welcome in.

i think it's funny how so many decorating sources have to remind the general public of the potential influence of the entry way into a home. i am not here to add my support, but to give you ideas... or to congratulate those whom i think did it well.

this is more like an entry-cave. from the remodeling center.

love those doors! from the remodeling center.

so bright and cheerful! from the remodeling center.

from bhg.

check out the benches. from bhg.

all that glitters

i am loving this simple, sophisticated color palette. i think i tend to underuse black, but when paired with white it gold, i think it has a really nice calming presence. doesn't the black lacquer chest of drawers drip with sass and sophistication?

i love the use of the metallic pillow below...an interesting play on texture.

ok, i know that the use of frames may be a bit overdone...but i still love it.

note the ottoman -

(all photos via)

good-bye summer.

as summer draws to a close, i am always sad to think about how much less time i will spend outdoors over the coming months. here are a few design ideas from the remodeling center to keep me hopeful for spring (or even late fall with some of these fireplaces!).

glow in the dark

with the oppressive humidity of august behind us, i have been set on spending some time outside. our backyard is a work in progress and recently i was thinking about an article that i saw in real simple a while back about gardens that look great after sunset. i'm feeling inspired...in case you are too, here are some tips from the article:

How to Plant an Evening Garden
Location: Before you pick a spot, observe the moon’s path for several nights and note where it is least obstructed by trees and casts the fewest shadows. Peacefulness is paramount, so be sure to keep a safe distance from neighbors.

What to plant: To ensure the greatest nocturnal visibility, settle on a palette of pale petals and foliage that really stands out at night. Try cleome, fragrant nicotiana (flowering tobacco), ‘White Wave’ petunias, angels’ trumpets, and sweet alyssum.

The layout: Plant the front edge of the garden bed with low ground covers. In the middle, use plants that stand between 12 and 24 inches tall. Anchor the back of the garden with plants that are at least two feet high. (Read plant tags to check their height specs.) Make sure soil and light are adequate: To do their job in the evening hours, these plants need good growing conditions during the day.

Location: If you would rather use pots or other containers for your evening garden, you can arrange them anywhere.

What to plant: Most nighttime plants, especially annuals, are suited to container gardening. Be sparing in your use of aromatic blooms (a little fragrance goes a long way), and put some distance between them. Try cleome (spider flower), green-and-white caladium, chartreuse bacopa, white cosmos, and vanilla-scented white heliotrope.

The layout: As with a standard evening garden, you’ll want to vary the heights of the plants to create visual interest. Settle on a mix of attractive containers in different shapes, sizes, and materials. Black and dark-colored pots accentuate plant colors at night and make the blooms look as if they’re floating.

(words + photos via)

futura vs. verdana

images via idsgn

apparently, the cult-like following of ikea has been worked into quite a frenzy recently when the company changed the font of their yearly catalog from the tried-and-true futura to the supposedly-rogue verdana. as i was reading, i could not help but staring at the "before" and "after" pictures from this year's and last year's catalogs. it harkened back to the days of "spot the difference" puzzles that i would obsess over. even if you think the ikea followers are overreacting a smidge though, you cannot deny the different image put forth based on the font and what an influential element of design it can be. the article in the ny times links to the idsgn blog, which frequently posts about typeface developments (who knew?). i must admit i am glad blogspot only offers a handful of font choices, but this has made me think about what font i would use for some of the following tasks:

writing a book (i love how most books document the typeface used toward the end)?

a welcome sign for your door?

road signs?

scrabble?

anything else?

saturday.

may your saturday be filled with many moments like this.

(via)

heart.

i saw these ottoman's today and fell in love:

(via target)

for a little inspiration, check out this blog that features one in a mood board. i love each of the color ways...i think the second is my favorite, although i love the third one as well.

and oh my goodness look at the matching chairs...