Author Archives: SOF

Simple and Chic Staircase

01 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by in Flooring

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color, Staircase Inspiration

Phew, we’re back! We survived Sandy, and while some of Newport was pretty hard hit with flooding and damage from the wind and waves, we really made out quite well considering how much damage there is in other parts of the state and further down along the coast in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. I don’t know about you, but I need a pick-me-up, and this staircase from a German home  put a smile on my face today. There are several things I love about it, not the least of which is the bold pop of pink! But another aspect that I really love is the simple color scheme. Even though the runner is bold, it sits against a white backdrop. Solid white walls would make a statement, but wainscoting that lines the stairwell and hall below add visual interest that make this staircase exceptionally chic and elegant without being overly fussy. It’s a great example of how restraint can create a bigger impact and how adding texture instead of more color is a great way to spruce up a space.

Image:
Daniel Fels via Design Sponge

Essential Elements for a Hurricane Party

29 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by in Accessories, Parties

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Hurricane Party

As Hurricane Sandy is barreling towards the mid-Atlantic and northeast regions of the United States, it is certainly time for everyone in those areas–including myself–to prepare themselves with the right supplies. I always struggle with storms like this because I cannot stand the media hype surrounding them. There is no doubt that people’s lives will be in danger in the hardest hit areas and that precautions need to be taken–possibly even evacuations in many places, but those things can be done without the hysteria. Here in Newport, we are expected to see strong winds and flooding from the storm surge, but we certainly won’t be seeing the worst of it. While many people have been frantically updating their Facebook statuses about Frankenstorm and seriously freaking out, my family has remained calm. We brought in all of the lawn furniture, window boxes, pumpkins, and toys. We’ve secured the grill, filled the car with gas, sandbagged the driveway, stocked up on water, and I went to the store for non-perishable foods. Now all we can do is sit back and wait to see what happens. With school being canceled and most people not going to work either, the best way to ride out the storm is with as many friends as possible so having a hurricane party is a great idea. In Newport, we’re really good at finding excuses to have a party! And no hurricane party starts off on the right foot if is doesn’t have dark ‘n stormies to drink!

Next up, you need a good gas grill. When the power goes out, you’re going to need somewhere to cook all those things that are going to go bad from your refrigerator. Have everyone bring the best things in their fridge to make a delicious feast. If you’ve got a gas stove in your house, you won’t have to find a spot where you can grill away from the wind, but for everyone else, a good grill will do the trick. I like one with a side burner as well so that you can also quickly whip up side dishes while you’re cooking the main dish.

And you’ll need loads of candles once the sun goes down!

Making sure there are plenty of board games, cards, and puzzles on hand will ensure that everyone is thoroughly entertained throughout the duration of the storm.

You don’t need much to have a great hurricane party, but you do need a good attitude. Be safe and try to make the best of it. Wishing everyone a damage-free storm.

Images:
Gosling’s, Lowe’s, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware

Fall Decoration Ideas from Newport

26 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by in Celebrations, garden, Inspiration, Outdoor

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Fall Decorating Ideas

One of my favorite things about living in Newport is seeing how people decorate their homes for the different seasons. With so many different style’s of architecture, the decorations can greatly vary. But there’s one street in the Historic Point neighborhood where my favorite home store sits that always seems to look magnificent without being overdone. I frequent this street mostly because it’s got a park that I’m often taking my kids too, and each time something catches my eye. Recently it was this wheat wreath which I find just stunning even with its muted tones.

Across the street I was intrigued by these pumpkins. At first I thought they looked a bit too haphazard, but then I realized that they are perfectly imperfect. Besides the fact that I’m obsessed with the odd shaped and different colored pumpkins this year, I love the abundance of them.

It’s the simplest of decorations that are often the most elegant and chic–frequently without even trying. If you haven’t decked your front door or steps yet for fall, it’s not too late. There’s still more than a month before the holiday decorations come out so hit your local pumpkin patch or garden center this weekend and get creative.

Chic Flush Mount Lighting Options for an Entryway

25 Thursday Oct 2012

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Flush Mount Lights

I know it was a long time ago, but perhaps you remember that back in the beginning of 2012 I put my home improvement to do list for the year up on the blog. To be honest, I haven’t looked at it in a long time, but I know there are still a lot of things that need to be crossed off on it and there are barely two months left in the year to do them. Ok, of the 11 things I listed, I’ve only made over my mudroom, started the tear out and replanting of the front yard landscaping, painted the staircase, and replaced the dining room chandelier. Not exactly a stellar showing for the year, but I still have a little bit of time to squeeze some more in. I must replace the front door and I’m hoping to finish painting my daughter’s room and to redo the fireplace surround before the season when we actually use it. And perhaps the easiest of all things that I can knock off my to-do list is to replace the light fixtures in my front entry and upstairs hallway, however, I must confess that I find it so hard to find flush mount fixtures (I’ve got low clearance) that are good-looking, affordable, and suit my decor. Here are a few of the ones I’m looking at:

