A Very Swedish Holiday

I'm still at a lost on a decorating theme for next year {I've already given up this year, I've only been
in our new place permanently for a couple of months...at least this is the excuse I'm using}. I thought
about going ultra modern with bold colors of hot pinks & deep turquoise or shimmery in golds & silvers
or whites, crystals & silvers for a wintry effect. Alas! I think I found "the one!" I think I'm going
for a Scandinavian holiday.This spread of a Swedish home exquisitely decorated for Christmas
is what I'm deeply falling for.

 {the wreath exudes such elegance}

 {gorgeous tree but look at those wide-plank wooden floors!}

{my favorite winter bulbs!}

images via Country Living

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at http://www.theinglenookdecor.com/.

Birthday Girl

{Flickr}

{Country Living: Verde Rosa}


Yea!Yea! Today is my birthday! What am I feeling? Joyful....thankful.....loved! It continues to be an amazing ride... teeming with fascinating jumps & beautiful colors.


Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

Rambling

A friend of mine has been renovating a gorgeous home for about a year now. It's almost done & the exterior painting was just done recently. But check it out!He beat me as far as having a yellow door first. Tsk!Tsk! Adorable don't you think?

Sigh! I'll have a cottage home again soon {no, not this big!}.

A week before Thanksgiving, I visited a friend in Vancouver. I want to give a shout out to Zeala for being such a gracious host & the other people who made my short & sweet stay fabulous!

I also want to give a shout out to these fabulous blogs who ran a post on the shop in the past few weeks: Living with Lindsay, Decorology, Design-Crisis & Bright,bold beautiful. And Austin Monthly Home for featuring us at the "New & Notable Section." It's at the "Press" section of the site.

A new article is posted in our "Decorating Tips & Ideas" section, Gearing up for Holiday Guests.
Whew! I told you, I'll be rambling....

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

Holiday Decorating at our Home: Skimp this Year

I bet holiday decorating is in full swing at your homes, it may even already be done! Well, we just started & I'm fearing that we won't be able to have a tree this year. Being that I've only been here three months in our new space & the rest of the decorating is not even complete, I haven't even given a lot of thought on how to decorate our space for the holidays.

I'm not one to go overboard so I have a few images that may be my inspiration for holiday decorating next year.

Pop Bright

Unique crafty pieces in subtle gold & white

Silver Candelabaras & a Post-it Christmas Tree

In the meantime, I went with what we have & decorated our living room light fixture.

And placed three red wreaths above our headboard. Ihave two more larger wreaths hanging around the house.

{images: Living,etc & Mine}

Maybe I'll scatter a few of these votive holders, decorate my tapers with these bobeches & light holiday candles all over. I'm crossing my fingers that we'll still get a tree this year. Now where to put it is the problem...

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor .

A Little Rant about Gift Giving

If you're like many, you probably have the "Holiday to do list" & a list of people you need to buy for, for the holidays {unless of course you're a procrastinator & will aim to wait until the last minute...just like many others, too!}. The questions that seem to linger in everybody's minds right after the Thanksgiving dinner is Who? What? Where? {Who to give to...do you have yours in categories; primary, secondary, tertiary? What to buy? Something they need? Absolutely adore? Unnecessary want? Where? Online? Offline? At a bargain store? The big mall? At a one-of-a-kind shop?}

As I make my list today, I try to remind myself that Christmas Gift Giving should never be exhausting, mind-boggling or stressful. I do hope that I would remain true to what it's all about & how it started.

... how the three wise men brought gifts to honor & celebrate the coming of Jesus & really just to express their joy.

... or how the origin of the Christmas stockings began as a folklore tale of how St. Nick threw bags of gold down the chimney of a widower {which by the way landed in stockings that were hung around the fire to dry} to save her three daughters from being sold. See he was just generous & simply wanted to help.

