Haus Design

More Lake House Beauty

2012-05-27T00:30:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post for today, since I'm busy enjoying our long weekend! :) As a follow on to my Lake House post recently, here are a few more lake house settings that I think are tranquil and quite special! Long weekends and a lake house just go hand in hand as the all-American experience in my mind. See what you think:

My favorite style for a beach house - shingled with white trim - works equally well in a lakeside setting.

I love how this house is unassuming, yet welcoming, even in the most inclement weather.

Notice the hammock...

After a great dinner, a midnight swim!

This picture captures the feeling that a lake house brings, regardless of how the actual house looks. Don't you think?

I hope your weekend is full of fun and relaxation!

Sources

An Enchanted Garden

2012-05-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

I don't usually do garden posts. I have a black thumb, pulling weeds makes me very grumpy, and I am just plain not into it. However, my sister keeps insisting that gardening is just like interior design, only with natural elements. You still have to consider texture, color, shape, size, etc... You know what? She's right!

Even though it gives me a headache to do yardwork, I do love/appreciate/enjoy a beautiful garden, so here are a few elements that I find particularly magical:

Water features...

Potted fruits...

(ahem, notice that I am drawn to hot weather fruits that are impossible to grow in the Pacific NW!)

Espaliered branches and vines...

Inviting walkways, ideally in full bloom...

What makes a garden enchanted for you?

Wishing you a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Sources

Relaxing Outdoor Spaces

2012-05-23T00:30:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say anyone in the nothern hemisphere is getting more motivated to be outside in soothing, natural surroundings. The weather is improving here in Seattle (on average) and Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner so that is certainly happening here in the NW. Those of you that have been following my blog for a long time might remember my series from last Spring called Fresh Air. I have found more beautiful inspirations since that time, so here is the latest installment!

This is apparently called a "Thunder House" to escape a downpour. Love that!

This reminds me of our outdoor shower in Bali - heaven!

I really like the natural simplicity in this space.

Taupe paint on stone, black metal accents and trailing vines? I'm done.

Now stop reading my blog and go outside! :)

Sources

A Sampling Of Lovelies

2012-05-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a great weekend...we had a great one in spite of the sun being a bit more stubborn about showing itself in spite of the great forecast! I guess that's life in Seattle...:) We are just keeping our fingers crossed that the weather clears soon so our hosue can finish being painted...feeling very "half done" with a lot of things lately!

Thanks so much for the positive feedback on the new additions to Linen Haus also. I got a few inquiries/comments about the books I posted that sold that same day. The good news is that I have more beautiful books in my inventory, so I'll be putting those up on the shop shortly! I'll post about it when I do...

Speaking of beautiful books, I thought I'd share a few beautiful things I have found lately. As I often do, it's a random assortment, but hopefully you'll see something you like!

I hope you enjoyed these!

All sources and more inspiration can be found on my pinterest boards here.

New Items At Linen Haus

2012-05-18T00:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody! It's Friday and I'm ready. The weather is supposed to be great all weekend and we have plans to get out and enjoy it while we can! We will be grilling both days, ~~ignoring our huge to do list~~ enjoying the sunshine and some new Seattle friends.

I have added some things to the shop that I thought you all might like to see. Here is a sampling of what's new:

The linens that inspired it all...rescued from an old castle in Bavaria, with a gorgeous sheen and lovely french ticking in a variety of colors (more coming soon). These tablecloths are ideal for everything from long, elegant dining tables to casual provence style outdoor settings. Or, if you'd rather use them in a creative direction, they'd make beautiful fabric for pillows, throws and other decor.

Vintage books - in amazing condition! Ideal for beautiful vignettes.

Vintage Botanicals on a large scale with vibrant colors.

Someone had better snap these up quick. I am very tempted to frame them in a grouping above the bed in our master!

Monogrammed vintage tea towels with a lovely damask design.

A variety of Hungarian Seltzer Bottles - they add great character to a kitchen.

