Gone to the dogs

Being the last official week of "summer" there's so much to do to get the kiddies ready to go back to school next week. Because of this you could say my week has kind of "gone to the dogs". So, I thought it would be appropriate to share some fabulous built in dog kennels. I dream of having a space like this someday. Of course, knowing my dog, she would never dream of using it as it would mean she's a dog.

I love that these designs incorporate your dog into your house and your life. It's not an after thought and it doesn't take up valuable floor space like most dog beds.

Genius and so pretty too.

New Favorites from Restoration Hardware

When my gigantic Fall Restoration Hardware Source book arrived I was not expecting much. However, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the new items. Here are some of my favorites.

Love this mirror. It would also be great painted a high gloss white, silver or gold leafed.

This is a great statement mirror.

Classic black and white sketches

and architectural etchings that would be fabulous as a large wall collection.

Looks like they were finally listening as they now have a couple sofas that come in a normal size length and depth. Not many people can use a 90" long or a 42-44" deep sofa.

Love this 1940's inspired Barrel chair. And it comes in a dark finish as well as their aged oak. Yeah!

The Trelliage nightstand and dresser.

A great Parisian inspired table. Wish that had done this table in a antique silver finish as well.

A iron and crystal French inspired chandelier. This comes in multiple sizes but the little one is my favorite.

A great mercury lamp. It's nice to have other options than crystal. And this lamp comes in a couple of great sizes.

And then the piece de resistance, the Ben Soleimani (of Mansour rugs fame) rug collection is to die for. Now this is high-end rug design for the masses. They didn't skimp on the materials and go for acrylic or olefin. These are gorgeous wool rugs woven in India. The prices are amazing for the design and quality. A couple of my favorites.

(okay, so this ones pretty expensive but it's a show stopper)

Good work Restoration. Now try to add even more normal scale pieces and other finishes back into your line for those of us that don't have a gigantic french or European inspired house.

Thanks!

Chris Barrett - eye candy

A little Pacific Palisades eye candy by Los Angeles interior designer Chris Barrett to start your week off right.

The arched doors and rustic beams combined with the stucco fireplace are what first attracted me to this house. Regular french doors wouldn't have made quite the same statement. This room has such a great refined yet casual feel.

The kitchen is the perfect complement to the living room and adds warmth with the masculine caramel tones.

Love, love, love the dining room off the living room and kitchen. I also like how both rooms share the flat screen t.v. My family would live in this room.

A decidedly normal looking media room for a house in Los Angeles. I may hyperventilate because of that door! Doors and windows can make or break a house. REALLY.

Heaven. What I wouldn't give to wake up in this room everyday.

Those beams and doors again... Breathtaking.

The window in the bathroom echos the curved doors throughout the house. I also like that they used the dark cabinets throughout the house to add continuity instead of changing them in every room - one of my pet peeves. The builder and designer paid attention to the details without going overboard.

A lovely way to start the week.

Blue Hill Stone Barns + A Wedding

In June my younger sister took off to NYC for a whirlwind weekend to celebrate the marriage of one of her good friends from college. It was so cool to hear about this wedding when she got back because it was so atypical and so beautiful. In a lot of ways, this wedding was super special to her because she and her boyfriend were just 2 of about 50 people who got the pleasure of celebrating with her friends, but also, the setting was to die for and the dinner was out of this world.

The friends -- Rebecca and David -- are huge foodies. Rebecca works in public policy, specifically food & agriculture policy and David is very well-known in the coffee industry (he MC's world barista cups as one of the perks of being a coffee genius and super charismatic). In addition to guests from all over the states, there were quite a few continents represented through the coffee world. One of the things that I love about this wedding is that Rebecca and David chose to focus on the dinner and celebration rather than the "normal" hoopla of a wedding that so often takes the attention.

So what do you get when you combine great friends, a Rockefeller property, a dinner at one of Food and Wine Magazine's 10 life-changing restaurants, and amazing coffee from all over the world? I'm not sure an answer could do it justice.

Entering in to the main courtyard. BHSB is about 45-minutes outside of the city but it feels like a different world.

Usually diners sit on the patio for outdoor meals, however, the majority was occupied by the wedding guests.

I'm told Rhubarb Collins were enjoyed here while this picture was taken. Rebecca is a sweet-talker because that drink is so good, it's usually not made en masse for functions. She is very persuasive.

From the pastures, looking back towards the restaurant.

Yes, her boyfriend is on his phone, but only to take pictures for himself -- it was that pretty.

I love this fencing that weaves throughout the property.

Isn't this amazing? They don't call it "Stone Barn" for nothing.

Another view of the inner courtyard from the outside. You can see the great beds that sprinkle the space -- my favorite mix of order and chaos in a garden.

Those clerestory windows add such a great mix of rustic with this more industrial edge. It's a working property and a working farm after all -- not all things can be rustic when it comes to needing function. Get a load of those doors.

Overlooking the valley, you can see some of the hothouses that grow all the amazing produce and keep the farm going. It's a center for food and agriculture so aside from the restaurant, the 80-acres creates a lot of harvest.

Their menu for the evening -- which doesn't even capture the amazingness they say.

There is so much more I could say about the concept behind BHSB and how amazing the idea of sustainable agriculture is when combined with a restaurant, but it's been said before by people much more informed than I. You can read more about BHSB and the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture on their websites and the additional links provided on them.

Kleinhelters office

I've always admired Lee Kleinhelter's store Pieces, Inc. I love finding amazing pieces and refurbishing them so I've always watched her in awe. The woman has style and a keen business sense. When I saw this article in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles about her and her husband Kevin's new office space I was hooked.

Their combined space showcases his custom construction and renovation firm projects and her design sensibilities. While housing office space for both of them, there's a with a joint meeting space and conference area for clients. Dreamy. Really - it's all I really want.

The outside gives you a hint of the magic to come from K2 Construction- modern simplicity.

But you can see Lee's influence in the furniture, wallpaper and accessories once you step inside. The meeting area is spectacular. The black doors lead to Kevin's work tools and outdoor gear so he's ready at a moments notice. Love the pop of yellow.

Her office - sophisticated with a touch of color and texture. The David Hicks wallpaper (again with a touch of yellow) is to die for. The bookcases and Lucite desk with the amazing vintage console - speechless.

His office - modern masculine. She used her signature custom basket pendants and Lucite desks in both offices to create a sense of continuity in the space. Almost a reverse of her office but it gives the client the same overall feeling.

The details make every room. And these rooms don't disappoint.

This couple delivers the design GOODS. A beautiful creative space for them to enjoy while they grow their businesses.

Hall love

Can you fall in love with a hallway? Guess so, because that's what happened when I saw this hallway by Steven Gambrel. The level of detail is sheer perfection.

I'm a sucker for built-ins, but then add the custom runner and spectacular light fixtures and I'm done. Three window seats for curling up with a book - heaven.

Southern Style

Whether it's a new store in Atlanta's Buckhead called Anthony Wolf

Or a poolhouse by Phoebe Howard

Or a beachhouse in Seagrove Florida by Keith Summmerour and Jackye Lanham

I'm hooked on the clean, muted palettes of these spaces. I do love color as well, but I must say I'm most attracted to the subtle southern style.