Ebanista--one of my favs

So, Tina at The Enchanted Home got me thinking...

Today she posted about the very talented Michael S. Smith.

My interest was piqued and I spent a long time drooling over

his portfolio.  He has a wide range of styles that he does so well.

However, for me, I love, love, love his work that has a Mediterranean vibe.

Got to thinking about how enthralled I am with Barley Twist furniture.

When I Googled, "history of Barley Twist furniture," this is one of the 

definitions I found.

As far as we know, it was originally Baroque, of Spanish-Moorish origin and came to England

 from Portugal with Katherine of Braganza in1661 when she married Charles II.

This picture is from one of Michael S. Smith's projects.  I love the ceiling detail

and the Barley-Sugar Twist coffee table.

The following pics are from Ebanista.  I am a huge fan of their work!!

This picture reminds me of some of Segreto's images.  Love the

design on the back of the chair.

 

 Crowns and crosses always make my heart skip a beat.

 The ceiling, the floor, the furniture/fabric, the iron lighting, so 

beautifully executed!

This image intrigues because of the interesting juxtaposition of materials.  Some

of them are simple and some are quite refined.

So many people contributing to the beauty of the world...

The American Riviera

Maybe I should call this The American Riviera West.

I understand that the Hamptons have been called "The American Riviera" too.

So, which is it.  Please tell me your thoughts.

I moved away from Santa Barbara County when I was 21.

It has always been my dream to some day return (when the time was right).

Life happens...

I got married, and had kids.  Now that they are in college I'm dreaming about

my next chapter.  Time to re-design my life.  I am moving back to Santa Barbara

County.  

Here are a few pictures of the beautiful Spanish Colonial architecture that

Santa Barbara is famous for.

Santa Barbara has always been a world class destination.  

With the wine industry flourishing in central California, I think

this area will be getting a lot more attention.

I look forward to sharing my adventure.

Mirror, Mirror...On the Table?

I've been hunting.  No, not for big game, but for the perfect table for a client's living room.  I've been noticing that so many coffee tables and end tables have mirrored tops.  I like the sparkle.  What do you think?  Do you like this trend?

Clothes Make the (Wo)Man

Clothes make the man.  Naked people have little or no influence on society.

-Mark Twain

So, the question is... Do clothes make the woman?

Absolutely!!

A woman's style is so personal.  Don't we all express ourselves with what we wear?

Another question is... If our clothes are so important, shouldn't we organize them beautifully and give them the respect they deserve?

Absolutely!!

 

 Looks like someone framed the designer shopping bags--so cute!

 

I love all these closets--Organized and Beautiful.

Do you have a favorite?

Retail Therapy

We made it passed hump day.  That is such a funny expression, but I can remember my mom using that expression often.

I spent my hump day in search of several items for a client that I am meeting with on Friday.  I decided to take advantage of my excursion, by photographing one of my favorite stores in O.C. so that I can share the information on my blog. 

Of course I started by asking permission to photograph the store for the purpose of publishing on my blog.  The owner Laurie Alter could not have been kinder or more encouraging.  Her website is here.  Her blog is here.

Okay, so pretend that you get to have a second home in Laguna Beach or one of the other beautiful adjacent communities.  You will be needing to furnish this new coastal abode.  I highly recommend that you visit Tuvalu.  Laurie has just about everything you could want for your beach house.  I snapped lots of pictures with an emphasis on the light fixtures.   She has a newly expanded Design Studio.  It is so cute!!

 

 So there you have it.  If you in the market for some "Beach" inspired treasures, Tuvalu is like finding pirates booty.  I tell my design students to plan a day in Laguna.  Start by having coffee and crescents at Cafe Zinc and then go shopping...