Monday Musings

Mondays can be a real bummer; especially after a really wonderful weekend like the past one.  Two of my nearest & dearest friends from school came to visit Birmingham, and then we went to the farm with my family. It was so wonderful- the weather, the place, the people, the food.. it was top notch. More on that (& some pictures) later on this week! But for today, lets revisit this beautiful project by one of my favorites - Erika Powell.  Learn more about her business (& read her adorable blog!) at urbangrace.com.  I love all the neutrals plus the pops of colors - green & yellow.  The finished project is organic and loose but at the same time so simple & polished.  A+

CB2 for the win!

One of my favorite parts of my job is that I'm always discovering new product from all sorts of sources- both low and high end.  My favorite is when I find items in a source that I might have previously ignored. For example, CB2. CB2 is great.  CB2 is one of those things that I use to throw away along with the whole stack of catalogs... but look what I have been missing!! CB2 is full of great items -- all with clean lines, good colors (neutral to the perfect chartreuse), interesting designs.  Literally, CB2 for the win. I think many of these items would easily be mistaken for being worth a lot more $$$ then they really are.  I highly suggest y'all browsing through their easy to use website. Below is a collection of my favorite couple of items from CB2. 

Art Show Tomorrow

busy bee Wednesday trying to get ready for an art show tomorrow at Stella Blu in Mountain Brook Village.  Birmingham friends, stop by if you can! Jane Pope Jewelry will be there. Her stuff is beautiful. See more here: http://janepopejewelry.com   Below is a random mix of some things from the past few months. Ill be bringing some new things to the show tomorrow which I'm really excited 

about. Hope to see some of y'all there  

blog redo: lulu & lala

I was thinking about renaming this little blog of mine, when it hit me or rather it jumped on me... my dog that is! Meet "lulu & lala": a smart but silly german shepard & a spunky but sweet lab. I decided "lulu & lala" is the perfect name for a blog about home because for me, my dogs are home or rather they represent home for me. Lulu & lala are the keepers of my home. when i open the door everyday, they are my "welcome home" committee. they represent the things that I love about home the most: being comfortable, cozy, casual, & happy. This will be a blog about all things home: design and all its components [lighting, furniture, art, accessories], art, cooking, family, holidays, celebrations, and more. and of course, there will be more than enough stories about these two precious pups along the way....   I hope you follow along!

fall series: 10 things to love this fall

I am more than ready for fall. It is by far my favorite season on the year. There is an excitement around Fall that just thrills me. Schools starting, football games begin, starbucks promotes the pumpkin spice latte.. how could you not smile? I think Tom Hanks as Joe Fox might have summed it up best in You've Got Mail (only the best movie, ever): 

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address" 

I want to receive a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils. That would suit me just fine. 

Today on the blog we are going to start a "fall celebration" by introducing 1 of my favorite 10 Fall trends/looks/things/events. 

The first look is black + white  (wouldn't call this a trend because black + white is always a classic look).  In all my favorite interiors, I lean towards simplicity.  I don't like too many knick-knacks lying around.  I would encourage you to take away 3 "little things" out of your room and see if you like it better.. i bet you will.  The great thing about using black and white is that it communicates a calm simplicity while at the same time helping the room to appear finished/thought out.  Check out the photos below to see some of my favorite black + white looks: 

i. love. that. tile. & the touches of brass just elevate it to the next level. swoon. 

again, the tile.. I mean how can you not love? This is so great because instead of being another all white bathroom, this room has SO much character and personality without being boring or unoriginal. 

i love how this designer mixed in light colored wood with the black and white. i also love how the decor in the glass cabinet reflect the same color story... even this minimalist room looks finished because of the repetition 

black & white meets green... perfect.

again, i love when the gallery wall/ decor accessories emphasize the color story of the room

i'd eat here. 

back to blogging!

friends! 

After a long break from blogging, I signed back onto blogger this morning and it just felt right. I am back! Returning to blogging has been on my mind a lot lately. I find myself needing/wanting another outlet to share my ideas, inspiration shots, our work, and just another place to tell y'all what happened in my day.  So here I am. I hope y'all will rejoin this adventure with me.  

