Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Reformed! Revamped! Refined!

Hep!Hep! Hooray! The site revamp is complete! I hope all of you can try to find some time to check it out. It was a tedious process (to say the least from a computer challenged person) but a highly creative one too. So many people have helped me along the way (you know who you are), has given me tips & ideas, inspiration & support. I am so grateful!

This is my postcard which Chelsea at Suite 7 Creative said reminds her of the "Keep Calm & Carry On" poster. As frivolous as it sounds, don't you think the quote is so very true? We will update the designer quotes we feature at the site. Join our mail list found at our homepage for updates :)
To bore you with a few details, here are some of the new elements added to the site that makes it highly interactive & personalized to give you a better e-shop experience:

* Ability to create an account to save your payments, manage & track your orders & update other information.

* Create a wishlist.

* Write a product review.

* View related products.

* Check your viewing history.

* Sort products by title, price, or popularity.

* Hover at each item picture to view more product details.

* Sort the number of products viewed per page.

* And most importantly, a one-page checkout that makes e-shopping fast, easy & secure!
As always, you will find more Decorating Tips & Ideas plus we have also added the Tip of the Week.
And here are some of our new items (clockwise from left):1. Centerpiece basket 2. Bird Taper Candelabra 3. Vintage Dress Forms 4. Chocolate & Sage Needlepoint Pillow 5. Nickel Shoeforms Candleholder 6. Antique White Birdfeeder 7. Shanghai Links Green Pillow 8. Owl Bookstand 9. Vintage Candelabra

I often scold myself for being so transparent about my new passion & dream but I can't help but express my enthusiasm! See you at the site!

Friday, July 10, 2009

The Wisdom of Famous Designers

Ok, they may not be Aristotle or Confucius, but to me and for most die hard fans of design & decor out there, these designers are geniuses & masters in their own right. They have shaped the feel & look of our rooms & spaces, then & now. Their quotable quotes is a source of inspiration. But, how well do you know your designers? See if you can guess who designed or inspired these spaces & their famous quotes.


{image via patriciagray.blogspot.com}

1."Good taste in design by no means depends on money."---

He built the bridge connecting the formal,classical styles of the past to the current, modern style of today.

2. "Never look back, except for an occasional glance, look ahead and plan for the future. Success is not built on past laurels, but rather on a continuous activity. Keep busy searching out new ideas and, experimentally, keep ahead of the times, or at least up with them."---

This one literally keeps me going.

3. She is the icon of glam & swanky,old hollywood decorating & a long time ago has appeared in a risque magazine & when asked what her ambition was, she stated: "To own my own marvelous design & furnishings business."

Well, she did it! A testament that you can be whatever you aspire to be.

{image via treehugger.com}

4."Ideas are cheap. Always be passionate about ideas & communicating those ideas & discoveries to others in the things you make."

He definitely had passion & lots of ideas. We see his furniture design everywhere!
{image via hookedonhouses.net}

5."Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."---
She designed the staircase above for her famous Paris apartment. Whether fashion or interior, she had the eye for it. She also said: "An interior is the natural projection of the soul."
So, did you guess all of them? Here are the answers:

ןǝuɐɥɔ oɔoɔ ˙5 sǝɯɐǝ sǝןɹɐɥɔ ˙4 ɹǝןʇsɹɐǝʍ ʎןןǝʞ ˙3 ɹǝdɐɹp ʎɥʇoɹop ˙2 sʞɔıɥ pıʌɐp˙1 :sɹǝʍsuɐ

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Of Succulents & Getaways

Here's a few pics of the planter bowl of cactus & succulents project. I'm no gardener so a project like this was no easy feat for me! :)

The terracota bowl. Much cheaper than glazed or colored ones. We only had leftover white paint so I had to use this. I plan to embellish the bowl further at a later time.

The succulents & cactus (or cacti if plural right?). I think about 10. It can get pricey people!

Placing them one at a time. No shovel, no gloves! I had thorns in my fingertips for days! Those succulents are meaner than the cactus actually.

And here's the finished product. It still turned out cheaper than buying it already made.

By the way, I'm off to a mini-getaway to Mexico & has been firmly instructed not to bring my laptop or my blackberry. I'm having withdrawals already :( I leave you with a pic of my Carribean vacation last year. See, I did looked pretty happy here! I should be ok without technology & communication to the rest of the world for a couple of days. Wish me luck....and Happy 4th everyone!

Visit my other blog at

http://blogs.smarter.com/homegarden/author/maureen/

Visit our site:

http://www.theinglenookdecor.com

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Yellow & Brown + Discount

I've been infatuated with lime green & brown for so long I can remember. My new favorite color combinations are yellow and gray (slowly becoming a classic!) and yes, yellow and brown (can you really go wrong with yellow though if being chic & glam is at the top of your priority list?). These analogous colors works so well together. Here's the proof...


Yellow, brown & white bedding in the bedroom.

Brown sofas, yellow accents. It works so beautifully doesn't it?

{image via Habitually Chic blog}



Minimal yellow accents in the dining room. That pop of color instantly livens up the space!

{via Habitually Chic photostream at Flickr}


Bring the color scheme outdoors in wonderful patterns.

{image via CocoKelley's Photostream at Flickr}

In wallpaper.
{image via sunn1901 photostream at Flickr}

Wedding theme. That invite is a Kate Spade btw!

{via Fine Stationery's photostream at Flickr}


More yellow & brown at Inspire the Bride.

This adorable cake was found at Martha Stewart Weddings.


Taste the yummy flower icing!

{via Anita Jamal photostream at Flickr}


My latest gift wrapping theme of choice. Yellow damask paper, brown ribbon with silver border. Have you ever found yourself overthinking how to gift wrap a gift?
{image mine}
And here"s the amazing discount: the yellow & brown theme & my sheepskin rug led me to this website www.whooga.com. You'll get a $30 gift card to spend with the coupon code INGLENOOKD. Simple & easy, go & shop:)

Visit my other blog at
http://blogs.smarter.com/homegarden/author/maureen/

Visit our site:
http://www.theinglenookdecor.com

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Guesthouse Splendor

Just a short & sweet post today.One of my favorite Canadian bloggers, Kim Vallee (she finds the most amazing things!) recently featured these guesthouse backyard ideas & pictures & I instantly fell in love with them!




Aaaahhhh! If this was my guesthouse, then sign me up as a guest! Happy weekend everyone!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Photo Collage Dream

Still working on the new space one weekend project at a time. We just made a planter bowl of succulents & cactus. If you're planning to do this, beware! You may need to wear two pairs of gloves. Even the succulents have thorns invisible to the eye. Ouch! This weekend (or whenever I get all of the stuff together), I plan to make a large & extra large terrariums (got glass jars at an antique shop). I'm still gathering ideas for a photo & art collage I'm planning to put up in our concrete entryway & kitchen walls. These images are my inspiration.

Overlapping style.

Hmmm...polaroids look so chic above this mantle!

Vintage silhouettes.

A color scheme.

Classic black & white.

A mix of everything.

Some symmetry.

Floor-to-ceiling (almost!)
{images via Decorpad}
Time to collect frames, photos & art! I can't wait until it's all done....

Visit our site:

http://www.theinglenookdecor.com

Friday, June 12, 2009

Ongoings, Uninteresting, Award

I've been very productive lately. The new site redesign is going on smoothly with the help of friends (thanks Andrew for helping me with the buttons, check out his photography site at Siror photo), an amazing graphic artist (Chelsea at Suite 7 Creative) & fellow bloggers (Sarah Klassen) with a great eye. My new business cards are currently being printed & I've signed up for the Giving & Living show at the Chicago market. On another note, the physical therapy practice is doing well as well. We just did the Valero Health Fair yesterday, our referring doctors absolutely loves us & respects our expertise,we're consistently busy & all staff are having fun (we had Luau Friday today at the clinic & one of the boys wore a grass skirt...with his shorts on of course! we don't want any of our patients to have a heart attack) & training for my exit strategy is ongoing & we're flying a consultant soon.


Alicia at Delightful & Delovely tagged me to write about 6 uniteresting things I love. She was right on when she said this is no easy task at all. Like her, I find beauty in very simple things. Here are my picks:

1. Tissue paper wrapping (accessoirees.com). Can you imagine a gift bag without it? Well, I can & have seen it.Heck, I've done it before! Shame on me, a gift bag without these colorful things? I've learned my lesson, never give gifts without them.

2. Soft peppermints. I know some of you are fans of the hard ones, but these just instantly melts in your mouth & has a sweetness that's just right.


