RowHouse blog: decor, designs, and stylish finds

Toile Nautilus wallpaper

2008-01-30T21:04:00.000Z

My sister-in-law, Jenni, {who's taste I have always admired} sent me a link to this super cute wallpaper from Thibaut. With toile being so classic, and the coral/nautical themes so current, I thought this was a such a beautiful print... her dream for a beach house powder room one day. I could totally see it. It would be stunning. Available in fabric as well. If you go to the site, click on the various swatches to view the alternate shades. I really like this Coral color on Green. Fresh but classy.

Images from Thibaut
Thanks for the tip Jenni!

House & Garden and Blueprint... no longer

2007-12-11T03:38:00.000Z

Oh no! Both are shutting down? Forgive me, I have been so incredibly out of the loop these last few weeks.

I've loved House & Garden ever since my brief stint at Conde Nast after college. I used to flip through some of the old vintage issues in the CNP Library while doing research. A heartfelt good-bye letter from Editor Dominique Browning sums it up. H&G will be sorely missed in my magazine stack.

And I was so bummed to learn about Martha Stewart shutting down Blueprint too, especially just before the holidays! I just read about it at Jossip. I've really been enjoying this magazine's new ideas and style. I guess it just couldn't stand the test of time... seriously, what next? If Martha Stewart's gargantuan empire can't keep a glossie afloat, what hope is there for anyone else?

Magazine publishing is a tough market. Most of my career has been spent working at/selling to major national magazines. It's cut throat at some of them, especially to sell ads. I hope all the Conde Nast and Omnimedia chickies are able to land on their feet...

A moment of silence, please, for Blueprint and House & Garden.

Fun with photography

2007-12-11T02:54:00.001Z

So how creative is this for all you photography-lovers out there...? My friend, Libby, emailed me this photo from one of her friends. Her last name is Thorne. (click to see it enlarged)

I love it. I'd like to try to do something similar with our last name next time I'm fiddling with our camera.

Red Barn Mercantile

2007-12-07T09:09:00.000Z

Dan Rutherford of Red Barn Mercantile contacted me just a little while back to introduce the grand opening of their shop in Old Town, Alexandria. Wow - this is right in my wheelhouse! And what a fresh departure from the some of the stuffier shops I've seen come and go on King Street.

From their site: "Owner Amy Rutherford started Red Barn because she wanted to deliver a service – to provide both old and new in one place... The trick in blending old and new, vintage and modern, classic and quirky, is balance. And Rutherford’s knack for mixing rustic antiques with urban chic has created a look that is both fresh and familiar."

Good news - Red Barn has a printable 20% off coupon for in-store merchandise valid until December 24th. Nice! I will definitely be stopping in to do a little holiday shopping. Located at 113 S. Columbus St.

(images by: Red Barn Mercantile)

Back in the saddle...

2007-12-07T03:20:00.000Z

Hi everyone! Just wanted to drop a quick note to say that I'm back. So many nice emails wondering where I am.... I'm here, and doing well! Things have been busy at work and on the homefront the last few weeks, and I've felt a twinge guilty for not posting new content. Sorry about that. Hopefully I'll be able to steal away some time more often this month and alot more in the new year.

That being said, I've been tucking away TONS ideas and inspiration all along - scribbled sticky notes - magazine articles dog-eared - web links bookmarked - emails from some of you with tips (thank you!) - so there will be no shortage of ideas. More soon... promise.
{jen}

Eastern Market

2007-11-05T09:57:00.000Z

Oh how I do love Eastern Market! I love the handmade wares, the organic fruits and fresh-cut flowers, and the history of the buildings and tradition. I love the people watching, and catching up with neighbors. I love browsing, just to browse... for no other reason than because it's a gorgeous, crisp Sunday morning, I have a cup a hot tea in one hand, and newest issue of the Hill Rag, tucked in the other.

So when a devastating fire ripped through the historic South Hall last April, I have to say that I was actually not surprised at the genuine outpouring of support from the Capitol Hill community, and surrounding DC neighborhoods to help rebuild the Hall. Countless supporters felt the love for this institution that I, too, share. Operating for 134 years, Eastern Market, has come to stand as a symbol of this city's history, creativity, and community commerce. So, I guess I just wanted to say, that as a strong supporter of restoration and continued appreciation of historic places, it is my sincere hope that Eastern Market is rebuilt withstand 134+ more...

Just some great architectural salvage and antiques for the home, from last weekend's visit to the Flea Market at Eastern Market...

(Images by RowHouse, Decal by Rebuild Eastern Market)

Uncommon Goods

2007-10-17T14:14:00.001+01:00

This just in from my friend, Heather... Uncommon Goods has a neat Barn Board Floor Mat - A bargain at $40! The interesting thing is that it looks like rustic barn wood, but it's actually fade resistant, photo realistic polyester. Who woulda guessed?

Thanks for the tip Heather!
(image from Uncommon Goods)

Renovator's House Tour

2007-10-08T13:13:00.000+01:00

Sometimes when my husband and I are walking the dog after work... when the sun goes down, and people's living room lights switch on, I have to admit... I become a bit of a snoop. Now, before you're completely grossed out, and decide to report me, let me explain. I could care less what Harry Homeowner is doing in his kitchen...or what DeDe Decorator is watching on television. I just really want to peek at his choice in kitchen cabinets or the color paint she decided on for her living room! Or solutions they figured out for small space living, exposed brick, interesting mantels, beautiful chandeliers, mouldings or art pieces, etc., etc. Most importantly because I appreciate it. I value how hard they worked to achieve it, whether I know them or not, or whether they actually did the work/decor themselves, or they moved in and it was done for them. Someone did it, at some point.... and I want to see it!!!

And oddly enough, the more grand and gorgeous the rowhouse, the more historic the property -- the more I feel like it's my right to be able to see how awesome the interior is! Again, because I would appreciate it. These people don't know me, nor do I know them... I just want to see their house! Is that weird???

Well, I might have found my solution...

Saturday, October 13th is the 7th annual Renovator’s House Tour on Capitol Hill. I haven't had a chance to go to this yet, but I'd really like to make it this year. Has anyone else? I'm interested to hear any feedback if you have. Here is an excerpt from their site.... it sounds promising.

"Designed for the modern homeowner, this popular self-guided walking tour showcases a wide variety of homes and styles across Capitol Hill, from the hip H Street corridor to the expanding Barney Circle neighborhood. AMONG OTHER DELIGHTS, be prepared for a peek into:

the unusual apartment space celebrating its 100th birthday overlooking Eastern Market;
a 500-square-foot workman’s cottage;
the art-filled home of award-winning actor Robert Prosky;
a crow’s-nest bathroom complete with claw-foot tub.

Intrigued? Desperate? Tickets are just $25 to see 10 incredible homes, while supporting a DC public school at the same time (100% of the proceeds go to the Capitol Hill Cluster School — how great is that?)."

