Knock, knock

Let's be honest- virtually no one comes to the front door anymore without previously being invited via text/email/phone call. If this is the case, why greet them with an unceremonious dime sized button to push? 

Having guests over for any reason that would force them to use the front door implies the beginning of a celebration! Maybe it's just me, but that little button is pretty anticlimactic in comparison to a bright, bold knocker against an equally bold background to bejewel the ceremonial entrance to your home! 

Perhaps I just have a flair for the dramatic, but you can bet that if you don't hear me knocking on the door, I'll just text you... 

Cheers! 

Eat + Drink: Sparkling Master Cleanse C/Mocktail

The Master Cleanse. On a scale of 1-10 how mad are you? Are you a lover of this tart drink or do you actively speak out against its supposed benefits?

Today happens to be my 5th day of 10 on the cleanse, and I feel fantastic! I have done this cleanse numerous times throughout college and early adulthood and I always quickly tire of drinking this unceremoniously straight from the bottle. After seeing everyone's weekend brunch pictures, I jealously headed to the kitchen to make a fizzy, nonalcoholic version fit for any healthy brunch! If you've never had this mix before, you might be surprised at how tasty it is!

Vodka or gin optional.

No matter how much you love it or hate it, the Master Cleanse is just as adored for its health benefits as it is hated for its wobbly science. This controversial concoction is often used for a period of 5-10 days for its cleansing benefits and I happen to be a fan. While you won't find me going on a 40 day binge on the stuff, I do enjoy the glowing skin, body reset and general lightness I feel --- you know, once the headaches, fuzzy tongue and grumbling tummy subside. Glamorous, right?

Have you ever done the Master Cleanse before? Have your past experiences with the cleanse been positive or negative? If you decide to make this lovely libation, please snap a picture & tag me in your Instagram photo!!

Design Advice: My Interior Essentials

I was reading through a great blog post from Emily Henderson outlining her 12 essentials for styling a room for a photo shoot. Perhaps not so surprisingly, I own more than a few of her little trade secret trinkets because, welp -- #ithinkwewouldbeBFFs if we met. Aside from my harmless girl crush on her, I just really love the fact that she is an approachable designer in an industry that kind of prides itself in high prices and needless pretension.

Channeling my inner Emily and adding to her list, is my own list of luxuries and doodads that you can add to just about any room to give it a weekend refresh! A little brass piggy here, a few layered rugs there and VOILA! you have a new-to-you room for very little moolah and hardly any effort!

What are your favorite design essentials? Share your links and comments below! 

Marais A Side Chair: $145 / On The Spot Desk Lamp: $180 / Linear Wine Rack: $49 / Hex Marble Side Table: $149 / Gold Piggy Book Ends: $29 / IKEA Stockholm Rug: $299 / Koldby Cow Hide: $199 / Scoppio Wall Pom Poms: $14-24 / Succulent Terrarium DIY Project

I've been nominated for a Liebster Award! (Part 1)

My German grandmother would be so proud right now, as I have been nominated by the hilarious and witty Lisa of Sux In The City, for a Liebster Award!  

What is a Liebster Award you ask? It roughly refers to something you like, or that which is beloved in German – and the Liebster Award is a fun way to honor up-and-coming blogs who have less than 200 followers in order to get everyone more engaged, connected and it's a great way for you to find out about some new bloggers! Huzzah! Thank you Miss. Lisa! 

Now, I'm supposed to write a bunch of questions and nominate bloggers and tell you random things about myself, but I just spent 20 minutes on the graphic above and another hour answering the questions below-- so I'm just going to post half now and half later! 

ANSWERING LISA'S QUESTIONS:

