gorgeous glass mosaics

Ann Sacks carries some of the most beautiful tile I've ever seen.  And I'm not just talking one or two lines, I'm talking all their products will make you want to redo your kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, you name it, in floor-to-ceiling tile (ok, maybe even the ceilings).  They're a company that always seems to stay ahead of the game by keeping up with current trends and forecasting new ones, in both their materials and color palettes.  Well, they definitely upped the bar with their expansion of their Beau Monde collection.  The original collection offered a stone mosaic program, but they are now featuring patterns in art glass called Beau Monde Glass.  The glass is produced by water jet and then fabricated with the highest level of detail.  Below are some mosaics from the line, but they can be customized from a large variety of colors they offer.



 Chrysanthemum



Marilyn

 

June

Ava 2



Escargogo





Jasper



Grace 2



Delilah

 



Hex Circle

a little tlc

When Chuck took the job of renovating this pool and its surrounding areas at a local apartment complex along the lake, it almost looked beyond repair.  With its cracked, sunken concrete and weathered appearance, I thought this pool was definitely a goner!

But to my amazement (yes, I will forever be amazed by the jaw-dropping work of my husband), with a little TLC, the completely renovated pool looked absolutely uncomparable to the broken down watering hole that the poor residents had to utilize year after year.  Chuck installed new pool coping and hand-finished a beautiful pattern into the newly poured concrete.  Amazing!  With some brightly cushioned loungers and some pops of color from poolside umbrellas, it's like a new-found paradise!  Someone get me a pina colada!

happy thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving, we are so thankful for all that we have in our lives: our love for each other, our supportive family, our genuine friends, and our health!  We couldn't be more blessed!  We are looking forward to Turkey Day and all of its festivities, such as the great food (that goes without saying), parades, football, laughing and sharing stories with family and friends, and of course......the table decor!  If you are the host for this year's shindig, here are some inspirational images to give you some ideas that are sure to impress your guests at your Thanksgiving dinner.



images via Pottery Barn



eco-chic palette

This powder room is an eye-catcher....and it's environmentally friendly!  The combination of the striking floor-to-ceiling, red mosaic glass tiles that mimic the look of bamboo, the use of the woods and their different textures, as well as the natural woven window treatment create this zen-like powder room.  The vanity's beautiful contrast is a mix of wenge and eucalyptus woods that are finished off with low-VOC stains.  The floor is reclaimed wood, and its color mimics the central wood color of the vanity.  The countertop is made of recycled glass, and a solid granite vessel sink adds extra texture to the room with its polished and rough surfaces.  Gorgeous!



images & info via KitchenBathIdeas



make a statement!

Make a statement with this colorful wallpaper from MissPrint.  You can either choose a tone-on-tone pattern to add subtle interest to a wall, or choose a more contrasting colorway (such as below) to make one wall stand out from the rest.



Cotton Tree Wallpaper in Snapdragon Red




Muskat Wallpaper in Grey







Dandelion Mobile Wallpaper in Porcelain with Powder Blue

 





Fleur Wallpaper in Soft White with Red

 



Saplings Wallpaper in Sunflower Yellow with White

friday fun find: grip bookends

Today's Friday fun find are these grip bookends from CB2.  Use the hand-cast iron tools to bring an industrial flair to your open bookshelves; in your family room to hold your reading materials upright, or in your kitchen to secure your cookbooks or cereal boxes!  They are truly both decorative and functional!

 

sex-y spaces

Like every other woman on the planet earth, I'm obsessed with Sex and the City.  It was my mom that turned me on to the series, and since then we haven't missed a single episode, re-run, and now the movie series (please, oh please, let there by more than just two)!  For all of you that have seen Sex and the City 2, I was completely blown away by the gorgeous interiors of "Mr. and Mrs. Big's" new "humble abode", and wished that just for a second I could step into Carrie's fashionable Manolo Blahnik's and experience the sexy spaces first hand.  For those of you who haven't seen the second movie, this is what you're missing!

The Living Room

I love how the rich, almost glowing hue of the abstract painting pairs with the deep blue Donghia mohair fabric of the streamlined sofa.

The Kitchen

The ultra modern kitchen is highlighted by the stark white upper cabinets, the contrasting lower cabinets, and the vibrant blue pop of the three dimensional oval backsplash tile by Heath Ceramics.

The Dining Room

The Lee Jofa dining room chair fabric holds a whimsical playful pattern against the dark mahogany dining table.  The pendant light fixture by Property adds a warm tone with its oxidized metal finish. 

