Archive for February, 2011

Perspective

Monday, February 28th, 2011

It’s funny how interconnected our lives can be sometimes. I think I’ll leave it at that, because I’ve been trying to write out the circuitous path that leads me to this post and it’s too many words. I’d rather you read the Perspectives piece below instead of my ramblings. Just know that it’s interesting and somewhat life-affirming.

A good friend just shared Charles Luck’s 2011 Perspectives and I think it’s a truly profound sensibility of space and home.

“Considerate consumption and resourceful lifestyles are top-of-mind, as we evaluate the space we inhabit, the items we own and how our choices impact those around us and the world at large.”

The Charles Luck Stone Center is a Richmond, VA-based company and a leading source of inspiration, expertise and distinctive products to the trade and style-minded homeowners.

A lengthier read than your typical blog post, but so, so worth it. It’s really not that long, the writing is beautiful and the photos are lovely.

You can view a PDF here or the online version here.

You will definitely enjoy browsing the Inspirational Galleries on the Charles Luck website, too!

{image: Charles Luck, 2011 Perspectives}

Invite Inquiry

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

Where does the time go? It’s a week later and that means one week closer to my little guys’ first birthday party – I need to get invites out asap! This is what I’ve come up with based on the storyboard I shared with you last week.

The art is pretty much done, but I’m debating on the animals and would like to get your opinion. Do you prefer the elephant, owl, or a combo of the two (bottom right)? I know, I know, it’s silly! But, what do you think?

I’m going to send the invites out in matching poppy envelopes from Paper Source. And I’d like to create a matching sticker for the outside that can also be used on goody bags and things at the actual party. Lastly, I ordered the “funnies” stamps to keep with the kid vibe. I’ll be sending the invites to print beginning of next week – so weigh in and I’ll let you know which one made the cut.

Another One Bites the Dust

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

I have been sewing like crazy for the past couple of weekends and all this week during nap time, and I’ve finally crossed the next item off my list!

All seven pillows (is that overkill?) on the day bed in Nathan’s room are complete.  Three of the pillows have different fabrics on the front and back, so I can change the look when the mood strikes.  Right now the day bed looks like this:

But it can also look like this:

or this:

or this:

Which look would you choose?  I better get a move on with my list, or I will not be done by the end of the year!  On to a rug…

Wool & Cashmere

Monday, February 21st, 2011

I’m not quite ready to give up on wool and cashmere for the year, despite the fact that it’s approaching 70-something today in Virginia. It’s still February and I’m holding my ground.

So I thought I’d share these wool and cashmere feathers I’ve had my eye on — it started with the soft feathery cashmere wreaths at least a year ago. I’m equally enamored with these gussied-up ducks!

Hershey Is My BabyKirsten Schueler designs these beautifully “green” creations using felted wool and cashmere sweaters. I recently chose a striped elephant, like the one above, for a friend with a baby on the way.

You can see more of Kirsten’s delightful work at Hershey Is My Baby on Etsy.

Extraordinary Women

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Extraordinary Women's Exchange

We have a winner! I used Random.org to generate the following list:

Random.org Susie Coehlo ticket submissions

And then again to generate a random number:

Congratulations, EllenM! I will e-mail you to coordinate ticket information! Thanks to everyone for your sweet notes. And special thanks to the Greater
Richmond Chamber and the extraordinary women behind EWX.

Tickets to hear Susie Coehlo speak are still available for purchase online.

Have a great weekend! I know you local readers will be enjoying some unseasonably sunny weather in Virginia! Cheers!

Birthday on the Brain

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

James is going to be one next month, so I’ve had birthday party ideas swirling around my head lately. I’m not going to do anything over the top…because he is only one (!), but I definitely want to create a little fun and make a few special touches for the occasion. And since I need to get invites out asap – I wanted to think the whole thing through!

{ images sources noted below }

Right now I’m stuck on blue and orange as the colors and using bold graphics. There will be way more adults at this party than kids, so I want everyone to enjoy the decor, food, and favors as much as the little guys.

I love the bold and circular elephants, top left are custom stickers/gifts tags by Dwell. And the elephant invite towards the bottom right can be found at Minted. I thought the divine twine would look sweet on the orange striped favor bags. We’re having the party at my parents house with high ceilings, so I’d love to bring in some balloons and fun poms to define the space. And I can’t forget the sweet treats…I love the flags on these cupcakes.