1. If you could go back in time and alter a decision you’ve made, what would it be? I would have spent more time thinking about how to turn my favorite hobbies into a cool career before jumping into "real world" and dyed my hair from blond to red a lot sooner (even got to have a few pink days in between dye jobs!)
2. What’s your favorite thing about yourself, and why? My ability to throw together a great impromptu party - a handy and necessary skill. That or my winning personality.
3. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? Sitting at just about any vineyard drinking wine with friends while my dogs troll around looking for willing hands to pet them.
4. If you had to select one food to live on for the rest of your life, what would it be? Champagne. Obv.
5. What scares you? Being too vulnerable, but I'm learning.
6. If you were 90 years old looking back at this time in your life, what would you regret, or wish you’d done differently? Keep in touch with old friends, wear red lipstick, and regret nothing. 
7. What is your biggest dream? My biggest dream is to happily live a life that is just right for me...and to pass the Sommelier Level 1 exam so I can be a legit wine expert!
8. If you could swap lives with anyone for 24 hours, who would you choose? Thelonious Monk or Frank Gehry -- just to have a glimpse into how these minds work would be incredible and I'm pretty sure my brain would explode.
9. Who’s your favorite person on earth? My grandmother- no longer on earth per se, but no less my favorite. She taught me that an all black outfit accessorized with big, colorful jewels, shoes, and purses is chic at any age.
10. If you had the power to change one thing about the world (circumstances, behaviors of people, etc), what would you change? I would strive for an emphasis on everyday happiness and focus on quality of life issues. More siestas, more laughs, less work, less competition, more brother and sisterhood, more wine.
11. Does your milkshake bring all the boys to the yard? Just the boys who aren't lactose intolerant.

Classics and Coral [MOOD BOARD]

The warm weather and longer days are leaving me to yearn for a killer patio to lounge on. Luckily, I actually have a pretty cool patio, but the sobering fact that I am merely a renter keeps me from spending any money to furnish this secondary living space. Instead, I choose to daydream about long hours spent lounging with friends and drinking wine while watching the sun dip below the horizon.

While I don't know if I would design my patio quite like this, I do have a soft spot for the classic black and white stripes and punchy accents (and that VIEW) shown in the outdoor space below. I've broken it down into colors and textures for those of you that would like to recreate it for yourself! Enjoy!

Entertaining: Dining Al Fresco

Mix up some Sparkling White Peach Sangria (a.k.a Porch Pounder Punch) and prepare your favorite summer salad because it's finally time to TAKE IT OUTSIDE! The nights are getting warmer and the days are getting longer. I'm ready for those animated conversations that last all night and may seem a little fuzzy the next day. Who's wants to join me?!

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What does your ideal al freso meal look like? Do you have a tried-and-true porch pounder punch recipe of your own? Share it below!

Design Advice: Integrating Screened Porches

Screened porches are a thing of amazing convenience and oftentimes very little beauty. Immediately  that sideways leaning, hastily built eyesore with sagging screens pops into my mind and I die a little bit inside. Of course, they serve a great purpose to those that love them. You are outside, breathing the warm summer air, becoming one with nature -- sort of.

I currently have a client who is very keen on having a screened porch integrated into the remodel of his home, and in this case I couldn't agree more. The keyword here is INTEGRATED! In Austin, the sun assaults your eyeballs and burns your skin for 8 months out of the year. Not only does this make it nearly impossible to enjoy the outdoors for most of the year, but it also comes with bees! bugs! mosquitos! raccoons! flash floods!

You bet I'm not going to give him just any old screened porch. He is going to get the crème de la crème of screened porches! So far, my search as turned of a few beauties you can check out below. Judging by these pics, a screened porch might be in my future too. You mean I can sit for hours sipping sugary gin + lemonades without the fear of bees?! Count me in! 

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Which of these screened porches would you like to spend hours lounging on? What unique details would you include in your perfect screened porch? Tell me in the comments below!

Design Advice: Designing Around Quirks

After leaving the nest of your parent's home, you no doubt will live in multiple temporary residences. These rentals may include dorm rooms, apartments, condos, townhouses, duplexes, single family homes and maybe even the occasional house boat! Knowing that you are merely passing through and living on an intern's budget, you might end up with a place that has any number of quirks --- a random column in the middle of the living room, a few bricked in windows, yellow shag carpeting, a second story kitchen, windows that look straight into the condo (namely the bathroom) across from you. The horror stories are endless!

The bedroom below is a great example of celebrating and disguising one particularly common addition. Between the intricate bedframe and gorgeous artwork and fun use of color, did you notice that there is an extra door behind the headboard? It nearly melts into the wall completely and the turquoise outline cleverly draws the eye to the headboard, which we are all in awe of, and you forget there is a door there at all! Brilliant!

