Happy Sunny Weekend

I don't know about you, but I plan on kicking back and relaxing poolside this weekend. I just wish I had a Mid-Century ranch style pad nestled in the hills of LA to really enjoy the sun. One day, one day....

Images courtesy of the brilliant David Hockney

Thirsty Thursdays: Tea Time

Whether it's English Breakfast (I'll take mine with milk please), Earl Grey, Green (my fave), White, Chamomile, Ginger, or Lemon, it signifies relaxation and taking the time to relax, even it it's a minute or two.

What's your cup of tea?

Bedroom Inspiration

This is it. I love it. Period. Right now, as you know, I'm on a gray kick. So, next weekend I'm painting my bedroom a lovely sophisticated and serene shade of pale gray. I already own a big gold mirror that hangs over my vanity (I just bought clear glass knobs for the drawers), I own a lucite ball lamp (purchased from Target) that will soon get a black lamp shade to go with it. Next is a white tufted headboard and a plush white down comforter to top it off! My antique dresser (that I've owned since birth is the same color as the one above.) I can't wait to see how it all comes together!

Weekend Living Room Re-Style

For the past 2 weeks I've been obsessing over how to re-style my apartment that I rent in a building that is full of condominiums. Given the fact that I do not own the place hasn't deterred me from making it my temporary home that I love coming home to! Just because I'm renting doesn't mean it has to look like every other beat down rental I've seen in Brentwood.

Here are some pics before I painted and moved some things around....notice the cream walls?? They were nice, but I didn't like how my dark chocolate sofa, bookcase (from IKEA) and black and gold desk stood out against it. (the before pics were taken at Christmas time - hence the silver ball ornaments!)

I feel fortunate to have found a huge 1 bedroom (1100 sq ft.) that my husband I rent from a really cool guy, that has a huge galley kitchen in white (more pics to come - still deciding whether to paint in gray), double sinks in the master bathroom (also going gray soon), and tons and tons of closets!

See how the dark furniture stands out against the cream walls? Yuck!

Now, the furniture blends in and the brown and gray complement each other nicely.

Since I constantly love change, and get bored easily, I found the cheapest way to redecorate is with a can of paint - instead of constantly moving (which I also like to do). A big Thanks for the design inspiration goes to Cassandra LaValle over at Coco+Kelley she sure was spot on for the perfect shade of gray that I love - Valspar's Lava Stone.

My current inspiration board that hangs above my desk - you can't read it, but I have a quote on a pink Post-It in the lower left corner that says "When you do something you love, you do it well" - words to live by.

Now my mirrored buffet (purchased at Z Gallerie and given to us as a wedding gift from my in-laws) subtly stands out with the gray walls and my pink and yellow roses pop!

My new Louis chair was $50 bucks on Craigslist! I actually bought a set of 4 for $200, one went to my mom's and I'm having 2 painted bright white and recovered in red for my brother's apartment re-style (more on that later!) I'm thinking of painting mine white and recovering it a hot pink, but for now the blonde wood and cream fabric works just fine (my mom had this little lumbar pillow at her house that she gave to me and it's now my favorite accent against the gray walls!)

Ok, so the wall my TV is on and my dining room are this pink color that I used to love, but now I'm thinking I want to paint over it gray! I can't get enough of the neutrals! Thoughts anyone?? (The pillow above is actually an 18"x18" sample of Donghia's Suzani that I ordered through the showroom at the PDC - I couldn't care less that the design is cut-off, the colors add so much punch to this room and it was free!)

Love, love, love the photo wall and the Beatles hanging out in the dining room! Paul is wearing a pink suit which inspired me to paint the room pink!

Not sure if I want to put the time into changing the dining room too, I swear once you start with one room, pretty soon the whole place is getting re-done!