design your life
St. Patrick's Day is the next party-worthy holiday on the horizon. The pandemic meant that most of us didn't celebrate last year, but now that covid numbers are down, you might be looking to decorate your home. This free printable St. Patrick's Day sign reads Luck of the Irish. Use it for school parties, seasonal [...]
With the holidays approaching, I have been thinking a lot about invitations lately. So many of us will not be hosting or going to see our friends and family this season. But, I know it is a temporary situation and we will get though it. And when we do, it would be nice to have [...]
I am sure I am not alone when I say that a Mediterranean holiday sounds like a storybook dream right now. It is hard to believe that a year ago we still lived in a world where cross-Atlantic travel was possible. Sigh. I took my inspiration from that turquoise sea for this Sunday's dream room. [...]
I don't hear people talk about dens much anymore. My grandparents always watched TV in a small den. Their living room was formal—they didn't have a television in there. I like the idea of keeping a separate den for lounging in the evenings after work. Here are a few of my shopping ideas for a [...]
I've always loved the luxurious bedroom sets in old Hollywood movies. The woman in her floor-draped velvet robe, sitting at her vanity table, spraying on perfume and brushing her long wavy hair was the stuff of romance. I will never be that woman, and her regency style will never be mine. But, the look can [...]
If I could, I would furnish my entire house, inside and out, with mid-century modern designs. Even though many designers have said it is time for us to move on already from mid-century, I am not ready to quit. There is just something about those clean lines and simplicity and nostalgia. I have not been [...]
I have always been a huge reader, and the worst moments of my childhood were whenever I ran out of things to read. There weren't e-books back then, so I was always dependent on someone taking me to the library. And even then, since I grew up on overseas military bases, there were times that [...]
Art Deco has been my favorite style since I was an 18-year-old college freshman in my first architectural history class. I like the vertical lines and the glamour and the shimmery elegance. If I had a larger house, I would most certainly create a small salon or sitting room where I could read, work, and [...]
Since the pandemic began, I have been spending a lot of time working in my little eat-in kitchen. I have an office, but it is rather warm upstairs and not as comfortable as it is in my sunny kitchen on the first floor. I have been thinking about giving it a little bit of an [...]
I am starting a new series on my blog that I will publish on Sundays. I love looking at design magazines and browsing furniture stores, but neither my pocketbook nor my house size allow me to indulge in purchasing very often. But that doesn't stop me from fulfilling my longings online. I therefore plan to [...]