{image via porchlightinteriors.blogspot.com}

4. Awnings. Whether a store or a house, awnings just make it so charming. I'm determined to have one at my shop.


{image via worth1000.com}

4. Ivy creeping on walls. For a charming old world effect, these greens are the perfect accent!



5. Napoleons. I love french macaroons & I love creme brulees but there was a time that I would eat a Napoleon everyday after work. Those thin wafers, the cream....yum. You guess it, I have a terrible, terrible sweet tooth!



6. White tealights. You can get hudreds of those for so cheap at Target or Wal-Mart. Light them altogether at once (no votives or tealight holders required) & you'll see how gorgeous they are.

Now, I'm passing the task to six others: Jen at Folie a deux (I would love to be her travel partner any day!), Sarah at Sarah Klassen (her haute picks are always to die for & I so wish we live in the same neighborhood), K at Ktheblogger (a doctor with a very quirky side & delights in beautiful fashion & design),Alison at My Little Happy Place (you can feel her warmth in her blogs, that's a native Texan for you!), Cassandra at CocoKelley (she has hundreds of followers & has been featured in Lucky magazine & she deserves all the accolades, such a sweet & cool person, too) & Rachel at Lovely Clusters (a designer that makes beautiful things, wish we can all go back to a time where everything is handmade & not mass-produced).

Jen also gave me a Lovely Blog Award. Awww...thanks! I'll be sending the award to 15 bloggers soon!
Have an awesome weekend everyone!

Visit my other blog at
http://blogs.smarter.com/homegarden/author/maureen/

Visit our site:
http://www.theinglenookdecor.com/

Monday, June 1, 2009

The 3/50 Project

I came across the 3/50 project before but I've never totally paid attention. Oooooppps , so sorry! Anyway, I came across about it again today in a trade magazine & read the whole flyer. Me,myself has been consciously shopping at independent retailers whether it's fashion or home decor. Aside from a personalized service, the merchandise selection has been edited by the chic boutique owners behind them & yes, i have to use this overused phrase, "the items are definitely unique & one-of-a-kind." Ok, I still shop at some big retailers like West Elm & Crate and Barrel but feel good that I've been following the 3/50 project's rule for quite a while.

Click on the flyer & read on.....


They are definitely right on, it's time to come back toour roots & support our local brick & mortar shops & those mom & pop stores.Here are some independent retailers I've visited & totally adore. If you happen to visit or live in the towns where these are located, please remember to support the 3/50 project.


Willow in Chicago

Mercury Design Studio in Austin


Maison Luxe in Seattle

Indulge Decor in Houston

Hudson in Boston

Perch in New Orleans.


Please visit The 3/50 project at www.the350project.net & let us help rebuild this nation, one brick & mortar shop at a time!


Visit my other blog at Smarter

Visit our site: The Inglenook Decor

Monday, May 25, 2009

A Few More Additions

We've added a few more things at our condo. Please tell me I'm not the only one who gets sheer doses of bliss when they add little touches of who they are in their own space.

My painted birdcage! This is at our corner office. The curtain rods has not come in yet for this space & we still can't find the perfect office desk.


Lime green wreath from Crate & Barrel. Have this now for five years.


We got an expedit skinny bookcase from Ikea. A whopping $79 bucks! I still have a ton of books to organize. But look at the coral from my fiancee's sister (via the Florida beaches) & these Thai Buddhas holding musical instruments (via my fiancees's Mom's attic). The vintage wheels from a local flea market.


Architectural drawings by me! The left one is a building I saw in Galveston, Texas & the one on the right, a building at The Art Institute in San Francisco.

Next project: install the rest of the rods & curtains, get somebody from Craigslist to install our bathroom wallpaper & installing a pair of ledges.

Friday, May 22, 2009

The 5 Must-Do's for Small Spaces


Design dilemmas seem to be a part of every home. From limited budgets, clashing ideas & small spaces. Here are our top 5 must-do's for small spaces:

1. Make a huge "green" statement. Don't be afraid to think big in your small space. Green foliage adds coziness to a room & looks almost like a work of art in a space.


2. Use the whole floor-to-ceiling space. Go for open,modular bookcases that goes sky high.Display your favorite books, magazines or those one-of-a-kind artifacts from your wonderful travels.


