tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52492106387345171762024-03-14T00:17:06.843-04:00MOSS ECLECTICeveryday artful living.
seeking beauty in the ordinary, and harmonizing creativity and chaos in the home.Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-87255674336603664682014-12-19T09:11:00.001-05:002014-12-19T09:11:44.926-05:00gilt + nature holiday dining room<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B2IZupu6qQ4/VJNKMmR3uiI/AAAAAAAAFDk/TK5r20Z-dC8/s1600/IMG_4057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B2IZupu6qQ4/VJNKMmR3uiI/AAAAAAAAFDk/TK5r20Z-dC8/s1600/IMG_4057.JPG" height="618" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
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For me, last minute ideas almost always end up being the best. I love the challenge of using what's on hand, and making it into something meaningful and fun. Some combination of paint and nature is almost always involved :) This year it was gold spray paint, fallen leaves, pinecones, and branches...<br />
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I (with the help of my lovely assistant, Valerie, pictured on the left in photo #3) sprayed the leaves with my favorite gold paint, Rustoleum's gold bright coat, and hung them from the ceiling with scotch tape and fishing line....</div>
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The bubbles have been sitting in my office for a year. I got them from HomeGoods a long time ago but never put them to use, so this Thanksgiving they got hung from wire and eye hooks in the ceiling and filled with tea lights for a little sparkle and glow...</div>
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It made for such a magical Thanksgiving table...</div>
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filled with family....</div>
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I think the sparkle distracted from the fact that we were squishing 20 people around a hodge podge table. Once again, Thanksgiving takes the cake for being the best holiday around these parts!<br />
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We loved the ceiling additions so much that we decided to keep them up for advent.....</div>
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and the added sparkle led to many more sparkly meals. We've used our china so much in the past month, usually mixing it with more casual things like ticking stripe napkins and fancier things like crystal...<br />
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Our china (Lenox, Eternal) is one of the things that I really thought wasn't worth registering for when we got married, but I'm so glad my mother-in-law convinced me otherwise. 10 years later, it's still a favorite gift. I love the simple, classic ivory and gold. It looks so pretty whether it's paired with fine linen or rustic wood...<br />
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and we've slowly added in some advent favorites like our advent calendar stockings above the fireplace...</div>
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and our homemade cinnamon stick and pinecone garland that's still going strong 5+ years later...</div>
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and occasionally, in this busy season, we're making some time for the things that make home, really home...</div>
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Merry Christmas countdown!</div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-73416118703829714562014-11-20T10:26:00.001-05:002014-11-20T10:26:51.934-05:00a fall wedding! and a baby! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
not both at once :)</div>
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A few weeks ago, just as fall color was starting to take hold, but before summer weather left completely, my little sister, Monique, got married! It was an incredible day!<br />
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My older sister and I had agreed to do the flowers and decorations, but the month leading up to the wedding I was really sick and mostly in bed. (We are SO excited to be expecting our 4th (!!!!) baby. I can hardly believe it's true. We feel incredibly blessed, and our kids are THRILLED! However, pregnancy is tough for me, and it wasn't a surprise that I had to spend a large chunk on bedrest.)<br />
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BUT the week before the wedding my health miraculous turned for the best, and I was able to enjoy the beautiful day as well as do all the flowers. I really feel so blessed that the sickness, intense as it was, only lasted a short while. I feel that being able to function normally now is really a mini miracle--yay!<br />
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Anyways....We learned how to make flower crowns--a "must" in my daughters' minds--and had so much fun at the flower shop, picking and arranging! The crowns were actually super simple. We used thistle, hypericum berries, and seeded eucalyptus and wound them with florist tape around a wire--voila!<br />
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For the centerpieces and bouquets, we started with seeded Eucalyptus and thistles and queen anne's lace, and then we added in silver brunia berries, something that looked like oversized lambs ear, and David Austin Juliet roses. Usually roses aren't my favorite, but these are incredible! I forget what the tall furry green things are...To fill out the table, we added the extra cuttings in jelly jars. So happy with how it all turned out.</div>
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The reception was in the upper part of <a href="http://darlingtonhousedc.com/" target="_blank">Darlington House</a> in Dupont circle, which was perfect for a intimate wedding. The room is lovely, and didn't need much aside from candles and flowers<br />
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Monique gave us free reign. She really is what every bride ought to be--totally joyful, fully present to the moment, and refreshingly non-dramatic when it comes to sweating the small stuff...and even the big stuff...like being almost an hour late to her own wedding :)))) any other bride would have melted down, but Mo isn't just any bride. Love her!<br />
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Her joy translated into a total blast on all fronts, and made the decorating part even more fun. Whenever I'd call to ask her a question, she'd say some thing like, "O I trust you and I'm so excited to see what you do!"--DREAM client!<br />
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the ceremony was in SE DC at<a href="http://www.assumptionchurch-dc.org/" target="_blank"> Assumption</a>, a beautiful old Catholic church that my older sister has been helping the pastor restore. She's an artist, and did all the paintings that you see below...</div>
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The wedding was a slice of heaven, just like the gorgeous couple....<br />
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I took no less than 1500 pictures, but most of my favorites are of the kids....they make fun parties even more fun, picturesque, and awesome (something I didn't fully appreciate when they were all in the toddler years, but relish now....and wish I could keep them from growing so fast...)<br />
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when the night got long, disco naps were taken...<br />
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my husband and brother-in-law played a little tribute in lieu of a toast....my mom, who may love them more than her own children has lobbying for them to start a band for years--singing son-in-laws :)--every family party, she asks them to bring their guitars....and good sons that they are, they finally obliged. Great debut boys!<br />
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and then the dancing began...<br />
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Monique and Jonny (LOVE this new bro!) stayed a few extra days before flying back to San Francisco where they live, and they totally spoiled us! Jonny is the rockstar chef de cuisine at <a href="http://quincerestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Quince</a> (but he's probably the most humble person I've met and would never let on that he's a total badass), and he and Monique (who is also quite accomplished with her culinary skill...they met working together in a couple of restaurants in New York) created an incredible feast for our families. Perfect end to a perfect weekend! Now we are attempting to lure them back to east coast....<br />
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Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-82675701751065559052014-10-10T14:38:00.000-04:002014-10-10T14:38:30.696-04:00Georgia Okeefe inspired aesthetic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I think most people associate Georgia O'Keefe with her flowers, but they only make up a portion of her work. I've been intrigued by her aesthetic ever since I was a pre-teen and visited New Mexico for the first time, where I fell in love with the landscape and the way that she presented the simultaneous warmth and spareness of its beauty. </div>