Stop by and take a look if you have a minute.

I'll be adding more in the next few weeks so there is more to come!

Have a great weekend!

Charming Courtyards Part II

2012-05-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

As a follow on from my post yesterday, here are a few more courtyards that I think are absolutely lovely! Enjoy...

This is a charming little courtyard we stumbled upon in Copenhagen last year. This is my favorite way to dine in Europe: al fresco in a courtyard, sheltered from the bustle of the street but not completely removed from all of that energy. And, of course, great food and even better people watching. Love it!

Sources

Charming Courtyards Part I

2012-05-16T00:30:00.000-07:00

I have posted about courtyards before but I have more to show you, so I'll be doing a few posts over the next several days to share them with you. Enjoy the romance of these cozy, yet elegant, spots. I can't resist them!

Love that gorgeous brickwork!

Lush, with elegant brickwork and a water feature? Amazing.

Spanish Style works for me too!

This brings back good memories of trips to Spain and Italy, where courtyards are a must to escape that sizzling heat.

Inviting in the best possible way!

I hope you enjoyed these. More coming soon!

Sources

Designer Envy: McAlpine Tankersley Architects

2012-05-15T00:30:00.000-07:00

Does it get any better than McAlpine Tankersley Architects? Not in my book!

Recently Heather from Satisfying Spaces blog posted a few pictures of one of their new homes in Texas. I have loved their work for quite a while but this home was new to me and it reminded me how amazing their designs are for exteriors and interiors. I asked her if I could re-post it so I could share it with all of you. (Thanks Heather!)

That got me started, but I had to share even more of their amazing work in addition to this recent addition to their portfolio. I love their consistenly masculine lines with a hint of European elegance that is still down to earth...not to mention that classic combination of neutral stones and black accents. The best, in my opinion!

Anyway, take a look for yourself and see what you think:

This is the new home...

Such a lovely rustic eating area - perfect for the Texas climate!

Maybe I have them to thank for my infatuation with dark doors??

(BTW our exterior painting is starting this week, very much like this - can't wait! Some of you asked for paint colors - yes, I will definitely share colors and a glimpse when it's done)

Do you love their work as much as I do?

If so, what do you think makes it so special?

Oh, and thanks for the fun comments yesterday about your favorite bars. I enjoyed hearing about the best watering holes, and now I have my bucket list of bars for my future travels. :)

I'll Be In The Bar

2012-05-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great Mother's Day.

We are doing some remodeling on the new house and as part of that we are adding a small-ish bar/butler's pantry area off of our dining room. It's been going on for two weeks now and I'm crossing my fingers that it will be complete by the end of this week!

Designing what we wanted prompted me to look around for some inspirations for great home bar areas. Check out these fun inspirational bars (residential and commerical) and other bar-/wine-related deas:

I love the look of this bar! Notice the worn finish on the stools and bar.

This was a great "wine wall" at a chic wine bar I visited on my trip to Amsterdam in May of last year.

A great non-permanent solution...

Ours will have a shelf across the top with three units like this - I am excited about this fun detail!

So fun!

What's the coolest bar (in terms of design) that you have ever been to?

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I'll be taking tomorrow off from blogging to enjoy some special Mother's Day treats as well as the Seattle sunshine! For some inspiration, here are a few lovely places I'd love to hang out on Mother's Day:

Brunch in the garden

The perfect spot to curl up with a good book (or a good blog...)

Ideal for some snuggles with my little ones, in style.

A midnight swim (well, maybe not in Seattle - at least not yet!)

What an entry! I'm not quite sure what this has to do with enjoying Mother's Day, but it sure is pretty. :)

Lunch here? Yes, please.

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

I have requested home made cupcakes, decorated by my kids.

Unlike those above, they will be perfectly imperfect, and I can't wait.

To all of the mothers out there: Have a wonderful day!

