Happy New Year !

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.
Happy New Year !

Who-Ville

Take a look at this fun holiday docorations that I found on HGTV's rate my place. The entire house is decorated in Dr. Seuss's Who Ville theme. How fun!

Holiday Car Custume

This reindeer custume is easy way to transforms your auto into Santa's favorite reindeer! Delightful antlers (17") and a jolly red nose (6") spread joy and cheer as you run your holiday errands. Attaches easily to windows and grill with included wire. Weather-resistant fabric.Why not give your car a make over for Christmas?

Christmas Inflatables

Each year, I see more and more Christmas inflatables displayed on the front yard. When I first saw them few years ago, I thought they were really tacky. My opinion has not changed much since, but I have to admit that there are some cool looking ones out there. Here are few that I like.

Santa on Mortorcycle

Peanuts Animated Snoopy and Woodstock Airplane

Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore

Thomas The Tank Engine

Christmas Nativity Scene

Mini Ornament Vase Filler

Vase Fillers are easy & inexpensive way to change the look of table settings or mantel display. Mini Ornament Vase Filler from Pottery Barn is a perfect item to add festivity into your holiday decorations. $10.00 - set of 18

Jason Scott's Matrix Wall Bed

Take a look at this beautiful bed made by Jason Scott. It is made with recycled teak wood from Southeast Asia. Jason Scott has been exclusively sourcing and designing his furniture from recycled teak wood, salvaged from abandoned structures in Southeast Asia. He has spent the last decade searching out and employing the finest woodcarvers and carpenters in Java. Their combined skills represent a legacy of generational craftsmen that still cut and carve by hand, using only the basic tools that were in use in the eighteenth century.

Holiday Giftbags

Holidays are seasons for giving & sharing. Beautifully wrapped gifts always generate that special feeling. Gift bags are easy way to spruce up your gifts. Here are a few cute gift bag ideas.

Red Fabric Gift Bag $2.95 Pier 1 Imports

Santa Belt Gift Bag $4.50 Pier 1 Imports

Stocking Bottle Gift Bag $3.95 Pier 1 Imports

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring seems to be popular among home owners who are looking for a beautiful, durable, yet cost-effective flooring solution for their home. As matter of fact, I am recommending it for my client who is looking to replace her old carpet.
Many of today’s laminate styles consist of extremely authentic wood or natural stone visuals to accommodate any room. I am recommending the “plank” look, which resembles real cherry wood.

Laminate floors are relatively new to this country, but have been used in Europe for more than 25 years because laminate flooring can be installed over many types of existing floors it has made it a natural for old European buildings since it is installed floated over the subfloor.

By using the countertop technology and adding considerably more resin to the wear layer, some laminate floor manufacturers boast that their laminate floors are now 10 to 20 times harder than laminate countertops.
Since this resin-filled wear layer is so dense, it becomes extremely difficult to stain or scratch.
So, if you are thinking of replacing your old carpet with hard-surface flooring, sure to check out laminate options.

Holiday Decorations

I received an e-mail from Z Gallerie announcing their holiday items. Z Gallerie is one of my favorite stores for home accessories. They carry updated and modern style furnishings and home decor at a reasonable price. Here are some of my favorites. I like the sparkles and vintage style design.

Belvedere Hurricane 10.5"  $24.95

Belvedere Bowl - Red  $32.00

Belvedere Canister & Bowl - Copper

$32-Canister  $48-Bowl

Christmas Decorations

Every year, Friday after Thanksgiving, we put up Christmas decorations. Everyone in the family including visiting relatives (grandparents, aunt & uncle) lend a hand to put up the tree, tie garlands in the staircase, hang stockings on the mantel, and display Christmas decorations all throughout the house. This year, we made it in a record time. It only took 3 hrs! Here are some pictures of the decorations if you are interested.

Stockings for every member of the family including a dog & a bunny

 

Christmas Tree - Every year we add a new ornament from a family vacation

Staircase

Nut cracker

Happy Holidays!

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving... Happy Holidays!

Amazing Mona Lisa Painting made with coffee cups

Amazing Mona Lisa Painting made with 3,604 cups of coffee. The 3,604 cups of coffee were each filled with different amounts of milk to create the different shades.

Fallen leaf

When I think of fall, I think of fallen leaves. I saw this cute plate shape of leave by Pottery Barn. What a perfect way to dress up your holiday tables.

Thanksgiving Table Settings

Thanksgiving is the season for gathering and sharing food with families and friends. With little creativity, you can tranform an ordinary dinner table into a memorable table.  Here are some unique ideas for decorating holiday tables.

Jewel tones and saturated color heighten the appearance of the Thanksgiving table and celebrate the season's bright foliage against the late-autumn sky.

