Gone Fishing - back July 7th

We're off for a family adventure - Paris, Salzburg & Hallstatt Austria, Rothenburg, Germany and Cinque Terre Italy. Back to blogging July 7th - do check out Anne's office below. Happy 4th July!

Pink & Green - Anne's Gorgeous Office

It's wonderful to have such a nice friend who also happens to be a talented designer and partner at Dwellings by Design. Whenever I enter Anne's office, I don't want to leave. "Oh, what else can we chat about so I can linger a little longer!" I think to myself. From the overall concept to the execution of the details, this work space is inspired. Love the choice to concentrate the palette on two colors and then revel in the may ways to play out the pink and green combination.

Crisp, clean and lovely - the perfect spot to be creative. The Parson's desk from West Elm allows Anne a full view of her inspiration board. Sadly, the desk is no longer offered in this spring green.

Anne ordered the Talia chaise from Ballard Designs and had it custom covered in this cheery pink/green stripe. This is the best place to lounge with a cup of tea and a stack of design magazines. (p.s - note to self - I need a pillow with pom-pom trim)

Love, love, love these vintage pieces from her grandmother. They catch your eye immediately as you enter the room.

Three framed pieces of wrapping paper anchor the wall behind the desk. Below is an expanse of bookcases within easy reach of the workspace.

Can't get enough of this chaise.



A closer look at the framed paper.

Simple bookcases brought to a new level with pink trim and wallpaper lining.

Notice how she brought the pink trim to the back of the bookcase too - a great touch I haven't seen before.

A close-up of the large message board that anchors the wall directly across from the desk. I think the design choice to make this board the same color as the wall keeps the space looking open and fresh and allows the inspirations to pop against the background. In particular I was drawn to one...

Mary Engelbreit I don't think we've met! I have to admit that this illustration looks alot like childhood photos of me when I, ahmm, was not in the sunniest disposition!

Flowers and a crown as accent pieces - what else could a girl want!

Maison Living Georgetown, Washington DC - new website!

I posted about my visit to Maison Living back in April. They were recently profiled in the July/Aug issue of Elle Decor - but it must have gone to press before their new website was up and running. If you're interested in checking out their newest finds here's their new website.

(image via Jean Pierre Antiques/Maison Living's website)

Instant Design Crush

Just saw this room by designer John Barman on today's Desire to Inspire post. Instantly fell in love - go check out their full post to see more of his inspiring rooms. I want this one!

Orderly Eye Candy

House Beautiful June 2007, designer Kari Cusack

Summer Cottage: Not the Size but How We Live In Them That Matters

This weekend I was reading Paradise Lost by Wendy Dennis in House & Home's Notes From Home, one of the few shelter magazines that stills devotes precious pages to essays about the meaning of home. The author laments the advent of the McCottage and the loss of the simple ways previous generations have appreciated the beauty of Ontario's Muskoka region.
In response to her question "Do you like your cottage?" the renter next door replied, "It's fantastic. It has this unbelievably massive media room downstairs." That response captures it all...With all the beauty of the surrounding area, rain or shine, why a media room?

I think in the end it's not the square footage of the summer place but what you do and who you are when you're there that matters.
Architecture and design can, if we let it, help us truly vacation - leave behind the usual and find the extraordinary of summer time.

What architecture can create this way of being? Here are some pics of my version. (Click here to see a gallery of cottage pics from House & Home)

A gathering place for meals and card games or the 3,000 piece jigsaw puzzle that takes a whole summer to complete.
Everything is simple. (via House Beautiful, photography by Don Freeman)

via Pointclick home, photography by Eric Striffler
via PointClickHome, photography by Mark Lohman

The bedrooms are small and cozy and made even better by oddly angled walls.

above images via House Beautiful, photography by Don Freeman

image via Coastal Living, photography by Jean Allsopp

There a bikes with baskets in the front and a bell on the handlebar.

via Small Place Style

You take the time to wander down paths and up trails.

No matter the view from your cottage window, you spend time just gazing.

You notice little stuff - you open up to less formal ways of doing things.

You choose words like "tinker" instead of "fix." You sense you have time.

Sandals get left at the edge of the beach. People trust they'll be there when they return. (Chatham, Cape Cod)

You sit next to people you care about. You make conversation with people walking by.

Wellfleet, Cape Cod

Wellfleet, Cape Cod

You find that TV is a poor substitute for nights spent watching this and then gazing up at the stars. (Stonington, Deer Isle Maine)

And when your summer stay comes to an end, you are all the better for it.

Beautiful Pillows

Gorgeous pillows from Bliss Studio in such dreamy, comforting colors.


Seeing the above picture made me think of these equally gorgeous pillows Little Byrd made custom for a client.

Part 1: Beautiful Rooms....Part 2: Grateful Blogger

Flipping through my copy of House Beautiful 750 Designer Secrets: Exclusive Design Ideas from the Pros I came across so many beautiful rooms. This is an excellent book, not one with a constant narrative running throughout, but the type of book you pick up again and again for new ideas and inspirations.

photography by Dana Gallagher (The photos in this post were taken of the book, original photographers noted. I could not find designer credits for the rooms.)

photography by Dana Gallagher
photography by Dana Gallager
photography by Roger Davies
photography by Dana Gallagher
photography by Gordon Beall
photography by Gordon Bealle
photography by John Hall
photography by Gordon Beall

House Beautiful 750 Designer Secrets: Exclusive Design Ideas from the Pros


Part 2: Grateful Blogger
This past week I have been the recipient of some lovely, wonderful gestures that I wanted to share and acknowledge.
A beautiful photo frame from MRR Designs for some very minor assistance with resizing an image (the technological credit actually belongs to my 14 year old son.) This frame is lovely - and so incredibly well made. I have attempted these before - and failed. Check out her wonderful site - you can even have custom message boards made.

From the lovely and inimitable Patricia of PVE Design - an original rendering of a florist shop in gorgeous brown and greens. Click here to see a full sized image of this painting from her original post. Patricia designed my blog header and I'll be posting more on some of the other things she's created for this blog.

Out of the blue, a packet arrived from northwest Canada - more beautiful Cartolina Cards from artist Fiona Richards. I so love this little Hello card - the blue and red are so perfect together. Now I want wallpaper like this for my downstairs bathroom!!
AND from my husband - this Mocha Rumbie delivered to me pool side in our backyard. This past week we celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary!!

English Manor Gardens & Interiors - Leesburg

Fun day today - no work and lots of play! I had a lovely lunch with two college friends - one of whom has taken a 2 year post to Switzerland with her company. She and her husband and two boys are off on a wonderful adventure! We had a lot of catching up to do - even though the three of us live only 45 minutes apart we hadn't seen each other in a long while. We joked we'll probably see more of each other in Europe (we'll have to visit!) than here in Northern Virginia.

If you come to No. Va, put Leesburg on your list of places to see. After lunch it was time for shopping - first stop was English Manor Garden & Interiors. Painted furniture and antiqued mirror surfaces dominated, along with lovely accessories and pretty tablescapes.

Love how this book is displayed on a stand - I need to do that!

Gorgeous lamp.

Faux artichokes in a beautiful wooden bowl.



Somehow these hot pink Christmas bulbs look so in-season in this tablescape.

Love the circle motif on these painted cabinets.





This is the illustration from English Manor Gardens & Interiors' business card. They don't currently have a web site but can be reached at 703.669.3300 - 27 South King Street - Leesburg, VA - 20175

The shot below is from a narrow alley leading to the town's parking garage. A store devoted to pets has this wonderful topiary dog there to greet you - how apropos.