Thursday, May 27, 2010

Amazing House Tour and Open Apartment Therapy Position!!!

Ok, first a matter of business. AT is looking for house tour bloggers in LA, DC, NY, and San Fransico, so apply, apply, apply!!!! Click here for details. I would love to see more house tours in DC...we need more!!! and happily there are many generous people willing to open up their homes to enjoy. Every house tour has been a chance to connect with interesting people and explore their creative spaces. I've learned so much from visiting each one, and have come to appreciate a wide variety of styles and talents. Take my most recent tour for example.....

My family has grown used to me coming home from photo shoots gushing--that was the most amazing house!--but I'm pretty sure the house tour I'm featuring on AT today tops the cool list in terms of sheer creativity. It's the vibrant home of green architect, Bill, and master gardener, Beth who have created the most wonderful mix of quirky and comfortable in their Takoma Park home.

everything, EVERYTHING, is unique. I literally had to tell myself, "ok Leah, turn off the camera, it's time to leave" b/c I could have stayed all day exploring all the personal touches they've weaved throughout their creative home.


Green building has become such a buzz word, and often it translates into adding a few energy efficient appliances and calling it eco-friendly. But this house definitely walks its talk. Almost every element has been recycled or salvaged and made into something new.  And every-room has a strong connection to the outdoors. My favorite was the sleeping porch off the master bedroom (below).

I've only recently begun to explore Takoma Park, but it is really a perfect setting for this home...colorful and eclectic and full of creative-minded people.

This backyard swing was made from locust wood, isn't it wild?

I'm curious to see what the those Apartment Therapists will think...

Check out the full tour here! And please chime in with comments there. House Tours become like my little children, and I love to see them well cared for and appreciated.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

best things

(stencil revolution)
Working in design and writing about design, I have to remind myself frequently that good home design isn't just about the pretty things, but the good life that takes place in it--design should be a servant of sorts. I'll spy something that I just love, and I daydream about it, save up for it, buy it...and then sort of forget about it as I move onto something else to desire.  And sometimes I forget along the way why I'm doing what I do. It should be about creating an environment conducive to laughing and loving and reflecting.....

Last week was a really tough one, mostly b/c it started off with my first car accident...which was my fault (as I was rushing from dropping off the girls and attempting to make an appearance at the design center's press preview for the design house) and it involved 2 other cars!!! Thankfully everyone was ok... except my car, which is still in the hospital. Thank you Jesus for good insurance!!! And good co-accident victims--they couldn't have been nicer!

Anyway, the tough week was followed by one of the most wonderful weekends I've had in a long while: a send off party for my brother in law who is heading to Rome, a date, lots of hang out time with Rich's awesome siblings whom I love every bit as much as my own, and happy little girls who said sweet things like, "mommy, this meal tasteses like your love"....

and all that helped me to remember that the things that make me happiest, the best things, are the real living breathing ones....
  especially the ones with the cute belly buttons :)
 and the creative fashion flair
 and the entertaining hats (yes, that's busch light...most likely picked up from a gas station... we're real classy around here)

Thank goodness for sweet and small reminders!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

garden oasis

The weather in Washington has been stubborn and dreary, and that's only increased my desire for everything that's lovely about summer. One of our assignments for Apartment Therapy this month was to create our dream outdoor space. Mine was a lot like the garden bath I created for AT in March. Like the dream bath post, I spent far longer daydreaming over inspiration photos than I did collecting the perfect accessories. Beautiful, leisurely, casual outdoor living is everything I picture when I think about "the good life"....
  pergola draped with blankets of climbing vines...
(country home)
 flowering ones preferable (although I was devastated to learn that wisteria, beautiful and romantic as it is, is a rat magnet, poisonous, and uncontrollably invasive...I would love if someone proves that wrong...I absolutely love how it looks, so spontaneous an delicious)
(cottage living)
(House Beautiful)


(House Beautiful)

Naps and daydreaming and reading in lovely lounge-able spots...

(Domino)

and a place to soak outdoors...
(Apartment Therapy...this is one of my favorite house tours of all times: effortless awesomeness, everything I love about farmhouse style. I've looked through it more than any other post on AT, and every time I find something I find else to admire)

maybe with an ivy covered wall...

or just a small, quiet corner tucked away...simple and serene

And all that inspiration led to this dream outdoor space....
Now if only we could afford it....

nonetheless you can check out all the items that go into it on my original Apartment Therapy post.


Friday, May 7, 2010

why spring is the loveliest season

My life has been full of blossoms lately--some real like these
(we managed to catch the tail end of our cherry tree's blossoms when we returned from Arizona)

and these. I was inspired by Lauren's post on her wild roses, so we gathered some of our own...

and these that Maddy picked and arranged for me all by herself
and then spent about 5 minutes scooting them around on the side table for the perfect look, and after said "I'm your best design helper!" :)
and these

but mostly, my days have been consumed with fake blossoms, lots and lots and L.O.T.S. of fake blossoms! I was the decoration chair for my daughters' school's auction this year, and our theme was cherry blossoms. I decided to make tissue paper flowers and attach them to real branches to suspend from the ceiling around the ballroom. With a lot of help from other moms and kids from the school, my sister, my mother, my girls, and even Rich, we finally had enough blossoms for the project. They turned out beautifully (trying to track down a picture of the event for the full effect), and the process left me feeling mighty dexterous...I didn't know it was possible to get finger fatigue cramps! Here's a glimpse

and here's how we did it...

-cut tissue paper into squares (mine were about 3 inches on each side) and overlap them in a star of David type shape

-pinch them in the middle to form a light crease, then pinch in the other direction

-twist the pinched parts to form a "stem"

-attach a small piece of scotch tape to the edge of the stem (you can also use florist wire...I got poked one too many times and wanted something easier. Once all the blossoms are attached you can't even tell it's tape)

-wrap the tape around an offshoot of the branch to secure the blossom

-repeat....and repeat....and repeat!

I made a few green ones too, but decided not to use them at the last minute, so now they're in the girls' room:

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Summer Blues and Whites

Spring hit and I fell in love with blue...not for the first time, just rediscovered my love for it. I had so many blue and white images cluttering my desktop that I turned them into a post for Apartment Therapy last night, but I still have a million more that I can't keep to myself.

These, taken by the talented Jordi Canosa, are a few my favorites....

Just looking makes me feel like I just stepped onto some vibrant peaceful island--so refreshing!
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