purchase my brother made was carpet tiles from FLOR. we decided on a stripe pattern carpet that we are going to lay in a random pattern...i think it is going to look really cool when it's down! when i go home in a couple of weeks, i'll take pics of it and will fill you in as our renovations take place. it's a very slow process...b/c after all, my bro is a drifter.....

Thursday, January 17, 2008

do i live in a bubble?










sometimes i feel like i live in this tiny bubble...like when i found steven gambrel- why have i not seen this guy's portfolio before yesterday? when i searched his site, i couldn't click the pictures fast enough. beautiful, colorful, interiors filled my computer screen. i got so excited and almost started writing my post at that very moment...but remembered that i was getting sick and that it was better to save it for today when i would feel less inspired to search for something "new" and "innovative". soooooooo, i love steven gambrel's interiors; he gracefully mixes traditional and modern (my cup of tea) and he is lucky enough to have a "town portfolio" and a "country portfolio". i also think that he is ahead of his time...using pops of orange and peacock blues in 2005. i am adding him to my "design heroes" b/c he makes me giddy and allows me to love what i do even more. i just get so excited when i discover a new designer (well new to me, i'm sure all of you design bloggers have known him for years). i feel like a little girl who just received her first cabbage patch kid. i just love what i do and am constantly inspired by the great designers in this industry!

* on a technical note, does anyone know how to post images that are on adobe flash player? there are so many beautiful interior shots that i want to share but i can't figure out how to get them? maybe that is the "user's" point...not to have them shared!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

belvedere lighting...






so on my quest to keep sharing my mag tear outs, i found this store also in my random pile...belvedere! then i just read my comments and this was a place that things that inspire said to visit in atl....i will definitely be checking this place out. i am in love with the lamps...ok, check out the birch bark lamp. i love how they describe the beautifully, handmade Peter Lane lamp: park avenue meets the farm- how fantastic! their vintage collection has so many cool things like the six- point art pottery gourd lamp and the pagoda lamp (that bronze shade is killing me). i am also a sucker for acrylic so if you put it on anything, i am bound to like it. the store does more then just feature lamps...the have a heavy emphasis on mid-20th century furnishings and accessories. they have an amazing inventory that i can't wait to see in person!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

vagabond vintage




beware, i think this week's post may consist of "finds" from my magazine tear outs...
this little gem, mothology, was found on a tear page that just listed "places you need to know". last night i searched a couple of the resources and came across this beautiful shop in atl. has anyone been here? the online store consists of beautiful, vintage inspired accents for your home and the prices are really great. I adore the canvas bordeaux buckets and can think of so many great uses for these and at $21 they definitely don't break the bank! the turquoise milk glass collection would look amazing displayed in a book shelf against a chocolate brown accent wall. but i have to say i'm a sucker for anything this color...its just gorgeous. and lastly, after reading the description of these french wine glasses it made me want them even more...the 23 stands for 23 francs which was the going rate for a glass of wine in France back in the day.
i am heading to atl the first weekend of Feb. and i might just have to stop by this little diddy. i am also going to ADAC and i cannot wait to visit "Pieces"...i have been dying to see what this place is all about. If you have any other suggestions of "must see" shopping in the atl, please let me know!

Monday, January 14, 2008

the adorable serial redecorator- amanda nisbet


this weekend i made an attempt to start cleaning my office of all of my "organized clutter"...i started w/ the best section, my magazine tear outs. i place all of my ripped pages in a manila folder to later be filed away in my inspiration binders. it was this huge pile where i ran across amanda nisbet, the actress turned self-trained new york decorator. i was so intrigued by the picture that i immediately got on my computer and googled her to see what her design looks like. amanda's design is anything from bland and is definitely not your typical calming "white" room. her general rules in design are making each home have a assuring color palette, choosing bold fabrics (she loves reverse toiles), and having big, comfortable upholstery mixed w/ crystal lamps or lucite tables. i found her interiors to be fun, daring, and as far from "white" as you can possibly be! amanda was most recently featured in O Home where she used some magnificent lucite bar stools and an awesome coral pink paint color against chocolate brown shelving...check out her website to see pics!
once i started googling, my office cleaning ceased and i am surrounded by torn magazine pages w/ no home and no attempt to be organized....what can i say, i get easily distracted!

Friday, January 11, 2008

reason # 437 of why i love jay jeffers...










FEARLESS...the man is not afraid! and for this, i confession my love (i don't think my husband will have a problem w/ me having a designer crush...i'm sure jay isn't into people like me!) i mean, that man can turn a room into a freakin' showcase in a sec. and his powerful design is just so daring yet sophisticated and never once would i describe his rooms as "understated". why don't these clients exist in c'town. not here, they are soooooooooooo traditional...people its okay to not have every room in your house how your great grandmother intended!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

pink is my favorite color




i have a problem...i am obsessed by the color pink. i don't know exactly when this happened. i feel like when i was a little girl my favorite color was purple...isn't this when your love for pink is suppose to develop? well, mine hit probably right after i got married. i noticed all of my clothing was pink...a turtleneck (wow, that sounded so conservative), a patagonia jacket, a pair of pink cords, pink high heels, pink bum around pants, pink dresses...my husband started banning me from buying anything that was pink...he would say "one day you are going to hate this color and you will be looking in your closet and be so sad b/c that's all you own." i think that made me want the color even more (you know when someone tells you not to do something, it makes you crave it even more)...so i started my own company and what do i do? i have my logo designed...pink and chocolate brown...business cards, letterhead, and envelopes. next, i get pregnant and what do i find out- its a girl...so naturally, i fill the room w/ pink! i can't help it. finally, i start a blog...what's the name PINK wallpaper. so i confess...my name is shannon and i have a problem. i want to live in a sea of pink. just when i thought i could move on from this color, i found myself telling my husband last night "i think i want to paint my desk pink"...he rolled his eyes and said you have got to be kidding me......