3.Mirror, mirror on the wall, floor, tabletop,etc. I know this design idea is so overused but it's because it works! Don't go overboard though. Look for 1 or 2 mirrored pieces & place them strategically across the nicest angles of your space.


4. Round about. Your boxy space needs a curvier angle. It allows your guests to move much more freely.

5.Make it invisible. Lucite is everywhere. Ghostly pieces creates the illusion that nothing's there & light just goes through. They're incredibly chic too!


images via xjavierx photostream at Flickr

This blog is also my May newsletter. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. I strive to make the newsletters enjoyable & inspiring. I hope to have them full of design ideas & tips, insider trends & the occasional advertising on new products & highlights. Bear with me as I'm still learning. I'm always open for comments & you can contact me anytime at info@theinglenookdecor.com. Good or harsh (please break it to me gently though...).

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Dreamy Beds

It's a dreary day today. Gray skies & rainy days makes me want to stay in on a carefree Saturday! If you live in Texas then you must know Texas rainy weather is muggy & humid. My rather lifeless bed is calling me ( no headboard yet & only has a pair of pillows at this time ~I'm used to 5 or more but it's a memory foam...so comfortable!). These dreamy beds will bring me to a whimsical & heavenly place.




Shawn Lovell Metalworks Bed



Rococo Bed Neiman Marcus



Under the Apple Tree Bed at Etsy
Happy weekend everyone!

{images via thisnext.com)

Visit our site: http://www.theinglenookdecor.com

Friday, May 15, 2009

Store Spotlight: Threshold

Have you gone into a store & you literally just gasped?! I did as I enter into the two and a half month old design & decor boutique in the corner of West & 5th in Austin., Threshold. Yet again, I'm loving this city every minute.... beauty, creativity, and design just abound everywhere I look!


I am so green with envy :) with the owner, Linday Burns. A true Austinite, with her husband, has helped Austin's urban real estate to develop & flourish. With an impeccable track & success for modern design, architecture & green living, she recently opened her design firm & shop. Work can be somewhat stressful & tiring I bet, going to Milan for a furniture fair, to New York for Gift & Accessory conventions & other unique markets all over the world.... oh, well just part of the job.


I love being greeted by anything bright & tufted. This lime green chair lured me in.




Chairs, chairs & more chairs. Can't decide which ones look the best.

Antibody Chair



Dreaming in chartreuse? Here's your perfect lounge chair.


Shadowy chairs


I call these Burberry chairs & the tulip center table is for you Sarah!:)


Hmmm, this patchwork sofa instantly brings me to Marrakech in Morocco.

And this pair to Grand Bazaar in Turkey.


Colorful Louis chairs? They're eye-candy to me!


The patio chairs didn't disappoint either.


Oh & they carry Planikafires tables, Bisazza mosaic tiles & other accessories, too.
Maybe I'll be like her when I grow up:)

{images via their site & my own}

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Slowly Coming Together

Our new space is slowly coming together. We're still debating about a couple of things & the closet is still in discussion. Here's some of what we've gotten so far & some stuff we'll definitely get:


We did use this color on most of the walls. Iron Gate from Ralph Lauren silver metallics.


And yes, I'm a die hard lemongrass fan. We resolved our curtain dilemma & found out how to hang these dupioni silk drapes from Pottery Barn by getting hospital-type tracking for our 20 feet wide floor-to-ceiling windows. I'm crossing my fingers that this will work. We'll hang the drapes up tomorrow.

Raymond Waites Haute Resort Collection.

My fiancee's not a big fan of wallpaper but I'm determined to put this in our bathroom.


Our bedroom walls are chocolate brown like this & we bought a low profile bed from West Elm (they're so nicely priced) & as far as headboard, I'm leaning towards the upholstered kind but it's so hard to find just the headboard, any ideas?


Z Gallerie

White & tufted, yet again, so predictable of me.





Z Gallerie

I thought this lamp will look so glam for the bedroom.

Jayson Home and Garden.

I would love to have this Napoleon Chair for my ultra-mini office.


And two of these chippendale barstools with yellow seat cushions.

My other design dilemma (well, I have lots) is the big wall on top of our sectional sofa in the living room. I would like for the artwork to be personalized. Any ideas?

