My Love Affair with Skylar Reeves Photography

So as I write this post, I’m sitting here in the airport in LA waiting for my flight home from this year’s Design Bloggers Conference (which I can’t wait to tell you all about!) But as I have been in this design-filled whirlwind the last 3 days, I have missed my family! Before the trip I had Robb load all of our DVDs of family photos onto my laptop so I would have their faces on constant rotation on my desktop and screen-saver.  I want to share with you the artist responsible for capturing these oh-so-precious memories for me… Skylar Reeves

Skylar Reeves

I met Austin-based Skylar Reeves in August of 2009 when Pearson was only 3 months old. After one session with her I was hooked. As you can see from her website, she is super versatile and talented. She can shoot absolutely anything from product to rock stars and make it artistic and unique. Skylar has a photo-journalistic style, which I adore. Her shots tell stories and I am always amazed with what she is able to capture.

Skylar Reeves

Here are some more of my favorites:

Skylar Reeves Photography

Skylar Reeves Photography

Skylar Reeves Photography

Skylar Reeves Photography

Trust me, there are MANY more, but go check out her websites to get a glimpse of her versatility:

www.skylarreeves.com

www.fameparties.com

You can see more of Skylar’s talent on her Facebook pages where she gives her clients some sneak peaks:

www.facebook.com/skylarreevesphotography

www.facebook.com/fameparties

Stay tuned for Skylar shots of Pearson’s room!

{Guest Post} Contemporary Mediterranean Style from Arcadian Lighting

I’m thrilled to have a guest post for you today from Jessica at Arcadian Lighting! With the Winter storm that is rolling in, these images and links are sure to warm your Popsicle toes!

Hi there! I’m Jessica with Arcadian Lighting, a website and blog all about lighting fixtures and the latest in interior designs. Now that we’re well into winter, I thought it’d be nice to share some warm, contemporary Mediterranean inspired interiors to help tide you over till spring. Thank you for having me as your guest, Amy! I hope you enjoy!

Mediterranean interiors are all about vibrant colors, like red, orange and yellow, with rustic materials, such as terra cotta, stucco and iron or wood furniture. On its own, Mediterranean style is gorgeous, but if you factor in minimal details and sleek, geometric shapes, you’ve got a contemporary twist on an Old World style.

Contemporary Mediterranean

Bright shots of red and intricately patterned tile floors give this kitchen a subtle Mediterranean feel, but the industrial looking pendant lights and unconventional metal chairs add a more ìcurrentî vibe.

Contemporary Mediterranean

The neutral color palette in this room is decidedly more contemporary, but rustic details like the woven rug and antique candelabra and lanterns are very traditional. I love the exposed wood beams on the ceiling.

Contemporary Mediterranean

This elegant living room showcases an eclectic mix of style. The deep cobalt blue accents are certainly a Mediterranean favorite, as are the woven rug and antique lantern. The white and blue porcelain vases are beautiful accents.

Contemporary Mediterranean

I love the quarried stone floor in this kitchen, and there’s nothing more rustic and Mediterranean than a stone fireplace. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf in the next room is a very modern touch.

Contemporary Mediterranean

The contemporary furniture in this calming bedroom are a perfect fit for the ocean inspired paintings and cool color palette of tans and blues. The petite†lamps†are perfect for reading late into the night. The whole room design is a subtle nod to the relaxing Mediterranean sea.

Contemporary Mediterranean

This spacious home features arches and columns popular in Mediterranean style, as well as tiled walls in the kitchen and the built-in shelf. The patterned rug is an Old World accent compared to the modern day furniture.

Contemporary Mediterranean

The gorgeous location is obviously what makes this room authentic Mediterranean, but contemporary furnishings and simple pops of bright color are wonderful inspiration for those of us not fortunate enough to live on the coast of the Mediterranean.

Contemporary Mediterranean

Beautiful Mediterranean accents give actress Ellen Pompeo’s living room a rich, warm atmosphere. Gorgeous lanterns peek out from behind the Moroccan-style arches, while black and white portraits add a contemporary feel.†Images†1†|†2†|†3†|†4†|†5†|†6†|†7†|†8

For more interior design inspirations and a great selection of light fixtures, stop by Arcadian Lighting!

Lower Oak Lawn Loves Pinterest too!

I can’t tell you how excited I am to be included in Lower Oak Lawn’s Sixteen Must-Follow Pinterest Users {Design Edition}!  If you haven’t heard of Pinterest yet, you will soon be addicted. It is a virtual pinboard that allows you organize and share images from all over the web. You can create and customize your boards to your heart’s desire. All you have to do is install the “Pin It” bookmarklet onto your toolbar and you are ready to collect photos of design, fashion, food… you get the idea. And the fun part is seeing what your friends are pinning!  Some of the lovelies from Kendall’s list I already follow, and I was quick to follow the ones I didn’t!

