Are you ready?

Only a few days left until Christmas!! Are you ready? I'm 95% there! Just a few little things to handle. Hopefully by now you are able to sit back and relax a little and take a little time to...

Enjoy the beautiful tree you put up. Or

Admire the beautifully wrapped presents. Or...

Simply enjoy a cup of tea by the fire and take in the fresh coat of snow. Whatever it is you like to do make sure you take some time enjoy the magic of the season! Enjoy!

Photos: Canadian House & Home, Simply Luxurious

Decorations for the Door

Monday December 13, 2010

I need to get some fresh greenery so I can decorate my front door like this! Isn't it lovely!

Photo: Canadian House & Home

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday November 25, 2010

Happy Turkey Day!!! What a wonderful year it has been and I have so much to be Thankful for! I hope everyone has a great day enjoying their families, friends, food, and what they all the blessings in their lives. Enjoy!

Photo: Canadian House & Home

Words to Live By

Tuesday November 23, 2010

I saw this quote on a blog I read daily and now have it posted in my office.

It is a great quote and words to live by.

Black & White Interiors

Monday- November 22, 2010

I am a sucker for a black & white interior. It is so bold, striking, & sophisticated. I also like that really any room in the house can be done with this dynamic combo. It can be a formal space or a casual one. It can also be done traditional, country, or contemporary. I just ordered a chair with black & white stripes to match my black & white damask chair. I can't wait as it will look great in any of these rooms. Enjoy!









Photos: Veranda, Simply Luxurious, Oliveaux, Harmony & Home, Unknown

Time Flies.....

Monday- November 22, 2010

My oh My does time fly! I am so sorry for my absence here! I feel as though I should of had this picture on my blog for the last couple months. I need everything to slow down a bit but I don't know when that is going to happen. Work has been extremely busy with a few big installations, my regular client load, as well as my committee meetings. And my personal life has been equally as busy as the hubby & I have been gone almost every weekend this fall! But I shouldn't complain too much as it has been a very fun and exciting fall! Now, I'll get busy and start blogging! Thanks for your patience!

Photo: Twig Hutchinson

A Fun Fall Craft

It's that time of year to make your home all cozy for the colder months ahead. I thought this was a pretty harvest wreath and seems fairly easy. I always enjoy a good craft and thought I would share this one!

Golden Harvest Wreath How-To
This 22-inch wreath form was decorated with about 90 magnolia leaves, 150 wheat stems, and 25 feathers. If you can't find magnolia leaves, use any other sturdy, broad leaf. This wreath can last for several years: After the holidays, place it, front side up, in a flat box cushioned with tissue paper. Keep it in a cool, dry place. If a few of the magnolia leaves look tired when you unpack it, replace them with freshly painted ones.

Tools and Materials
Floral spray in brilliant gold White feathers
Magnolia leaves
24-gauge gold wire
Gardening shears
Wheat stems
22-inch wire wreath form
Hot-glue gun

1. On a clean, dry surface protected by paper in a well-ventilated area, spray the feathers and the top sides of the magnolia leaves gold. Let dry.

2. Bundle 3 leaves with a small piece of wire; snip end. Bundle 5 wheat stems with wire, and snip end. Repeat with the remaining leaves and stems. Wrap the bundles to the wreath form with a single piece of wire, alternating and overlapping bundles of leaves and stems. Keep them tight and close together.

3. Once the wreath form is covered, insert the feathers at equal intervals. Glue in place.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Midas Touches: In Full Feather and more holiday recipes, crafts projects, decorating tips, gift ideas, and simple solutions on marthastewart.com

Photo: Martha Stewart

Art Stop

Friday September 24, 2010

If you don't have plans tonight or tomorrow join us at ArtStop! Grab some friends, your hubby, or whoever and come enjoy all the wonderful Art we have in Des Moines. The free bus takes you around to the different art districts. It's a fun event and is really neat to see into the studio's of many artist's. Plus you get to see some great exhibits! We will be participating at The Mansion so come join us as we will be open late tonight! For more information visit here.

A few lovely Details

Wednesday September 23, 2010

Not only do I love the fresh color combination of this room but it also has a few details that can really take a room to the next level. For starters the addition of nail head on the bench is great! I also like how they alternated the nail heads and beefed the size up too! The sofa isn't lacking in details either. The tape application is a wonderful way to give an ordinary plain sofa a little more character. Plus look at this adorable pillow below. The bow is a cute addition to the pillow! I'm also loving the art over the sofa! The color, texture, & movement all help pull this room together!

