If I could, I would... Gordon Beall

If I could have Gordon Beall photograph my work, I would in a heartbeat!! (I would flip out actually!!!!) And It's Friday and I finally decided to join the Hooked on Houses Blog Party because I'm hooked on Gordon Beall!!! All of the images below of from Gordon Beall Photography and I apologize for not listing all of the designers whose work is shown, but wanted to focus on the photography:


As some of you know, I've had a lot of projects this year (including the new house) that are wrapping up & I'm looking to get them photographed. If I could afford any photographer on this planet, it would be Gordon Beall.

He did all of the photography for Darryl Carter's The New Traditional and since then I've noticed his work for some of my other favorite designers, including Stephen Knollenberg and Sue Burgess.

Of course the rooms themselves are AMAZING, but Gordon Beall captures them in a way that's just perfect to me.

Out of my league, yes, I know, but a girl can dream, right??

Every picture evokes a mood, a feeling... It's never just about the room but more about how it would actually feel to be standing in that room, enjoying it, appreciating it.

OK, going through all of these images, I just decided to send a query in on the Gordon Beall website about pricing... I figured, it doesn't hurt to ask, right??

I had to explain that my work is in more "normal" homes than what he usually does. (I'll get there one day- ahhh!!! ;)

How beautiful are these photos & spaces?!!!!

I would love to have a room like this at home:

There's such a simpl, beautiful feeling about the spaces...

This one feels a bit nostaligic:

Again, perfect simplicity:

Love this shot:

I'm sure a lot of you recognize this one:

I love this photo below because of the little boy reading... What are your thoughts on having people in the finished rooms?

Oh wow:

LOVE seeing dogs in interior photography. When I used to photograph my work, I would stalk my puppy, Ashby, around the house and put her where I wanted her... :)

Remember this one?:

And who can forget these windows?

So, what are you hooked on this Friday? Have any thoughts/ tips/ words of wisdom for me on hiring a professional photographer?

xoxo,

lauren

My Husband is THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!

He found the Obi Cocktail table!!!!!!!!! He went to the end of the internet & back & found it!!!!! Here: https://www.ncfurnitureoverstock.com/default.asp

I'd really given up after hearing that Bernhardt was out & he didn't. I was reading a book on the deck and he came out & gave me the news!!!!!!!!!!!! ok, so excited, had to share. Thanks so much for all the suggestions. Can't wait to show you pics of this room when it's done!!!

THANK YOU DAV!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo,

lauren

S.O.S!!!!! Pen Shell Coffee Table!!! HELP!!!!

So I hate it when this happens but a coffee table I just specified for a design for a client was discontinued!!!! It's a Martha Stewart for Bernhardt piece (the "Obi Cocktail table") and is inlaid with young pen shells. Has anyone seen anything similar for a possible substitute?? Here it is below:

Ahhhhhh I just LOVE IT and this makes me so sad!!!! Not looking forward to breaking this to my very excited clients :( (I haven't even started searching yet- I thought I'd start with you all since you've saved me many times before!!!) Below is a close-up of the matching console so you get the idea.

If anyone has any idea/ thoughts, please let me know!!!! Thanks!!!

xoxo,

lauren

Tiny Spa - Before & After

I wanted to share with you a small guest bathroom of a client's.

It started out as a really typical bathroom, as you can see from the before pics below. (There's her sweet dog, Sasha.) Below, she had a standard tub/ shower and builder grade tile, vanity, etc.

The vanity was tucked in between 2 walls (below) and we stole a closet from the guest bedroom. (Remember this one?) so we could have more space for the shower... It felt cramped & awkward when I first saw it.

My client is a pilates instructor with an in-home studio and wanted a "spa..." a place where she could relax & recharge- and a place her guests would love to use... Something special. (My "after pics" are unfortunately not that great--- it's really hard to photograph a small room with no natural light. ) But here's the new vanity area now:

I LOVE the faucet (Pottery Barn!) and the mirror is made of out shaved and bent wood.

Here's a view of the whole vanity (with Porter, her other dog, in the shot ;)

The shower is exactly what my client wanted: a "spa" shower out of tumbled travertine with multiple heads and she even can load in essential oils for the steam shower function.

There are so many water sprays and she's loving it!!

A nice spot to enjoy the steam:

I used a mini Moravian star from Circa Lighting to with the same oil rubbed bronze finish as the rest of the fixtures...

And it's so relaxing & pretty at night....

