The lamp that almost got away

When Michael and I first moved to Brooklyn nearly 11 years ago we fell in love with the clean simple lines of this teak floor lamp at an antique shop in Park Slope. At the time, we hadn’t officially moved into our apartment in the same neighborhood, so buying another piece of furniture seemed extravagant. Still, after two days of thinking about it I rushed back to the shop to buy it and, of course, it was gone. I’ve spent years looking for it at every vintage shop I’ve came across… until this week. On a shopping trip for a client at The House in Magnolia I found the one that got away, complete with the exact same shade. I didn’t think twice, this time blurting out “I’ll take it!” That lamp taught us a hard lesson about pulling the trigger fast when you see something that truly is love at first sight.

Inspired by Green

When it comes to flower arranging, I like to exercise some restraint. While it would be too easy to buy everything that catches my eye at the flower shop, I resist that urge and stick to one or two color combinations. Green and white are one of my favorite color pairings. I love how crisp and clean they look together. The long stems of this viburnum flower compliment the tall piece of pottery nicely.

This small piece of white pottery is one my prized possessions. I use it in table settings, holiday decorations and flower arranging any chance I get. I’ve often thought it would look great full of white rinoculous and I am not disappointed.

This seemed like a timely opportunity to introduce Nick and Linus to the shamrock. I put this plant on our dinning table and it has inspired a lot of conversations.

Sneak a peek inside the SDC

You aren't suppose to take pictures inside the Seattle Design Center but last week at the two-day NORDEX seminar so many people were milling about, no one noticed me taking a few snaps. To be honest, this flower arrangement was getting a lot of attention and pictures. I love it!

I also love they way these paint chips are displayed.

You REALLY aren't suppose to take pictures of furniture, so don't tell on me. What I really love here is the green sofa with the matching green wall. That's a trend I think we're going to see a lot more of, furniture and walls matching. I'll look for more examples, but keep your eye out for exact color matches in furniture and walls or even fabric prints on furniture being copied on the wall. Very cool.

Who is James Huniford

James Huniford was one of the keynote speakers at NORDEX, being held this week at the Seattle Design Center. Huniford mostly showed photos from his recent work, plugged his new furniture line and shared a few thoughts on trends in American design. Like "Ford" himself, his designs are strong on scale and taste. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from his work. What do you think?

Shell Terrariums

Walking around the Seattle Design Center this week, I fell in love with these shell terrarium. Such a great idea and so easy to do. Perfect way to display your shell collection, or just buy one that's already done (which is probably what I'll do).

This Spring Think Pink

We are enjoying an early spring here in Seattle. The plum trees have peaked, magnolia flowers are opening and the cherry trees are just about to pop. This time of year my color of choice turns to pink and I look to bring splendor of the blossoms inside. While the blooms only last a few days, why not enjoy their beauty and promise all year long? You may think green in spring, but the hue after winter is in the pink.

Hadley Hutton Print

Roost Cherry Blossom Glass

Birds of a Feather Plates

Cherry Blossom Screen & Needlepoint Pillows



Orchard Blossom Wallpaper

Benjamin Moore Paint: Pale Cherry Blossom

Stationary

I love this: Nesting Tables Step Stools

These nesting tables/step stools by Brooklyn-based furniture maker Paul Loebach share three things I love in good design: tradition, function and contemporary notes. His Nesting Step Stools feature storage compartments beneath the hinged stool tops and are available in gray, blue, or green for $400 from Exclusively Home.