Today I am in Tuscaloosa working at an install for one of our most recent projects.  Working in Tuscaloosa has been a blast. The condo is right next to the stadium, and it will be used a lot for football weekends. Because of its extra fun use and location, we had a lot of fun coming up with happy (and crimson!) ideas for this space.  Despite the pops of crimson (and houndstooth!... sounds so cheesy but it really was ok!), the overall feel of the condo is very clean, well edited, and neutral. We are using a lot of whites, creams, & blacks.  Perhaps the coolest piece is a custom built cabinet to hold the avx equipment.  The cabinet is white lacquer with an aluminum front ... think West Elm, but much better! 

I am excited to share some of these pictures with you as it comes together.  Yesterday, we got everything into the condo (3 moving trucks & 5 floors later).  My sister who is in school in Tuscaloosa came to help us yesterday (and bring lunch!).  She is the best helper, and has an amazing sense of style.  I miss her so much so its so great to be able to spend this time together. Today we will start to unpack and place... stay tuned!  Once the project is finished, I will share the full transformation-- this project had a few months of construction, then decorating.. a full make-over! 


before pictures: 

inspired by... 5.18.14

spring inspiration

spring inspiration

A Look Like This: bedroom style

I fell in love with the bedroom pictured below during a casual 2 hour 30 minute stroll through Pinterest.  This room has basically everything that I could imagine wanting in a bedroom: wide hardwood floors, leather elements, an iron bed, art, soft muted colors, and more. It feels nice, but not fancy.  You could really live in a room like this.  

A lot of time, our job as designers is to help "capture" a feeling that our client loves.  The "feeling" that a room gives off is more than just the various elements that make up the room. Rather, the "feeling" is the overall sense that the room gives off.  In the best rooms, the "feeling" of the room reflects the lifestyles/desires/interests of the client.  

I want to try to gather items from the internet that could be used to create a room with a similar feeling and look. Doing this shows that beautiful rooms don't have to be full of the fanciest things. This is such a fun exercise because there are SO many cool resources and ideas out there, and the internet has made these things more accessible than ever.  Plus its far better to shop for things for this room as opposed to things for myself (my bank account thanks me). Alright, here goes nothing: 

the bed: 

I have actually recently become a huge fan of iron beds especially ones with canopies. Perhaps the ONLY thing I would change about this room is to add sheer drapery hanging from the corners of the iron bed.  I love the juxtaposition of the masculine iron with the soft drapery. 

There are a lot of options for this type bed or one with a similar look. One of my favorites is from Pottery Barn: 

$1399

Every room needs a good chair to throw down your purse or keep a blanket.  I love how this particular room has a leather chair. Leather isn't a material you usually think of putting in a bedroom but in this room it adds just the right punch of masculine, darker color, and "cool." This butterfly chair from Urban Outfitters is a great price, comfy, and great looking.  

$219

Since it is a little hard to see the rug in this picture, I'm gonna go out on a limb and chose something that I really like.  Dash and Albert is making a fantastic Moroccan Rug imitation with a price tag that even a recent college graduate can afford.  This rug sticks with the calm and simple "feel" of the room. Huge plus-- this rug is so soft and would feel great beneath your toes when you step out of bed. 

$159

This lamp is perfect for reading before bed. 

$349

Lighting can totally transform a room. I love that this room has light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. It breaks up the flatness of the ceiling.  Also by placing 2 lights on either side of the room, it provides balance.  Plus- these fixtures are so good lookin'. 

$840

I love a bench at the end of the bed.  Without fail, I find myself plopping myself down on the bench to tie my shoes.  This bench keeps the lines/look of the bed. I also like adding "tufting" to the room.  ALWAYS good to mix in new materials and styles... keep it interesting! All the same or too perfect is TOO much. 

$745

I am obsessed with this lamp, and all things white. This lamp is a little more feminine and "shiny" so it will stand out (in a good way!) in this room.

$480

Simple wood bedside table from Crate and Barrel totally fits the bill for the bedside table.  Good price= check, good looking= check...

$350 

Last but not least, art.  You can buy pre-framed prints from places like West Elm (see below) OR buy some gallery frames from places like West Elm or Pottery Barn.  Frame your favorite photos, old letters, or other special things and put them in your room. You can either hang them or just prop them up on various surfaces. 

 ... don't you want to go relax in this room? I do. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments! I would love to help. 

Happy Tuesday!!

xoxo

katherine