loving GREAT JONES HOME in Seattle...!

take a look at how cute this store is!  Great Jones Home in seattle, washington, is an independently owned, fabulously curated, home/interior boutique that features new and vintage case goods and lighting as well as fabrics, wallpapers, ready-to-throw on your sofa pillows and tons of fabulous kitchen items from bowls to glasses to plates!

They also carry Dyptique candles, stationary and MOR body products amongst many, many other great products.   I love their idea behind providing a walk-through living environment that not only helps people visualize a piece(s) living in its actual space, but also inspires one to think beyond a particular piece and into its surroundings:

put those lucite stools in my mitts right this instant. and the lamps. and that mirror.  shoot.  just give me the whole room, okay?!

kelly w. wallpaper - ! cute!

my sissy would love that elephant side table...!

i love the curved back lounge chairs upholstered in the sunny yellow and white ikat silk

if you FORCE me to take that bench with the zebra print, then i will...

teal tufts anyone?  okay!

love this cabinet to house all your pretty things to gaze upon during a champagne brunch....

painted brick = always a fav

for amy - xoxo

mismatched pair of lamps, great area rug......yummy...

this could be my dressing room!  just change out the wall of pillows for a wall of shoes, center and enlarge the chandelier - done!

fantastic oversized mirror over an airy piece of furniture - love the juxtaposition, don't love using the word "juxtaposition".

All photos were taken by Great Jones Home on July 29, 2010.  Inquiry by emailing them from their website hosting page for anything you may like in one or ALL of the photos!

Soundtack for this visual feast:      Kitty, Daisy & Lewis

dreamin' of a DRESSING ROOM....

On of my favorite things to fantasize about is building my very own, Personal Dressing Room (PDR) slash Master Bathroom combination.  For now, lets just discuss the PDR.  I have been a pretty committed runner for about 15 years now and not one run is complete without my mind trailing off about winning the lottery and A: having my mom never work another day in her life, B: playing the Santa Claus of $cash$ with my good friends + family and C: having the most insane, jaw-dropping, gorgeous Master Closet/Dressing Room/Bathroom filled with equally insane shoes, handbags, accessories, clothes, etc. ever.  Call me materialistic.  It would be my vice.  Or should I say it would be encouraging my already (semi-starving at the time being) vice.

here are a few to fantasize about:

plenty of room for girlfriends to come over and play

really?  blue jeans in this shot?

love the mantle, black chandelier, shoe rack and animal print

basic, refreshing

vintage vogue covers = the perfect art for the PDR (I personally collect varga girl calendar pages)

a little faux bamboo is perf

fun wallpaper

xtina arranges her shoe collection by designer....what a lucky b*tch.

the most annoying "socialite" has a sweet mirrored center cabinet

do you love the "rachel zoe project" as much as me?!

carrie bradshaw's original = love.

aerin lauder's roomy dressing room - love the desk!

fun color

love this wallpaper by osborne & little!

Long have a few girlfriends of mine called our routine of getting ready together, “Models Inc.” As in…”Missi, Chrissy, Sara – you guys should come over to my house and we’ll pop open a bottle of Pinot, throw on some Too $hort and Models Inc.”  It is a favorite part of life to play out for me, and here are a few inspirations and pieces I would put into my little pink, marble and crystal couture world….

china seas aga collection wallpaper, 2. chanel 5171 sunglasses, 3. vintage 1960’s pucci dress, 4. 1960s two tier hollywood chandelier, 5. alexander mcqueen kuckleduster skull ring, 6. tommie parzinger 1950’s nickel sconces,  7. vintage head vases filled with garden flowers, 8. vintage ashtrays to house sparkly baubles, rings and bracelets, 9. 1960s valentino coral cuff, 10. vivienne westwood for the rug company, 11. its like christian crawled into my head and made this shoe especially for me.  heaven in shoe form 12. stephen sprouse for louis vuitton, 13. my most favorite piece of furniture quite possibly EVER these days – maria pergay limited edition bow stool – 1 of 12, 14. crystal and brass sputnik emil stejnar ceiling lights, 15. french pineapple table/light from the 1970s, 16. french 1960s pouf, 17. there she goes again….maria pergay’s ribbon chair…….sigh……., 18. 1960s italian chandelier, 19. dior skull ring

 Soundtrack = dreamy torch singers of the 30s and 40s:

I found my SHANGRI-LA and it's in santa barbara...

You know how you have certain special people in your life that really shape the person you are and influence you – whether subtle or super obvious?  Well, my lady friend Dawn is one of those VERY special people who heavily influenced not only how I looked at my surroundings but also taught me a lot about being a hostess and creating special environments. I worked for her for about a year in Santa Barbara at her downtown swanky, retro-lovin’ beer + wine bar, “The Firebird” (ugh.  still so sad that bar isn't there anymore).  Prior to a work relationship we were friends – sharing opinions on fashion, wines, music, how to do things RIGHT in the service industry and most of all….design.  She is pretty much the woman who showed me how a collection of kick-knacks, stemware, etc., can define a space (hello, poodles and ceramic ashtrays?!).  Her design sense has always been so mid-century eclectic, with surprises around every corner and on every shelf.  One thing that I really noticed when my husband and I stayed at her place – termed “Westside Shangri-La” from here on out – is how her design is EFFORTLESS. It all comes together in a huge circle.  Pieces become part of her family of awesomeness.  I hope you get a sense of how amazing her space is from these photos.  These areas are available for photo and video shoots.  You can contact me if interested.

When you are in Dawn’s World you want to pop open a bottle of champagne and never leave...

sasha brastoff ashtrays - yes, please.

Lu Lu loves the Westside Shangri-La too!

yes, that is pink carpet with gold walls.

outside comes in

yum.

a favorite shot....its like hawaii

.....until next time....

For a piece of Dawn’s World you can visit her bar “The Mercury Lounge” in Goleta, CA.  They have wonderful bartenders, a killer beer and wine list and some of the best musical artists to roll through the Central Coast:

the best small bar ever.

filled with one-of-a-kind matchbooks made by the bartenders

Soundtrack - KCSB, but of course: