Thinking Of You

My posts are usually scheduled earlier in the week, as was this morning's post.  I wanted to take a moment to let all of you out there hurting from yesterday's tragedy I am thinking and praying for you.  

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping." -The Mister Rogers Parenting Book via The Huffington Post

Read More

so a lot is going on at our casa....we have officially sold our house and are in the process of building.  the kicker is our new house will take 6 months....we get to stay in our home until june, then we will be homeless....i've got a lot to figure out in the next month!!

Read More

I Cannot Have a Nice Car

Constant transportation of items that could potentially give you Tetanus (although it would be worth it).

Read More

The Dandelion- Beauty, Love & Health

{Botanical.com}

With Spring here, one of my favorite weeds starts going wild, the dandelion.  The pleasure I get from this...

...far outweighs my annoyance with the yellow flowers trying to take over my lawn. 

Yesterday afternoon, I got the sweetest knock on my office door.  I looked outside to see Christian (5) with a bouquet for me.

Like so many weeds & wildflowers, the smell of dandelions instantly brings me back to my childhood.  It makes me so happy to watch my boys enjoying the nature around them and having fun with plants & flowers & yes, of course, weeds.  Even the baby has fun with them...

{Louie, 11 months}

Christian made him a pile to play with and he loved throwing them around on the patio last night.

Justin (3) below, hanging out in my flip flops with a dandelion:

I'm not sure there's much that makes me happier than getting "flowers" from my little guys.  

Dandelions also have medicinal properties and can be eaten. 

Here's some info I found on the LeafLady about it:

"Suppose your doctor tells you, on your next visit, that he has just discovered a miracle drug which, when eaten as a part of   your daily diet or taken as a beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of your body chemistry: prevent or cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis or jaundice; act as a tonic and gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise improve gastro-intestinal health; assist in weight reduction; cleanse your skin and eliminate acne; improve your bowel function, working equally well to relieve both constipation and diarrhea; prevent or lower high blood pressure; prevent or cure anemia; lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half; eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and gas buildup by cutting the heaviness of fatty foods; prevent or cure various forms of cancer; prevent or control diabetes mellitus; and, at the same time, have no negative side effects and selectively act on only what ails you. If he gave you a prescription for this miracle medicine, would you use it religiously at first to solve whatever the problem is and then consistently for preventative body maintenance?

All the above curative functions, and more, have been attributed to one plant known to everyone, Taraxacum officinale, which means the "Official Remedy for Disorders." We call it the common dandelion. It is so well respected, in fact, that it appears in the U.S. National Formulatory, and in the Pharmacopeias of Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, and the Soviet Union. It is one of the top 6 herbs in the Chinese herbal medicine chest.

According to the USDA Bulletin #8, "Composition of Foods" (Haytowitz and Matthews 1984), dandelions rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall nutritional value." 

It can be drunk as a tea but at home, we eat the leaves in salads, which are really bitter and take some getting used to.  I can't explain it, but it's the type of food that you can really feel is having an impact on your digestion.  (Like mint tea or tomatoes.)  When I eat dandelion salad, I almost feel hungrier afterwards & feel like it's kicking my metabolism into gear.  (This is where my family usually rolls their eyes at me with the "That's just Lauren" crazy look, but I can honestly feel that it's good for my body.)  While the claims made on the LeafLady are pretty amazing and I'm sure it wouldn't work to that extreme for most people, I do strongly believe in dandelion's health benefits.

The first time I made it at dinner, my husband literally said "This is disgusting."  (...After all of the training of trying to get our kids to say, "I'm not really a fan of this" when they try a food they don't like.  Go daddy!! ;) 

But, I'm more of the "You'll get used to it" type of person, so I kept making it.  Now, he honestly loves it and it's almost weird.  It's definitely an acquired taste, so if you do try it, be ready to try it more than once.

