Get the look...Kardashian style

Love them or hate them the Kardashians are in the news A LOT!  I honestly don't have feelings for them either way.  I do think Kims post baby body is something to talk about, but that's neither here nor there.

 

Moving on to the eldest sister, Kourtney.  I got a little notice in my email today that she was sharing pictures of her home on instyle.com and as soon as I saw "home" I just had to take a peek.  Anything having to do to with interior design sparks my interest, duh. I was expecting something totally different from what I saw.  But some of what I did see, I fell in love with.  The black and white palette, peppered with color and quirky touches, is right up my alley.  I know its not for everyone, just like the Kardashians, but some of this home design is for me.

 

 

I dont think I could actually live in this home, but some of the pieces are fun. Here are a few pieces I put together if you want to get the look for your own home

art  -   lighting  -  rug  -  pillows  -  throw  -  piano  -  chair & side table

 

Happy Friday!!

presto chango

I'll start by saying that I know I'm not an artist.  I've tried my hand at painting and quickly realized that I should leave it to the professionals.  But, when my husband told me he was moving to a new office that had no windows and was seriously lacking in some character and color I just had to do something. 

 

Now he doesn't work at this office everyday. He travels a lot and works from home most days.  But when he does go into the corporate office to work, it's depressing to say the least. I can see why he stays away. 

Case and point...

 

...this lovely Ikea "art" is what he had to put in his office.  I took one look at it and knew it had to go.  The Ikea pop art just wasn't jiving with the other stuff he had to hang on the walls.

 

So one Sunday afternoon he tempted me with lunch if I helped him spruce up his space.  I packed a can of primer, few bottles of cheapo paint and some brushes and set out for a quick presto-chango art job.

 

First I took the pop art outside and used the can of primer to cover everything

Those bright colors took an entire can of primer!

I decided on using just green and whipped up a few different shades and tones of the green paint I had. 

A few relaxed brush strokes later and this is what I had... scribbles. 

 

Now I understand this is not professional art here. 

But, it is much better than the before, no?

At least I think so, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

 

What matters is that my husband thinks it's an improvement, and that's what counts.

Plus it breaks up the sea of white going on in there.

 

Lunch in exchange for a 30 minute paint job, I think that's a good trade.

 

Have a good long weekend everyone!!

Lady Crush

I've got myself a serious lady crush on Ashley Whittaker and whoever lives in this Manhattan apartment.  This is what my dreams are made of.  Seriously though, when I imagine the backdrop to my past single life, this is what is in my head. Or when I imagine a movie being made about me, this is the kind of apartment they will film it in.

 

 

 

I decided I wanted to add a few of the elements of this space into my own and came up with a list of pieces I needed, here they are

 

*all photos from House Beautiful by Thomas Loof

Channeling Willy Wonka

I'm totally loving the new Moonlight Garden line at Beacon Hill Fabrics.  Obvi I love bright colors and these are no exception in the bright color category.  No boring fabrics here, that's for sure!

Moon Blossom in Orchid and Midnight

How cool on a lounge chair?

Or as inspiration for a out of this world table setting?

Lioness in Walnut and Indigo

Can you spot the lion in the fabric above.  It's like Where's Waldo.  Such a fun game to play with fabric!  I'm still waiting for lickable wallpaper though. Personally, I'd love to taste snozberries.

I cant wait to get my hands on some of this fabric.  The colors are just itching for a fun bedroom or family room to cover

What do you think, could you live with this fabric?

Everyone is a special guest

I love hard working entryways.  You know the kind that aren't saved for only the special guests, but that everyone can come through and are used all the time.  I grew up in a Cape style house where everyone just came through the garage.  The pretty farmers porch entrance was saved for dinner party nights when my mother insisted on shutting the garage so people would come around to the front.  I guess in other style homes this isn't the case and the front door is used often and everyday. 

Anywho...I love a space that looks effortless.  A space that looks great with Winter boots as well as Summer flip flps.   I think with a good old antique Persian rug you get just that.  Great look, not much fuss.  It's a rug that obvi has stood the test of time and one I think looks great in so many different style homes. 

