Dachshund Bookends at any Budget

As a bibliophile and a dachshund owner (and lover), I am naturally drawn to just about any pair of dachshund bookends. But even if a wiener dog hasn't stolen your heart and/or taken over your home, these bookends bring a nice dose of levity to your decor: As your book collection grows, so too does Fido. Above is a shot of my own pair of dachshund bookends (a Christmas present from my

This really irks me...

Restoration Hardware is peddling antique unbound "book bundles" as objets de art. Firstly, I despise the idea of buying books as purely decorative items. Certainly, bindings and covers can be -- and even should be -- beautiful (see the new Penguin Classics series HERE), but I'm a firm believer that books you display in your home should be books that, you know, you've actually read and enjoyed.

It's Greek to Me

This past weekend found me hosting three out-of-town guests and no big plans other than a birthday dinner on Saturday night. And so we decided to spend Saturday afternoon at the Greek Festival, one of the largest of its kind in the country. We spent the day gorging ourselves on spanakopita, gyros, and baklava and even sampled some Greek wine and coffee (very sweet!). And, while there was little

A little post-moving indulgence...

The only thing I've ever purchased from Wiliams-Sonoma Home is a set of black and white chinoiserie dessert plates that I scored at a Pottery Barn outlet outside Austin. As much as I adore WSHome's general aesthetic, its prices tend to make my very price-conscious husband hyperventilate. So generally I just do a little virtual window shopping, admire all the prettiness, and then surf on over to

If you can't buy it, make it.

Jonathan Adler in House Beautiful One of the easiest and least expensive ways to give your old furniture a new look is with a few new throw pillows. And so, in an effort to "work with what I've got" while still sating my desire to start fresh, I've been doing some online browsing for a few pillows for the new house. And while I've found some absolutely beautiful choices (like some of the

Roberta Freymann & Roberta Roller Rabbit

Here in Houston summer lasts through September, so early August is really just a midway point in our very long, very hot summer season. With daily temperatures hovering around 95 degrees, I find myself looking for cool, loose clothing that's easy to wear and yet still stylish and the Spring/Summer 2009 collection from Roberta Freymann would be absolutely perfect for August weekends. Freymann's

Preening like a Peacock

John DerianRecently I've been loving peacock motifs, both in home decor and in fashion. And while it's undeniable that peacocks (especially their feathers) have been having "a moment" in the world of design for the past few years, the peacock has been popular as a symbol of royalty, beauty, paradise (and even immortality!) throughout human history.In India, the peacock has long been associated

Win a Blissliving Home Pillow!

Today I am absolutely thrilled to bring you a giveaway courtesy of AllModern.com, an online retailer for all things hip and modern for your home. Part of CSN Stores, All Modern is just one of over 260 retail sites that offer a diverse array of products from Herman Miller’s popular Aeron Chair to cookware by Rachael Ray. All Modern carries just about all of the hottest home decor brands out there

Odi et Amo Discount: Emilia Ceramics

Today, I'm thrilled to share with you all an interview with Emily Brown, the owner of one of my favorite online stores, Emilia Ceramics, which offers unique, beautiful ceramics handcrafted by artisans in Italy and Mexico. Not only though has Emily been gracious enough to offer me the opportunity to chat with her, but she's also extending a great discount offer to Odi et Amo readers. From now

Optimum Optimorum 4: Mirrors

Mirror, mirror on the wall, whose the fairest of them all? Mirrors are a favorite design element of decorators not just because they're pretty, but because mirrors have amazing space (and light) enhancing properties. While any old mirror will help make a room look larger and brighter and, when properly positioned, can maximize a good view, a beautifully designed mirror can function as art in its

Optimum Optimorum 3: Accent Tables

Occasional tables. Accent tables. Side tables. No matter what you call them, they're the undeniable workhorses of any room. But not only do these small tables hold books, lamps, accessories and the occasional evening cocktail, they also serve a strong decorative element as they help create conversation areas and finish off the look of a space. A small table on either end of the sofa can keep it

Optimum Optimorum 2: Table Lamps

I'm back after the long weekend with a second installation of my Optimum Optimorum mini-series, which is highlighting "the best of the best" in home accessories available for purchase online. Today, I've got a roundup of my favorite table lamps. Lighting is an often ignored -- but incredibly important -- element of design and table lamps are a great way to create atmosphere in a room and provide

Optimum Optimorum 1: Dining Chairs

As I mentioned yesterday, Optimum Optimorum is a Latin phrase meaning "the best of the best" and I thought that, while I was away on vacation, I'd bring you some tightly edited selections of the best of the best in home decor. Today, we'll kick things off with dining room chairs.My obsession with finding "the perfect" dining chairs for my new house continues unabated and I've spent entirely too

Converting the Unconvertable

As I've mentioned before, Dave has a general dislike for wallpaper. I'm not sure if it's the expense (compared to paint), the difficulty in putting it up (not to mention taking it down) or just that he still associates wallpaper with the hideous cartoon borders and "grandma" florals that dominated our childhoods in the '80s and early '90s. I tend to view Dave's resistance to something as a

Ideas for the Study

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to incorporate my existing furniture, art and accessories in my new house. Certainly I can't afford to replace everything -- nor do I particularly want to as I rather like much of what I own, even if I want to go in a slightly difference direction for the new house. And so, much of what is in my current living room will be making a new home for itself in

Ideas for the Master Bedroom

For the master bedroom, I'm thinking about taking the vibrant color palette I chose for the dining room down a notch. A navy blue and Chinese blue color palette, accented with hits of metallic and cream-colored furniture, will work well with the public areas of the house but still be a departure from the more vibrant colors and dark wood furniture I plan on using in those spaces. Plus, these

{New To Me} Revival Home and Garden

Today I stumbled upon Revival Home and Garden, the online home to the Seattle-based home decor boutique owned and run by husband-wife duo Leah and Chad Steen. The store combines fabulous vintage pieces with pieces from some of the best in today's design world (think Jonathan Adler, Thomas Paul, Rubie Green). Revival is definitely reminiscent of Atlanta-based Pieces, but a tad less expensive (

Ideas for the Dining Room

When it comes to planning how I want to decorate the new house, I find myself focusing on the dining room. Perhaps it's because it's right off the entryway, so it's one of the first spaces you see when you enter the house. Perhaps it's because I don't currently have a formal dining area, so I get to start from scratch, unrestrained by existing pieces that have to be incorporated. And perhaps it's

A doxie by Jonathan Adler = Love at First Sight

Should a certain husband still be on the look out for a birthday present for his devoted wife, might I ever so subtly suggest that this might just be the perfect gift? You'll find it here -- and if you order now, you just might get it in time for said devoted wife's birthday. There. Was that (un)subtle enough? For those of you who AREN'T my husband, I still highly recommend checking out the