Then last weekend while wasting time researching on pinterest I ran across this image.  Yep, it’s got to be the same room, right?

John Loecke Interior Design

Of course, this made me want to see more…..so some more searching lead me to this next image (yes, I know I claim to be so busy…..but this is oddly how I often zone out and relax…)  Definitely the same bones with a more eclectic vibe.  Love it too.

Home of John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon via Apartment Therapy

image by Jill Slater

If you want to see more of this dynamic duo’s home, go here and here where it was featured on Apartment Therapy (with lots of resources generously shared as well).  To check out their portfolio and their blog, go here and here.

photography by Roger Davis for Architectural Digest

Su Casa via The Enchanted Home

The lavender colorway would be fabulous in a nursery, don’t you think?  Maddie’s wallpaper is sitting in her closet waiting to be hung….or else this would be a contender for her room!

Something about this pattern is understated and calming to me.  Do you like it?

 And then, a few minutes later, I saw this one.

image via Holiday

Are you seeing double like me?

On the chair and ottoman…

image via Better Homes & Gardens

And on the drapes…. 

photo by Emily Followill for Traditional Home

This fabric is available in eight colorways.  Click here to see them.

For more information, contact me.

image by Gordon Beall

Can you imagine having a kitchen so incredible….how could you find an excuse not to cook?  But, if you must know my eye was immediately drawn to the lighting.  I knew these fixtures….where had I seen them before?

But of course, I had seen them in this stunning kitchen by Brooks & Falotico via House of Turquoise.  But wait, there is more.  Here it is again in a room by Palmer Weiss.

This beautiful fixture is available in any Benjamin Moore color and in nearly 200 powder coated finishes.  It’s also available in a flush mounted version.  I absolutely love this fixture.  I love the clean lines and its openness, allowing unobstructed views.  Sheer perfection if you ask me!

For more information on pricing, please contact me.

Anyway, my first sighting of the William Yeoward “Cherington Bookcase” was from the March 2010 issue of Traditional Home.  The feature was on a glamorous Chicago area home.  The home is lovely and while not totally my style, there are many elements I appreciated upon reading.   This “bookcase” used in their dining room immediately caught my eye, as did the beautiful De Gournay bronze metallic wallpaper!

Photographed by Werner Straube for Traditional Home

I just love this piece and have been looking for something like this for our living room.

Here it is again in Amanda Nisbet’s New York apartment.  Besides the fact that I love everything about this image–the colors, use of mirrors, the over-sized gourd lamps, etc.–I was excited to see the Cherington Bookcase again.  This time, the three upper finials were removed due to ceiling height restrictions.

Photographed by Pieter Estersohn for House Beautiful

What do you think?  Do you like it as much as I do?  It also comes with the option of a Chestnut finish with painted interior.  I, myself, am partial to the white, but could see using color (paint or fabric) on the interior.  To see the full line of William Yeoward furnishings, visit their website.

Note:  I do not have an account with this company.  However, I do have a relationship with a craftsman in the US who does reproductions.  If you want additional information, feel free to contact me.

It was designed by Barry Dixon for Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth.  As shown above, it has a premium cerused oak finish and a cotton/polyester blend fabric.

Barry Dixon used this piece in the 2009 CharityWorks GreenHouse.

Photograph by Gordon Beall via SIPA Blogs.

What do you think, a peek of it here in the recent Renovation Style Magazine feature on Anna Kohler’s home?

Image via La Dolce Vita. Photo by Susan Gilmore for Renovation Style.

Do you like it?  I do.  I think it would be great in front of a fireplace or in a long townhouse where the aim is to break up two spaces without hindering flow and visibility.  I love the bolsters on either end and the sort of rustic/industrial vibe it has going on.

There is another version with a back (see below).  For some reason, I am picturing this sofa in a lake-house.  Or maybe a mountain cabin….

Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth has a user-friendly website where non trade customers can view the furniture lines.  I like that they also show their fabrics on the website.  (Am I the only one who gets so frustrated by the lack of product information on many of the trade websites?!?)

They also have a good explantion of why their products are classified as eco-friendly–something that seems more important today than ever before!  As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions on this or anything else you see on the blog.

A few weeks back I spotted this photo on the DC by Design blog.  Jennifer was featuring the recent work of Sally Steponkus, a well known DC designer.  To see the full spread of the beautiful DC West End condo visit here.

Photograph by Angie Seckinger via DC by Design.

I instantly knew I had previously seen this console in print.  And, sure enough, here it is from the March/April 2009 issue of Home and Design magazine.  This time, the designer was  Leslie Rose of Jenkins Baer Associates in Baltimore.  And, the client lived in Arlington, Virginia and was a player for the Washington Capitals.

