For the Love of Windsor

Veranda's House of Windsor showcase house is open for touring in LA's Mandeville Canyon through July 17. The lead designer and namesake is Windsor Smith, whose work I've only recently come to know and love.

Her casual, classic, feminine aesthetic is showcased her own Brentwood home, below. She just might be my design soul mate. There's even a dog!

                                                    Source: lh4.ggpht.com via Lisa on Pinterest

                                    Source: littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com via Beth on Pinterest

The LA Times visited the House of Windsor and has pictures.

                                                   Source: latimes.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Windsor's entry hall for the showcase house is perfect—open, bright and elegantly welcoming. And her ingenious design can pull double duty, serving as a dining room for the "six days of a year when you actually throw a huge dinner party." I like that she's rooted in reality—even if her reality in the world of high-end Los Angeles homes isn't exactly the reality I know.

Other designers taking part include "Million Dollar Decorators" alums Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard. I don't quite get Martyn's over-the-top "man cave" (I don't like the idea of man caves in general, and this one is vertigo-inducing!), but I love him anyway.

Part of the proceeds from the tour benefit two children's charities, P.S. Arts and the Children's Action Network.

How I wish I could visit the house, but with dogs to deal with and "carmageddon" approaching, it just won't work for me. But if you can make it, let us know what you think!

Things I'm Digging

Here's some stuff that caught my attention around the Internets this week:

1. Thanks to Beth for alerting me to Crate and Barrel's Marimekko bedding sale. She knows I love me some Marimekko, and I've been looking for a duvet cover to swap out with my beloved patchwork quilt when I am in need of some variety. This blue Unniko pattern would go well with the sheets we already have, so it's tempting! But I'm holding out for the Missoni for Target collection, in hopes that it contains the comforter of my dreams.

2. I am seriously in love with this colorful salvaged wood wall from Design Sponge.

3. I spent the entire time I lived in my suburban home feeling guilty about not replacing my lawn with more ec-friendly greenery. Apartment Therapy blogger Catrin Morris' Case Against the Front Lawn is a great read and makes some interesting points, even if you don't agree.

4. There's nothing I don't like about the living room tour from Picnic in the Park's Greta. The airstream painting  is adorbs, and I'm especially fond of the homemade credenza next to the wooden Eames chair. Basically, it all makes me happy.

5. When I'm looking for eye candy, I head over to Print and Pattern. The first image in this post about surface // philia made me literally gasp it's so beautiful!

6. In case you weren't jealous enough of sfgirlbybay's recent trip to Paris, check out some of these French souvenirs. I like her philosophy: Bring home things you'll use in your everyday life to remind you of where you got them.

I'm Mad About...

These are a few things that made me smile this week.

Juniper Books

• The Brabourne Farm introduced me to Juniper Books Custom Collections, and I am completely smitten. 
• "Secrets From a Stylist" season two starts tomorrow! That was fast (and I can't wait!).
• What's cuter than a pooch in a lace collar?
• Caitlin's home is so beautiful, I want to move right in!
• I'd wear every one of these outfits from the new Dsquared2 resort collection.
• Hollywood royalty is lining up to rub shoulders with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in LA this weekend. 

Making the Most of a Small Balcony

Just like hipsters and PBR, small living spaces and small outdoor spaces go hand in hand. Dumping the house in the suburbs with a generous back yard for an urban apartment has turned out to be the best move I could have made, but I canʼt lie: I miss the back yard more than a little bit.

But having a balcony thatʼs short on space doesnʼt mean it has to be short on style. It just might take a little bit of creativity. I already have a pair of Adirondack chairs that fit nicely, so now I just need to accessorize.

Starting at the top, some solar-powered hanging lanterns that collect light all day and shine all night will provide some much-needed ambiance and visual interest. Since there's no room for planters, I'm going to try one that attaches to the balcony rail. Including a smaller barbecue, in light green, and one or two or three colorful modern birdhouses will tie it all together.