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On the recommendation of the lovely <a href="http://thevintiqueobject.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Camille of the Vintique Object,</a> my eldest daughter and I visited her home in Albiqui outside of Santa Fe this summer. </div>
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It's the kind of place that you definitely wish was not a museum. It is spare but inviting and comfortable. And so tactile...desert rocks and dry animal bones and greens flourishing against all odds in the stark landscape.... It gave me the same feeling that I get when I'm on a nature walk and can't resist picking up a smooth river stone or running my hands over sycamore bark...except her whole house was like that. There's such a strong connection to the landscape outside, and such a purity to all the materials used inside (the floors of the room above are a mix of mud, milk, and flour) that even though some rooms are roped off, it doesn't feel sterile at all. Her rock collections adorn many surfaces, but nothing is cluttered. The warmth and curving imperfection of the stucco walls mimic the hills below it and the large windows are such a focal point that it almost seems like the home grew up from the ground rather than being plopped there like many houses.</div>
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We've been so blessed to have been able to visit the Southwest for a little stretch of time every year since we've been married beginning with our honeymoon road trip, and it's always bittersweet leaving it. Coming back this year, after visiting Albique, I was really struck and even a little surprised to walk through my front door and see my Georgia Okeefe-subconsciously-inspired vignette, my own little slice of nature inspired simplicity. This little vignette originally came about a few years ago when I tried to find a way to mask to hide our ugly thermostat and created the abstract canvas on the right as a reproduction of Okeefe's "winter road"...after doing it, the rest of the objects sort of accumulated...<br />
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credits: 1, 2: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #292929; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/her-houses.html" target="_blank">okeeffe museum</a> , 3-6: <a href="http://www.architecturaldigest.com/celebrity-homes/2012/georgia-okeeffe-artist-new-mexico-ghost-ranch-article" target="_blank">Architectural Digest</a>, 7: Leah Moss</span></div>
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Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-64768431010191149152014-07-18T11:11:00.000-04:002014-07-18T11:11:39.849-04:00Before & (mostly) After: a client living room with around the door built-ins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This project hails from the house of one of the cutest families. The front door leads right into the living room, and they wanted it to feel more special, less cluttered, and more inviting. The layout with the opening to the dining room, the staircase, and the front door made furniture layout rather difficult. They wanted to to work with their existing sofa. I love the side tables, plants, and other accents we added, but the biggest difference maker was the gorgeous built-ins crafted by Kaleo Kala of <a href="http://www.kala-studios.com/" target="_blank">Kala studios</a>. </div>
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I snapped the "afters" while waiting for photos to be printed, so ignore all the empty frames :) And some of the shelves like that one over the door way were not complete. And since the photo was taken, the 3rd hex table has been returned to its grouping and replaced between the chairs with another side table.</div>
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BEFORE (this is actually an in progress right after the chairs and hex tables came in):</div>
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AFTER:</div>
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BEFORE :</div>
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AFTER (taken from a mirror view):</div>
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From the dining room...</div>
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Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-78639363090282416272014-07-10T10:52:00.000-04:002014-07-12T08:19:43.303-04:00A Modest Moss Studio evolution<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--PicStKBQwc/U72kW6bU9fI/AAAAAAAAEuI/-qiD6TbtlZM/s1600/leah+moss+interiors+office+inspiration.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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A few years ago, I gave up my cute little closet office....<br />
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.....when I realized that Leah Moss Interiors had already basically been commandeering every inch of the house's addition for months :)<br />
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For about a year, I toyed here and there with getting a studio space outside my home, but the truth is that I feel like then I'd never actually be home, and home is my favorite place....especially when time is short and precious, and when home studio means no commute (the worst part about the DC area is the traffic). The more involved I get in my immediate community and the faster my kids grow up, the less I want to be commuting elsewhere to go sit and design (since I'm already on the road quite a bit visiting clients, meeting with suppliers, and shopping etc.). And the areas where I'd want a studio at this point are pretty inconvenient.<br />
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So, a little while ago I committed to setting up (a more permanent) shop in the addition...<br />
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I've always loved spaces that have a depth but also a certain temporary quality about them...something unfinished and interesting but not so precious....a tacked up picture or a stack of books or a leaning mirror or a light bulb hanging from a cord...things that you may see often in stylists' portfolios and artists' lofts but rarely in actual homes...things that draw you in and excite you precisely because they're kind of...precarious almost<br />
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....things that make a room not only lived in, but also inviting of creativity to actually <i>take place</i> in...potential and fluidity....but I also like calm and order and the <i>idea</i> of an "edited" space. <br />
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In design work, it takes a special client to commit to go that route. "Finished" usually means fixed in place. Especially in a practical place like DC. But in my own workspace, I really wanted to have a place to experiment with, a place that felt inspiring to me, like a lab...<br />
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So my little studio is now one of my favorite parts of home and work....<br />
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Happily, the lab studio route also meant that I could get away with spending basically no money...a crazy $210! Woot</div>
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I needed storage that would hold a lot, cost a little, and that had adjustable shelves. After looking into custom and scouring my favorite stores, I stumbled across<a href="http://www2.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11760165&whse=BD_115&Ne=5000001%204000000&eCat=BD_115%7C6216%7C6307&N=4028583%204294967107&Mo=0&No=0&Nr=P_CatalogName:BD_115&Ns=P_Price%7C1%7C%7CP_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&topnav=bd" target="_blank"> these at Costco </a>for 70 bones--cha-ching! So I bought 2. They hold up to 1500 lbs :) and were pretty much exactly what I wanted.<br />
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My favorite part is the desk area...the desk itself is temporary a home depot folding (beer pong :) table...and I love what's surrounding it...thumb tacks hold pictures that are lucky enough to have made it off the computer and onto paper. They can be slid in and transitioned out without poking holes in them...the crucifixion image is <a href="https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/online-gallery/on-line-gallery/obra/christ-crucified/" target="_blank">"Christ on the Cross" by <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545454; line-height: 18px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Velázquez</span></em></span></b></a>. I remember studying it in art history in college and being so moved by it...it's moody and deep and meditative in that distinctly Spanish way. My pastor gave it to us a few years ago. At the time, it was in a beautiful but formal and heavy frame, and I couldn't think of anywhere to hang it. I took it out of the frame and tacked it up in my office with an alligator clip for several months before stumbling across an old oil painting at a thrift store. I first loved it for its old tacks and frayed edges and rough worn (it has been torn a little and splattered with house paint in a few places) more than the actual painting. The background of the painting was beautiful but the boat painted in the middle of it was kind of cheesy and awful (sorry unknown old artist!) but I snagged it for $3 knowing that I could use it somehow. Bringing it home and setting it down on my desk, it dawned on me that there was a cool connection between it and the Velazquez so I used it as a frame of sorts, using the decorative interior edge of the original frame's mat to hold the picture and tack through the canvas of the painting<br />