I for one, cant wait to have a nice, hardworking entry with a large antique Persian rug to greet everyone with.  Even if its the UPS man everyday.

Atlanta Homes Magazine

Elle Decor.  Design by Thom Felicia, photo by William Waldron

Lindsay Coral Harper

House and Home, photo by Per Kristiansen

Elle Decor, photo by Laura Resen

Vogue, home of Amanda Peet

Unknown, anyone know?

Style at Home, design by Virginia Macdonald

Last but not least, my FAVORITE most crazed obsession lately. That Rachel Reider really knows how to make me swoon.  This space is just like me too. My twin, I say.
New England traditional with a touch of funky and something that makes you go hmmmmm...

Rue Magazine, Rachel Reider Design, photo bt Emily Johnston Anderson

So I put together my own fun entry space today.  I was feeling in a bit of an overdyed Persian mood

This is exactly the space I'd like my UPS man to see everyday!

If it works in nature

After over a week of tinkering with my blog I think I am finally done.  I say that now, but guaranteed tomorrow I'll want to change something else about it.  So, no promises that there wont be more tinkering later.

If you'll notice I'm now using the domain I bought over 3 years ago.  woohoo!  So this blog can be found at www.everythingleb.com from now on.  With the google reader issue I figured it will be much easier to find me here after its kapoot.  Oh, and I have a new logo.  Still the same idea just updated a bit- I'm in love with it an I hope you like it too!

So enough of that, on to the pretty.

Not counting this past week Boston has had some pretty great weather.  It has been the perfect for walking and I love nothing more than walking around my city when it nice out.  One of my favorite places to walk through is the Public Garden.  There is just something magical about it.  The statues, swan boats, ducks, and the gardens.  Oh the gardens!  They remind me of my Memes gardens when I was little.  Now she had a green thumb.

The past few times I've walked through the garden I realized that Mother Nature really has a way with color.  She really knows what colors work together and I think if they work in nature they can work in a home as well.  Actually I dont think, I know.  If it works in nature, it will make for the perfect color pallet.  Just take a look at these examples from the Boston Public Garden

So tell me, what cues do you take from nature for your own home?

Using what you have

Well, that was a little break huh?  One day turned into one week and I had not blogged. Some days I'm lacking in creativity and I just don't know what to post.  Blogging has changed so much over the years that i feel like my posts have to be original and new just to keep up.  I have to keep reminding myself why I started blogging and just get back into the rhythm of it.  Anyway, enough of that for this morning.

A few weeks ago I met with a potential client who needed help with her kids room.  Long story short, she ended up not needing as much help as she thought so she didn't need my services.  But we are close in age and she has adorable kids so maybe a friendship is what was meant to come out of it! 

Before I even met her she had said she was moving her kids into one room, a boy and a girl, and she was hoping to work with the lavender gingham drapes she already had.  Music to my ears, I love gingham and I've wanted to pair red and lavender together for a long time now.  Here is what I came up with when I was feeling creative

I'm loving the lavender and red together here, hopefully one day I can design a kids bedroom using these colors!

Citron Kind of Month

Sometimes I get stuck on specific colors and I can't get them out of my mind.  This month that color is citron.  I'm loving everything about it.  It's not too yellow, not too green- it's the perfect amount of everything.

Nick Olson

Massucco Warner Miller

Barrie Benson

Dwell Studio

Amanda Nisbet

Barrie Benson

 

Want to bring some citron into your space?  Here are a few bright citron accessories I pulled together 

 

 

Monogram Hand Towel    Lamp    Sheet Set    Velvet Pillow    Bath Mat    Bag    Zebra Pillow

Shiny Gold

This gold trend is nothing new- it's hot, it's right now, and I love it!

 

gold bar pull  gold monogram letter   gold elephant    polka dot washi tape   gold notebook   Caitlin Wilson gold polka dot pillow

That elephant is sold out and I've been stalking the site to see if its back almost everyday.  I need him in my life.  I've named him Larry.  Larry the elephant needs to come live with me.