All accessories are going to be from my store. Thanks Tina at Luphia Loves... for the post:)

Visit our site: http://www.theinglenookdecor.com/

Sunday, May 10, 2009

My Dream Balcony

I hope all Mom's everywhere are having an amazing day today. Even though I'm somewhat griping that my daughter is growing up too fast (see post below), she still makes my heart flutter. She asked me just yesterday to give her a hug (this has been a rarity!) & lovingly kissed my hand.

Today, my wish is for our small balcony to look like this:

Hahhh, I can stay here all day on any given Sunday...reading a good book, sipping cafe au lait & munching on some hot beignets.


Visit our site: http://www.theinglenookdecor.com

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Happy Mom's Day


Beware, lots of pictures (unrelated to design & decor) :)

I'm always nostalgic when Mother's Day comes around. My little baby will be a teenager soon. The turbulent years are something else, she doesn't like hugging or kissing me like before.

She wouldn't dare have pictures like these with me anymore! :(



Or smile for the camera like this...or pose like a model (no smiles so it's Couture!)

She even had my signature "hand on waist" pose pat down!

She insists now on not looking at the camera while she talks to her friends on the phone. (She loves this panda hat).

This is me by the way when I was a child...rocking a yellow dress & vintage mary janes.

And this is my Mom, gorgeous isn't she?! Rocking the mod look.

Happy Mother's Day Mommy! I love you.

I hope all Mommies out there have a grand day! You deserve it...

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The New Neutral

There's no denying...gray is the new neutral. I couldn't help but follow the trend as we painted our new space in Iron Gate from Ralph Lauren's regent metallic paints collection. I am having second thoughts though as I didn't realize there are multitudes of gray shades out there!

from Vintage Laundre's photostream at Flickr

This is the famous "silver sage" from Restoration Hardware. I love this pattern, it never gets old!
This is gray-green.
And this is green-gray.
Sage gray.

Taupe-gray.

Blue-gray.

And last but not the least Farrow & Ball's off black.
photos from xjavierx photostream at Flickr
I'm sure there's more out there but I already have a favorite. Remember the taupe days? It's come & gone. Ilove the new neutral better!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Upside Down

Some things can be so wildly interesting upside down. It's so much fun surfing the net for new products & design for the home & stumbling upon such creative minds...



My first thought? How did they do that? The makers of this ledge display at Not-tom just wanted to save some books that are going to the trash. The result? A definite conversation piece!





And the people at Boskke has perfected these pots that has an internal reservoir. You water the plants just once a month & the water goes straight through theroots. No spills, no mess. Perfect for my small apartment!
Being green is so amazing!


Visit our site: http://www.theinglenookdecor.com

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Lush at the Rooftops

So sorry I've been in a garden kick for a while. This week, I'm inspired by rooftop gardens. If you're a chick flick lover then you must love the movie "Bed of Roses" with Christian Slater & Mary Stuart Masterson. Ahhh, remember that garden & of course the mysterious knight in shining armor?

These rooftop gardens are so amazing that I've been desperately seeking for patio furniture, planters & lush plants to make our 50 square foot balcony feel like a retreat.





It's a whole park in this one!



Mini-cabanas
Now back to outdoor furniture shopping. Have a great weekend everyone!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Little Black Chair

I think I'm in love! I found this chair by Fredrik Farg, I believe he is a Swedish designer. This is his exhibit at Milan's 2009 Best of Green Design & named it RE: Cover.


Farg purchases old chairs from flea markets,restores them totheir original condition and fits a "new dress" to the form.


This looks so much more fun than dressing up a Barbie!

I can see this chair in a Runway (see my other blog Runway to Home). It looks good looking at it from the front...

side,


or the back. It doesn't have a bad angle! It is made of 100% recycled polyester. His thought was a trend will never outlive a classic. How true! Renew & restyle!

Visit our site: http://www.theinglenookdecor.com/

Friday, April 24, 2009

Gardens in Austin

An anonymous reader who read about my blog A Modern Cottage in Austin reminded me of a garden boutique in Austin appropriately called Gardens. If you happen to visit this fabulous city, do not forget to stop by this little shop, it's just a few miles from downtown.

It's part home decor shop, part nursery & also an architecture & landscape firm. Look at these yummy pictures...








Some of their work...






A garden boutique oasis...I can'twait to visit again!


Visit our site: http://www.theinglenookdecor.com