modern interior design

Several weeks ago, Ronda of All the Best; mentioned she had joined Facebook but wasn't sure why. Ironically, I had also signed up for no particular reason; I just wanted to try it. Well, since then I have found a couple of long lost friends and made connections with some of my blogger friends. Eventually, I stumbled upon a group called Mid Century Modern, where I found this little gem! It is the home of Jason O'Malley and J.R. Craigmile. They are the owners of a modern and fun greeting card line, called Handsome Devil Press. Jason also writes a blog for all of you who can't get enough celebrity gossip...I know I really got your attention now:)
Jason and J.R.'s home reflect their modern sensibility and knack for combining color. The white walls are a great background for accessories that have graphic shapes and bold colors. I'm really impressed with the amazing editing. Nothing seems out of place, but it doesn't feel stuffy. I know that is not easy to do.
After such a great find, you all can guess that I will keep roaming through Facebook; hoping to stumble upon more treasures. (Although, I still don't get a lot of the "lingo").

I would love to have some of these furniture pieces! The amazing texture is achieved by painting directly onto the fabric. It is made by an artist and furniture designer named Draga Obradovic.

As in, I heart these purple shoes:)

This really is an Inspiration board. Every little detail is beautiful. It is from a blog and Flickr site called Scupltress Studio. I'm such a fan of these sites, that I added one of the photos as my "Image of the Week". This photo is also part of a Flickr group called Art in My Home. Check it out, it is very fun. While there, you might see one of my photos taken in Liam's room.

Happy Monday! Back to work.
When summer comes around, I have trouble keeping my mind on anything other than our annual Santa Fe trip. We only started this tradition two years ago, but its already a "must do" for our family. This amazing house takes full advantage of the beautiful landscape, that makes Santa Fe such a special place. New Mexico really has the most amazing sky and light. Its difficult to describe, you just have to see it for yourself.

Traditional Southwestern architecture and decor is still very prominent in Santa Fe, but this house gives it a modern twist. Despite being very contemporary in style, the earthy and muted colors fit right in with the amazing surroundings.
Oh, I can't wait to get there!!

Yesterday, I was reminiscing about a trip to L.A., Mark and I made (before baby). It was the first time either of us had gone and we were excited to see all the sites. Being as ignorant about L.A. as I was, I booked our hotel in Manhattan Beach. Lets just say, its not a short drive back and forth. Fortunately, I got to walk around Manhattan Beach, a little; and really fell in love with its charm. All this to say, that I was thinking about the beach; and wished I could be there about now. I also imagined myself having a "summer home" like this one. Its so California. Don't you just picture Gidget living in a place like this?

I admit this house is a little more on the feminine side, than I normally like, but its very cute. I like the wall display and the casual mismatched chairs.

I can smell the salt air from here. All this fun for only a mere...well I'll let you take a look. (Don't look if you're afraid of ruining the fun).

I had to share this video from Dwell magazine. It is the home of architect David Ling. He converted an entire building into his own live/work space, and it is unbelievable. I'll admit that he is a bit pretentious, but just turn the sound off if you need to. Two things to take note of:
1. The CRAZY bedroom. I freaked when I saw it.
2. Those glasses! I gotta get me some:)
(Update: I finally got tired of the video coming on anytime I checked my blog. You can still watch it at the Dwell site.)

Last week I found the picture of the sofa above, and fell in love. Later, I found a Kelly Wearstler fabric that looks very similar. I must have this! Of course, I haven't seen how much it costs yet.

P.S. I spent about an hour trying to figure out where I found both the picture, and mention of this fabric line, and never figured it out. If anyone know, please enlighten me.

This is the kind of thing that cracks me up, even though I'm not sure why. Maybe because its so absurd, or because it makes me wonder how someone came up with this idea. See the video here, found via Kate Spade's site. I realize this has nothing to do with design, I'll post something else later.

Maybe its my upbringing, but I LOVE this California ranch! I have to admit that when I think "ranch", "cowboy", California doesn't just pop into my head; but hey its working! Architect Lloyd Russell combined contemporary architecture with desert living. The large metal canopy that sits above the main structure, serves to control the temperature inside the house. During the day, the canopy keeps out the extreme sun; and at night it preserves some of the warm air around the house, during the chilly desert night.

Looking at the interior, I imagine Georgia O'Keeffe; living here.

Any house that has space for dancing and sitting outside with friends, is just right for me! If only I could get Mark to actually dance. Found via Los Angeles Times and Materialicious.

I haven't posted a "Dream Home" recently, because I haven't felt inspired. This week on the other hand, I feel so inspired; that I'm going to post two houses! I will post the second one later today, or tomorrow morning. This is the former home of Danish midcentury designer, Finn Juhl. It is part of a museum in Copenhagen, and preserves the designer's work and way of life. I'm fascinated with this house, because although it is furnished with pieces that are 50 and 60 years old; it is so fresh! I would move in and not consider changing much. The house has a farm house casualness, but the furnishings are intelligent and attractive.

I've been trying to up my photography skills. Here are a few experiments. I think they are okay; I'm trying to achieve a moody feeling. Part of the reason I'm pushing myself to learn more is because I want to start selling my products online. I've been pondering it for months, but can't decide how I want to do it. Should I use Etsy, my blog, a website? Its all so confusing. I also have an idea of the look I want for my site, but haven't been able to achieve it yet. You know I don't just want to place objects in front of a white background with bright lighting and call it a day. I guess I want it to tell a story...create a mood. If you're wondering why I'm writing all this, its because I felt it would help me get on with it. I'm trying to get out of my head, and move forward. Unfortunately, I often get stuck in my own thoughts. I need to move forward. If anyone has any thoughts, suggestions, or critiques; please let me know. Feedback is a good thing.

I wonder if I could be adopted by this beautiful family; their lives seem so colorful and fun. That little boy is just too cute! See more of their pictures here.

Image via: Yoo Il.

I started my weekend a little early by having a very fun dinner with a few local bloggers. Paloma, Courtney and I are old buddies by now; but I also met Paige and Lauren for the first time. We did a lot of girl talk, and had to be practically kicked out of the restaurant! I'm loving our "Blog Meetings"!
I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend too.

I am infatuated with this Finnish blog, called Livian Talossa. I have no idea what any of it says, but I sure do like the pretty pictures:) Its just like kindergarten.

I dropped by the Houston Decorative Center the other day, and this furniture collection really caught my eye. Its actually outdoor furniture, that is to die for! I love its ingenious combination of teak and aluminum.

I know in "blog land" Audrey Tautou is a perennial favorite. I'm crazy about her too. She is just so charming. I love this photo of her by Denis Rouvre. He is an amazing photographer, and here are few more amazing photos; I love.
(BTW: Only after I posted this, did I notice the striking resemblance this photo has to the one on the right. Hmm, I see a pattern here).

I love, love, love this room! The wall color and bookcases are wonderful. This is a Design Sponge sneak peek, of Jenifer Altman's home.

I've been having so much fun with my virtual world travels, this week. I wish it didn't have to end. Before the week is over, I thought we could travel to Argentina; via El Beso.
This house inspires me, not just to visit; but to move in! Its bohemian goodness, is too much for me to resist.
Correction: When I first posted this article, I said the bedroom had a peg-board wall. A reader commented that the wall is not peg-board, but a small print wallpaper. Oops!
Too bad, I was loving the peg-board idea. Maybe that is how I will reinterpret it.

Well, I hope everyone had fun traveling with me. Time to unpack our black suitcases ;)
Have a Great Weekend!