If you are a renter, you might feel that there is always SOMETHING that seems to deter you from creating the perfect room. If you are looking to purchase your first home, you really never know what "custom" (read: HILARIOUS) design choices the former homeowners are going to throw at you. The key? Have a plan and be flexible.

It can be a pain for most, but as someone who feels the need to live in a new space every year, I have come to enjoy working around these fun little quirks. I have also found that when done right, they can really add an extra layer of personality to the space. Anyone can design a plain white box, but it takes real talent and imagination to figure out how to celebrate or hide those architectural elements that cannot be changed as a temporary tenant. 

What is the weirdest design element that you have designed around? How did you hide or celebrate this potential eyesore?  Leave me a comment below! 

Design Advice: Mirror, Mirror

Amazing countertops? You've got them.
Awesome cabinetry color? Love at first sight.
Knobs and pulls? Stunning.
The perfect backsplash to tie it all together? You're stumped.

Finding the perfect kitchen backsplash can make or break your perfect kitchen design or remodel, and this anxiety inducing detail is completely justified. If there is too much grout and you risk holding onto grease splatters for a decade! Too colorful or trendy and you might end up hating it in 2 years! Too neutral and you wish for more personality! What's a savvy homeowner to do?!

My favorite classic, icy white subway tile is often a great choice when this dilemma arises, but not always the client's cup of tea. With so many amazing tile trends, finding "the one" isn't getting any easier.  Luckily, I have one go-to that I can almost guarantee won't end up in divorce. Mirrors -- with finishes like antiqued, distressed, pewter and rippled -- in shapes like beveled subway, disco mosaic, clean lines or large sheets are versatile, chic and cost effective! This material is also a great solution when trying to  make a small kitchen look bigger or a dark kitchen seem brighter. Check out a few of my favorites below.

Happy Weekend!

In the past 4 weeks, I have been ushered into my "late twenties", reconnected with old friends, lost inspiration, found inspiration, learned the importance of a morning beach run, wrangled in my ongoing design projects, indulged in too much champagne, AND officially registered my own LLC. 

What will this awesome business be, you ask? You will have to wait to find out. What I CAN tell you is that it is my personal mission to make good design accessible to the new generation of smart, economically savvy homeowners and renters --- and maybe, just maybe it will catch on. 

Stay tuned for updates and enjoy the long Memorial Day Weekend! 

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My Style: All Black Everything

I LOVE black. Love love love. I remember when I was gallivanting around in brightest candy colors back in my college days but insistently telling one of my BFFs that SOMEDAY I would have an all black closet and buckets of the most colorful accessories I could afford. Then I moved to Chicago and that's exactly what I got!

My perfect closet looks a little something like the collection below with a few flourishes of gold and red. Moving to California changed this a bit as my current closet has a bit more color. But as I consider a little (huge) hair color change up, it looks like my all black items will be making a comeback!

PS- How killer is that Quilted Balmain Blazer?

Pumps // Jeans // Perfume // Bra // Purse // Blazer // Necklace // Lipstick 

My Style: Etsy Beach Day

I got lost on Etsy (again) today while wishing for slightly warmer beach weather. 2 hours later, I decided that I should probably put my "hard work" to good use and create a post...which resulted in 2 more hours of window shopping and 3 purchases. Success!

Kiki & Polly Watercolor // Beach Tote // Turkish Towel // Sunnies // Retro Suit // Hip Flask 

Design Advice: Fabulous Fireplaces

Searching for the perfect fireplace for my parent's new home has me lusting for a fireplace of my own. Sure, it's not really practical in Southern California. But you an bet if I DID have one, it would likely be a black lacquered version of the first picture below. *drool*

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Eat + Drink: Roasted Cauliflower & Herbed Quinoa Salad

I told myself this would not become a food blog. Problem is that my life is now run by this gluten, soy, sugar, dairy free elimination diet, and this foodie needs an outlet! And what better place to share than this design blog? 

Since you can be sure that I won't be canceling my 6 year subscription to Bon Appetit, I am gladly accepting the challenge of adapting some of my magazine favorites. Adapted from the March 2013 Bon Appetit, I made a gluten free, dairy free version of the Warm Cauliflower and Herbed Barley Salad with farmers market ingredients that had to be shared. This would also be the perfect dish to take to potlucks, dinner parties, etc because it's simple, flavorful and no one would know it's elimination diet approved.  Instead of suffering (as is normally the polite thing to do), I'm bringing this dish instead. 

