Mirror Score

Yesterday, I found this mirror in gold for $130 and I bought it.

Design by Katie Rosenfeld, Photo by Michael Lee

That is some good design karma, y'all.

If it's not this exact mirror, then it's pretty darn close. It's going in the basement and I am all sorts of happy. Highlight of my week!

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New Vintage Loot

I picked up a couple of vintage trinkets recently...just because I liked them. We all know how much I love a good figurine and when I saw this whimsical statue, I couldn't pass it up!

I mean, it's three yellow monkeys and a purple horse! I fell in love with the soft colors. It reminded me of similar pieces that I often see when I'm in South Carolina. And it was only $25 so I clearly couldn't leave it at the shop.

And I was especially tickled when I was poking around on Etsy and found this similar statue for $140 :)

Curious how the statue is so similar and yet there are definitely differences in the style of the monkeys and horse. I literally found this Etsy version the day after I bought mine and I've never seen a statue like this before in my life. Weird how stuff like that happens.

Another $25 find I couldn't pass up was this GORGEOUS vase:

Aren't the colors stunning? It's quite beautiful in person and stands pretty tall...well worth my $25 investment.

Find any good trinkets lately?

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Magic Carpet Rug

I recently ordered Urban Outfitters' Magic Carpet Rug for my office, and it just came in the mail.

I should probably save my thoughts for when I actually take it out of the packaging and use it, but just from a glimpse at the rug folded within plastic, I love it! I got the pink version on the right and for $64, I think it's great. The colors are spectacular - pink, navy, jade, teal, orange...I'm a little worried that it won't quite mix with my office fabric, but it has many of the same colors so I hope it makes the floral in my curtain fabric feel younger.

I'm planning to use it under my desk area...I think it will be a great grounding piece under my idea of a modern IKEA desk and a vintage desk chair that I have.

I'll give a full report once I actually use it...if I could just get started on my office!

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Wee Loot

I have recently purchased two items that are diminutive in stature...petite, if you will. And they are darling. I happen to work across the street from a bananas-awesome consignment shop. This place is PACKED with goodies and it is my favorite spot to spend a lunch break.

During my last visit, I encountered this sweet little chair. Its beautiful detailing and tassled-velvet pink chair pad pulled at my heart strings.

Side note for furniture buffs, what would the style/decoration of this chair be classified as?

This beautiful little chair was $75 and I couldn't walk away....nowhere to put it, but I couldn't walk away. I'm thinking of using it as a decorative chair in my new office, under one of the windows.

A couple of days later during a trip to HomeGoods, I found a gorgeous little faux-burlwood table. And for $50, I also couldn't pass it up.

Again, nowhere to put it, but it's quite small so I should be able to squeeze it in somewhere. I just loved the finish on it and it's an inexpensive little piece that I can move around the house.

In other news, when I put the two pieces together, they create the most adorable wee desk you've ever seen:

No way any full-grown human can actually fit at this desk, but it's super-cute to look at.

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New Arrivals

I have procured some treats recently. The first are these chinoiserie hurricane vases currently on One Kings Lane:

They remind me of this bedroom by Mary McDonald seen in Veranda:

Wait, those are actually the exact same silhouettes. Interesting.

And I also got the Cliffs Area Rug that I have been seriously coveting for about 6 months. I just couldn't stop visiting it online and thanks to some birthday dollars from my dad, I pulled the trigger:

The good news is that this rug is AWESOME. I can't say enough about it. The colors are actually prettier in person if you can believe it (there is a slight touch of salmon pink) and it's very plush (I live in a world of jute and/or flatwoven rugs) and just incredibly chic.

The bad news is that it totally doesn't work where I wanted it to go - I thought the dimensions were good, but it's a wee bit short. So, it is now holding court on the landing at the top of our stairs - it's a perfect fit, but I feel it's too hidden from the world all the way up there. But it will bring me joy on a daily basis, so that's good.

In other news, Carter is making a serious dent in our basement den renovation. My mind has been whirling with the design plan for that room that is coming together quickly. I got a possible Christmas ETA for the room to be complete so I can start furnishing it. That likely means more like Jan/Feb, but I'll take it. That's so soon. I can't wait.

I'm really chatty today.

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Dining Room Loot

Show and tell time. Some new loot that I recently acquired for the dining room. On a whim, I bought this cockatoo mirror that I saw on One Kings Lane (one cockatoo is hiding behind the jar). It's pretty awesome and works beautifully with our green stripes.

And I also recently found the large porcelain jar at Home Goods. It's everything I love about traditional blue/white porcelain...but in green! So it obvi had to come home with me. Both made their debut this weekend as we hosted friends for dinner...and I must say everything tasted a bit better with these new additions to the room.
 

