Vacation, here I come!!

It's official! I am burnt out beyond belief and taking a vacation! I've been ignoring my little blog lately because I've been moving offices, adjusting to an even longer commute, and have been wrapped up with 'life'. It's the first time in three years that I am taking a week off and it's well over due!

The boyfriend and I are leaving Lodi (where we live) on Friday and taking a little 'tour' of the central California coast. First stop will be Monterey for the afternoon where we plan to visit Cannery Row. Then onto Carmel where we are staying for two nights. Sunday morning we head out early to drive South down Highway 1 along the coast. We'll be stopping in San Simeon to visit Heart Castle (where I plan to take tons of pictures of the beautiful architecture to share with you!) Then onto Morro Bay and Pismo Beach where we will be staying three nights. While in Pismo we plan on going wine tasting, squeezing in some relaxing and beach time, and hopefully enjoy some sunshine. I should be back the end of next week, rested and recharged! Bon voyage!

Banquette Seating

I am currently working with a client who just purchased his first home. The place is an wreck and needs a lot of work. (Think faux finishes gone wrong, horrible lighting, mismatched trim work, stained carpet, broken banisters, etc.) Right now we are working on making the house livable (new carpeting, painting the ENTIRE house, etc.) so that he can get in the door. Next on the agenda will be new furnishings. My client has a large eat in kitchen that would be ideal for a banquette. I absolutely adore banquette seating, whether it's used in an eat in kitchen, dining room, or family room. It can be configured in a number of ways--L shaped or U shaped and can look as casual, or as formal as you would like. It's a comfortable seating alternative whether it's built in or free standing and can maximize the space you have to work with. Take a look at a few of my favorite dining setups utilizing banquette seating;

If I were a kid again. . .

I would LOVE to have a playroom like this!

Room of the day

via Elle Decor

Inspiring Plate Walls

A few months back I started picking up plates here and there with the intentions of creating a focal point in my dining area with them. I purchased a few from Ross, TJMaxx and Marshalls, as well as Pier One and Goodwill, and I didn't pay more than $3.00 for a single plate. The assortment is neatly stacked in a corner in my kitchen until I plan to hang them. Maybe I will tackle this project this weekend?! I am not sure of the exact arrangement that I would like to do, but I am finding a lot of inspiration from these photos!

 via Design Sponge

via Belle Maison

via Apartment Therapy

via Apartment Therapy

via Desire to Inspire

via Modern Chic Facebook Fanpage

via La Dolce Vita

via Houzz

via Belle Maison

via Apartment Therapy

via Houzz

via Decorology

via Discover Interior Design

Do you have any plans for the weekend that include sprucing things up around the house? Or will you be outdoors enjoying the sunshine instead?!

The Innate Chicness of J.A.

Have you checked out Jonathan Adler's website lately? If not, GO THERE RIGHT NOW! I promise, you won't regret it!

It's been updated with all sorts of fun stuff like free wallpaper downloads for your cell phones (titled PDA's-- 'Public Displays of Adler') and a whole new 'juniors' section filled with cutsies for kids. My favorite addition to the website is a link that lets you customize your own pillows, rugs and totes. I could spend hours playing around with the different patterns and colors!

I'm not sure if this is new or not (at least it's new to me!) but there is a stationary section filled with fun and affordable things for your office.

 Hosting a party and don't want to deal with the dishes, but the 'ol Chinet screams tacky?! Solution-- Jonathan Adler paper plates and napkins!

I could literally spend all day on his website. Oh, and did I mention, I'm a fan on his Facebook page? I get "Daily Adlerisms" in my news feeds every day. Somehow, I can't help but chuckle when I open up Facebook and see this:

Daily Adlerism! Walking in your front door should feel like running into your ex-boyfriend and he’s fat.

I know Jonathan Adler's manifesto has been on his site for some time now, but I can't help but smile re-reading it over again:  

We believe that your home should make you happy.

We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right.
Unless the husband is gay.

We believe in carbohydrates and to hell with the puffy consequences.

We believe minimalism is a bummer.

We believe handcrafted tchotchkes are life-enhancing.

We believe tassels are the earrings of the home.

We believe in our muses: David Hicks, Alexander Girard,
Bonnie Cashin. Hans Coper, Gio Ponti, Andy Warhol, Leroy Neiman,
Yves Saint Laurent, and Madonna.

We believe in the innate chicness of red with brown.

We believe in being underdressed or overdressed always.

We believe in infantile, happy emblems like butterflies and hearts.

We believe celebrities should pay full price.

We believe in rustic modernism: Big Sur, A-Frame beach houses,
raw beams, and geodesic dome homes.

We believe in Palm Beach style:
Louis chairs, chinoiserie, Lilly Pulitzer, The Breakers circa '72.

We believe our designs are award winning even though
they've never actually won any.

We believe in Aid to Artisans.

We believe dogs should be allowed in stores and restaurants.

We believe in mantiques - suits of armour,
worn chesterfield sofas, heraldic tapestries.

We believe you should throw out your Blackberry
and go pick some actual blackberries.

We believe colors can't clash.

We believe in blowing your nest egg on our pots.

We believe our lamps will make you look younger and thinner.

We believe in irreverent luxury.

Also available for your viewing pleasure on Jonathan Adler's website is a section labled 'Musings'. All I have to say is that you can't read just one!

If you can't tell already, I am a huge fan of all of his work--interiors, furnishings, decor, pottery, etc. In May I am going to be taking a trip to San Francisco (it's just a short 1 1/2 hour drive from where I live, but I don't get over there nearly enough) to visit the Decorator Showcase House. I plan to stop by Jonathan Adler's store while I'm there in the city. I can't wait!!

Wedding Wednesday!

I thought I was going to die when I saw these floating orchids from a bridal shower that was featured on Style Me Pretty earlier this week. This is too gorgeous not to share!

I thought I had never in my life seen anything like this, but then I remembered an image that I had saved in my inspiration files. These flowers hung from a chandelier spruce up an otherwise boring corridor of a church where a wedding ceremony was held.

via Young House Love

This is a simple wedding decoration that could easily be done with fresh blooms or fake flowers and some clear fishing line!

Pretty Pillow Giveaway!

I have been pretty much obsessed with finding new sources for great pillows lately (see here and here) so you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon Rubystella's Etsy shop! Laura at Journey Chic is having an awesome giveaway going on right now. Head over to enter for a chance to win two fabulous 16" x 16" pillow covers made by the talented Rubystella. Her pillows will definately add a punch to any room. Here are a few of my favorites:

Contest ends Friday, April 9th at 5pm Eastern!