Photos - Emily Gilbert Photography

A unique fixture

Tuesday- September 21, 2010

This light fixture was featured in the Hampton's Designer Showhouse this Spring and it is so cute! What a creative way to bring in some texture. It adds another layer into this vintage feeling dining room. I also love the detail of the slipcover chairs with engraved names on them. Too cute!!

Photo: Traditional Home

A Touch of Pink

Sometimes all you need in a room is a little pink. I love the soft accent of pink in this room. It is soothing, calming, & oh so inspiring. I also really like the gold accents in the space, especially the bangle style table. What a fabulous sun room!

Photos: Atlanta Homes Magazine

Barefoot Contessa- Great Recipes

I always enjoy getting my latest issue of House Beautiful in the mail. And recently I have really enjoyed a cooking series by the Barefoot Contessa they feature each month. They have been featuring the Barefoot Contessa in their magazine for a few years but just recently I actually started trying the recipes. They aren't difficult recipes and are fun to cook. Each issue has a new recipe and typically is somewhat seasonal. Here is a recipe I tried over the weekend. It was so yummy as the tomatoes are so wonderful right now! Enjoy!

CAPELLINI WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL

Serves 6

½ cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pasta pot

2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)

4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes

18 large basil leaves, julienned

2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

¾ pound dried capellini or angel hair pasta

1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan for serving

1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add two tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.

2 Meanwhile, heat the ½ cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) sauté pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, two teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for five to seven minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don't break up.

3 While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for two minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.

4 Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan, and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.

Photos: Barefoot Contessa, House Beautiful

A lovely vignette!

I am loving this little vignette! It makes me want to see more of this room! This chest is so unique. Talk about some stunning hardware! I could take everything in this picture home with me! I wish I had the right corner to make this happen!

Photo: Thibaut

Updated Country Spaces

Many times when you think of a country style you think of primitive, vintage, and rustic. But it doesn't have to be! Country spaces can still have a grand feeling to them. I think these pictures demonstrate this beautifully! These spaces are updated & fresh, while still maintaining an aesthetic with country influence. Enjoy!

Photos: Canadian House & Home

Flower Details

Tuesday- August 24, 2010
The close up shots of these succulents are beautiful! I think the details in these shots show the true story! Imagine how stunning they are all together!


Photos: Traditional Home

A powder bath with Style

Wallpaper is a wonderful way to create some impact in a powder bathroom. It's an easy way to get a stylish bathroom. You simply need a neat wallpaper and a interesting vanity and you'll end up with a stunning bathroom. I have used this wallpaper from Schumacher before! It's fun to see it in another color! Happy Friday!

Photo: House Beautiful

DSM Magazine

Tuesday July 10, 2010

Des Moines is very lucky as we have a great local magazine called DSM. They feature a great mix of articles on home, fashion, art, culture & people. I was a designer they recently featured in this quarter's magazine. I was honored to feature this great project in their magazine. I was asked to pick one of my favorite rooms I've ever designed. This was very difficult as I have been very fortunate to have designed some pretty cool spaces so far in my career. I think I picked this room as this is one of my favorite houses. The entire house is stunning including the mirrored bathroom! It all turned out so beautifully and the clients were the most wonderful people. I'll share more photos of this home later but you can read about the story here.

Photo: DSM Magazine

Las Vegas Market

Monday August 9, 2010

I had a fantastic time last week in Las Vegas. It was fun to be able to see some products up close & personal! I was specifically looking for a particular project but I found some really unique new lines! You'll see some of them soon at The Mansion. Here are a few things that caught my eye!

I really like the casual feel of this bed. The linen and the whimsical dream sign.

I love the long mirrored furniture piece. The fretwork is divine!

A wine tasting table. Now all I need is a well stocked cellar! It is a perfectly designed piece. It holds bottles, glasses, as well as a space to taste the wine on!

I'm really loving the punch of orange. Plus these pedestal's with the large vases make for a superb installation!

I have really liked Laura Kirar's work for Baker and was excited to see her collection for Arteriors Home. This grouping of wall panels was one of my favorites.

I love this sofa. I think it is so cute! The contrasting fabric is great! This probably doesn't surprise you but I love the ruffles on the welt.

Really cute bird cages!

This might be visual overload for some folks but their are so many great products here!

A large college of a single item! Huge impact!