Wednesday's Kitchen

Image via Victoria Hagen

This kitchen looks so perfect and calming this morning. The perfect greige...fresh flowers out. Breakfast all cleaned up.

My life got off to a less than perfect start today. My little one cried from 3 am until 6 am. I almost cried at 7 am when my 4 year old woke me up, ready to get her day started. I managed to throw on a black shirt and just noticed I already have yogurt all over the back left shoulder, go figure. The dog has been out four times and is tracking in mud, courtesy of our temporary spring. 

But...it is sunny and not terribly cold. The temporary spring isn't a bad thing at all, "smells like summer," as my older girl has been saying. The sun does much for the spirit. And we're going to get out. Perhaps buy some flowers or a new plant to distract mom a little, from life's little distractions.  All is good.  

In Love with Pink...Happy Valentine's Day!

Bold Pink...

Hillary Thomas Designs

Little Girl Pink...

Ruthie Sommers

All Grown Up Pink...

House Beautiful 

Pink Underfoot...

Via Shelter

Waking Up to Smell the Roses Pink...

Wouldn't a vase of pink roses bedside be a sweet thing to wake up to on Valentine's Day? 

Designer Crush & Wisconsin Native: Kristen Buckingham

I saw a blurb in the February/March 2011 issue of Elle Decor and was reminded of decorator Kristen Buckingham. She has a store in LA's La Cienega Design Quarter which features her debut line of upholstery, case goods, outdoor furniture and lighting.

I first saw Kristen's work in Elle Decor a few years back, when they featured the Brentwood home she designed for her family. 

Kristen was raised in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, so I'll proudly claim a Wisconsin connection to her.

The stunning living room of her home is familiar to many after the Elle Decor magazine spread and the subsequent coverage.  

Kristen cites that her philosophy is in part influenced by Albert Hadley's "chic suitability." 

I love her style, described by her husband as "traditional and edgy."

I secretly want to be more edgy... I'm taking baby steps.  

Love that she cited that she wanted her own home to feel "human scale," livable and authentic.  

Even her kitchen has the look of a home built in the 1920's with updates, not one from the last decade. Sigh, those floors!  That little alcove back there. 

Anyway....back to her "news"....Kristen's debut line has some beauties...

And can you believe this divine wingback chair is a part of her outdoor line? 

I'll take a pair of each, to start! 

Pretty, Kid-Friendly Dining Room Chairs

Via Material Girls 

I currently have a combo of white slipcovered chairs and Ikea's white Ingolf chair at our dining room table.  The pair of Ikea chairs came into play when I realized my little girls would be wiping their hands (and coloring) on the slipcovers more than even I could keep up with on the washing/bleaching front.  

The look remains classic and clean but still a girl gets to dreaming. Those blue and white bistro style chairs which I love, however, might just have too many crevices! 

I never thought I'd consider a dark brown upholstery like Katie Lee Joel's chairs in her Nate Berkus designed apartment, above, but maybe? And the kids could wipe their hands on the fabric and you... might not know? 

The Novogratz home - featured on Bravo's 9 by Design - had a similar style chair - upholstered in white pleather. Really pretty amazing idea, and with seven kids, they should know! Much more practical than just hoping a dark color "hides" the dirt. 

That table top looks pretty indestructible, too. 

Image via Made by Girl by Jill Slater

For now, I'll keep bleaching and the Magic Eraser is always close by. And in another ten years, maybe we'd be ready for something like this? 

Gwynn Duggan

Who am I kidding? More like twenty years....

Tuesday Blues-day

Image via House Beautiful


I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, which by the way, is cold, too cold.  I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about dreamy, beachy blues.

Love the lines of this sofa. The curtains almost blowing lightly in the breeze. The sun shining through those beautiful paned windows in the back room.

I'm there. Padding around barefoot.  My legs are tan. Fresh pedicure.
My girls laughter is floating in from the backyard.

I should make some lemonade for the BBQ tonight.

Hope you are staying warm! 

Ode to the Green and Gold! (Horray Packers!)

Image via Rue Magazine

Friday Love: Ruthie Sommers

Image via Ruthie Sommers  Photo by Grey Crawford

Wish you were here. Spending the weekend poolside. 

Wish I was, too.