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I also love the chairs. They were a freebie from the same thrift store. A few years ago, I saw a whole set of 12 black bent wood chairs there for something absurd like $200. I stupidly left them and went home to think on them (I was trying to be prudent that day as I had previously purchased a different set of chairs earlier that week and was fearing my husband's concerns of chair hoarding was reality), and of course came back to find that the set had gone home with a wiser woman...BUT 2 rickety ones had been left behind,. The owner felt bad and said they would be tossed anyway, so she just gave them to me :) I recently repainted them in graphite chalk paint, and they are exactly what I would have chosen even if they weren't free. Yay!</div>
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The middle of the long narrow room is wide open so that I can spread out when need be, and on the other end is this little Hickory Chair camel back sofa (another freebie that my sister found for me) that I sewed a very, <i>very imperfect </i>slipcover for out of navy ticking stripe. It's one of the most comfortable sofas I've ever sat in, and so it gets a lot of use. </div>
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In other lives it has looked like this....<br />
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and this (o my)...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSWGfVoK-Q0/U72n9RcL8TI/AAAAAAAAEuU/GJQ4AYE7Cp8/s1600/IMG_6429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CSWGfVoK-Q0/U72n9RcL8TI/AAAAAAAAEuU/GJQ4AYE7Cp8/s1600/IMG_6429.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
and this...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BmlcrGvvi_o/U72oGXR4NTI/AAAAAAAAEuc/6TLZ3YNIvKE/s1600/IMG_4067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BmlcrGvvi_o/U72oGXR4NTI/AAAAAAAAEuc/6TLZ3YNIvKE/s1600/IMG_4067.JPG" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
and now....<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJ6yL9zcWlc/U76l6jA1CiI/AAAAAAAAEvc/S25Y0MBzUB0/s1600/IMG_0392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJ6yL9zcWlc/U76l6jA1CiI/AAAAAAAAEvc/S25Y0MBzUB0/s1600/IMG_0392.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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And that is the story of my modest little studio.</div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-46015348669893579592014-04-17T09:19:00.002-04:002014-04-17T09:29:53.402-04:00grateful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Counting down to Easter, I'm grateful for every little quiet moment that this week has brought...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Rkx_m1ljEk/U0_Smw_GjdI/AAAAAAAAEoI/5_S5HG_SLY4/s1600/IMG_6495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Rkx_m1ljEk/U0_Smw_GjdI/AAAAAAAAEoI/5_S5HG_SLY4/s1600/IMG_6495.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zllz0vp41vc/U0_SwuzKoiI/AAAAAAAAEoY/FGsxgbQXC-A/s1600/IMG_6131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zllz0vp41vc/U0_SwuzKoiI/AAAAAAAAEoY/FGsxgbQXC-A/s1600/IMG_6131.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JYcfleFpLIs/U0_S2M3iVkI/AAAAAAAAEog/2NXbT0cXwE8/s1600/IMG_6387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JYcfleFpLIs/U0_S2M3iVkI/AAAAAAAAEog/2NXbT0cXwE8/s1600/IMG_6387.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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My heart goes to <a href="https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/dc74/sean-and-becca-lewis-fund?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fb_share_stream.share&utm_campaign=BA_FBshare&fb_ref=2032566" target="_blank">our friends</a> who have experienced some amazing tragedies this past month. I haven't known what to write because in some situations everything sounds trite, especially on a blog...but I'm struck so many times a day lately by how suffering changes the perspective of people around you, for good, when it's allowed and you are open...and I'm so grateful for the hope there is in Easter, perfectly placed in spring...</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KZV8V9Kt2Ys/U0_Sq9NE_oI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/gzbc8a7Tw68/s1600/IMG_6456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KZV8V9Kt2Ys/U0_Sq9NE_oI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/gzbc8a7Tw68/s1600/IMG_6456.JPG" height="512" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-54963172059403308562014-03-13T14:52:00.003-04:002014-03-13T14:53:42.252-04:00Still Life 99-- potted plants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In the last year, I've done almost no decorating or redecorating in my own home. Plants are the happy exception. These little plants are left over from some unfinished Christmas presents (we were going to make terrariums in masse but as it turned out just a few got completed...sorry friends ;) but the rest have survived with pretty much no water and very little sun in a corner of my office for months! So last week, as it snowed (again...) I decided to take spring into my own hands. Success--plants brighten any room....at any angle :)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P7xhz7MEpc4/UyH7X_1jGuI/AAAAAAAAEm4/GxdMIQBTFEs/s1600/IMG_6469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P7xhz7MEpc4/UyH7X_1jGuI/AAAAAAAAEm4/GxdMIQBTFEs/s1600/IMG_6469.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The bigger leafed ones are jade plants, and the little floppy one is some sort of succulent.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">**still life 99 is my visual catalog of the idea that we don't need a lot of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i>things</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">at home, but what we do need should be beautiful. They should be worthy of being noticed. I'm guessing that I have at least 99 around my own home to share.**</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And here's a few that did make the Christmas gift terrarium cut....</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Be23WhZZ1lo/UyH9yxKjlYI/AAAAAAAAEnE/HHpDKEQXbXg/s1600/IMG_6128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Be23WhZZ1lo/UyH9yxKjlYI/AAAAAAAAEnE/HHpDKEQXbXg/s1600/IMG_6128.JPG" height="426" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-47818740083995337462014-02-21T14:59:00.002-05:002014-02-21T15:02:03.818-05:00The Many Lives Of A Simple Striped Rug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There are few purchases that cost under $3 that have worked as hard or proven as versatile as my IKEA signe mats.</div>
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I have a a weakness for casual stripes (as opposed to bold and polished, the way most people think of stripes), and I think that, like black, every room benefits from a little stripe. </div>
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I remember when I bought a few of these little rugs about a month after moving into our house. It was one of those classic American hoarder Ikea shopping trips where you run in to get "water glasses and maybe a few things to help organize kid toys," but get caught up in how simple (and inexpensive) that scandinavian style is, and come out wielding a massively unruly shopping cart with wobbly wheels--why are those carts so flipping shaky?-- while forcing your toddler to walk so that the water glasses (and wineglassespictureframesorchidcowhidedesklamp) have a secure spot. </div>
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I remember my husband coming home and asking why his "minimalist" wife had bought 10 front door mats...I claimed I had a plan, and as it turns out many years later I did :)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FD2P44q-uXA/UwembY4brNI/AAAAAAAAElw/siu6_v371uQ/s1600/IMG_1127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FD2P44q-uXA/UwembY4brNI/AAAAAAAAElw/siu6_v371uQ/s1600/IMG_1127.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
