design obsession: bookcases + crown molding!

i have been so blessed to be working with a fabulous interior design client for the past few months. we will be working on her living room, dining room and bedroom through the end of the year. one of our first projects was a huge risk and ended up being a huge reward.


we wanted to accomplish this look:
ballard designs


but all we could afford was this:
ikea


so after a trip to home depot, a few long evenings with a miter saw and some wood glue, we ended up with this:


just goes to show that with a little creativity and some hard work, you can sophisticate anything!
...happy sophisticating...

omg: emersonmade

i've been missing in action. emphasis on the action. too busy for words. however, i'll be making up for it with about a million little tidbits. starting with this one--i am currently obsessed with all things organic, rustic, industrial, etc. TWO blogs that i follow led me to the unbelievable emersonmade.

these linens kill me. they are simple, sophisticated, and oh-so-fabulous. i want, like, everything they make.
...happy sophisticating...

omg: miss dior cherie & sofia coppola

i can't believe i've never written about this before. here's my thing--i take issue with perfume. i can't stand musky. i can't stand too fruity. i can't stand grandma floral. and i have one of those strange body constitutions (or whatever) that makes perfectly lovely perfume smell horrid. but then i discovered miss dior cherie. so feminine. so light. so lovely. just the perfect amount of...well...everything.

add to this my OBSESSION with sofia coppola and you can understand why i am sharing this. an extended cut of her delightful commerical for miss dior cherie. utter perfection. it's like everything i love...on the screen. i think i might burst. hope you do too.

...happy sophisticating...

omg: voluspa elysian garden candle

okay--so scented candles. sometimes they can be amazing, sometimes they can be an instant "grandma-fier" to your house if you do not choose wisely.

i don't tend to like scents that are too floral or too musky. i'm constantly looking for that perfect, light, clean, luxurious scent. the kind of candle that instantly makes you feel like you live in a chic boutique hotel...or at anthropologie :)


enter the voluspa elysian garden candle. it smells like spring--but not the "all-of-these-flowers-are-growing-and-aggravating-my-allergies" spring. just fresh and pure. if i had to describe it as a color, i would say " mossy lime." if i was allowed to use adjectives, i would say "the most heavenly, glorious, light, airy, sophisticated scent ever created." just buy it.

close runner up: anthropologie's classic "capri blue volcano" candle. yes, the voluspa is even better than that.

...happy sophisticating...

ps- purchased this fabulous candle at "A Market." more to come on that later. anticipate anxiously.

sophistikitchen: roasted brussel sprouts

i know what you're thinking. "no blog post for weeks and you give us brussels sprouts?" well, i promise you that if you give this recipe a try you will eat your words. pun intended ;)

i went to a girlfriend's house the other day and she made these. i, too, was skeptical, but let me tell you-- yum-my. they roast so long that they get dark and crunchy and oh-so-delicioso. the recipe is from the one and only barefoot contessa, so you KNOW it's going to be the most chic and sophisticated preparation of brussels sprouts around. serve alongside a simply grilled chicken breast and a fresh arugula salad--trust me. just trust me.
...bon appetit & happy sophisticating...

ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of brussels sprouts
3 T good olive oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper (i don't mean to be a snob, but the "freshly ground" really does make a difference)
a little parmesan cheese

directions

preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

cut off the brown ends of the brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. pour them on a sheet pan and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. sprinkle with more kosher salt, and serve immediately.

design obsession: ceilings

happy new year, all! we are almost a month in...can you believe it? i've already been consumed with lots of event and projects, but i wanted to make sure i passed along a little inspiration this month.

nestled among my five pages of new years resolutions (no, i'm not exaggerating) are heaps of design ideas for the glorious day the husband and i move into a place with a little more, shall we say, freedom when it comes to make the home our own. among those ideas? ceilings. the pleasant little surprise for those who take the time to turn their attention upward.

are they the first priority? certainly not. but what a fun, indulgent way to add a little sophistication to your space.
...happy sophisticating...

well, the chandelier is fabulous, which goes without saying, but i LOVE this graphic black and white print. a bit of a commitment, but could be f.a.b when used appropriately. notice how the other elements of the room are all white to keep it from being overwhelming.
featured at this is glamorous.

