valentine's day What Is In That Box?!

valentine's day

I had a delivery at my house last Friday. And there were two very curious canines ready to help me open two largish boxes. There was a label on the outside from one of my favorite retail websites. But pups can't read....so they were anxious to get them open.

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Two of these cross-leg stools were inside! I was in need of some extra seating in my living room and had been searching for some affordable stools for awhile. Originally I was hell bent on finding a pair of these:

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Photo from Style and Substance by Margaret Russell from Elle Decor

A pair of Jean-Michel Frank stools like this white one used by Albert Hadley . And mind you....I have not given up the search. But I need something in the meantime.

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So Nullah and Cooper kept me company while I opened my boxes. They were very patient and did lots of sniffing and playing with wrappings.

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They stood a watched while I moved them and inch this way and that.

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So here they are, and here they will stay....until I can track down a pair of Jean-Michel Frank stools in my price range. I saw a stool "in the manner of" Jean-Michel Frank that was priced at over $5000 in my online search, so I do not think my new stools will be going anywhere soon. (Perhaps I can have something made.....always an option.)

But I do think Cooper approves.

valentine's day Been Working on This:

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I have a client who needed a little help pulling an affordable plan together for her little bungalow cottage. She needed things quickly and wanted to be able to buy things herself from retail sources. She did not want to take time to shop at flea markets or antique faires. She just wanted it "done". I think there are alot of people out there who want a pleasing environment, but do not want to spend alot of time putting it together. They have other things that are more important to them. Luckily for us designer types, we LOVE to spend time doing the putting together. And I am all for working within a budget, especially in this economy. valentine's day

Living Room:
Sofa - Pottery Barn
Chairs - Pottery Barn
Coffee Table - Pottery Barn
Black Chair - Palecek*
Garden Stool - Pottery Barn
Pillows - Crate and Barrel
Side Tables - Crate and Barrel
White Lamp - Crate and Barrel
Green Lamp - Pottery Barn
Mirror - Pottery Barn
Fabric for Drapes: Lulu DK *
Small Cabinet - Owner's

Dining Room:
Large Mirror - Pottery Barn
Dining Table - Ballard Design
Dining Chairs - Palecek*
Sideboard - Bungalow5*
Blue Lamps - Bungalow5*
Pendant Light - Circa Lighting
Art - Oly Studio*
Accessories - Oly Studio*
4 Piece Art - Wisteria

For more information on kd space, click on my website link in the sidebar or just click here.
* These items available through Katie Denham Design

valentine's day valentine's day Round-up

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valentine's day Cake for Two. Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse, layered with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Bavarian Cream, Flourless Chocolate Mousse Meringue Cake, and Raspberry Chambord Caramel. Must be ordered 48 hours in advance. $28

What are the necessities for valentine's day ? Well....the list has grown over the years. But everyone has to agree that CHOCOLATE is high on the list. We are very lucky in Sacramento to have cultivated a premier chocolatier by the name of Ginger Elizabeth. She is a hugely talented young woman especially in the ways of chocolate. This valentine's day , Ginger Elizabeth is offering two very special treats if you live in the Sacramento area.

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Handmade edible Bittersweet Chocolate Box with edible White Chocolate Rasberry Bow, filled with Chocolate Pearls and 8 Artisan Chocolates. Limited....order in advance. $50

To read more about Ginger Elizabeth and place orders for shipment online click here.

Chocolate is a must....and so is a card, don't you agree? These flocked vintage Victorian style cards from Carmel Bay Company are so pretty and romantic:

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Over two dozen assorted vintage style flocked Valentines and envelopes punch out, assemble, And send to the ones you love. $4.99

Hearts for valentine's day ? Of Course!:

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African soapstone hand painted and polished to a smooth touch. The perfect gift for someone you love. Use as a paperweight or create a colorful collection. Background colors: black, red, pink, yellows etc. Small $6.75, Large $15.50. Carmel Bay Company.

Let's see......Flowers are always important, but never more so than when sending to a Valentine. Some of my favorite bouquets can be ordered from Jayson Home and Garden. I thought this Anemone bouquet was particularly wonderful, and the onyx box is a keeper!:

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Fuschia Anemone's in an Onyx Box. $135. Jayson Home and Garden.

Hmmmm, what's next......JEWELRY! How could I forget. I can always count on Sundance for having jewelry I will love. Here a re a couple of rings I particularly LOVE. And that is what valentine's day is all about, right? LOVE:

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Red Jade Ring. $48. Sundance.

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Rose Petal Ring. $220. Sundance.

Well....those are the essentials. But it never hurts to show your love by showering your Valentine with gifts. I heart all of these sweet gifts: valentine's day

Proust Questionnaire - Pink. $34.95. Read more about it here. Jayson Home and Garden.

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Surprise Ball. $10. Unwind to discover keepsakes, fortunes, and prizes. Sea and Jae

I loved these when I was little and have only been able to find them again through Sea and Jae. Sea and Jae also have a wonderful blog all about giving gifts that are unique and creative. Check it out here.

