Nathan Turner @ Pottery Barn {a book signing}

If there is one thing I love it is a good design book and meeting the designer/author is always a great way to spend an evening!  Nathan Turner is signing copies of his first book Nathan Turner's American Style at Pottery Barn in Beverly Hills on Thursday evening.  

Also in the coming weeks look for an interview here on the blog with Nathan about the book and a giveaway for greige readers.

 

Easy Living...

 

Some days I feel like we could use a bit of easy living.  Time to relax and read a good book, wear comfortable clothes and just be ourselves with friends and family.  I know I know it is still only Thursday but with Spring break around here it is so hard to work!  

Onto the weekend...

 

Teen Bedroom design

 

I have had the pleasure of working with one of my clients on a bedroom for her 16 year old daughter.  It is really fun to see her inspiration and what she wants to do with her space.  

I wanted her to have something fun and functional with a little bit of spice to keep it interesting for her.  I suggested a large leaning bulletin board and a lot of smaller photo/art frames, as well a bright splashes of color in the rug and pillows.  

It is always nice to do something a little different!

If you are interested in our online design services you can check out some of my other projects here.

 

Details of a well lived life...

 

Some days are more reflective than others.  The past two days have been so beautiful here at home that sitting inside working at my computer seems like a crime during the day.  I have been day dreaming and thinking a lot.  

I found something that is so fun here on Kimberly's blog.  Something I love.  I am a list maker and this seems like the best kind of list - a Life List.  Aside from making this my new before bed project I have been thinking about how we need to get back to basics here at home (my home) we need to entertain more, visit with friends more, spend more time together just playing and laughing.  I have been thinking about friends and how easy it is to make new friends and how we can loose track of old friends.  In the world of blogging and design a friend can easily be a reader, a client, a fellow designer or a vendor, each is still a friend with which a wonderful common interest is shared.  So to those of you that I am lucky enough to call friend I am saying thank you for all you do for me and for making each day special.  

Have a wonderful Wednesday... and I promise to not be soooo sappy tomorrow!  

image via pinterest from OKL

 

Dreaming {by invitation}

Dreams are such a fun thing.  I have so many but there is one that keeps jumping out at me.  I think it maybe more of a wish than a dream but I am truly not sure what the difference is any more.

 I dream of having a wonderful place in France to spend time in with my family, when I say time I mean real time where we eat together outside, we cook together, take hikes and walks and learn about the surrounding areas.  A home base to travel to new worlds together, just us, just for fun!

 

This beautiful home would be filled with my favorite of all favorites!  Astier de Villatte dishes and furnishings mixed with amazing French finds from Brocantes and local artisans.  Things would be striped down and natural just like the surroundings and the food.  It would be amazing we would cook and read.

We would ride bikes around just so we could see everything and stop anywhere. 

Eating outside as often as possible would be the norm..

My mind might even be free enough to have time to create some new classics based on old methods.

 

I would have the time and patience to learn how to draw and possibly paint.

A girl can dream right!

What about you what do you dream about?

Please take a minute to stop by and see everyone who participated today!!

