Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Love Affair in the BARN....








Ok, I'll be the first to say that Pottery Barn GETS ME right now. I swear, their creative director is spying on my home decor daydreams (yes, I have those.) They are SO french country right now. And not French country in that traditional yucky overly done, toile threw up all over it kind of way. But French Country in the way that you would ACTUALLY see in France. ( I'll give my diatribe later on how gross I think it is when things are "french-inspired" or italian/mediterranean esque and are really just an excuse for suburban housewives to throw up their gross taste all over you while edging in as much Stacey's furniture as possible)

Anyway, Potterybarn has this really simple classic air about it right now that I am LOVING. Bring it ON PB, I just can't get enough.


I love this pillow for two simple reasons. Cream/White & Stripes. Nothing looks better in a room. This screams simple. french.cottage.











I love these lamps, all of them. I wish I had a million tables, because I really can't decide which I like best. The tripod lamp is so nautical inspired and very masculine. I'm trying to convince Brian to get it for his living room. The clear base lamps are very popular right now and are running about $150 at PB right now, but I saw this other one at Target the other day for about $39 for the whole thing (including the shade.) I like them because they're so easy, versatile and you'll really never get sick of them. Also, they'll really look good with any shape.

The silverware is a mismatched set that is engraved and made in England. I know you're not supposed to have formal silver until you register for a wedding. I DO realize this (no pun intended). Brian thinks it's weird that it doesn't match. Well guess what? I don't care. The Emily Post's of the world and Brian can eat on their own, while I eat with my gorgeous mismatched PB silverware. So there.



I love love love these number pillows! So So Cute!


Last but not least, these benches would be PERFECT for Brian's living room. They're really masculine and french all at the same time(don't tell him I said that, Brian automatically associates french things with girly things..) and I'd like to imagine them in a Parisian man's apartment. Plus, since there is limited space... and therefore limited seating, these are the perfect solution in lieu of another armchair.




Monday, February 22, 2010

Two German Kids in Germantown....












Brian and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day! We left Fort Worth at 6 am and drove to Fredericksburg, TX. We took Trump with us, making this his first official road trip since we brought him home in November! He really likes the car, I mean, REALLY.

We arrived around lunchtime and ate at a German place on Main St. with an outside patio so that Trump could sit with us. He was perfectly behaved, but if he wasn't already aware of his affect on other people, I'm sure he is now. Just about every person in the place stopped to say hello and coo over him. He is going to be so freakin' spoiled.





















After lunch we hit the antique shops. I have been looking for a dining table for my apartment, but I haven't been able to find one small enough. I saw this one at one of the shops and I LOVE it. I like how it is both french and vintage industrial at the same time. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Unfortunately can't afford it on my teeny salary right now... but soon enough!





I also spied a lamp that I liked...... Not as wonderful as the lamps that I have been PINING over in Simple Things for the last 6 months...but close enough and at $150 each, about half the price....


On Monday after lunch, sweet Brian agreed to endure one more round of antique shopping with me before the drive back. I have no idea what I would do with a boyfriend who wanted to sit around on weekends and watch sports....
We went to this store called Red since it had been closed on Sunday. It was AMAZING. Classic, Rustic, Retro, Industrial, French.... ALL the things I look for in a stellar home store. As Rachel Zoe would say, " Iiii Die!"

I cannot go to a place like this without sharing it's treasures, so here they are....












It's all gorgeous right? AND they sold Bella Notte Bedding. I pretty much thought I had died and gone to heaven.....






Let me say something about these lights. I have a slight obsession with Mercury glass. Ok, that's kind of like a crack addict saying he's "experimented" with drugs... Scratch that, I am OBSESSED with Mercury glass. I have seen all these pendant lights lately made of Mercury glass and it takes every ounce of restraint in my being not to purchase a trio of them. Unfortunately, I really don't have anywhere to hang them right now. I'd love to use them above an island in a kitchen or above my dining table as an unexpected "chandelier".


Funnily enough, after I made that last post about a new couch, I saw a super cute one at Red in Fred. I love how deep and angular this one is. It's so precious, I swear it was whispering,
"Let me come live with you!"

Brian and I are redoing his house. Read: I am redoing his house, while he grunts approval at my choices. We've been looking for the perfect sofa and armchair combo and since his living room is pretty small, we want to get the sizing right so as not to overpower the space. This leather chair would be perfect with a mid-size couch. As you can probably tell, he kind of loved it....


A few posts (and a couple years) back, I wrote about the search for the perfect headboard. I still haven't gotten a new one, although I'm getting pretty close, but my bank account is begging that I make my own for the time being. However, if this were a different real estate market, this would be my pick....























I wish I could have taken up residence in Red, but sadly, we had to move on to the next store. I could NOT leave without snapping a pic of this cute pillow though!







Now that I've covered what we did during the days in Fredricksburg, I should probably cover what we did on Valentine's Night. Before and After dinner, we frequented this great wine bar on Main St. called House. Wine. The owner and his wife are PRECIOUS. She used to work for Ralph Lauren and she is impossibly chic in that effortless way that city girls are in the country. He's so cute and is so knowledgeable about wine with out the snobbish air that often comes with that kind of sophistication. We had so much fun sitting at the bar with three other couples, one married, one engaged and about to marry, one engaged that night, and Brian and I just dating and (as the married couple said) " In consideration of marriage." Anyway, not only was House. Wine. chock full of delicious vino, but Mrs. House. Wine. has used her eye for style to decorate the front shop that houses some great home pieces.









We were very sad to leave Fredericksburg and I hope we stay for awhile longer next time. I'll definitely be heading there when we buy a house..... Lot's of antiques to find and wine to drink away the spending headaches!

Friday, February 12, 2010

It's Been Awhile....





Wow... It's been more than a year and a half since my last post.... I've been obsessing over other people's blogs lately and I figured it was time I jumped back on the bandwagon myself...

A lot has changed since I last blogged. I graduated from TCU in August 08', moved back to Houston, got a job as marketing director/research coordinator at a small real estate firm, got laid off six months later, moved to Dallas and started working as a commercial real estate broker. I found my first apartment ( well, the first one I've funded at least) and moved in and started decorating! Since I have a somewhat miniscule budget ( seeing as the real estate market is somewhat barish the last year or so) I've had to use what I have and improvise a little... Pictures of my work in progress to come later. I live in about 475 SF now (which is TINY for Dallas, let's remember that I don't reside in the great city of Manhattan :( ...) and I dream about the day when I can move into a cute Dallas duplex with hardwoods(instead of ugly carpet) and other vintage accents ( a fireplace? sigh..) and have just a tad more space.

As a part of my "vintage duplex fantasy" I like to think about how I would decorate....

Let's start with the living room....



Right now I'm living in Ikea heaven with the Ektorp Slipcovered Sofa and Chair in White.... It's actually really cute for the price, plus it resembles PB's Classic Sofa, for a fraction of the cost. In my duplex fantasy I might upgrade to a new, more sophisticated couch.. like the New Contemporary from Quatrine. I love the color and the piping in the photo, but I would try a more unexpected combo. Perhaps a flax burlap with light pink or yellow piping, or a gorgeous dove grey linen with a robin's egg blue piping. Whatever sofa I end up with ( I may very well end up with another white one like this one below from Wisteria, I plan to make my color scheme mostly monochromatic, cream, white, flax, and grey....with simple touches of navy, yellow, pink, and robin's egg blue.



Next, we have to have some side tables.... Very important for two reasons... #1, I have an obsession with anything mercury glass and #2, I'm part camel and always have a beverage in my hand or next to me while I'm lounging on the couch. I would prefer something french and antique, hopefully painted grey...