The chairs I have are pretty weathered but they look rustic, which is a nice juxtaposition against some of the more aggressively modern elements. The ratty cushions will have to go, though, and be replaced with this nice green and yellow set with flowers on one side and stripes on the other. Built-in versatility is great in my book, because I tend to get tired of patterns.

Voila! A comfortable but compelling space to spend our summer evenings and lazy Sunday afternoons is an urban oasis anyone would love to come home to.

Solar Lanterns
Egg Bird Houses
Rail Planters
Chair Cushions *

*I don't generally endorse shopping at Wal-Mart but I looked high and low before finding this pattern that I liked, as opposed to others that I could just tolerate. Apparently my values have gone on summer vacation!

Looks Like a Million

I'm a design show junkie. HGTV is my go-to channel when nothing else is on. I've seen every episode of every Sarah Richardson, Candice Olson, Emily Henderson and John Gidding show there is—often more than once. And I'm so excited that tonight I get to start flipping out again with Jeff and Jenni over on Bravo.

But when Bravo started touting its latest entry in the deco porn genre, "Million Dollar Decorators," I wasn't interested. I'm turned off by huge egos and conspicuous consumption. I mean, really, even the promo shot is pretentious:

Source: casa-diseno-blog.com via Bonnie on Pinterest

So I missed the first episode.

But then I caught part of the second one and was intrigued. By the third episode I was a regular viewer, and now I'm officially hooked.

The fifth show is my favorite so far. Maybe that's because there was very little of Mary McDonald (the woman has an enviable wardrobe, but she really grates). Or maybe it was because there was lots of Ross (yum!). Or the fact the Martyn's client that week was the gorgeous Daisy Fuentes and not the appalling Joe Francis (I seriously think I need a tetanus shot after just watching him on TV). Or that I love just about everything about Kathryn Ireland—especially her housekeeper, Jacqueline. Or that all the designers have cute dogs.

Whatever the reason, you know where you can find me on Tuesdays at 10—in front of the TV getting my design fix.

Come on, admit it—you like "Million Dollar Decorators" too. Who's your favorite designer?

Happy Birthday, USA!

Photo by Vironevaeh

Have a happy and safe Independence Day.

Mad About Missoni

Target hasn't released any pictures yet, but here are some "real" Missoni items that would be great for the Target collection.

Hellooooooooo, rich hippies!

That billboard for the new retro Volkswagen Beetle released in the late '90s made me giggle every time I saw it. I hadn't thought about it for a while, but it came to mind recently when I was reading about Missoni.

As the daughter of hippies (the regular kind), and one with hippie tendencies, I have always found myself drawn to Missoni's rich colors, bold chevrons and stripes, and irreverent designs that just seem to ooze personality and bohemian spirit. Of course I don’t own anything from the legendary fashion house, and am not likely to since I could never justify spending $250 on a towel – no matter how gorgeous!

Enter Target and their brilliantly conceived campaign to bring taste and style to the masses. I call these collaborations brilliant because they work with some pretty great designers to offer gorgeous wares at prices that normal people can afford.

Previous favorites of mine have included the Liberty of London and Orla Kiely collections. I have a few carefully chosen items from each line.  But I'm afraid with Missoni for Target, Beth might have to stage some sort of intervention. I can just picture me on Sept. 13 (yes, I’ve memorized the date AND put it on my calendar) with a basket overflowing with Missoni towels, cups and dishes, brightly patterned chairs, a sumptuous pouf, a new bedspread (I really do need one of those) with matching pillows, etc.

Since I am much more likely to buy a cute outfit for my living room than myself, it’s the home collection that I’m excited about. But if they make any bags, all bets are off.

Maybe Target will do me a solid and botch the collection, so that only a few of the items end up being worth having. I mean really, a pattern designed for bone china translated to melamine? That can’t be a good idea. Yeah, that’s it. The collection will suck and my pocketbook will be saved.

Ha, who am I kidding? Target knows its stuff and they especially know how to get me to part with my hard-earned money. That’s it. We’re doomed. I’ll go to hell in a handbasket. But at least that handbasket will be lined with Missoni.