Roth + Allen Polished Chrome Flush Mount

Anemone Flush Mount Light

Jonathan Adler Parker Flush Mount

Elements Grass Cloth Flush Mount

Nantucket Ceiling Light (a bit more casual but coastal like my decor)

Silver Fretwork Ceiling Light

Pottery Barn Mia Faceted Crystal Flush Mount

Restoration Hardware Circa 1900 Streamliner Flush Mount

My choices are rather varied, but I think I’m leaning toward the Silver Fretwork Ceiling Light for my front entry which isn’t very big and the Streamliner Flush Mount for the top of the stairs. The staircase that separates the two fixtures is painted with a nautical stripe so I don’t want to go too formal, but I still want it to have a nautical chic vibe, and I like that the Fretwork fixture offers a nod to portholes without being too in your face about it. Plus, I haven’t seen many like it before which is always nice!

Which one is your favorite?

Zara Home is Too Good to Resist

24 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in Accessories, Bath, bedding, Bedroom, Dining Room, Furniture, Kids, Kitchen, lighting, Living Room, pillows, rugs, Tabletop, textiles

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Zara Home, Zara Home Kids

Chances are that if you follow many home design blogs, you’ve probably heard that Zara has introduced its home collection in the U.S. I wrote a post about the kids section of their home line last week for Parentables, and I hadn’t really planned on doing one over here too as so many others have covered it, but the problem is that there are just too many fabulous items in the collection and it’s really well priced…like almost everything except some of the bedding and furniture is under $100! The best way to describe it that it’s Horchow style on a Target budget. There’s a great mix of products ranging from modern to traditional to edgy and just about everything in between, and for just about every room in your house. So since it’s such an extensive collection, I’m just going to let the products speak for themselves, and I’m pretty sure this small sampling is going to make Zara Home one of your new go-to stores for home decor. Time to re-stock the party closet with some new items!

Need I say more? Start shopping now at Zara Home.

Kitchen Cabinet Windows Serve Double Duty

23 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by in Inspiration, Kitchen

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Kitchen Decorating Ideas, Kitchen Design Ideas

Lately, I’ve had visions of a new kitchen dancing in my head. I’ve always envisioned a bright white kitchen with green accents. There’s something just so fresh and happy about that color combination. I normally can resist the magazines in the checkout line, but last week the Better Homes and Gardens Kitchen & Bath Ideas grabbed my attention with its white and green kitchen on the cover. In searching for some of the photos from it their web site, I came across the above photo. I love kitchens that are filled with light, and I envision that someday my dream kitchen will have walls of windows, but adding windows typically means losing upper cabinets. I love this unique way of letting the light in without losing the cabinets. These windowed cabinets still offer some privacy while adding storage space and letting the light in. More proof that there is a solution to just about every design problem!

Image:
Better Homes and Gardens

Now is the Time to Plant!

22 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by in garden, Outdoor

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While most people are doing their garden clean-ups at this time of year, yanking out annuals and pruning shrubs, it’s also a great time to plant new perennials and to save a bundle on them. My local garden shop is preparing to close up for the season soon and so all of the perennials and shrubs are on sale. Most of the perennials are on sale for $5 and the shrubs are all 30-50% off. Considering that I’ve been dying to makeover my front yard it seems like the perfect time to pick up some plants at huge savings. My husband and I both liked the inspiration shot (below) that I had found of the white picket fence with the roses poking through it from my front yard inspiration post.

So when I spotted a pile of matching appleblossom roses for half price I couldn’t resist getting them. Even though it might be spring before we get the fence up, I have a general idea of where it’s going to go and can get the roses in the ground now, especially when I got them for $10 each.

My friend also spotted a huge white hydrangea–the kind I used in the bouquets for the backyard wedding I did earlier this summer and that were really hard to find. I couldn’t resist it at 30% off and am so excited for the bouquets I’ll be able to make next summer with these.

So if you’re thinking about how you want to change your garden for next year, don’t wait. Start now, and not only will you be ahead of the game come spring, but you’ll be able to get what you want for a fraction of the normal price.

Images:
Chateau & Bungalow, Westie Art and Garden, Chateau & Bungalow

7 Awesome Pumpkin Carving Ideas

17 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by in D.I.Y., Holidays, Inspiration

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Halloween Decorating Ideas, Halloween Inspiration, Pumpkin Carving Ideas

This past weekend I took the kids to the 10th Annual Ballard Park Pumpkin Tour here in Newport. It’s one of the most fun family events of the fall and draws a huge crowd every year to view thousands of pumpkins carved by local children and businesses all lit up along the park’s trails. While it’s really beautiful after the sun goes down, we went early this year because we had additional plans that evening. The unexpected benefit of that was that it wasn’t too crowded yet and allowed me to snap some photos of the pumpkins that really caught my eye which I now get to share with you! To start, how spectacular is this snake made of pumpkins!

I also loved this pumpkin that was painted in black glitter paint and had carved wolves and an etched out glowing moon.