I was recently introduced to a fabulous pillow company called Fabricadabra, and this pillow says it all:

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Felted Wool Appliqued Pillow. 20"x20". $65. from Fabricadabra

The most important thing to give for valentine's day is, of course, LOVE. So be generous and spread it around. The world needs it right about now.

valentine's day Green....Gotta Get Some

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Western Interiors, February, March 2009, Photo by Roger Davies

Color me green with envy. As soon as I saw this living room designed by Helene Aumont for a house in Santa Barbara, I started thinking....do I just have to start all over? There is alot to love in the latest Western Interiors this month, but this room is "it" for me. Helene painted the oak paneled walls with this beautiful shade of limey green with a umber glaze that just brings the room to life. She refers to it as "avocado puree". I refer to it as perfection. The formality is tempered with a pair of Cappellini chairs with woven rush seats and the natural jute rug. (Helene if you are reading this, please correct me if I'm wrong!) The white upholstery (Rose Tarlow) and tangerine drapery fabric ( Cowtan and Tout) add even more freshness. Another thing: the careful editing is a strong suit for Ms. Aumont!

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Photo by Tim Street-Porter

Speaking of Rose Tarlow...you know....the white upholstery above....I was flipping through her book, The Private House, yesterday and came across this photo. Love. I will have to wait until kids and black dog are out of the house before I could even think of white upholstery....but one can dream. The touches of green in this room are just "right". Having all one pillow style creates a more modern feel, along with the art and sculptural qualities of the individual objects. Again...I think I am drawn to the casual, yet very sophisticated quality of this space. If you do not yet have this book, I highly recommend it. The variety of high and low, formal and casual, modern and traditional are all captured beautifully in full bleed color pages.

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Western Interiors, February,March 2009, Photo by Roger Davies

Back to Helene Aumont's design for the house in Santa Barbara. This outdoor "room" is the perfect place to hang out. I just wanted to draw your attention to the beautiful green mosaic table. Couldn't you just spend a whole day here....um...probably longer.

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I am sure many of you have seen this room in the latest Domino. The Dining Room of Mary McDonald's Guesthouse is a beautiful balance of color. The dashes of green in the vases, lamp and obelisks add that needed spice to the dark grey walls. I love her attention to detail with the addition of the green fabric hiding the chandelier chain as well. I am not a big shirred fabric on the chain kinda person....but in this case the vivid color takes the seriousness out of the formal chandelier....and I like that.

There is a pattern here. Green, with white or ivory and dark woods or dark neutral colors like the grey in McDonald's dining room, work together very well.

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Domino, February 2009, Photo by Ditte Isager

Another image from the latest Domino is from the Hollywood home of filmmaker, Maria Maggenti. Again we are seeing the green of the chairs with white and the darkness of the wood floors. This clean edited space still packs a style wallop. Very do-able for us all: Table, chairs, and sideboard from IKEA, art by Maggenti, candlesticks from the 99 cent store!

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House Beautiful, January 2009, Photo by Victoria Pearson

This "room" from House Beautiful draws it's decoration from all of the beautiful and varied "greens" in nature. Again I like that contrast of the green, ivory and the dark bronze details in the windows, doors and light fixture. This space was designed by Chris Barrett for KAA Design Group (which incidentally designs websites for some of the top design stars you all know and love!)

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Just a very cool tile pattern from a book I received or Christmas this year: Morocco Modern by Herbert Ypma. Well worth taking a look at. Beautiful images in this book!

So, if you are all ready for a little green to come your way...I thought I would help you out and get the ball rolling. Here are a few things that might appeal:

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I just saw this today on Eddie Ross' blog. It is not a plate, but a customizable (is that a word?) piece of art from Artaissance's Biltmore Collection. So fun...so check it out on Eddie's blog for lots more info and check out Artaissance for lots more art!

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I caught this on Ebay today. Just search for "Green Glazed French Pottery" and it will pop up along with alot of other green glazed goodness.

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Mars Vase from Oly Studio. Other-worldly!

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One-of-a-kind Limited Edition Antique French botanicals from Wisteria...."Limited", so when they are gone, they are gone. 4 for $999. Lovely!

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Suela Porcelain Lamp from Arteriors Home

And so ends my little jolly green jaunt. Hope you enjoyed!

Have a great weekend!

valentine's day Christmas and Mercury Glass

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I love vintage mercury glass. One might even call it a bit obsessive. But when it is put all together with candlelight and a miniature Rosemary Christmas tree, one might just consider it a little bit of Christmas magic.

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Mercury glass, or silvered glass was first produced in the mid-1800's as an alternative to silver, and was affordable for the middle classes of the time. It is a double walled piece of blown glass with a hole, usually at the bottom where the silver liquid was poured. If the hole was not well sealed, the silver would eventually wear away. The value of a clouded or faded piece is quite diminished. (I, however, love the clouded pieces. They seem so much more romantic to me somehow.) Mercury glass became mass produced a bit later as it gained in popularity, but production fell off around the turn of the century as it became synonymous with common or bad taste. Because it was not considered valuable, it was discarded and as a result has become more rare. And, as with anything "rare" has become collectible today.

