Match Made in Heaven

Just back from travelling and now I've got to catch up, but first I gotta share this good news! I don't know about you, but when I heard that Ballard Designs was teaming up with Southern Living magazine to decorate the 2011 Idea House it was like hearing that Prince William and Kate Middleton were engaged!  I've been a Southern Living girl my entire life and a Ballards Designs stalker (and outlet shopper) for most of my adult life.  To me this is an entirely logical (and exciting) partnership.

This year's Idea House is located in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, a gorgeous lake front community in the Hill Country. If you've never been to this part of Texas, you're missing out... book your trip asap!  In the meantime, we'll all be poring over and dog-earring the pages of the Idea House, right?

Because I'm a floor plan lover:


Look at all the courtyards!

Southernliving.com has some peeks at the construction process. Loving the use of salvaged wood in this house... seen on the dining room ceiling here.


Click over there to check it out if you haven't received your SL issue yet... the blue doors are divine!

AND, you can shop all the fabulous Ballards pieces they used in the Idea House HERE
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Like...


This yummy Suzanne Kasler Seaglass lamp (did I mention I heart her?).  And...




This delish Ogden Mirror...  love the dreamy ocean blue. And...




This gorgeous and versatile Padova Accent Table (she's on my wish list!).  And...




These sweet little Bird Giclees (set of 6).  I'd love these for my family room Lighten and Brighten project!

Okay, but before you get to shopping, how about a $10,000 room makeover from Southern Living and Ballards Designs?   Click HERE for the details... in addition to the room makeover, you can win a trip to see the 2011 Idea House! I know I'm entering!  Now, should it be the master bedroom, the dining room, master bath....?

Happy Decorating, Idea House Drooling, and Sweepstakes Entering. :)  You're welcome!

The Greatest Thing to Have in Your Home...

Is Love.

Visit my friend Melissa over at The Inspired Room and enter to win one of these beautiful and inspirational canvases for your home.

Happy Valentine's Day!

And the Winners Are....

Congrats to Tracy Suzanne, CT Mom, and Dee!!  Check your email for instructions regarding winning our new Hawthorne Hurricane.

Thanks to all who entered and welcome to our new followers!  This is just the first of several giveaways coming your way in 2011.  I appreciate your readership and thoughtful comments more than you know!

Enjoy, ladies!

Dream Home 2010

From HGTV and it is dreamy!  First of all, you know I'm a sucker for a contest or giveaway, but I have to admit my love affair with the HGTV Dream Homes goes back several years.  In fact, it's something I look forward to during the bleak days of January... curling up and watching either the on-air special (click HERE for the schedule) or scrolling through the videos and pictures on hgtv.com.  Either way, I'm transported to inspired interiors where I can glean a few ideas for my own projects... and some serious decor envy.  This year's home does not disappoint.  Set in the mountains of Vermont, it will sweep you off your feet and make you long for a winter getaway to the snowy hills.  Enjoy these sneak peek pictures and then don't forget to click HERE to enter to win.  Enjoy!



Mudroom... I love the clean look of the cabinets; gotta store skis and whatnot, after all!



I'd have to linger over dinners with a view like this!





Spacious, open, perfect for entertaining crowds.

Gathering room... right off the kitchen and dining room.  The fireplace treatment is a winner!

Annex... spectacular view.  This is where I'd be!

Master... coziness in the mountains.  I love the bedcurtains!

Balconey off master...enjoy some hot chocolate out here!

Master bath... open yet private.  I'd soak for hours.

Downstairs living room-- love the colors and the barn door! 

Terrace-- check out the hot tub and the view!

Ski dorm bath room-- 3 showers, sinks, etc-- perfect for the kids.

ski dorm...sleeps eight.  How fun!!



Guest room... who do you know that would love to visit?

All photos from hgtv.com

Gorgeous Giveaway...

My blogging friend Karena over at Art By Karena is hosting a fantastic giveaway-- just in time for the holidays!!  She's featuring Fifi Flowers, an incredibly talented artist whose whimsical works just make me smile!  Click HERE to visit Karena's blog and enter her giveaway worth $200 and check out more of Fifi's wonderful works HERE.
Frameable prints, notecards, calendars, plus I love that she does pieces on commission, too-- how about a pet portrait?  Or a rendering of your home?

Enjoy these sneak peeks of Fifi's works--Love to find new artists, don't you??

Which one is your favorite??

Couldn't We All Use This??

photo by Linda Samuels

As if in answer to our pre-holiday disorganization woes, Linda Samuels, author of The Other Side of Organized and the blog by the same name is hosting the Ultimate Organizing Giveaway!  Head over to her blog to check out the contest rules (super easy) and the list of items in the giveaway.  My personal favorites would be an autographed copy of her book and the $50 Container Store gift certificate, but there is a smorgasbord of fabulous other tools to get you in tip-top organization shape.  Click HERE to find out more and get a sneak peek at her book, too.

Big City Digs

I live in the Southern suburbs, but I love the Big City, too.  HGTV and their sister site FrontDoor.com are teaming up to giveaway an "Urban Oasis" in Manhatten!  Located near Wall Street in the Residences at the W, this sleek abode offers a one-bedroom escape to the big city.  Designer Vern Yip has polished the space within an inch of its life so nothing competes with the spectacular Hudson River views and it appears much larger than it really is.  Click HERE to enter once daily at each site between now and October 20th.

The foyer...Love the unexpected combination of the lucite hall table and the solid marble lions (c. 1860) from an upstate NY property.

The bedroom... white walls, bedding, and furniture keep it feeling open and airy. 

Horizontal tiles and sleek wall-mounted fixtures along with a simple color palette make the most of the space.

Reflective surfaces in the kitchen help it feel larger.  Since the kitchen shares space with the living room, the lucite bar seating makes the transition seamless.

Kitchen view to the family room

Living Room... the antique Peruvian rug strikes just the right balance-- warmth and a clean graphic design.

Imagine enjoying this view over a glass of wine!

View of the Hudson... Statue of Liberty in the Distance.

All photos via HGTV.com.

Closet Envy

I love to peek into celebrity closets-- as much for the organization as the fashion!  There's just something about a well-organized closet that just helps one breathe a little easier.  Elledecor.com is featuring several celebrity closets that will make you green with envy, including Nate Berkus, Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, J Crew's Jenna Lyons, and fashion designer Nanette Lepore.  But that's not all!  You can get your own closet organized for free.  Elle Decor is teaming up with The Container Store (one of my favorite stops!) and giving away a $1500 elfa closet makeover! The contest runs through October 18, 2010.  Click HERE to enter and though no purchase is necessary, I bet you'll find something at containerstore.com that you just have to have. :)

The Great Fall Fix Up

What renovation would you undertake if you suddenly had $75,000 to spend?  That long awaited kitchen re-do?  A new master bathroom?  Finish out your basement?  Add a screen porch?  Well, I would just be remiss if I didn't pass this along to you!  HGTV is having a Great Fall Fix Up Sweepstakes that runs through August 23, 2010.  All you have to do to enter is head over to HGTV.com and enter-- no photos, no plans necessary.  You can enter once a day until the end of the sweepstakes period.  Start dreaming!