They make great, hardy seat covers on dining chairs...this was a temporary fix while I searched for fabric to recover our craigslist bentwood chairs, but I began to love the casual, almost southwest vibe of the mats. So they stayed, now tucked in between the cushion and the chair frame, and they can be easily thrown in the wash when needed (which is often around here)....<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Su4tzDpTFQ/UwemmgI_SjI/AAAAAAAAEmA/OVMJyG1Op9g/s1600/IMG_2833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Su4tzDpTFQ/UwemmgI_SjI/AAAAAAAAEmA/OVMJyG1Op9g/s1600/IMG_2833.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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And I use one to layer this old, uglybutawesome chair that we inherited and have grown to love, making the brown tweed not so just brown tweedish....</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kXZQzxohnoU/UweoF6KOf4I/AAAAAAAAEmM/O5VDV_gR-zY/s1600/IMG_6705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kXZQzxohnoU/UweoF6KOf4I/AAAAAAAAEmM/O5VDV_gR-zY/s1600/IMG_6705.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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And I have a few that I layer in our bedroom every once in a while. Personally, I prefer mats (if anything) to rugs in our bedroom because I love the simplicity of bare wood floors.</div>
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For a year or so, IKEA stopped selling these SIGNE mats, but they started carrying them again a few months ago...so watch out hem Moss...</div>
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<br />Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-36423906742635468022014-02-18T14:18:00.001-05:002014-07-11T22:26:58.201-04:00Still Life 99- throw linen<div>
Linen, my friends, has been a longtime love, but like my husband and God, it only continues to make me marvel. I should probably have renamed this blog linen eclectic long ago, and just turned out post after post about the various ways in which linen rocks. Maybe then, I wouldn't have had these long blogging absences ;) </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5jDStr6JZiM/UwOsNku0ZbI/AAAAAAAAElA/peYP6Q9HS20/s1600/IMG_6435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5jDStr6JZiM/UwOsNku0ZbI/AAAAAAAAElA/peYP6Q9HS20/s1600/IMG_6435.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was able to sneak away on a 24 hour silent retreat this past weekend to a beautiful spot. Sometimes coming home from something like that can be hard because it's like sensory overload....especially when coming off and into approximately the 3 zillionth snow day this winter...but the snow days, with all the kids home, have given me more appreciation for this hardworking little home, and even more appreciation for the materials that can hold up to a lot of abuse and still look awesome. Ones that are just content in a state of imperfection. </div>
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There's something quiet about linen. It looks contemplative, and maybe even at its best when strewn and crumpled by little happy hands.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yx0JvnokJ3Q/UwOsmwPQnlI/AAAAAAAAElI/7EwjkPMbDyo/s1600/IMG_5062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yx0JvnokJ3Q/UwOsmwPQnlI/AAAAAAAAElI/7EwjkPMbDyo/s1600/IMG_5062.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
My husband bought me the <a href="http://www.foglinenwork.com/en/" target="_blank">fog linen work</a> towel below a few years ago, but far more frequently than actually acting as a towel, it moonlights as a throw (the back of this sofa is my 2 year old's favorite perch (looking out into my sister's house next door to say hi to his "tousins" :) so linen now masks a few footprints and the like...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1XA3erNMsoE/UwOst7dNd1I/AAAAAAAAElY/WVReBsEsJKI/s1600/IMG_5066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1XA3erNMsoE/UwOst7dNd1I/AAAAAAAAElY/WVReBsEsJKI/s1600/IMG_5066.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
and this hardworking hand towel version has held up to a lot only getting softer....<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FmdTlraucB0/UwOsxQ0NwuI/AAAAAAAAElg/K2MXItBd5iQ/s1600/IMG_6445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FmdTlraucB0/UwOsxQ0NwuI/AAAAAAAAElg/K2MXItBd5iQ/s1600/IMG_6445.jpg" height="640" width="452" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GR8MrV8ApmA/UwOspkNAxPI/AAAAAAAAElQ/zdTQBpShgxQ/s1600/IMG_6443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GR8MrV8ApmA/UwOspkNAxPI/AAAAAAAAElQ/zdTQBpShgxQ/s1600/IMG_6443.JPG" height="426" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have several favorite sources including a few local shops, but I can't say enough good things about etsy sellers <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/HouseOfBalticLinen?ref=l2-shopheader-name" target="_blank">House of Baltic Linen</a> and <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LinenCrafts" target="_blank">Linen Crafts</a>. Everything from both (including the purple towel/throw above from LinenCrafts) has been such beautiful quality. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">**still life 99 is my visual catalog of the idea that we don't need a lot of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i>things</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">at home, but what we do need should be beautiful. They should be worthy of being noticed. I'm guessing that I have at least 99 around my own home to share.**</span></div>
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Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-3411482020886812972014-02-14T17:50:00.003-05:002014-02-14T17:50:45.206-05:00happy heartWith a foot plus of snow, this Valentines day has been a bit unusual, less planned and more homespun, but sweeter in many ways. It has been one of those weeks where lots and lots went wrong, and so being buried inside with my family has been the perfect gift. Simplicity is always my favorite....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YsUC1tckD-A/Uv6P31JJEGI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/9g6hc9Q_D6U/s1600/IMG_6410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YsUC1tckD-A/Uv6P31JJEGI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/9g6hc9Q_D6U/s1600/IMG_6410.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KsjtEo-S2M/Uv6Q70SA7vI/AAAAAAAAEko/4SOJtT50J4o/s1600/IMG_6398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KsjtEo-S2M/Uv6Q70SA7vI/AAAAAAAAEko/4SOJtT50J4o/s1600/IMG_6398.JPG" height="452" width="640" /></a></div>
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Happy Day to you and yours!</div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-76143753542775427022014-01-27T13:01:00.000-05:002014-01-27T13:01:04.109-05:00warm winter light + linenAlthough linen is most always referred to as a summertime fabric, in my book, linen is appropriate any season and locale...but I especially love how unlined linen filters winter light, making it warm and soft. My favorite thing about winter is the unobstructed light when there are no tree leaves to block it, and through slightly rumpled linen, that cold winter light almost feels ethereal. For that reason, and because it's able to bring just the right softness and casualness, I use white and ivory linens in many projects....this is a corner of a bedroom I completed recently. I love the mix of ivories, whites, grays, and blue/greens. I took about 10 million pictures of this little corner, it's so peaceful...<br />
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<br />Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-1183105997336475002014-01-24T13:17:00.003-05:002014-01-24T13:17:59.115-05:00Moss & Co So so soooo many things to share....forgive me if you've spotted this family snapshot in some other place I've posted it, but it sums up a little of what Moss life is like these days...<br />
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I have about 5 posts in draft stage with some recent client work--yay!Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-22521540327602413912013-12-16T11:00:00.001-05:002013-12-16T11:00:25.577-05:00Classic ChristmasWe usually wait until Guadete Sunday, the third Sunday of advent, to decorate outside. But this year, a stomach bug and a big project install is making us run behind a bit. Christmas brings out the classic in me. And with our very classic colonial, it's hard to beat white lights and boxwood wreaths...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-COEVaYZe0L8/Uq8jQpU3FZI/AAAAAAAAEeA/pFhWra3KBz4/s1600/IMG_3627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-COEVaYZe0L8/Uq8jQpU3FZI/AAAAAAAAEeA/pFhWra3KBz4/s640/IMG_3627.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-75435558047695737362013-11-20T14:46:00.003-05:002013-11-20T14:46:37.392-05:00Hello World!Long absences usually deserve long explanations, but the long and the short is that life has been too busy and too fun, and family and work have taken center stage....<div>
