Thursday 29 September 2011

Perfection

I was about to list everything that is perfect about this kitchen from the copper hood to the leather stools. Then I realized I would literally list every. single. thing. from this picture ....

Tuesday 27 September 2011

One Month


A lot of you have asked for Henry updates. Since it takes me on average 2 weeks to return a call or e-mail these days I figured I would do a post. This past weekend he turned one month old. I can't believe how fast time has flown by. It has been wonderful but it has also been hard. I am still trying to get used to the adjustments, especially extreme lack of sleep. Every moment has been amazing though...This picture features him in his first Ole Miss onsie, I don't blame him for being so upset...it is a tough life being a OM fan.
I had to include this picture because my best friend gave him the Rolling Stones onsie. Only those who know you so well could give such a perfect gift. Thanks Dew!
Also, several people have asked about Harry (dog). He appreciates it. I can report he has not been neglected...too much. I think when I moved my office out of the house it was a lot harder for him than the newest addition to the family.See the sign in the background of the picture above? I have been waiting for it and can now show you the last piece of the nursery. Post to come in the next few days...

Please Excuse me...

...While I load photos. 

Lauren Liess Textiles from top to bottom:
Queen Anne's Bouquet in Black & Oatmeal
Fern Star in Olive
Filigree Chevron in Black & Oatmeal
Ticking in Beige
Live Paisley in Gold
Happikat in Olive/ Aqua
happikat in Cocoa & Oatmeal
Live paisley in Antique Beige
Ticking in Black & Oatmeal

Like I mentioned, loading the photos of the fabrics onto my online store is taking foreverrrrrr.   (Yes, I'm complaining ;)  But I'm almost done and as soon as I am, we can launch!!  (All fabrics will be available for purchase online.)  I'll keep you posted but I'm tying to spend as much time as possible on the website so my posts may be short for a little bit.

Have a great day!!

xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Friday 23 September 2011

Milk off the Shelf

THIS is what happens when your house is under construction, you make dinner with the kids and your spouse is working late for the night:


...Was wondering this morning how in the world we could have finished off a whole gallon of milk yesterday?  (The kids got oatmeal with water for breakfast.)...

...Until my assistant came in and asked me why the milk was on the shelf???
(I really didn't even notice it there.)  Ah vell.
Off to the grocery store!

xoxo, Lauren

ps- I'll be sure to post a few progress pics of the rooms we had redone!  (Undecorated as of now)

Hmmm

Have a wonderful weekend.

Thursday 22 September 2011

Man Overboard

My phone met a horrible fate and decided it did not want to live anymore. If you have been trying to reach me I promise to get back to you as soon as I have a replacement.

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Love the One You're With- Simplified Bee

Another guest post by another fabulous blogger! I was lucky enough to meet Cristin a year ago in New York and I have been a big fan since. There is a lot to love about her blog but her guest post series "What Would You Do" is my favorite. So happy to have her here!
First off, I am so excited for the arrival of Marianne’s darling baby boy! I had the pleasure of meeting her last year NYC and I can confirm she's darling. And I just know she is going to be an amazing mother and hope she is enjoying this most special time with her newborn. Marianne, I wish you much love and sleep!

I am also thrilled to be part of Marianne's Love The One You’re With series. It is easy for many of us to focus on the aspects of our homes that need to change, rather than on the beautiful spaces that bring us joy and positive energy.

One such room in my home is our dining room. I love the the open and airy feel, the bank of beautiful windows and the furnishings. It is just a feel good space and a place I enjoy spending time with my family every day.
eclectic chinoiserie dining room hide rug
It’s an eclectic space and pieces have been added over time. An antique Chinese cabinet, reproduction French cane back chairs and a vintage chrome & glass display case have all found a home in our dining room.

Some of my favorite items in the room include various styles of artwork, a cow hide rug {added most recently} and a vintage chrome cart that I purchased at an estate sale. It was originally used as a TV stand, but today it makes a great tea or bar cart.
chic chrome bar cart retro
Thanks again to Marianne for the opportunity to be on this wonderful blog.

Thank you Cristin! That room is inviting and chic at the same time. I love anything that has the word "cane" in the description.

Lauren Liess Textiles Shoot

I have pictures back from our photo shoot at Helen Norman's farm!!  Helen & her assisitant F.J. are still working on the photos (we're going for a sort of vintage/ edgy vibes for the photographs so it takes a lot of processing afterwards) but I though I'd share a few peeks - some without the processing.