Sources

Meet Me At The Lake

2012-05-11T00:30:00.000-07:00

Are you a beach person or a lake person? I have always been a beach person, but I guess it's not surprising that Seattle, surrounded by lakes and various other waterways, is inspiring me to seek out beautiful designs for lake houses. I think this will be the first of several posts coming up, but here are my various dreamy images of lake houses and decor (at least so far). Enjoy!

Gorgeous reflections of the fall leaves on the still water...stunning.

I know this one has been posted a lot but it really is magical!

I think it captures the appeal of a lake house perfectly.

Bunkbeds are required.

Simple and clean - letting the view of the water be the star!

A dog is in heaven around water, right? These babies want to escape and splash around.

If you could have your dream lake house, what would it look like?

A Few Great Things

2012-05-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post a few random things that have come my way lately...hope you enjoy them!

I love the easy, breezy feel of this room without compromising on style.

(or pet friendliness!)

This is a unique space overall... It's not exactly beautiful in the traditional sense, yet something about it really intrigues me. What is it?

This makes me want to grab a novel and jump on a plane to Mexico right now!

But this one makes me want to go there even more.
Apparently this is Johnny Depp's Mexican hideaway. Not bad eh?

Another shot of orange and lots of textures.

What a cool playroom - love that table and the adorable benches!

No need for words, right?

Is this kitchen timeless and classic, or boring and bland?

I really like this quote. I have always said if you ask someone for advice, you'll know what you want to do by thinking about what you hope they will say to you...

That's it for today!

All sources be found on my pinterest boards here.

So Clever, So Stunning

2012-05-08T06:34:00.001-07:00

I just love a dark door...inside or out. We are about to have our front door painted a striking black (along with the rest of the house, but not in black :)) and I'm so excited. I have been wanting to have a black front door for a long time - now I just have to wait for the Seattle weather to hold long enough for the paint to stick!

For interiors, it's an easy trick that can be done with even to the most traditional white trim. For today's post I have gathered up a few beautiful examples of them used, primarily on interiors. I love this look - it adds a touch of masculine to a room for immediate sophistication. See what you think:

I love the contrast with the warmth of the floors.

It even works well in a more feminine space, especially with floors like these.

What a unique dining area. Very Palm Springs, right?

What a gorgeous outdoor space. I love how the wicker is set off by the black background.

High Gloss: gorgeous.

This shot makes me a tiny bit "home" sick for Munich and all of Europe... Isn't it great surrounded by all of those more natural colors and forms?

It's also a great way to add weight and class to less expensive doors that you aren't able to replace just yet...

If you aren't ready to jump in completely, dark grey or navy can look really amazing too.

So what do you think? Have you done this in your home or a client's home?

If not, would you?

On a different note, many many many thanks for all of the supportive comments about Linen Haus. It was a great day because of all of you!

Sources

Linen Haus Is Live!

2012-05-07T00:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend. It was gorgeous weather in Seattle. I went for a run this morning (long overdue) and enjoyed some beautiful views of Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains. What a stunning view!

I also did some prep work on setting up Linen Haus on etsy. It was long overdue and I am so excited to finally make it a reality.

I am pleased to announce that Linen Haus, my online boutique, is live!

LinenHaus

I have more tweaking to do but I just couldn't wait any longer! Many more products will be added in the next couple of weeks, but here is a sampling of what is already on the site:

Please stop by and take a look when you have a minute. I'd love your feedback!

Weekend R&R

2012-05-04T13:30:00.002-07:00

Happy Friday Everyone! Today's post was delayed because we have some remodeling going on in the house and the internet connection got messed up. However, here I am as the week comes to a close. :)

First of all I wanted to send out a heartfelt THANK YOU to those that were so kind to leave a comment and/or send emails in support of my decision that I posted about yesterday. I really, really appreciate it. Your perspectives meant so much to me, reassuring me that following my instincts was the right thing to do. So...Thank You.

