House Envy: London

On gray drizzly February days, it can be hard to muster up the willpower to actually get things done around the office. And so, on days like today, I often find myself perusing the "Great Homes and Destinations" section of The New York Times, wishing I were somewhere else. While I suspect the weather in London today looks a lot like Houston's does (but about 30 degrees colder), living in a

Virtual Vacation: Great Smoky Mountains

Dave and I have elected to spend our Christmas vacation at home again this year, and while I welcome the opportunity to indulge in a bit of a "staycation," I can't help but wish we were sitting around a slightly more festive environment -- like, say, a cozy cabin nestled in the mountains.Now I'll be the first to admit that I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a girl who likes to "rough it

Annie Selke's Ranch

This month, House Beautiful wrapped up its series chronicling designer Annie Selke's transformation of a dated ranch into her home. I'm an avid fan of renovation shows, so it's little wonder I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Annie's journey each month (if you haven't been following, you can read all eight installments HERE). What I loved most though was how well Annie was able express her own

Before & After: Hamptons Home

I'm baaaack. After a much needed week off from blogging, I'm back and feeling much more inspired -- and much more rested. Many thanks for all your sweet comments and e-mails. I can assure you that I'm doing well and there's absolutely nothing to worry about. The past month or so has just been incredibly busy at work and that busyness translated into far less time (and inclination) for blogging.

To Mr. Drucker, a love letter

Dear Stephen: When I heard last spring that you were leaving House Beautiful to take over (and make over) Town & Country, I'll admit I was a bit surprised -- and even more skeptical. Wasn't that just a step down? House Beautiful has long been my favorite interiors magazine. I anxiously await its arrival each month and, when it does finally arrive on my doorstep, I read it slowly, savoring every

Aesthetic Oiseau goes to South Carolina

Today our virtual travels take us farther south down the eastern seaboard to St Johns, South Carolina, to a home designed by the incomparable Phoebe Howard. Our tour guide today is Daniela from the DC-based blog Aesthetic Oiseau. If you're looking for inspiration for a modern interpretation of chinoiserie or incredibly stylish chinoiserie finds at a good price, Daniela is your girl. In fact, I

Coastal Cottage Done Right

While I'm a huge fan of the ocean and the beach, I'm not generally in love with most coastal decor. It's just way too...literal. Sure, sea fans and coral are pretty -- and a few bits scattered about can bring a lovely, beachy touch of nature to your home. I have bits of both at home myself. But more often than not, your average seaside cottage is chock-a-block full of shells and sand. Yes, your

Mid Century Modern Done Right

When I first started reading design blogs back in 2008, my design style really wasn't all that set yet -- though I was immediately obsessed. I devoured design blogs with gusto, hoping from one blog to the next, reading through all the archives of my favorites. During this nascent period in my design education, I vacillated wildly among various styles until I began to settle into certain styles

I want more Shade

I thought I'd leave you this weekend with some images of the very, very cool Harlem home of designer Roderick N. Shade. Shade's home is the kind of place that makes me want to know the owner/designer -- after all, any man who can embrace fuchsia like Shade did (or who even has a name like Shade!) must be fabulous. Shade's tiny 550 square-foot apartment was featured in this month's Architectural

Virtual Vacation: Mexico

As much of the country settles in for a bitterly cold weekend, I can't help but daydream a bit about being somewhere (anywhere!) else. Some place warm, sunny, beautiful and near the water is just the ticket to chasing away the winter blues. Besides, after limping my way through my first week back after a 10 day vacation, I'll admit that I (quite unjustifiably) feel that I'm due for another break

A Loft Fit for a King

While unarguably little more than a brilliant marketing tool, Metropolitan Home's Showtime House is nevertheless a whole lot of fun -- and not just for those who are fans of Showtime's many original TV series. The two Tribeca penthouses totaling approximately 14,000 are a wonderful opportunity to see top designer's like Kara Mann, Michael Berman and Susannah Drake at their most irreverent. Sure,

Barbie Madness

After another weekend spent unpacking, I'm still in escapist mode so I thought I'd share pictures from the Malibu Barbie Dream Showhouse that Jonathan Adler designed in honor of the iconic doll's 50th birthday. When I first read back in March about Adler's send-up to my favorite childhood toy, I was so excited to see what Adler would come up with. After all, Adler's bright, energetic and

Virtual Vacation: Palm Springs

After a long weekend of packing, moving and (slowly but surely) unpacking, I'm ready for another vacation. Since I won't be taking one for a while, I thought I'd indulge in a little virtual vacation today, courtesy of the New York Times and its recent feature on the Palm Springs' home of Kansas-based designer David Jimenez. While I've never been to Palm Springs myself, I've always imagined it to

When Decorators Go Bad

My good friend Christina sent me a link to the real estate listing for this home here in Houston earlier this week and I couldn't resist sharing it with you all. If you'd like to take a look at the full listing, see HERE. Located on one of the nicest streets in town just minutes away from downtown, right near Rice University campus, this lovely 5,000sf. home is on the market for just under $2M