Knot Mirror

Are you sitting down? Because I'm about to blow the top off of your Monday.

Carter was kind enough to accompany me to an outlet mall this weekend. My goal was some shirts and a pair of shoes. I had no thoughts of home decor, but kismet can not be stopped.

As we turned a corner, I was greeted with this in a store window:

My heart stopped, my palms started sweating and when I looked at Carter, I think there were tears in my eyes. I have ooogled this mirror for a LONG time, and in a previous blog post, I refered to it as one of my "top five favorite mirrors of all time." I've seen it at Horchow, and price has been my enemy. Behold the Horchow version:

Pretty close match. And though my Horchow love rings in around $500, my outlet mall mirror had a dainty tag hanging from it reading $79.99. I know...I know.

So obvi, it came home with me. And the kicker is that everything in the store was 25% off, so I got it for a silly $63. I had to do some convincing with Carter. A couple months ago, I found the same shape in a smaller, all-gold version at HomeGoods that is currently hanging above our fireplace mantel. This new mirror, which has a hearty 40" diameter, will replace it. And Carter just hates replacing once installed. But, I think he'll come to love it as he always does.

Ok, I'm talking too much because I know you guys want to get your own and the absolute best part is that you can...courtesy of Kirkland's.

Click here to buy my knot mirror, in the gold/black version for $79.

And here is another version available:

Click here to purchase this wood tone version of the knot mirror, for $70.

You're welcome!

Fashion Loot

This is not a fashion blog, but I interrupt the regularly scheduled programming to bring you this dress.

I bought it this weekend for $11. And I kind of want to just hang it up on a wall...and look at it. I love the colors and the pattern. This dress would make killer pillows, which I would contemplate sacrificing it for if it wasn't my favorite silhouette these days. I'm sure I will wear the heck out of it through the fall with boots and cardigans and next summer as is.

I've said it before, but I'm not a fashionista. I buy what I like and hop on a trend here and there. And when I see an item that reminds me of all the pattern and color I love to see in interior design, it usually comes home with me. I like wearing inspiration.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Jenny's Sale

I'll be signing autographs, as I was one of the lucky ones to be able to attend Little Green Notebook Jenny's flea market sale in Arlington, VA on Saturday morning. The sale started at 7:00 am, and by the time I arrived at 7:45, 90% of the loot was gone (much to my dismay).

Even so, it was super fun to meet Jenny. LGN has to be one of my top three favorite blogs so meeting the wealth of creativity that is Jenny was such a treat. She was very sweet and we had a quick chat while she was busy attending to her customers (and fans!).

I know we were ALL wondering who would walk away with that a-m-a-z-i-n-g Chiang Mai Dragon settee....drum roll please...

Heather sitting proudly atop her loot

Miss Heather was the lucky purchaser! And she obliged with a picture to document her new loot. Heather said she was redoing her living room and the settee went right along with her new plans. Lucky lady!

Although I didn't get to see the sale in "prime time", I did not walk away empty-handed. I found a terrific pair of ceramic lamps in the most beautiful shade of deep green. They just need a lamp kit and some new shades and they will be drop-dead gorgeous (Jenny lamented seeing these go! But I promised a good home):

And, I also found this wonderful Diego Rivera print in a very, very pretty frame. Do you remember my post on his work? This print is just beautiful...and will work great in several of our rooms.

Did any other locals score some of Jenny's loot? 

Jenny held her mass sale as she, her husband, and their three girls are making a move to NYC very shortly...good luck with the move Jenny!

p.s. It was also great to meet a couple of AO readers - thanks to those of you who introduced yourself! :)

Good Loot Comes to Those Who Wait

I've been jonesing for some wheat sconces for a while (I want to say something like 9 months). Knowing that my fireplace mantel would one day be complete, I always had the thought of finding a great mirror and flanking it with some big sconces.

In deciding what these sconces should be like, I always turned to those jazzy coral sconces Ruthie Sommers used in her living room that we saw in domino:

Photo by Melanie Acevedo via domino

What I liked most about the sconces wasn't their coral-ness (although very nice) but actually how they projected from the wall. I liked that they were sculptural and quirky.

As I dove into a search for a pair of sconces to call my own, somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the wheat motif. I think the first time the wheat theme called to me was when I found an awesome pair of vintage white tole sconces on Etsy for a steal of $35. I debated and debated - still not fully confident that I could put large, sculptural sconces in our living room (perhaps too grand/traditional for the space). So as I thought and thought...someone else bought them. And of course, as soon as they did, I totally regretted my decision and doubled my efforts looking for wheat sconces.

