Twins!

Finally back from my maternity hiatus, I am reflecting on everything that has transpired during the last year.  Needless to say, finding out that I was expecting twin boys was one of the biggest surprises of my life.  Along with all of the typical questions (What will they look like? Will I get huge?  Am I ready to be a mother to infants after 10 years?), I panicked about setting up a nursery.  How will I fit two cribs, a changing table, a pull out sofa, bouncy seats, activity playmats, etc., into the 10' x 10' space that was my daughter's playroom?  Of course, then I had to figure out how to combine my daughter's bedroom and playroom into a functional space to sleep, study, play, and store the legions of Polly Pockets, Barbies, American Girls, Wii components...it was endless.

Stay tuned for photos and tips on how I pulled it off!

LXTV/Open House on NBC!

This week I hosted a segment on NBC's 'Open House'!  I had so much fun taping the show since it was a topic that i love...my travels.  i gave tips on how to incorporate travel treasures and inspiration gained abroad seamlessly into your home's decor. i love showcasing what i have done in my own home to create a space that truly feels like 'me' :-)

In case you missed it, check out this link:

http://360mediawatch.com/download.php?vid=12515

The Selby is in your place...

...is my new favorite book.  Todd Selby, a professional portrait and fashion photographer, has compiled an amazing collection of photo-biographies on his website (www.theselby.com), some of which are featured in this 'first edition'.    as he says on the back cover, "...i go to interesting people's homes and take photos of them hanging out."   but this is only the beginning.  not only do we get a glimpse into the homes of his subjects, we also get snapshots of the details that fill these spaces...and these details say more about these people than any portrait ever could.  

now, some of these spaces are way too cluttered for me (i would probably have a daily panic attack), but i ended up truly inspired by what i saw.  whether it was the color, rhythm, or abstractness of it all, i am moved. and there is a bonus...each piece includes a questionnaire filled out by the subjects which includes sketches, lists, and musings about what they do and why they do it.  or in some cases, what they have and why they have it.  it's like a summer novel that you can't put down.  kinda makes me feel uninteresting....but the fact is, i am an editor.  i love seeing/living with my favorite pieces and tchotchkes, but i don't necessarily like seeing/living with them all at the same time.  instead, i rotate them...which actually might be interesting considering that my house changes every six months or less.  why should i try to be as interesting as the people in the book? Lesley Arfin, a selby subject who wrote the introduction says, "The Selby has encouraged not only our inner voyeur, but also our inner exhibitionist." 

i'm ready for my close-up, mr. selby.

finally...

...back in april, i was fed up with my bedroom...small space, weirdly high angled "barn" ceiling, no storage, etc...so, i finally decided to get it together.  now, i didn't exactly achieve nirvana in the storage department, but i DID create a space that is livable, cozy and, above all, makes me smile when i wake up the morning...after all, isn't that the point?

first, i painted 27" wide horizontal orange stripes on the already-yellow walls.  this trick brought the room down to "eye" level...which makes you follow the walls and corners around the room instead immediately drawing your eye to the ceiling.  

second, i really needed a headboard, but i didn't want to give up any unnecessary space...so i decided to create the "illusion" of one.  I applied one of favorite wallcoverings, Chiang Mai Dragon from F. Schumacher & Co. (www.fschumacher.com), the width of the mattress and then framed it with moulding.  in two hours i had the greatest headboard that i could have imagined for this room!  then i broke up the orange and yellow with a wonderful green matelasse quilt and white shams from Sferra 1891 (www.1891bysferra.com)

next, i moved my dresser into the garage adjacent to my bedroom (i know, weird, but this house was built in the 40's...must have been a carport or something), which i am converting into my 'walk-in closet'...stay tuned for that one.  i replaced it with a charming asian-latticework hutch that i found in a vintage shop, where i store some of my favorite books on the top shelves and (some of) my shoes in the bottom cabinet.  i debated getting rid of the plasma tv in my room entirely...but my current obsession with late-night dexter and californication made it impractical, really...i was able to mount it on a side wall, thanks to the ultra-extending/swiveling tv arm that i found at Best Buy.  the extra space that i gained allowed me to add my great-grandmother's tufted french settee at the foot of my bed :-)

anyway, here it is!

and here is a close-up of the FAB-U-LOUS wallpaper i used for the headboard!

KTLA

another fun event surrounding the design tour was appearing on the KTLA morning show in a segment with rick campos and megan crane, some of my design tour cohorts, to promote the tour.  http://www.ASIDOCC.org

the three of us each took turns "freshening up" Lisa Jackson's (from Orange Coast Magazine) apartment.  the interviews were done by the incomparable Allie Mackay, who is so funny and dynamic that being awake at 4pm didn't seem like such a chore.  

you can check out the segments at http://www.ktla.com/alliemackay...we are on the 5, 6, and 7am hours on april 14th...and here is a photo of the team, along with Allie Mackay and Lisa Jackson.  Allison Olmstead and Lauren Townsend of To:Media (www.tomediaco.com) have done a fantastic job promoting the tour, including setting up this press opportunity.

http://tomediaco.blogspot.com/2009/04/asid-2009-design-tour-featured-on-ktla.html