the final product of the bossman's house...

here are some final photos of my bosses new modern house, designed by ruhl walker architects, interior design by Diane Cramphin of Oblio Design Inc, built by us, and photographed by peter vanderwarker...

holiday cuteness...

umm, how cute is my little sister in her tu-tu chrismas circa 1984?


there's nothing like photos from the holidays past to make you get in the holiday spirit...


our poor family friend drew, all he wants for christmas is to get away from my sister and i apparently...


our cousin missy obviously got these as stocking stuffers with us at my grandma's for christmas...

more progress in hingham...

more of the finishes have started to be installed in hingham, thought you'd like to see the progress. this is the time when the client begins to get excited because they can now start to visualize the finished product...

the exterior of the conservatory & new patio...


the mudroom floor, which i love, and want...


the kitchen by venegas & company...another post will be about the kitchen when complete...


conservatory ceiling...that black thing in the lower right corner will be a self-contained fireplace, will talk about it more when it's installed...


powder room floor, gorgeous...


the monster pocket door and it's ridiculously expensive hafele track hardware...


it's still difficult to understand the layout of the master suite, but i'm hoping this larger view of it will give you some perspective of where the 'egg' is in relation to the rest of the room (see the pocket door further back and the unfinished master bath???)...

in love with love...

paul newman's letter to his wife on their wedding day...

“happiness in marriage is not something that just happens. a good marriage must be created. in the Art of Marriage, the little things are the big things. it is never being too old to hold hands. it is remembering to say ‘i love you’ at least once a day. it is never going to sleep angry. it is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon; it should continue through all the years. it is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. it is standing together facing the world. it is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. it is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. it is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. it is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have the wings of an angel. it is not looking for perfection in each other. it is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor. it is having the capacity to forgive and forget. it is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. it is finding rooms for things of the spirit. it is a common search for the good and the beautiful. it is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and obligation is reciprocal. it is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner."

ladder display...

such a creative way to store throw blankets. i'm trying to convince my mom to do this in her westport house, she already has a few vintage ladders that would work...maybe i'll just borrow/steal one from her and do it in my own house...

image courtesy of cupcake and cashmere

bored at work...

yup, she's a weird one alright...

high vs. low...

copy cat chic, you are amazing for finding this comparison...

mermaid hut's bamboo butler table = $249

kirkland's ivory tray table = $49.99

the egg...

the 'egg'...not going to lie, i was skeptical of the egg designed by lda architects for our hingham job. it's going to be the wife's master dressing room, a free floating egg shaped, raised structure, covered on the exterior by a textured wallpaper (maya romanoff remember paris line in silver birch), in the center of their GORGEOUS new master suite... you'd raise an eyebrow at this design decision too, trust me...



but here are some progress shots of the eggs construction by olive square kitchens, and i have to admit it's kind of cool looking...

the start of holiday decorating...

tis' the season for holiday decorating. i was sick most of last weekend & was stuck inside, so i decided to start decorating my apartment. i made my own version of the bottles of light using lights & gold balls found at the christmas tree shop (my favorite place to to buy useless crap)...

brilliant idea...

just discovered the best homemade invention EVER...the DIY scarf holder...a cheapo plastic hanger + cheapo plastic shower curtain rings= BAM, a scarf holder. going to do this the second i get home tonight, my scarves are all over my damn closet floor at the moment and it's driving me insane...

playing in my head...

my boss introduced me to this song today by the steeldrivers...it's beautiful, and i can't stop listening to it...



My roots are deeper than the bones the others
my colors they change with the sun
my branches we’re higher than anything on the hillside
on the day that I watched them all come

Some wear the color of the sky in the winter
some we’re as blue as the night
they came like a storm with the light of the morn
and they fell thru the whole day and night

Colors flew high and they danced in the sky
as I watched them come over the hill
then to my wonder sticks that made thunder
such a great number lay still

quotable...