Shanghai Peacock: The New Chiang Mai Dragon?

So glad my awesome seamstress had my new Chiang Mai Dragon roman shade and bathroom cafe curtain ready in time for Christmas...

The next, somewhat similar Schumacher print on my radar is the new Shanghai Peacock.  I particularly love it in the Cinnabar colorway...

Check out the elegant tablestop Eddie Ross made using Shanghai Peacock, as seen in the latest issue of Lonny...  Love this!

Here it is in the two alternate colorways, Cerise and Brass...

What do you think?  The next big thing from Schumacher?

Deb

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How Do You Like Your Grout?

One decision that threw me a little bit on my recent kitchen renovation was what color to grout my subway tile.  There are about a million grout color choices, and I spent some serious time hemming and hawing in the aisles of Lowes (and had a bag of gray grout rip open on my head as I reached for it on a high shelf, leaving me looking like a coal miner).

We started with white, but ultimately switched over to charcoal to help make the dark granite counters (which we kept) relevant.  It was a bit daunting watching the application...

Here are some other examples of kitchens using white or ivory subway tile with a darker grout, all via pinterest...

But, I really do love how these kitchens that used white grout look, too!  

Hope I made the right decision....

Have a great weekend!

Deb

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Kitchen and Bath: Before and Afters

So happy to have my kitchen and powder room renovation complete - in fewer than 6 weeks, by the way!  Here are some before and afters, from when we bought, and from yesterday :)

Looking from the eat-in area across the kitchen...

From the kitchen to the eat-in area...

The peninsula and kitchen table see a ton of homework and arts and crafts projects.  It's so nice to be doing "new math" in a brighter space...

Looking from the hall toward the back of the house and mudroom...

So glad the contractor talked me into scope creeping into the powder room (off the mudroom)...

Thanks to WellBuilt for their fantastic work on this project.  These guys can and will do anything - even jumpstart your mini-van.

Deb
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Hedgehog Plantings

As I've blogged about before, my quirky daughter loves all things hedgehog (random, cute, scrappy - just like her).  She and her 2nd grade friends even have a little hedgehog club going, complete with ID badges backed with duct tape (the latest rage in little girl crafting).

So when I saw them in online gift guide, I had to snap up these stoneware Anthropologie hedgehog measuring cups... I mean, how cute?  Too cute to actually use (or accurately measure with)...

So I decided to plant succulents in them for the window sill in my revamped kitchen.  A trip to the nursery garnered me these....

... and this....

 ... and a few minutes later, this...

Have a great day!
Deb

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Not Dead Yet (A-hem): Zebra and Hide Rugs

If the latest issue (launched yesterday) of Lonny Magazine is any indication, the zebra and hide rug trend is not going anywhere anytime soon.  And it's no wonder... as you'll see below, they work in the most neutral interiors, or the most vibrant, and make a lovely landing spot for your feet in the morning in the bedroom!

And, as featured in Lonny's gift guide, how cute are these porcelain zebra trays from Jonathan Adler?  I would love one for my new bathroom...

Check out the new Lonny here.  It's awesome!
Deb

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Lovely Personalized Gifts!

I don't know about you, but I am in serious trouble with Christmas gifts. For the most part I have yet to start and with Christmas just over 2 weeks away I am in panic mode.

One of the refreshingly "new" companies that might be able to help me out is Mark and Graham.  I recently received their catalog in the mail - addressed to my 3 year old (!!!!!) and aside from that little hiccup, loved every page of it. And it turns out written in little tiny letters on the bottom of the back page reads "copy right 2012 WIlliams-Sonoma, Inc. All rights reserved".   Interesting to say the least!

Oh and did I mention that they have an adorable DIY section complete with packages, bags, ribbons and labels?

  Aside from the numerous personalization options,

I think my favorite part is the lush free gift box! 

Happy shopping!
:) B

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