Because it's so bitter, I HAVE to have our Maestranzi Oil & Vinegar dressing:

Fillipo Berio Olive Oil (a pretty good amount)

Balsamic Vinegar (only a little)

Salt & Pepper- more than you think... The mixture should taste salty

Onions- Sliced very thin so they get all sogged up with the dressing

Toss the dressing with the onions & let sit for at least 5 mins.  Then, toss in your dandelion greens and FOR REAL- let them sit for at least 30 mins, if not more, so that they really absorb the salty-oniony oil.  This takes out a lot of the bitterness.

If it doesn't sit a while, the salad will pretty much just be bad.

Then I add in any extras I'm in the mood for- shredded parmesan - ALWAYS

and then things like scallions or walnuts or tomatoes... or whatever else floats your boat.

{Image from Tammy's Kitchen with a recipe for dandelion salad -i haven't tried it- here}

...So, with all of this about picking & eating and loving dandelions, I'm off to work on a new textile design.  Wish me luck!!

Hope you have a great day and are enjoying Spring!!  Let me know if you have any good recipes for dandelion salad!!  (I tried one at a restaurant once with LEMON!! OMGoodness!!!!!)

Read More

The Next Gilver?

Gilver seems to continue to be all the rage- a mix of gold and silver.  I love it, such a happy medium.  However, there is another mix of colors I have been loving too but I am not sure what the name would be.  The color is the perfect blend of Gray/Brown or Grey/Brown for purposes of new name.  A color chameleon that could go either way depending what it is paired with.  What do you think the word is?

Grown? No. Grewn, Grawn, Bray, Brey....Nothing seems to be as catchy as Gilver.  Do we just stick with Taupe?  Seems so boring.  

(Chair makeover moving along)

Read More

To Market I Go...

The last time I went to High Point Market I was five months pregnant, about to move into my office and the year was 2011.  I was also escorted by Camila, a fellow blogger who I am so honored to call a close friend.  We had a great time and I could not have asked for a better trip. 

Tomorrow I leave to return to High Point.  Even though it has only been two years it feels like so much has changed since then.  Henry is now running around like a Wile E. Coyote instead of kicking my ribs, the office feels like it has been my home forever and sadly, Camila can't make it this time around (although we shall reunited soon)!

 My escort this time around will be my Mom and I am happy she is coming.  She usually comes to the Atlanta Market with me so she has an idea of what is ahead, albeit on a much smaller scale.  Hopefully while I am there I can catch up with some "internet friends", such a shallow term for something much deeper.   Above and below are pictures from last time- Lauren up top and Traci below.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  If you are going to Market let me know!!!!

Read More

Organic Edible Gardens!!

This will be our first Spring in our new house & we're so excited to get to gardening!!  We've decided to do a pretty big vegetable garden... one that we can eat from, but -most importantly to me- one that we can enjoy being in.  It'll be a mix of flowers and vegetables and even fun structures like a living tee pee for the boys to play in.  To help me with the design and to actually create the garden, I've called one of my oldest childhood friends- Danylo Kosovych- who owns Organic Edible Gardens to help me with my 27' x 18' large plot.  

Danylo came over yesterday to take a look at everything and we started brainstorming together.  I was blown away by his imaginative ideas and willingness to make the garden a fun place for our boys.  You can take a look at the -not scaled- general idea we're thinking about right now.  The centers of the bed where the circles are will be potted fruit trees (lemon I hope!!) and the left side of the plan is my house.  The top of the plan shows my fence to the front yard, which opens as wide as the pathway.  We're planning on edging the gardens in chartreuse oregano.  (That's what I call it anyway ;) for a structured look that's full of mayhem and wildness inside the beds.
I'll share more as Danylo & his design team plan out the details (and create the actual design plans which are much prettier than mine ;)  and I'll be sure to share progress and after pics!!  
If you're in the DC area and are looking to get started planning an organic edible garden & need help getting started, check out Organic Edible Gardens.  (They're booking up quickly because it's Spring but it's so worth it!!!)  Danylo & his team are A-mazing!!
ps- I will be sure to show you our kindergarten pics next week!! haha

Read More

Read More

Big Announcement- A New Venture

 Last week I posted a glimpse of a new venture for me and today I am so excited to share it with you.  You are looking at my new space, well the beginnings of my new space, inside Interiors and Antiques in Birmingham, AL.

