A Young Lady's E-designed French Bedroom

Such a fun project!  Karen, who lives outside of Atlanta is a great e-design customer.
Currently, we are in the midway stages of redecorating her daughter, Caroline's "boudoir."   

Caroline is a darling freshman (ask my son who has seen her photo) at the University of Georgia.

Photo taken at Blanc d'Ivoire Store in Paris

Inspiration:   Their newly purchased dove grey IKEA duvet cover, 

existing painted wood furniture and a chair rail lead to 

a "Blanc d'Ivoire" look which is...

French, tone on tone, soothing, very little pattern, 

elegant with a modern edge... 

a young woman's room with an eye to it also serving as a guest room.

Plan by Chez Vous Home including sources and floor plan.

Reworking the floor plan, the dresser moves to a different wall and the 
desk becomes a vanity.  

It is important to have a focal point as you stand in the doorway, 
in this case a pretty bed.

"Before" a Sweet Young Girl's Room

Time to buy a queen sized bed as down the road this will be a 

part-time adult guest room.

There was already a chair rail, so to further the French feel, 

I recommended a box wainscoting.  

Karen is an engineer and designed the new wainscoting herself.

Here are some photos of what has already been accomplished:

The wainscoting is in and painted white along with the walls.  

The ceiling is a soft blue grey

and the queen sized bed frame is assembled.  

The vanity has been moved to the far wall.

Karen took the light fixture idea I gave her and found an alternative (above)

on the internet for half the price.

 Notice the the new iron bed side table and Karen's pretty accessories.  

After I mentioned seeing a lamp similar to the one in my plan at 

Home Goods in California and she found the one above at hers!  

Lucky and a big savings.

 The crystal vanity lamp was already theirs and is a good fit.  

It is all coming together.  The other items such as the hanging chandelier, tufted slate velvet headboard, custom oversized bolster 

and chair are already ordered.  

Great job, Karen!!!

Would you benefit from an e-design?  Check out my Services page.

Another update to follow.

Thanks for visiting.

Participating in
Wow Us Wednesdays
Voila French Inspiration

Helping House Guests Feel at Home

The kids are here from the east coast and we are having Thanksgiving in Mammoth, California.  While everyone is skiing, I'm enjoying  cooking, putting out the Scrabble board

and setting the table.

It's a pretty day outside.  This is the view from our living room.

Our friends from Florida are staying at our Newport Beach house and spending time with  their son who attends the University of San Diego.  As we will stay at their Florida home in the future, this is our first time "House Swapping." 

To help make them feel at home...

I set a simple table since they are cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

 Stocked the coffee bar.

 Put out water bottles and chocolates at each bed side and

 fresh towels and French milled soaps,

and photos of our families together on display.

There's a little surprise in the refrigerator.

Hope they have figured out the television/music remote since I barely have.

Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving.

I am so grateful!  Thank YOU.

Participating in
Weekend Wrap Up
Flaunt It Friday
Feathered Nest Friday

Guest Post and Great Trays for Gifts

Becca from  Gardners 2 Bergers is featuring our kitchen today.
She asked some good questions

 that I have never really addressed before, such as...

(Now you know where we hide the Champagne glasses, which in my opinion,  do not get used enough).

1.  Did you work with a designer for this space? 

2.  How did you come up with your "want" and "need" lists? 

3.  Is there anything you would change about the design? 
4.  Is there anything you would change about the renovation process?

The answers are HERE.
While you are there, check out Gardners 2 Bergers' amazing
Do It Yourself projects like THIS one...

Becca explains how to do a gallery wall.  She gets inspired by items in stores and creates the look at home for less...like the "B" (Anthropologie look alike) on the console.


Additionally, trays make excellent gifts and help make 
entertaining and organizing fun.

Check out my guest post for Houzz.com:  
Twenty Great Trays HERE 
(all different types and price ranges with links).
Please leave a comment there about your favorite tray. 
...And here's and idea:   Claire bought a tray at a consignment store and had
antiqued mirror glass cut to fit the interior...looks pretty with candles on it.


This is crazy as Style Maniac gave me the idea for the Ina Garten cookbook
give away...and she won it.  How lucky!


Also, congratulations to my brother, Joe on his promotion.

Thanks for visiting.

A New Purchase Changes Our Whole Living Room

After buying this "begonia" colored cashmere throw from

One Kings Lane, I  proceeded to move around all the living room furniture.

Does this ever happen to you?

Now the sofas are facing each other.  

Like I always say "It's just decorating" and I could probably will switch it up again.  

But it feels more open to me this way.

 Here's an angle below I have never shown before.  Why?

That darn oversized TV.  

I really do love my husband and son, but does a big TV interfere with your decorating?  
Why don't you see big televisions like this in magazines?  Just answered my own question.

