Panels!

 (skona hem via Space For Inspiration)

So tonight I'm speaking on my second design panel in two weeks. Last week I was flattered to participate in the Washington Post's Fashion Washington anniversary celebration with local designer, Sally Steponkus (love her!), HGTV stars and designer extraordinaires Robert & Cortney Novogratz, and the evening's host, Mitchell Gold. I loved spending time with all of them and hearing what they had to say on trends and such. Wild how we all seemed on the same plane...which made it funny. I almost tried to think of some design controversy just to spice things up a bit :) Alas we all agreed that when it comes to design we all think that pieces reflecting the owner should be of utmost importance--personal decorating! No pics to share except one snagged from K street Kate :

 (K street Kate)

Tonight I'll be at the Dunes, dishing on "Mastering the Art of High/Low Decorating" with Kelley Proxmire and Judith Carrig. More details here. Come by!

Update: you can read about the night here.

All these panels remind me of another variety that's been made a huge comeback in recent years...one that I'm naturally a little more comfortable with than its verbal twin--wood. Salvaged wood. It makes the most interesting type of paneling:

 

(living etc)

(Jute Home)

Ok and this isn't technically paneling, it's flooring, but it's too awesome. Wine Crates...that you walk on:

(via wide open spaces)

How Have I Not Shown You This??? Fleurir revealed...

The chocolate shop is done!

been done for months.....

BUT they (Fleurir Hand grown Chocolates) are having their official grand opening on October 22, which you can read about here, and come check out in person. You won't be disappointed.

 

Ok, back to the shop. Last time I shared the progress it looked something like this, pre-bloom:

and now....

fleurir :)

 

 (photo: Christina Bernales, photographer extraordinaire) 

  

 ( photo: Christina Bernales)

 ( photo: Christina Bernales)

 

  ( photo: Christina Bernales)

All I can say is that Robert and Ashley are champs! Well I could say that they're pretty cute too....and gracious....and fun....and to be honest, they're kind of a bad influence...on my waistline...and language... but let's just leave it at champs. See?

( photo: Christina Bernales)

The amount of work that they put into the shop was really astounding. 

Almost every project I've worked on has been carried out with a team of pros, electricians, contractors, upholsterers, paper hangers, etc, but in this case Robert and Ashley (and their wonderful friends and family) were the heavy laborers from start to finish....

 They gave me a huge file of inspiration, and I scribbled out a rough sketch of my vision...

And then the great search for the right pieces ensued. Lots of trips to Lucketts, salvage yards, barn sales, and the hardware store. Almost everything was found, recycled, or handmade.

Including the awesome sculpture by my sister Nicole:

( photo: Christina Bernales)

And a couple things came by way of my home, like the awesome light that I won from Ally's (From the Right Bank) awesome Christmas giveaway. Sadly, it's enormous size (nearly 4 feet tall) didn't jive with our 8 foot ceilings. I was so bummed (Rich was not...), but then as soon as I saw the chocolate shop space I knew it would be perfect. So in exchange for more chocolate than I probably should have consumed at 8 months prego, I offered them the light.

 

 and the old window that used to sit on my mantel which now lists their prices...

 

The other lights were fashioned from english wire garden cloches by genius Robert:

Now go eat some chocolate!