Lower Oak Lawn - Pinterest Users to FollowI love Lower Oak Lawn, because Kendall always keeps me in the know of what’s the latest and greatest in the Dallas Design District. Thank you, Kendall, for including me in your list!

xoxo

P.S. If you want an invitation to Pinterest, let me know!

Childrens Ceiling Medallions by Marie Ricci

You know how a single detail can totally transform a look? Well, when I was working on Pearson’s room, the chandelier was one of those details I wanted to be perfect. It wasn’t just the light fixture, the shades, or the cord cover, but the addition of the ceiling medallion that raised the bar to the next level. Oh, if I had only known Marie Ricci at the time!

Marie Ricci

Marie Ricci

Talk about attention to detail, Marie’s hand-made children’s ceiling medallions are the perfect touch to finish any child’s room. I asked Marie a few questions so our House of Wentworth readers could get to know the artist and the passion behind her beautiful work.

HoW: Marie, your ceiling medallions are stunning! Tell us about your creative process to make these gorgeous pieces.

Marie Ricci - ChandeliersMR: What makes my art unique, is that I am the curator from start to finish. Most customers don’t realize how much time is involved in creating my art. For each piece in my collection, I start with a line drawing, transfer it to the foam, use a hand-held router and route away the background, then carve the remaining shape with chisels. There is a lot of sanding involved to achieve the final smoothness. Several coats of primer and finish coats, then a mold has to be made before any casting can begin, I make this as well. Once the lightweight resin is cast from the mold, the process begins all over again. Several coats of primer and finish coats, then the final color the customer chooses. I do all of this, which surprises most people. I have invested so much time in each piece, that my customers are truly buying a piece of me when they buy my art.

Marie Ricci Ceiling Medallion as Wall Art

HoW: That is quite a process! What are some of your favorite tips or tricks to display your art?

MR:  You can also use a ceiling medallion as wall art. By framing around it and painting the inside section to offset the ceiling medallion, it looks like a piece of art.

HoW: I also noticed on your website how you transform them into clocks as well as mount them on the wall behind sconces. I always love it when you can use a detail in multiple ways and get different looks for different projects.

HoW: I’m so excited to be one of the first to showcase your new monogrammed medallions! I can only imagine how much time went into creating the entire alphabet!

Marie Ricci Monogramed Ceiling Medallions

HoW: Other than your beautiful talent, what are a few things you would like people to know about you?

MR: I have a great sense of humor, I LOVE to laugh and I love talking with my customers. They offer suggestions for new designs and they inspire me. I also love walking at night through the village where I live, in Essex, CT around 10 o’clock at night, when the streets are quiet. We walk with our dog down to the river and back, it’s a great way to clear the head. But most importantly, I love what I do for a living. I couldn’t think of doing anything else. I am truly fortunate to be able to say that.

Marie Ricci - Sconce PlaqueHoW: Where can our readers purchase your beautiful work as well as follow and support you?

MR: They can purchase from the Marie Ricci website, and for your readers, here is a 10% coupon code to be used at checkout: friend

They can also find me on Facebook as well as on my blog.

HoW: Thank you so much, Marie, for offering the special discount to our readers! I know I will be using your products in my future projects!

 

 

 

Winterize Your Decor

Happy New Year! Well, it’s officially cold outside… and when the Holiday decorations come down, it always seems so bare. So what do you pull out in the Winter to make your space feel more cozy? We just pulled out the throw and pillows that we put on the sofa each year, but we also purchased a couple of new pillow cases that totally make the look complete.
Winterize Your Decor - 1. Plain Jane SofaLucky me, these fabulous Mongolian Lamb Pillow Covers from West Elm fit my pillows to a tee!

Winterize Your Decor - 2. Add West Elm Pillow Covers

I’ve had this pillow and throw set for years, but you can find similar sets at many retailers… West Elm, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, and I’ve even seen them at Costco.

Winterize Your Sofa - Add your faux fur pillows and throw

It’s super comfy and we love to pile on and catch some football or a movie. Even Bella likes it :)

Winterize Your Decor - Bella snuggled up

Happy 2012!