It isn't about what's most expensive & definitely not a barter trade {I'm talking about the idea that the gift culture is becoming about "I'm getting you something but what will you get me?"}.

Ha! Ha! Am I in my soap box again? So sorry! On a lighter note, when you get the chance, please check out our Gift Giving Guide at the Shop. We categorized it to suit the different style personalities. Check out which one you fall into.

She's a little bit country...

Bird Guest Towel & Jewelry Stand

"Today is a Gift" clock

Bohemian Chic
Boho Holiday Mugs


Amelie Luster Glasses

Swanky Lady

Gold Imprinted Tealight Holders

Gold Sea Urchin bowls with silver spoon

I hope this season, all of us is bringing back the joy of gift giving!

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

Top 10 Things I'm grateful for in this Decor World

So have you done your "must exercise" for Thanksgiving? They say on this occassion, think about {or even write them} the things you are grateful for. I'm so grateful for so many things that such a post would be so lengthy. Instead, i thought of writing something lighthearted & related to my decor blog. So here's my Top 10 things I'm grateful for in the design & decor world:

1. Eddie Ross' inside look at Flea markets. His trips & finds....tres chic!

{NY Daily Times}

2. The Etsy community is growing...inspiring a little creativity in all of us.



3. The mag "House Beautiful" remains alive. Just like so many others, I was really saddened by the folding of Domino {among other decor mags} but glad that we still have "House Beautiful." And just like Domino issues, they'll remain in my library forever!





4. The series "Man Shops Globe." Getting a glimpse of Anthropologie's decor buyer's travels & finds at large amuses me so much. Still hoping there will be a DVD release.



5. Yellow is a color trend. Finally my favorite color is mainstream!



6. Gray is the new black! Elegance at its simplest.

{ From The Right Bank blog}

7. The Martha Stewart empire. Others may not agree but how many times have we actually looked at her site or magazine looking for ideas on how we can make our surroundings beautiful DIY style?



8. Eco-awareness & societal responsibility is getting stronger with manufacturers & furniture makers around the world. If you are looking for eco-friendly furniture, gadgets, etc, look no further than http://www.inhabitat.com/. Check out the kitchen countertop made of lego!

{Inhabitat.com}

9. Miles Redd. Making dramatic but relatable spaces. My design hero of the moment.

{Stylecourt.blogspot.com}

10. Fabulous decor bloggers abound. Designers & non-designers alike find inspiration { and of course eye candy!} between each other. Tackling design dilemmas one space at a time!


So, what are you grateful for in this design world?

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

The Poor Man's Silver

As you know, I'm often intrigued by how things are made. I just recently found out that these type items I so adore are also called "the poor man's silver." I'm talking about antiqued mercury glass decor. I thought they really had mercury in them which is not good right?

Mercury glass, also called "silvered glass" is made from glass that was blown double walled & then silvered between the layers. Glass artisans started to make them in the 1840's & was popularized in Bohemia {now the Czech Republic---didn't know this either}. But no worries, in the 1860's, mercury was not used anymore, instead silver nitrate was used.

The tarnished, intricate & luxurious look is just wonderful & definitely more affordable than silver. Come check out what we have at the shop:

Finch ornament ---whimsical & glamorous right?

Hanging hobnail votive holder---we'd scatter them everywhere!

Etched ribbed votive urns---Hollywood glam comes to mind

Etched votive holders---I think these are romantic!

Bottle tealight holders---do I hear rustic & charming?

Enjoy!

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

{ Anthropologie's Keith Johnson } Coveting his Job

I haven't met a girl's girl who is not in love with Anthropologie. There's an Anthropologie shop just a few blocks from where I live & I often just stop by and get lost in my thoughts of oooohhhs and aaaaahhhs basking in the wonderful finds of a globe trotting maniac. His name? Keith Johnson, decor buyer extraordinaire for the shop since 1994. His search for gifted artisans, original works & handmade curiosities are explored & showcased {I'm sure you know this already!} in the show "Man Shops Globe" featured at the Sundance Channel every Wednesday, 9 Central at the Sundance Channel. This is reality series in the most wonderful form for me! In my profile, I wrote a year ago how I would love to travel the world a la Samantha Brown {of the Travel Channel} & check out the world of design & decor all over. From how Capiz is harvested from the seas in the Philippines to how camel bone mirrors are made in Morocco. Alas, a job I covet!