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I gathered my Mercury Glass and put them with a little Rosemary tree trimmed with blown glass candle ornaments that clip to the branches. The tree is in my silver punch bowl. ( I have yet to add the Spanish moss to the punchbowl and the Wisteria mercury glass votive candle holders (here), but I will update you with a new photo when I do!

Just a bit of Holiday Cheer for the day!

valentine's day Thanks Wisteria!

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I just got an email from Wisteria that Holiday Decor was up to 75% off. So, I just got these votive holders (set of 6) for $9.50! I have a bit of a mercury glass collection and these will be perfect among the other pieces to add a bit of holiday sparkle. I also thought they would make a perfect gift for an Aunt (Aunt Mary, you will just have to wait and see if you are the one getting these!) or hostess gift.

Check out the other goodies here!

valentine's day Shopping: Stream of Consciousness

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Embossed Flower Mirror

I have been trying to finish up odds and ends for my daughter's bedroom tonight. I still need a mirror for above the dresser I ordered from Jayson Home and Garden, and I really like this one (above) from Wisteria priced at $349. I have always loved inlaid mother of pearl furniture, and have a couple of other small pieces, including a small carved and inlaid mirror (too small to use as a dressing mirror). This style would be so pretty in her room! It is a bit much for me right now though.

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Hitchens Low Dresser

This is the dresser I ordered from Jayson Home and Garden. It is a bit of a splurge, but I think it can be used in so many ways so I think it is a good investment piece. I think it would be great as a buffet in a dining room, or as a hallway table. The black color will work into a lot of different scenarios if I change furniture around when children have fled the coop. When my daughter gets a place of her own, she may have to wrestle me for it!

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Sarina Inlaid Mirror

Because of the dollars spent on the dresser, I am trying to save a bit by looking at some other mirrors. I found this one on the Pottery Barn website. Not quite at intricate as the Wisteria mirror, but still pretty, inlaid and less expensive at $279.

Anyway....I got a bit sidetracked on the Pottery Barn website. I started looking at the Autumn table settings. Completely off track, I know. But I really liked these Baroque Salad plates!

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Baroque Salad Plates

Typically, I am strictly a white plate entertainer. I just think that food is the star and always looks best on a white plate. I do love a gold rim and have a collection of vintage Tiffany gold rimmed plates. But I have never really taken to plates with patterns. But I think these would look so wonderful with a green salad, or with bread, cheese and olives. And the dinner plate underneath is still white.

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Quail Plates

Then I saw these Quail Plates (also from Pottery Barn). I like these too! Perhaps a Baby Romaine salad with figs and Cambozola cheese?

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Fieldcrest Hemstitched Napkins

So then I started thinking "table linens" and remembered seeing these hemstitched napkins on the fabulous Eddie Ross' blog. I was floored when he wrote that they were from Target! They looked so elegant. So I went to the Target website and found out a pack of four is only $14.95! There is a matching 70"x70" hemstitched tablecloth for $19.99.

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So I am running through the saved websites on my tool bar: I went back to Wisteria and found these embroidered Silver and Gold Crown Linen napkins, thinking to myself, these would be so perfect with my Tiffany gold rimmed plates! ($27.20 for 4...not bad for 100% linen!)

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And these Etched Crown Glasses, also from Wisteria ($49 for 4!), I think are going to find their way to my bar before the holidays.

So this is how I end up shopping....one thing leads to another. In some cases, it can lead to really serendipitous finds. So....do you all do this? Have you ever gone to a website to look for something in particular, only to find yourself buying something completely different and unrelated...but wonderful?

valentine's day Catalog Love: Seeing Red

I just got a couple of new catalogs today, and a few things caught my eye. They happened to be red....you know, like a stop sign... so I just had to stop and stare.

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I think I posted this awhile back in the white (which I just ordered for my Dining Room). I thought the red was great too...so here it is! From Wisteria, Coconut Chandelier in Coral, $649.00

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Wisteria's Gilded Stool would work almost anywhere. "$219

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This little Red Tibetan Side Table is a steal at $89! Also from Wisteria.

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Rattan Top Side Table from Wisteria, $289.

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Gump's San Francisco came through with some beautiful things. This Red Openwork Chair is a mere $395. A pair on either side of a foyer table perhaps?

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This Cathay Console from Gump's is on sale for $499.99.

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I love this Chippendale Outdoor Bench. So fun in red! Gump's $995.

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These red foo dogs from CB2 are a bit of a change from the turquoise blue we have been seeing so much of lately. Interesting item for CB2! $49.95 for the pair. Polyresin...hmmm.

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Skew Barstools from CB2 range in price from $99.95 to $129.00. This color is called "lobster". Also available in white. Hard choice.

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Hancock Bookcase from CB2 for $199. The red makes it, I think.

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CB2 Briar Wingback Chair. Smashing in red. $699.

Just a quick look. There's more where that came from! Happy hunting.