Hopefully the party will come together without a hitch and I’ll get the invites out the door soon!

I ♥…

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

…this house that was featured on design*sponge.

Did anyone else drool over  John and Vivian Bencich‘s house {photography by Jeff Herr Photography}?  The bedroom is my favorite, but I also loved the bathroom…

…and the kitchen…

…and definitely the dining room.

The wallpaper on the ceiling is so cool!

Tickets for Two {A Giveaway}

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Lifestyle expert, author and HGTV host Susie Coehlo will be speaking in Richmond, VA at the Extraordinary Women’s Exchange on March 3 and we have two tickets to give away!

Susie Coehlo, Extraordinary Women's ExchangeSusie is a best-selling author with four books, including: Style Your Dream Wedding, Secrets of a Style Diva, Styling for Entertaining and Everyday Styling. She’s also the host of HGTV’s Outer Spaces and Surprise Gardener. She’s a business woman — founder and CEO of a multi-media lifestyle company — and mother of two!

We are super-excited to offer this opportunity to attend Susie’s luncheon with the fabulous (truly!) women of the Greater Richmond Chamber.

Just leave a little love note (keep it sweet) with your name in the comments section by noon EST on Thursday, February 17  and we’ll randomly select one lucky winner. We’ll announce the winner on Friday so you’ll have plenty of time to clear your calendar and invite a friend.

The Extraordinary Women’s Exchange is a terrific program of the Greater Richmond Chamber that inspires personal and professional growth for women in our community.

Event Details:
March 3, 2011
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel
555 E. Canal Street, Richmond VA 23219

Tickets include program, lunch, and an opportunity to meet Susie and other extraordinary women before and after the presentation.

XOXO

HOPE-ful Thrifting

Friday, February 11th, 2011

While Stephanie and Rachel are talking artwork this week, I’m bent on thrifting. See Monday’s post about my reinvented ladder.

So, there’s a new store in town…HOPE Thrift opened last week and I couldn’t be more excited! Not only is this destination full of interesting and accessible treasures from high (style) to low (prices), it’s community mission is terrific.

I found these vintage beauties when I stopped in last week to check out the grand opening.

HOPE Thrift: Vintage Chase Art Deco Chrome & Oak Serving Set $2.50 for the 2-piece set!

HOPE Thrift: Vintage Chase Art Deco Chrome & Oak Serving SetSome light sanding and a little furniture polish makes these Chase USA chrome and oak serving pieces from the 1930′s nearly new!

HOPE Thrift: Vintage Chase Art Deco Chrome & Oak Serving SetHOPE Thrift is located at 11260 Patterson Avenue in the Tuckahoe Village Shopping Center. Hours of operation and information about free pick-up service here. Definitely worth checking out if you’re thrifting in Richmond.

PS: I happen to know there is more inventory than floor space right now, so you can expect lots of new stuff every day!

A bit about Chase {from Wikipedia}

Chase entered the consumer market with a line of chrome Art Deco household items in the 1930s, created by leading designers of the day such as Russel Wright, Rockwell Kent and Walter VonNessen. They were usually signed with the distinctive company logo of a centaur drawing a bow. These items are sought after today as collectibles.

Chase discontinued this line in the early ’40s, when it turned its attention to wartime production. Chase production of their ‘Specialty’ items lasted only 12 years, but during that time they issued over 500 items, and 500 more lamps and lighting fixtures.

Guest Room Art

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Since we changed rooms around in our house a year ago, before James was born, the guest room has been lacking some much needed art. We have absolutely nothing on the walls and it’s feeling quite bare! My first priority is to find something to go above the bed.

It’s hard to tell in this photo, but the walls are a pale yellow, the bedding is a golden yellow and tan, and most of the furniture is black – so I could definitely use a pop of color in here. Any suggestions?? This is the bathroom off to the left of the bed. The walls are a deep eggplant and white. I tend to go too matchy-matchy, so I’d like a bold choice for this space.

I’d love your suggestions of artists to check out or color themes you think would work well. I’m even open to creating the piece myself if I find some inspiration that is out of budget. The possibilities are endless right now…so send in your much appreciated advice!