Amy

Pearson’s White Christmas Tree

Pearson is now 2.5 so we are VERY excited about Christmas this year. My holiday decoration inspiration came when Robb turned on the Christmas tree lights for the first time, and P literally squealed with excitement… I knew she needed her very own tree, and by golly, I was going to give her one! I wanted her to have a white tree, of course, to compliment her room. So off to Hobby Lobby I went for ornaments and a tree. I totally scored on the ornaments, but there were no white trees to be had.  When I told Robb of my luck, he took off to Walmart to brave the crowds and see if he could find P a white tree. He returned with the perfect white tree! It is about 4 feet tall and is pre-lit with multi-color lights (including pink), so Project White Tree was a go.

Pearson's White Christmas Tree

Pearson's White Christmas Tree

I  wrapped it in silver ribbon and used these precious bird clips with feather tails and white pine cone ornaments as a “filler”.

Bird clips with feather tails...

Bird clips with feather tails...

Then I hung her ornaments as well as some new ones…

P's Ornaments

P's Ornaments

And she loves it! She takes all visitors to her room to see her tree… well worth the effort :)

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Amy

Holiday Gift Guide on Modern Eve

Our friend Katie over at Modern Eve was so kind to include us in her 12 Days of Holiday Gift Guides! We each sent links to some of our favorite gift suggestions. She is featuring Dallas bloggers and we are thrilled to be a part of it!
I have loved checking out everyone’s shopping resources; but I’m curious… what are yours??
xoxo
Amy

P.S. You can find the entire list of bloggers here!

Simple Floral Arrangements

Here’s another simple flower arrangement this novice put together using my trusty Pottery Barn mint julep cup and flowers from Central Market. All I needed was one white hydrangea as an anchor and they had these beautiful small, dusty rose calla lilies. They were so sweet with just the hint of color I was looking for.

Simple Floral Arrangment in Mint Julep Cup

It only took about 5 minutes to arrange and we were able to enjoy for flowers for over a week! Just thinking about it makes me want to go buy more flowers…

Hope you are having a great weekend!

 

Poufs

Do you pouf? Poufs are so fun and such a great alternative for a stool, a footrest or even a side table. Very comfy and useful with styles that go with virtually any decor… My new pouf obsession began with a hunt for Pearson’s room. It was a toss-up between a pouf and a beanbag type of style. If I had a little boy, I would totally go for the beanbag!! But the little girl definitely required a pouf. Here are some favorites I came across in my hunt…

My Dream Pouf:

Calypso St. Barth Pouf Bulle GoatPerfect for the gentleman’s office, a game room, the library… I could go on and on. I love this pouf!!

The Gentlemans Pouf This one is perfect for a tray to hold your cocktail…

Monica Förster Esedra PoufA little black and white modern pouf from Italian House of Missoni…

Missoni PoufLove this fabulous hit of color from the turquoise…

Serena & Lily Handmade Moroccan PoufOne more handmade Moroccan pouf with a side of bling!

John Derian Handmade Moroccan PoufFor the Boys…

The Original-Army by FatboyAnd finally, Pearson’s new pouf!

Pearson's Pouf

Pearson, Baby & PoufI think it’s pretty perfect for P and her room…

So tell me, what do you think of the pouf??

 

 

New Curtain Rods

Boy, what a catchy title… not! Anyway, they are pretty stellar, I must say. And, of course, they are for Pearson’s room. So the hunt for curtain rods was a long one because we covered two entire walls with drapery and we needed some pretty long rods. I immediately fell in love with these rods and finials from Restoration Hardware:

Restoration Hardware Estate Crystal Finials

Restoration Hardware Estate Crystal Finials

The problem was that the rods weren’t long enough… total bummer! In order to get the curtains up and give me some time to hunt, we purchased long rods at Home Depot. You can see how they really stand out and kind of break up the illusion of height I was trying to create…

Pearson's old curtain rodsSo one day as I was stalking my favorite acrylic website, Plexi-Craft, and found the perfect curtain rods AND finials! The beauty of it is that they make them custom so you can get any length you need! Not only are the finials gorgeous and mimic the Restoration Hardware finials, the brackets to hang the rods are stunning as well. Who would think a curtain rod bracket could be beautiful??

Acrylic Curtain Rods and Finials

Acrylic Curtain Rods and Finials

Acrylic Curtain Rods

Acrylic Curtain Rods

Plexi-Craft Acrylic Rod, Finial, & Bracket

Plexi-Craft Acrylic Rod, Finial, & Bracket

And here’s the final result!

Pearson's New Curtain RodsPearson's New Curtain RodsI love how they no longer create a horizontal line to stop the eye, but allow the drapes to stand alone and soften the space. They blend so much better with the chandelier! And so continues my obsession with acrylic… kind of an unexpected little hit of it, don’t you think?

P.S. As I was putting this post together, look what they now have at Home Depot by Martha Stewart! Talk about a stunning look on a budget! How pretty!!

xoxo

Amy