Flowers on the Roadside

I am often so tempted to pull-over the car and whip out the pair of scissors I keep in my glove box and cut flowers from bushes on the roadside. Today I did just that. I was driving over to pick up Harry from sailing and I saw these big bright beautiful pink flowers on a huge bush on the side of the road. I did a u-turn, stopped and cut a few. They have very prickly stems so I had to use the paper bag in the door pocket which was left-over from Harry's sausage roll this morning to handle them. Although they have dropped a little bit since arriving home, I do think they look pretty in the aqua vase I put them in on our fireplace mantel. It's amazing what beauty you can discover without even spending a cent.

It's on

Here's my ghettofabulous Buffy the Vampire Slayer costume:

{Yes, the "H" and the stripes are duct tape}

I had the boys home with me today and the stars aligned (i.e. they took their naps at the same time) and I got to work on sewing my costume.  The "pants"/ bodysuit is actually a shirt turned upside down...  The arms are now the legs and I sewed up the hole for your head.  The yellow "skirt" is also a $3 Michael's t-shirt and I stretched out the head hole for the waist and cut it off.  I use the leftovers to make another t-shirt long-sleeved.  It's ridiculous and the best part of the costume is the pair of scrunchy socks I'm wearing.   

{Argg just realized I need a scrunchy for my hair!}

happy Halloween!!!  And to learn the Thriller dance go here.

(SO worth it.)

Suzani Chair at Jenny's House

I love seeing where bits and pieces from our shop end up. Here's a picture above of one of our vintage French chairs, which we covered in a suzani, in the kitchen of a lovely customer and blogger, Jenny from My Pink Door...I think it looks great in her kitchen/dining area with the fantastic black and white floor and the other mismatched chairs.

"Spooky" evolution charts

I've been loving educational charts lately and have been running into a lot of German ones.  I thought this vintage evoluationary chart "Abstammungslehr II" was perfect for the season.  Christian calls skulls "spookies" and is pictured below eating his breakfast:

{I've collected more topiaries on the table this Fall...  Look how unsuspecting they are sitting there.. Waiting to slowly be killed...   Ok, I'm really going to try to keep them alive.  I tried out lemon cypress -which I've killed before- because I've heard they're not too difficult.}

This chart was definitely used in the classroom as you can see from the old red arrows the teacher must have drawn:

...And... look who's walking!!! 

Justin started a couple of weeks ago and is definitely not going back.  Time to finish babyproofing!!

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeeen!!!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Halloween anyone???

Okay, I LOVE Halloween.  I always have.  When I was in preschool my grandmother made me a "Glinda" costume (from the Wizard of Oz)...  It was shiny pink with star sequins glued onto it.  I felt so pretty and special and wore it waaaaaay too often after that.  (Walk in the woods anyone?  Let's put on the Glinda costume!)

I've dressed up almost every year of my life (even in high school when it wasn't cool anymore...  knock Knock...  "Trick-or-treat!"   "Um, aren't you a little old??")  Yeah, so...  I get so excited planning costumes & parties and making sure everyone's got their costume covered.  (I've been known to make housecalls for those in desperate need of costume help.)  When I had Christian (at 25) it was a little harder to get into it but we stayed strong with a warrior party at our house...

{Just the girls}

And the following year we did superheroes...

Last year I was pregnant and we did a small "kids" party.  We didn't dress up ourselves, and it just wasn't as much fun.  It was definitely great to see the kids partying and Christian loved it, but I really missed dressing up.  (And to me, a night is only a perfect "10" if it ends in dancing.)

We usually start out at our house with a small pre-party & then get a limo into the city where we meet up with all of the other ridiculous people.

SO...  this brings to me to where we're at now.  We really debated and wishy-washed about doing something fun for Halloween this year.  It's so sad but we sort of didn't want to.  My best friends live far away and can't make it...  It's a lot of effort.  I barely got pumpkins outside this year.  It just feels like time is racing by and I'm seriously flying by the seat of my pants.  I read all of these beautiful blogs with creative ways to get your house ready for Halloween & table settings & on & on and I love them and plan on trying out the ideas myself but before I can get my act together, the event's upon me.  As we were driving to High Point & throwing the idea of a party around -pretty much thinking 'no'- we put on some music and before I knew it, my hands were in the air and I was dancing in my seat.  (Taio Cruz's Dynamite is really one of the best songs EVER and I fully blame it for the evite I subsequently sent out.)

