The Wisteria House

Kitchen Must-Haves

2012-01-21T19:21:00.000-08:00

I'm a complete sucker for food. I eat it, I collect and read cookbooks and I pour over great food blogs. Smitten Kitchen, Food52, Spoon Fork Bacon, David Lebovitz, House to Haus, 100 Cookbooks (I could get going). And I chat with my mother about food and recipes...every...single...day. Sometimes we actually chat about recipes and cooking, not once, but twice a day.

I'm that obsessed.

What's great about food is the community that accompanies it. I'm sure you would all agree. It's a generous community and I've found that folks are very willing to talk about what works for them in the kitchen. Through my readings, I've found some great tips, as well as amazing products, that I've incorporated into my own home.

1. Crate & Barrel Flour Sack Towels

I believe Gwyneth Paltrow and her Bon Appetit article piqued my curiosity with respect to using flour sack towels. An early morning trip to Crate and Barrel subsequently resulted in a impulse purchase. And by that afternoon, I was fully hooked. These towels are, without question, the best dish towel for the kitchen that I've ever used. They are absorbent. They are big, but can be folded easily into a smaller towel. The consistency of the fabric makes any fold stick. They are white and can be bleached, if needed. And, most importantly, they are classic enough to line a bread bowl.

Purchase these towels.

2. Tip #1: Purchase more than one set of measuring spoons. Tip #2: Unhook your sets of measuring spoons and put them in a small glass near your baking area.

I can't explain to you why, for 30 or so years of my life, I've only owned one set of measuring spoons. It made my baking life unnecessarily difficult. Having to clean or wipe off a measuring spoon a couple of times during a recipe makes zero sense. Especially when they aren't all that expensive. Blame it on my attempts to save money in, absolutely, all the wrong ways.

So buy a second set of measuring spoons. And then unhook the measuring spoons and put them in a small glass (such as shown above) and sit it near your baking station. Mine is near my mixer. Such a small thing, perhaps. But one of the best time savers I've found so far.

Thanks mom.

3. Williams Sonoma Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

5 bowls for $50. Not entirely cheap. But they are stackable and they fit into the dishwasher. Which, in my opinion, makes them highly efficient on two-fronts and worth the cost.

4. Tip #3: Use superfine cane sugar when baking.

5. Tip #4. Use parchment paper (see that circular round at the bottom of the plan) or Silpat cookie sheet liners. Always. Never again will only part of your bread or cake come out of the pan. Even when you've butter'ed and flour'ed the pan. And the Silpat sheets guarantee perfectly browned bottoms for your cookies.

That's all for now. Any cooking tips that you swear by and would like to share? I'm all ears...

The First Look...

2012-01-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

Do you remember being a kid and catching your first glimpse of the tree on Christmas Day? I do. Very clearly. For me, the tree always provided a sense of relief. I had indeed, once again, made it on to Santa's good list. My mother was wrong!

This year, my hope was to capture our boys' first glimpse of the tree. So I got up early, positioned myself behind the tree in an entirely uncomfortable squatting position and waited. And waited. And waited some more.

They finally decided to wake up and head on down the stairs. But I'm not sure what ended up surprising them more. The gifts from Santa or mom hiding behind the tree.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T19:11:00.000-08:00

Here is to a wonderful 2012. Full of blogging, laughter, wine (ahem), good food, good reading, friends, travel and family.

Master Bedroom

2011-11-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

Such great progress being made on the master bedroom. I feel like we are living in this cozy cocoon up in the trees and it's perfect timing with winter hovering just around the corner.

What's new you might ask? The roman shades and drapes. They are gorgeous. Lined with black-out fabric and durable.

More to come... Thanks, as always, to Megs. She's fabulous and fun. I'm really happy we made the decision to work with her. As the boys have grown and our jobs have gotten busier, it's great to be able to work with a designer who 'gets' you and makes good things happen easily and quickly.

More to come!

Apple Farm

2011-10-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

Today involved pumpkins, chickens, haunted houses, hay rides, caramel corn, apple cider, hot dogs and apples, apples, apples.

We took the kids and headed north for about an hour or so to the lovely valley of Sedro Woolley. Jack ran around shouting "I'm on a farm! I've never been on a farm before!" Since his life thus far has been a hazy fog of too much life and not enough sleep, I quite frankly couldn't figure out whether his statements were accurate. Regardless, call us the city mice who headed out to the farm.

It was a blast. And I'm spending the evening reading through Martha Stewart's "Seasonal Produce Recipe Guide: Apples." The reason is that we are holding a huge FallFest party at the house next weekend. It's all about a celebration of Fall. Think apple cider, apple cake, apple donuts, pumpkin bread, pumpkin carving and, of course, tons of wine and Applejacks.

Fall rocks.

Melancholy...

2011-10-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

I was extremely sad to hear word of Steve Jobs' passing. He was a true visionary. One whose dedication, passion and innovative development and marketing eye made him able to transcend any type of technology/geek boundary that has ever existed. Do you know how rare these types of folks are in the business world? Very.

The Apple Store down by my house was closed today. The windows covered with black chalkboard walls. Crowds of people had gathered and were writing down their memories of Steve with rainbow colored chalk. One sweet entry read: "Your product helped me fall in love by introducing me to my wife."

My thoughts go out to his wife and children. I'm sad that we have lost this amazing mind--someone who was able to take the world and spin it off kilter. Someone who loved to read books and also watch butterflies. The world is just a bit dimmer today...

FallFest 2011

2011-09-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

My favorite part about this time of year is that all of our annual family traditions kick into gear. These traditions always, always center around homemade food and drink. For example, we host a Halloween party that centers around my husband's homemade chili and cornbread. Turkey day festivities at our house always include homemade whiskey sours. Quite honestly, the list of parties and celebrations goes on and on throughout the fall and early winter. By January, we are flat out exhausted and interested only in food that is a fruit or vegetable and can be blended or juiced. It's that bad.

This year, in the interest of making our lives even more chaotic and fun, we are adding in FallFest as a new tradition. This will be an event my godparents and their family (who love cooking and drinking as much as we do--thank goodness) and will be dedicated to the art of homemade donuts, cider cocktails, pumpkin carving and applesauce. To prepare for FallFest, the boys and I will be heading to an apple farm the weekend before to pick up hundreds of apples.

To say that I'm seriously jazzed is a complete understatement. And in the interest of preparation, I've created a FallFest list over at Pinterest to record my ideas for the menu. Jump on over if you're interested!

I'm Back...

2011-09-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

Bring it Hollywood...

And, really, not much has changed. But for those who might be aimlessly wandering here for the first time, let me get you up to speed on my style by giving you my Top 10 Random Thoughts of the Day:

1. I now know that I like chocolate chip cookies better if they include rolled oats.

2. The Paleo Diet does take off significant amount of weight quickly. So does Pure Barre. Doing both is a magical combination. But one should also note that abruptly taking a pause from both activities results in rapid weight gain. You can take my personal promise on that one.

3. I'm still scared about our continued failure and inability to regulate the financial industry. I know that statement is kind of like throwing a bucket of ice on one's head, but it needs to be said.

4. My youngest son started speaking. "No" is his favorite word but you really don't mind hearing it because it sounds so unbelievably cute.

5. We only had four weeks of summer out here in the Pacific Northwest. And, my oh my, did we live those four weeks. Swimming, traveling, seeing friends, sunning. We went so hard that we collapsed this past weekend, drank beer, made chili and pounded cookies. All while lying on the couch watching football. AAA-RHOOO Fall!

6. That actor from the Big Bang Theory (Jim Parsons) just won an Emmy and I think he's pretty much the most adorable geek ever. LOVE him. All little kids, especially my own, should aspire to be geeks.

7. Missoni? Target? Did they have some kind of sale or something? I kid. Just like every other blogger, I went nuts trying to buy some Missoni goods and got my butt kicked by the Ebay shoppers.

The adorable husband.

8. Amy Poehler at the Emmys was magical. And Melissa McCarthy. And Martha Plimpton. And Edie Falco. And Tina Fey. And Laura Linney. Seriously, all jumping on the stage? I love it when the ladies are HILARIOUS and united. I almost peed my pants I laughed so hard. Wait, I've had two kids, so I kinda did pee my pants.

9. It's raining now and has been raining the last two days. Really, is anyone surprised? I do live in Seattle.

10. I've missed blogging. I've also missed Fall TV. It appears that Zooey Deschanel stole my personality for inspiration on her new TV show New Girl. No, seriously, I kid you not.

Peacock

2011-02-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

Aubrey + Lindsay asked if peacock is back. Please let me answer with an emphatic "YES!" I bought these earrings for $20 through someone at work. I think they are extra fabulous. My husband, on the other hand, loves them as much as the bright pink flower pin that I often wear on my jacket and shirts a la EmersonMade.

Speaking of EmersonMade, I purchased the linen jacket above from her website. It's awesome and terribly versatile. A tad on the expensive side but I think it's a classic that can be rocked for a number of years.

Master Bedroom: Sidetables

2011-02-27T12:07:00.001-08:00

Aren't they gorgeous? I'm in love. The lamps were a lucky $15 find on Craigs List. And the gorgeous roses were a Valentine's Day gift from the hubbie.

The next step in our renovation is roman shades for all of the windows in a linen fabric similar to the color of the side tables. They will include a blue trim similar to the blue of the walls and in the fabric. The two side windows in the room will also have long drapes that are of the same fabric as the dust skirt/headboard.