Our goal with this photoshoot was to show the fabrics in a variety of settings, both with and whithout people.  We wanted to show how the fabrics move and look and feel.  I washed some of the fabrics before the shoot to give them a bit of patina and I really love how they turned out.  Some of the photos and fabrics come across as fresh and happy & fun, while others are earthier,  moodier or softer.   We wanted to show the variety of feelings & moods that couls be created with the line. (55 fabrics in total with 14 different designs.)

Here's part of our gold/ yellow collection on a beautiful antique daybed with little Grizzly taking a nap to show they really are comfy:


{Fabrics pictured: Magnolia in Yellow, Live Paisley in Gold, and Fern Star in Yellow}


Our boys were sooooo good and put up with so much.  Here's an outtake of them, totally at the end of their ropes:

{Pretending to nap on a blanket in Magnolia}

I love this photo with the mist on the door to the porch:


We woke up super-early and got some cool pics with fog in the background:

{me with a Wild Chicory blanket}

I looooove this outtake...  Did you ever play this game with friends when you were little?-

{"Super tall 4 year-old.. ie Christian on Daddy's shoulders.  And Kelly Green Cape in Happikat}


{Laundry Line with: Thistle in Sepia, Live Paisley in Antique Beige and Squircles in Fog}

...Anyway, I have so many more pics to share (I think 85 total?!!  We took over 1,000!) but I really want you to see them once they have that processing I mentioned.  I'm finishing up loading the plain fabric photos onto my online store and will then go back & add in the lifestyle photos & then we'll be ready to launch.  We're all moving as quickly as we can!! :)

I can't thank Helen & F.J. enough for the photos & their time,  and of course thank you to my family.  (I know two of you can't read yet, but I love you more than anything and one day you'll get what a big deal this was to me.)


xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Tuesday 20 September 2011

Construction over here

Remember how I mentioned we were refinishing a room on our lower level?  Here's a pic of the room after we did the demo:


 Our contractors from CarrMichael Construction came over & are in the midst of drywalling the walls & ceiling:


Originally we'd planned to use the small room as an additional office space for me & my assistant Meghan, but two days ago I decided we were better off taking the bigger room (the guest room) for work and using the smaller room as the new guest room.  Here's a shot of our complete mess-of-a-future-office:


Nothing you see is really staying... not even the curtains.  I haven't decided where I want to go in either of these rooms yet because the project came on so suddenly, but as soon as I have design plans, I'll be sure to share.  {shoemakers' kids with no shoes syndrome here} 

Also, the guys are reducing the closet in the boys' room so we can fit two twin beds in there.  Again, I'm pretty undecided on what I to do but I think I'm going to have headboards made in one of my new fabrics. 

xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Those Chairs

I want those chairs... This photo makes me think I will never tire of gallery walls as long as they are well done and interesting. Also, I am thinking about painting our dining room and a color like this is what I have in mind.

Image Nate Berkus Associates

Monday 19 September 2011

WOW: Marie Hines

I am so amazed right now & totally tearing up.  I just got a supersweet email from singer/ songwriter Marie Hines about her latest song/ video from "Better From the Living Room Sessions" and I clicked on her link to see the video.


{Marie, if you're reading this, I'll be honest, I really had no idea what to expect.}

But I was blown away.  Really blown away.  I definitely teared up.  She has such an incedibly beautiful voice, IS so incredibly beautiful, and you can just see that she is seriously passionate about what she does.  I'm instantly a new fan & wanted to share it on the blog because I thought you might enjoy her songs too:

http://www.mariehines.com/

Marie decorated her living room featured in the videos herself & styled it beautifully with a million candles.  You'll love it.

Thanks so much to Marie for sharing & you have got it GOIN on!!!


xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Let's Get This Week Started

Let's get this week started with updated classics...Casual hair and embellished clothing...
A sunny kitchen with a great floor...
Another project to add to your list for next weekend...
And a little animal to take us a long way...
Hope your week is starting off on a high note! Images Pinterest

Sunday 18 September 2011

Quiet Time

These were sent to me by one of my sweetest friends at just the right moment. You know you have a good friend when they send e-mails like this your way....