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in progress projects awaiting rugs and window treatments....<div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Y-6yTicaYI/Uo0OQv-i7vI/AAAAAAAAEc0/-svUOMFChTI/s1600/IMG_5798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Y-6yTicaYI/Uo0OQv-i7vI/AAAAAAAAEc0/-svUOMFChTI/s640/IMG_5798.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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In between all the projects, summer came....</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dPbSdxG9JU4/Uo0Pp7SGqVI/AAAAAAAAEdg/eHnnPd8Go1I/s1600/IMG_5659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dPbSdxG9JU4/Uo0Pp7SGqVI/AAAAAAAAEdg/eHnnPd8Go1I/s640/IMG_5659.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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and lingered.....<br />
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and turned to cozy fall....</div>
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and now it's onto the next adventure......</div>
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I wish could stand still for just a little longer (that's the reason I love photography so much...relishing)....</div>
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Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-44767867713957040972013-05-31T10:04:00.000-04:002014-10-10T13:22:05.543-04:00Spring drive byThe DC heat today is reminding me that spring barely came this year. It went from cold to summer, then back to winter, and now full force hot...but even so we managed to sneak in some springish activities in between all the work projects. Spring is the best time for.....<br />
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Beach camping...it's cold and fresh, no bugs, sun enough to explore but not to be content just lounging (that's saved for summer :) it's so invigorating...<br />
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birthdays! We had a whole string of them...2 years for our baby, 6 for our middle, and 30 whole yearsfor Rich and me! Woohoo!<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--yoCRFmu4KE/UZ5gzKG44RI/AAAAAAAAEa8/e4P0g0D8IsQ/s1600/IMG_4453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--yoCRFmu4KE/UZ5gzKG44RI/AAAAAAAAEa8/e4P0g0D8IsQ/s640/IMG_4453.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
...and the only time for May crowning. Growing up, my school always had a May procession honoring Mary...all the kids would bring flowers, and one girl would be chosen to crown her with flowers. It was always beautiful! This year my kindergartner's class carried on the tradition. Gorgeous, peaceful, prayerful, and full of spirit...<br />
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and the very best for flower weed picking and wild bouquets. I remember begging my mom for a tidy little store bought bouquet to bring in for May crowning, and her telling me to go outside and pick some. I didn't realize how much better that was at the time...but now my preference, especially in spring, is wild bouquets that look natural and carefree. Even weeds...</div>
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Hello Summer!</div>
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<span id="goog_278071208"></span><span id="goog_278071209"></span><br />Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-56120815160060752612013-05-22T13:38:00.000-04:002013-05-22T13:38:05.733-04:00Change of view: a before and after client house flip <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PmMVkBhIljs/UZz4_-2HLrI/AAAAAAAAEZs/jtb6ILESAHk/s1600/IMG_4704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PmMVkBhIljs/UZz4_-2HLrI/AAAAAAAAEZs/jtb6ILESAHk/s640/IMG_4704.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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For the last couple of months I've been working with a very talented<a href="http://www.kuzmaconstruction.com/testimonials.html" target="_blank"> builder</a>, (Paul Kuzma of <a href="http://www.kuzmaconstruction.com/testimonials.html" target="_blank">Kuzma Construction</a>) to transform one of the cutest houses. He and his wife are an awesome team... I went to college with one of their daughters and another daughter is one of our favorite babysitters...so I've known and admired them for quite awhile, but it's been awesome getting to know them in a different capacity. Plus, their work is fabulous because Paul notices and invests in<i> every</i> detail. The whole process has been refreshing because nothing is put in haphazardly or just "because it was cheap" which is often the case in house flips. Paul's background is in carpentry, so details matter, and he knows how to execute them beautifully! The house is now on the market, so email me if your interested in more details.<br />
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There are so many things I love about this house...the perfect proportions, the mix of old details that add character and new details that add function, beautiful outdoor areas, gorgeous neighborhood, the light, etc X infinity!<br />
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I have to go back and take real pictures (when I'm not trying to juggle kids and a camera at the same time :) but here's an in progress peek...<br />
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The original house was cute cute to begin with if you had a really good imagination....<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUep8YRi298/UZz3A8ilolI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/Ix7XGLayEVI/s1600/IMG_3892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nUep8YRi298/UZz3A8ilolI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/Ix7XGLayEVI/s400/IMG_3892.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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But it's looking a <i>little</i> better these days :)))</div>
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<b>BEFORE:</b> Mudroom into great room (that framed box on the far side became a fireplace)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0X9LcjDm8EA/UZz3EVo0vfI/AAAAAAAAEXY/8qxzlj5pVBo/s1600/IMG_3886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0X9LcjDm8EA/UZz3EVo0vfI/AAAAAAAAEXY/8qxzlj5pVBo/s640/IMG_3886.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b> AFTER (in progress):</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsqUOTmg640/UZz8QMjKFkI/AAAAAAAAEaM/U5qhSdW3GtY/s1600/IMG_4708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsqUOTmg640/UZz8QMjKFkI/AAAAAAAAEaM/U5qhSdW3GtY/s640/IMG_4708.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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and from the other direction (IN PROGRESS):</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EfTw7P3LS4s/UZz3xbpWQGI/AAAAAAAAEYE/YkgAzDhsN3M/s1600/IMG_4680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EfTw7P3LS4s/UZz3xbpWQGI/AAAAAAAAEYE/YkgAzDhsN3M/s640/IMG_4680.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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I love that we improved upon the original quirky details, making them functional and charming...<br />
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<b>BEFORE:</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TIxV9UcC0Bg/UZz3JTTjmXI/AAAAAAAAEXg/wJL0apjEYa4/s1600/IMG_3898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TIxV9UcC0Bg/UZz3JTTjmXI/AAAAAAAAEXg/wJL0apjEYa4/s640/IMG_3898.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b> AFTER:</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sIoojabJxBc/UZz4DnIxuUI/AAAAAAAAEZA/CktpKPqmtEM/s1600/IMG_4749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sIoojabJxBc/UZz4DnIxuUI/AAAAAAAAEZA/CktpKPqmtEM/s640/IMG_4749.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b>BEFORE:</b></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzEKZjSG0CE/UZz6Oe-4-VI/AAAAAAAAEZ8/_J7soIudtrQ/s1600/IMG_3901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzEKZjSG0CE/UZz6Oe-4-VI/AAAAAAAAEZ8/_J7soIudtrQ/s640/IMG_3901.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>AFTER:</b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOgpG_GYdII/UZz4m4rT-AI/AAAAAAAAEZc/CtbMA4KA12Q/s1600/IMG_4736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOgpG_GYdII/UZz4m4rT-AI/AAAAAAAAEZc/CtbMA4KA12Q/s640/IMG_4736.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>BEFORE</b></div>
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<b></b>(the dining room into the kitchen...you can see the boarded over window that's now above the kitchen sink)</div>