Old architectural stars

2007-10-05T17:51:00.000+01:00

As evident in the header design of RowHouse - I'm obsessed with old stars! To me, they say classic, American, old, and beautiful. What else could be better? Growing up near Old Town, Alexandria I became accustomed to seeing these old solid metal stars on just about every home exterior, especially old rowhouses. Now, I enjoy walking around Capitol Hill looking at these and other architectural details.

Here's a bit of history for why they were actually very useful: Tie rods and these star-shaped "washers" were often used to connect the gable walls of masonry structures. The floor joists would hold the weight bearing walls from spreading, so these were often the solution for the non-load bearing walls.

Design idea: Collect a bunch of these stars in different sizes. You can find them at just about any salvage shop. Find some large nails, and nail through the hole in the center to hang on a wall - hang several. If you are using tiny stars, you could even use a thin piece of rope, twine, or ribbon to hang frames, with/out photos in them. ...Or simply just prop up on a mantel or shelf.

(images via flickr)

More inspiration from the 2007 Idea Home

2007-10-02T19:06:00.000+01:00

I really get excited when Cottage Living features their yearly Idea Home. And this year's home, in New Orleans, certainly did not disappoint! I love every room. Here are some of my favorites...

Painted chalkboard kitchen wall

2007-10-01T18:38:00.001+01:00

I just read the newest issue of Cottage Living. And I love, love, love this idea from their 2007 Idea Home. So much so, that I fully plan to do something similar in our next kitchen (our current kitchen wouldn't really work with this). And I really love that this "recipe" below lets you choose your own color, instead of standard black. Oh, and that rustic sliding door -taken from an old bank in New Orleans - awesome.

"Everyone loves the novelty of a chalkboard surface, but most of the time you're limited to black or green. This recipe allows you to mix your own colors. For the pantry area, we mixed the chalkboard paint in 1-gallon batches.

1. Pour 1 cup of acrylic latex paint, in the color of your choice, into a clean, 1-gallon bucket.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of dry, unsanded tile grout mix into the paint, and mix until the paint is smooth and clump-free. (Use plain grout mix without added pigments to prevent color shifts. We used a kitchen whisk to mix our paint.) Repeat the mixing process until you have enough paint to complete your entire project.

3. If necessary, prepare the wall with a light sanding or priming. Apply the chalkboard mixture to any paintable surface with a roller or brush. (We used two coats of our chalkboard paint to build up a thick surface.)

4. Allow the paint to completely dry, then sand the surface with fine sandpaper until you achieve a texture that accepts chalk. Next, "color the surface with the wide part of a piece of white chalk to get a chalkboard-like patina.

5. Wipe away excess chalk with a damp cloth."

(quoted article from Cottage Living, photo by Robbie Caponetto for CL)

Poppytalk Handmade launched today!

2007-10-01T18:17:00.001+01:00

A huge congratulations to Jan over at poppytalk. Today she launched a site dedicated to her favorite handmade treasures from over 75 vendors, and all are for sale! Spend some time clicking around on the site - some truly adorable finds. What a great way to support emerging artists. Check it out: Poppytalk Handmade

(screenshot from poppytalk handmade)

Affordable throw pillows

2007-10-01T17:36:00.000+01:00

How great would these be against a white or pale blue couch? I just saw this site called Wrapables for affordable throw pillows, cushion covers, and fillers among other things. Some are as low as $21.95...

(images from Wrapables)

ZARA Home

2007-10-01T16:58:00.000+01:00

A few months after graduating from college, my good friend Ann and I moved to New York City in 2001 for a brief stint. We shared a tiny a sublet apartment on the Upper East Side. One of our favorite things to do on the weekend was to shop the discount stores such as H&M and Zara (this was before either store had arrived in DC - so we were in designer knock-off heaven for clothes!). NYC was my first experience with either store, and since then I have been hooked on the good deals. I only just recently discovered that Zara has an entire Home division. The bad news - not in the U.S. The good news, their online catalogue is still lovely to browse. Does anyone know (perhaps from the UK) if their home-wares are as affordable as their clothing line?? I can't tell online. Some of my favorite shots from their Autumn/Winter 2007-2008 collection...

(Images from Zara Home)

Martha's Vineyard

2007-09-28T21:27:00.000+01:00

And lastly, to round-out my homage to the Vineyard, some of my favorite landscape shots. I know that I will come back to these images from time to time when the hustle and bustle of city living prove to be stressful, and I need a good dose of the MV feeling...

Oh, I almost forgot: the sweet yellow lab pup is named Munson! We met him on the dock in Menemsha. I seriously about melted...adorable.

(images by RowHouse)

Martha's Vineyard: salvage and antiques

2007-09-28T20:53:00.000+01:00

While out on a run one morning I came across this neat salvage/antique shop called Above Board, located in Oak Bluffs... I came back later that afternoon, and was totally amazed at the neat treasures in this nice gentleman's shop. He explained to us the history behind the fish mounted to the wall ... we chatted about loving claw foot tubs (we have an original one in our rowhouse). And he was very kind to let me take some photos. If you are ever in that area, it's a must-see shop, filled with gems found all over the Vineyard.

I really like the Menemsha Fish Market sign (below the fish) - I didn't even realize that until looking at these photos. We had lobster bisque and seafood chowder there one day, so I'm smitten with that little harbor.

John really liked this old ticket booth. ...sigh... if only we had the space. Oh, right, and a way to get it home. The owner did say that they ship some of the smaller items. I need to check in with their website from time to time.

(images by RowHouse)

Martha's Vineyard: shops

2007-09-28T19:50:00.000+01:00

Onto the fabulouso shops! This place is prime for good shopping. Some of these images are from Edgardtown, some from Oak Bluffs, and the last few are in Vineyard Haven. My favorite shop was in VH -- called Nochi. Seriously, have any of you been to this shop??? Or heard of it? It completely inspired me want to redo the look of my living room. Everything was white washed, with a great mix of vintage pieces, and fine luxury goods. I vowed to return to Nochi one day...

(images by RowHouse)

Martha's Vineyard: architecture

2007-09-28T19:23:00.001+01:00

First of all, let me just say how much I was loving the architecture, details, and lush gardens of Martha's Vineyard. Most of the houses that we saw were built in the 1700-1800s! oooh... I was seriously in love. Where we stayed in Oak Bluffs, there was an entire "campground" of gingerbread-like Victorians, that were each unique in their own right, and beautifully maintained. And I couldn't get enough of the cedar shingles, and ornate moldings on the cottages and churches. I also loved the one-of-a-kind windows and doors. I felt, at times, like I was walking on a movie set. It was just unreal, the craftsmanship and beauty of it all.

Oh, and I can't forget about the hydrangea. Simply gorgeous... big, full-headed blooms, dripping out onto every sidewalk.

(images by RowHouse)

Boston, MA

2007-09-27T22:11:00.000+01:00

So, as I mentioned earlier, we just got back from a trip to New England, stopping for one day/night in Boston, and then continuing on to Martha's Vineyard for a family reunion. All I can say is that I must have lived in NE in a previous life. I was in absolute heaven! Oh, and the weather was perfect - unseasonably warm for late September.