After the windows are handled, we will be shopping for carpet for the master bedroom. We want a layering carpet, like seagrass, that we can place my nana's vintage rug over the top. Although I love seagrass--both its look and its stain-resistant properties, I'm a bit nervous about proceeding because our room is bigger than the roll we would be using and we will have to have a seam in the carpet. I've seen some amazing seagrass seams and I've seen some TERRIBLE seams. Regardless, I'm still pondering the direction in which we'll head in this respect.

Photo Session

2011-02-27T07:17:00.000-08:00

I take a number of photographs of my boys, but I've never taken the boys to through a formal portrait session. It didn't seem too odd, until my sister-in-law printed out a photo of the boys from the blog and put it up in her house. It didn't look so nice when compared to everyone else's framed pictures.

As a result, the boys were kindly gifted these lovely shirts and a Groupon photo session at our local studio. I begrudgingly took them on a Saturday afternoon. But look what happened! The cutest staged, cheesy photo ever.

We received our bedside tables on Friday! After four years of plant stands acting as bed side tables, I couldn't be more excited. Pictures coming soon.

Master Bedroom (Some Progress)

2011-02-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

You may recall my recent whiny post {found here}, where I discussed my desire for a "grown-up" master bedroom. Well, even though whiners typically aren't rewarded for their efforts, I'm happy to report that I've been able to overcome.

We installed a lovely headboard and dust skirt this past weekend. As you will note, the fabric compliments the peacock blue wall color in an oh, so lovely, coordinated way. That's Meg for ya. Brilliant gal.

Next up is the side tables that are on order. The hubbie is literally giddy at the fact that we will actually have bedside tables instead of plant stands. Honestly? Me too.

The Fouta

2011-01-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

Images via Fouta Lifestyle

Image via Sesame and Lilies

The Fouta. A towel, scarf, pareo, blanket or a table cloth. Unbelievably versatile. And a great gift for the Valentines Day holiday. For yourself, of course.

Peacock Blue

2011-01-26T20:21:00.000-08:00

I've dubbed this The Peacock Room.

I rolled over to the hubbie a couple of months ago and said "I need a grown-up bedroom."

It wasn't intended to be a snobbish statement, nor was it intended to knock on my non-existent design skills. It's just that the master bedroom has always been the room whose door is shut when company arrives.

For example, a wall was removed some years ago to make a larger room (thank you previous owner) but, instead of fixing the wood floor, they simply cut up wood strips where the wall had once been, leaving a very uneven and clearly patched-up floor.

The room has also been where we've dumped all of the clothes, filing cabinets, home repair tools and other such junk that really doesn't have a home. We keep saying that 'we'll get to it' but we never really do.

This ended a couple of months ago. I wrote my friend Meg and asked for help. She got right back to me with some brilliant ideas, most notably, the color of the room.

See, I like a cozy bedroom. Although I consider my house a sanctuary for my family, my bedroom is a sanctuary for me and the hubbie. It's where I can watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills without concern for my children's ears. Where I can light smelly candles and not worry about the candle tipping over and the house burning down.

Meg understood the need for a cozy room and she sent some inspiration pictures with deep, rich colors. And then she mailed me (in a fabulous envelope, I might add) some paint chips to look at. All in a deep, rich, dark blue.

So this is my long-winded way of telling you two things:

1. I've painted my bedroom peacock blue.

2. And I love it.

To My Grampi...

2011-01-24T19:36:00.000-08:00

I loved you so much I named my first after you. You were my dancing partner, one of my biggest cheerleaders. My hiking partner and my camping teacher. A loyal friend. The advice you provided me was always the wisest and most practical--and I loved how you never failed to grab me by my arm and pull me apart from the crowd to chat.

You never left a gathering without telling me that you loved me. And vice versa. How lucky I was to see you yesterday and repeat the routine.

I will miss you more than you will ever know. Rest in peace, relax and enjoy a big 'ol cocktail w/ the teensiest bit of water. I love you.

Merry Christmas!

2011-01-08T19:41:00.001-08:00

Wait. What? It's January?

Crap. Sorry about that folks. We've been hibernating here at Casa Wisteria and have only started to poke our heads out into the world. I think it has something to do with the fact that the boys have been downed by the flu in the last couple of days. Makes one feel the need to do something other than sit in your house holding a thermometer in one hand and a bucket in the other.

Hope you are all well out there in blog-land. I do have some exciting things to report (such as painting my bedroom peacock blue. Wassup blue lovers! You have a new club member!), but it's unfortunately going to have to wait since I'm jumping on a plane tomorrow to head to very, very distant lands.

Yes, if you are able to put two and two together, you've just realized I'm leaving the hubbie home with two sick kids while I gallivant around the world. I get this is terrible. Truly, I do. But is it bad that there is some part of me that's shouting {yippee!} Don't hate.

Anyhoo, it's been agreed that I'll be bringing home quite a nice present for the hubbie. I'll do the same for all y'all. Lates.

Butterflies

2010-11-30T16:19:00.001-08:00

My brain is starting to think it can replicate paintings that I see in decorating magazines. I've had this thought before and it resulted in 12 bare paint canvases sitting in my bedroom. Wouldn't be such an issue but they've been sitting up there for two years and I still haven't done much with them. Clearly butterfly paintings are my answer.

Thankful

2010-11-24T19:08:00.001-08:00

For Frank Sinatra playing on our radio in the kitchen.
For the man in the foreground above. Because he helped me create two of the most amazing kids in the entire world. They are so full of joy and life. And they break into spontaneous dance routines.
For Thanksgiving tradition. We start the day with Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls, mimosas and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Folks have received word of our traditional celebration and we now have quite a few who join us. If they leave in a sugar coma, then I've done my job.
And I'm thankful for each one of you in the blog-world. Even for those who don't read this tiny little blog. Because I read yours. And, in the past year, you've made me laugh, you've made me cry and you've even made me angry and annoyed. There aren't that many things in life that allow the full run of emotions. Blogging is unique in this respect and I couldn't appreciate it more. Your all's blogs are like a great novel. Keep it coming.

Happy Turkey Day friends.

The Front Portico

2010-11-24T06:43:00.000-08:00

After four long years, we finally wrapped up our front portico repair project. It's one of those projects that doesn't have a ton of "hip-hip-hooray!" to it, but foundationally, it lends a sense of comfort and stability that make me happier living in this house.

The picture above shows the exterior of the house on the day of purchase. Bright and sunny skies were the perfect mask, hiding all of the important details and information about that front portico. Who knew that there were ant colonies living in that wisteria? Who knew that the wisteria branches had bent the portico structure to one side such that the integrity of our house was being compromised?

I sure didn't know. All I saw was a location for cocktails and deck chairs. I'm good like that.

We knew we had to remove the front portico in its entirety once the significant colony of carpenter ants moved in from the wisteria tree branches to the upstairs bathroom. I'll never forget the day I opened the bottom cupboard by the toilet and a flood of ants raced out. Nor will I forget the sound of my husband sucking them up with our vacuum. I still shudder thinking about these events.

By the way, the wisteria on the front of the house was why this blog was called The Wisteria House. Funny, huh? Because there is no longer any wisteria. It was cut down, the house was fumigated and I moved away from the dream of a canopy of purple wisteria blossoms on our front porch.

After a the house had been resided (shingles only) and re-painted, we spent a significant amount of time just hanging with a makeshift front portico. I cannot tell you how many neighbors commented, asking whether we were actually going to do something or if our plan was to leave it as-is.

In all honesty, there was some truth to their question. The one thing I've learned about home renovation is that, after awhile, you no longer see the issue. The peeling spot above the window in the living room, the unpainted trim in the entryway. It just starts to be part of your day-to-day experience and it takes shocking neighbor comments to jolt you out of that state. For my neighbors, I am eternally grateful in this respect. They've helped us with our house in more ways than you can imagine (A couple of them have now taken a disliking to the white picket fence. More on that later.)

My husband scored two columns at an architectural salvage shop in Seattle. They were about $100 apiece, which in Seattle, is a score. Please let me be clear: Absolutely nothing is cheap in Seattle, even on the salvage front. You want another example of overpriced Seattle? We received a $50,000 bid to paint our house. $50,000 people. $50,000. You could say this was just a contractor who didn't want to paint our house but our next door neighbor received a $40,000 bid for his house. It's just a Seattle thing.

With the help of my father-in-law, the hubbie built boxes on the bottom of each column to support the columns and boxes at the top of each column to lend architectural detailing and support. You can see both boxes (unpainted) in the picture above.

After the columns were built, the final step was rebuilding the actual front portico. My brother-in-law, the woodworker, came out to the house to handle the project. What he did was build a frame around the original portico. He added new beadboard and vents along the entire underside of the front portico, as well as along the front soffits.

Done-zo. Next up? The front porch light debacle of 2010 (it was awesome) followed by a lengthy discussion of shutter options. Get your popcorn ladies.

Wanna Buy Sheryl Crow's Home?

2010-11-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

Because it was up for auction.

The house is located in College Grove, Tennessee. Not in my neck of the woods but, heck, I'd be willing to give it a try. Based on the auction pictures, it truly looks like a gorgeous setting.

The sale is for 150 acres and includes a couple of houses, one of which is over 10,000 square feet. Just think about it. You could invite your entire family to live with you in the house and, possibly, never actually run into each other in a given day.

