Fabulous Modern Architecture

I never used to be a fan of modern architecture, but after months of perusing Apartment Therapy, I've come to love modern homes just as much as I love older homes. And I never thought I would read the Twilight books let alone post about the "Cullen House" on my blog. I am in fact in the process of reading the "Twilight Saga."I finished the third book this morning, and will start on the fourth one tonight. I do like them, as much as a twenty something year old can like a book about teen love. I've told Josh I would like it a whole lot more if it in fact didn't involve teenagers. I'm not a fan of teenagers, I didn't like teenagers when I was one. It's a nice love story, unrealistic as it is. It's a little obsessive for me, but hey, it's light reading. I have jumped on the Robert Pattinson bandwagon, he is kind of cute, not cute enough for me to plaster my walls with magazine tear outs, and stickers on the back of my car like I saw today in the Safeway parking lot, but cute in a disheveled sort of way... Not as much in the movie. I like my guys with a little more rugged look. He's way too pretty in the movie for my taste. I like a little stubble.

Anyway, what really took my breath away, about the movie the second time I saw it, was the Cullen House. I didn't really appreciate the house when the movie came out earlier in the year (or was it last year?) I don't remember. Anyway, the second time around, my heart skipped a beat for this not so little house out in the woods. It's stunning. The house is nothing like they describe in the book, but I think I like the movie version of the house better. And since Josh doesn't appreciate Modern like I do, my brother and I have decided to win the lottery, and we figure it's big enough for us to live in without bothering each other. Josh can have a separate house, no biggie.

So if you like Modern architecture this is a dream house! At least it is for me. Enjoy!

Thehe Hoke House is by Architect Jeff Kovel from Skylab Architecture

Photos found here

Bliss

It seems to be one of those days when I'm just a little behind on everything, so today's blog post will have to be a quick one. While I was in Target trying on a sweater I was going to tell Josh when he asked where it came from that "Oh this? It's been in the closet forever!" He gave me a call to ask where I was, because he was home for the afternoon. He wanted to get one last day in of hunting and wanted me to go with him. Bleh. I agreed to go on the stipulation that I would not be helping him drag anything back to the truck. I sat in his truck for two and a half hours while he did his manly stuff and I read my book. I got nothing done that I wanted to get accomplished today, but I did get some of my book read. Reading is always a nice way to "waste" away the day. So like I said, I'm behind on absolutely everything today. And, that story about the sweater I was going to pitch him was out the window to because he was going to see it as soon as I walked in the door anyway.

Without further ado, here is a photo of what might be the most beautiful office I have ever seen. At least I think it is an office. It's an office area, anyway. It's no secret that I love natural light. I say it every day, and I also say everyday that I want huge windows in our future house. I mean huge, floor to ceiling windows would be perfect. I would give anything if I could look out these windows every day while I work. I like the view from my office, but this must be spectacular. I would spend all day in there, and only emerge to use the restroom and gather more snacks and coffee. It's perfect. Everything about it is perfect about this space. I really wish Josh would let me paint our hardwood floor white... That would never happen, but one can dream right?

So this is the space I am dreaming of today. Have a wonderful Halloween weekend!

I cannot for the life of me remember where I found this photo.

Light and Airy

As a general rule, which many of you who read this blog know by now, if there is anything expensive to love, I find it. And while it's great to have expensive taste, there's nothing wrong with wanting good quality stuff, it doesn't fit within my budget 99% of the time. So I'm left with finding ways to improvise. I'm all for having one expensive piece, and a piece that I can compromise with that is a little more practical in the price area. Although, again as many of you know, I am anything but practical.

Case in point, I have a beautiful homemade desk my father- in- law built me in place of a desk I found at World Market for (I think it was $100). I don't know how much my desk cost to make, it doesn't matter. I love it, I can stand at it and still work perfectly. It has built in file drawers, and a book shelf on the other side. It's pretty perfect. The top is laminate so I can't ruin the desk if I write on a piece of paper. And on that desk is a $100 "Photographer's Task Table Lamp" I do have my priorities straight. A beautiful lamp that was purchased by my MIL and Josh's grandma for my birthday this year. Yes, I'm pretty much surrounded by the best gift givers in the world. Have I mentioned the World Market entry table we own in the living room given to us two Christmases ago by my mom? I'm loving the "piece of furniture every year for Christmas" thing. I'm hoping for a sofa or entertainment center this year.