Okay, so on to some inspiration... John's cousin (whom we stayed with) took us on a tour of the downtown area, including the harbor. While walking past some of the old, grand rowhouses bordering Boston Common on Beacon Hill, he pointed out that some had the original window panes with the historic rose-colored glass. Neat, huh?

I was really drooling over these spectacular homes... I wonder which famous families or celebrities live in Beacon Hill now? Does anyone know???

And check out this beautiful garland of ivy... I looked at it pretty closely, and it appears somewhat simple to achieve, but I don't know..?

More inspirational shots of Boston...

I love the true, gritty history in this one below... what an amazing cemetery, right in the heart of downtown.

More images of MV / lots of shops to come .... hold tight!

(images by RowHouse)

Hello! I am back

2007-09-26T15:54:00.000+01:00

Sorry, I've been MIA recently. We took a fun trip up to New England (Boston and Martha's Vineyard), and I have LOTS of photos and ideas to share.... so stay tuned! I will try to post as much as I can later today....

Pretty : Darn : Swell

2007-09-17T16:34:00.000+01:00

Affordable artwork, as featured in Venus zine, Design*Sponge, Daily Candy, and Good Magazine.... pretty:darn:swell

"pretty:darn:swell was created by brother and sister duo Wade and Lynne Penhorwood. The two, though separated by more than a thousand miles, longed to one day put their heads together towards a common goal... bettering the world we live in. With one being an avid collector and the other an artist, an online gallery seemed a natural choice and thus began pretty:darn:swell!

Each print is a beautiful, open edition reproduction of the artist's original. All of our giclee prints are printed on 310gsm Hahnemuhle German etching paper using Epson archival inks. The quality is unbelievable and the prints have a lifespan of over 50 years!

Next to each work of art you'll notice a little paragraph about a charitable organization. That's because five dollars from the sale of each print goes to charity! There are so many wonderful organizations out there, we've decided to let the artists choose where the money should go! We are also giving five dollars from the sale of each print to the artists themselves hopefully allowing them to continue creating!"

I love it - charitable and affordable -- most prints I saw were only $20!

(images from pretty:darn:swell)
Thanks for the tip Wendy!

Empty frames = easy chic style

2007-09-12T20:44:00.001+01:00

I really love this frame montage from Blueprint magazine... It's so simple - easy to do, with frames of all shapes and sizes - and yet oh-so stylish. I think it also works well here because all the frames are of the same color palette. Plus that bench is awesome, and I really like the paneling.

Some Wednesday inspiration...

2007-09-12T16:57:00.000+01:00

From 100 Weekend Decorating Ideas adapted from BHG.... some of my favorite pages. Just a little weekend project inspiration to get you started ahead of time - on this Wednesday.

(Images from 100 Weekend Decorating Ideas, 2007)

5-Panel Door Art

2007-09-10T22:04:00.000+01:00

My friend, Rachael, created this neat piece of art out of an old 5-panel door that she found next to a dumpster! Seriously, who throws away these things!!!?? So glad that she salvaged it!

She and her husband had lived in the Pacific Northwest for a few years before moving back to the DC area. When she thought about creating this piece, she took a good deal of time to plan out the theme. And to see her face light up when she talks about their time out West, I can understand why the area was a natural inspiration - the landscape and scenery, who wouldn't appreciate capturing that beauty? She choose her own photographs of the Olympic Peninsula, the Seattle market, the Cascade Mountains, and wildflowers in the Alpine Lake region of the Cascade Mtns. She printed photos, and then layered them {so some are thicker than others}, collaged together and then glued down with craft adhesive. Few coats of red paint and.... awesome! I love that she kept the door hardware.

Rachael is such a creative talent - always thinking of new ways to view familiar items, especially those dear to her heart. Oh, and she also does terrific graphic design - check out her site: rachaelhamm.com

Washington, DC rowhouse details...

2007-09-07T20:14:00.001+01:00

Found some beautiful shots via Flickr for anyone needing color or architectural inspiration for their exterior. How awesome are these places??

(images via Flickr)

Painted brick rowhouse - finished!

2007-09-07T09:40:00.000+01:00

Ta-daaa! As promised, here are the photos of our latest project - painting the front of our rowhouse. The "before" photo was taken the night we went to closing, back in January 2005... seems like eons ago. I can't believe it had taken us so long to actually tackle the front yard. We went back and forth about painting the concrete walk and wall. It was John's thought to one day take remove the concrete walk and eventually lay down brick or pavers... but not a priority any longer. So, I painted it with some porch & concrete floor enamel to match the window sills. Planted some seasonal mums, and my eternal favorite (earlier this summer) potato vines, and viola! ...a whole new, crisp look.

The door we found at Lowe's about 2 years ago -- a special order Jeld-Wen (if anyone was interested) - it comes unfinished, blonde wood. I stained it twice and put several coats of spar varnish to protect it from the elements. It's held up pretty well. Door hardware is from Lowe's. I've been obsessed with the oil-rubbed bronze fixtures - we put them throughout our entire house....I'll show more on those later. And our mailbox, my splurge -- from Restoration Hardware. I would actually live in that store if I could... that, or Anthropologie of course. The chair was a trash-day find -- John spotted that one on the side of the road in Alexandria -- I painted it last weekend.

Before

House numbers tip... figured this out myself, and I've been dying to share with anyone who might have transoms over their front door. If the original house numbers are no longer on your transom, here is a simple, stylish, and inexpensive way to "paint" them yourself.

Measure your transom, so you know approximately how large your numbers should be. Create a template in Word or Photoshop like the one below and print out (any font your heart desires!) Tape template to outside of your transom window, making sure that the numbers are level and centered. On the inside, using an $2.99 gold paint marker (similar to this one, found at Michael's), trace out the numbers. I used a straight razor to clean up my edges. If you mess up, or don't like the outcome - just scrape off and try again. So easy!

**If you have any good suggestions for increasing your curb appeal, please do share :) ** (images by RowHouse)

Home Office ... more inspiration

2007-09-06T11:00:00.000+01:00

After my previous post, I was thought it would be fun to do a quick compilation of inspiring home office images gathered from all over... See if any of these get your creativity going---

Some are from various mags (domino, Cottage Living, etc.) and few others are from Flickr individuals with a camera and whole lotta talent:

The floors below are in fact floors, not a rug! For a how-to, click here.

A random assortment via From House to Home:

Wendy spotted this one from the Lowe's site -- she said, "just thought this was a cool idea if you have the extra closet but not an extra entire room…" Yes indeed! Love this concept when you're short on space...like so many of us are. Plus I love the brown and blue...

Budget Ideas for a Home Office

2007-09-04T20:51:00.000+01:00

I saw these great tips on BHG for an unused space turned into a super-functional home office. I love the white painted floors! If we ever have a space where I can do that, I absolutely will. I've been keeping my eye out for filing cabinets that I can paint and use in a system like below. Or, creating a desk out of them by building the table piece to rest atop of two cabinets... It could be glass, or wood, or wood covered in a cute fabric.

