When I'm sitting in an airport I love to watch all of the people buzzing by. Everyone looks so busy and important with their cell phones to their ears sprinting through the gates with their rolling bags. It's like an eclectic fashion show with no music. I take in all of the outfits, the pacing, and the attitudes and try to guess what each person does for a living--do you do this too? So, I laughed out loud when I came across these funny guides on how to spot interior designers, architects, interns, contractors, and homeowners featured on Houzz. 

 To check out all of Jody Brown's {aka Coffee with an Architect} guides, check them out here.

Check out what's on the newspapers front page of the sports section this week! woot-woot! She uses the bun to 1} add an extra 6" to her height which b} intimidates the opponent. See her defendant, poor girl got 'bunned'. Just try to rebound against 25 pounds of curls in your face. Use what the good Lord gave ya.

 I'm out doing an install today! Here's a little sneak peak. I am so excited about this one--just hope that my 9 year client will love it as much as I do. Bright, fun and perfect...just like I hope your weekend is!!

There was quite the line while checking out Jo-Ann's recently {60% off coupons tends to bring out the crafters in ridiculous numbers} and they offer a great magazine section while you are waiting for one of only  2 cashiers...I was able to catch up on a ton of holiday issues. I was so excited to spot a home decorated by two of my favorite designers, Katie Rosenfeld and Rachel Reider, in Cottages and Bungalows.  

This home to a mom of 2 kids, was decorated with a bright and fresh color scheme and the holiday decor followed suit. There is very little traditional red and green in these decorations, instead corals, turquoise, plums and apple green fill the Massachusetts home. Mix these colors with a ton of geometric fabrics and patterned rugs and you get one heck of a whimsical cheerful home.

Story by Monin Dombrowski, photos by Michael J. Lee, styled by Katie Rosenfeld and Rachel Reider 

To see more, visit Katie's blog here or Rachel's blog here.

We spend so much of out lives in our kitchens. They can be a huge investment and they also seem to create the most confusion when it comes to exploring how to make them functional, beautiful and timeless. I am a huge lover of classic historical design and one of my favorite designers who masterfully executes clean kitchen and bath design is Katherine Hodge of Sage Design. She has an incredibly impressive portfolio, but my favorite of her talents is shown in the designs of her elegant yet comfortable kitchen and bathrooms.    

 Although timeless in appearance, her rooms function with contemporary details. This kitchen has simple cabinets topped with Afyon Sugar marble which also lines the wall behind the sink. The shelves are wrapped in a hammered steel which are lit from underneath that casts a warm glow.      

 Her bathrooms reflect the same beauty and simplicity as her kitchens.

I like this creative mix of lighting--sconces flanking the mirror and picture lights on top. But my absolute favorite feature of this bathroom is the custom double stainless-steel vanity! It allows all of that beautiful millwork to be appreciated.

And speaking of millwork...it's one of the details that allows a neutral color palette to look so incredibly rich and textural. It's such a significant, consistent part of Katherine's work.  

 To see more of her portfolio, visit Sage Design.

This is a before and after where you see the 'before' and you think 'wait, this is a great space!'. And for a client who plays it safe, might just want to place a rug, a sofa and some chairs and call it 'fine'.    

 But this NY city couple hired Phoebe Howard and they trusted. A trusting client is simply the best client to have!

Trust is both an emotional and logical act. Emotionally, it is where you expose your vulnerabilities to people, but believing they will not take advantage of your openness. Logically, it is where you have assessed the probabilities of gain and loss, calculating expected utility based on hard performance data, and concluded that the person in question will behave in a predictable manner. In practice, trust is a bit of both. I trust you because I have experienced your trustworthiness and because I have faith in human nature. We feel trust. Emotions associated with trust include companionship, friendship, love, agreement, relaxation, comfort.

I just can't get over the difference the green lacquer paint made in this apartment! In order to have a succesful lacquer, you must have perfectly smooth walls because the sheen magnifies any imperfections. You must also sand between every coat--and count on at least 6 coats. A true labor of love! 

I love the rich copper lamps and the brass of the etagere against the green.  

 Notice that the roman shades are mounted just above the trim--something about the break in that horizontal line is so visually appealing. And the nuetral upholstery works beautifully against the green and allows the graphic shades to be the star. 

 And what a perfect spot for a dining nook in a velvet that matches the walls!

Congrats trusting client, you got a fantastic space!  

{all images via Mrs Howard Persoanl Shopper}