Decorating with Maps

Close-up Map of Newton, MA - Label

For me, there’s nothing quite like an old map. It’s a window into the past, to the way we once lived. Everything about it is from a specific moment in time – the printing technique, typefaces, atlas creases, coloring, and of course the geographic features of the map itself. I have three antique maps (two…

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[Video] BDC Kitchen Trends for 2012

I’ve got kitchens on the brain today. Maybe it’s because mine is full of unwashed dishes from last night’s meal (Turkey & Wild Rice Soup – delish). The NECN recently did a piece on kitchen design trends for 2012 at the Boston Design Center. It’s a quick and worthy watch. Enjoy!

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Purple Reign: Inspiration for Spring Decor

Crocuses

This winter in New England has been most bizarre. We shoveled our driveway only twice in 2012 (so far). Record highs are being shattered on virtually a weekly basis. With several days in the 50s, 60s, and even breaking the 70 degree mark, it almost feels like we skipped winter and spring. But I knew it was…

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Designer Furniture…Actually Within Reach

West Elm's Stackable Chair

If you’re at all like me, you covet certain classic or iconic pieces of furniture, but can’t or won’t spend an automobile’s worth of cash to acquire them. You pop into stores like Design Within Reach and Room & Board, and sigh longingly, and futilely, as you browse the who’s who of important mid-century designers,…

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Pillow Talk

Suzani from Landry & Arcari

Throw pillows are one of the easiest ways to add color and style to a room. They can also be the most economical way to change the look of your living space – subtly or dramatically – without having to buy new furnishings, rearrange furniture, etc. Some folks like to change out their pillows seasonally.…

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Quinlan’s Yellow Submarine Nursery

Beatles Figurines Vignette

In a recent post (Oh Baby: 7 Steps to Decorating a Unique Nursery), I promised to post pictures of my son’s room. The theme we chose was “Yellow Submarine” – mom is a big Beatles fan. I featured our glider, the Dutailier Cadenza with midnight blue leather upholstery, in a previous post as well, so…

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Oh Baby: 7 Steps to Decorating A Unique Nursery

Quinlan's Nursery - Crib and Glider

When you’re expecting (and if you are, congratulations!), there’s no more exciting – or daunting – project than creating the perfect room for your little one. I recently went through this process myself, and I can tell you it was very time consuming, but very rewarding – not just for me, but for my now…

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Welcome, Pineapple.

Pineapple

So I finally got around to creating a favicon (NOT a logo – I am not ready to commit to that just yet!) for this blog. A favicon, called a blavatar on WordPress, is that tiny little icon that appears in your browser window to the left of the url. It is sort of like…

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The Mail Organization Project: Stage 1 – Recognizing the Problem

Mail Box

I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions for 2012. But if I had, I would have resolved to get my family’s mail situation under control. The sheer volume of catalogs, credit card solicitations, statements, political mailings (don’t ask!), and even the occasional personal greeting that arrives at our home each day is staggering. I don’t…

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