A New View

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

This weekend we picked up our first original piece of artwork from the framers, and I’m thrilled to have it hanging on the wall.  Here’s the new view when you walk in our front door:

Isn’t it lovely!  The piece is by a talented artist based in New Orleans,  Amanda Stone Talley.  I first saw Amanda’s work here and then again in Erika of Urban Grace‘s nursery.  I contacted her about a year ago to inquire about a painting, and it turned out that her 32″ x 28″ drawings on paper were right in my price range.  She only had 1 set available at the time, so she offered to do a custom piece for us.  It was a treat to work with Amanda – I sent her pictures to use as inspiration, and after a little back and forth, she created the perfect piece of art.

{inspiration pictures}

I love the piece so much, I’m tempted to go for a second!  Or maybe a second and third to hang together, like the ones that Amanda created for a client whose home was featured in Lonny Magazine.

Either way, I’m enjoying my first original work of art and am a little worried I’ve found a new weakness, much like the one I have for fancy fabric.

Oh, Happy Day

Monday, February 7th, 2011

Urban NestQuick Administrative Update — I believe our RSS and e-mail feeds are working again!  FeedBurner has been very fickle (in combination with some other technical difficulties) but I believe we are finally back in action. Oh, happy day!

For those of you who rely on either of these feeds to stay in touch with Urban Nest, I’m so sorry we’ve missed you! With a few exceptions, we’ve been blogging all along, so you might want to scroll down a bit on the home page to see where we’ve been.

Thank you ALL for your patience while we sorted through some tricky technical stuff. If you continue to experience issues with your feeds, please e-mail us so we can address it right away!

Stairway to Nowhere

Monday, February 7th, 2011

Remember this thrift store extravaganza from last winter?

I’ve moved that old bunk bed ladder around the house quite a bit and I think I finally found the best spot for it. It’s on a narrow slice of wall in our upstairs hallway at the top of the steps. As small and nondescript as this space is, it’s where your eyes land as as you go up the stairs.

ladder_collage

For now, I’m loving the simplicity of the old wooden ladder with my glossy white owl perched above it. I like the idea of looking at ladder rungs as I climb the actual steps, too.

You might notice I also added two small brass hooks where I can toss a bag or a scarf in passing.

In another house, I might try it in an entryway as a clever coat rack.

Any new thrift store treasures in your house?

Vibrant V-Day

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011

February kind of crept up on me this year and I can’t believe Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! I got thinking about it this week after I whipped up some frozen fruit concoctions for James and loved the bright colors.

He eats a lot of “adult” foods now, but I still send some pureed fruit and veggies to his sitter’s for snack time. The hot pink is mango mixed with a bit of raspberries and the purple mixture in the middle is a mix of blueberries, pear, and banana. Yum!

I love the bold colors – none of which I use in my home, so it inspired me to think about adding some pops of pink or red…and maybe not just for the month of love.

Here’s a rundown of the hot-stuff I’m lovin’:

- Hot pink damask wallpaper available at Urban Outfitters

- YES wall letters from CB2

- Hable C0nstruction’s fuschia ‘rope’ pillow

- Sweet berry drink coasters online at Quirk

- and Crate and Barrel’s romantic thistle pillow

Are you planning on special changes to your decor for Valentine’s this year? Or do you already have bold pops of red/pink in your home?

The Dining Room

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

I should be sewing pillows for Nathan’s room these days, but I’ve been side-tracked by my next project:  the dining room.  I promised myself that I will sew pillows this weekend, but in the mean time, here’s a little preview of what I’m working on for the dining room.  It used to be red with mostly black and white accents, and while I love a red dining room, the bold color was never really my style.  Now I’ve toned it down considerably, and the new color palette is cream, grey and camel.

The walls are already re-painted prism white above our chair rail and surreal blue below (it’s doesn’t look blue at all) – both by Glidden.  I just got the fabric I ordered for the curtains, aga reverse in camel by Quadrille.  Right now the bolt of fabric is precariously perched above the window so that I can get an idea of the finished look.  I know I’m going to love it!

I’m also planning to make a new set of table linens to match the new scheme, and I’ve been playing around with some ideas.  I don’t think I’ve found the perfect combination yet, but here’s what I’m toying with.

Last but not least, I found the perfect mirror for the space from one of my favorite local shops, Ruth and Ollie.  I love how the ornate shape is balanced by the simplicity of the unfinished wood.

So that’s the sneak peek!  I just have a few things  on my list to accomplish before the dining room will be complete, but I’ll keep you posted as I go.