Last summer my assistant and I were discussing options for what to do with extra items sitting around the office- pieces that didn't work for clients or "finds" I could not walk away from.  Soon after this discussion started, I took part in an amazing One King's Lane Sale.  The success of that sale led to additional sales on the blog and really spurred on the idea of a small space somewhere to serve as a physical outlet for me.

Almost a year later here we are.  There is still A LOT of work to be done but I feel a good foundation has been set.  

Pieces in my space are a combination of new and old, fine antiques and rustic treasures, locally custom made one-of-a-kind furniture, pillows, lighting, small gifts- a little of everything I love thrown in.  

I am going to give this a test run for a months and see how it goes.  I have already enjoyed the process but it is very time consuming and as far as work is concerned, being a Designer is definitely my first priority and I refuse to take additional time away from Henry so we shall see.

If you are in Birmingham (or close by) please come in and take a look.  I am in space #15.  New items will be added regularly so don't be a stranger.  And if you are not close by, don't worry- I will be featuring different items along the way, many of which I can ship if needed!

Where to find me:

Room #15

Interiors and Antiques

1069 Montgomery Highway

Birmingham, AL 35216

Look for the gray tags with my logo and information on the back!

Read More

More Photo Shoots and some flower love

So...  we're doing a few last-minute photo shoots for our portfolio of some of my favorite projects.  I've been working with one of my clients for about three years now and she's got a really beautiful style so I cannot WAIT to take these photos!  The other project is a newer one (with progress shots shared a couple of months ago on Instagram) and this family also has really great style.  I think in this industry we give a lot of credit to designers., but the truth is that homeowner's personal styles and tastes are what really make a home special or a project "great."  A decorator may be able to create an amazing design, but without an open-minded client who has her or his own amazing sense of style and "gets it" the designer might never get the chance to actually implement that vision.

So... onto photo shoot details:  I am truly running around like a madwoman right now.  One of the most important elements of good photos are flowers and plants.  And I'm seriously behind on it.  So, I called my go-to flower guru, Holly Heider Chapple, who has bailed me out more than once.      

Holly owns Holly Heider Chapple Flowers, an amazingly successful boutique flower studio in Leesburg, Virginia.  As I called Heidi this morning, she was preparing for a booked-up seminar and workshop she's hosting in NYC, where she and other flower experts (including a Martha Stewart Living editor) will be speaking and teaching, getting ready for multiple weddings this weekend, welcoming a new employee on board today... yet she still agreed to help me. (!!)    The woman is a true whirlwind.  In a good way.  My hero.

Her floral designs are so good!!!  Going to her website and blog just makes me want to have a party.  

Holly & I went over what I was thinking about doing for flowers in my clients' homes, and of course she had even better ideas.   She gets that I like a loose, casual, relaxed arrangements that look as if they were just picked from a home garden.  (She also knows my favorites are green and white and that I like my own flowers a little wild. ;) ;)

If you're a decorator, when you style your clients' homes for photo shoots- what's your flower philosophy and do you have a go-to flower stylist??

 ps- Holly's company also does floral arrangements for homes on a weekly basis if you're into something like that.  (Sounds like an awesome gift to someone you love- hint hint maybe your spouse if you are reading this and your name starts with a 'D'??- ;) ;) 


*All images in this post are Holly's*

Read More

Didn't I Swear Off Cheap Shoes?

 I thought this year I had sworn off buying cheap shoes...but then I was in Target.  I actually breezed right by these until I heard two women discussing them and I became intrigued.  I must say they are cute and comfortable.

While I was in the shoe section I also came across these...

Didn't I buy a much more expensive pair similar to these last year?  Oh well.  The colors grabbed me so I am taking these for a spin, we shall see how it goes.

