Happy ~Elegant~ Halloween

Due to the snow and all the power outtages, there is no school here in Massachusetts and Halloween has been rescheduled to November 5th.  Seriously.

Abigail Ahern

The dining room

It's almost Halloween which means Christmas is about 3 weeks away - OK, it will seem like 3 weeks.  I promised myself last year that I was going to strip the wallpaper (applied by the previous owners in the 90's) before I host Christmas Eve dinner in 2011.  But, umm, I haven't quite made it happen.  Procrastinators Unite - Tomorrow!  I'm thining of a fairly deep gray color, which will make my Ikea Maskros light stand out.  These are just rooms I like: 

Elle Decor

Elle Decor

Elle Decor

source unknown

housebeautiful

Happy colorful Saturday morning

Just some pretty color for today.

Flickr - Rin-ka

unk

Coolhunting Chimera

A client took this photograph of my acorns and it's a favorite - thank you M. Heart!

Ted Muehling - would a love letter be a bit much???

Everyone has a design crush and for me it's Ted Muehling.  His candlesticks make me weak in the knees.  One day my ship is gonna come in and I'm buying a bunch of them!  So, you know, never. 

I need to explain a lot more.  It all started several years ago when I was shopping with my friends on Charles Street in Boston.  By chance we just glanced into the window of a little shop called E.R. Butler and thought... never heard of it... sure... we'll go in.  So we pressed the buzzer.... they looked us over... we didn't appear to be packin' heat... they let us in.  In the words of Julia Roberts... "Big Mistake.  Huge."  I took a few short steps and stopped in my tracks.  In the middle of the room was a gigantic table.  And in the middle of the gigantic table was an ensemble of candlesticks.  Elegant, lovely, striking.  There must have been 30 of them.  It was an assortment of the classic Ted Muehling candlesticks in his oh-so-recognizable Egg and Dart design.  I started asking questions and the rest is a blur.  I left clutching a brochure.

I seem to spot the candlesticks everywhere.  Did you see them in the movie "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin.  No?  Clearly you weren't paying attention - they were on the fireplace.  I smacked my girlfriend's arm and whispered "Ted Muehling".  Meryl's a smart woman, I bet she got to keep 'hem after they were done filming.  (Meryl, call me!)

There are 19 different shapes in the Egg and Dart Collection designed for ER Butler.  They come in oxidized bronze, silver and gold plated.  I click my heels every day and whisper "There's nothing like egg shapes in silver, there's nothing like egg shapes in silver" but so far, nothing has happened.

  "Yoohoo.... um, Ted?  It's me, Terri."

Crochet Rugs - Doily Rugs

This is one of those DIY projects that sounds great until you start doing it.  By Year 2, I think I'd be sick of it.  So why am I still dying to make one?  I'm not sure.  But I'm in search of an affordable source for the materials.  Because I think one of these rugs.... takes A LOT of yardage.

timesunion

summitridgestudio

Mary Marie Knits on Etsy

Purlbee

Ladies and Gentlemen on Etsy

 And, for the overachiever, you can add lights!  See more pictures here.

thewoolacorn via Topstail

You may also like this post about a colorful DIY rug:

thewoolacorn via Free People

Cool Light Bulbs

It's not too often that a light bulb makes you do a double take... but, well... here you go.  Pair them with a colored cord kit from Ikea and you've got one stylish bare bulb.  The bulbs are $29 from Plumen.

Magic Fence with marbles

Every now and then you see an idea that is so clever you start thinking about building a fence.  I don't actually need a fence, but I want one now.  This brilliant idea is from GardenDrama.wordpress.com and it's so simple.  He just pressed marbles into holes in a fence.  Actually, he drilled the holes in the right size so they would fit.  This requires a little experimentation with drill bit sizes so try it on a sample board first.  You want the marbles to fit snugly so they don't fall out (no glue required).  And when the sun hits them from behind, you have sparkling stars of colorful art in your garden.  {squeal}

Stripes without Bill Murray

 A lot of color in a small space packs a powerful punch.  This horizontal stripe wallpaper is sharp, young and well-done.

doyoulovewhereyoulive.com

Sit on it

Great style here, any of them would live happily at my house.

Kiko stools in bent plywood by Atelier

Phillips Collection

Claude and Xavier-Francois Lalanne sculptures

Brueton seating Comfy Chair

I hear you singin' in the wire

I'm running out of places to put cool lighting.  But I could add birdcages.

everythingfab

Graham and Green

Etsy

lessthanperfectlifeofbliss

apartment therapy

Graham and Green

everythingfab

Where's a girl to put her shoes? {Closet Inspiration}

I love the idea of a china cabinet for pretty shoes.  I actually have just the right cabinet but it would force the crystal out onto the streets...or... the dining table.  (First World problems, I know)

the decorista

pseriesstylist

decorpad

closetcouture

glamfabchameleon

Christina Aguilerra via glamfabchameleon

allyou

Miley Cyrus

madebygirl

houzz