A great example of these sconces via Lonny:

Photo by Patrick Cline via lonnymag.com

So, it's been months since my Etsy darlings passed me by and I've been scouring Etsy, eBay, flea markets, etc. to find a good vintage pair (within my budget - always key)...and finally, it was my day yesterday! And perfect timing since I'm making fireplace mirror decisions.

Behold my loot:

I found them on eBay for $35 (and a respectable shipping fee) - the seller had relisted them because the previous buyer hadn't paid up (and I had actually missed them the first go around). Woohoo! These are actually better than the Etsy pair because they are gold, which is what I originally wanted.

I think they might work well next to my free mirror, which I will paint gold to match. I think the traditional motif will work nicely against the geometrics and color of my living room.

Once again, patience wins. I need to remember that...

Loot: An Obelisk and A Rug

I bought a pink marble obelisk.

I found her on Etsy, and I love her. And she's quite pink (and heavy!). She will be finding a home in my living room (I think she works well in a house just a stone's throw from the Washington Monument).

If you like the look of an obelisk, or two, check out this pair currently on sale for $25 at JC Penney from Cindy Crawford's line (which is full of Chinoiserie touches, btw):

I love their glossy sheen and the white trim...nice accents at a great price (and they remind me of the look of these and these).

And in other news, my bff Margaret brought home some good loot:

She picked up that Urban Outfitters chevron rug I blogged about last week and put it in her Denver kitchen....I love it!! 

Nate Berkus Loot

I've had my eye on Nate Berkus' loot on HSN.com for quite some time. I'm not an expert on Nate's design work, but the rooms that I have seen by him I have really enjoyed. And many of his items on HSN have caught my eye since the line launched. I was completely in love with a Greek key tray that was available in the fall that I now realize would be perfect for my bedroom vanity...but I let it slip away!

Recently, I was reading this post over at Department of the Interior and I spotted some of Nate's HSN items in the featured apartment (that belongs to his sister) which prompted me to check in on Nate's collection...

I fell in love with these faux bois (and antler-ish) candlesticks a month or two ago, and they are now mine. I love their shape and their brassy/golden finish - they will either adorn our yet to be constructed fireplace mantel or a side table in our bedroom. They were only $20 - click here to pick them up.

Some other favorites...

 

A very chic armless sofa available in several fabrics, including a fab ikat...I LOVE this.

I like anything hexagonal, and the stripe on this ottoman is perfection.

The perfect complement to my candlesticks - an organic twig table.

You KNOW I love a striped rug, and this one is on major clearance for only $14.34!

Many, many more items are available in his collection if you like these items...looking forward to my candlesticks!

Chiang Mai and eBay Fabric Loot

As I mentioned post-Navidad, I was the uber-grateful recipient of a yard of Chiang Mai Dragon (Schumacher) fabric in the aquamarine colorway for Christmas (thanks to my in-laws Holly and Jerry - thank you, thank you, thank you!)

What's funny is that even before I knew Chiang Mai would be in my future, I was already designing my living room around it. It started with my obsession for the color green...followed by the pairing of said green with aqua...followed by touches of orange and navy. It's as if I was willing my room to morph into some echo of this iconic fabric.

And now, I actually have this fabric to pull all of the colors in my living room together. I will be using it to cover the seat of a white cane chair that sits in our living room (I will also make a matching pillow for the back of the chair).

Now that I have my dominant fabrics covered (Chiang Mai and Sassari Ikat), I am looking for accent fabrics to make some additional pillows to litter the sofa and armchair in the living room (I mean litter very lovingly...Carter would actually mean it as litter...he's not too keen on pillows).

So I turned to my trusty fabric source, eBay...it never lets me down (although I will say that fabric hunting on eBay can sometimes be an exercise in patience). I came across two remnants that I snatched up for fun accent pillows:

One is a vintage Greek key Lee Jofa print in a beautiful deep coral:

And the other is a vintage Robert Allen fabric called Libretto:

Loved the small-scale pattern on both to juxtapose with large patterns on my dominant fabrics. Each remnant is just big enough for a pillow front - so I'll back each with a coordinating fabric. And each was under $10 bought from this eBay store.

Pictures to come once the pillows are complete...I'm thinking some pom-pom trim needs to be involved.

I did something...

...kinda naughty...


...I bought a light fixture for the dining room...


...and I haven't exactly told Carter...


...well...


...because we kinda already bought one...


...do you remember the c-list chandy?...

...it has been replaced...


I COULDN'T HELP IT! I saw something BETTER! And something I've dreamed about but didn't think I could have...and as a design buff, I'm ALLOWED to change my mind, right?? It goes with the territory.