ladies and gentlemen, i present the coffered ceiling. if you're not lucky to own an original, never fear--you can create your own. head on over to "my design dump" to see exactly how it's done. the before and afters are unreal.

what a great way to play up original architectural details--a rich and dreamy sky blue. the color really lets the ceiling and chandelier pop.
featured in house beautiful july 2009.

love Love LOVE! so subtle but adds such a sense of sophistication. gorgeous.
featured in house beautiful january 2009.

i am all about rustic chic these days. so fabulous. the cream adds a depth and sophistication that might have been lost in all white. (sidenote: how fabulous is the fireplace. shut. up.)
featured in house beautiful january 2006.

a little much for me, but so fun. maybe for your teenager? houndstooth. on the ceiling. how cool is that? (i'm not gonna lie, though...i hate the carpet. HATE.)
featured in house beautiful december 2006.

glorious. rustic italian elegance. the bronze-y brown is applied in a ragging technique, which adds depth. and those beams! omg. perfect shade of cream. so warm. LOVE this.
featured in house beautiful august 2009.

if you're going for a shabby chic/rustic look, i love the all white room with a dark ceiling. very cheeky. a little dominating, but the wood is just so fabulous i don't think it even matters. if you find a home with a ceiling like this, buy it. like yesterday. the chandelier is a perfect choice for this space.
featured in house beautiful.

i think andy warhol just might love this. definitely requires a solid commitment to a color palette, but very nicely done. proving that wallpaper is not just for walls!
featured in house beautiful september 2009.

wowza. love this. again, a bit much for me--i think this would look amazing color on color. matte finish with gloss? but definitely a conversation starter. beautifully done.
featured on apartment therapy.

design obsession: design blogs

despite grand hopes for a series of indulgently festive christmas "design obsessions," i am afraid my appendix had other plans :( i had emergency surgery in late november and have been m.i.a. ever since. christmas in the smith household is looking a lot different than i had planned...really, it's just the one poinsettia. so. sad.

however, i hope that i can still pass along a little christmas gift to you, my dear readers. i've had a lot of time to surf the web lately, so i thought i'd pass along some of my favorite sites! omg they will change your life, i'm sure of it. you'll find lots of christmas-y ideas right now, but you can count on fabulous design inspiration for the whole year.

...happy sophisticating...

design*sponge
oh, design*sponge. the ultimate design blog. from before & afters, to sneak peeks of the most phenomenal living spaces, to recipes...you WILL be inspired. f.a.b.


style me pretty
i am an event planner by day, so you had to know there would be a few event blogs in the bunch. this is the consummate wedding blog. the best of the best are featured here. and since great design knows no boundaries, spend a little time on this site and i am sure you will find inspiration that spills into your home.

sf girl by bay
her description says it perfectly: "bohemian modern style from a san francisco girl." l.o.v.e. this site. even if you're not in to modern design, check it out. i find it to always be clean and fresh with a wide range of ideas that will be sure to translate into your home. and get this...her name is victoria smith. shut. up. i hope to follow in her design footsteps and live up to the name :)

design*dump
okay, WOW. just discovered this blog last week and i cannot get enough. autumn is an interior design with a contractor husband. need i say more? TONS of photos of their own home improvement/design/fabulous projects. their taste is flawless and, really, every room is PERFECT. perfect! you'll die...in a good way.

house beautiful
if you've ever been to my blog, you know i'm a big fan of house beautiful. it is probably my favorite magazine and the website is incredible. basically every home they have ever featured is beautifully archived. thinking of remodeling your bathroom and want ideas? just type in bathroom to the search and dive in to the splendor. cannot say enough wonderful things about hb.

grey likes weddings
you know you'll love this blog just by the title. it's so good. i feel like a lot of the weddings featured are more outside the box and pushing the envelope--always a good thing! TONS of creative ideas. you will love it.

green wedding shoes
definitely one of the hippest wedding blogs. again--tons of creative ideas for weddings, parties and decorating alike!

absolutely beautiful things
that pretty much sums it up. anna spiro, an interior designer from brisbane, australia and owner of a shop called "black and spiro," will definitely inspire you. her taste is flawless, her designs are always unique and interesting and no one uses color better. always fun and, of course, sophisticated.


spread the love!
what are your favorites? leave a comment and share your "go to" blogs or websites.