Other tips in the article that I thought may be helpful:
-- Coat wood floors in cream paint to brighten the space.
-- Put a slipcover over a retired dining room chair for fresh color and homey style (put casters on the bottom for mobility).
-- Build your own desk by attaching a flat door to stock leg posts bought at a home improvement store.
-- A garden urn and vase hold pencils and pens.
-- Tall table lamps shed more light than short fixtures would have, plus, there's no installation hassle.
-- Attach inexpensive molding to a dry erase board and paint to match the rest of the room.
-- Add new drawer pulls to painted file cabinets -- put several units side by side for an impromptu credenza.
-- Spray paint dark shelving white.
-- Be firm with your labeling system -- it will force you to edit things you don't use or need.
-- Look for a unit with adjustable shelves so you can tailor your containers to ever-evolving storage needs.

(images from bhg)

A little experimenting...

2007-09-03T05:40:00.000+01:00

Made a few changes to the site layout this weekend. *I get antsy with my designs, so I might be changing the header once in awhile to keep things fresh.In the meantime, let me know if the new 3-column format gives you any trouble viewing in your browser - thanks!
(image from flickr)

Thank you

2007-08-31T15:48:00.000+01:00

A huge thank you to Holly at decor8 for choosing me as her blog of the week! I am honored.

p.s. Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone... And if you aren't kicking up your feet to relax, good luck with your household projects if you feel inspired... Can you believe tomorrow is September already???
-Jen

(image from flickr)

Refurbishing our stairwell banister

2007-08-30T21:03:00.001+01:00

So, I've mentioned before that my husband and I purchased a rowhouse in Capitol Hill (Washington, DC) about 2 1/2 years ago...which has been my motivation and inspiration for this blog. Since then, we have spent countless hours refurbishing it to it's original grandeur. But we do it because we LOVE this stuff and we love old houses!

One of my first projects was the banister. It had been covered in 90 years worth of paint and grime, and instead of just slapping on a coat of white paint and calling it day (which, I can not lie, was my first inclination!)... I decided to tackle it with a heat gun, a 5-in-1 tool, and my trusty mouse sander. Not only is this a hot job, but a little dangerous too -- I suggest if anyone is interested in doing the same, wear gloves, long pants and long shirt (in case any of the peeled paint falls back onto you in the process, it won't burn you), and watch the area in which you are working carefully to avoid burning the wood. In the end, I stained it with MinWax Jacobean color. I thought that it might look really beautiful on the old pine. Then I put 2-3 coats of polyurethane to seal and protect it. I left the slats painted white because several had been replaced over the years, and would not have matched the stained color of the original banister.

Before

During...

After

Also, in the same stairwell, we thought it would be fun to hang 20 different vintage family photos that we scanned from originals, and then printed them at home on our little Epson. Some of the originals were not black & white, so we converted them from color..and bumped up the saturation and brightness a little. I think gives the stairwell added interest - an otherwise unusable space, you know? And the light fixture - a total find at Lowe's - a steal at $60! You see similar ones at Pottery Barn for $300-$400. There are great finds out there if you hunt for them...

Luckett's Antiques near Leesburg

2007-08-29T15:44:00.000+01:00

So anyone who knows me knows that my #1 favorite antique shop is Luckett's - just outside of Leesburg, VA. A bunch of my girlfriends and family love this shop too. Anytime one of us sees a cute antique item in each other's homes... the question always asked is, "did you find that at Lucketts?" Chances are, they probably did.

Without fail, whenever I visit, I cannot leave without finding something interesting or beautiful to bring home with me. Dressers, mantles, chairs, rod iron garden furniture, wicker, old frames, hardware, old signs, beds, and so much more. The fine ladies that run this shop, as well as the 20+ antique dealers which supply the wares, have uncovered some of the neatest pieces in their travels. Some need a little TLC, and other pieces they have restored beautifully. And their prices are extremely fair, I must say... being the bargain hunter that I am.

My favorite time to visit is in the fall when they regularly put out hot apple cider... I can't think of a more pleasant way to spend a crisp October saturday. Lucky for me, John loves to visit Luckett's too. He found a cool old ladder one time - something that he had wanted for awhile. Of course it was the first thing he spotted when we drove up. Last summer, when our dog was a young pup and I couldn't leave him for more than a few hours, I just brought him with me to walk around the exterior.

(images from luckett's and flickr)

Green with Glamour

2007-08-27T21:41:00.000+01:00

I saw a reference for GWG on le coterie blog (which I so enjoy reading btw)... Green with Glamour is a site dedicated to showcasing earth-friendly wares for your home and self.

I love this quote from their site: "Like charity, I believe glamour should begin at home."

Also, the surf prints below caught my eye. My brother, George, lives in Hawaii, on the Big Island, and so I've started to look for cool surf themes in artwork. And how 1920s classic is that chair and ottoman?! Beautiful.

(images from green with glamour)

Hello! Lucky witty cards

2007-08-23T06:02:00.000+01:00

How fun are these?? The circus-like references remind me of a book I used to pour through in my younger days. I cannot remember the title, sadly. It was about a little circus mouse, and the illustrations were hand sketched in black & white. Isn't it funny how our most minute childhood memories can be triggered by any random item, and it all comes rushing back? ...sigh, nostalgia.

Founded in 2003, Hello! Lucky is the creation of sisters Eunice Moyle and Sabrina Moyle. In addition to a large line of everyday letterpress cards for various occasions, they also have an beautiful Custom Wedding collection (featured in Martha Stewert Weddings and InStyle Weddings) and just recently launched their Custom Baby line. ...so witty and whimsical. Definitely worth perusing their site if you have a moment.

(images from Hello! Lucky)

Color, room makeovers...

2007-08-22T17:35:00.000+01:00

Thank you for the mention, poppytalk --Love your blog!

I have always been an earth tones type of girl... browns, yellows, and creams. But seeing this room re-do in the latest issue of Domino has me wanting to try something fresh, bold and fun... plus I love white sofas. ....So maybe in our next place... ??

BEFORE parlorAFTER parlor

BEFORE living roomAFTER living room

(images from Domino)

Look in the Attic

2007-08-21T15:15:00.000+01:00

I just discovered this site for architectural hardware and vintage tableware - Look in the Attic. Wish I had known about them 2 years ago! I had a difficult time finding four matching air registers for our rowhouse. The size was unusual. Eventually I found some rusty ones (that I cleaned up) in a little shop in Frederick, MD... but this would have made searching a whole lot easier. Love these knobs...
How cute would these be on a painted black dresser?

I remembered seeing this lovely transformation (below) in a Cottage Living earlier this year. I think this might be my next furniture project... now, if only I had a place to put it!

(images from Look in the Attic and Cottage Living)

Urban Outfitters...

2007-08-20T19:14:00.001+01:00

Ever since walking into the Georgetown Urban Outfitters my freshmen year in college, gasp! 11 yeas ago!, I have always had so much fun exploring their store. The style is not always what I'm looking for, but I do love the fresh and sometimes hilarious ideas... Their book section alone- seriously? I'd love to be in a meeting when a new writer pitches an idea to a publisher... "Picture this, if you will: an entire coffee table book about bad hair styles..." Genius.