MARSHA HARRIS

http:www.splenderosa.blogspot.com/

TISH JETT

http://afemmeduncertainage.blogspot.com/

YVONNE PRATT

http://stonegable.blogspot.com/

CHARLOTTA WARD

http://spaceforinspiration.blogspot.com/

GREET LEFEVRE

http://belgianpearls.blogspot.com/

CATHERINE ROBINSON

http://www.catherinerobinsoncashmere.com/

ANNIE BOUTERSE

http://plumsiena.blogspot.com/

COTY FARQUHAR

http://cotyfarquhar.blogspot.com/

DEBORAH PETERSON

http://www.dumbwittellher.com/

DUSTJACKET ATTIC, Debra

http://dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/

TINA

http://theenchantedhome.blogspot.com/

MONA THOMPSON

http://providenceltddesign.com/

FIFI FLOWERS

http://www.fififlowers.com/

JACQUELINE MUMFORD

http://home-biba.blogspot.com/

KARIN JANSKY

http://lapouyette-unddiedingedeslebens.blogspot.com

VICKI ARCHER

http://frenchessence.blogspot.com/

CECILIA GONZALEZ

http://desdemventana.blogspot.com/

RENEE GRANIER & ANGELA FOSTER

http://underspanishmoss.com/

LISA

http://amidprivilege.com

FRANCINE GARDNER

interieurs.com blog

CHRISTINA FLUEGGE

http://greigedesign.blogspot.com/

STACEY BEWKES

quintessence.com

LEANN SHULTZ

http://linenandlavender.blogspot.com/

LENE

http://theessenceofthegoodlife.blogspot.com/

SHARI MILLER

http://www.littlebluedeer.com/

SHARON SANTONI

http://myfrenchcountryhome.blogspot.com/

KAREN MALAN

Pas Grand-Chose Blog

http://athousandmiles-k.blogspot.com/

Also don't miss your chance to enter our giveaway!! 

 
images via bippity boppity boo, roost, french house, pinterest and the chair artwork is a piece made for greige/mysparrow by Patricia at PVE. 


 

Are you living or are you existing?

I constantly talk about living a true lifestyle on this blog. And I am a stickler for living a glamourous life. Too often potential clients have a preconceived notion that design has to be expensive. That is has to be over the top, and essentially out of their league. But what most people don't realize is design is not about expensive. It is about luxury. 
What do I define as luxury? 

Luxury is about indulgence, whether big or small, but gives the smallest things grandeur. Luxury is charming, beautiful, and spellbinding. But most importantly, luxury is about magnifigance, easy splender, and guiltless laziness. ~ Amanda Burdge

Source

Luxury is not about money, it is about the simple pleasures in life that influence your mood. 

A good night's sleep, a wonderful cup of coffee, or fresh flowers on your nightstand. It is a rich meal with friends, or a fabulous pitcher you found at a flea market for $2, yet makes your heart skip a beat. No, luxury is not about money but rather a realization that the finer things really do come in small packages, and none the less, take your breath away. That is true luxury. 

Nicole Yee

Here are a list of AB HOME's favorite things to add a little luxury in your life:

1) All things vintage like this smith corona 1970's orange typewriter

I just LOVE THIS!!

$395 on etsy

2) Numi Tea

Numi Tea out of San Francisco has an array of organic teas

to die for!

3) Versai Linens

Versai

These are a wee bit expensive. A set of sheets will set you back

about $500, but well WORTH it! 

(you may never get out of bed...Is that so bad?)

4) Paddywax Candles, The Classic Collection

Paddy Wax Candles $24

There is a reason I carry these in my store. These candles are hands down the 

best in the business. They are soy based, burn clean, and just so happens

the company is ran and operated by women. LOVE that!

5) Memory Tiles by Sid Dickens

Sid Dickens

I adore art, and I adore collections. 

Sid Dickens memory blocks are the perfect combo for both! 

They are handmade peices of art at an incredible price,

and they make great gifts!!

What are some things in your life that make it luxurious? 

What are some things that make it glamourous?

On another note. I am so excited to report that AB HOME Interiors' blog is getting remodeled!! We have SO many exciting things in store for all our faithful readers in the month of October. Stay tuned for more details, and don't forget to sign-up for our newsletter (fill in the form below)  to recieve up to the minute info on sales, decorating how-tos and secret giveaways for the month of October, November and December! 

Don't miss out! It's so exciting I can barely contain myself!

Don't forget to follow us on twitter!

And become a FAN on our AB HOME facebook fanpage!

AB HOME is offering FREE Holiday Decorating classes in October
contact us to sign up!

5 things for a glamourous life

“Everything you want should be yours: the type of work you want; the relationships you need; 

the social, mental, and aesthetic stimulation that will make you happy and fulfilled;
 the money you require for the lifestyle you want; and any requirement that you may need 

for achievement to service others. If you don’t aim for it all, you’ll never get it all. 

To aim for it requires that you know what you want” ~ Richard Koch

After reading this beautiful quote it reminded me how important a true lifestyle is. Not all the fancy schmancy things, the little things. What makes a lifestyle truly glamourous and rich?

1) Travel- Always be spontaneous and break habits.