It really is a beautiful house but I do believe that someone made a bid for 1.6 million and it simply wasn't enough to meet the auction reserve.

I swear the above picture was either in a Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn catalog. Am I losing my mind? Wait, don't answer that.

Germany Recap

2010-11-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a fun-filled week in Frankfurt, Germany. I had a great time but I was left with one perplexing question: why, oh why, was there a shower in the middle of my hotel room?

I'm not going to lie, I traveled in the lap of luxury this trip. I truly have no idea how it happened but I didn't balk at the gift. The two pictures above are from my waiting area in the airport lounge. I was actually escorted to the plane in a Mercedes and asked if I wanted to wait in the car until "everyone boarded the plane." I could not have been more embarrassed by the question. Of course I didn't need to wait until everyone boarded the plane. I'm not J-Lo. But I did wonder, are there people in this world who truly request to be the last ones to board a plane? Are you such a person? If so, please comment. I'd like to understand your perspective.

Dinner included the limited edition Missoni Pelligrino bottle. Jordan over at Oh Happy Day has posted about it before. But I got so excited that I 'yipped' at dinner when the bottle was delivered to our table. Missoni, Missoni! And thank you to my kind travel-mates who suffer through my design blog adventures on every single trip we take.

I loved the simplicity of our table here. It was a simple brick that had a small hole drilled into it. A candle was placed within the hole and it burned all night. Simple white plates, great glass bottles of water and wine. All in all, it was very rustic and beautiful.

And this restaurant had, perhaps, the best drink in the world. A rosemary-infused Prosecco. It was UNREAL. The smell of rosemary is perhaps one of my favorites. And its infusion into the Prosecco tuned down the sweetness of the drink. It was fabulous. Although I couldn't find a recipe online, I'm wondering if following the same type of recipe for infused vodka would work? I'll test it out and get back to you.

I love European boulevards, especially at night. Tree and light-lined. Magical. This one in Frankfurt surprisingly reminded me of Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Wishful thinking, perhaps?

I'm not going to lie. This pretzel kicked the tar out of the New York street pretzel.

All in all, a great trip. I'm quite happy to be home, especially now that we are house-bound with about 4 inches of snow (all you East Coasters are probably laughing at how such minimal amounts of snow stops us in our tracks out here on the West Coast!) Happy Tuesday!

Thankful

2010-11-22T18:01:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for so many things. But tonight especially, I'm thankful for my boys, our home, candlelight, olive wreaths and a bottle of wine. Nothing better than being snowed in with my family.

Snow

2010-11-22T10:01:00.000-08:00

Monday morning, 8:30 am, PST. Seattle, Washington.

The Liquor Store

2010-11-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

Originally a tavern in Tribeca. Now The Liquor Store is a full-fledged shop of male clothing awesomeness in New York. From JCrew, of course. Start your hubby holiday shopping ladies--online or in New York.

Random Pictures

2010-11-17T18:36:00.001-08:00

That I took with my iPhone from European design magazines...

A very cool Swiss Alps restaurant. Loved the cozy chandelier, wood-frame ceiling and walls of framed pictures. The red slipcovered chairs don't hurt either.

Two antique doors forming a headboard = great. Add the hanging kimono = awesome.

Sweet wallpaper and great green lamp. I'm also loving the dark furniture movement. Perhaps because I have dark furniture in my bedroom and I'm looking to belong.

Stollen

2010-11-15T06:38:00.001-08:00

Photo credit: Andrew Scrivani, NY Times

I'm back from Europe, specifically, Germany. More deets of my trip to come, but I can't hold off on mentioning one of my favorite food delights this trip: the Marzipan Stollen.

My introduction to this treat was on the flight home, which takes about 10 hours. Most people on the plane had dozed off but, of course, I was wide awake reading a book. It's my happy time--peace and quiet + a good book.

The nicest of flight attendants stopped by to inquire if I would be interested in a snack and I replied "of course!" I think the best accompaniment to a good book is hot tea and a snack. Anyhoo, the lovely attendant brought over a tray full of biscuits dusted with powdered sugar. I took one. And then took a bite into a dense bread full of almond paste. The sensation of almond burst in my mouth. It was pure delight. He sat the tray down and went off to somewhere else on the plane. I immediately hopped up and helped myself to four more biscuits. Four. I am not kidding.

It turns out that these tiny biscuits were Germany's homage to the Christmas Cake: the stollen. Many articles have been devoted to this cake. You can find one such article by the NY times here and one such article by the LA times here.

If you are interested in making this treat, I included the LA times recipe link above since it includes marzizpan. The NY times recipe, without marzipan, can be found here. And, if you are one of those crazy history buffs, a thorough overview of the history of stollen can be found here.

Bon Appetit! A perfect holiday treat for those snowy days when all you can do is wrap up with a blanket before a fire and read a good book.

Olive Wreath? Check.

2010-11-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

Just placed my holiday order for the Lindsay Olive holiday wreaths. The setting above is going to be my attempt at DIY this turkey day. Since we have 15 coming for a sit-down dinner, low-maintenance decorating is a must.

If the decor doesn't get you to purchase a wreath, perhaps this information will: All proceeds from the sales of wreaths from Lindsay Olives goes to Meals on Wheels. A good deed with good decor to follow. Nicely done, eh?

Zara

2010-11-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

I've scheduled a business trip to Europe and I've got one thing on my mind...

...shopping at Zara. That's right folks. Put aside the European arts and culture, the languages, the food and the meeting of new people. Because this girl here is all about hanging racks of clothing.

Zara's fall line is crisp and classic. A perfectly put together wardrobe for the working woman. One that can easily be replicated without having to jump on a plane to Europe.

Red jackets with an all black ensemble. A black suit with a black top. A long black dress. And a camel cape.

Real Estalking: A Log Cabin on the Water

2010-10-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

A 1920's log cabin on Mercer Island, Washington. I think it is classic and unbelievably stunning. I would jump at the chance to renovate this place. Cross your fingers that it isn't purchased and immediately torn down in favor of a McMansion.

Enjoy the weekend lovelies.

Holiday Gift Order Reminder

2010-10-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

Via one amazing blog. Too bad I can't remember which one!

A reminder to the absent-minded lady behind this blog. Order acrylic/plastic boxes to house graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate squares. You already own approximately 1 million yards of red and white twine from Bell'Occhio, so consider yourself covered on that front.

Neighbors and friends who read this blog. My apologies. This has been one shocker of a holiday present spoiler for you. But, hey, now you know to unearth all of your fireplace and barbecue cooking materials in preparation for my gifts. Because the holiday s'mores are on.

A Quick Peek: Dining Room

2010-10-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

May I please send a 'shout-out' to Allison of Urban Grace? She picked out the fabulous chandelier now adorning the ceiling of our dining room. Killer style, that one.

What's left to do in this room? New fabric for the chairs and drapes to go on the sides of each window. Some artwork to be posted to the wall that's on my left. More to come...

*That yellow peep of sunshine on the chair is my older one. Just wanted to let you know in case you took him for a decorative pillow*

Renovation Realities

2010-10-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

The "After"

As most of you know by now, I have a love-hate relationship with our renovation. The whole process has been stressful and expensive.

The "Before"

But you know what? I'd do it again. And again. And again. Because I absolutely adore older homes and watching them be restored to their original character. I love rolling up my sleeves and doing some DIY projects. In fact, I actually search real estate listings looking for older homes that have charm, but are in complete disrepair just to imagine how I would renovate them if given the chance.

I've seen this stairway posted in blogland before, but I'd never seen the entire house. As you can imagine, it stopped me in my tracks. What a find!

Traditional character, gorgeous remote location, tons of space.

And the renovations themselves are, of course, stunning. It makes me want to buy another house and start the gutting and renovation process all over again. Hmmm, perhaps that's taking it a bit too far.

The Canlis Scavenger Hunt

2010-10-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

View from Canlis

Canlis is one of Seattle's most traditional and beloved restaurants. Perched above Lake Union, it boasts amazing views of the water and the food/service is some of the best in the city. Plus, they've got the kitschy thing down pat: when the valet gentleman take your car, they don't issue a ticket. And, when you walk out the door of the restaurant after dining, your car is waiting for you. It's a fun trick.

Anyhoo, Canlis has put together one of the coolest Seattle scavenger hunts I've seen in a long time. Specifically, each day except Sunday...for 50 days...they will give a clue to some location in Seattle where a "1950's Canlis ticket" is hidden. If you are the lucky finder of the clue, you get to dine at Canlis at 1950's prices. As that means your filet mignon is only $3.58, it's quite a steal.

There have already been 4 or so tickets handed out. 46 more to go. My neighbor friend R and I are figuring out how to best canvas the city over the next few weeks, while still getting our jobs done and hanging with our families. But don't be fooled, we will get one of these tickets. Oh yes, we will.

The hunt is on...Seattle-ites, come join us! Visit http://twitter.com/bcanlis to join in on the fun and receive the daily clues.

Best Holiday Table Ever

2010-10-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

It seems that we are headed into the holiday season.

So, my peeps, if my title for this post isn't clear enough, please let me state what I believe is obvious: Aerin Lauder has the most amazing holiday dining room table that I have ever seen. Great flowers, vase, colors, champagne bucket, fireplace. I could go on and on. But I won't. For your sake.