The buyers for U.O. have definitely scoured high & low for some funky, affordable items. The store on M Street in Georgetown has gone through a few transformations over the years, but it never ceases to amaze me how fun, loud, and youthful the whole experience leaves me feeling... smile.

Featured: Floral flocked lampshade, $28.00; Deluxe Chandelier, $140.00; Antionette Fainting Sofa, $550.00; Baroque Cut Out Frame, $14.00; Crewel Leaf Pillow, $28.00; Blue Spindle Lamp base, $24.99

(images from Urban Outfitters)

Williams-Sonoma Home

2007-08-20T17:46:00.000+01:00

I saw this image on dreamhouse cammy, and even though I cannot translate the blog, I love looking at her photos for inspiration. The Williams-Sonoma Home line of fabrics are so fun and bold. I chatted with a contact there to get a little more information about their newer products and design services. All of their stores have designers on site for advice and guidance, which is great if you live nearby. For any of us gals in the DC area, the closest shop is near Philly. So, their website WS Home will have to suffice until we see one. The site makes choosing super easy by enabling online viewing to swap out fabric choices with different pieces. If nothing else, for beautiful inspiration, even if you aren't in the market for a new piece. Oh, and all of their upholstered furniture is made in the US.

(image from williams-sonoma home)

Petite Pear Paperie

2007-08-16T23:05:00.001+01:00

I read in Real Simple about a year ago, one way to simplify last minute gift-giving was to buy a package of blank paper luggage tags to use instead of ready-made gift cards. While I do love letterpress and beautiful stationery, I have to say that it really did make things easier! Holidays, last minute gifts, bottles of wine, whatever the occasion. I just used one last night, in fact, for a birthday gift.

So I thought it fitting that one of my favorite finds on Etsy this week is Petite Pear Paperie for tags. I'm so enamored with the vintage flair of these handmade stamped/cut luggage tags and card sets. My favorite being the catalogue style tags and the Paris-inspired circular tags. Love, love, love...

(Images from Petite Pear Paperie)

Outdoor Rooms

2007-08-14T16:25:00.000+01:00

I was on House & Garden's website this morning, and I came across a section that they compiled on outdoor rooms. Some of the photos are pretty much way out of my league attainable... okay, let's be honest, all of them are. But I wanted to post some of my favorites... This first one above being my #1. It's our pipe dream to live near the Chesapeake Bay one day...

(Images from House & Garden)

Summer salads from InStyle

2007-08-14T15:57:00.000+01:00

InStyle had a great Summer Party Guide recipe round-up of salads. They all looked so easy and delicious that I had to share. If you have any great end-of-summer recipes in your repertoire, please do share in the comments section... Is it lunch time yet?

Jicama and Watercress Salad with Lime-Cilantro Dressing

(Serves 10)

½ cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp lime zest
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 shallot, chopped
¾ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 jicama, peeled, cut into strips
1 large bunch watercress, trimmed

Whisk together cilantro, lime zest, lime juice and shallot in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place salad ingredients in bowl. Toss with desired amount of dressing.

Grilled Watermelon Salad
(Serves 8)

1 small (about 5 lb.) seedless watermelon, cut into 8 slices
2 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper
2 bunches watercress, trimmed
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup crumbled goat cheese

Heat grill. Brush watermelon slices with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill watermelon 1–2 minutes on each side. In medium bowl toss watercress with vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. To assemble, sprinkle each grilled watermelon slice with goat cheese. Top with watercress mixture.

Arugula Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
(Serves 8)

½ cup pomegranate juice
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 shallot, sliced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup each canola oil and olive oil
12 cups arugula, cleaned and trimmed
2 white or yellow peaches, pitted and sliced

In small heavy saucepan reduce pomegranate juice by half. Pour juice into bowl; let cool. Add vinegar, shallot and mustard. Whisk in canola and olive oils. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange arugula leaves and peach slices on serving plate. Drizzle with dressing.

Lobster-Avocado Salad
(Serves 12)

1 large shallot, minced
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 cooked 1½ lb. lobsters with meat removed (or 4 to 5 lb. cooked meat)
2 ripe avocados, cut into slices
3 heads Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Combine shallot, vinegar, mustard; whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cut lobster into bite-size pieces; toss with avocado and desired amount of dressing. Line serving plates with lettuce. Top with lobster.

Chinese Chicken Salad
(Serves 8)

½ cup soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp minced ginger
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 scallions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup peanut oil
12 cups assorted greens (watercress, Boston lettuce, Napa cabbage), cleaned, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
6 cups cooked, diced chicken
8 wonton wrappers, cut into ½" strips and deep-fried

In small bowl combine soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, scallions and garlic. Whisk in peanut oil; set aside. In large bowl lightly toss greens with 1/3 cup dressing. To serve, place dressed salad on individual plates. Top with cooked chicken and wonton strips. Serve remaining dressing on side.

Caprese Salad Bites
(Serves 20)

60 red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes
1 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Fresh chopped basil for garnish

With a serrated knife, cut off the top of each tomato. Remove seeds with a melon baller and cut a thin slice off the bottom of each; place upside down on paper towels to drain. Stand upright.

Place a mozzarella cube in each tomato; drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Garnish with basil.

Chicken-and-Caper Caesar Salad spears
(Serves 20)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 lb. cooked, boneless, skinless chicken, cut into thin slices
60 small romaine lettuce leaves
Capers and shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

In small bowl combine first seven ingredients. Place a few chicken slices on each lettuce leaf. Top with dressing, and garnish with capers and Parmesan shavings.

(images and recipes from In Style)

Painted brick rowhouse

2007-08-13T17:51:00.000+01:00

In the 90+ degree heat of mid-August, we decided to paint the brick on the front of our rowhouse yesterday... ourselves. No, this photo is not of our house -- I wish!! This is just a pic of my favorite section of London - Kensington - which provided the inspiration. I choose a cream color. Later this week we will probably do the molding in taupe and the windows in white. We are purchasing a new camera soon, so I will post before and after photos then.

**Note to self: never again paint the exterior of anything in August.

(Image via flickr)

Pottery Barn inspiration...

2007-08-13T14:58:00.000+01:00

It never ceases to amaze me how the designers are Pottery Barn are able to pull together rooms so well. I wanted to post a few of the images/rooms that give me inspiration this week.

(images from Pottery Barn)

Paper Stories letterpress

2007-08-10T13:06:00.000+01:00

I had to post this on a Friday... when else could you appreciate the sarcasm? Ok, so maybe a Monday morning might have been even better. Have you ever had a moment where you wanted to say something to someone, but a regular note card just wouldn't cut the mustard? How do you tell someone "Thanks for nothing" or "You just suck the life out of me"? I love it! Paper Stories letterpress has a collection, aptly named Bittersweet, that contains witty one-line expressions. Perfect gift for someone in need of a good laugh. Available for purchase through their Etsy shop.

(Images from paper stories)

Land of Nod

2007-08-09T20:55:00.001+01:00

My friend Emily did this in her nursery and I thought it was the cutest idea! She found these cards at Land of Nod and mounted a whole row to one wall opposite her crib. She's due any minute now, and all I have to say is their baby is going to have a super sweet room! Old school and sweet... love it.

