Your sympathies please

This Saturday we are having a birthday shindig with about 20 or 30 guests. There is nothing like the threat of guests to make me decide that nothing is up to par and it must be changed immediately.

We have been living with no house number, save the one on the mailbox, for 2 1/2 years. That has been remedied along with many other shortcomings.

Conveniently, in addition to our festivities, is the Senior prom so yesterday I ran myself ragged tying up loose ends for that. In the evening I had two school events to attend and when the doorknob on our front door broke I wearily browsed Lowes' website. I finally said, "Whatever just get one like the one we have." and left.

Really? This is the front door!

I did not even look until this morning. sigh...

That poor man has no idea what he is in for.

New fabric love

I have been meaning to design and order more fabric (for yet another pillow) from Spoonflower.

I was just going to modify one of my previous designs but I was too lazy to climb the steps and grab my color map. Pathetic, I know.

Anyhoo, I often upload a painting of mine only to see that it really does not work but today it did.

 I used this painting that recently sold and used a mirror repeat to create this fabric.

I totally dig it and ordered a yard for that pillow I mentioned. It will give me a chance to try out a new workroom.

5 Best pillows on the cheap

What is wrong with me? I covet pillows incessantly! You too?

Here are a few lovelies that wont break the bank.

This bolster is 17 smackers at World Market. Not terribly exciting but a good foundation other than square.

Chinoiserie and pink!!!? This pillow cover can, at $28, cover some unfortunate choice from 2008.
Well , only if that choice was in pillow form.

I am nuts for this "Mudhut" pillow from Target. It is not overtly trendy and for $25 its an easy pick.

Urban Outfitters simply had me at pillows
there were a few that rang my bell.

HERE

As I was browsing, I surely said, "Shut--UP!" several times.
This one above is probably on the grad gift list for my son because it is called the "Magical Thinking Marbled Pillow" and he most likely will be doing some magical thinking that I don't want to know about in college.
 

 

This is Urban Outfitter's other magical thinking pillow. 

It looks less magical to me.

Are you obsessed with pillows or am I alone in this?

3 favorites

Last week I was browsing my Pinterest boards and noticed a few pins that had been pinned multiple times. Oddly, I also noticed several "what was I thinking" pins too.

I digress.
 I wanted to chose a collection of favorite rooms and identify the commonality.

Today I'll show you my favorite dining rooms in no particular order.

Bunny Williams

Meg Braff

Miles Redd

These rooms are so different but there are common elements that I find appealing.
The Meg Braff room seems, at first glance, to be completely different than the other two. It is light and bright with modern lighting and art.
I think I take comfort in traditional elements in a room. The Bunny Williams room fills that need in classic, East coast style but it is no where near the sassy Palm Beach chic.
The Miles Redd room does not resemble the others either. It is an explosion of pattern, from the DeGournay wall covering to the tablecloth and chairs.
The traditional elements, Braff's Louis chairs and Redd's wallpaper are the number one similarity in these rooms that works for me. Also eye-catching color plays a big part in rooms that speak to me.
Meg Braff's room is mainly devoid of color save the chair fabric and artwork so those items become obvious. The mural in Bunny Williams' room plays off what surely must be a custom carpet. The Miles Redd dining room has a great deal of green that is tempered with black, beige and a small dose of red but it is the variation that I love.

I think that finding favorite images and identifying the common elements that are pleasing to you is the most useful way to pin down your style and proceed in choosing the decor for your house. Back in the day I gave clients a stack of magazines as "homework" to accomplish the same thing.
Thank goodness for Pinterest!
How do you use Pinterest?

New work and something different on paper

I have been having a blast with these triptychs on paper

I had the need for a larger piece of painting paper recently so I bought a pack of 10 Arches Aquarelle paper. Its lovely stuff that is not just for watercolor.

 I have been painting with oils on it too. I start by taping off my sections to be painted.

In order to paint with oils on anything, the surface has to be primed with Gesso.

From there I use thinned oil paint which makes for quicker drying.

I did a vertical and horizontal triptych as well as a conventional rectangle.

These will be matted also.

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying painting with oils but I have to dig very, very deep to be patient. They take so long to dry and making revisions to anything sometimes requires waiting several days. I am very impatient. Call me Veruca Salt because I don't care how, I want now when it comes to many things and painting is at the top of the list.

"Remembered blossoms" oil on canvas by Kerry Steele 24 x 30

 It took some digging this week not to rush this painting that I finished yesterday afternoon. Oils can take me a week or more to complete which is slow for me. I think its worth it.

I have gotten over my paranoia and taken my Instagram off of private. You may follow me and see lots of paintings in progress and the occasional plate of food. I am making a croquembouche next week and fail or triumph, it'll be there.

Genius or awful?

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Thoughts?

I think it belongs on the pages of RH for squirrels. If Gary Friedman had conceived it I am sure that he would have an annoying deep thought about the meaning of the wood. Don't get me started...

2 points for weirdness. Feel free to disagree.

It was supposed to look like this

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When I was a teenager and just beginning to love design, I imagined my grown-up life would look like this. It doesn't and never has. I am not even sure that it feels right for me as a place to live, although I bet I could get used to it.

It is a pretty awesome space and the exposed brick is romantic in an urban kind of way.

I am not sure I like the bedroom cum garage-reno.

What was your grown-up house supposed to look like? Do you live there?