Any challengers out there for the "Best Holiday Table Ever" award? I think we'd all love to hear from you. Otherwise, we should all get moving towards painting our dining rooms peacock blue and ordering marble slab table tops.

The Coolest Rental in Seattle

2010-10-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

This Seattle apartment rental was discussed in detail in the NY Times Home & Garden section today. It's part of the Smith Tower in downtown Seattle.

I, along with a majority of other Seattle-ites, thought that a wealthy, eccentric heiress lived in this apartment. Um, I was wrong. Instead, a "no-nanny mom" plus family inhabit the space.

Could someone please explain the phrase "no-nanny mom?" Because I'm all sorts of confused. Does it mean that you are a "stay-at-home" mom or, instead, are you a mom that "drops her kids off at daycare?"

Adore Home Magazine

2010-10-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

I just found Adore Home Magazine tonight. It's Australian, it's cute, it's online and it's free. Head here to spend {ahem, not waste} an enjoyable part of your evening!

When Reality Departs...

2010-10-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

Image via here. My dream cabin.

Most mornings, the entire family hops in the car and we take the hubbie to work. We always stop at the local Starbucks to fill up on our daily intake of hot coffee (hubbie) and green tea (me). It's a routine that seems silly, but is actually a great way for a dual-working family to start the day and make sure we all see each other before heading out to work. Sometimes we sing in the car, sometimes the hubbie and I just chat, sometimes we all sit in silence. It's one of my favorite times of the day.

But each morning, as I sit in the parking lot of Starbucks, I have this completely odd vision of my alternate life. Specifically, and without fail, I daydream that I'm dropping off my husband at work, the kids at school, and then heading up to our cabin where I will spend the day stocking up the fridge, dusting off the tables, making the beds, weeding the garden and readying for a weekend full of fun, life and family.

We don't own a cabin.

And so I have absolutely no idea where this yearning feeling comes from each morning. Perhaps it's just that I crave some solitude to take on some simple life pleasures that I so enjoy: cleaning, gardening, baking. Really, though, who knows why this daydream pops up? It's here and it's delightful.

Do any of you daydream?

Historic Window Preservation

2010-10-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else distracted here by the cool wallpaper and moulding color?

My brother-in-law is one cool cat. He's a woodworker who has done some amazing projects. Now he's involved in historic window preservation out here in the Pacific Northwest. A blog detailing the efforts of his team can be found here.

Nolle, my brother-in-law, working away in the shop

As an owner of a house built in the 1920's, I'm fascinated by their efforts in maintaining the "rich legacy of homes in the region." Check out some of their projects below:

New York: Some Recommendations

2010-10-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not a New Yorker. And there are many amazing New York/Brooklyn bloggers that can tell you the in's-and-out's of the city. But on my recent trip here, I had some memorable experiences that, perhaps, you might also enjoy if you are headed out to the lovely island called Manhattan.

1. Enjoy a glass of Rose Champagne on the top floor of Bergdorf Goodman's (BG at Bergdorf Goodman). The photo above was snapped from my vantage point at the bar. Decorated by Kelly Wearstler (and do click here to see her amazing photos of the interior decor), the restaurant provides a nice stopping ground after the shoe floor and home decor floor at Bergdorf's. I really enjoyed the view of all the activity flowing in and around Central Park, as well as the uber-stylish fashion watching within the restaurant.

2. Breakfast at Sarabeth's followed by a walk through Central Park. You are probably familiar with Sarabeth's jams and jellies, but I thought their homemade english muffins and cafe au lait were superb. And, with views like the one above, how can you not follow such a great meal with a jaunt through Central Park...it's directly across the street!

3. Eataly. Do you like some Mario Batali? Me too. I think he's pure delight. You will also love his new eatery. It has anything and everything you could ever want. Grocery shopping, sit-down restaurants, wine-tastings, cheese-tastings...the list goes on and on. I went here twice, the second time on the way home from a long day of work. I picked up a small loaf of bread, three different types of cheeses, a pint of raspberries and one of the glass water bottles above. Not only was my meal excellent but I really enjoyed watching the families (of all ages and styles) enjoying themselves together. Two serious thumbs up.

4. The picture above is from my favorite cupcake shop, which is the Magnolia Bakery in Greenwich Village. Their frosting is the best and this store is what kicked off my (and many others) cupcake obsession . I've tried to replicate their cupcakes hundreds of times but my cupcakes never taste as buttery good as those from here. The picture was snapped at the end of the day and it made me laugh. Those New Yorkers sure know how to wipe out some cupcakes.

Some other tips:

If you own an iPhone or any other GPS compatible phone, make sure it's with you at all times. The new taxi cab scheme seems to be for the cabbies to "misunderstand" your address. If you've already mapped out where you are headed, you cannot be led astray (or, at the very least, you can shout out to turn around!!) My phone also helped let me know when I could walk to my next destination or when I needed a cab. A total life saver.
Eat pizza. New York pizza is better than anything I've ever tasted. I'm not sure if it matters so much where you eat it, but just make sure you do, in fact, eat it.
Wear good shoes. The best part about New York is the walking. Although it's fun to look fashionable, ending up with a foot blister an hour into your morning isn't the way to go.
Be friendly. Because New Yorkers are unbelievably friendly people. I say this with all sincerity. I can't tell you how many people started up conversations, provided directions and let me know where they purchased their handbag. A trip is always more fun when its seasoned with new people.

If any one else has any thoughts on New York, I'd love to hear about them!

Pondering...

2010-10-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

For weeks now, I've been calling this lovely faux fur accessory a "gimlet."

It has now been made clear to me that a "gimlet" is instead a cocktail made with vodka or gin and lime juice. It apparently is not a faux fur vest that one wears to imitate Mary Kate and Ashley Olson circa early 2000.

I stand corrected. But I still say that trying on the "gilet" in Barneys NY was super fun. What also fell into the fun category was sending this picture to my husband asking if he'd like me to bring him one home for him. He didn't respond. Go figure.

Master Bedroom: Tufted Benches

2010-10-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on decorating our master bedroom. We are getting old and I figure that it's time for us to sleep in a room that doesn't necessarily double as a college dorm room.

One of our projects has been a bench seat to go at the end of the bed. The hubby and I built a bench, but as you can see below, we've yet to tackle the actual upholstering of the bench:

The rug is an antique from my nana and the legs of the bench were found at local shop in Seattle.

I've been pondering how to reupholster the bench and Celerie Kembel's living room in Lonny magazine this month (reposted by Coco + Kelly today) gave me the perfect inspiration via her two benches below. Really liking the button layout on her benches along with the brass nailheads.

Meg helped me pick out some jewel-toned turquoise velvet fabric for the project and I think, as Mario would say, "it's a go!"

JCrew Wedding Store

2010-10-13T20:58:00.001-07:00

On my recent trip to NY, I thought I should take one for the blogging team and head to check out the JCrew Wedding Store. It's a hard job folks, but someone had to do it. The store is up on 68th and Madison (or somewhere around there) or, as a shopaholic would say, about 10 blocks up from Barney's.

The decorating is quite luscious and much time was spent fawning over the rugs in the dressing rooms, the cool use of frames {see above} and the luscious painting and light hanging over the front desk.

Most of the clothing at the store is not available online or in the JCrew catalogues. And, because I wasn't a bride, I didn't get access to the formal bridal salon down in the basement. Some may consider actually renewing their vows to get access to that floor simply for a view of the design aesthetic. And for those of you that fall into this category, welcome. Your kind are very welcome on this blog.

I ended up walking out with one of their gleefully colored cashmere sweaters. I tried to resist but the supply closet holding the cashmere rainbow sweaters was completely full and I felt it necessary to assist in helping the crew at 'crew pare down their possessions. It simply had to be done.

Lunch

2010-10-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

Photo via here

I'd like to be invited here for lunch. The owners look fun, funky and stylish.

And, although I try not to give away all my secrets, I'll let you in on this one: windy brick paths makes my heart beat faster.

Seagrass

2010-10-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

From Lonny Magazine

Due to Meg's influence, I'm becoming a huge fan of seagrass wall-to-wall carpeting. It's the perfect foil for showcasing gorgeous rugs.

Current plans here at chez Wisteria House are to use it in all three bedrooms upstairs. Clearly the basement renovation didn't do me in--I've already moved on to renovating and decorating the upstairs floor!

I Heart NY

2010-10-10T14:47:00.001-07:00

Photo by moi

Is there anything lovelier than a NY sidewalk? I just returned from a trip to NY and had a wonderful time. The lovely husband agreed to watch the kids and so I spent an entire weekend in the city.

More deets to follow...

I'm Ready for the Holidays...

2010-09-20T20:35:00.001-07:00

Minus the crappy red ribbons from last year.

Ahh, look at my little bean above. He is no longer so little. And he no longer takes long naps while sleeping on my chest. Instead, he takes steps and screams very loudly to get our attention. And he never stops smiling. He's pure delight. I think if we could stop the older one from attempting to continuously bonk him on the head, we'd be in good shape.

Fall Frivolity

2010-09-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

Photo via here.

I think it would be purely delightful to dress up and head to a dinner party in this lovely dining room. It reeks of elegance.

Personally, I could use a night out at a formal dinner party with my husband and our good friends. Some interesting food, great wine and scintillating conversation. It would be a lovely way to kick off the Fall season.