And for the more peaceful set this VW bus pumpkin gave us a good laugh.

I love the way this pumpkin looks like a fish bowl. I bet it looked really cool all lit up!

And this elephant carving is just about as sweet as can be. I especially love how the carver took the spray across the pumpkin. It would be perfect for a little one’s first Halloween.

Who doesn’t love a Sesame Street reference–no matter how old you are? This Bert pumpkin just needs an Ernie to complete him.

And how about a spider pumpkin? Just a few pipe cleaners stuck into this little pumpkin turned it into a creepy crawly friend. If you used the black glitter paint from the wolf pumpkin above, that would really make him even more fun!

We’ve still got a few weeks to go before we can carve the pumpkins for Halloween, but I’ve got lots of new inspiration from our walk through the woods. What creative ways will you be carving your pumpkins this year?

DIY Halloween Wreath

15 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by in Accessories, Celebrations, D.I.Y., Holidays

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DIY Halloween Decor, Halloween Decorating Ideas

This weekend the stars aligned and I actually managed to get to the craft store, come up with an idea, and make it all within 24 hours. It felt good to be creative as I often feel like I’m so busy showing off others’ creativity that I never have time to get crafty myself. Anyhow, I spotted this spider ribbon and decided I must have it. Because it was only a 10 foot roll, I knew a giant bow made out of it was going to be my best bet to really show it off and so I decided to make a wreath where I could put it.

Supplies:
1 Foam Wreath Ring
1 Ball of Black Yarn
1 Ball of Orange Yarn
1 Roll Wire-Edge Spider Ribbon

I took about a four inch length of the two different yarns and laid them on a diagonal across the foam wreath ring. Wrap the yarn around the ring and back across the original strands to create an X so that the direction of the yarn is now going in the opposite direction of the first strands. Continue wrapping the yarn, keeping the colors alternating to create a striped pattern, all the way around the wreath. When you reach the end, tie the yarn off in a knot that wraps around one of the strands from the beginning of yarn so that the beginning and end are joined.

The result is a striped yarn wreath! I love the witchy-ness of the color combination.

Then I created a bow with the fabulous spider ribbon to top it off. I’m not a huge fan of holiday decor when it comes to the smaller super-commercialized holidays, but I’m quite pleased with the way this came together…and it makes me feel like a better mother when I have a little something more than pumpkins for my kids leading up to Halloween.

I picked up a few other fun things to make too. We’ll see if the stars align again and I get the chance to make them.

Neiman Marcus’ 2012 Fantasy Gifts Christmas Catalog

12 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by in Accessories, garden, Kitchen, Outdoor

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Neiman Marcus 2012 Fantasy Gifts Catalog

It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is less than 11 weeks away, and Neiman Marcus has released their 2012 Fantasy Gifts Catalog to make sure that you’ve got plenty of time to count all the pennies in your piggy bank and indulge in their best gifts of the year for the ones you love. While the most expensive item in the catalog is a pair of Van Cleef and Arpels his and hers watches and a trip to Paris and Geneva for a mere $1,090,000, I prefer a few of the “less expensive” items. For one, the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Woody-Tailgate Trailer would completely change our tailgating experience, which I have to say isn’t so bad to begin with. This Brad Ford designed trailer features leather furnishings by Moore & Giles and reclaimed bourbon cask furniture along with a state-of-the-art sound system, flat screen TV, and Blu-Ray Disc player. And of course the slide-out bar includes gorgeous glassware and a year’s supply of Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye. And all that for only $150,000, but whip out that credit card fast if you must have it as there are only two available.

But then again, you all know how I love to throw a party, and I could throw the ultimate dinner party with the Taste of Greatness gift package. While I think I’m a decent cook, my nine guests would be indulged by a menu prepared by Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Jerome Bocuse, and Richard Rosendale. I might have to upgrade my kitchen for this one since it’s prepared in home. And to kick off the evening, Bertha Gonzalez, the first woman Maestra Tequilera, will hold a tequila tasting to get the party started. Plus she’ll leave a personally inscribed crystal bottle of her Casa Dragones’ tequila. And don’t worry about the incidentals as they’ll send along a professional event planner to keep things rolling smoothly throughout the evening. All for a mere $250,000, but at least all the proceeds go to charity.

If I can scrounge up an extra $100,000 I’m totally going to get this for my sister who has always wanted to have chickens in her backyard. The Beau Coop gift package will include a visit by Svetlana Simon of Heritage Hen Farm who will survey your property and choose between three and ten heritage-breed hens that suit your region. In addition to the hens, you will also receive two custom designed raised bed herb and vegetable gardens. But the real piece de resistance is the custom-built two-story coop which features a nesting area, a living room for nighttime nesting, a library filled with chicken and gardening books (for you), and a chandelier for a little sparkle because hens like a little bling too.

There are other fancy gifts in the 2012 Fantasy Gifts Catalog like a $354,000 car, a $90,000 arcade game, and a $30,000 walk-on role in the Broadway musical Annie, but I can live without those.