Behold, my new oversized Chinoiserie lantern!!!

This is the loot of the century!!! It's a big, gorgeous, oversized Chinoiserie lantern and it's only $120! I KNOW!

I wish I had the scoop for you, but some of you probably recognize it from this post on Visual Vamp. I was doing my usual web trolling last night...hopping from site to site and blog to blog, and I came across VV's kitchen makeover and my heart skipped when I caught a glimpse of these lanterns (she has two!)...

And then my heart LEAPED when I saw that she had scored them for $120 (and free shipping)!

Click here to score your own

Well, it was one of those things where I just knew this was perfection for my dining room. I wanted a big showstopper piece above the table, and I *think* (having not seen it in person) this will be just the ticket!

I (like any Chinoiserie lover) positively drool over bamboo/pagoda lanterns and chandeliers, but they are SOOO pricey, and unfortunately it's hard to score a cheap one as Target and other fine retail establishments tend not to venture into the Chinoiserie territory very often. I've stalked eBay and Craigslist, but nothing (or nothing in my budget).

And although I'm sure there are many gorgeous lanterns out there...this one was actually within my reach!

Oh VV, I could just hug you for this little gem!

So of course, I am now frantically clicking on my tracking number link as if checking the shipping status will make it arrive quicker...

And in my head, the box will arrive, I will bat my eyelashes at Carter, he will grumble as he installs it, and then once he realizes how AMAZING it is he'll give me a big kiss and say "Well done D! Genius!"...

...in my head...

(p.s. No c-list chandys were hurt in the making of this post...the plan has simply changed...I see a new spot for it as a focal point in one of the guest bedrooms...still $40 well spent)

(p.p.s Don't tell Carter, for those who know him...I think my plan might work)

Christmas Loot

I received lots of great loot for Christmas from my family.

I am blessed...that fact is never lost on me.

I thought I would share the home decor items that Santy brought...

Set of 12 linen napkins from Horchow monogrammed with a lilac "S"

 Fabulous orange Greek key trim to be used on our living room drapes

A great design book to add to my collection

A pair of celadon lamps for our bedroom

A painted bowl from Southern Living At Home

Some very cool wrought iron planters also from Southern Living At Home...love how they are used here!

Two HomeGoods gift cards!!

A set of these bamboo wall shelves

My very own yard of Chiang Mai Dragon fabric...WOOHOO!!!

 

And let's not forget the beautiful pagoda chair Carter gave me.

Ok, not so much a home decor item, but my parents gave me the Droid, so now I can stay connected to the blog and all of my AO web endeavors all of the time. I am so excited!

I made out like a bandit, did I not? I am so grateful. THANK YOU DEAR FAMILY!

I can't wait to deck out the house with my new loot!

Progress

There has been progress at the AO house in advance of Thanksgiving.

Lots of work on our main level bath thanks to the hard work of my father-in-law (thanks Jerry!) and Carter. Not quite done, but we're almost there. Bathroom post to come...

As I mentioned Friday, I had lots of fabric waiting for my sewing machine this weekend. The fabric for my dining room drapes came in (the one that would accompany Azalea) as well as the order for my various living room fabrics from my designBoard.

I was a happy little clam with all of my fabric rolls:

I spent Sunday working on my dining room drapes and I am very happy with the results. I shared the sneak peek yesterday and for lack of another picture I'm sharing it again. I plan a full dining room post with the reveal so stay tuned...

Last night, I worked on the velvet drapes for the living room and the pillows for the couch. Recall that I chose Lee Jofa's Sassari Ikat for the pillows - and I absolutely love it!

The drapes are a velvet by Greenhouse Designs called Caribbean. We currently just have them hanging from a rod and they are screaming (so loud it hurts) for a pelmet box or some other creation that will hide the rod and jazz up the window a bit. We also have an order in for some nice wood blinds to replace the current mini-blinds that are uglying-up my picture.

 

 

The last picture shows off some very good loot that I have collected for this room since we moved. I'm embarrassed to say that many items are from HomeGoods (not embarrassed that they are from HG, but embarrassed that you are starting to see how much time I spend there). HG was responsible for the lamp, green lacquer boxes, navy lacquer mirror and the "nesting" tables (they don't really nest).

The bust I found on Etsy (his date sits on our dining room bar) and here is my first julep cup put to use. The frame is my favorite wedding picture - our exit among some very smoky sparklers; they were huge! - and the magnifying glass I found...hmmm....where did I find that? Maybe HG? Not sure...

The fam starts rolling in tomorrow and we are very excited for some quality time with loved ones.