Well, that's it for now- she's got her spa and now I want one too!!! It really was so much fun to create such a luxurious little space in a normal home. When we're redoing our bathrooms, we often forget about these small luxuries, but they really can be SO doable!!! This client really helped me "think outside of the box" on what could be done in such a typical space. Hope you enjoyed!!!

xoxo,

lauren

Smoothie & My Little Guy

I normally don't do food posts, but sometimes something's just too good & too easy not to share.

The other night we made these amazing Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothies. (We were trying to copy one we'd just had a smoothie place in IL.) We used (reduced fat) peanut butter and (low fat) frozen yogurt (to pretend we were being healthy) and some bananas.

They were SOOOOOO good that I broke out the margarita glasses (haven't been used in a while sadly) and Christian even got one!! (he drank from the little matching shot glass and was delighted until he spilled it all over.) Thought I'd include a pic to show you how much better his nose is looking!!!

If you get the chance to make some you won't be sorry!!! (I was against the whole peanut butter- banana combo until I tried one.) We're having a great time here at the beach!!!!

xoxo,

lauren

I got my wallpaper!!!!

Yay!!! We're (my husband) is hanging the wallpaper as I type!!! I should be packing but had to let you all know!!!!

It's going in the breakfast nook of our kitchen (which will have dark walnut hardwood floors installed in a couple of weeks, also courtesy of wonderful husband.):

If you remember, I really wanted Studio Printworks' "Pineapple Petite" but found that it just wasn't in the budget:

I also loved Cotwan & Tout's Botanique Spectaculaire wallpaper & it was also too pricey:

So I started searching & searching for something I loved and found something I like more than any of the others!!! It's a bit more old-fashioned which I really love juxtaposed against the saarinen-style table. ( I found it here)

Here's an image of the same "Etchings Collection" Floral Toile paper in yellow:

I wanted to go black & white so I could switch up my table settings to suit my moods and... because I have black counters & shelf brackets and whitebeadboard:
I'll show after pics as soon as the floor is in!!!

xoxo,

lauren

Accessorizing with Ferns

I love fern. Whenever I see a photo of a room with it in it, I take a second look. It just gives this awesome fresh jolt of green & energy to a space. It has a classic feel yet it's a bit wild & untamed & perfect for any modern space. (And they're so inexpensive & available!!!)

When I saw this room by Carlton Varney (in HB), it was the fern that got me. How beautiful is it against all that white?!!


I've always wanted a house with a front porch & hanging ferns on it. Something about it is so romantic & nostalgic. (2 images below from Martha Stewart)

How perfect is this porch?!! (below)

Eddie & Jaithan had a fern in their apartment:


And Eddie used one as the centerpiece for his New Orleans Showhouse dining room:



Below is a fern I used at my old townhouse a couple of years ago... (I killed it pretty quickly though--- eeeeek!!) I loved sitting in here with my fan going (this was the old big square plastic one that broke) and the windows open, blowing in the white curtains... Something about the fern and all these elements really relaxed me. Great place to read a book or take a nap...

Love how the fern below (BHG) is just sitting casually on the stairs. (It's much better than my pile of stuff that needs to go either up or down!!!)

Below is a pretty little fern in a bucket in the kitchen of the Ruthie Sommers house we all love so much: (Also, Things That Inspire let me know that the adorable crab painting is actually by a very talented artist friend of hers!!!!)

Here's a simple fern arrangement accompanied by fern plates (Country Living):

LOVE LOVE LOVE the table setting below from one of my favorite houses, Rice Cottage.

The plant below isn't a fern but I included it because it's so fern-esque ;) (BHG):

The fern in the corner gives just the hit of life this room needs (below, BHG):

Here's another pretty little fern from BHG in a shabby chic dining room:

And finally, this fern in a room done by Carrier and Company is one of my favorites. I LOVE what it does in this room (again, a white background) and it looks so perfect next to the turquoise gourd lamp. So much life!!! love it!!!

I've been waiting to get my ferns this year because we're going away for another 2 weeks and I don't want them to die while I'm gone!! (I've pledged to take better care of the next ones ;) I'm putting one in my dining room in an urn I just found. Home Depot and K-Mart have a ton for under $15. Also, if you plant them in the grount just before it gets too cold, they'll come up next Spring!! (I did this when I started to kill my indoor ferns and the ones that made it were beautiful in the Spring!!)

We'll be in the Outer Banks (North Carolina) and I'll be posting from there for the next 2 weeks!!! The house we rented is so pretty and I can't wait to show pics!!! (hahaha totally picked it because of how it was decorated ;)

xoxo,

lauren