Read More

Read More

Open Up & The Chicago Tribune

A couple of months ago, during our renovation whirlwind, I was contacted by a writer, Elaine Markoutsas, who wanted to interview me about the choice to do open shelving in my kitchen and living with it.  We had a good chat about open shelves in the kitchen and about why I love it...  Things have been so busy that it totally slipped my mind & I was so surprised to see an email from my friend Debra this morning congratulating me on being mentioned in an article in the Chicago Tribune yesterday!

{The photo used in the Chicago Tribune of the kitchen in our last house... That's Christian, who's now 5!!}

I'm originally from the suburbs of Chicago (I moved to Virginia with my mom when I was four) and I have lots of family and friends there (most importantly, my Dad!! :) so it's really cool to have an article mentioning me in Chicago.

Open shelving in the kitchen is a concept I feel strongly about (not a joke, though it should be ;) and I feel like it really changed my view and outlook on other rooms in a home too.  The notion of functional beauty is one that I've now taken all over my home (and clients' homes) and just seems so natural to me.  There are things I'm okay hiding and things I like displaying, and I sort of draw the line here: 

1)When things functionally make sense in a room and 

2) When things have some aspect of beauty to them or can be displayed in a way that makes them beautiful

...that they may as well be exposed for me and others to see.   

In our new (old) house, I've opened things up pretty much everywhere I can.  In a small hallway leading from the garage to the house, we're in the process of creating a mini-mudroom out of a 4 foot wide coat closet.  We've removed the doors and taken down the closet rod.  We're adding hooks for coats and bags, a shelf up top for baskets, and a storage bench.  We now see our "junk" every time we walk in the house, but it's displayed in a way that looks as good as it can and it makes life more functional...  Now, my 3 year-old can hang his coat up by himself instead of needing us to hang it for him.  I COVET a mudroom like this:

{I looove these cubbies...  we don't have enough space for any in our house.  Image from here.}

Ours will look more like this:

{Except without the pretty sunshine streaming in ;) ;)  Image from here. }

The same goes for our loft family room...  We're in the process of lining the entire room with shelving for books, toys and randoms stuff.  I'll leave the books exposed and then do baskets for the not-so-pretty stuff like toys and games.  Here's the loft before we moved in:

Right now, the loft is a MESS...  It's half-pinkish-beige from when we moved in and partly primed and exposed studs from where we tore out the paneling and desk you see in the pic.  I have BIG plans for this room and will be sharing soon. BUT the biggest feature in the room will be its open shelving.  I'm so excited to be able to be surrounded by our books (We've been living with them in the garage this whole time and I can't even tell you how many times a week I want to grab a book to reference it or read it to the boys or whatever and I just can't.  I am so excited to be able to have any book we need at our fingertips.)  Most of my books aren't very pretty so I'll be working on some creative ways of displaying them to make them look better.  (wish me luck ;)  I love a mix of vertical and horizontal stacks like in this picture:

{image from here}

In our dining room, I follow the same line of thinking and have more open shelving for serving ware and our nature finds.  I love the simple utilitarian stacks of dishes in this dining room below:

{image from here}

In my office, I display my fabrics, magazines and client binders on large open shelving.  Don't get me wrong, I love cabinetry and hidden storage too- but- I reserve the cabinets and drawers in our house for the ugly stuff, trying to minimize it as much as possible,  and use open shelving for the useful pretties.

The concept of opening up and surrounding myself & my family in the things we use on a daily basis is one that fits the way we live.  We're very casual people, and in this new house, my main goal- besides making it something I love to look at & be in- is making is incredibly functional and easy to live in.  Opening up our storage and seeing the stuff we have is so freeing.  It forces us to ditch the stuff we don't love or use all the time and keeps us disciplined.  (And now I just need an empty room in my house to hide all the other stuff ;)

Anyway, I know it's not for everyone...  what are your thoughts on opening up and exposing your stuff?

To read more about my thoughts and readers' comments & experiences on open shelving, go HERE.


To read the Chicago Tribune article, Full Exposure, by Elaine Markoutsas, go HERE.

Read More