Photograph by Sharon Jaffee Dan for Home & Design.

The console table looks sleek and modern in each photo, and clicking on the links above will take you to more pictures of each of these fabulous homes.  Both Steponkus and Rose successfully delivered clean, hip, urban homes, while I’d imagine they are equally as functional and livable.  I’ll even admit that I loved the mirror in the second photo, and it now lives in my house.  It looks completely different in my eclectic dining room, hanging over a traditional Henredon buffet.

When I initially saw the black console last year, I knew I wanted to see more from Worlds Away.  I was pleased to learn that not only did I love many of their products, but they are also relatively affordable.

I met with my Worlds Away account representative a couple of weeks ago, and have just had the time to flip through my new 2010 catalog.  Below, I thought I would share a handful of my favorite pieces.  The company offers a wide variety of home items, from casegoods, mirrors and lighting all the way down to decorative trash cans!

Entertainment Console in Limed Oak

Reverse Antique Mirror Gold Leaf Chest

White Lacquer Trellis Mirror

Treillage Mirror

Antique Mirror Table

Wood Top and Golf Leaf Coffee Table

Waste Baskets

One of the things I really love about what I do is the exposure I get to so many fabulous lines of home furnishings, from all ends of the budgetary spectrum.  When I was meeting with the woman who represents this manufacturer, and several others, we were lamenting that sometimes too much information is crippling.  For our own homes, we are super cautious with what we buy, for fear we will find something we like better.

Do you ever feel this way as you read shelter magazines and design blogs?  The information is so helpful and inspirational but the bottom line is, decorate with what you love.  Use inspiration to create a home that is perfect for you and your family….not because it is the hottest item right now.

Sample Sale Alert

And, in other news, if you are in the DC area don’t forget that this weekend is the Sample Sale at the Washington DC Design Center.  Today it is open to the trade only.  But, the doors open tomorrow at 10 AM to the public.  You can find more information on the sale here.

The Highland Park home is obviously extremely high end.  And, in this economy the average person likely does not have the inclination to spend such a large sum on one room alone.  I, myself, am struggling with the decor in my living room.  I’ve had the room painted and purchased a custom sofa, Conrad shades and curtains I love.  But, I keep dragging my feet on ordering the rug, appropriate chairs, tables, etc.  I’ve got furniture in there….but it isn’t the look I want at all.  Like many others, I am trying to prioritize my budget and something somewhere has to give.

As I was thinking about priorities I remembered an old O at Home Magazine article from Winter 2007.  This house must have been featured on her show as well, because I am not seeing as much of this home in the magazine as I had remembered.  In any case, that issue featured the homes of three readers.  These homes were not designed using only high end “trade only” pieces or the services of professional interior designers.  But, rather, they were designed by normal, busy women who found it important to make their houses “home” for their families.

I enjoyed all of the homes.  But, particularly remember that of Jenn Feldman and her husband.  According to the article, after relocating from NY to Beverly Hills to be with her then fiance,  Jenn gave herself a deadline of 30 days to spruce up their new condo.  I love how she managed to create a high end look using her budget wisely.

All images from www.oprah.com.

Jenn made the most of the odd shaped space above this buffet by hanging pictures in descending size to mimic the stairway.  Her collection of glass decanters look organized on a silver tray.

While the bed may be high end, the blanket is from JC Penny and the bench, a recovered flea market find.  The monogram gives a custom look to an ordinary piece.  The framed botanical prints are from a book…she tore them out and framed them.  The pillows on the bed are from Target and Restoration Hardware.  In her living room (not pictured) she has Jonathan Adler stools atop a rug from Lowe’s. 

To pull the above space together, Jenn painted the ceiling and the floors the same blue.  Strategically placed vases and art keep the eyes moving.  With an attention to detail, Jenn spray painted the sea fans blue before framing them on a linen background.  The Ikat pillows in contrasting colors help perpetuate the blue and white theme of this space.  Again, the monogram on the pillow offers a custom touch.  The ottoman doubles as a coffee table when not needed for extra seating.  I love how well this small space is used.

I also love how she continues the color scheme out on the porch, creating an extension of the indoor space.

Finally, the powder room is another example of the high-low style of this home.  Jane Churchill wallpaper covers the walls, while the vanity, sink and mirror are from Z Gallerie.

I love peeking into the homes of “real” people and seeing how a beautiful home can be pulled together through hard work and vision.  Can you believe she created this space in 30 days?

I’d love to hear how you have incorporated a high-low philosophy into the design of your home (or that of a client).  In these tough economic times, I think the ability to accomplish this this shows true design ability.