element : textiles

Cassandra over at Coco and Kelley just posted a great example of incorporating traditional, or 'ethnic', textiles into contemporary interiors.  Seen below, kuba cloth pillows.

Be sure to check our her blog.  Its super feminine and fresh with lots of fashion influences.

tuareg : 1907

lunch : from point a to point b

I love utilitarian products that seem to add such quality to everyday life.

Steph over at 3191 saves or gathers old mason jars and then adds reusable plastic lids to pack lunches and portion our snacks.

The new lunch box: from mess-kit to tiffin.

Above: New Wave Enviro Stainless Steel Food Container from Amazon.

Above: To-Go Ware 2 Tier Stainless Pyramid Lunch Box from Amazon.

Above: The exceptionally cool Square Tiffin from happytiffin.com

Above: Love Bottle via Tree Hugger.

Above: The always economically Ikea Slom Bottle.

Monday, April 19th Update:

Over the weekend I was browsing Apartment Therapy’s Kitchn when I came across a post dedicated to alternatives to plastic lunch containers. Many readers commented on the problem of reheating a meal in the microwave if it’s carried in a stainless steel container. This hadn’t even crossed my mind as I’m fortunate enough to work in a home office with access to a full kitchen. Many of the readers noted that they use Pyrex glassware with plastic lids. Definitely something to consider.


Read the full post here.

house tour : a greek island getaway

also known as : can you hear my heart longing to be here?

The beautiful holiday retreat of Greek architect Yorgos Zaphiriou.  On the island of Serifos. Published by Marie Claire Maison.

the bench : a bench

Above from Wisteria: This bench just looks solid.

Above from Wisteria: this Narrow Vintage Chinese Bench measures just 6 inches across the seat. 

Above bench with hair pin legs.  A 'how-to' tutorial with link for sourcing the legs here.

grass : doe

After over a year of watching, observing, admiring the webpage known as grassdoe, the author has finally posted his name.

cairo : 1930s

an obsession : open shelving (part I)

Below: Pia Ulin

below: unknown

below: Living, Etc

rhythm : repetition

Below unknown

Below: Shawn Henderson via Elements of Style

Below: Emerson's pantry. 

I just thought I'd let you know,

Enjoy your Monday!

ashly's inspiration : the kitchen (part 2)

I love kitchens. I could honestly become a kitchen design specialist. I love to cook. I love to eat. I love how the kitchen has become the modern day hearth and it is where we gather.



I hate poor kitchen design. I hate designers who don't cook who think they can design a kitchen or those that design kitchens purely for aesthetics and not for function.


I know, hate is a strong word. It’s nothing personal. I just feel very strongly about a ‘good’ kitchen. And if you’ve cooked in a ‘bad’ kitchen for long enough you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.


Below are some kitchens that I think would be ‘good’ aesthetically for Ashly. I know, I know: for all my ranting I’m going to go straight to what meets the eye. But the thing is, the structure that Ashly’ll be renovating already has pretty specific layout requirements (already plumbed, etc). I think she’ll end up using a pretty standard (and highly functional) L or U layout. The two of us can go over the nitty-gritty another time over a glass of wine.


So below are some kitchens that I stylistically like, some that I think she’ll like and some that are just a wild card.


Photographer Bill Abranowicz's kitchen in New York, featured in Martha Stewart via remodelista.  (Ashly likes dark cabinetry.)

Bill Abromovitch kitchen via Martha Stewart

Unknown source.  Light colored cabinetry for a contrast.  I love open uppers.

C.W. Eisner via Desire To Inspire.  (I be she falls in love with this one.)

Anna and Dan's house tour from Apartment Therapy (interesting use of space.)

Drew Barrymore's kitchen.  Designer and source unknown.

Another from Apartment Therapy (storage, mudroom, laundry room, pantry...)

Unknown source.  (another color palette and another way to do open shelving.)

From Commune.  (Love Commune, but a great example of how dark may actually end up too dark. Especially with Northwest winters.) 

From Four Walls and a Roof.  (Another way to add dark wood into the mix.  Frames, molding, accessory, etc.  Plus a great way to show off your photography.)

ashly's inspiration : the kitchen

This is the second post in a series to help inspire my friend Ashly in her transformation of a garage with upstairs mother-in-law suite into a single family home.


Once complete, this space will exude the air of an updated country retreat (at an equestrian training facility, nonetheless) with modern and whimsical touches.

This inspiration is a house tour of Allison and Paul’s kitchen in Silver Lake from Apartment Therapy.

I think it’s comfortable with both modern and eclectic touches. Love the bar stools and really, really love the pendant lights over the bar (modern). Love, love, love the mismatched kitchen table chairs and love the chandelier above table (whimsical). Lots of space for cooking and storage (functional) and not a marble museum (kid friendly).

Hope this inspires you, Ashly!

p.s. Love the windows above the upper cabinets.