10 Fall Looks I'm Craving

2010-09-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

1. The Cashmere slouch hat.

2. Rick Owens Leather Biker Jacket or the Belstaff Roadmaster Jacket.

3. A military inspired dress for work. Love the twist on a classic.

4. A brightly colored silk Ikat scarf. As Rachel Zoe says "nothing looks more elegant than black with a bright pop of color."

5. A fun and flirty linen skirt with a tucked in silk shirt. Love the styling on EmersonMade's website. Pure classic.

6. Cardigan with a collar. I see a snowy lodge setting with black tights and knee-high brown boots.

7. Ankle-length silk robe in a gorgeous, rich turquoise color.

8. Sheer Black Blouse. To be combined with dressy black slacks, black heels and a red lip.

9. Preppy Style. I'm headed on some business trips this fall, including a trip to New York. This looks like the perfect look for walking around and hitting the stores in an after-work shopping spree.

10. Vintage Pajama Set. Clearly channeling Gwyneth Paltrow a la Vogue.

And A Wallpaperin' We Will Go...

2010-09-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

I added some sconces to the upstairs powder room in our recent basement renovation. Because, you know, if you are going to turn your entire home life upside down with a remodel, why not toss in some sconces?

But then adding some sconces turned into a 'hmmm' type of moment. As in, hmmm, wouldn't it be great to re-decorate this room by playing around with some wallpaper? Said pondering turned into self-congratulations as the brilliant idea took hold.

The wallpaper above is on order and should arrive shortly. Hilarity to ensue as I figure out how to be a master wallpaper hanger on my first try. I'll make sure to keep you all in the loop on this DIY project.

Good times, good times.

Pre-School

2010-09-07T18:55:00.001-07:00

This little guy started pre-school last Thursday. By Monday, all four of us were down with a cold.

It's something' about karma, right?

A Bit of a Glimpse...

2010-08-27T19:23:00.001-07:00

A sneak peek of the basement bathroom. As you can tell, I had a white Corian and white subway tile moment.

Apparently Kevin Sharkey did as well. A mind meld that only a decorator wanna-be could appreciate.

Thrifty Posters

2010-08-26T20:57:00.001-07:00

These cost $4.50. And lets be frank, my friends. The likelihood that anyone will know that these prints, tucked up nicely within your Ikea frames, are actually wrapping paper, is slim to none.

Not bad when comparing to the trendy $60 prints on Etsy, eh? Especially if you like pictures of cheese, birds, butterflies and champignons (also known in some countries as mushrooms).

Peace and love y'all. I'm back.

A Bit of a Break...

2010-07-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

Life is good, but full. I'd say a blog break is in order.

See you soon,

Devon

Tent Trailer Camping...

2010-07-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

...at its finest. Please let me introduce The Opera tent trailer. Apparently coming in 2010 to the Americas. Since it looks to cost around $40k to purchase, there is always the possibility of foregoing the kids education funds to lay down a payment.

"The teak veranda is an invitation for you to come on board, where you’ll be amazed by the luxury and detail. Such as the two electrically adjustable beds that can easily be transformed into one. Or the boiler supplying warm water to the kitchen, the fountain and the (exterior) shower. The hot air heating.

The ceramic toilet. The top loading refrigerator. The low-energy LED lighting from awning to floor."

And here's how easy it pops into place. It's kind of like visiting the Sydney Opera House without the 20 hour flight.

This post is courtesy of the hubbie, who mentioned that my last post wasn't the classiest. I'd try to feign hurt feelings, but he's totally right. *although it was hilariously awesome*

The Great Outdoors

2010-07-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

I love awesome camping gear. If there wasn't the possibility of a completely awkward conversation with my boys, these would be my first purchase.

Take Me Out to the Ballpark...

2010-07-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that the first catch routine at the Mariner-Yankee game this past Sunday went off without a hitch. In fact, we had a blast. We kept chatting about how our kids would remember this event...until we remembered we had a 9-month old.

The biggest little guy was a bit trepidatious.

And then he saw grandma and grandpa up in the stands.

I couldn't have been more proud of the biggest little guy. I think things like this must be downright terrifying for the little folks. He stocked up some courage and high-fived the Mariner Moose.

Directly prior to my catch, I was informed that this would be the first game in baseball history filmed in 3D. When I saw the camera angle below, I could only feel pity for those folks who had paid all that money for those 3D glasses.

But, it all turned out okay because I later learned that I was the catch before the official first pitch...which was handled by Jason Biggs of American Pie. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but as with all celebrities, I could only think one thing: "Boy, I sure thought he was taller."

This was one heck of a way to kick off our staycation. I believe it can only be topped by mowing down some bannana splits with Tom Cruise while simultaneously riding backwards on his motorcycle. I'll get working on it...

More Basement Progress

2010-07-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Bites

2010-07-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

Recipe available here (EmilyStyle).

Staycation

2010-07-10T15:03:00.001-07:00

As you can imagine, we are pretty dang excited for some quality time off with the boys.

We have so many plans it's somewhat crazy. Tomorrow, I'm catching the first pitch at the Mariners-Yankees baseball game. Just thinking about it makes my palms sweat. Please all say a prayer that the pitcher doesn't launch a 90 MPH fastball and knock me on the head. I have absolutely no interest in being one of the Top 10 plays on ESPN.

Things We Did This Weekend...

2010-07-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

1. Wrapped up my hair like Pebbles while watching boat parades.

2. Traded sweatshirts with my husband. By then we didn't care since we had been teased mercilessly for our coordinating red, white and blue family ensembles. What-eves. You think this is crazy? You should see us at Christmas.

3. Tried to get my biggest little guy to smile. Firework *booms* are just not his thing.

4. Purchased a vivaciously colored hat from the Farmer's Market. Smiled back at this cute little boy below for hours. If you snort like a pig, he will giggle and giggle and giggle. It's totally worth it.

5. Drank a couple of these {this drink is worth a whole blog post} while playing this. My husband and I lost. To the cocky young-uns below. Low point folks. Low point.

6. Transformed a skateboard park into a slide park. Slippery pants required.

7. Tried even harder to get my big guy to smile. Shoulder rides with uncle still didn't do the trick.

8. Continued smiling at this guy.

Suds and Tubs

2010-07-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

The contractors didn't show up at all this week. I have half a mind to plug the drain hole of my bathtub above and start heating some pots of water. If I drink a bottle of wine, I think this will feel like a perfectly normal way to take a bath. In terms of the bathwater removal after the bath, I'll leave that to someone a little more intelligent and, at that point, a bit more sober.

Have a lovely fourth my friends!

I'd Like to Get Married All Over Again...

2010-06-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Simply so that I can shop at the new JCrew Bridal Boutique on Madison Ave in NY. How great are the parquet floors, the painted star, the huge bouquet of roses. I could go on and on.

A very fun video showing the step-by-step construction and design of the new boutique can be found here. In case you'd like to shortcut the viewing process, here are some shots of the construction:

Progress

2010-06-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

That would be the laundry room to the left. {Just in case the washer and dryer didn't give it away.} The family area is straight ahead and the unfinished stairs to your right.

A more in-depth picture of the family room. Many, many, many things left to do, but the room is starting to take shape.

And, finally, the home office. I plan on calling this room the "Nate Berkus" room since I plan to pay some serious homage to his design talents when creating our home office.

The basement renovation is still ongoing and I can honestly say that I'm learning a lot about renovation with this project. Here are some pieces of advice:

Tip #1: BE PRECISE. If you provide a wiring plan to an electrician, make sure it's accurate. In our case, we marked the various beams and walls where we wanted to the sconces, etc. to be wired. I wasn't entirely precise and simply marked the general area where I wanted a light to rest. I assumed that the electrician would ensure that the sconces, for example, were the same height. That was absolutely not the case. Where I marked is exactly where the lights were wired. We had to spend a lot of time adjusting the light outlets and leveling things off.

Tip #2: CALL YOUR CONTRACTOR. Our contractor has been quite spotty with his attendance. I'm learning to call him at the beginning of the week and ask "for the weekly plan." When will he be here? What will he be doing? And, most importantly, what materials/decisions does he need from me for the week? I strongly recommend this course of action because contractors are often working numerous jobs. And, like with most professions, the loudest 'screamer' gets the best service. Be polite, be nice, but be firm about your schedule. Otherwise, and trust me on this, your job will never get done.

Tip #3: TRUST YOUR BLOGGERS. The paint colors in my basement were selected from a blog post done by the ever-fabulous Erika of Urban Grace (find it HERE). Knowing I loved her style and design sense, I felt very comfortable selecting my color palette based on her recommendations. And, man oh man, what a great decision. The colors are fantastic. Boothbay Gray in the bathroom and White Dove on all the other walls (both by Benjamin Moore). The colors are mellow, sophisticated and look amazing. Thank goodness for blog-land.

Tip #4: RENOVATIONS ARE STRESSFUL. I have a very stressful job. I'm raising two kids under the age of 3. I'm married. Even in combination, none of these things are as stressful as undergoing a house renovation. Understand that your home renovation WILL BE the straw that breaks the camel's back. It will make you cry, make you tired, make you angry and, most of all, make you strongly desire to sell off all of your possessions and drive around the country in a VW van. It truly is that difficult. Your house is torn apart, your money is flying out the door...and, for what, a laundry room in the basement? Was it really necessary?

Here's where you take a deep breath. Actually, take two deep breaths. Open up a bottle of wine and relax. Because the honest truth is that house renovations really don't matter in the grand scheme of life. They are fun, they are beautiful and, sometimes, they are financially valuable. But nothing matters more than your family. Keep that in mind and you will sail through your home renovation with grace.