Now that you've been told about my expensive taste, and my impracticality I can get to my point for the day. For our new bedroom, (the first time we've ever been able to paint might I add) I wanted to go for something light and airy. I am a huge fan of color in a room, thus the reason we are going for red on the walls in our living room. Forget having a cohesive look for the whole house, I like so many different styles, every room will have a different feel. Like I said, the bedroom I'm going for a light and airy look. As much as I like color, I also like non colors as well. My wardrobe is a testament to that. 90% of what I own is gray, black or white. A little navy blue is in there too. I'm a fan of classic looks, but I know I need to add a little color. Even the four items I bought two weeks ago while I a shopping trip were gray. Gray skinny jeans, which by the way are a size 2, just saying, 1 gunmetal gray top that has pockets in the front, and a gray leopard print blouse... and black booties. Sorry, I'm off topic again. As you can see, I like my gray. So what better color to paint the bedroom than gray? I believe that bedrooms are a sanctuary. I want our bedroom to be peaceful, a place to re energize and relax.

I've decided to go with a light gray, the color I chose, I think is a little too light, you can't tell that it's gray, but I think I have the perfect gray picked out now. I've picked out a really girly bedding, much to Josh's disappointment, so I'm going to offset the girliness with a few pops of a Kelly green type color. I don't know what I can use that's green, but I'm definitely on the hunt.I love the color green, its not too feminine, and I do have to remember sometimes that I have a husband. A husband who oddly cares about the interior look of the house. He cares about the weirdest stuff. He has fabulous taste. Case in point, our dining table, and the tuxes at our wedding. I told him what I liked, he was in agreement, walked into the shop all confident, said, "this shirt, this tie, this tux, and these shoes." We left 15 minutes later. We agreed on those two things, and have yet to agree on anything else :)

So because I am going to make him suffer with white bedding, with frilly gray detail, I'm going to use some green in there too, and the green is a go... At least it was the last time I talked to him. I'm also on the hunt for end tables for the bedroom. I was thinking white, but then I came across mirrored furniture, and fell in love. I'm doubting Josh will go for that, but I'm going to try to slip them in. They are a little modern, but I think they will work. Although, the ones I want are $400 dollars... A piece. So I will need to be on the look out for something reasonable.

To finish off the look I need a huge piece of art for behind the bed, to act as a headboard, and some sheer curtains. And if our room was big enough I would have two pretty little stools at the end of the bed.

Potterybarn mirrored bedside table

Perry Street Clock by Kate Spade


And this will go on my bedside table. Officially on my Christmas list

Ciao!

My Dream Sofa

Josh and I are currently on the look out for living room furniture. The horrendous mismatch of cream leather, and 1960's 70's ugly mustard chair mixed with a gloss white vanity, and dark wood dining table and entry table just isn't cutting it for me anymore. We are on an extreme budget, I'm hoping to use a little bit of the $8,000 tax credit we have coming our way to purchase a couple pieces of furniture. This is my dream couch. I don't care if you don't like it. It makes my heart skip a beat. Josh says it's not too bad, but doesn't look comfy. I really wouldn't care all that much about comfort if I got to look at this every day. We would probably have to pass on the whole having kids thing, because it's made of velvet too. Kids and velvet don't go hand and hand. No biggie. With a couch like this I wouldn't need kids;) I'm off to hunt down something more practical. Does anyone know where I can find a reasonably priced gray couch?

Look! It's even studded. There couldn't be a more wonderful couch. Sigh...