I have no costumes... only a theme...  Cheesy Teen Horror/ Comedy Movies.  Dave's going as this guy:

{Best movie ever}

... and we're still loolking for a Keiffer.   And a nice curly brown mullet wig and some fangs...

I'm going as my childhood idol:

{hahahaha what does that say about me?}

Yeah, when I was 10 I taught myself the entire dance in the beginning of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and used to do cartwheels and sommersaults on the street while holding a stake.  (Issues much??)

So... we mustered it up for another year.  We were so close to not doing it but we just felt like that would be giving up and we're not ready for that.  I know it'll be fun, it's just the process of getting there that has me a bit exhausted.  It's also harder to convince friends and a few former troopers are done dressing it up now that they have kids which makes me so sad.   

Costumes for the whole family are on the agenda for tonight and we'll be breaking out the sewing machine.  I really am torn here.  It's hard to get into Halloween when you have kids.  Maybe we're not supposed to?? hahah  Is anyone else feeling this?  I envision getting crazier & crazier each year with a haunted house and over the top decor.. maybe murder mystery party...??  Is it too much.  What do you do?

And, if you want to get excited, go here and listen.  Anyone in the DC are going out Friday night?  We usually head out somewhere and are debating where.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

A New Window

Today we worked on a new display in our front window at Black & Spiro. We wanted it to be fresh and colourful and eye catching. This is our last window before our very exciting Christmas window which will be installed in a few weeks time. We wrapped bits of remnant fabric around birdcages and hung them in front of a gorgeous bright pink and white and black floral fabric. It always makes me feel so happy when we have installed a fresh new window at the shop...

diaNoche

One of my best friends from high school has recently started a company with her husband called diaNoche , and a blog to go with it.  Her name is Veronica and the brand, diaNoche, is all about her versatile peices that you can wear both day & night. She's American {half-Italian (from her dad's side, like me!) and half Columbian from her mom's side} and since I can remember has dreamed of creating her own line of clothing that straddled all of her roots.  An artist, she graduated from FIT in New York and has gone after her dream. 

{Veronica El-Showk}

Here's a quick excerpt from a press release:

"diaNoche is a lifestyle brand that embodies the love of travel and art.  While living in New York, owners Veronica and Hedeer El-Showk traveled often for both business and pleasure to Morocco, Europe and Colombia. Inspired, Veronica started designing a collection of shirts with the vision of importing goods from overseas in the future. diaNoche's designs have a strong arabesque influence and are also inspired by the designer's Colombian heritage. The company's themes include everything from the ancient mosaics in Cyprus, to the salt mines in Bogotá and the intricate patterns of tribal North Africa."

{Veronica in a photo taken by her sweet husband, Hedeer}

Her passion for life & all things beautiful literally jumps off of the page at you from her new blog and I am so freaking excited for her & Hedeer!!!! DiaNoche's Fall & Winter line of designer t-shirts is debuting in a couple of weeks. 

{The beautiful logo she created}

Yesterday she came over to our place & I helped her out with a photo shoot.  Here's a picture I took of a little jewely tray we created for the background of one of the shots: 

{Those garden weeds come in handy!}

We shot all day to get her day/ night looks.  (Around 700 images...  and- you know how it goes- only a minute number of usables- especially with me as her model- but she got what she came for.)   She's an amazing photographer & we wanted some soft fresh day looks and some dark, edgy ones for night.  

{me, taking off the shoes...  oh how I love them, oh how I have no idea how she walks in them...}

 

We tried out some crazy stuff- including laying on my outdoor harvest table, (definitely not a use I'd ever envisioned for it) the concrete patio (brrrrr) and nighttime shots in my bedroom which definitely gave it a whole new look.  She 's now working on getting the images loaded & the website finished up and as soon as she does, she's promised me a giveaway for Pure Style Home.  I literally wanted EVERYTHING I wore yesterday.  The designs she's created are super-flattering and just honestly make you look good.  I was really skeptical when she asked me to be her model but truly, the clothes did all the work.    

{image by Veronica...  her friends' boots in Italy- how beautiful??}

At one point yesterday (well, at lots of points) we just started cracking up...  I think I was hanging out on a hide rug pouring tea from a beautiful tea pot with a pile of vintage quilts next to me...  really???  You definitely have to play a lot and take risks and feel stupid to get to where you're trying to go. 

