Inspired By The Zoo

Zebras at Roger Williams Park Zoo

Today my husband and I took our son to the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI. He’s 13 months old (exactly), and it was his first trip to the zoo. Yes, he basically pointed at the animals excitedly whenever he had a good view of them. My son wasn’t the only one who was…

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In The Bedroom (Our Bedroom)

Master Bedroom - Bed Detail

As we prepare to move into our new home this fall, I’ve begun to think about how we will stage our condo when we put it on the market in a couple of months. I’m actually kind of excited about that – it’s a bit of a mind shift from designing a space for how…

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Color in the Kitchen

Traditional Home - Kitchen by Liz Caan

Yesterday, while (finally) flipping through the July/August issue of Traditional Home, I came across a kitchen that really caught my eye… Not only is it drop-dead gorgeous, but it also happens to be in the very same town in which I reside (Newton, Massachusetts), and the brainchild of a local designer I can’t seem to…

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Comfortable & Classic Family Rooms

Burnham Design - Beverly Hills Tudor

In most of our homes, the place we spend the most of our waking hours is the family room (occasionally rivaled by the kitchen). I think you can tell a lot about the way people live, their tastes, values, and their habits by simply looking at their family room set-up. This is the room I…

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Animal Prints

Scalamandre Wallpaper - Powder Room by Liz Caan

This post is not about animal prints. Well, not exactly. It is and it isn’t. It’s about prints of animals, not the prints on animals. There, glad we cleared that up. Today, the New England Home Design Blog featured rooms and commentary from  fellow Newton-ite (and fabulous designer) Liz Caan, including this powder room, which inspired the post. The…

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Going Up: Stair Runners

Staircase Designed by LDa

I’m beginning to think about what to do with the main stairs in our new house, which is (still) under construction. I know that, for reasons of safety and aesthetics, I want to do a rug runner from the first floor to the second floor, but I’m unsure on just about everything else – color,…

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Not My Cup Of Tea…Or Is It?

Miles Redd Dining Room

We all have them. Pet peeves. Pre-conceived notions. Things we passionately hate about “bad” design. It’s different for everyone. Some people loathe wallpaper, in general. Others can’t stand the sight of shiny brass hardware, or an overstuffed recliner. Everyone is entitled to their opinion – and we all have the right to love where we…

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Your Help Wanted: Powder Room Mirror

Powder Room Design

Today, I write not with advice or observations, but with a request for assistance. Don’t worry – it’s a fun one :). Our new house has a teeny-tiny powder room on the first floor. I want to have some fun with it, but my fun is somewhat limited by the lack of space. My biggest…

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A Gothic Revival

Gothic Revival Board

Whether or not you realize it, Gothic motifs are everywhere in contemporary design and furnishings. I guess you could call it a Gothic Re-Revival of sorts. Whenever you see a quatrefoil (super hot right now), pointed arch, or a flying buttress (not likely 🙂 ), that’s Gothic. It can be a little dark and dreary,…

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Automagic Color Schemes With Chip It!

Udaipur Lake Palace color palette

Ever witness a scene, or see a picture that had amazing, beautiful color that inspired you in some way? If you are a design professional (or enthusiastic amateur!), you’re always on the lookout for this type of inspiration – perhaps for a unique, fresh color palette for your own space or a client’s. I’ve been…

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