Using fresh fruit as an table accent is the perfect touch to bring the autumn mood.

At each place setting, set out a Bartlett pear. From cream-colored card stock or manila file folders, cut out strips and write guests' names in gold or brown ink. Affix each with a ball-head sewing pin.

Wrapping the candles with felt fabric with letters glued on make a big statement.

Easy-to-make napkin rings cue guests to your seating plan. If more than one guest shares an initial, use a different color letter for each family. Let guests keep letters as party favors.

Holiday Stockings

I was browsing internet to get some ideas for holiday gifts and I saw these darling holiday stockings from Pier 1 Imports. They are unique and very whimsical. How fun is to decorate your mantle with these stockings?

Rustic Ice Skating Stocking

Gold Ruffle Boot Stocking

Whimsy Jester Stocking

Vanity Fair

One of the trends in bathroom design is a furniture style vanity cabinets. Thanks to a growing availability of beautiful and durable furniture made specifically for the bathroom, standalone vanities are increasingly popular with homeowners of all tastes, regardless of their style of home. As bathroom is getting larger, there are a lot of space to fill. Some do not want to see all built in cabinet with a large counter space. They want to add more style to their bathrooms by adding standalone vanities. At the other end of the spectrum are half-baths and powder rooms, great sites for all styles of furniture vanities. In a small bathroom, “a homeowner is more willing to experiment with a freestanding vanity because the dollar investment is not as great as with a large bath. Furniture style vanity can make a big statment in a small bathroom as well.

Modular Eco House in Malaysia

Wouldn't it be wonderful if you can live by the ocean in summer and by the mountain in winter? Take a look at this mulular house in Malaysia. http://freshome.com/2009/11/11/modular-eco-house-in-malaysia-by-broadway-malyan/

Fall Wreath

Wreath is a great item to use if you want to get in the mood for the season. I hang different wreath on my front door when season changes. A Daisy wreath for Easter season, autumn wreath for Halloween/Thanksgiving, and pine cone wreath for Christmas. As Thanksgiving is coming close, how about hanging a beautiful fall wreath on your front door?

Petals

mocoloco.com has very unique modern items. This lamp was made with disposable plastic spoons. I like the textrue of the material and the brilliant idea to make something out of ordinary.
http://mocoloco.com/archives/012372.php

Deep Forest Chair

A complicated 3D surface made from simple geometrical shapes creates a look of deep forest. This chair is designed by a Russian designer Vadim Kibardin.

Color Solutions for Master bed and bath

Paint is a great way to turn a master bedroom and bath into a master suite. Coordinating the color palettes between the two rooms adds a sense of flow and continuity. This is especially important if your master bathroom is visible from the bedroom.

Select a color scheme: When choosing paint colors, you need to pick a inspiration piece that you like. This might be bedding or shower tile that you like. Take your color cues from the existing features in the room. If you have slate or stone in the bathroom, pull paint colors from the natural elements. You may find blue, gray, green or orange in your stone if you look closely enough.
Neutral colors: Using neutral paint allows you to change the style of your room through accessories without having to repaint. Taupe, white and cream also work well with bathroom fixtures like sinks and tubs. Paint the trim a lighter color for added depth. Painting the ceiling a slighter darker color than the walls adds interest to a neutral room.
Soothing colors: Cool colors can be soothing and relaxing. Try a monochromatic room by painting the walls, trim, ceiling in the same hues. Use different paint finishes to delineate the spaces. Deep blue, pale blue or gray create a peaceful color palette. The same colors used in the master bathroom will create a clean, spa like feeling.
Theme colors: Choose paint colors based on an overall theme for your master suite. If your bedroom furniture features dark wood or iron scrollwork, consider a Spanish theme. Use shades of gold, amber and burgundy for a dramatic master suite. Red walls might be too lively for a bedroom, so try a focal wall so the color doesn't overwhelm the space.
Continuity: The master bedroom and bathroom should flow together to make the spaces seem connected and bigger. Try using the same paint chip in both rooms, but choose a light shade for one room and a darker tone for the other. You can also coordinate a master bathroom by reversing your color palette. If you have green walls and taupe accents in the bedroom try taupe walls and green accents in the bathroom. This gives each room a different look while coordinating the spaces. If you want completely different colors, carry at least one paint color throughout the room, such as dark chocolate brown on the bedroom furniture and the bathroom vanity and mirror frame.

Amazing Chalk Drawings

Julian Beever is an English artist who's famous for his art on the pavement of England, France, Germany, USA, Australia and Belgium. He creates a wonderful and amzing 3D illussion.
http://dalesdesigns.net/Beever.htm