Notice the Louis Phillipe commode on the right?

I wanted an electronics console to balance it on the left with a
top stained the color of the antique piece.

Adrian, the expert carpenter, calls this custom piece the "Louis Adrian."

 I bought antique looking hardware for it.

 Inside the cabinet is painted black so that the electronics blend.

Instead of one vase, it's fun to put two vases of different flowers together.

No more internet shopping for me except for specific Christmas
and upcoming birthday gifts...not even going to "window shop."  Too dangerous.

However, I just want to mention that Serena and Lily is having a Friends 20% off sale.

Cute headboards.  Receiving no payment for this.
If I was, I would say FABULOUS headboards and great side table.

Any places online that you can't resist?

Pinecones, Pine Nuts and Mammoth Mountain

Now that our youngest child is in college, I will be spending much of my time in the 

Eastern Sierra Mountains.

Here's an idea...take a vase and top it with a pinecone for an instant topiary.

We bought this 150 year old farm table at an outdoor flea market 

when we lived in Paris.  

Get more ideas for decorating with pine cones from Vignette Design.

There are tons of pinecones on the ground all over Mammoth right now.  

I pick up one or two when I am out walking our dog, Rocky.  

Here I am in red beating Howard down the mountain.

That is a total lie.  Not that I can't beat him (perhaps... I wish).  It's just not us in the photo.  

Looks fun, right?

Source: Mammoth Mountain

Pinecones to pine nuts...I made this simple, delicious, weeknight recipe 

that includes toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and garlic (I added fresh basil since I had some).

It's from the Barefoot Contessa "Family Style" cookbook.

Have you entered the giveaway for it HERE?

Dangerous!!!  Literally around the corner from our condo is Mimi's Cookie Bar.  

That's Mimi in the photo.

My favorite is the chewy pecan cookie.  She has various, exotic hot chocolates, too.

We will be spending Thanksgiving in Mammoth.  The kids are flying in from the east coast.  

Where are you celebrating this happy occasion?

Participating in
Tablescape Thursday
Open House Party

Outdoor Living, Healthy Snack & Giveaway!

We just had more snow here Mammoth, California.  But not in Newport Beach where the southern California weather is mild enough for outdoor living...

Loni says that her family uses this outside room almost every day throughout the year.

  

Notice the gas heat lamps under the eaves and those that are free standing
just in case of cooler weather?

Cool industrial pendant lights from CB2 and zinc topped table.

  Great fireplace for chillier evenings.

The family room doors open up completely to the outside.

Lots of space for cooking and entertaining.  Beautiful cement counters.

 Darts, anyone?

 How about a warm soak?

 Loni's husband has a organic garden.  She proudly mentioned that his corn was
so sweet and tender, it didn't even need cooking!

On the topic of healthier eating...

My husband eats these for breakfast.  I wanted a more nutritious version for him.

My friend, Donna mentioned that she makes her high school athletic kids a
healthy energy bar, filled with protein, fiber and vitamins.  

source: do it Delicious

She found the recipe Here.

It calls for things like  flax meal, raw chia seeds, brown rice syrup. Huh?  

  I asked Debbie if she would like to make them with me.
Her breakfast is a greens smoothie (ick) and she KNOWS the health food store.  

We tried to quadruple the gluten free recipe to find out two thirds of the way
 through that we did not have enough of the syrup. 

Oh well, they taste great, just a bit crumbly.  We'll follow the recipe next time.

And speaking of recipes, 
 "Style Maniac's Blogs To Books Project" asks that you give a book 
to someone and tell why on her blog.  Here's my contribution:

Our 23 year old daughter, Alie lives in Brooklyn with two room-mates.  When I was her age, my sister, Teresa, had the warm tradition of inviting any available friends to her apartment for a Sunday night potluck dinner.  I want Alie to have the "Barefoot Contessa Family Style" cookbook.  My hope is that she and her friends will prepare a home cooked meal and feel a sense of family in the big city.
Just like Teresa created for us years ago.

I made the Real Meatballs and Spaghetti last night for the first time. Delicious! 


AND I want to give YOU this cookbook,too!
JUST FOLLOW ME HERE OR ON FACEBOOK.  
LEAVE A COMMENT here, there or both places.
Remember: I must have your email address. Drawing on 11/18.
Open to U.S. and Canadian Residents.
  
Finally, Remodelaholic is featuring our recently completed Master Bedroom
HERE.  Thanks, Cassity and Eliza!


Does this Fall weather make you feel like staying indoors (or outdoors if you are like Loni)
and doing some hearty cooking or baking?


Participating in
Tuesday's Treasures
Made By You Monday
Motivate Me Monday 
Mangia Monday