Roasted Cauliflower and Herbed Quinoa Salad

• 1/2 - 1 c Quinoa
• Lemon Zest
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 T Dijon Mustard
• 6 T Olive Oil
• 1 Head of Cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 15 oz can of white beans (Cannelli, Gigante, Butter Beans), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 c Flat Leaf Parsley
• 2 T Fresh Tarragon Leaves
• Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Toss cauliflower with 1-2 T of olive oil and place cauliflower on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and papper and roast for 12-20 minutes. Time will depend upon how charred you like your cauliflower and how small or large you like the florets. (The smaller and more charred the better imo)

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. 

Whisk mustard, lemon juice and tarragon in a small bowl. Slowly add remaining olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Transfer cauliflower, quinoa and beans to a large bowl. Add parsley, remaining tarragon and 1/2 of the   mustard dressing. Toss to coat. Divide among bowls and drizzle remaining dressing. Garnish with lemon zest, parsley, tarragon and a fresh grind of pepper. 

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Be in love with your life.

Thank you Ashley Bellview for the inspiration. Always. 

Little Luxuries: HRUSKAA Homewares

Every once in a while, I find myself browsing Etsy... for 4+ hours straight. Naturally, I see a LOT of really cool stuff and read about how artists are doing some incredible new things. While I am not paid to write about my new favorite Etsy shop, HRUSKAA, maybe I should be! A beautiful mix of vintage and modern, these mobiles and planters would are a beautiful way to adorn a bare apartment corner or creatively plant a grouping of succulents! Super architectural, a little bit glam, and just all around cool,  the HRUSKAA brass himmeli mobile is the #1 item on my birthday list!

Huzzah!

>> Shop HRUSKAA now!  <<

Be My Valentine?

Hope today is all hearts & champagne bubbles for you too! Cheers! xoxoxo

Sweet Little Somethings [MOOD BOARD]

I l-l-love pink and red. It has been my favorite color combination for forever and probably because wearing these bold colors together takes some real confidence and sass. Naturally, one would assume that Valentine's Day should be my favorite holiday- while it is not my favorite "holiday," it is my favorite day/week/month to wear the color combination without hesitation! And the brighter the better!!

When it comes to Valentine's Day, I think that we all get a little stuck. How do you make it special without being to kitschy? Do you decorate or do you hope that your man has read your mind and has the house covered in candles? Do you have a girls night or boycott the whole "holiday" altogether?

Whatever your outlook on the "holiday" might be, here is a pink & red guide to a perfect (or at least perfectly stylish) Valentine's Day!

Cheers and love from me to you xoxox

dress / stripe / color block / accessorize 

pillow  / pom-poms / flowers  / garland

marshmallows / xoxo / bacon / macarons  

map / print / wine / nail polish 

New Year, New Zip Code.

I know you've been wondering where I've been -- or maybe you haven't. I did indeed survive the aforementioned winter wedding and even the holidays for that matter. Chicago was practically snowless, which was moderately depressing, though did allow me to wear lots of cute party heels! Mostly we were too busy with work, eating (and drinking), celebrating, etc to really tell the days apart. Some call it a holi-daze, which is cute, but let's call it what it really is-- a food and wine bender. AND I TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE because this is really only tolerated at this time of year and during birthday month. (Yeah, month. What?)

Also, we moved to California.

SURPRISE -- and we survived that drive too...with a trailer...through the mountains of Colorado and Utah...in the middle of winter. fun. 

But we are here now, and it really is the most lovely place we've lived. 65 degrees in January, sunny, views of the bay from our little casita, a spare bedroom plus large couch... I'm taking reservations and also recommendations for places to go, people to see, things to do! 

Do you have dreams about the amazing fish tacos at _____? I'll eat them for you and Instagram you a picture. Does your grandmother live in San Diego? I'll take her to afternoon tea. There are few things better than witty banter over afternoon tea. 

In the meantime, I will be eating my way through San Diego Restaurant Week with a few recommendations and a few shot-in-the dark places on my list. Starting with 1500 Ocean, PrepKitchen,  Katsuya and Wine Vault & Bistro, we will see how chubby I feel by mid-week and perhaps consider a few more!

Cheers from California! 

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