Etsy Love
I have purchased so many handcrafted things from Etsy. Each time I am so pleased.
Here are a few things I love at the moment.
I would buy this and give it to someone special in an orchid plant:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/47038859/antique-silverware-garden-marker-plant?ref=sr_list_3&ga_search_query=garden+marker&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&includes[]=tags&includes[]=titleThese would be fun for an early summer dinner party:
Personalized Peacock Wine Glass Placecards
http://www.etsy.com/listing/43996002/peacock-place-cards-set-of-12
And these colorful cloth cocktail napkins for my next brunch or girls night out. Or, wouldn't they make a sweet hostess present?
Since all 12 are a different fabric, you won't lose your drink! This set is a steal at just $30. Each is double sided.http://www.etsy.com/listing/41687280/garden-party-twelve-pack-of-cocktail?ref=sr_list_20&ga_search_query=cocktail+napkin+coasters&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title
Austin Real Estate Love
This stunning home can be yours for just $12.9 million dollars. Situated on Lake Austin waterfront, this is the most expensive home on the market in Austin, Texas. It includes a boat house, dock, guest house, carriage house, staff quarters, indoor pool, air conditioned garage, catering kitchen and a main house with 7,000 square feet. Wouldn't you just love to furnish and decorate it? Enjoy these beautiful pics.
read more "Austin Real Estate Love"
Have a Fun Weekend
Wouldn't this be the perfect place to spend your weekend?
Have a wonderful one!Elle Decor (loving Meg Ryan's home)
I received my Elle Decor today. I'm in love with Meg Ryan's Martha’s Vineyard home.
read more "Elle Decor (loving Meg Ryan's home)"
She shares several design tips:
Design philosophy: “The whole idea is to keep things as simple as possible; I like everything pared down to its purest form.”
Consider the light: “The light on Martha’s Vineyard is the most beautiful light ever. It’s like the light in an Edward Hopper painting. It’s absolutely beautiful, just operatic—how the sun rises and sets, and then the moon comes up and goes down. I’m so infatuated with it that I don’t have anything on the walls except for a couple of maps.”
The decor should reflect the structure and setting “My house is a sturdy thing that has survived nor’easters. Where the house was situated, on a hill, and the sturdiness of it was what I loved. The post-and-beam design is about seeing the skeleton of the house, but it felt like there were no walls. I thought if I added Sheetrock walls to it, it would clean it all up and make it feel more finished. Now it feels unencumbered. There’s a real purity to it.”
Live in a place before making any decisions. “I lived here for a year before I did anything to the house, which I think is a smart thing to do before you renovate. You want to see how people move around the house, where the traffic is, and where people like to be. My interior designer, Marsha Russell of Satinwood Ltd., and I figured that out first before we changed anything—though I ended up overruling the architect a few times.”
Practicality rules. “There’s nothing easily broken in my house. There are no side tables in any of the bedrooms, just shelves that stick out from the wall. The outside is so beautiful—the simpler the inside is, the more you are going to stare out the window.”
Make the most of a few materials. “I just went around putting in painted-brick and bluestone in the bathrooms. And I found some old sinks in upstate New York, including a huge soapstone farm sink that I installed atop stacked painted-bricks.”
Look locally for inspiration. “I went to a fantastic old Vineyard house—full of painted-brick and cast iron in the kitchen. I took tons of pictures of that, and that became thematic for my own home.”
White is right. “I used a combination of different shades of Farrow & Ball white paints—there are several whites on the walls.”
Textures soften a space“I wanted the furniture to be comfortable and not hard-edged, and the gray mesh curtains soften all of the angles of the room. There’s a mix of textures—masculine and feminine; soft and hard.”
If you like it, stick with it“I found a vintage light fixture I liked, so I had them copied and made two for each bedroom.”
Never stop looking for inspiration“I do nothing but rip pages out of magazines. One idea leads to the next.”
Checklist for Hiring a Builder or Remodeler
You have a home design you love - now it's time to find a builder. Here is great information from the National Association of Home Builders we want to pass on. If you are building a new home or addition, or remodeling your home, use this checklist to help you select a builder to perform the work.
Does the builder or remodeler have a permanent business location and a good reputation with local banks and suppliers? - How long have they been in the building business? It usually takes three to five years to establish a financially sound business. Will they be around after the construction is complete to service any warranties?
- Have you called your local Better Business Bureau? They can alert you to any complaints.
- Does the builder/remodeler have sufficient workers compensation and general liability insurance? If not, you may be liable for any construction-related accidents on your premises.
- Will the builder/remodeler provide you with names of previous customers? Ask them if they would hire the builder/remodeler again.
- Have you seen the builder/remodelers work, both completed and in progress? Check for quality of workmanship and materials.
- Are you able to communicate with the builder/remodeler? Remember you will be in close contact with them throughout the construction process and afterward as you live in your new home.
- Will the builder/remodeler provide you with a complete and clearly written contract? The contract will benefit both of you. Review it carefully.
- Be cautious of unusually low-priced bids. If the builder/remodeler is unable to pay for the materials and labor as the project proceeds, this may indicate a potential problem.
Your architect can also refer builders in your area and set up interviews to match you with the best builder for can also refer builders in your area and set up interviews to match you with the best builder for your project.
Source: http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=125965
Tour Homes in Austin's Most Coveted Neighborhood This Weekend
18th Annual Heritage Homes Tour
May 22, 2010
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The Heritage Society of Austin is very excited to announce “Livin’ in River City”, the 18th annual Heritage Homes Tour. This year’s tour will explore how the lower Colorado River shaped the development of West Austin.Six architectural gems will tell the story of Austinites beating the summer heat by retreating to fishing cabins and summer homes near the river, which eventually evolved into the Tarrytown neighborhood.
Tour highlights will include fascinatingly unique stone homes on Scenic Drive which began as fishing cabins, including one where Robert Redford spent his youthful summers.
Click here for more information:
http://www.heritagesocietyaustin.org/hht2010.html
A peek at featured houses:
2008 Scenic Drive
2900 Tarry Trail
2105 Scenic Drive
