weekend wishes...

 

It is proving to be a beautiful weekend here in California so we are spending it pool side and in the sun.  I have been planting away in the garden and I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything will survive!  

A few things to get you through to Monday...

Boutonne has added some beautiful new pieces for Spring..

I want//need this top.. perfect for a trip to Paris, right?

Speaking of Paris.. I could use another trip!

I enjoy winter from a far but not sure I could handle the real thing!!

Can I invite you over for dinner and you can bring this with you???

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© 2008-2014 Christina Fluegge for greige 

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Happy heart day....

 

Wishing you the happiest of Valentine's days!  Squeeze someone you love!

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setting the thanksgiving table..

This year we are hosting a larger number of guests for Thanksgiving dinner so I am trying to prep a little earlier.  I have been playing with the place settings and a possible menu for each seat...

Do you prep ahead for the table over the holidays?  I am usually a same day girl but I wanted to put some extra thought into it this year.

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Aged beauty

Simple perfection... as we ease into the weekend (Thursday counts as super close to the weekend) this is what I dream my life feels like with the contrast of simplicity and aged beauty.

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Astier de Villatte, Paris

 

My deep love for Astier de Villatte is no secret as I have professed it many times..  whenever I am in Paris I visit the store on Rue St. Honore.  It is so dreamy and so simple at the same time.  The stacks and stacks of dishes call my name.  I buy a couple of pieces each time I travel there and it can be really hard to select just the right things.  Sometimes I have been known to visit more than once in a trip.  They had some great new pieces, new collaborations with various artists and many of the classics that I have come to adore.

It is simply amazing and one of the highlights of my trip everytime! 

 Enjoy...

 Astier de Villatte


173, rue Saint-Honoré
75001 Paris


tel 01 42 60 74 13

du lundi au samedi de 11h00 à 19h30

Métros: Palais Royal, Pyramides, Tuileries

If you would like help creating inspirational spaces for yourself contact us!

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here and there..

 

It is funny how everyday is so different even when it seems the same.  One little meeting can change your outlook for the next year in a good or bad way, or maybe just in a different way.  It seems that no matter what comes my way, there is always something there to follow it up.  Yesterday was one of those days were you look at what is coming up and decide- oh this is going to call for some changes some improvements, some improvising and a little bit of making your own destiny.  I am looking forward to it!  

I hope you had a wonderful week!  What did you get accomplished this week?  This is different from what are you doing this weekend- which is my normal question.  I feel like I had a very productive week and I am ready for a real break from work, time in the sun and with the family is on the agenda.

How did you like our first Designers at Home post?  If you are interested in participating please feel free to contact me as we would like to make this a regular thing here.

I fell for this photo and a million others on a blog I discovered this week.  

check it all out here...

 

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Pimlico Magazine {thank you}

  I wanted to say a big thank you to Pimlico magazine for including me along with the other wonderful bloggers in their Winter 2012 issue.  They asked me to share some of my holiday table setting ideas and I think that setting the table can be one of the best parts of entertaining so I was happy to put together some of my favorites!  I offered a little sneak peek a few weeks back and here is the final result. Hopefully my schedule will allow for some entertaining this holiday season that I can share with you here on the blog too.  This issue is full of great ideas from wrapping to what to wear, check it out here.  

 

Here are a few other shots from that day.  It is always fun to have a little photo shoot!

 

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The china cabinet

 

I spent most of the day yesterday trying to empty out my china cabinet and get ready for our new wood flooring to be installed and I started thinking about how lucky I am.  I have waited 4 years for the flooring I wanted, after pulling up some damaged wood when we first moved in, I am excited.  But I was really thinking more about all of the wonderful pieces I have accumulated over the years.  I LOVE dishes and when I was on a trip to Paris about four or five years ago, I found out how very much fun it could be to buy beautiful pieces while I was there and bring them home with me.  I fell hard for Astier de Villatte and my life has never been the same.  Each trip I have taken I have bought pieces and brought them home with me, very carefully.  I have a large collection now and although I don't use it as I should, each piece seems to hold a wonderful memory for me.  There are many other beautiful pieces in there too but each of these is like a little treasure to me.  

As I have been going through emptying out our kitchen and now the china cabinet I have realized something else too, I need to buy only what I love, not what is a good deal or something I may never use.  I have donated boxes and boxes of pieces over the last few weeks that have never been used or were still in the original packaging.  So this project or combination of projects has given me the jump start I need to spend more wisely and maybe just maybe start using those beautiful pieces I have been sheltering from my loved ones for fear of breakage.

Do you use what you have?  Do you save the best dishes and glassware for only special occasions or do you use them everyday? 

 

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sneek peek...

 

Just a little peek of some pictures I did for an upcoming magazine article.  Kitchen demo starts today!!  I think I am excited to get it all started.  Wish us luck!

 

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A little of this..

 

Hello there, sorry for my absence yesterday... how quickly the days seem to pass.  Another busy week is almost ready to be put to rest and I am definitely dreaming of the weekend.  This weekend will be just us girls relaxing here at home, my daughter and me.  I am excited to take a little break from work and spend some time getting the house in order.  

We start our final round on the kitchen renovation next week and I am excited and anxious about it.  There are still many choices to be made, that is how it is works around here.  I did speak with my furniture maker yesterday though and we are going to put a contrasting color in the new piece that will hold all of my everyday dishes, now someone needs to pick that color please!

I have pulled a bunch of greys, and greiges to start with.  I will be sure to keep you up to date on all of the selections.  

 I am also working with the wonderful Shari from Little Blue Deer on a makeover for the blog, it will be fun to have a fresh new look around here don't you think?

Also, a little bit of a delayed THANK YOU to Leaf Magazine for including some pieces from the shop in their current issue!

 

 

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country kitchen...

 

Wishing you a lovely weekend filled with stacks of white dishes and lingering last days of summer outside...

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Interior photography...

 

I think that among us there is a deep appreciation for quality artistic interior photography.  Even if we don't realize it the photography and often times the photographer are what make these spaces show in the best possible light.  It does take great styling and design I know that, but without the art of the photograph it is so hard to show it to the world, short of touring each and every space in person.

I love that a photo can capture light and depth in a space so beautifully.  So thank you to all of those interior photographers out there who make things oh so beautiful!

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French inspiration..

 

Some days more than others I feel very inspired..  In remodeling my own kitchen I have found that I am very inspired by the look of vintage display cabinets.  I am assuming that many of the pieces I have seen and saved images away of are vintage shop cabinets- much like this one from France.  These pieces make me smile inside..  they remind me of some of my other French favorites.  As I am sure you know if you have read the blog for a little while I am completely obsessed with Vintage French goodies as well as some new French goodies too.  

Thank you to Vicki at French Essence for posting about her kitchen and her dishes yesterday, you got my wheels spinning and reminded me I need to make a wish list of dishes for my next trip to France in the spring...  So here are a few of my favorites for the kitchen and a little French Inspiration.

 

 

Have a day dreamy Tuesday!

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