But it was so much fun. 

At one point Christian came up to us, "What game are you playing?"

Veronica: "Photo shoot."

Christian:  "Can I play?

...So, although theres not yet a diaNoche kids' line, Veronica made sure to get a few good shots of Christian.  ...Who made sure to let me know that he loved my hair the way she'd done it (curls) but didn't like the "gray stuff" on my eyes and helped me wash off the eyeshadow when we were finished. {What a picky little man!}

So, as soon as she lets me and her site is set up for online purchases, I'll post some photos of Veonica's new line & we'll be doing a giveaway.  If you have some time, stop over to visit Veonica at diaNoche and say hi.  She's a brand new blogger & I know she'd love to hear from you. 

I'm so excited & happy for her and I know we're all going to be hearing a lot about her soon.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Black & Spiro Today

Here's a little shapshot of some things in the shop which I am loving right now. Our new purple inlay chest of drawers is like a breath of fresh air...it's so pretty! I really am having a purple moment! One of my favourite quotes {by Virginia Woolf} which I had hand written and framed in an old white-painted frame - "Arrange whatever pieces come your way". This quote really is wonderful. I love it!

My Vintage Peanut

{Our dining room server }

About a year ago, I came across a silverplated vintage peanut and snapped it up because it's one of those pieces that just makes me happy.  It's definitely not something to be taken seriously and adds a little fun anywhere it goes.  I've seen another 1 or 2 of them out and aboupt since then and just love them.

It's marked "F.B. ROGERS Silverplate."  The company was founded in 1883 in Massachusetts and is still in business today.  When I picked it up I thought it was such a cool piece and pictured reproducing it.  Well, you've heard the saying "there are no new ideas..."  Last weekend at High Point I walked into Go Home's showroom and there was my silver peanut!  Doppelganged!!  They're set to be retailed around $50 each.  Here's their version:

It's pretty  much identical except for the inside of the new peanuts are silver, whereas mine is gold:

{Yum yum...  see my reflecion in the peanut?}  I didn't have any peanuts to put inside so I went with almonds instead.

The peanut is set out on a little bar tray ready to be enjoyed with some Fall cocktails:

{Bar tray dressed with weeds from my garden in a vintage silver creamer}

What are your thoughts on reproductions?  I sway between loving the idea of having things more accessible and available to the idea of keeping things rare & unique.  I personally love finding my own treasures but it's not always a possibility for everyone...  Very torn.
Have a beautiful weekend!! 




If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Beautiful & Colourful

Just because I love the colours in these pictures...so inspiring.

image 1 & 2 - jil sander via the satorialist, image 3 - vintage liz claiborne ad via

News

I have some news to share with you today which I am so very proud of. Yesterday we received 2 exciting publications in the mail....

Last year I was encouraged by my girls here at Black & Spiro and also Stephanie from In House Agencies to submit my work into the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Awards. I certainly wasn't very hopeful considering the amazing designers from across the world who feature in the book each year. However, after completely forgetting that I had submitted some photos of my work, earlier this year I received an email to advise me that I had been selected as one of the world's leading interior designers in the 2010 volume 14 Andrew Martin Interior Design Review book. I was overwhelmed to say the least. It has been a long wait for the book to arrive but yesterday it came. It is so big and beautiful and the work featured by amazing designers from all over the world is divine. The Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year has been described by the Times as "The Oscars for the Interior Design World".

Not only did the Andrew Martin book arrive yesterday, the new Nov/Dec Vogue Living arrived which our new store is featured in. How exciting to be featured in my absolute favourite magazine for a second year in a row. It really does show that lots of hard work and determination pays off in the end.

I could almost cry...

xo

Anna

How I begin a project & the beautiful mess

A project always begins with some sort of inspiration.  When I first get into a new project with a client, after talking about generally concrete things like color, fuction, style and general needs & wishes, we dig a little deeper and think about how the room should feel. 

