10 years

Almost 10 years ago, after we remodeled our old 1920's home, we were featured in Phoenix Home and Garden (June 2001 issue, all photos by Christiaan Blok).  I came across the magazine the other day while cleaning out some boxes and couldn't believe how much has changed in our home in those 10 short years.  I thought it would be fun to do a little comparing...

We still have plenty of grapefruit...

 

The biggest difference is probably in what 10 years ago was a 5 year old's bedroom and bathroom, to what has become home to a teenager.  I didn't style it or clean it for a photo, it just is what it is.  We are actually in the works of painting and redoing her room a bit, so stay tuned for a possible bedroom makeover in the near future...

 

Now I just need to dig up some old pictures of the house from before we remodeled it...

A month by month plan to get your home storage organized

Better Homes and Gardens released this storage organization guide recently and I thought it'd be a good thing to share. I should have posted it early, and from now on I'll post each month's schedule withing the first week of the month. To read the whole storage plan on BHG, click here.

Click on the image for a larger view

January is all about the home office. Here is what they suggest doing:

•Create a Mail Station. Set up mailboxes on a desk, wall, or bulletin board. Or give each member of your family his or her own labeled box, bin, or slot.

•Stay on Schedule. Hang a large monthly calendar in a spot everyone can see and use it. Choose a paper calendar or dry-erase version, and encourage everyone to write important events, deadlines, and reminders.

•Organize Office Supplies. Outfit a desk drawer near your main working area with a divided tray or multiple small bins. Limit the number of office supplies in each compartment. Label each compartment with an adhesive label.

•Get Rid of Junk. Test all writing utensils. Toss everything that doesn't work perfectly. Group similar items (pens, pencils, markers, etc) in canisters for easy access.

Of course, you can always go way more in detail, but I think their suggestions are a nice starting point.


I adore this choclate office, and I'm a huge fan of baskets.
via Southern Living


The modular desk systems and home office styling ideas from Pottery Barn are an organization junkies dream. ...one day...
via Pottery Barn

love me an inspiration board
via Traditional Home

A super glam office

A Herman-Miller studio.

Picture Yourself Here

Snow getting you down?  Got the winter Blues?  Well, sit back and picture yourself here.  These are pictures I took in Naples, Florida this past November.  I figured we all needed a little pick me up right about now.  Click on the pictures to enlarge, then click one more time and they will get even larger.

See the shadows in front of the man in the picture below?  Those are a school of sting rays. 

Are you feeling a little warmer now?

Welcome Home,

Penny

Designer spotlight: Timothy Corrigan Part I

Good morning....so how do you like my "new look"? I love my new blog and want to thank Shari over at littlebluedeer (www.littlebluedeer.com).....she is fantastic and I highly recommend her to anyone considering a "blog makeover". I am off to the New York gift show, which I always look forward to! And, of course will be sure to take my camera and snap away at anything that is inspirational and worth sharing here. Hopefully I will have a lot to show you tomorrow! 
 I have long admired the work of Timothy Corrigan and think he is most definitely one of the most talented and gifted designers out there, hence the reason Architectural Digest named him one of the 100 most talented designers in the world! The post I did yesterday on the two incredible French chateaus that he restored, speaks for themselves. I am going to divide this post into two parts because I have a lot of pictures to share and its too many for one day (don't want to overwhelm the senses).
 So for today I am featuring front entry and living room pictures. Tomorrow we will check out his dining rooms and bedrooms. I find his work so inspirational and I can look at these pictures over and over and not get tired of them. I love how timeless his rooms feel, that they have an "old new look" where not everything has to be perfect and sparkly...there is a lot of character to each of these rooms. His rooms are the kind of rooms that keep you wanting to dissect and study every little detail, absorb the beauty and make it your own. I would love to hear what you think and of course, if you have a favorite.....

Fabulous foyer...love how he arranged the console table, lantern and that mirror is gorgeous!

How beautiful is the paneling color here....so soothing to the eye, and that rug!

Fabulous barrel ceiling in a grand hallway

Beautiful center hall table in a luxurious wood paneled foyer

This must be a foyer in a grand country home...with all the antlers, so French!

Muted blues in an opulent front hall

Love the rich warm walnut colored woods used here

A beautiful study with lots of rich colors, love that blue velvet bench...love the art on the

library wall

Soft ivories and blues create a quiet muted feel here

I love this ultra long sofa, beautiful in blue!

No this is not a hotel, its a residence in the middle east

Understated elegance at its best

Absolutely love this living room

Fabulous french doors in a huge living room...notice all the tables he used

Love the blue and white accents in this creamy palette

A opulent view from Timothy's own living room

Beautiful paneling make a cozy backdrop to this elegant room

Love the rich colors here....those walls are to die for!

I am not generally a huge red fan but its done beautifully here with a toned down red...

A peek into a grand salon in Paris

Soft apricot and greens in an otherwise neutral living room (he uses this combination a lot)

Another view of Timothy's own living room

Rich blues look so elegant here, love all the art

A cheery room with lots of green..interesting mix of styles here

Look at that gorgeous scalloped velvet tufted ottoman

What do you think of the lattice work on the walls here?

Another view of the "latticewalled" living room

An elegant neutral living room high in the sky

A fabulous French salon

Beautiful center table in an opulent room

Blue and white always adds the perfect finishing touch

Hope you will visit tomorrow as I will feature some spectacular dining rooms and bedrooms by this very talented designer. Hope you have an enchanting day! Let me know if you had a favorite room.....for me it would be a toss up between Timothy's own living room, the living room that I wrote "I absolutely love" with all the books, and the foyer with the antlers. All beautiful!