The Hallway

The blown glass chandelier by Lindsey Adelman Studio (one of my favorites!) makes a great statement piece.  I love its organic form against the patterned wallpaper in the adjacent room.

The Bedroom

The bedroom is all about neutrality, texture, and pattern.  The Kravet fabric on the headboard is the focal point with its bold pattern, and the weight of the purple-blue toned drapery adds contrasting vertical elements.  Who wouldn't want to retire to this heaven every night?

The Closet

 Who can forget this closet?!?!?!  Waking up to walk into this space every morning is a girl's dream come true!  (Well, that and to have Carrie's wardrobe to choose from).  It is truly customized for him and her.  The left side takes on the more masculine role with the dark stained wood, and the right side is very feminine with a little more detail added to the white painted wood.
*Sigh*





all images and sources via Elle Decor

there's a new woodworker in town...

I received Lowe's Creative Ideas magazine in the mail the other day and there was an advertisement for a new line of woodworking products for kids called Red Toolbox.  They feature a kid-sized woodworking bench and kid-friendly tool kit, along with a variety of wood kits that kids can assemble themselves (along with a little help from mom or dad).  The kits are available in three skill levels.  The product line promotes working together, being creative, and having fun!  I think this is an imaginative product line that any kid would absolutely love.  It is a great way to get them started early in familiarizing them with tools and their correct purpose, and it also teaches them that tools are not toys!  And instead of hiring a handyman, they'll be fixing those pesky problems around the house in no time!   

Red Toolbox Multi-Purpose Workbench with Toolbox



Red Toolbox Large Treasure Chest



Red Toolbox Hanging Bird Feeder

Red Toolbox Classic Tool Box

furniture face-lift

One great way to spruce up a room is to take your existing pieces of furniture and give them a whole new personality! 

 If your furniture is getting a little worn and dated, you have a multitude of choices you can make.  Two of the more common choices would be to re-stain the furniture to give it a fresh look, or re-paint it.  Re-painting is a great way to update, and is a bit easier and less labor intensive than the re-staining process.  You have a lot more freedom and creativity when it comes to re-painting and color choices.   The number one rule is have some fun and use your imagination!  If you're re-painting an entire bedroom set, paint the nightstands a bold bright color so they become the focal point of the room (just make sure the accent color meshes well with your existing color palette).  Create some interest to a bookshelf by painting the back of the bookshelf a different color from the rest.  You can also add some life to your dining chairs by painting the entire chair a neutral tone and contrast the seat in a vibrant accent color.  If you're feeling artistic, stencil or free-hand some fun patterns onto your pieces!

Here are some fun ideas to give that outdated furniture a much needed face-lift:





image via Canadian House and Home





image via Good Housekeeping





above three images via Canadian House and Home






image via House Beautiful




image via Canadian House and Home

friday fun find: jar tiles

It's Friday, it's Friday! 

Check out today's Friday Fun Find (I made that up just now.  Every Friday I'll introduce a fun, quirky product that I've come across just for your viewing pleasure).

Today's find...  jar tiles!  Aren't these fun?  You can incorporate them into your wall tile layout, or just mount them to the wall for decoration.  Read more about them here.

pillows.....or are they?

I come across a lot of products that are very impressive, but these plush pillows by far take the cake.  Take a look...

Aha!  I fooled you!  They're actually concrete!  These are concrete stepping stones, by a company called Tuffits, that mimic the look and charm of vintage accent pillows.  They're handcrafted, so no two pillows are the same.  These cute pillows will add color and softness to your garden (they come in a variety of colors and styles), and they're durable in any weather!

I honestly thought that these were real pillows.  I mean, check out the detail!  It's amazing how realistic these are...

something fishy goin' on...

I found the perfect accessories to add to our oceanfront beach house.  Ok, so we don't have an oceanfront beach house.  But if we did, the accessories would look something like this:

These turquoise fish plates and colorful koi artwork would look spectacular along the whitewashed beadboard walls.



Malibu Fish Plates, RSH Catalog



Koi Pond Art, RSH Catalog



Isola Bella Turquoise Fish Pillows, Outer Banks Trading Group



Coastal Living Schooled White Area Rug, Outer Banks Trading Group

 

A vibrant pop of color can be added with these fun and whimsical fish chargers.



Aqua Fish Charger, Outer Banks Trading Group



Entwined Koi Lamp, Outer Banks Trading Group

 

 These would provide the perfect glow for our beach parties!



Sunfish Candles, Outer Banks Trading Group