For many years my husband and I have been really interested in, and have begun collecting painted portraits.  We’re starting a small collection which are lining our entryway and stairwell.  Most of the portraits are vintage and antique portraits, but we’re starting to mix in some new/contemporary works as well. A friend of ours who [...]

We’ve all had those times when we walked into a friend’s home and immediately notice a distinctly pleasant aroma.  Sometimes its fresh flowers, sometimes its baking cookies, and sometimes its a delicious candle.  In the winter, it just has that warm and enticing aroma that you’ll envy for your own home, and it somehow makes [...]

As many of you know, I love to travel.  And when I travel, I oftentimes visit the flea markets of the cities I’m visiting.  Whether it’s Paris or Palm Beach, visiting the flea markets is always a fun way to see the history and culture of a city.  I’ve been to the flea markets in [...]

Update – Condo Is SOLD… Not quite a true interior design ‘inspiration’ post, but thought we would let everyone know that I’m listing my condo for sale.  It’s definitely a bittersweet moment.  Josh and I have loved living there, but alas, it is time for a move to get a bit more space.  Sad to [...]

Feminine, chic, glamorous, and intimate.  I’ve been loving photographs of Irving Penn’s for a long time, but recently I’ve been loving the depth and intimacy of his images.  I ran across a quote of Penn’s which speaks to the power of his images: “Sensitive people faced with the prospect of a camera portrait put on [...]

Slim Aarons lived by the mantra “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.” And it’s true, he photographed some of the world’s wealthiest celebrities, jet-setters, and royalty, but somehow with a feeling of approachability and closeness.  From his NYTimes obituary it seems as though Slim had become one of them.  He was actually close [...]

Recently I’ve found a pretty phenomenal online mood board of sorts where I’ve been keeping a lot of my interior design inspiration for projects – its on Pinterest.  If you aren’t familiar, Pinterest is basically an online inspiration or mood board that you ‘pin’ photos to digitally.  And all your facebook/twitter friends can ‘pin’ theirs [...]

I was looking through some photos from our trip to Russia this past summer when I noticed these two photos of gold gilt details.  The first is gold gilding on moldings and the ceiling in the dining room at the Hotel Savoy in Moscow.  The second highlights gold gilded columns at The Hermitage in St. [...]

Exterior Ceiling at Sacre Coeur Recently I’ve been noticing and admiring decorative ceilings – the photos above are from trips to Paris, Italy, and Russia where I saw a more notable use of decorating ceilings in these historic palace interiors.  So after admiring the interior design of these palaces, I’m determined to use decorative ceilings [...]

Palm Beach Interior Design Palm Beach…ahhh, where it is always 80 degrees, sunny, and the beach is never more than a few block away!  Plus, it has gorgeous gardens, great architecture, and some tasty restaurants too – all in one small island.  It’s no wonder why so many people flock there during the season – [...]

Taxidermy in Interior Design One of the most visually arresting ways to add intrigue and character to a room is through the use of taxidermy.  It makes a statement as bold as the wildest wallpaper or furniture piece, as big as any super saturated color palette can do.  And what I find so interesting about [...]

This past summer we went on a tour of a few Moscow sites.  The oil tycoons and the nouveau riche of Russia have really changed the way luxury interiors in Moscow are designed.  Sure the palaces of Russian Czar’s were grand, but who would have thought that a grocery store could be this ornate.  In [...]

I’m a big fan of public artwork.  But in Chicago we usually see it in the forms of sculptures and installations.  While in Moscow this summer we ran across some installations of paintings placed atop building exteriors.  They took what was a simple cinder block building and gave it a punch of beauty.  They distracted [...]

As you know I’m a big fan of mixing styles and eras, but they’re rarely ‘uber-modern’.  Sure I’ll have modern touches here and there, but I’ve really come to appreciate a new (yet old) form of modernism called Cubism.  Oftentimes for me true modernism feels austere and cold, but cubism feels more visually stimulating, almost [...]

There’s nothing that makes a kitchen more romantic and alluring than a chandelier.  While in Prague this summer we visited Cafe Savoy for lunch.  If you head downstairs you can get a peek in the kitchen which is a beautiful blend of industrial & romantic touches.  It proves that a kitchen can be completely functional [...]

Earlier this year I was down in Atlanta for a project.  After we wrapped up the project, I wanted to enjoy the city for another day or so.  Besides shopping at Sid & Ann Mashburn, Pieces, and a handful of other shops, I went to one of Atlanta’s finest historic homes (or mansions) – Swan [...]

I’m not sure what it is, but in the last couple years I’ve really developed a passion and interest in exterior doors.  They’re like the front cover to a great book, or an amuse-bouche at a great restaurant – they clue you in to the experience you’re about to have.  To me, they set the [...]