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<b>AFTER (the lighting looks awful in this photo):</b><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gqF_5qDOqlo/UZz4E1F7ZNI/AAAAAAAAEZI/jo7VgfX9xzE/s1600/IMG_4750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gqF_5qDOqlo/UZz4E1F7ZNI/AAAAAAAAEZI/jo7VgfX9xzE/s640/IMG_4750.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>BEFORE:</b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qsjsv6bZHoQ/UZz37SEhaqI/AAAAAAAAEYY/8Ct9zwSVsvA/s1600/IMG_3918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qsjsv6bZHoQ/UZz37SEhaqI/AAAAAAAAEYY/8Ct9zwSVsvA/s640/IMG_3918.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b> IN PROGRESS:</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rcUZm9p7wf8/UZz3_C7s_TI/AAAAAAAAEYo/fw2ZrNMEO5E/s1600/IMG_4683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rcUZm9p7wf8/UZz3_C7s_TI/AAAAAAAAEYo/fw2ZrNMEO5E/s640/IMG_4683.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b> AFTER:</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zN0kylL5mho/UZz4ilm5y1I/AAAAAAAAEZQ/ONHlYtiXGRc/s1600/IMG_4715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zN0kylL5mho/UZz4ilm5y1I/AAAAAAAAEZQ/ONHlYtiXGRc/s640/IMG_4715.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b> Dining room BEFORE:</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UdkrUDP3VdU/UZz40mMKQoI/AAAAAAAAEZk/ojqDPe7hHHk/s1600/IMG_3923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UdkrUDP3VdU/UZz40mMKQoI/AAAAAAAAEZk/ojqDPe7hHHk/s640/IMG_3923.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>IN PROGRESS:</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rBtSoMJOoKk/UZz3xQUOTZI/AAAAAAAAEYA/VX_dF5M26jg/s1600/IMG_4681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rBtSoMJOoKk/UZz3xQUOTZI/AAAAAAAAEYA/VX_dF5M26jg/s640/IMG_4681.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="426" /></a></div>
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<b>BEFORE:</b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-r0J-76AuU/UZz3mdWLLyI/AAAAAAAAEX4/E7xzdpQfj8M/s1600/IMG_3941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-r0J-76AuU/UZz3mdWLLyI/AAAAAAAAEX4/E7xzdpQfj8M/s640/IMG_3941.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></span></b></div>
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There are a million more things to share in this house, so I will be sneaking back there soon to take more after photos. I love everything about it!<br />
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Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-65227846275272335382013-04-08T13:39:00.005-04:002013-04-08T13:39:56.456-04:00A small changes before & after I've showed you <a href="http://www.mosseclectic.com/2012/10/a-very-blurry-little-peek-into-in.html" target="_blank">in progress glimpses of this client project before</a>, but here's a before and after. I love the quirkiness of the floors, the baseboards that stop and start, the wonky plaster, and the overall feeling of cozy imperfection.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-leih09CXIgc/UWL-XLEE3WI/AAAAAAAAERQ/ls42AhxQslw/s1600/IMG_4207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-leih09CXIgc/UWL-XLEE3WI/AAAAAAAAERQ/ls42AhxQslw/s1600/IMG_4207.JPG" height="490" width="640" /></a></div>
Some of the apartment dates back to the 1700s! But the new kitchen, functional though it is, detracted from the historic charm. There is a lot more that could be done, but I think even just changing out the lighting and hardware made all the difference.<br />
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BEFORE:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_y1M5HLfVLY/UWL-fukvn-I/AAAAAAAAERY/--GoDkxbQYk/s1600/IMG_1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_y1M5HLfVLY/UWL-fukvn-I/AAAAAAAAERY/--GoDkxbQYk/s1600/IMG_1623.JPG" height="640" width="522" /></a></div>
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AFTER:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iEHkyz2gXZg/UWL-hn64QuI/AAAAAAAAERo/fsRbbLLASmw/s1600/IMG_4215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iEHkyz2gXZg/UWL-hn64QuI/AAAAAAAAERo/fsRbbLLASmw/s1600/IMG_4215.jpg" height="640" width="412" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J45GvDcrZ5k/UWL-hen4mVI/AAAAAAAAERg/UympzzIBUyg/s1600/IMG_1617_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J45GvDcrZ5k/UWL-hen4mVI/AAAAAAAAERg/UympzzIBUyg/s1600/IMG_1617_2.JPG" height="610" width="640" /></a></div>
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AFTER:</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0lRyVedGzwU/UWMAeCdIVjI/AAAAAAAAESw/Qdcn2JOeFc8/s1600/IMG_4226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0lRyVedGzwU/UWMAeCdIVjI/AAAAAAAAESw/Qdcn2JOeFc8/s1600/IMG_4226.JPG" height="418" width="640" /></a><br />
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those floors kill me</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ1Zl5u2kik/UWL-rYTxNNI/AAAAAAAAESA/nsbIh4gSlTc/s1600/IMG_4246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ1Zl5u2kik/UWL-rYTxNNI/AAAAAAAAESA/nsbIh4gSlTc/s1600/IMG_4246.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BEBwXfvo69I/UWL-smiHt0I/AAAAAAAAESI/jC1XA8MuHUs/s1600/IMG_4248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BEBwXfvo69I/UWL-smiHt0I/AAAAAAAAESI/jC1XA8MuHUs/s1600/IMG_4248.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-jimGposfQ/UWL-vw09whI/AAAAAAAAESQ/ShdLkzepW9s/s1600/IMG_4254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-jimGposfQ/UWL-vw09whI/AAAAAAAAESQ/ShdLkzepW9s/s1600/IMG_4254.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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And my lovely interns posing :)... but you have to use your imagination with this photo and pretend the mirrors are hanging, ok?:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eb8FzoYApJk/UWL-v1ZQNoI/AAAAAAAAESU/WAHpzP4GcZg/s1600/IMG_4220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eb8FzoYApJk/UWL-v1ZQNoI/AAAAAAAAESU/WAHpzP4GcZg/s1600/IMG_4220.JPG" height="446" width="640" /></a></div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-80052057437583711432013-04-05T10:00:00.000-04:002013-04-05T10:00:00.019-04:00State of AffairsI really really hope to share some client pictures soon. The past few months have been packed with fantastic projects. Each totally different! I really feel blessed to have an awesome group of clients right now.<br />
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And the rest of life....it's looked kind of like this....<br />
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Happy, with a lot of singing and a little bit of blur :)Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-287743045664342762013-04-03T16:37:00.001-04:002013-04-04T04:56:25.334-04:00A Before & After Peaceful Bedroom Makeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I've been wanting to share this bedroom makeover for months, because it was for one of the loveliest couples I've met. Their house feels fresh and happy as soon as you walk in the front door. </div>
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And the structure of the master bedroom was awesome--high ceilings, a little loft area, and great light. </div>
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But the window placement was tricky, and the dark furniture made the room feel heavy and choppy. Plus, they wanted to move from a queen to a king bed, without making the room feel cramped. We also wanted to distract from the off center windows....so we placed ivory linen drapes across the entire length of the bed wall, and chose a light upholstered bed, with some curve, and some light colored side tables...</div>
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BEFORE:</div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1V46SASRYms/UVyKt1iNBqI/AAAAAAAAEPE/YbomoXGY_Cs/s1600/IMG_2160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="402" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1V46SASRYms/UVyKt1iNBqI/AAAAAAAAEPE/YbomoXGY_Cs/s640/IMG_2160.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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AFTER:</div>
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Facing the bed, there's a 3/4 height wall that needed something lighter, but with just as much storage as this big guy:<br />
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BEFORE:</div>
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I liked the idea of this french Wisteria chest, but the dimensions weren't quite right, and it would have killed the budget....<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tz9IVFSDIok/UVyMHWympPI/AAAAAAAAEQY/qWtm860gLKU/s1600/wisteria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tz9IVFSDIok/UVyMHWympPI/AAAAAAAAEQY/qWtm860gLKU/s400/wisteria.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I searched around a bit, and came across this awesome chest from Old Lucketts for less than a third of the Wisteria one--cha-ching. The color was fine, but not airy enough, and the hardware looked chintzy in person<br />