The Pike Place Market

2010-06-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

The seafood:

The pipin' hot fresh donuts:

The gum wall:

The flowers:

The ham and cheese on a baguette sandwich:

The lights:

The view:

Eight Months...

2010-06-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Some might say this photo is a bit blurry and over-lit. What I see is a sunny smile and some unbelievably blue eyes. This photo makes the phrase "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" spot on.

Strawberry Delight

2010-06-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

A neighbor brought by a flat of strawberries last night to thank us for our patience while he had his house painted. I'm not sure what kind of patience we had {as the painting didn't affect us at all}, but all who know me will attest that I don't turn down free food. Especially when the food looks as luscious as these strawberries.

And this is what we looked like about 5 minutes after the strawberries arrived.

I sure do love summer.

Oh Dear...

2010-06-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

I believe this store is targeted directly at me. 'Hip housewares' as they state on their main page. My husband is not going to be pleased, but I sure will be tickled pink each time I pull out our new rainbow hammer! Rock star, I tell ya.

Some Peonies for You...

2010-06-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

via Susan Marinello Interiors

I'm dreaming nightly about the bathtub in our basement bathroom. I think white peonies will be a fine addition and I'm hoping Meg wraps up her signature candle design soon so that I can toss one by the bathtub.

A perfectly serene environment for when the kiddos go to bed. We all need such a space, wouldn't you agree?

Lights, Shmlights...

2010-06-22T21:02:00.001-07:00

**There is nothing worse than putting together a post, posting it...and then seeing that someone else had previously posted about the same exact topic! So please let me credit Plush Palate for this original house find. While I didn't see her post prior to my posting, she was well ahead of the curve on this lovely homestead and deserves the original 'find' credit!**

Lets move on to something a bit more interesting than my wall light issues. A house tour perhaps?

I love that yellow door against the tile roof and white stucco. Along with the lavender plants and the stone wall, it is perfection. I'm really into simplicity at the moment. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that my house is in entire chaos.

via here

Can You Shed a Little Light?

2010-06-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

via Shades of Light

I'm stuck and am sending out a blog-SOS to all of you!

When the basement is complete, the door you see below will be replaced with a french-paned glass door. When looking through the door from the kitchen, directly ahead (where the blue and white mop currently sits) will be a wall light.

I had previously chosen the light above from Shades of Light. It arrived, it was eh-okay, and then I came home from work one day and saw the shade completely shattered. I wasn't heartbroken by the break. I don't know what it is, but something about the light seems a tad bit too rustic for me.

Do any of you fine readers have a recommendation for a wall light for this space? I would greatly appreciate any advice you can provide.

Many thanks.

I'm Just Sayin'...

2010-06-19T20:28:00.001-07:00

All images via Country Living Magazine

My family would look good in this country estate. Hopefully set on 10+ acres. Care to join me? Everyone knows that neighbors make the neighborhood. My only requirement is that you like Glee. Otherwise, folks, you are voted off the island, ahem, I mean the countryside.

{And if you like Glee, especially Jane Lynch, click here for a fantastic take on the Microsoft/Apple television campaign. It's hilarity at its absolute finest.}

Has anyone else been sucked into the World Cup? It's football madness {soccer, for those obsessed with not speaking like a European} around here and I'm having a ball (OMG, best pun ever, right?) But, seriously, whether you are from the U.S. or elsewhere, can we all agree that the U.S. was ROBBED in the game against Slovenia? FIFA doesn't get involved in much and even they will be speaking out about the controversy. Just sayin'...

Basement: The Before

2010-06-18T19:56:00.001-07:00

1. Basement entryway. Totally scary.

2. The view down the stairs. You are looking down on to what will be the future 'pantry' area of the basement. Think cabinets and a cabinet-front freezer. I have two boys folks and, even now, we go through more groceries than humanly possible in a week. I feared that I would have to pay rent to the local grocery stores when we hit the teenage years and instead decided to get ahead of the curve. This will be the area where food, food, food will be stored and frozen.

3. The future laundry room. It makes me giddy just thinking about it.

4. The future bathroom. I'm giving you two shots of this elegant 'before' space. We shut off the door that you can see to the left to allow for a bigger bathroom. We also are wiring it for a flat screen. I may be moving in permanently.

5. The home office/kid's playroom.

6. The family room. Last, but definitely not least.

Can We Chat?

2010-06-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Good morning my lovely people! How goes it in the blog-land?

I must apologize for my absence over the last couple of weeks. Not only have I failed to post but I've failed to read. It was therefore pure delight this morning when I powered up the computer, poured a cup of coffee, grabbed my papers {LA Times, USA Today} and got typing. Multi-tasking at its finest, wouldn't you say?

A quick update of activities in The Wisteria House world:

I've been in the land of Angels for about a week now. It's really sunny here. Like crazy sunny. My vitamin D counts are rockin' and I feel the need to drink copious amounts of orange juice and get my teeth whitened. It must come with this territory.

Toy Story 3D: It rocks. Go see it. I'm not going to lie, I actually shed tears in the theatre. Does that happen to anyone else when you hear the song You've Got a Friend in Me? I tell you, that song just kills me. Kills me. At home, I sing it with my biggest little guy while we dance around the house. A very happy tune indeed.

Katsuya. If you are ever in LA, it's a MUST on the eat list. Crazy good food, especially in the sushi area. That said, the pulsing music that pounds and pounds and pounds should be placed on the curb to be picked up by the garbage folks. But otherwise, my meals there were delightful {I'm not going to lie, I ate there twice}. Did I mention that one of my meals took place during Game 6 of the NBA Finals? Seriously, it was mob madness down at the Staples Center. These LA people sure like their Lakers.

Today. I'm thinking of hitting 3rd street, followed by Beverly Blvd, followed by Melrose Ave. But, honestly? I'm flat out exhausted. I've been working my tail off for awhile now. While it's been great fun, I think it's more likely that I'll be putting on my suit, finding a pool and settling in for a serious day of catching up on my magazines. I wish you all could join me. A chat with girlfriends is entirely in order.

Basement update? It's a funny one. Last Friday, we were told that the paint colors needed to be selected by the following Monday. Since I was flying out early Saturday morning, there was simply no time to go to the paint store. So I decided to select my paint colors FROM THE INTERNET! I am not lying. Straight up.

I headed directly to two resources to get the colors: Lonny Magazine and Erika. Lonny Mag ended up helping me out with the color of my bathroom (a deep, dark gray) and Erika has a great post about paint that helped me out with the perfect white. If this goes well, we can all use my experience as actual proof that: (i) you can make important color decisions via blogs; and (ii) Lonny Mag and Erika are to be implicitly trusted for all design decisions {although, I would argue we already all know this one}.

Lates, my friends. See you soon with hopefully pics of the basement. Woo-hoo!

I Must Warn You...

2010-05-31T17:28:00.001-07:00

I intend to steal all sorts of ideas found in the blog-o-sphere when decorating my basement.

Purple, pink or green. Or, perhaps a bright yellow. One of you crazy colors in an equally crazy shade will be doing double duty in my basement bathroom. I think you will fit in nicely with my white subway tiles and light grey grout. I haven't picked out the vanity or bathtub countertops quite yet, but I have no doubt that you will become fast friends. With all that white tile, I just think a bold *pop* of color is what the doctor ordered.

The family area. It's a Velvet & Linen design...all the way. As evidenced below, no one does a Kennedy-esque kind of Nantucket design like Steve, Brooke and the folks at Morrow & Morrow. I'll simply be 'borrowing' the idea of wainscoting on the walls, a white paint, sectional couch and huge ottoman. Oh, yeah, we will be mounting up a flat screen a well. Toss in some black and white photos, a couple of rusty oars or vintage surfboards on the walls, and we will switch the Seattle vibe for that of Nantucket.

The laundry room. Inspiration has arrived via A Country Farmhouse's kitchen. We've dabbled with the Ikea wood countertops in our own kitchen but it wasn't until I saw her kitchen that I realized how beautiful they could really be. We will be staining the wood countertops and then dousing them with some polyurethane coating due to their location in the laundry room. I then plan on framing a huge chalkboard for the wall or, if I'm still located in crazy land, tiling the whole room with subway tile. Check. Crazy. Check.

The home office. Without question, the home office done by Nate Berkus. Done. In fact, we designed our home office around this picture below. Sorry for the 'over-lovin' Nate, but you have some fantastic ideas and we couldn't help but pay some homage to you in our own home. A cork board wall, dual modular work stations with a stainless steel-esque countertop. Check, check.

A basement status report? The dry wall is in. They are taping and mudding tomorrow. Tiling to start towards the end of the week followed by the hardwood floors. I'm starting to let myself get excited. It actually looks like it might actually happen.

Left or Right?

2010-05-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

Jessica Helgerson

Up or down?

In or out?

Tomorrow I pick out the tile for our basement bathroom. I'm taking my 7-month old because I think his design instincts will lead us to a better decision.

Decor Pad

I'm totally kidding. He's 7-months old people. I don't expect his design capabilities to fully develop until he's at least 2 years old.

Decor Pad

Do I go all white in the bathroom or a combination of black-and-white? This, my friends, is the question of the day.