A Room I Wish I Had

Do you ever have that feeling of nostalgia that you just can't figure out where it's coming from? Being in a place you've never been before, but feeling drawn to it, like there were memories there, but you know you haven't had them? As soon as I saw this room, I felt something. Cheesy, right? I know. I keep coming back to it in my files, and to the blog that I originally found it from. I don't know what it is about this room. The floor to ceiling book shelves, the colors, or the floor to ceiling windows (I love myself a good set of windows) and I love natural light. Everything about this photo just makes me want to spend the day curled up on that chair with a good book.

Photo found here via Michael Haverland

Have a Wonderful Saturday!

Alyssa

Lonny Mag! :)

I had a blog post started this morning, but got crazy busy this afternoon, and I never got a chance to come back to it. I will have to start over next Friday, as I think I'm going to try out doing the same thing every Friday:) Anyway, since everyone is gushing about the new Lonny Magazine, I think I will too.

Ever since Domino Magazine closed it's doors I (and everyone other interior design lover) have been on the hunt for a magazine to help fill the void. I've tried a few different magazines, but resigned myself to awful thought that Iwould never find another magazine that would make me feel the way Domino did. Crazy right? That I could feel that happy about a magazine? But just ask my mother. I'm the girl that stands in the magazine section of Target or Safeway smelling and feeling the pages. I love magazines, and paper products that much. I love words, I love typefaces, I love interior design. I love just about everything. What I don't love? Those pieces strewn throughout the magazine that just happen to be everywhere, asking you to sign up for another year or two... That's probably the only thing I don't like.

When I heard about Lonny Magazine I was still a little skeptical, but I was not disappointed when I flipped through on Josh's computer. His screen is alot smaller than mine, so I was having to scroll back and forth. I've looked through it twice, and will be looking at it again!

Here are a couple of my favorites! I'm sure if you are a regular to any other blogs, you have seen these photos already!

Go check it out! You won't be sorry!

Have a wonderful weekend!

In A Pink Mood

I've seen a few bloggers posting about pink and white rooms lately, and I think I will follow suit and post a couple of my pink favorites.

Like most girls I loved pink growing up. I'm sure alot of what I owned was pink. If you were into Barbie as a child, you were probably into pink. My mom tells me I wasn't obsessive about it, but I had a healthy dose of pepto bismol colored items in my room, and I'm sure in my wardrobe. The pink item that stands out to me the most is a hot pink hat that I owned. It was purchased on one of our trips to Seaside, Oregon while on vacation. We never went on a vacation where my dad couldn't drive. We took many a trip to the same spots in Oregon. Anyway, this hat had a drawing of a carousel horse and had SEASIDE emblazoned on it. It wasn't just hot pink, but it was HOT PINK in only the way the 80's and 90's could do hot pink.

My favorite color, though, was red, and it still remains today. I remember my grandmother buying my cousin, who is a year younger, and me the same pair of "Jasmine" pajamas. No they weren't authentic Jasmine pajamas, just that style. She gave me the pink set, and Billie the Red set. We promptly switched when we took them out of the box, and spent Christmas morning running about playing Aladdin.

And when I grew into my preteen and teen years pink became more of a staple. When we moved into our "new house" I painted (I think) one full wall pastel pink, and the others sponged seafoam green, and pastel purple. I shudder at the color choice now.

College, I stayed away from pink at all cost. It made me feel queezy. College happened to fall during a hard time for me, so pink was something a little too cheery to take. Now I'm back in the land of pink. I'm pretty sure I only own 2 pink shirts. And nothing else that I own is pink, but I wouldn't mind adding a few touches here and there. Josh would never stand for this (hence the "Why would you want a fake pink Christmas tree?" statement he made when I told him I was on a quest this year to find one for my office. I'm also on a quest for a cheap pink velvet couch, but that's another story...

So now that I've told you a few random stories, here are a few favorite picks of pink that I wouldn't mind having!

Love the chairs, a little much for me, but still pretty.

I dont know what man would let his wife do this?

I'm a huge fan of chairs, so these two photos I love!

My Favorite (More my style white with just a touch of pink.