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So I painted the insets of the top drawers, and created faux insets on the remainder, and added some hardware similar to the those of the nightstands...</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XgyLiWEk4pQ/UVyK6_JqgpI/AAAAAAAAEQM/zZWRWEhc1Hs/s1600/IMG_4051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XgyLiWEk4pQ/UVyK6_JqgpI/AAAAAAAAEQM/zZWRWEhc1Hs/s640/IMG_4051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I like that the mirror creates a nice backdrop for my clients collection of silver frames and old family photos, and also picks up in the nailhead of the bed.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NGLjUL-8cU/UVyMx9AvjoI/AAAAAAAAEQg/JHvVa7r8YjY/s1600/IMG_4054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NGLjUL-8cU/UVyMx9AvjoI/AAAAAAAAEQg/JHvVa7r8YjY/s640/IMG_4054.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-17066933184656683082013-01-07T11:23:00.003-05:002013-01-07T11:31:54.330-05:00Decorating A Winter Williamsburg Inspired Wedding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dAgDzZpdJKI/UOrnZl29zqI/AAAAAAAAEMc/kz_FJKyc-b0/s1600/miracle+wedding2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dAgDzZpdJKI/UOrnZl29zqI/AAAAAAAAEMc/kz_FJKyc-b0/s1600/miracle+wedding2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The weekend after Christmas, I helped a very lovely couple decorate the reception hall for their wedding. It was my first wedding design....and I learned a lot. A LOT! </div>
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When we first met, the bride said that ideally her reception would be really rustic and be in a barn, but as it turned out the reception would be in this hall....</div>
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Not totally awful, but <i>definitely </i>not a barn. And not the least bit rustic either. And althought the wedding was just after Christmas and the colors of the hall were red and green, the bride was adamantly opposed to playing up the Christmas theme. So we started brainstorming. She had a whole binder full of ideas already, and we narrowed the feel down to Williamsburg during the winter--perfect! The wedding was in Virginia, but Williamsburg also has special significance for them since it was the place where they were engaged. And the groom went to William & Mary. </div>
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Plus it was a great way to marry the traditional details of the reception hall with the rustic vibe she wanted since Williamsburg decorations, even the elaborate ones, are always made of natural materials. And we could make good use of the feeling of the Christmas season without having it feel overtly Christmasy. </div>
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The <b>challenge </b>was doing it on a modest budget. If you've been to Williamsburg or searched around for Williamsburg decorations, you know"inexpensive" is not one of the words you'll find among the descriptions. So we focused more on getting the <i>feel</i> down than actually imitating anything specifically Williamsburg. This meant all natural materials with a little bit of a refined edge.</div>
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After that weekend, I think it's safe to say that boxwood is my new favorite green! It came to the rescue many times, and was a great link between the rustic/colonial hybrid feeling we were after, the existing traditional decoration of the hall, and the budget. We ordered the beautiful wreaths from a local nursery, and raided the grooms' parents bushes for everything else.</div>
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We made the centerpieces by slicing birch branches (the bride found a fallen birch tree on craigslist, and she and the groom brought tons of logs over to my house to use my favorite tool (chop saw! Thanks team Fleurir!) to cut the logs into disks. Then I layered the disks with twine wrapped mason jars holding tea lights, placed sprigs of cut boxwood around the disks and in a large jar in the center. And then to add a little sparkle, we sprinkled around gold-dusted pine cones and a few gold branches. We used mini chalkboards to mark the tables:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEonOy-uy0Y/UOrnZccexgI/AAAAAAAAEMY/UsX_5O5kkvY/s1600/miracle+wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pEonOy-uy0Y/UOrnZccexgI/AAAAAAAAEMY/UsX_5O5kkvY/s1600/miracle+wedding.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Like any project, there were some unexpected moments...like getting a band last minute and needing to use the stage...which meant needing to decorate the stage...<i>very</i> last minute. It turned out to be one of my favorite parts. We draped white Christmas lights over some room dividers, covered it with burlap, then placed boxwood wreaths on top, which mimicked the arrangements on the windows. Then we placed lit trees to frame the sides of the stage.</div>
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The bride made the cake. It was a Williamsburg orange cake, and probably on the best looking and best tasting wedding cakes ever made. The "cake stand" was another last minute, unanticipated project.... the original one never materialized, so this was done up just before the cake was sent out to be displayed....dI wish I could go into more detail, but suffice it say that I consider this gold burlap and boxwood wrapped piece of styrofoam to be a minor miracle. What I love about using natural materials and natural themes, is that imperfection is a given, and so it's hard for anything to look out of place.<br />
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The reception started just as sunset was beginning and the lighting was so beautiful!<br />
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it made my gold branches look particularly pretty against the burlap...<br />
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And then once it was dark, the centerpieces looked even more lovely....<br />
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but, obviously, the best part about it, was seeing the bride look so happy!</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2gLI08cKn5Y/UOrnYRpYQHI/AAAAAAAAEMQ/F5fmTmv5ecc/s1600/IMG_3603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="472" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2gLI08cKn5Y/UOrnYRpYQHI/AAAAAAAAEMQ/F5fmTmv5ecc/s1600/IMG_3603.JPG" width="640" /></a>Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-11937085589703648022013-01-04T14:59:00.000-05:002013-01-04T15:01:36.637-05:00Where to begin? Let's start here... since it's <i>still</i> officially Christmas season, I'll begin with MERRY Christmas! I hope yours has been bright and blessed!<br />
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<i>{better than mistletoe}</i></div>
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This year was very different for us. Not just Christmas, but all of 2012. I would say that it's because we've finally hit our stride as a family, but I don't think that's really the truth. It's been a very blessed and providential transformation for our family, and I don't think we can pretend to take credit for half of it. It's been a time, the first time maybe, that I've felt that our priorities have been straight. The <i>path </i>hasn't always been so straight or painless or pretty, but now that we are on it, there's no hesitation or doubts that it's the right one.<br />
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As for Christmas, commercialism took back seat. That wasn't totally intentional. A few weeks before Christmas my parish priest asked if I could find some fabric to dress up the back altar of our less-than-beautiful 60s church. "Sure!" I said, thinking it would be a matter of an hour or so selecting and ordering just the right one. He's been awesome to our family--a huge part of why this year has been transformative and incredible for us--and I was excited to help in a small way. However, selecting fabric turned into creating an entire plan for the Christmas decorations. And...it was awesome. The whole thing! The installation was by far the most fun I've had during any project. There were so many hilarious moments, and the people who volunteered from our parish were super competent and good-humored...even when they saw bossy Leah in action :) We finished up around midnight just in time to welcome Christmas eve, and when it was all done and we turned out the lights to admire our work, we all kind of gasped.<br />
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You may not be able to tell from the blurry photo...but trust me, it looks pretty sweet.<br />
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One silver lining to the extra and unexpected busyness of taking on that project was that the things that usually stress me out during the weeks leading up to Christmas, didn't. I just didn't have time to think about them. And they still got done. And as a result, the time we spent with family and friends was more blessed and more meaningful than in the past...because I was able to just be...present....something I've heard about forever, but don't think I actually experienced fully until this year.<br />
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When Christmas did hit our house, it was all the sweeter. We didn't go all out on presents...we used ugly wrapping paper...and made shortcut versions of our usual Christmas morning treats. And the kids were just as happy, maybe happier...<br />
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(this last one kills me...there was a funny unplanned "survivor" theme to the presents this year, so I told my nephews and little bro to look hardcore for the camera...but I think it looks more like a j crew add...so way to go, hardcore handsomes :)<br />