"Let obstacles only make you bigger. The grace of our Lord will not be lacking: 'inter medium montium pertransibunt aquae!' -- 'through the very midst of the mountains the waters shall pass.' You will pass through mountains! What does it matter that you have to curtail your activity for the moment, if later, like a spring which has been compressed, you'll advance much farther than you ever dreamed?" ~St. Jose Maria Escriva The Way, 12

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them."
~Isaiah 42:16

Friday 16 September 2011

Yay for a Fall Friday

I am so happy it's Friday.  I really am.  It's 5:00, there's a little fall chill in the air and it's a bit overcast.  I made a batch of rice & potato soup this morning and it's been simmering for hours.  I'm ready to put on cozy sweats and hunker down...  watch movies & read & eat.  And of course hang with my family.

(I wouldn't quite fit in here in my sweats but it suits my mood ;)

I love this time of year...  both indoors & outside.  I love coming in with a chill and warming up and I love being outside, crunching acorns on the sidewalk when it'c ool enough for a scarf but not cold enough for a coat.  I made my kids wear hats today pretty much because they looked cute in them.  (I pretended they needed them and it thrilled me to no end.}

{Not our apples...  photo by Mikkel Vang via dress design & decor}

For the past few days I've been busy loading images of my new fabrics into the online store.  I'll be honest and say that it's a kind of torturous process.  It takes FOR-EVA.  Like Forrrrreverrrrrrrrrrr.  BUT----   I know it'll be worth it in the end, and the previously empty online store is starting to look good and take on some personality. 

Here's a sneak peek at one of my newer designs, Fern Star:


Last weekend for the photoshoot, I experimented with washing some of the fabrics to give them a bit of patina and I loooove how they turned out.  They're so soft & vintage-feeling and now I'm dying to redo my house.  Definitely doing some bedding for the boys new room in them.

Anyway, hope you had a great week & enjoy your weekend!!

xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Thursday 15 September 2011

50 Big Ideas for Small Rooms

Thanks so much to Terri Sapienza & the Living Team at the Washington Post for including me in today's article "50 Big Ideas for Small Rooms."  Terri interviewed 17 local designers (some good friends & colleagues!! :)  to compile a laundry list of ideas dealing with designing small spaces.



If you're local, just check out the Local Living Section of today's Post.  If you're not, click here to read.
Enjoy your day!!

xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Love The One You're With- Design Manifest

If you need a dose of inspiration then look no farther than Naomi's blog...
As part of father/daughter design duo (how great is that?) her great taste is evident in every post. See what I mean?....

Hey everyone. I'm Naomi from Design Manifest and I need to be reminded daily to love what I've got. I am your typical OCD redecorator type. I'm always looking at my space with a critical eye- analyzing what needs to be improved, what editing can bring a better balance, etc etc. But the truth of the matter is that I am so lucky to live in a beautiful loft. That's why I love Marianne's series so much, it's helped me appreciate the good stuff.

So let me give you a little tour of a few areas.

This is one section of my living room. I recently added a slipcover to a modern sofa and I love how it's changed the personality of my entire space.


Nearly everything I own has been found at flea markets, estate sales, craigslist, or Ebay. I just don't have the budget or commitment to spend more right now. I scored my glass coffee table for $30! What's not to love about that?


I found this painting in my grandmother's basement and paired with two Ikea Rast cabinets. A little black paint and some new hardware totally changed their look.


I have a serious weakness for La Fiorentina fabric so I splurged on this entry bench. I paired it with a free mirror. It was a little small, so I painted a frame around it to make it pop.


I dressed up my Ikea bookcase with plate mirror backs and lots of pretties. The pop art was also found in my grandmother's basement. My nana's house is so stylish, even the basement looks better than my pad!


Since I have an open loft with 20' ceilings, I left most of the walls white. But I did paint a bold blue in my office nook. I painted a second-hand parsons desk hot pink. I just love that blue pink contrast.


One last thing I love- my clerestory windows! Every time I look up at the ceiling I smile.


So those are just a few elements of my apartment I love. I hope you enjoyed them too. Looking back at these now, I'm noticing how much pink I have! I swear it isn't as obvious in real life.

Marianne, thanks so much for having me over. I'm honored to be over here.

xo
Naomi
Thanks Naomi! I don't know where to start with your space there is so much I am obsessed with! First, your rug is one I have been DYING for for years now. Also, you are making my love of pink stronger. And those windows...they can come stay at my house anytime!