House Beautiful

By the way, here are my sconces in the bathroom (in silver). They weren't my original choice but the electrician located the sconce outlets a wee bit high. And, hey, I'm adaptable, so here we landed.

Circa Lighting

Blue and Green

2010-05-23T21:24:00.001-07:00

Shutter-licious.

Elle Decor

2010-05-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

Image via Elle Decor

Elle Decor has always been a hit or miss magazine for me. I had a phase, back in 2004-5, where I saved every...single...copy of the magazine. This correlates timing-wise to when I lived in a condo with views of the water and the Seattle city lights.

All things change and, when I got married and had kids, Elle Decor went out the window. I did the whole smug-married thing and started subscribing to Traditional Home and House Beautiful instead. I'd pass by Elle Decor in grocery store check-out lines and it always turned my head. But it didn't feel right. It seemed a waste of money for a traditional home owner.

Well, I stand corrected. The picture above is from the current issue and it is breath-taking. The whole issue is amazing. I bought it for a family get-away this weekend and then ended up packing it up in my purse this afternoon instead of leaving it for other folks to read. {Don't even try to judge me on that move, I know you'd do the same!}

And if the picture isn't enough to get you back to Elle Decor, please let me also note the following: Elle.decor has also been given an update and is definitely worth viewing to those Internet-savvy folks like us bloggers. And, speaking of bloggers, Elle Decor is giving some serious props to bloggers. Very nice.

Well done Elle Decor.

Status

2010-05-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

The house is currently being re-wired. The basement is still being remodeled.

And I've lost my mind.

Why? I think it has something to do with the fact that we are climbing over 50 packs of wood flooring currently stored on our main floor. The dining room chandelier was just delivered and is sitting in our entryway. One of my little guys thinks it's a "garbage truck" and is dumping his toys directly on to the new chandelier. And I've been notified that the basement bathroom vanity is on its way. Where will it go? Ummm, the living room appears to be the only available option.

I'm attempting to handle this all with grace. Grace, I tell ya. Keep cool, keep strong, keep working. All will be back to normal soon.

More sane posts to come. Please hang with me.

Blue

2010-05-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

This picture makes me want to paint my house blue. Love.

Clunky Shoes

2010-05-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

I have mad love for these shoes. They'd be perfect this spring when worn with classic outfits like shorts with a tucked-in white button down shirt or with a poufy khaki skirt a la JCrew.

And, because I can't lie {wait, that may be a lie}, the overall clunkiness of these shoes will absolutely make my legs look long and tiny. Clothing acting as camoflauge. Now that's a good thing.

Holy Bathroom

2010-05-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

I like Rachel. She's a mom raising her adorable daughter and redesigning her house with her husband. This week she unveiled her master bathroom and, when I took a look at her reveal, my mouth dropped. It is absolutely stunning.

If you haven't been following Southern Exposure, you should. Rachel has an amazing eye in terms of her own home decor, as well as picking up vintage finds at various stores.

My word. That bathroom. A-maz-ing.

Prepare yourself Rachel. I'll be copying everything in my basement bathroom. ;)

A Boy's Life

2010-04-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

The pad of one of my little guys. He sleeps like a rock star in this room. I have no doubt that the interior decor leads his little mind to happy places. Such as the moon. Or the ice cream shop.

Eye Candy

2010-04-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else obsessed with Ralph Lauren's branding? I sure am. It's luxury branding at its finest. Talk about creating a lifestyle that I'd like to jump into. Especially after my little guy sticks his hand in his poopy diaper and then smears it on my pants. Especially then.

All photos via the genius Pieter Estersohn. His portfolio is like cotton candy at a county fair; like drinking a Bud Light after a hard day of yard work; like a pair of jeans that doesn't create a muffin top or show your arse crack. Bottom line, he has mad skills and his website is worth your time.

Lightening the Load

2010-04-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Bosworth Hoedemaker, first discussed here.

In renovating our basement, we had to pull up everything from our basement so that the contractors could work with a blank slate. Hauling our goods up the stairs took almost two whole weekends. I woke up this morning and felt like I'd just run the Boston Marathon. That's what you get when you kick-start your physical activity after birthing a couple of kiddos.

Knight Associates, Architects

So we've decided to pare down. A couple of Craig's List sales here and a significant number of charitable donations there. It feels GOOD to get rid of things and make our lives less full and complicated.

Knight Associates, Architects

In line with our current line of thinking, I came across some photos of some smaller scaled houses. They were lovely and felt like a breath of fresh air. Here's to spring cleaning, paring down and leading a simpler life. Lovely.

Knight Associates, Architects

Powder Room

2010-04-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

KA-CHOW!

A better AFTER picture of the powder room.

And while some would say it's better because I'm in the picture {that really would only be my husband...on a good day}, I say it's better because you can see both the front, side and back of the room. All that design goodness in one photo. Can you handle it? If not, then please head here.

The powder room BEFORE. Pink-a-licious. The toilet paper and can of Lysol really pushes it to the top, wouldn't you say?

Love

2010-04-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

Two-thirds of my boys. They make my heart melt.

Renovation Reality

2010-04-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

If you are going to renovate your basement, then its a certain truth that the contents of your basement need to go somewhere.

Please meet our dining room {above}. It has decided to lovingly embrace our basement treasures. We truly, truly hope that the relationship soon disintegrates, a quick break-up follows and it is in everyone's best interests to move the goods back to the basement.

Bugged Out

2010-04-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Dew on insects. Can you believe it? Utterly, entirely beautiful.

I believe people pay good money for bags and brooches that look like this. Just sayin'.

More images and story may be found here.

Photocredits: Miroslaw Swietek

Credit for this find goes to neighbor friend R.

Uh, Yeah, I Did It...

2010-04-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

These red tulips are growing in my front yard.

This is a miracle for a number of reasons, but most notably, because my thumbs couldn't be less green. My husband can attest to the quick demise of almost all of my houseplants and even most of my outdoor plants. It's not a result of me ignoring my plants. Oh no, it's quite the opposite. I simply love my plants way too much. I water them on a daily basis and I sing to them at every opportunity. I constantly re-evaluate where the best sun is shining in my house. I even add Miracle Grow drops to my watering can. And, after about 14 days, the plants wilt, lose their leaves and die. It's completely depressing.

But these tulips are anything but depressing. They are beautiful, lovely and so happy looking when you walk up to our house. So, in honor of these ever-persevering tulips, I'd like to thank those who saw the potential in my gardening abilities. Here's to my mother, my mother Earth, my mother-in-law, and Tara Dillard. Without your support and guidance, these red babies would have never seen the light of day.

I love Spring.

Lessons From My Mama

2010-04-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

Lesson 1: Master tablescaping. A question. Is tablescape even a word? Is it just as ridiculous to read the word as it is to write it?

Lesson 2: Amass a plethora of cookbooks. Write down in the cookbook what works with the recipe and, more importantly, note which recipes should *never* be tried again. *As in, Salamagundi, which is a mixture of tomatoes, corn, rice and salmon. If you are pregnant and reading this, I apologize for making you nauseous.

Lesson 3: Organize your spice rack. Carpenter ants eating your bathroom? Car totaled by joyriding teenager? No problem-o, just check out the organized spice rack below. It's like Prozac for foodies.

Lesson 4: Love your life. It's short, it's the one you've got. Figure out how to make it work for you. This lesson is also known as "stop whining."

I love, love, love my mama.

April Showers

2010-04-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Lets chalk this one up to 'things that make me happy.'

And lets chalk this one up to 'things that shouldn't happen to your only family car at 5:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning.'

We weren't hurt. The nincompoop* that nailed our car wasn't hurt either. Thank goodness on both accounts, although it doesn't lessen my urge to kick that nincompoop in the shins for driving so fast on our road.

*Nincompoop is defined as someone who acts in a self-defeating or counterproductive way. It's infinitely more fun than calling someone a stupid idiot who should be grounded for the rest of his life.

Easter Tidings...

2010-04-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

Via Martha

I'm off to make deviled eggs, hunt for eggs in grass, contemplate raising chickens that produce eggs, mow down some chocolate eggs and dream of owning a Faberge egg.

All in all, it's going to be an egg-cellent weekend. Later ladies {and gents}!

My Vacation House

2010-03-31T20:06:00.001-07:00

My DREAM vacation house

I think I'm obsessed with Dutch Colonial houses. Clearly not a bad thing since I live in one. But, come on, is it normal to want your someday {as in, never gonna happen} vacation home to also be a Dutch Colonial? I think not.

It wasn't always like this. Once upon a time, I wanted a modern vacation home. A Dwell-style modular home. I assumed we'd plop it on a plot of land near some vineyards in the middle of the state and call it a day. I imagined many an afternoon plopped next to a pool, drinking martinis and congratulating myself on the wonderful deal I got on the pair of vintage Eames chairs sitting in the living room.

But since I saw this photo, which was about 2 years ago, I cannot imagine owning any other type of vacation home. It's entirely the most beautiful Dutch Colonial house I've ever seen.

I dream of walking the beaches with my mug of coffee in the morning, wrapped in my wool tartan blanket and sporting my UGG boots. Breakfast will follow and will involve pancakes and loud conversations with my boys where we discuss soccer scores and world politics. The day itself will be full of books on the couch, walking on the beach, and mad games of Scrabble where the winner will be required to perform a victory dance a la Britney Spears. Long homemade dinners that include copious amounts of wine {for the parents, of course} will be par for the course , and afterwards, we will light a fire and roast marshmallows.