Check out his excursions in some of the images from the show.

{ he states, all roads lead to the Champ Elysee in France }

{ where else would be the best made rugs come from? Turkey of course! }



{ with travel companion & sister-in-law Pam Senk adoring colorful chandeliers in Tunisia }

{ handmade chairs in South Africa }

{ paper animals from South Africa }

{ One of a kind decoupaged chairs from artist Leslie Osterich of Holland }

{ Indian colorful bangles anyone? }



{ mirror, mirror on the walls of a manufacturer in Holland}

{ checking out tableware in Argentina}

Taking perusing to a whole other level. I think that's the allure of shopping! And shops such as Anthropologie & visionaries such as Keith Johnson makes it an adventure for all of us.

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

The Week's Low Down + An Amazing Cottage Reno

I hope everybody had an amazing Halloween! I didn't write a Low Down for two weeks, so here's a few stuff that's been happening:

... the PR & marketing group officially started their work. Plan on participating in events around the Austin area with coupons, giveaways, meeting new people & just knowing more about this wonderful city. I'm meeting with their graphic designer for more promotional materials, etc.

... SEO & SEM is still going strong, for about two days, we had almost 700 new visitors! We've been busy bookmarking, joining different groups, writing blogs & articles.

... I've finally completed a little "Policy & Procedure" manual of how to run this business, uploaded in quickbooks all accounts & vendors & established graphs & stats to see my success (or the opposite) objectively.

... sales have been steady {but not enough to cover marketing & advertising & expenses yet...it'll get there}. I have had more low moments (how I feel emotionally) as far as the business venture in the past few weeks. I think that's normal {I hope!}. I think when you're doing a new venture, although I know that it will take time {and yes, money!} to make this work, I want it to take off now! I remember when we opened our first clinic,how I wanted to quit by the third month & in the months to come. It was full of sweat & I cried several times, then a friend told me about the eleventh hour. How important it is to hang on, as it's only a few moments away before a breakthrough happens. So, I'm hanging on!

Well, on a much lighter note. I came across this amazing cottage renovation. I thought it is really sweet!

{Images via Kitka Design Toronto}

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

The Little Black Room

Every woman has a perfect little black dress, why not a little black room. I've wanted one for a long time but always has a huge struggle of "to do it or not to do it." It's a color that's associated with what is dark & evil yet the class, glam & sophistication the following black rooms exude is definitely enticing.

{Decor Pad}

{Girl World Decor}

{Matters of Style}


{Hooked on Houses}

{Design Crisis}

{Chateau du Lu}

{Alkemie}

Gorgeous rooms, don't you think? Have a wonderful Halloween weekend everybody!

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

A Shout Out for Andrew!

I can't tell you how many people has given me so much support & inspiration with my new venture.Well, last week, a good friend of mine & fabulous photographer, Andrew, drove from Houston (two hours away) to take photographs of my new items. No other gadgets but just a trusty camera, some white paper & tape. His only instructions, make them look like they're floating.

Birds Nest Condiment Bowl

Sea Urchin Condiment Bowl

Birds of a Feather Dessert Plates

Luster Glasses

Agate Ornament {White}

Agate Ornament {Brown}

Antiqued Mercury Glass Votive Holder




Hanging Hobnail Mercury Lantern



Antiqued Mercury Glass Finch Ornament

I did pay him though ...with Salmon & Capers on bruschetta for lunch & gourmet tacos for dinner. He just didn't ask for anything & happy to help! Oh and I didn't make those by the way:)

Here he is in action...Please don't be mad! :) I am just truly grateful!