To me, the feeling in a space- the atmosphere, the mood- is what's most important.  Rooms can be happy, thoughtful, fresh, light, airy, clean, cozy, warm, moody...  (we could go on & on here.)  Sometimes we want rooms to inspire conversation & other times we want a quiet place to read & retreat to.  We really can't choose colors or finishes or furniture (or anything) until we know how the room is supposed to make us feel.  Clients are typically comfortable talking about colors and needs and style, but atmosphere talks don't always come as naturally because it's not something people tend to think about.  Yet it truly is the starting point.  I don't feel confortable making any design-related decisions until I know how a room should feel.

Once we've gone through the process, we can move onto some tangible inspiration. 

Here, my client has pale greeny-gray walls and an open brick fireplace.  Her home feels cool right now and she wants to warm it up without painting.  She loves reds and oranges and wants a warm, happy,"cozy," relaxed & comfortable space where she can hang out with her son and entertain.  It's going to be be pretty but people should always feel like they can put their feet up and stay a while.  Fabrics will be soft, comfortable & durable.  Her home is a 70s split foyer with vaulted ceilings & reminds me so much of my own house...  with these modern homes, the mix of old & new, classic & modern is a serious balancing act...  in our area, many of use live in these 70s houses because they're everywhere...   but we aren't ready to go 70s mod and filling these houses up with traditional furniture just doesn't work.  We have to walk the line.

We're putting in a new kitchen with dark walnut stained cabinets and the most beautiful vintage-looking handmade subway tiles.  Here are the two colors we're using for the tile by Pratt & Larsen:

When I found the tiles, the rest really fell into place.  They tiles were our literal starting points of inspiration because they work so perfectly- they'll serve to warm up the space while still working with the existing wall color and they create that modern-meets-patinated-thing we want going on- but our true point of inspiration was a feeling.   

One of the highlights of my trip to High Point was my good friends' Eddie Ross & Jaithan Kochar's talk about creating buzz for your business.  They mentioned the concept of a "beautiful mess" which I love so much.   The photo above is an example of a beautiful mess & Eddie's blog is full of them.  It's the starting point for projects...  all the bits and pieces that will go into creating something and when we see the "beautiful mess" we get excited for what's to come.  I realized that -like many of you I'm sure- much of my work starts with a beautiful mess.  My worktable is full of them and I love tweaking to them & adding to them until it feels right.  Once I'm "finished" with my clients' messes -that's relative, I'm always playing with them- they go into a carrying case so they can come with me anywhere- to clients' homes, showrooms, flea markets, etc. 

I wish I'd had a video camera with me so I could replay their amazing talk for you.  They're seriously such generous people and their presentation was so honest & real.  Eddie & Jaithan were both fun & witty as always and we got so much out of it.  they're awesome.

  {Eddie Ross, Traci Zeller, me, Maria Killam, and Jaithan Kochar}-  love you guys!!!

I'll be sharing hi-lights of my trip throughout a series of post...  there's just way too much to fit into one.  I learned so much & am honestly just in awe of this whole industry.  I was gaga over the goods we saw- the furniture, the fabrics, the showrooms, the lighting- yet it was the people who truly blew me away.  

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

High Point: the tiniest post

We got back from High Point around 1 AM last night & I'm swamped, so as soon as I can get a spare minute (or 30) I'll fill you in on all the details about our trip.  All that I can really say right now is that I finally got to meet some of my favorite blog friends and it was just amazing.  We bonded.  It's incredible how we create these relationships online and then meet and just connect.  Below is a photo of a group of us out to dinner one night at the Proximity Hotel.  (I am still thinking about my food there. Really. )

Photo  {me, Traci Zeller of Traci Zeller Designs, Angela Williams of Giannetti Home, Benji Gaines & Liz Morten of Dovecote Decor, Bobby McAlpine (yes-  I blubbered...  I have never been so affected by a design book.  Dave's read his book too and was so excited to meet him.) Brooke Giannetti of Velvet & Linen, Maria Killam of Colour Me Happy and Dave (my husband ;)  ... Steve Giannetti took this picture and Dave & I are also totally in awe of him.  I promise to write more- I met & saw so many amazing bloggers, designers & good friends, and we're all exchanging pictures, so as soon as I can, I'll post. 

I missed my little guys so much so I'm off to hang with them!! 

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

ps- And I have to mention that Traci brought a beautiful red tricycle that her twins don't use and gave it to me for Christian!!  After reading my post about our plastic one, she contacted me.  Does it get any sweeter?? I'm still in awe & so grateful.  Thank you Traci!!!!!  xoxoox