AT HOME WITH ARTHUR DUNNAM

This beautiful apartment owned and designed by Arthur Dunnam is near Sutton Place in Manhattan.  There is a special glamour about this light filled beauty.  The living room and kitchen are my favorites.  I hope that you ENJOY this view of luxury.

Visit here to learn more about this beautiful home.

See you soon,

Teresa

xoxo

I know I said I'd be back yesterday with a real post but I'm pretty backed up right now with work & trying to figure out the childcare situation, so I need a little break.  We toured a couple of daycare/ preschools  yesterday and I'm feeling pretty good about 1 so we'll see how it goes.  For now I'll just leave you with an image I got from one of my favorite reads, Head Over Heels.    It's perfect for the beginning of Fall and I cannot get over that velvet.  So sumptuous & beautifully aged!!  (I'm not sure I've actually used "sumptuous" in a sentence before but could think of no other word!)

And some news/ details about the new store:  The Loudon Design Center plans to open a new trade-only showroom in historic Leesburg, Virginia and I'll have an office at the showroom.  On the weekends, the store will open to the public as Pure Style and we will offer a line of furniture and fabrics I'm currently designing, along with one-of-a-kind pieces and trade-only fabrics & furnishings.    The owner, Elise Seidita, is finishing up negotiations and if all goes as planned, we will open for business in October.  (keep your fingers crossed!!) 

The showroom will need to be totally redone and I'll definitely take you along in the process of designing the new space.  I am so excited to start this new venture!!  As you probably remember, I love shopping at the Old Lucketts Store & On a Whim Antiques (both in nearby Lucketts, VA) and other shops in Leeseburg, so I'm so excited to be nearby and become a part of the growing design community there. 

xoxo,

lauren

MEDITERRANEAN PATINA IN SANTA BARBARA

Designer Penelope Bianchi decorated her home in Santa Barbara, California. This Mediterranean home's outdoor rooms are as beautiful as the interior. I hope that you ENJOY this tour.

To read more about this home visit here.

See you soon,

Teresa

xoxo

Taking the Plunge

We're off today to check out a part-time daycare/ preschool for our little guys.  I'm sort of mixed about it, but mostly excited.  It will be 3 days a week and my mom will be watching them on a 4th day.   I'm attempting tp take the 5th day off so we'll see how it goes.  Christian's three years old and is dying for "friends" and loves classes and that sort of thing so I think it'll be great for him.  I worry a little bit about Justin (8 months) but I'm sure he'll be okay too.

We're really hoping that with me moving my office out of the house (and opening a store in Leesburg-  more news on that soon!!)   and with almost full-time daycare, that we'll be able to get a bit more of a separation of work & home.  I hope my expectations aren't too high but I really feel right now that "something's gotta give."  If anyone has any insight out there about all of this, I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

I'll be back today later with a real post!!

 

Striped

I share a love for stripes with many of you. There are few places that striped upholstery or painted furniture don't add something to a home. I love to mix stripes, plaids, paisleys and florals in decor, even though I am very conservative. These pieces below are out there and I love them!

So... for those of you like myself that DIY, get out your painters tape and paint and get busy.  For the rest of you, follow the link at the end of the post.  ENJOY!

To find the creators and sources of these pieces and items visit here.  I hope that you have enjoyed this post.  For more on stripes that I love visit here.

See you soon,
Teresa
xoxo

MY NEW TOYS

I have published a link at the bottom of this post that I would love for you to click on and read.  It is very short but very important to me.  Now on to my new toys...

Ok... so I debated between the Tour or the iPhone (also a great phone as you know)... and because I have used a Blackberry for several years,  I decided on the Tour, and I love it.  I have also used Verizon for a long time, and I am very happy with their service. 

Now on to the big purchase.  My new Macbook Pro!  I LOVE IT!  Bye, bye HP!  It's been real.

And... because I am a student (although not the youngest there), I got this iPod Touch and...

this printer by HP for FREE!

So I am happy with my purchases, and I can't wait to be able to use the Mac properly and fully.

Have a great weekend, my friends.  If you didn't visit yesterday,  here is the link to my post on the beautiful horse country home.

Today (SATURDAY), my darling daughter goes back to college.  I am really going to miss her.  She wrote a beautiful blog today, remembering earlier days.  I would love for you to read it here.

See you Monday,

Teresa

xoxo

Corolla & "my" Beach House

We're finishing up our week here in Corolla, North Carolina and I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE.  I love this place.  we've been coming here for summer vacations ever since I was a kid and I even spent a summer working here with one of my best friends, Alissa, at the local sports bar, Sundogs.   

Here's a picture of Sundogs and its appearance is deceiving.  It's so much fun!!!  (If you ever come here, it's in the front of the Food Lion Shopping Center and gets going late night.  There's a huge tiki bar inside.)

During the 4 months that I worked at Sundogs (a college summer) I made some amazing friends who we get to come back & see every year...

It was a late night...  Nat Hall (on my left) & Jerry Cooper (on my right) used to bartend at Sundogs and play music all over the Outer Banks.  (Jerry's since moved & is now living with his wife in SC)...  I worked there 8 years ago and I've never looked at Corolla the same since.  It was interesting to get the "local" perspective after vacationing there for so long.  Honestly, I'd recommend having kids work at least a summer at their vacation spot because you really just do get a whole different flavor for it.  You respect it in a different way.  You see all that goes on behind the scenes and you appreciate it more.  (And, you always having friends to come back to!)

...The only types of pics Dave & I usually get together are the hand-holding the camera kind:

So, as I was saying, I do not want to leave this place:

Here's our beach house this year:

I'm not going to show you the inside BUT I'll show you what I wish it was:

Check out the lower level entry:

{Image via House of Turquoise)

And the dining area:

{Image via Head over Heels}

And the living room- oh my goodness!!!

{Design by SR Gambrel}

And "my" bathroom:

I LOVE this hammock which sits on the deck:  (really)

The bunk room:

{image unknown}

And my bedroom:

{Design by SR Gambrel}

Here's the walk up to the beach:  (Now back to reality ;)

Christian's having the best time.  He & my grandmother built this fortress:

Dave & my little sister Morgan (13 years old) enjoying the surf:

And Justin relaxing in his stroller:

I could literally dedicate an entire post to my son's thighs.  I CANNOT get over them.  They are so insanely squeezable and kissable and...  I'm going to spare you but it's hard for me to stop ;)

So anyway, have an amazing weekend and we will be enjoying the rest of ours right here:

Horse Country Home in Pennsylvania

I love to open my email and find beautiful photographs that I can share with my friends.  This home is exceptionally rich and historic.

Janice and Cortright Wetherill feel at home in this Chester County, Pennsylvania horse country home. Bill Brockschmidt and Courtney Coleman designed this rich home.  ENJOY!  

For more information about this home and it's owner visit here.

See you soon,
Teresa
xoxo