Illuminating Style

Over the past few months I've spent a lot of time looking for a dining room light fixture. There are so many to choose from, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But I know what I like and I like these:



From West Elm comes this Capiz Pendant that fits the bill perfectly for a client’s need for a bit of femininity in a house full of men. Her 10 year old son collects rocks and shells and she wanted to feature that somehow in the décor. Not only is this a great tie in, it’s super chic.



Who knew Jonathan Adler had a lighting line at Lamps Plus? He's so cleaver when it comes to adding an extra flourish to classic designs. The chain-link detail makes this drum fixture even more sleek and urban. I'll admit it - the client for this light is me!



This fixture from Restoration Hardware takes the drum shade to a very stylish new level. The two-tiers, though unadorned, add drama to any dining room. You can get great deals at Restoration Hardware during their lighting sales…which happens to be on right now.

Sofas I Love

Delicious is the first word that came to mind when I saw the Ted sofa at Velocity Art and Design . I love the classic modern lines. The showroom piece was covered in sea foam (gorgeous!) but you can get it in a wide range of colors. Think of all the fun you could have accessorizing it with pillows.


Okay, technically this is a love seat but look how stunning it is! This little lovely is from designer John Derian, covered in Belgian linen and made with sustainable hardwoods. I love the reverse camel-hump with the dip in the middle. Hmm, I wonder if it’s comfortable. I’ll have to check it out on my next trip to Portland (available at Cielo Home) or Derian’s own shop in NYC.

Puppet String

My sister-in-law, Regina, made these adorable animal hand puppets for Nick and Linus from a Martha Stewart craft kit. They were just too cute to get lost in a toy box or stuck at the bottom of our kid craft drawer, so I strung up twine and hung the puppets with clothes pins. Now we can take them down anytime we want to play with them, and when we aren’t playing Old McDonald they serve as a great decoration. Thanks Aunt Gina!

Staging: Phinney Ridge

When it comes to staging your home before it goes on the market, there’s no need to rent an entire house full of new furniture. The key is to edit and work with what’s already there, maximizing the existing space with fewer knick knacks and perhaps opting for a smaller dining table or sofa.

That’s exactly what we did with this 1927 Phinney Ridge bungalow. The original Mahogany trim, hardwood floors, leaded glass windows and coved ceilings are the real star of the house. In the dining room we moved out a buffet and replaced the large square table with a smaller round one to improve flow and make the room appear larger. Two foot stools and several end tables were removed from the living room and the fireplace mantel was reworked with vintage pottery. For the rest of the house it was a matter of de-cluttering and de-personalizing spaces so a potential buyer could picture themselves living in this beautiful home.

After: Bryant Living Room

See Bryant living room before.

Beach House

Colonial House