2) Take up a hobby. Learn japanese, take guitar lessons. Do something you never thought you could.

3) Add more fresh flowers to your life. They are God's gift to us, and they will brighten your day.

4) Buy the best linens you can afford. We spend half our live's in bed, make them count. And yes that pun was intended! They are the epitome of luxury, and the best night's sleep, which we all need.

5) Be good to yourself, Laugh often and look for inspiration in everything you do because you will need it to service others.

Travel

Take up a hobby

Fresh flowers

Fine linens

Be good to yourself, laugh often, and always remember that your worst 

day CAN be your best day if it equals change.

Don't forget to follow us on twitter!

And become a FAN on our AB HOME facebook fanpage!

Need design help from an experienced design professional with over 12 years experience? Want to work with someone who listens to your needs and sticks to your budget? Call our office for a design consultation that will change the way you live and think about your home. Contact us @ info@abhomeinteriors.com or call us @ 

615-750-2763

Like decorating but don't know where to start? Want to learn the insiders secrets, tips and tricks? Sign up for Design Strategies 101! (August classes are sold out! Sign up today to reserve your seat for September, 

only a few seats left!!)

Style-Does your home reflect who you really are?

How well do you know yourself? Do you know what the elements of your style are? How exactly does one find or create S T Y L E ?

www.omniartedesign.com

Your home is a snap shot of who you are. A reflection of your personality, your likes and dislikes. Does your home really show you off? Often times when I go to a potential clients home it is like stepping into a 20 year time capsule of their life cycles instead of their life STYLE. Strolling through an ill assorted casket of treasures from the cherished to the unknown. I find it funny how so many of us "hang on" to something from when we were "in college", "first married", or "just because". And we are ALL culprits of this mentality. We ALL do it. But does it really show us off? Show the unique, extraordinary individuals that we are?

Lori Dennis

Our homes are our havens. Our refuge. A place to come home to after a long day of work, or a place to work from. It is by far THE largest investment that we make in our life times. Our homes bring us peace, security, comfort, and they support us through all our moods. Our homes see the best and the worst of us. They verifiably see and breathe our authentic selves. The old saying of "if these walls could talk" is truest to life. So why is it we allow ourselves to live in life cycles rather than a life STYLE?

www.omniartedesign.co

Lifestyle Caravan

(This is a Travel Trailer)

So often consumers want to rush out and BUY as much as possible-ALL AT ONCE! The idea of instant gratification. This is not a lifeSTYLE. This is making a lot of unwise buying choices all at once, and one of two things will happen. 1) You hang onto it for 20 years (for reasons yet to be understood) or 2) After a few years you realize the choices were made in haste, you hate everything, and all those dollars are thrown down the drain, and you start the life cycle over again by running out and making more unwise purchasing decisions. ~insert hiring a Professional Interior Designer here~

Lori Dennis

Creating a lifeSTYLE isn't as perplexing as Martha Stewart's inability to age. It is about making wise purchasing decisions, and having a plan. (Don't know where to start? Try reading my post on Designing a Room, where to start. )A lifeSTYLE is all about living your best life. Living amongst things that bring you the most joy. Is that inexpensive Ashley sofa really bringing you joy? Or was it appropriate for that particular life cycle two years ago?

You want your home to be a genuine representation of who you ARE, not who you have been or were 20 years ago. Your home should bring a smile to your face and give you undeniable bliss. Don't allow it to become a junkyard of days past that may have been difficult. Our lives are complicated enough. We need to be surrounded by things that are pleasant and agreeable. Things that bring us pleasure whether they be simple or complex. When you live in a life that surrounds you and supports WHO YOU ARE, you become even better. You perform at your best and become your best. This is a lifeSTYLE. 

So the next time you want to rush out and make a quick buy to update your room ask yourself these questions:

1) Is this a part of my plan?

2) Do I LOVE it? Does it bring me joy?

3) Am I looking at the object or am I looking at the price? (If you are looking at the price you are being sucked into your pattern of life cycle. This will only add to the junk yard casket of treasures)

4) Does this fit my lifestyle? My personality? Does this add to living my best life?

We can all use a little less stuff in our lives and add a little more 

STYLE!