I cannot believe June is over! On one hand it seems like months since I wrote the May Monday Mentions post and on the other unimaginable that we are entering the middle of summer soon. Yikes. Here are the images that caught my attention this past month. Remember, there is beauty everywhere! I am a huge fan of, proponent of, cheerleader for sightlines. I love when you are seated or standing in a room and feel awed at the beauty surrounding you. This kitchen, beautiful on its own, provides a stunning sightline to the family room beyond. Becca Interiors And this dining room, peeking into a sitti ..read more

Hello! October, one of the best months of the year (in my opinion :-)) is coming to a close and that brings with it the inspiration that I have collected over the course of the month. It has been a lovely month weather wise in Powell, Ohio with multiple days of crystal clear blue skies as the background for the rainbow of colors provided by the changing leaves on the trees. I have truly enjoyed and appreciated the beauty each day. I hope the month has been a great one for you. John and I have been busy working on our house and it seems like all of my free time is spent dedicated to those proje ..read more

Hello! How is your entry into fall so far? How can it be October already and the school year be in full swing? I remember when I was young summer seeming to be an endless abyss when it started and then every year was shocked when it was time to go back to school. I am shocked now that school has been going on for over a month and a half already. I mourn the quick passing of time with my children because I know soon there will be no more scheduled school vacations around here.....I digress, sorry to depress. Let's talk about a design trend I have my spot (light) on instead! This one is a blast ..read more

Well, here we are....fall has officially started and it is the last Monday in September. I am a huge fan of fall, what about you? When I was sixteen my older brother and I shared a Jeep CJ-7 and I still remember the thrill of driving through the streets of West Hartford, Connecticut with the leaves on the trees changing colors, the top down on the Jeep, and the music blasting. I think that is when my love for fall was cemented. As is my custom, I am sharing the images that I saved throughout the month because I find the designs beautiful and inspiring. I hope you feel the same way! Good Looks ..read more

Hello. Recently I talked about oval widows and today I am keeping with the window theme. Today I am talking about one of my favorite features to incorporate into a house and that is interior windows. They seem to be having their day in the sun (not really :-)) lately and it makes me so happy. Here are some pretty examples of what I am talking about..... They seem to be the star of a lot of kitchens lately, I think they can be used anywhere though. Hadley Wiggins Plain English Katie LeClercq Plain English This one is a hybrid between a French door and window and everything about this image ..read more

Hello! Big news around here. We actually (finally!) signed an agreement for the renovation on our house. As of right now the start date is scheduled for the end of January. The date is subject to change, I am hoping for it to move up and really, really hoping that it does not move back. Time will tell. At the end of the day (about a two year day) we decided to reduce our scope beyond the tweaks I have been making to the design throughout the process. We have decided to undertake the library, refacing the family room fireplace, the powder room, and the mudroom/laundry room ourselves and have pu ..read more

Hello and Happy September. I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day holiday last week. Today I have my spot (light trained) on ceilings, ceilings with wallpaper to be exact. The ceiling, which is the fifth wall of your rooms has the potential to make your room a showstopper and lately I am seeing more and more people use wallpaper on the ceiling. This room is the room that made me fall in love with wallpaper on the ceiling years ago. Amber Interiors I hadn't seen it used much since then until now. Here are some current day examples..... Stories Studio Leane Cole Kobel + Co Tristan Gary Design ..read more

Hello! Now that we're in September and fall is in the air I have been transitioning, in my mind so far, (because it is so hot out) to more savory, fall-type meals. To that end, I wanted to share my recipe for lasagna. Lasagna is most likely something you have made or make often so really this is sharing my sauce recipe more than anything. I use sweet Italian sausage for the meat sauce. I hope you like it! Here is the recipe and step by step pictures follow. To make the lasagna, here are the ingredients. Start with the sauce. I sauté a chopped onion in about two tablespoons of olive oil over ..read more

Hello. I have spotted with my little eyes lately a rise in the use of curved sofas. Curved sofas bring character to a room all on their own because they offer a departure from the form we are used to seeing sofas in. Here are some examples..... This one is a statement maker for sure. Galan Sobrini This one has a very subtle curve and looks fantastic across from the backless daybed. Katie Hodges Design This one offers a modern twist to the mix in this room. Studio Ashby And some more examples for good measure..... Studio Giancarlo Valle Jake Arnold Shannon Eddings Interiors Jake Arnold I ..read more

The last Monday of August means we are very close to the end of the last full month of summer (sad note) and that a Monday Mentions post (happy note) is upon us! I traveled with my daughter to tour some colleges at the beginning of the month and then went to The Farm in West Virginia for a family getaway with all five of us before school started. It was lovely. We toured the University of Miami and College of Charleston to be specific. We loved them both. My daughter's top choice now is the University of Miami. I still shake my head in disbelief that she is a senior in high school whereas she ..read more