When the Dust Settles

As I have mentioned, things have been crazy around here.  Jady and I are so happy to be in our own house that we've been living in conditions no sane people would tolerate while the place is being renovated.  This week we saw the low point of the dustiness as they finished sanding the ceilings and ripping out old flooring.  We have turned a corner now, so there's hope again that someday we will have real furniture, our clothes and even pots and pans!

Until then, I'll be working away...

Here was the worst of it.  

Fun times!  Stay tuned for a few projects and posts from all of this renovating.

xo

Liza

East Coast/West Coast Style Watch

I am a West coast transplant to the East. The best part about being a transplant you have the best of both fashion worlds.  Nia, our stylish sitter, is always melding the two together. Last week Nia (via San Diego) and her BFF, Alex (Via L.A), shared their fav summer mixes. Thanks girls for sharing your super chic style with us!!

Here are my top 10 pics.....

Which was your favorite?  I love them all! You can see a true blend of East Vs. West. 

Come back Wednesday for our inside scoop on Nia, and on Friday for Miss Alex.

Besos,

M

Friday Finds

I hope you have had a great week!  In "happy Friday" news around here, Ballard Designs is having an end of the season sale, and as always, they have some beautiful things at good (and now even better!) prices. 

Messina Dining Table

Sofia Chair

Olivia Mirrored Side Table

For style AND storage:

Suzanne Kasler Set of Three Market Baskets

I love this whole line of outdoor furniture!  It's practical but still elegant.  And now is the time to buy it, toward the middle or end of the summer when all outdoor furniture goes on sale.

Suzanne Kasler Directoire Loveseat

Coral does not have to mean beachy.  This chandelier's dramatic shape can give you a fun, graphic feel, and one nautical element in a room adds interest without creating a theme.  Still... wouldn't this look great in a bathroom? :)

9-Light Coral Chandelier

Chloe Bedskirt 

I love the fact that Ballard Designs offers what they call "European-Inspired Home Furnishings"-- and since they're not actually imported FROM EUROPE, you get beautiful design for prices that allow you to still sleep at night, feed your kids, etc.  No wonder we love them at Mel & Liza!

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo

Liza

Speaking of lighting....

About a month ago Liza and I received an email from Joanna hoping to share some fun interior ideas.  Since we have been thinking so much of lighting, I thought it would be fun to have Joanna share some color and lighting inspirations.  

Hi there! I am Joanna, a writer with Arcadian Lighting a terrific source for chandeliers, ceiling lights, and all styles of lighting fixtures, from modern to traditional. I love interior design and enjoy writing about it every day. It is a dream job that gives me lots of joy. Today, I have collected candy-hued decorating ideas and images for you below. They span a full spectrum of delicious colors. Thank you, Mel and Liza, for letting me share a guest post with your readers.

This living room is as colorful as a candy shop! I have a thing for all things pink, so this space is calling my name.

The velvet sofa in this room is the color of a grape Jolly Rancher. Love the acrylic table and feminine furnishings.

This room is the color of an apple lollipop. The gorgeous sofa was dyed to match the wall color perfectly. It's such a vibrant space.

A lemony dining room is saturated in color from the walls to the furniture. The frilled pendant light peeking from the top of the frame balances the thin lines of the table and chairs.

This watermelon-hued kitchen is quite charming and unexpected. Wouldn't you love to see the rest of the home?

Red and white give a pepperminty feel to this guest bedroom. The plush bedding ensures guests will have a good night sleep.

This brilliantly-colored bedroom looks like candied orange slices. The simplicity of the furnishings and bedding let the color take center stage.

Chocolate never looked so good as it does in this sophisticated bedroom. The lovely light fixture adds an elegant touch to the space. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 What do you think of these candy inspired rooms? Leave us some comments below, and be sure to visit our website for wall sconces, pendant lights, and a range of gorgeous lighting fixtures!

Flor en NYC

I was walking through the Farmer's market today and thought to pick up flowers for a small dinner party we were hosting. Along the way I was enticed by all the lovely country flowers everywhere, but what stopped me dead in my tracks were these lovely roses.....

Aren't they lovely in each little container.  A little happiness from heaven!

Besos,

M

The House of Blues.....

I am no stranger to a variety of blues, and neither are the interiors of my home. So when ABC carpet was having an amazing sale last week, I thought it wouldn't hurt to see if there were any fun blue carpets.  

I did find a few things I couldn't live without....

The small woven carpets are just 19.00 dollars.  I bought two different shades one for my side of my bed and one for Jake.

We have been in need of rugs for quite sometime, but I have not managed to find anything I love within my price range.  So, when I saw this beautifully woven blue and cream rug and 75% off, I jumped on that deal.  Check out their website, and if you are in the area, they are on sale in the vary same print in a variety of colors. 

Our room feels finished and sooo cozy-- I mean, it only took 6 years.  The right pieces are worth waiting for!

Besos,


Mel

Tile: DIY or Leave it to the Professionals?

I am home again after a wonderfully relaxing weekend with my dearest friends from college (minus a couple of us who couldn't make it this year).  Two days in the mountains of NC with friends, sleeping on a real bed and cooking in a completed, not-under-construction kitchen was just what the doctor ordered!  And now I'm back home again and happy to be covered in dust again:)

As our kitchen and bathrooms begin to come together a little bit, we are trying to answer the big question of tile.  Ideally, we would hire professionals to install it in both bathrooms upstairs as well as in the kitchen... but with all of the other projects going on, I'm afraid that's a corner we very well might have to cut.  When the time comes to decide, we'll have to figure out if we will just have a smaller portion of the work done or if we're willing to learn how to install it ourselves (!).  

If we do narrow it down to just one project for now, the kitchen backsplash is our first priority.  Subway tiles are still popping up all over the place in magazines and on blogs, so much that I wonder sometimes if it's been overdone?  Even if it does go out of style, the look is so clean and simple that it's hard to imagine really regretting it-- unlike a bright colored or heavily patterned trend.  

There's the simple, straightforward installation (which is definitely all we would try to tackle if we do it ourselves!):

Another option is installing subway tiles everywhere, but featuring the space behind the cooktop with a special pattern:

 And then there's the option of the classic subway shape made of glass or, like below, marble:

Then there's the gorgeous option of just skipping tile altogether and installing slabs of marble as a backsplash... I love this look!  Not this time around, though-- we'll file this one away maybe for the next house.

Another white tile look that keeps catching my eye is this pretty moorish pattern, which adds texture and interest without looking busy.  

It's pretty in blue, too...

It's a fun process, but a decision must be made!  Any ideas for me? Have you ever installed your own tile before??

xo

Liza