This one I love because its paired with orange. I love the combination of colors.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Bathroom: Before and After

Have I ever said how much I like before and after's? I'm so excited to post my own! I was going to wait til next week, due to the fact that one of the photos in the bathroom has yet to be officially chosen, cropped and placed in the frame. The original plan was to frame a Roman Holiday poster that we purchased on our trip to Rome while we were living in Germany in 2007.

But because the bathroom is so small, and moisture collects so quickly, I need something that won't be totally upsetting if it gets ruined. So with that decision made I was on a quest to find something else to frame.

For the last couple years I have been collecting LIFE magazine's Great Photographer's Issues. I only have 3, so I guess its not much of a collection. I missed out on Jackie O's issue which was out until just recently. But I do have in my possesion, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, and Grace Kelly's issue. I knew there had to be something in one of those I wanted on my wall. I hated to cut out a page, but I'm cheap and didn't want to buy something that I knew might get damp.

Josh has the weirdest things that are really important to him, and it was really important to him that the photo that will hang in the bathroom not be black and white (it would go with the rest of the bathroom though). So I picked out the photo below, which is one of my all time favorites of Grace Kelly, one that I have posted on the blog before. I love thi vintage look, with hints of red in the photo, so even if it doesn't totally work, we both agreed upon the photo, and I can't wait to hang it!

Onto the rest of the room. When Josh and I bought this house, every room was (and still is) painted a taupe color. It's not an awful color, just totally not our style. The only room in the house that was a different color was the bathroom. The bathroom was painted a cucumber/mint green that had to go.

Painting walls is not my forte, so I thought painting the small bathroom would be a good start. The bathroom is so small that a bright color is needed, so it doesn't make the room seem even smaller. I'm not a pastel girl, and there was no way Josh was going for a bright color, so that left me with white. Let me tell you, I've always been against having white walls, but I had a goal in mind.

Black, Red and White is a combo that is always in mind. It encompasses just about everything we own, right down to the pot holders in the kitchen. I decided to pain the wood (the moldings, cabinet, and medicine cabinet frame) black, I wasn't feeling the wood color in the bathroom, and by doing that it toned down the red hues in the tile on the floor.

After I painted the room which was Behr's "Fallen Snow" black is Behr's "Black Suede." It was too bright. I'd turn on the light in the morning and be blinded. I added the black shower curtain (the only other purchase besides the paint) to tone down the blinding light.

Everything else in the bathroom has been repurposed from a different room. The frame above the window was repurposed, and the towels were purchased for a newborn session I did a year ago. The vase was a gift, and the candles were purchased during the storm last year. These items may be just temporary, I'm going to dig through our wedding stuff to see if there is anything that I can use for the bathroom. The Metro print in the frame was taken by moi on our trip to Paris and was a last minute attachment to a clients print order.

There are still a few more things that need to be done in the room, but overall, I love it:)

Sorry the quality of the photos aren't great. The room is so small I was practically standing on my head to take these! I hope you enjoy my before and after!

Hopefully there will be more rooms to show off soon! As money and time permits:)

Bathroom Before:

Bathroom After:

In Love

I came across this gem while playing "catch up" on Apartment Therapy. I've been too busy this week to gather inspiration from all my regular places. One of my favorite things about Apartment Therapy is the house tours. I especially love to see before and after's. This house tour has a few before pics of the living room and kitchen areas. This reading room is to die for. I love everything about it. The light airy feeling, and I LOVE the striped walls. It couldn't get any better than it already is. You can see the rest of the house tour here

Jenna Lyons

I found this photo and decided that I want it, when I came across this article earlier this week. This article on Jenna Lyons is a good read. Not to mention, the photos and the clothing are lovely to look at! Enjoy:)

This would look so cute in a little girls room, or even in an officeHave a wonderful Saturday!

Alyssa

Black and White Bathrooms

It's a known fact that I am easily distracted by pretty things. I could seriously sit all day and look at photos of most anything. Interior Design photos could keep me entertained for days, trinkets, furniture, artwork, you name it, I've oogled over it for hours.