Sound interesting? Well then, please purchase the house next door. We would enjoy your company at dinner, although you aren't allowed to complain when I kick your butt at Scrabble.

A Plan

2010-03-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

My new basement bathroom light. I'm stealing it from our upstairs hallway and locating it over the proposed clawfoot bathtub in the basement bathroom.

I have a plan for the basement bathroom. I think.

I'm not sure I love my plan, but I do know that the plan is simple enough that I will never hate the plan. And, quite frankly, I think it's more important to not totally hate the plan vs. totally love the plan.

Was that last paragraph even logical?

1. Extra-Wide Single Vanity w/ Carrara Marble Top. *If it were totally up to me {which it is not}, I'd pick a black countertop. But I do have a husband with an opinion, so, white marble it is.*

2. Toilet, Kohler Memoirs. It's rocked in the boy's bathroom so I assume it will rock downstairs. I get the extra tall version so that I don't feel like I'm falling when I sit down to visit the loo. Please let me be clear, in the middle of the night, short toilets are a serious problem for us giants.

*By the way, is there ever a nice way to show a picture of a toilet? Uh, no.*

**Second note, I'd like a black toilet seat. My husband has opined that black toilet seats are gross because they show every ounce of dirt. A possibly valid point.**

3. Venetian Beaded Mirror. The vanity has two drawers and three cabinets so I'm not in need of storage via medicine cabinet. Besides, this is a basement bathroom. If we are storing a bunch of crap, it can only mean that the in-law's have moved in. Since I'm very, very aware that my

mother would rather live anywhere but one of her children's houses, I'm not so worried about

missing out on a medicine cabinet.

4. White Clawfoot Bathtub. Had to have it after seeing Meryl Streep lounging around in her black version in It's Complicated.

5. White subway tile up the walls to a wainscoting height. White grout. On floor, white octagonal tiles with black octagonal tile border. Inside border, black flower pattern. Dark grey grout.

6. Lighting.

a. Around the vanity. A pair of lights to go on either side of the mirror. Either this:

or this:

Both from the all-too-fabulous Circa Lighting

b. Over the bathtub. I want a light that's a little *sassy* but that doesn't get in the way of the television on the wall. Oh, did I forget to mention? Yes, a tiny little flat screen where mama-san {that would be me} can park it and watch Gossip Girl while taking a bath and drinking a glass of red wine. My goodness, that sounds unbelievably awesome.

Anyhoo, I've decided to steal our upstairs hallway light for the basement bathroom. See above.

7. Paint color. Comfort Gray by Sherwin Williams. Erika of Urban Grace used it in her nursery and, quite frankly, I trust her decorating tastes. And I also think it will be a nice compliment to the dark gray grout in the floor tiles.

8. Shower. There will be a shower as well, but it will be a simple shower with glass walls. Nothing to scoff at but not much to write home about either.

Thoughts?

A Guessing Game

2010-03-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Lets have some fun today, shall we?

If you were to be sitting on that lovely couch, where would you be? The U.S., Europe, Asia?

Do you think the 'owner' of this space is a corporation, a homeowner or a small business?

Because I'm feeling cheeky, I'm withholding the answer. Instead, I ask that you take a wild guess at who might be the 'owner' of these AMAZING interiors.

It's the Vogue offices in New York. Pretty amazing, eh? Even more amazing interiors can be found at the interior designers who created this welcoming entry to the most beloved halls of fashion reporting: Carrier & Company.

And Round One Goes To...

2010-03-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

I think it's fair to say, Restoration Hardware, that you have beat Pottery Barn Kids in the bedroom/nursery decor competition this season.

China

2010-03-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm discovering that there is always a story behind a family's china. Whether it's the recollection of a wedding or the story of passing down a cherished item through the generations, the china that we own has the ability to provide a reflection of who we are.**

**Yeah, yeah, sentimental drivel. But in my defense, I am blogging after a couple of glasses of wine and a good evening with family.**

Please let me introduce you to The Wisteria House china. In truth, it hasn't always been our china. In fact, I'd say today was the first day that it became our china. For the past four years, it has been languishing away in a box in the basement. We've tried to sell it at consignment shops, on Ebay, CraigsList. If there was a way to get rid of it, we tried to find it.**

**By the way, this is not our wedding china. We didn't register for china. The story of how this china came into our house is a long one and, truthfully, it's not my story to tell. So please just take it a face value that we were lucky to have come across the china.**

There was really no reason for my distaste other than my tastes run simple, not flowery. My perfect china would be a simple white plate with a ring of silver around the border. That's it. Simple white china cups with the same silver ring.

But, today, when we pulled the box out of the basement, I couldn't help but take a conscious step towards this china. When I walked into our entryway, it seemed like an even better fit. I couldn't believe how the blues in the china were pulled out in the blue walls.

And so it stays. The crazy basement china. I think it will fit in quite nicely with the family going forward.

Curious. Do any of you have any good stories about your china?

Stripes

2010-03-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Serena and Lily

Country Living

House Beautiful

Better Homes & Gardens

House Beautiful

Country Living

House Beautiful

Dash and Albert

House Beautiful

Consistency in Decorating

2010-03-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

Nate Berkus' Bathroom via Decorpad

There is much to be said with respect to consistency in decorating.

What is consistency in decorating? I think it's easier to explain than define. Have you ever walked through an open house and felt that the flow of the house was perfect? That it didn't matter what floor you were on, that floor still felt relevant and connected to the floors above and below. The basement bathroom didn't identically match the master bathroom, but there were elements that connected the two. Different fabrics and paint were used throughout the house, yet it still felt like each color choice was made with the other colors in mind.

Via Decorpad

Make sense? If you think about it, consistency in decorating is really about avoiding a fun term I like to call the "remuddle." The remuddle is found often in homes and is easy to point out. It's the room that looks like no other room in the house. An easy example is the 1980's kitchen in the traditional Victorian house. That's not a remodel folks, that's called a remuddle.

I'm working on hard on consistency in decorating on my own house. The most current example of this effort is our basement bathroom. In planning this bathroom, I'm trying to find a way to take elements from throughout the house and incorporate them into this bathroom. That way, if someone walks through the house, they will feel like the boys bathroom upstairs and the basement bathroom are part of the same house.

I've discussed the kid's bathroom again and so I won't inundate you with pictures. If you'd like a reminder, however, you can check the whole story out here.

The elements that I'm pulling out of this bathroom are:

1. The subway tiles. There is nothing better than a white subway tile. They are ever so classic and always appear fresh when used with a current paint color, wallcovering or flower arrangement.

In our boys bathroom, we used a dark gray grout to both offset the subway tiles and to avoid the grimy stains that were likely to pour over the solid white grout over the years:

Via Absolutely Beautiful Things

Perhaps I'll mix it up in the basement bathroom by turning the subway tiles in a chevron pattern. Or, as chevron may be a bit too trendy for a Dutch Colonial like ours, perhaps I'll use white grout {like the one below} with the tile as opposed to dark grout:

And, in addition to my white subway tiles, perhaps I could throw in a different type of white tile in an unexpected pattern. A way to set-off an area of the shower or the vanity area:

2. White fixtures. We used the Kohler Memoirs line in the boys bathroom. At the time, we chose it because it was classic, budget-friendly and looked like it could withstand the

whirlwinds of nature that I like to call 'kids.'

I'm inclined to go with the Kohler line again. But, to give it a twist, I'm thinking of adding some black elements. Perhaps a black countertop or black cabinet. Or, how about a black toilet seat such as this:

Via Waterworks

3. Black and white tile flooring. I'm a sucker for white tile flooring that includes black patterns and we created a very simple patterned floor in the boys bathroom. I'd like to stick with patterned flooring again in the basement bathroom, but I'd like to create an entirely different pattern. Something a little like one of these:

Regardless of what we do, I am confident that the end result will be a bathroom that mirrors the essence of the boys bathroom upstairs. And, someday, when we add a master bathroom into our master bedroom, I will follow the same decorating consistency principles to create a bathroom that is in line with the other bathrooms in our house. But this time, perhaps I will use an elegant marble tile flooring as a way to boost the elegance and luxuriousness of the bathroom. A little something like this:

or this:

Time will tell if I succeed in consistently decorating throughout my house. But I do believe it is a truly easy way to create the most beautiful of spaces.

Floored

2010-03-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

The basement renovation has started. Oh yes. The tell-tale signs are here: the sweaty palms, the stressed discussions, the rushing around. Me off worrying about the decorating. The hubbie worrying about more practical elements, like budget and where the outlets will be located in the bathroom.

Our first set-back? The floors. We had planned on stamped concrete floors for most of the basement. Reason being that the city is a bit forgetful when it comes to emptying the sewer drain that sits directly outside our house. If I can be honest, I'm not sure if there is anything worse than being on vacation while crap is shooting throughout your basement. Especially when the crap then sits in the basement for a week {during summer weather} while you are out slamming down margaritas on the beach. I should have known that margarita karma was going to bite me in the rear.

Back to the point. Today we learned that stamped concrete floors take away 3 inches in floor-to-ceiling height. Unfortunately, we don't have that much height to give in our basement. We are tall people after all. End result? Stamped concrete bye-bye.

I've now decided that we should have the most impractical floors possible. Please therefore give a warm welcome to the wide-plank parquet wood floors shown up above.

Oh man. I'm going to end up with floor tiles.