Wednesday, January 9, 2008

no, don't worry this isn't turning into a baby blog!










i promise for all of you anti-baby peps, i am not turning this into a baby blog but i couldn't resist sharing these beautiful pieces. i was excited about the comments that people left about the love/hate relationship with PB and thought it would be fun to share some things that in my book would not be found in a mass produced catalog...so here are some amazing "anti- PB" pieces. and as many people stated, its not the pieces that you put in the room that make the space but rather the creative process that you go through to make it your own!

the amazing lunar library is from growmodern and is something i want for my family room! i love the lattice inspired detail. dad & warren- can y'all make this for me?! the beautiful baby book is also found at growmodern...i wish i had gotten one of these for tay but instead i am the terrible mother who didn't record anything since she has been born...don't hate me for this. i have always adored this ducduc merino wool blanket...something about the massive letter just makes me smile! it's like BAM- i'm a girl. and lastly, i love the celery cribs...i think this is way too modern for PB to knock off....so if you are looking for a "different" piece for your nursery this could be it. i also think its quite clever that it has a chalkboard panel on the sides...much better then your kiddo writing on the wall.....gotta go, my baby just did a super flip and is half way hanging off of her bouncy seat..................

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

my love/hate relationship







i have to say to was a little POed when i opened the new pottery barn kids catalog. there on the glossy pages in front of me was an oval crib just like my daughter's....one that i searched long and hard for, going to another state to b.braithwaite in order to order a "unique" crib. i love my stokke crib and the unusual shape and the fact that only two companies offered oval sheets. i wanted to be slightly different, on the cutting edge b/c after all i am a designer and people expect things. pottery barn is a massive design source for the general public and a leader in design trends. it's even a style that my clients describe themselves as wanting..."the pottery barn look". i continued to flip through the magazine when i arrived to a giraffe propped against the wall...another sigh of disappointment. my husband and i spent hours painting this giraffe (we rented an overhead projector, i had the giraffe bodice printed onto clear projection paper, and we sat there at night and traced and painted it onto the wall). now there is a wooden cut out available... finally, i arrived to the fabric page, there sat all of my designer Hable fabrics now available on upholstery offered through pottery barn. i cannot compete with pottery barn prices and Hable fabric is in the upper $100 a yard w/ a minimum order of 3 yds. huge sigh....

so you are probably wondering what the "love" part is in my relationship w/ pb after all of the hates i just listed....well, i think it is a great source of ideas and they do a really good job of creating a look that appeals to the general public and designers alike. they just make my job a little harder at times when they pounce of something that is usually offered "to the trade" only. but that is my job, to be on the cutting edge and constantly searching for the latest and greatest...

Monday, January 7, 2008

atlanta homes and lifesyles

we spent new years in atlanta (football game...not my number one choice of ways to bring in the year but it was fun none the less). in our hotel there was a magazine of atlanta homes which somehow happened to make its way home w/ me (i justified it by thinking of it as if it were the toiletries they offer in the bathroom...just another friendly jester to welcome you). it's a very good magazine. i especially loved this one house which was featured in an article titled "the un-white house". the architecture was amazing. it was a contemporary house built in a traditional bungalow neighborhood. the architect used angular walls and windows that really make the house stand out. it has loads of light pouring into the house and the kitchen is beautiful. i love the limestone ann stacks tile they used in the backsplash, very modern- sleek and sophisticated. i was also pleased to find that the magazine had a great website. (i can now access the mag even if i am not staying in an atl hotel!)

Thursday, January 3, 2008

welcoming 2008


i am so sorry that i have been away for so long (although it was kind of nice)! today starts back my "normal routine"...no more traveling, no more fatty eating, no more husband at home to enjoy the day with. it's sad that it's over but we had an amazing holiday. i cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have a sweet baby to share in the joy of Christmas. it made everything so much better...even though she is too young to know what is going on and she enjoyed the wrapping paper far more then any presents!


now it's time to face reality and start fresh in 2008. i didn't make any specific resolutions- although i did think of some general things i would like to do in 2008. i really just want to make this year happy, healthy, and as much as possible- stress free! so i an attempt to get things going right, i started my day off with The Firm- totally kicked my butt and i am sure that i looked hysterical doing it. my dog was very confused; he wanted to lick the resistance band and sit on my yoga pad w/ me. i am glad i did this in the privacy of my own home and that my husband is at work b/c he would totally be laughing at me! i am also going to try and read more (mom, doesn't this make you proud) and watch less tv. right now i am reading An Affair With a House (well its actually more of a design/coffee table book but it still counts). now that tax season is approaching, i want to be better at my books for 2008. i need to enlist someone to help me organize(any volunteers :)) . and lastly, i want to TRY and be less messy. i told my husband last night, that it's just really hard for me. but i was reading Shape mag and they suggest that a clean house makes for a happier person....i'll let you know how i do! Happy 2008...design post will begin again next week.