Hello Napa Valley!

I am off to Napa Valley with my best friend. 😉 I’m so excited to hop on a plane and see something new.  So, upon my departing from the brink of Fall in DC, I leave you with a few words from California wine maker Robert Mondavi (from his autobiography The Harvest of Joy)…

“Wine to me is passion. It’s the family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.”

If my iPhone cooperates, I’ll share my adventures with you! Cheers!

Pattern Me: Meet the Spartans.

Been there, done that. That’s what the Greek Key design is telling us. Its everywhere. It always has been. Being related to a very lovely Greek family, I had to post some of my favorite key finds. It’s all Greek to me!

Labyrinth Bench | Stephen Miller Siegel

Round Greek Key Rug | Jonathan Adler

Greek Key Moulding | Enkeboll Designs

Versace Vase | Cookware.com

Aluminum Greek Key Chair | Benjamin Wilson Antiques

Abbot Single Arm Sconce | Circa LIghting

Sutter Jacquard Bed Skirt | Pottery Barn (on sale!!)

19th Century French Diamond Necklace | 1st Dibs

Avanti Ultima Greek Key Towels | Bloomingdales

JOhn Richard Greek Key Console | Neiman Marcus

Greek Key Hardwire Lamp | Lamps Plus

Greek Key Pillows | Jayson Home & Garden

Jonathan Adler Radcliffe Etagere | Unica Home

Greek Cuisine Cookbook, Vefa's Kitchen

Not Your Standard Office.

New York’s Fashion Week saw plenty of parties. Many of which were held at  The Standard Hotel.  The new Standard was updated by go to interior design firm Rowan and Williams, the creative team responsible for two of the city’s biggest hotel openings this year, The Ace and The Standard. We get to see what its like behind doors. Collaborative e-zine, The Scout, gives us a sneak peak into what it looks like inside Rowan and Willams.

Charity Starts at Home.

Now is the time to visit the first carbon neutral house on the East Coast!  The CharityWorks GreenHouse is being staged in the CO2FreeLiving house, a custom-built, carbon-neutral house located in McLean, Virginia. The house showcases a new approach to sustainability whereby more efficient building design, innovative technology, and a smart location are combined to reduce carbon emissions, the leading source of greenhouse gases.

The design by Cunningham & Quill Architects is inspired by the Craftsman style which was popular in the early 20th century and which acknowledges the importance of natural elements in the spaces in which we live. The interior layout has been thoughtfully planned, and includes all of the spaces that a discriminating homeowner expects to find in a McLean, Virginia home. From the geo-thermal stystem 400 feet underground to the 18 designed spaces filled with earth friendly decor and finishes, the house is a prime example of smart design. The resourceful and skilled designers who have dedicated their efforts and talents to the show house include Skip Sroka, Victoria Neale and Barry Dixon, amoung many others.

Tickets for the tour are $25 if purchased online and $30 at the door. Proceeds from the Greenhouse tours go to CharityWorks which in turn gives families and children in the local community a chance at a sustainable future. Since 1999, CharityWorks has channeled millions of dollars to community organizations doing the hard work of helping break the cycle of poverty that continues to plague our nation’s capital.

Let’s help green up this planet in any way that we can! The show must go on!

Welcome to Pheasant Country.

Hooray for Washington DC-based Interior Designer’s! Architectural Digest featured local designer Thomas Pheasant on the September cover. Love the house and the design looks timeless. I once interviewed Thomas for a graduate school project while studying for my Masters in Interior Design at Marymount University. He’s a warm, talented and intriguing individual. With a following I might add. I love that pool house!

Update: Project Kitchen Has Shiny Stone!

We’re nearing completion. Since my last post on Project Kitchen, the granite countertop has been installed and we’ve begun pulling ideas for a backsplash! Next step is to find the right backsplash – whether it’s mirrored, covered in creamy glass subway tiles, or even left painted and treated with a nice calm coordinating pattern. The new granite is Brazilian Marron Cohiba – a rich blend of deep browns, blacks and peices of mica mineral!

New counter top works great with the appliances!

For the new facet and sink, we decided on an under counter mount deep set rectangle sink that can hold all of the signs of a good dinner party without being seen by guests. =) The Como faucet is by Danze and has a sprayer built into the nozzle. Its very modern with out being to severe. I love the one handle operation and the handy coordinating Danze Parma soap pump!

Brushed stainless steel single lever faucet and soap dispenser.

In the meantime, we painted the backsplash wall Edgecomb Grey by Benjamin Moore. It’s used as an eggshell finish above the cabinets and in the adjacent dining room. The color is a nice neutral that sits on the fence of pale silvery blue and light taupe. The color changes throughout the day and makes a perfect temporary backdrop for this room. Voila! To be continued…

The island is now open into the dining room! We got six more inches of space with the tear down!

All in the Family.

I’ve got, yet again, a fav article from Interior Design Magazine. The final results for a renovated loft in a neighborhood of converted warehouses are fantastic! The space should not always be the dictator in the way you live. Breaking down barriers in design can bring on amazing and efficient ideas. =) Enjoy the article!

Click here to see the article!