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

More ideas at: http://decoratingideas.theinglenookdecor.com.

Beaux Objet: Crab & Cream

I know, I know, an odd pairing...Crab & Cream? Well, I'm just so happy to introduce some new items we have at the shop from Bougies la Francais. I totally fell in love with these candle creations. So perfect & divine in shimmering gold!

Cream puff candle {Boite Cadeau}

Crab candle {Bougie Crabe}

No kidding, I was ecstatic when these items arrived & I'm like a little kid opening presents! They come in a decorative gift box.

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

Tree Stump Stools

So, the condo has another problem (aside from it being small). The entryway is a design dilemma. It's narrow & cramped but desperately needs some personality. The entryway leads to the kitchen where some sort of seating, a buffet, or entryway cabinet can be placed. Mind you, the depth has to be extremely skinny & has to be light & can be moved easy. So, now I'm opting for some stools. For some reason, I'm drawn to tree stump stools lately.

Mind you that circa 1997, when this trend is not the trend yet, we got a huge tree stump from the streets, varnished it & placed a clear glass on top of it. Voila! It's the driftwood coffee table that's been gracing stores lately.

So, here are some that caught my eye:

{Thout holey Stump from Design Public}

{Bird stool at Cottage & Bungalow}

{Tree stump stool/accent table from West Elm}

My heart is not set on anything yet & who knows, my idea will change again. Any thoughts on these stools?

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

The Week's Low Down

This week has been somewhat uneventful. Hmmm, let me see what happened ...

... at the clinic for a little more than a week seeing patients at our Beaumont facility. Everything is going well at our mid-county clinic (we call it our flagship) & all staff members are working tirelessly, happily & productively. Thanks guys! Tuesday, I did go out & meet with some of our doctors for referral development relationship a.k.a. marketing.

...ate bad the whole week (think pecan pies, kolaches, southern ctyle chicken) & exercised just twice. Bad! Bad! This Sunday, I started by running at town lake. Getting my groove back!

...got my proposal from my PR, marketing & branding company. I love it & can't wait until it's all implemented.

...site traffic is a bit down this week & sales is somewhat sparse. Still I did some SEO tweaks for the site & I got my website grade higher form 86 to 91! If you're curious what yours is, check out http://www.websitegrader.com.


... met with Andrew who has been making my homepage images & we sat down for some photoshop 101.

... I got these le petit white candleholders from my inventory (a flea market find) & used them for personal effects. Nobody was biting (could it be the bad image?LOL) & I actually really, really like them. I have 12 & plan to scatter them all around the house.




Again (i feel like a broken record), sorry for the lack of posting, blog reading & commenting. When I'm at the clinic, I am very focused on that. I'm thinking of my next posts as I write this though.In the meantime, please check out another blog that my SEO guy has been making: http://decoratingideas.theinglenookdecor.com. It's simple but chockful of information. Till the next lowdown!

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.

Beaux Objet: The Francesca Mansard Mirror

I'm always so curious when I come across a new word. Well, I just added these wonderful mirrors to our product selection & it's supposed to have a "Mansard design."


Forgive me for being a little clueless but I absolutely didn't know what that means. I first thought it was a shade of gray but come to find out, it's a roof design popularized by French Architect Francois Mansart. He supposedly did not invent it & one of the architects that built the Louvre used it in defferent portions of the museum first.


A Mansard roof consists of two portions, a lower steep pitch that is nearly vertical & an upper low pitch that is nearly flat. The design allows for livable spaces like the ones below close to the roof.

{by farm4static at flickr}

Sigh! I've always dreamed of a home with a space like this! So, anyway, hope you enjoyed the little tidbits of information & do check out the item here. You'll love the intricate design & the distressed gray color.

Have you read our decorating tip of the week? Visit our site at The Inglenook Decor.