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Cheers to 2013!</div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-67707201692322910462012-12-14T12:24:00.001-05:002012-12-14T12:24:44.293-05:00Advent Wreath <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's hard to believe Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, the third of advent! </div>
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Each year, I've come to love advent more and more as we've tried to focus more on things geared towards reflection and less towards consumption. Of course our social commitments are in full holiday swing, but I like to keep our home stays simple until the third Sunday of advent. The advent wreath is one of the only things we put out, and it's pretty awesome to see our kids take an interest in it. I'm sure if it were buried in the rest of of Christmas gear, it wouldn't cause so much of a stir. </div>
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The idea is that you light one candle for each week of advent....<span style="background-color: #f4efea; color: #454545; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a purple (a color of solemnity and preparation) candle the first and second Sundays of advent, then a pink (color of joy and anticipation) candle the 3rd Sunday of advent, and then the final purple candle the fourth Sunday of Advent.</span> Each year, we've done something slightly different for the actual wreath, but this year's is my favorite. We clipped boxwood and lavender from the backyard and attached them in bunches to a metal ring (which at one point had ben part of a lamp shade...) and then placed the advent candle holder inside. Boxwood and lavender dry nicely, so now, almost three weeks in, it;s drying out and looking lovely and a little wild, which I like. And it smells awesome. Advent candles are hard to find though. Stores often pack up the nice purple and pink candles in order to sell advent sets, which are rarely as nice. These Root candles are actually from last year, and they are the best I've found. I love how natural they look, and they burn forever. </div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-58041057134496546892012-12-13T11:51:00.001-05:002012-12-13T11:51:16.943-05:00Kitchen Design<br />
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Image: <a href="http://www.ruemag.com/gallery/kitchens/?nggpage=2">RUE</a> (I'm using this slab wrap idea in our kitchen design---eeek, so beautiful!)</div>
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Today I'm being featured as part of <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/high-impact-kitchen-changes-a-designer-reveals-her-tips-181001">Apartment Therapy & Kohler's Easy Kitchen Refresh interview series</a>. It was a lot of fun...you know, sometimes you don't even realize your advice patterns until you have to spell them out. Which is why I'm grateful for my time with Apartment Therapy. All my articles there are advice driven, whereas here I just share.<br />
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I have several kitchen overhauls in the works right now, so they've been very much on my mind.<br />
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You can check out the <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/high-impact-kitchen-changes-a-designer-reveals-her-tips-181001">link here. </a>....the intro sounds a little fancy. My life, however, is not so fancy these days, which I love. Because it involves this ridiculous character, who is so.freaking.full.of.trouble :)<br />
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<br />Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-64428590609510452442012-12-03T12:45:00.003-05:002012-12-13T11:53:38.309-05:00Before & After: Simple Paint Job MagicNot too long ago I was asked to do a simple makeover for a corporate space. The lease agreement was such that the <b>only </b>thing that could be changed was the paint. That meant that all the features including the lighting that had been customized for the previous tenants (very traditional and somewhat over the top) had to be adjusted to accommodate my streamlined financial tech client solely with the use of color and a few accessories.<br />
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Their other offices are pretty modern, so this was a bit of a challenge. If we ignored all the existing traditional details and went super modern with the accessories, it would have looked weird especially because the whole rest of the building including the lobby is super ornate (think huge chandeliers and marbled wallpaper). I think we found a happy balance. The transition from lobby to office isn't jarring, but we still managed to sneak in the clean vibe that we were after.<br />
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The pictures are completely un-styled and waiting on more art and greenery, but here's the switch...<br />
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BEFORE:</div>
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AFTER:</div>
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BEFORE: </div>
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Main walls are Benjamin Moore Gray Owl 2137-60 (my favorite strict light gray that doesn't change much with the light, and that never swings too blue, too beige, or too green like many other grays)</div>
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Accent wall is Duron Gulf Coast</div>
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Doors and reception desk are Benjamin Moore Storm AF 700</div>
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Wall baseboards are Benjamin Moore Simply White </div>
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<b>PS- Just got word that our home was one of Apartment Therapy's Readers Choice top 100 house tours of 2012. You can check out voting details for making the top 10 <span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/readers-choice-help-select-the-top-10-house-tours-of-the-year-181058">here</a>.</span> This thrills me and cracks me up because it took me 3 years to build up the confidence to post it. Our readers are not known for their gentle ways :), but it was very well received. </b></div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5249210638734517176.post-79244316897678698892012-11-27T12:52:00.002-05:002012-12-03T12:50:27.724-05:00Thankful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Since moving back to DC a few years ago, Thanksgiving has become the holiday I look look forward to most. We always combine forces with my sister and brother-in-law who live next door, and we invite any other family members who want to jump in. This year was as close to perfect as I could have imagined. I'm grateful for so many things, especially the growing list of Thanksgiving traditions...</div>
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Like a nice long table in the living room....</div>
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full of family....<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xfjQHsM7ydc/ULT6uLk2DwI/AAAAAAAAECI/GdT_JKLG5eM/s1600/IMG_2938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xfjQHsM7ydc/ULT6uLk2DwI/AAAAAAAAECI/GdT_JKLG5eM/s640/IMG_2938.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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preceded by Thanksgiving mass, then a light soup lunch...</div>
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mixed in with a lot of kids and a bit of lounging....</div>
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in preparation for an epic soccer game (blue first-borns vs. red second-borns, with all the subsequents divided up....<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Naturally seconds dominated! (with these stretching skills, how could we not?)....</i></span></div>
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Including special new guests (Johnny, you fit right in!)</div>
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followed by a post dinner talent show...</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j8q_ANA1wk0/ULT0HNxVU8I/AAAAAAAAD_g/sioAEbBs74Y/s1600/IMG_2967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j8q_ANA1wk0/ULT0HNxVU8I/AAAAAAAAD_g/sioAEbBs74Y/s640/IMG_2967.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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that sometimes gets out of hand...</div>
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followed by dessert....</div>
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and all pulled off by two awesome husbands who look pretty cute in aprons :)<br />
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God is so good!</div>
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I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!</div>
Leah Mosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00023187733384796513noreply@blogger.com9