Colors, and color combinations usually catch my eye first, and nothing catches my eye more than black, white and red. Our wedding colors were just that, and 95% of everything we own is either black, whiteor red or a combination: The coffee pot, the popcorn maker, wool trench coats, luggage, laptops, my cell phone is black, and the house phone is red. I am practically a carbon copy of my grandma (my mom's mom). If I could talk Josh into putting down red shag carpet (like my grandma had) I probably would have that too.

So, why not have our walls painted in the same color scheme? So I've picked out our color scheme for the living room, and the kitchen, Although, I'm a little worried that because our counter tops are tan, It will look funky with the color choice. We will have to see... The combo is none other than RED, but instead of going with black and white, we decided to go with a slate gray blue (more like I decided, and Josh actually agreed). These two colors will start in the living room, and wrap around to the kitchen.

The bedroom color will be gray (im so excited, Josh, is not). I've got so many ideas rolling around in my head for the bedroom. Now I am onto the bathroom colors, and decor.

Right now the bathroom is mint green, and while that is fine for my ice cream, it's definitely not fine for my bathroom. One thing Josh and I agree on... We don't like it. We need to keep it light in there because the room is TINY, I mean tiny. Each place we have lived the bathroom gets progressively smaller. In Idaho we could have put a couch in the bathroom, in our apartment here we had more than enough room to move around, and now, it's a struggle for both of us to stand at the sink. And because I'm not a pastel color person, or a white wall person, my mother must think I've fallen off my rocker to pick white for the bathroom walls. But black and white is probably THE best color combination, and just think of how nice black and white photos will look on the walls? And a nice black cabinet above the toilet. Although, it would have to be pretty high to go above the towel bar.

I'm trying to talk Josh into letting me paint the cabinet black. And I would love to retile the floor, but that is far in the future. :)

Here is what our bathroom looks like now, and some inspiration I've been putting away for when the time, and money permits us to redecorate!

I love how spa like this bathroom is. I adore windows. I could live in this room!

Via Apartment Therapy

Might be my fave bathroom ever... I love free standing tubs!

LOVE the sinks here... and the lighting...

Love the free standing tub, and the shower. Josh and I want one of those showers with the multiple shower heads.

This tile!

Now I need a awesome white shower curtain!:)

Im not sure where the other photos are from, I found them via google. If you know the original sites, let me know!

Have a wonderful day! I'm headed out for a session, and bridesmaids dress alteration, so have a wonderful Thursday too!

A Place To Have Your Morning Coffee

I'm putting off packing today. I don't even know where to start. Josh and I have seriously moved so many times that the thought of packing and then unpacking another box makes my skin crawl, and makes me want to punch the first person I see in the face. That sounds awful, I know, but I'm so tired of going around and around on this house thing I could scream... And we've had it easy with this house. As of this morning we were still on schedule to get the keys on the 30th. That was before I left for Target to pick up some cleaning supplies and packing tape. Afterwards, I get an email saying the appraiser wants the oven installed so he can re-appraise the house. Are you serious? Is it really going to make that much of a difference? Or is he just being a mook? BLAH! So now we have to truck it on up home to get the oven that we bought, and install it so the guy can come look at it. Driving me crazy!

Anyway, now that I have ranted about trying to move into our house, I can blog about a few things that I love right now!

I've always loved looking at people's yards, balconies and the little oasis' that they create. I've always wanted to have a big huge yard with one of those covered areas (pergolas) with a big long table. It reminds me of Italy. And the thought of creating a delicious meal and sharing it with family on a perfect summer day in the backyard just melts my heart. I can almost smell the wonderful food, and the flowers that would certainly be covering the yard, and tables.

Alas, our yard is teeny tiny, and only runs the length of our house. a little grass strip due to the fact that we are built into a hill. Pictures will follow...

So here are some treasures . that feel more like a safe places and a sanctuaries that just yards.

Via Domino Mag

Via Domino Mag


Via Apartment Therapy

Via Apartment Therapy

Via Anthropologie

Pottery Barn

Now I have to figure out what to do with our little patch of grass!

Have a wonderful day!

Alyssa