Mixing modern with traditional the right way

I love following "Design Sponge" the blog. This morning she featured a sneak peek that is one of my favorites so far. I wanted to share the link with you all. This home is the right way to mix modern with traditional furnishings. I adore how there are so many stories tied into their decor. Enjoy!

http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/03/sneak-peek-jack-and-lulu.html

Industrial is the look

The Scouts have been busy travelers this winter; hitting two markets, one east coast and one west coast, bringing the latest trends in home interiors to the Midwest. Industrial Chic is still hot and the Scouts have got it! Check out our vintage factory cart. At one point we converted it into a clever dining table for 8 by adding supports and a thick piece of glass to it. This unique piece was also featured at our 2008 Homearama home as an oversized cocktail table. New Scout purchases also include industrial inspired lighting and new furniture pieces constructed of repurposed wood.

Industrial. Its so hot right now. Industrial.

Friends... I apologize... it's been a long time since my last blog. But! Just back from NYC and scouted out the hot stores and design spots. Industrial is still big, folks. It really has a place in almost any house... modern, shabby chic, traditional, eclectic; where wouldn't you find it? This piece is a reproduction, (and of course can be found at Vintage Scout), but look for the real deal too. This look is great for coffee or side tables. Add a piece of glass if you need a little more formality than the piece offers. Need more funk? Paint it. Like the title of the blog; think outside the box. (If you didn't get my little reference in the post title.... think Zoolander.)

Happy New Year!

Pick a project, focus, and get it done. What do you want to change in your home? 2009 is the time to do it. Current bathroom outdated or not functionable? Sofa tired and old? Artwork faded or something from college days? It doesn't matter how big or small the project; just commit and make it happen. Let us know what you'll be working on in the upcoming year.

Light up your life

On this one, I followed my own advice. You can't believe what a new lamp can do for you. And with lamps, most often, you get what you pay for. So I decided to splurge on a new lamp for my living room.

Introducing, the Anaheim Floor Lamp. The base of this lamp is a 50" tall, 10" diameter glass vase. The large silver lined shade sits on top of it and the cord is silk wrapped. Bonus: built in dimmer. Folks, this ain't no Target lamp. (Of course we carry it at our studio; call if you're interested)

The funny thing about this, is I never thought to place this lamp at my own house. I had a car full of lamps I had taken to a client's to see which ones worked best. I thought, "Why not do the same at my house, for gosh sakes, I've got them all in my car." So the design lesson of this story is "Just try it!"... and of course, light up your life with a new lamp!

Fun Holiday Decor

Here's an easy and unique way to decorate for the holidays... These cute little vintage reindeer have found a kitchy home in this large glass vase. Or you can see below, place them under a glass cloche. On one of our scouting excursions, we found some vintage bird tree ornaments. Tossed them into a silver compote and instant holiday cuteness!

The idea is to use your imagination and use what you've got. Pull out all those silver and crystal wedding gifts, load them up with ornaments (new or old), greenery, moss, sticks, candy canes, the kids Christmas craft projects... whatever you can find. You'll create a great centerpiece, a topic of conversation, and even some holiday memories.

This week I love...

FOO DOGS!

These ancient Chinese creatures are so classic, so traditional, yet SO fun! Actually, a foo dog looks like a lion and they were commonly placed at entrances to temples, homes and businesses to chase away evil spirits. The pair consists of a male, playing with a ball symbolizing the earth, and a female playing with, surprise, a cub. I love them here in this bright blue, but I've seen them in many different glazes. Have a pair made into lamps for bedside tables. Or use them as bookends. Inexpensive versions can be found at asian markets or like this pair I found, on ebay. Interested in something antique? Ebay even has some that are centuries old. So have some fun and add some color to your home as well as a little Chinese tradition... get yourself a pair of foo dogs.