Inspired by...

Today I'm inspired by Amorosa Design's interiors. They're gorgeous!

traditional kitchen design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary exterior design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary dining room design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary kitchen design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

traditional dining room design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary family room design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary kitchen design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary kitchen design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

contemporary home office design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

traditional powder room design by san francisco interior designer Amoroso Design

Sweet dreams of beautiful interiors, dear readers!

found here

A little design eye candy for this Monday... designed by Phoebe Howard. Loving the summery colors and the railroaded stripes on the curtains.

Newton Homes

Today we took a trip to Newton to see a series of homes on the town's annual home tour. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I've never been on a "home tour" before, and boy was I amazed! Mostly older homes, with a contemporary green home and mid century modern home thrown in the mix. Beautifully landscaped exteriors greeted us. We were welcomed into the homes and were amazed to find gorgeous interiors. Luxury kitchens, bathrooms and decor at every turn. Each of these homes were home magazine quality, though I'm almost certain that none of them would have been profiled in the same magazines.

It was fun for us to rank the homes by our favorite interiors. Within seconds of walking into one home, Michael and I both looked at each other, our eyes widened and we said almost simultaneously "this is my favorite."

I was able to take photos of the exteriors of the home, though I found that very few were successful photos. Funny enough, the best photos were taken while walking to and from our parking spots at each home, so that's what I've included.

I also had some time to think about all the homes after a rest this afternoon. Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Not every interior was my favorite, however I've learned through years of studying design is that no matter what the style of architecture, the amount of time and detail involved in designing, developing, building and restoring space is something to be respected.

2. Four hours is a long time for anyone to look at homes; even interior designers. By the end of the tour I was exhausted and ready for some coffee and some down time.

3. All these homes were beautiful, but I can honestly say that I'm not a large home kinda gal. Sure, I love a beautiful old restored home, but the upkeep must be incredibly tiring (or incredibly expensive).

4. And finally... (don't roll your eyes) money can't buy you happiness. Yes, the marble countertops were gorgeous, the Wolf ranges were sparkly, and the Subzero... oh my, the Subzero! But, none of these things equal happiness. I think this is sometimes the hardest part to understand when designing or dreaming of your dream home. These are things, not memories that you can't take with you. So buy it if you love it, but Wolf, Subzero, calcutta and carrera don't replace the real "stuff" that make a house a home... your family and friends. Okay, that was sappy, I know, but when your job is to sell a "look" and material items for a living, these things can easily become the focus. Its nice to take a step back every once in a while.

Chevron Beadboard

Looking for a unique way to spruce up your guest bath? Look no further than this cool bath designed by Janelle at Maison Classique.

Both images found here

I love how she angled the beadboard to create a chevron design! And the crisp white paint with navy grasscloth wallpaper is perfect-o!

Be sure to read her blog post for more details and to see her design sketches.

New Autumnal Pillows

I made these dog silhouette pillows over the past two weekends. The autumnal look of the plaid is really what drove the inspiration. I thought the dogs were so happy and the contrast between corduroy and plaid/houndstooth print fabric was fun as well. We already have a favorite here... can you guess? Its the beagle. The dachshund (pronounced "dash-hound" in my family) comes in a close second.

Depending on how the work week goes, I'm hoping to put some on my Etsy site in the next few days. These would be great gifts for the dog lovers in your life! In the meantime, let me know if you'd like more info.

Lonny and The Digital Magazine

I feel repetitive for writing a post about this, but yes, I like the new Lonny Magazine too. Its nice to have a new shelter magazine in the mix, especially in this time of shelter-mag-shutdown. I really wish it was in print though. Call me traditional or old fashioned, but I miss the tactile approach of turning pages. I have such a hard time reading magazines, newspapers, and documents on the computer. And being able to earmark or flag pages with different fingers as I read is also is helpful. Not being able to do that just kind of stresses me out (crazy... I know!).

We just had this conversation at work, regarding one of our vendors who has gone completely "digital." Yes, its best for the environment (and it definitely saves the vendor some serious money too), allows for faster updates of pricing, materials, etc, but I can't stand having to review price lists on the computer. And whats a girl to do when the internet is down? Yeah... it happens. Oh, and how in the heck am I supposed to build a brochure for a customer while they wait? Can I just have some paper documents to show them??? Anyways, just some thoughts on this new digital format that is appearing here, there, and everywhere.

Overall though, I'm beyond thrilled to have a replacement for ye olde favorite, Domino Magazine. Thanks Michelle and Patrick! Now if someone would just bring back the look and feel of Cottage Living. I'll settle with that one in digital form as well.

Coastal Living 2009 Idea Cottage

When you get a chance, take a look at the 2009 Coastal Living Idea Cottage in I'On, South Carolina. I just got the magazine in the mail today and am loving it. Take a look at the website or pick up the magazine next time you need a little $4.99 vacation!