"This set of alphabet wall cards is a throwback to the days of typewriters and ditto machines. Set of 26 cards (duh!)"

(Images from Land of Nod)

Caldrea soaps

2007-08-09T20:54:00.000+01:00

Heather M. sent me a tip about Caldrea. She said, "Love these new white ceramics. I use their dish soap and recently decked out the guest bathrooms with their hand soaps. Great scents."

Scents include: ginger pomelo, lavender pine, and sweet pea.
This French antique-looking dispenser is beautiful...

I love their cleaning tools also...Thank you for the tip Heather!
(images from Caldrea)

Florence

2007-08-09T20:53:00.000+01:00

Florence, Italy... perhaps my most favorite city on Earth. My friend Jill saw these note cards when she was out shopping one day and she said that they just looked like me, so she gave them to me... just because. How thoughtful?! Thank you Jill! I studied in Florence my junior year in college and so I have always had a special place in my heart for that city. I have great memories of eating way too much gelato, hanging out in Piazza Santa Croce after class, bartering in the open air market of San Lorenzo {where I purchase my 1st pair of tall leather boots!}, and just in general being really, blissfully happy. There is something so intoxicating about Italy. The people, the food, the art, the landscape... ummm, and let's not forget about the wine.

I also have an unusual attraction to old street maps. Not exactly sure why... I've hung 7 vintage Italian city street maps in our living room. {I'll post photos soon!} For those of you that know DC, I found them at Eastern Market in Capitol Hill.

So, I just wanted to say that I love these cards. They make me happy when I look at them. Made by Papyrus.

(image via Papyrus and flickr)

I adore dwell...

2007-08-09T14:15:00.000+01:00

I just discovered dwell, through one very stylish friend...you know who you are! I love this design shop. Their studio is NYC based, but you can peruse products and fabrics to order online. Lines include: dwell, dwellbaby, dwellkids, and dwelltable.

(Images from dwell)

Blog Cabin

2007-08-09T14:12:00.000+01:00

A rep for the DIY Network, Amie K., contacted me about their new show Blog Cabin premiering Aug. 16th {Thursday} at 9pm. She thought perhaps RowHouse readers would be interested... I do remember seeing something for this awhile back.

The show profiles the building of a log cabin that viewers had the chance to design by voting on/selecting features online. The voting has already occurred, but you can tune in to watch the entire cabin being built from ground-up based upon all the design choices set forth by bloggers. Pretty neat idea... and they are giving it away to one lucky winner. I don't see any reason why not to enter... hello? free log cabin in the Smoky Mountains?? I'm an outdoorsy kind of girl, so to that, I say yes please!

(Image from DIY Blog Cabin)

Increase your ceiling height, the cheaters way...

2007-08-08T17:07:00.000+01:00

So my friend Libby taught me about this technique, and I love it for two reasons -- It saves money on costly large decorative molding pieces and it saves time instead of replacing all of your crown molding.

Here's what you do: Mark about 3 inches below the bottom of your existing crown molding. Choose another smaller piece of decorative molding that will lie flush to the wall. Moldings can usually be found at any hardware store. Have your handy husband cut the new small molding and install at your 3 inch mark. Finally fill in the all the holes with wood glue and caulk, sand, and paint the entire segment (including the wall in between the two pieces) so as to give the appearance of one LARGE decorative crown molding. Trust me, this makes your ceilings look much taller and walls more grand, drawing your eye up. ...And there you have it!

Note: Always take into consideration door and window frame heights. I wouldn't recommend bringing the molding down lower than those frames.

If you have any questions, leave in the comments section below...

Thanks to Libby for recommending this awhile back!

(Image via flickr, notations are my own)

Wish I was here...

2007-08-07T17:05:00.001+01:00

While I'm on the subject of gardens, I remembered that I had recently found a CD with photos taken 3 years ago the weekend that my husband proposed. I thought I had lost the disk, so this made me soooo happy! We were in the Hamptons in late June, and it was a total surprise. He had planned ahead and made reservations for us to stay at this unreal-beyond-gorgeous bed & breakfast in East Hampton. I was in a dream state of giddiness. Looking back on that weekend, we always remember the garden and pool behind the house as being our ultimate "if we could have it" backyard. Just some eye candy and inspiration for you on this oppressively hot Tuesday...

Plant now for Fall veggies

2007-08-07T16:12:00.000+01:00

I've wanted to plant some veggies in our backyard, and so I've been looking for ideas for late summer plants... I stumbled upon an article, found on Gardners .com. It was helpful so I wanted to share a quick summary:

Seeds germinate fast when the soil is already nice and warm. For delicious, picture-perfect fall crops of spinach, lettuce, peas, kale and broccoli, now’s the time to plant. Here are 4 easy steps to ensure your success.

1. Pull some. Plant some. Pull out any plants that are past their prime, and toss into a compose if you have one. Then till the soil with organic fertilizer and any compost you may have, and plant your new seeds.

2. Screen the Sun. Keep the soil surface from drying out with netting or screens. Fall-planted seeds should be sown twice as deep as in the spring.

3. Sow the Right Crops. Plants that thrive in fall weather include: carrots, beets, broccoli, Swiss chard, kale and all kinds of salad and Asian greens.

4. Don’t Delay. Summer-planted crops usually require an extra 2 weeks to reach maturity (since fall days become shorter and air temperatures are cooler).

Also, a note about lawncare (however tiny like ours!)... Late summer and early fall is also the best time to seed lawns. Home gardeners can begin seeding of lawns in mid -to-late August, depending upon your climate/zone.

(image via flickr, and me)

Housewerks Salvage: Baltimore

2007-08-06T15:11:00.000+01:00

My photographer friend Becky sent me this great tip about Housewerks Salvage in Baltimore. From Becky: "Jen, have you ever been here? Your head might pop off if you go... everything is completely incredible!" She said that it might be on the pricier side for some pieces, but it appears to be so worth it if you spot that special salvage find.

Here is the info from their site: "HOUSEWERKS specializes in unusual and carefully selected architectural antiques, industrial salvage, and one of a kind finds.

Emphasis is on pre-World War II decorative building materials including mantels, plumbing fixtures, entry doors, garden elements, stained glass, and decorative ironwork.

Serving designers, renovators, homeowners, architects, and the film industry, the 8,000 sf Valve House is a constantly changing mix of architectural elements and decorative objects. Whether you are looking for a period appropriate entry door or just something special and unexpected for your home or workspace Housewerks is where the search begins."

Becky is right... I really think my head would actually pop off. I have to get here soon!

(Images from Housewerks Salvage)
Thanks for the tip Becky... can't wait to check it out!

California beach cottage cool

2007-08-03T11:47:00.000+01:00

I love this beach cottage interior, from Coastal Living...

"When fashion-designer-turned-interior-decorator Janice McCarty first walked through her 1922 Venice cottage, she was far from overjoyed. The previous owner, anxious to take advantage of Southern California’s sizzling real-estate market, had subjected the house to a quick, soulless makeover. “It was awful,” Janice recalls. “Everything was fake new—like the worst of a home-improvement catalog.” Still, the lure of the nearby ocean compelled her to take the plunge and buy the house."

