Nicki Hits the Dog Biscuit Jackpot

Since Nicki-Noodle accompanied me to the bank this afternoon, I opted for the good ol' drive through instead of the ATM.  Sometimes human interaction is good, especially when I know dog treats might be involved.  When my bank receipt was returned and no dog biscuit accompanied it in the tube, I politely and kindly asked if they had any dog treats today.  After all, the teller JUST HAD to have seen a furry black poodle hanging out of the car window taking in all the sights and sounds!  Well, she must have felt badly for overlooking said canine and graciously sent back not one, but two biscuits.  I told Nicki she had hit the mother load (I was honestly not sure who was more excited the dog or me!) as she immediately started crunching on the tip of the Milkbone as I held in in my hand.

So, Inspired Interiors is wondering on this Friday of "Tax Week"... did you "hit the mother load" and get a tax refund?  Are you excited to put it to good use?  If so, why not remodel your kitchen, bathroom or another room in your home?  Don't know how to get started?  Contact Inspired Interiors.  One more thing:  hiring a designer does not mean spending more money than going it alone.  Designers help avoid costly mistakes and help you keep your project on track, on time and on budget.

Ahh, the First Days of Spring!

It's a glorious day here in Richmond, VA and I'm wearing short sleeves for the first time this season (yes, my forearms are quite pale). Nicki and I are sitting on my front porch while I look at and order some carpet samples for a new project I'm working on. Have a good day!

Nicki-Noodle relaxing on my front porch steps!

Palazzo Margherita

As I was browsing USA Today, I learned of Francis Ford Coppola's newest venture - a resort in the small Italian town of Bernalda in the Basilicata region where his grandfather Agostino Coppola was born.  The resort, Palazzo Margherita, is in a 19th century palazzo renovated with the help of famed French interior designer Jacques Grange.  I immediately went online to check it out at http://www.palazzomargherita.com/.  I thought I'd share some of my favorite photos with you.



Courtyard Service

I can imagine starting my day with a lovely breakfast in the courtyard.  Or finishing my day here with a glass of wine.

Suite Nine

I love this tile herringbone floor and the wall paintings! Mixing turquoise and orange tones is very en vogue right now.

Suite Nine Bathroom Sink

More tile and marble love!

Light fixture

Do you think anyone would notice if I packed up this beauty and took her home with me?

Hallway

I hope he's taking those flowers to my suite nine!  Love, love, love all the marble clad walls and barrel vaulted ceiling. 

Okay, it's back to reality now...while dreaming of exotic excursions to come!

The Vanilla Ice Project

Courtesy of DIY Network Website

I have a guilty confession to make...I kinda dig the "The Vanilla Ice Project" on DIY Network.  Go ahead, laugh, but I know you remember and love the infamous early 90's rapper and his catchy "Ice, Ice Baby" song.  You're singing it now, aren't you?

Now in it's second season (it just started January 21st, so it's not too late to tune in), the 30 minute show follows Vanilla Ice and his team as they renovate and flip foreclosed upon mansions in Palm Beach, Florida.  It's so sad (that's the bleeding heart designer in me) to see these beautiful homes in a state of disrepair - yards overgrown, swimming pools neglected and full of algae and worse yet, flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures and kitchen cabinets torn out by angry former homeowners, etc.  Thankfully, the fun-loving, yet hardworking, team of guys are there to bring these homes back to their former glory! 

I enjoy watching the cool, high end and often custom-made products being installed.  And, I hate to say it, but I love it when trouble strikes and they have to put their thinking caps on to come up with a creative solution to the problem.  "Handsome Dan"- as he's known on the show - is very handy (no pun intended) when it comes to thinking outside of the box AND is knowledgeable enough to be able to correct almost any wrong.

And finally, I digg it when Vanilla Ice himself breaks out the "rhythm and the rhyme" and busts into a little jam session amidst the middle of the work day.  Check out the preview below and set your DVR's to record Saturday nights at 10pm Eastern Time on DIY. 

Blogfest 2012 Here I Come!

Blogfest is being held by Kravet, Lee Jofa and Brunschwig and Fils in NYC, May 21st through 23rd!

I missed out on registering for Blogfest 2011 the inaugural event last year and am so excited that I was on the ball and registered for the event as soon as registration went live at noon today!  Now I just need to cross my fingers that all of my Facebook posts, tweets and blogs make me worthy (in their eyes) to attend and meet some fellow interior design bloggers and people in the design industry.  I could use a little "inspiration" for my business these days! 

Check out the amazing agenda:
http://www.blogfest2012.com/agenda.htm

All the best and I hope you have a great day!

Are you hibernating?

P-Doodle napping in my office on a cold winter's day.

These cold, rainy, snowy, icy and dark winter days often find many of us hibernating inside our homes. Nicki was the inspiration for this post as she was curled up in my home office the other day. Normally she likes to sit at my front storm door and look outside and watch anything and everything that goes on in my neighborhood. But on this particular chilly day, she decided to just take a nap instead - after all, there couldn't be anything outside that trumps a nap on a warm rug!

Now that you are spending more time (or shall I say hibernating? We Virginians don't tolerate the cold very well!) inside of your home, what creature comforts are lacking? What design projects are on your new year's resolutions list?  Let me know...post a comment here! I'd love to hear your ideas so that I know what topics to blog about in the coming months.

Honolulu Confidential

A great example of Hawaiian decor.

Happy New Year!  I'm turning over a new leaf and vowing to update my blog more often in 2012.  I'm starting with a link to a Traditional Home article on Honolulu.  Having just returned (and still coming off my jet-lag) from a trip to the Big Island and Oahu, I can speak to how amazing this 50th state is.  It's January... and the low temperatures were in the high 60s, low 70s and the highs were in the low 80s each day.  There was sun, sun, sun and more sun!  Literally the perfect place, weather wise, let alone the stunning sights.  I'll be sure to post some of my own photographs and share my thoughts on this unique place in my coming blog posts, that is, since I'm turning over a new (palm) leaf and posting more to my blog more often.

** Note, all photos used in this post are taken from Traditional Home, "Honolulu Confidential."

Traditional Home - Honolulu Confidential

A view of Diamond Head Crater from the roof of Royal Hawaiian.

A beautiful breezeway at the Royal Hawaiian.