We have a very low key weekend ahead...hopefully we won't be working too hard on the never-ending house do list; rather just resting, relaxing and maybe a bit of Cinco de Mayo festivities. :) In light of R&R I thought a few images along those lines might be nice.

via

I could sit here forever, as long as someone kept bringing me yummies on a tray that looked like this...

via Lonny Magazine

OK maybe I'd better get up off the couch once in a while and enjoy that sea breeze up close. Maybe I'll wander over to these benches...

...and ponder this inspirational thought:

That's so true, isn't it??

I'll be back on Monday with some exciting news about Linen Haus!

A Post About Privacy

2012-05-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I have been procrastinating on writing this post, and I think you'll understand why in a minute. I know that a lot of you have been asking for pictures of our new home. I have not been ignoring you! This is how I've been feeling...

via

As much as I would love to share our home and all of the decorating fun that goes with it, after a lot of thought (and consulting with family, friends and fellow blogger friends) I have decided not to share large scale pictures of our home on my blog. As most of you know, I have a young family and I worry about security and privacy. I have never shown pictures of family members for the same reason and I think, at least at this point, it's a line I'm not comfortable crossing. Once it's out there, there is no going back (hence the picture above!). I will, however, share more pictures of projects and specific snip-its of our home as they relate to our home's design. I hope that will be a good compromise.

I am really disappointed about this decision because I know that for most of you, you want to see our home because you genuinely share a love of design and it would be perfectly safe. Believe me, I would love to show you! However, as with many things, a few can spoil it for all of us and unfortunately that's what's driving my decision.

I hope you can understand and support my decision. I also hope I haven't offended anyone who has decided to share photos - this is a personal choice and I respect that decision. Please leave a comment (even if you never have!) because I'd love to hear what your thoughts/reactions/ideas are.

Have a great Thursday and Thanks SO MUCH for reading.

Horchow Cart Giveaway - WOW!

2012-05-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

I got an email today for an awesome giveaway on Horchow.com that I thought I'd share with all of you. You can put up to $15,000 worth of items in your cart between now and May 7, and on May 8 one lucky winner will win ALL of the stuff in their cart! How cool is that?

(Yes, I'm aware that I'm reducing my chances by sharing this information, but I wanted to pass it along to all of you awesome followers! :))

In case you're interested, here is what is in my cart:

I normally wouldn't pick something lavendar, but I thought this was lovely.

If I won, I'd find a way to incorporate some lavendar in my master, with two chairs to match!

For my new family room, please...

I thought these were pretty, but with an edge...

We are in the market for a new headboard/footboard. This isn't exactly what I want, but close. And if the price was right...

Wouldn't this be beautiful in a bath with perfume bottles, or for a patio party?

You know I went crazy for this greek key lamp!

A little sweet simplicity for my kitchen counters perhaps?

Our dining room table got broken in the move so this would come in handy.

(We do get compensated for it but I'm still searching for the perfect one. This one expands for larger groups - love that flexibility!)

I can always find a spot - inside or outside - for a lovely stool like this one!

Gorgeous!

This was such a fun virtual shopping spree...and who knows...someone has to win!

I was kind of shocked how quickly I could rack up $15K in merchandise, but I'm sure that wouldn't surprise my husband one bit. :)

Have fun with it and good luck!

Rolling Up My Sleeves

2012-05-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy May Day! I am finally feeling the work at our new house ease up a bit and I'm ready to get busy on opening up my shop for Linen Haus! I know it's been a long time coming, so thank you to all of your for being so understanding for the delay. An international move is no small task, so putting it on hold was definitely necessary until now! Anyway, more on that later...for today, all that work (and pleasure :)) has inspired me to highlight a few more beautiful workspaces that I think are just lovely. If you'd like to see past posts you can look here and here. Enjoy!

Which one is your fave?

It's Growing On Me...

2012-04-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Hope you had a great weekend. I had a very close friend visit me for the weekend and it was great to have some girl time. We checked out a few great restaurants and bars in Seattle...it's so fun to explore our new hometown!