(excerpt and images from Coastal Living)

Friday finds: On Sale at Ballard

2007-08-03T11:35:00.000+01:00

Under-bed Storage Chest, marked down from $499 to $199.99

Annexe Pivot Bar, marked down from $499 to $369.99

Catina Bath Rug, marked down $59 to $39.99

(Images from Ballard Designs)

rosemary

2007-08-02T15:19:00.000+01:00

Quick thought today... So I have a thing for rosemary. I love it. I love the aroma, the taste, and the look, especially in pots or topiaries... I was successful growing it last summer, but this year I haven't been too organized about growing herbs. So, the Safeway aisle will have to do for me until I can get my act together. I did find some delicious sounding rosemary recipes on epicurious though for your cooking pleasure!

(images from organic facts)

Caravati's: architectural salvage

2007-07-31T14:51:00.000+01:00

A good number of my college girlfriends live in Richmond, VA now, and I have to say they are so unbelievably lucky to live near this great architectural salvage warehouse called Caravati's! I could spend 4 hours wandering around in there, and still not see everything. They have rescued old doors, sinks, tubs, iron work, cobble stone, lighting, mantels, radiators, balusters, banisters, stained glass windows, and hardwood flooring. And all very reasonably priced.

I am excited to announce that this month they launched a Caravati's eBay store as well - hooray! Now I can shop online from DC, and then just hop down 95 if I spot something.

**If you know of any other architectural salvage shops, send me the link. I have a few more from the DC/Baltimore area that I plan to feature later this month...

(Images from Caravati's)

tiny prints

2007-07-30T14:00:00.000+01:00

Some of you may already know about Tiny Prints - children's invitations, announcements, and shower favors... But in case you haven't, I've been wanting to share! Not only are they super cute, but I love that you can order in lots as small as 25. Great cost savings if you are hosting a small party, for example. Here's a peek...

(Images from Tiny Prints)

Friday finds: On SALE at Anthropologie

2007-07-27T12:18:00.000+01:00

On SALE at Anthropologie, a set of these candlesticks would make a beautiful, and affordable wedding gift without skimping on style. Tall Copperfield Pillar Holder marked down from $188 to $69.95 each

How fun are these Fish Pond Napkins ...16 inches square. Marked down from $12 to $3.95Love this classy Telescopic Lamp Small marked down from $118 to $69.95

Drum Shades in brown, sage, and embroidered linen marked down to $19.95 - $29.95

This Convex Oval Shadow Box Kit would be perfect for displaying all sorts of photos and collectibles. Includes 20 pearl head pins. Marked down from $168 to $99.95
Knobs for dresser drawers or cabinet pulls marked down from $10 to $2.95 eachAn umbrella this large is a great mid-summer find...if not for the beach, it would be nifty for backyard BBQ's. Made of weatherproof Sunbrella fabric. Sun Swirl Beach Umbrella marked down from $348 to $149.95And this glazed ceramic pot - perfect for indoors or out. Circle-Etch Pot, Large marked down from $98 to $49.95(Images from Anthropologie)

Fresh take on beadboard paneling

2007-07-26T17:24:00.001+01:00

I saw this Hampton's house in House & Garden, thought it had a great, fresh take on traditional beadboard. Alternating the panels updates the look. Wouldn't this be fun to do in a beach cottage bathroom? And love the circular mirror.

And I couldn't pass up an opportunity to post another variation on wall paneling (plus I have an unusual fascination with tubs). The horizontal slats remind me of a seaside Arts & Crafts style bungalow. The colors are so tranquil too...

And getting back to the circular mirror idea.... I LOVE this mirror. If anyone sees something like this on sale somewhere, let me know!

More house photos:

(Images from House & Garden)

European-inspired room makeovers

2007-07-25T20:10:00.000+01:00

Spotted this dining room in the Sept. 07 issue of Traditional Home -- the whole issue is devoted to "Before and After" home makeovers. I was a little disappointed that there was no "before" photo of this room, half the fun is seeing the change, right? ...Anyway, so I decided in our next house, somewhere down the road when we actually have a dining room, I'd love to do a long antique sideboard to display china. My Aunt has a beautiful one from England (I believe) similar to one shown above, and I've always thought it was such a neat way to display items. I'm into the creamware idea too... lots of collected pitchers or serving platters. I don't know that I could pull off the white monogrammed seat covers... I'm actually curious to know what you all think of those... yay or nea? Please leave comments in the link below!

(Image from Traditional Home)

Top 10 Home TV Shows

2007-07-25T16:58:00.001+01:00

John and I are obsessed with home renovation shows, especially the DIY Network. Does anyone else watch this channel??? Our entire DVR schedule is filled with Kitchen Renovations, Bathroom Renovations, Rock Solid, to name a few. The funny part - we have almost nothing left to do to our house. It's done. I suppose it is a sign of mild obsession if we're watching purely for entertainment purposes. Their shows are 100% hands-on, so that gets me excited. And the website is pretty helpful with lots of how-to's and videos.
So it got me thinking that we actually tune in mostly to home shows when seasonal stand-by's aren't in the rotation... The Office, anyone? Best show ever. Anyway, I digress... I thought it would be fun to list my Top 10 Home TV Shows:

1.) Kitchen Renovations (DIY) - Paul Ryan and the moustache...
2.) Bathroom Renovations (DIY) - hit or miss with some taste selections, but I love the ideas
3.) Rock Solid (DIY) -- the banter between these 2 brothers is hilarious.
4.) Divine Design (HGTV) - Candace Olson is a miracle worker - I love almost all of her designs.
5. ) Real Estate Confidential (Fine Living) - makes me want to become agent in LA
6.) What you get for the Money (HGTV) - makes me want to live anywhere but in this market
7.) House Hunters (HGTV) - some of the comments from prospective buyers make me cringe, but overall, very entertaining
8.) Design Star (HGTV) - tuning in as a new viewer this season, jury is out whether I'll love it as much as Project Runway.
9.) Sweat Equity (DIY) - it's become our mantra, how could I not like this show?
10.) Wasted Spaces (DIY) - genius for hidden potential

Let me know your thoughts/objections/suggestions for new shows in the COMMENTS section below - would love to hear from you!

(logo from DIY)

Lavender

2007-07-24T17:34:00.000+01:00

Lavender... it's probably my most cherished plant at the moment... Although I'm ashamed to admit that I tried planting some last year and our dog decided that he wanted to yank it out of the ground 4 days later and run around the backyard with it dangling from his sloppy jowls...

Every time I see lavender I feel like I should be walking barefoot near a farmhouse in Provence, without a worry in the world, sipping on Bordeaux and admiring my summer tan. Then I realize that I'm staring at what I think is lavender, and it's actually not lavender at all. Rather, some new grotesque variation of a city weed growing out of an usually large crack in a DC sidewalk... I realize this while waiting in a cloud of CO2 fumes at the 13th Street bus stop where I've just been kicked in the heel by the person behind me... awesome.

hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

Tricks for decorating small spaces

2007-07-24T17:21:00.000+01:00

I really liked this article roundup from domino. We currently live in a tiny rowhouse, affectionately refered to as "our little sardine can," so I'm always looking for spacing-saving ideas to help with organization and layout.