A while back I posted about trailing vines on homes and how much I loved it. I have just planted some around our entry area; however, I don't have much of a green thumb, so keep your fingers crossed that it "takes". Anyway, I thought it might be fun to look at a few more homes that have beautiful plantings that add to the architecture and style of a home:

I adore large pots next to a front door like these!

I'm not sure what to make of outdoor furniture covered with moss...it seems to keep popping up. What do you think?

A gorgeous courtyard always makes my heart skip a beat!

Doesn't this look divine???

Sources

Today I'm Loving...

2012-04-29T00:05:00.002-07:00

this stunning room and terrace in Manhattan! Oh, to have an unlimited decorating (and real estate) budget...:)

Inspiring Hallway Decor

2012-04-28T00:05:00.001-07:00

Do you have a boring hallway with zero personality? Perhaps some of these will provide you with some ideas - I know they did that for me! Take a look...

OK maybe most of us don't have museum-quality art and the hallway to match, but the lesson here is about repetition...

A little more "down to earth". Notice the clipboards for holding vintage ads maybe?

How original.

Stunning muted tones and high gloss mixed with rustic for great contrast.

Again, great repetition for high impact.

Simply beautiful. Love the doors.

A hallway big enough to call a room! Wow.

Love the fun mix in this image.

Love, love, love bookshelves in a hallway!

(great floors, lights and map too...)

Not sure how practical a couch in this space is but it looks nice...

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Thanks so much for reading.

Sources

Springtime Herbs...

2012-04-27T00:05:00.004-07:00

In our new kitchen, we have a beautiful bay window that is perfect for growing herbs, ready to be picked whenever I need a fresh sprig for my cooking. Love that! That got me looking for inspiration on herb gardens, both inside and out. I thought you might like to see what I found. Enjoy!

I love herbs mixed with copper!

European-style herb garden...

This is similar to my kitchen window area (although this one is nicer!)

Going vertical!

This is a shot of some of some of my herbs shortly after planting them last Spring. They were perched on an outer window sill right outside my kitchen in our house in Munich.

They got a lot of direct sun here and thrived and I could easily open the window and pluck whatever I needed...so yummy.

The urban herb garden...perhaps in Brooklyn?
(I was going to guess Stockholm until I saw the electrical outlet)

I love these moss covered herb pots!

With vintage tins - how sweet!

This is Martha Stewart's Herb Garden, divided by hedges...not bad. :)

I thought this Herb Garden kit makes a beautiful gift. Yep, it's Martha again!

sunset.com

via Space for Inspiration blog

I usually plant rosemary, lemon thyme, basil and mint (chocolate mint this year) every Spring. I always add sage even though I never cook with it - I just love those silvery green leaves! I am thinking of trying my hand at cilantro this year too. I think chives and dill should be in the mix also. Hmmm...that is going to be a full kitchen window sill!

Do you plant an herb garden? If so what do you plant?

If you enjoyed this post you might also like to read my post Herb-Infused.

Sources (unless otherwise noted)

Foyer Decorating Ideas

2012-04-26T00:05:00.001-07:00

I came across a string of amazing foyers recently that I just had to post - I think they are all noteworthy for one reason or another. Enjoy!

Any favorites?

Sources and more beautiful foyers can be found here.

Awe Inspiring Outdoor Spaces

2012-04-25T00:05:00.002-07:00

The weather is really starting to turn here in Seattle and that is inspiring me to think about getting outside, which leads me to beautiful outdoor spaces. Let's take a look together:

Check out those flames! Impressive.

Lunch in the French countryside anyone?

I just love the overall feel of this area...the lighting, the railing, the enclosed space.

So inviting!

Not bad, not bad at all.

I hope you enjoyed these! Let me know...

Sources

Today I'm Loving...

2012-04-24T13:25:00.001-07:00

...this stunning room full of contrasts: the Asian bonsai, gilded mirror, sculpture-quality lamp and tailored end table make it full of surprises. What do you think of it?

paloma81.blogspot.com