"Oversized baskets serve as attractive, versatile, and portable work stations—perfect for space that has to multitask."

"Organization is key. Stow out-of-season clothing, files, and other things you don't need every day in numbered boxes. A master list decoding the numbers guarantees you'll be able to find what you need."

"The key to maximizing miniscule rooms? Use every inch of storage space, even above doorways."

"A breezy tent helps demarcate the space—making this desk feel monumental—and creates the illusion of space (and of a window)."

"Hanging pots and pans on a rack saves counter and shelf space in a tiny kitchen."

"Use low walls or banquettes to create "rooms" without bisecting the space."

(Images from domino)

More fabrics! Warm Biscuit

2007-07-24T16:47:00.000+01:00

This vintage fabric company is one of the cutest I've ever seen for children's rooms. Warm Biscuit Bedding Company has sweet renderings as well as classic patterns, including ticking stripes, polka dots, seersucker, gingham, check, plaid, toile, floral, and some fun cowboy western, sports, and firetruck themes for boys...

(Images from Warm Biscuit)

Mod Green Pod: organic cotton fabrics

2007-07-23T18:13:00.000+01:00

Kate M. suggested this great website, Mod Green Pod , for 100% organic cotton fabrics and vinyl-free wallpapers - very stylish and I love that they are earth-friendly. They choose to print their fabrics, instead of dyeing them, and no harmful chemicals were used during any portion of production. Great selections for all you hot, young mommas looking for nursery fabrics... Sold by the yard. Check website for locations.Thank you Kate...
(Images from Mod Green Pod)

Galison/Mudpuppy home office

2007-07-23T16:55:00.000+01:00

Creators of beautiful stationery Galison/Mudpuppy not only have cute notecards, photo albums and journals, but their line of home office products inspires me to actually get our office organized…and looking quite stylish, I might add... Package of 8 File Folders $8, and Address Books $18…

Thanks for the tip Theresa M...
(images from Galison/Mudpuppy)

$$ Savings

2007-07-23T14:50:00.000+01:00

A great tip for online savings... RetailMeNot.com
Theresa M. says, "I often get 10-20% off or FREE shipping - its great. Simply enter the name of the store you are purchasing from and voila!"

Before your next online purchase, search the site for your store's coupons.

Thank you Theresa...

Painting hardwood floors checkerboard

2007-07-20T16:44:00.000+01:00

We did a much smaller version of this in our kitchen pantry 2 months ago. And normally I would not suggest painting over beautiful hardwood floors, especially old heart pine floors if you have them. I'm a hopeless romantic for old hardwood. However, in the event that you 1.) want a fresh change in one room... kitchen maybe? 2.) have a small space to experiment like a bathroom, or 3.) are planning to redo the floors anyway, this can be a fun DIY project. Here is a great how-to that I found archived on Cottage Living online.

Another great idea instead of going traditional black & white is to try mixing up the colors... think light brown & cream, or robin's egg blue & black on a screened-in porch. Or, only paint one of the squares, and the leave the other your floor's natural or stained color, then polyurethane over everything for good durability.

(Image from Cottage Living)

Instant custom rug

2007-07-20T16:01:00.001+01:00

I saw this 'quick tip, clever trick' in the latest issue of domino, and thought it was such a great idea for hard-to-cover spaces, or irregular shaped rooms...

"If you want to cover a large floor space and a standard-size rug doesn't work, get a skilled carpet repairer to sew together several smaller jute boucle ones. West Elm makes brilliant affordable versions." 3' x 5' rug on sale $19.99 - $29.99 (regular $44) West Elm.

(Image from West Elm)

Inspired by Cabo... Mexican star lanterns

2007-07-20T15:04:00.000+01:00

While at our friends' wedding in Cabo last December, I saw these mexican star lanterns/lights hung from every eave in bars, restaurants, hotel lobbies. Love them. I noticed a few on sale through Direct from Mexico, and they offer free shipping-- nice! The Clear Glass Aged Tin Fixture (far left) is marked down to $60 (15 " in diameter)... fun for a patio or accent lighting in the dining room.

(Product images from Direct from Mexico)

Kim Seybert pillows at Harbor Palm

2007-07-18T17:54:00.000+01:00

I'm wild about coral right now... I realize it's popping up everywhere, (and has been for awhile) but I can't help being drawn to the look. Just last week we stopped into St. Michael's, MD for the day, and stumbled upon a ridiculously cute shop in an old early 1900's house called Harbor Palm. At that moment, like so many before, I told my husband that I was ready to ditch the city and move to the Eastern Shore to embrace the good life... Unfortunately for me (albeit happiness for my husband's wallet), the shop was closed that particular day. I did steal a peek in the window, however, at the period original woodwork and the myriad of wares. The pillows alone inspired me to redo our guest room. Harbor Palm carries such designers as Kim Seybert who creates these gorgeous pillows...

(Image from Kim Seybert)

To Quote Eleanor Roosevelt...

2007-07-18T16:15:00.000+01:00

"Do one thing every day that scares you..." I love that. I've tried really hard to live by that mantra. Ms. Roosevelt was a strong lady. Her words inspired me....

My entire life I have been drawn to anything old and beautiful. There is something so fascinating about a piece of furniture or photograph that has a story behind it. It was here long before me, and will probably be here long after I'm gone. I love to scour estate sales, antique shops, and flea markets. About 2 1/2 years ago my husband, John, and I purchased a 90-year-old rowhouse in Capitol Hill. We completely renovated it ourselves {with the hard labor help of dear friends and family}, carefully keeping all the period woodwork and floors. In our stairwell we've framed about twenty black & white vintage family photographs from both families. When I look at these every morning, I am reminded of where we've come from, what we're made of, and how wonderfully supportive our families have always been.

My grandmother (left) with her sisters in Cape May, NJ

My father (right) with his siblings

I wanted to start a blog to catalogue all the beautiful things, old and new, that have or continue to give me inspiration. I'm a huge proponent of re-purposing and re-finishing furniture, and of course, homes. My style is classic, shabby chic with some quirkiness. I'm crazy about Cottage Living, domino, Anthropologie, letterpress, anything Italian {studied abroad in Florence}, DIY projects, vintage city street maps -- love!, vintage floral prints, surf art {my brother lives in Hawaii}, black and white photography, and most importantly tricks for small space living, as that has become my daily life.

I will try to post new ideas / inspiration daily. Hope you enjoy checking in, and please do drop a line to say hello or send along new tips! Thank you to everyone who has emailed me so far!!!!

-Jen

welcome to RowHouse

2007-07-18T15:48:00.000+01:00

RowHouse, a daily weblog about decor, designs, and stylish finds

Products and ideas related to design, interiors, vintage wares, restored furniture and homes, and fresh gardens are posted daily...