I got my GoldFix on!

Literally! Remember the overly matchy-matchy frame for Avery's room art? I ended up finding an oil-based gold paint, similar to artists' paint to refinish the frame in a much better gild!

The paint had a paste consistency, so it was perfect for dabbing and spreading. The idea was to not get it into every nook and cranny of the frame - perfectly imperfect.

Hope to get this little lady hung tonight, and wrap up the other details of the Big Girl Room so you gals can give me your best critiques!

Rio Recap

Just a quick recap of last weekend's trip to Rio before we all bug out for lots of food, family, and football! (I know I promised a full reveal of Avery's room, but let's hold that thought until next week, 'kay?)

Ben had work to tend to this week in Rio, so we tagged along for some R&R over the weekend, and to visit with good friends. If you weren't a MLHP groupie last year at this time, be sure to check out the post I did on our hosts' amazing and beautiful home.

I didn't think it could get any more lovely - until I saw their newest addition...

Oh yes, just a little infinity pool, with an incredible view of the beach. Why certainly, we'd love to come back! ;)
Speaking of beaches, here's one nearby where surfers of all ages abounded with the high tide

We hit up one of my favorite spots for great gift ideas, and even better people watching - the infamous Ipanema Hippie Fair - held each Sunday. There is a load of wonderful (and incredibly affordable) art, hand crafts, and yes, some tourist knick-knacks.

That painting of the Christos (top row, middle) nearly came home with us. Next time, my love, next time. (Unless of course, we opt for the Carnaval god-dess there on the left)

Have you seen these white, patchwork hide rugs at Serena & Lily? They call them the "Brazilian Rug." Yep, same ones - about a third of the S&L price. If you want one, let me know. I'll be going back to buy a hide sooooon....

...so I can rock it like Lauren!

via Pure Style Home

The last night, we stayed in Ipanema. We weren't right on the beach, but our room had a nice (albeit tiny) view of The Christos.

Walking along the beach before dinner...

Pão de Açúcar

We considered a bite from here...

...But, thought it might taste, well, like....

And, right before settling on a spot, passed the Girl from Ipanema bar - where Jobim and Moraes allegedly wrote that mesmerizing tune...

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

***Obrigada, again, Alex and Anelisa for your limitless hospitality!

Creating a Winter Wonderland

image via FineStationery on Flickr

It is quickly becoming the time of year when we plan our holiday home decor. For many, the traditional green and red doesn't strike a design chord, or simply doesn't fit their home's style. Enter sparkling, winter white kissed with a generous sprinkling of silver. A perfect, frosty neutral!
This look involves lots of pearly white, crystal or glass, and plenty of shimma shimma! Aaaand, it occurred to me that a beautiful vignette or tablescape in this winter wonderland theme could be achieved with the help of some key items from MLHP's sponsor, The Inglenook Decor.

We could start our look with tons of candlelight. Votives or tealights would be perfect in these Ribbed Urn Mercury Glass votive holders.

Beautifully paired with these etched Laurel Berry Cloches

I'd serve white wine in these delicate Amelie Lustre Glasses

...And, round it all off with a large glass bowl full of these antiqued mercury glass Finch Ornaments, certainly not forgetting lots of crisp, white table linens.

After you stuff yourself silly on Thursday, take a minute to stop by The Inglenook Decor to start planning your decor and gift giving!

Little Happies; Happy Tape

Have you seen these?

Japanese Washi paper tapes

aka Happy Tapes

Could make for extra-fun holiday packages. Go Here for more.

That's what I'm talking about

This is going to be soooo much better! Catch ya next week with the completed job, and maybe (if you're nice) a finale shot of Avery's room! Have a wonderful weekend!

If I can't say anything nice...

**Disclaimer** Do not read this post if you'd like to function under the assumption that I'm a Brazilian bon-bon-eating blogstress (but stay, please, if you are easily amused...)

Vintage leather chairs, by Isaac Mizrahi

A few reasons why this week needs to go ahead and wrap itself up:

1) Avery's been sick with what her pediatrician called a "summer cold." No real symptoms, other than a high fever, general malaise, crankiness and disrupted sleep. Poor kiddo - I think she wants to feel better, but in the meantime, doesn't mind taking it out on Mommy and Daddy.

Awesome kitchen and banquet in the background - source unknown.

2) A Country selected to host the 2016 Olympics needs to get it's you-know-what together in terms of basic infrastructure, like say, um....ELECTRICITY. Last night, the power went off and on, off an on, in ten to sixty minute increments for four hours for no apparent reason.

Victoria Pearson's kitchen via my favorite HB spread

3) My ass has challenged my baby bump to a "Who can grow the biggest" contest - and is winning.
In Brazil, there are three "classifications" to the size of a rear end: Bundinha = Tiny Hiney (a la Avery's cutie), Bunda = Classic, normal rear end, and then there's the Bundão = Bootylicious (demonstrated here by Ben's oh-so-classy bottle opener)

When I whine to Ben about second-pregnancy rump woes, he says "You'll bounce back like you did last time." But, I know him - I can hear the "if-I-make-it-a-factual-statement-it-will-be"ish in his voice.
With all due respect, please spare me the smug comments about sitting on my developing Bundão to write blogs, read blogs, and generally wear a mold into the seat. I have a BS in Nutrition, with a Minor in Sarcasm - I'm quite familiar with the equation of more input + less output = wearing lots of black. What can I say, I'm committed to you MLHP groupies. Apparently, Fat and Fabulous, too.

...and her bathroom, too.

4) Can I have a design mulligan? I took the cool Paris map print for Avery's room to the framers. I originally hoped for a gilt-look frame, but they are ridiculously expensive down here, so, I chose a white frame with a nice relief, and asked if they could paint it. For whatever reason, I thought the blue paint I used on Avery's bed would work - you know, coordinating colors, etc, etc. but now, it's WAY too matchy-matchy (something I detest).

When I asked Ben what he thought...he said, "Well, I wouldn't have done it like that." Thanks, hon - feel soooo much better. So, what do you think? It's professionally framed, so I'm not easily poppin' that baby out to spray the frame. Should I just try to seal the glass as best as possible, and paint it another color - any color besides the ubiquitous ink blue? Would I be insane to try to paint it gold?

Oh, and her patio.

...But (thankfully), there's a silver lining...
Yesterday, I hosted a playdate for the kiddos to paint dough Christmas ornaments. It was crazy and chaotic, but lots of fun watching all their creativity come alive.

We're off to visit good friends in Rio this weekend, and I can't wait for the change of scenery. I promise to return rant-free (hey, at least I threw in some eye candy for ya! ;)

Just a Healthy Discussion

I realize I might be picking a bone with this....but, have you ever thought that some designers go a little over the top when it comes to their "signature" style?

I had a bit of a brainstorm after a little convo with Jenny from MFAMB, after she posted a pic of this bedroom done by Kelly Wearstler, and commented how she neither delighted in nor hated the room.I'm going to go out on a limb here and saying "blech!" I feel that, rather than truly being unique, Wearstler worked very deliberately to give this room the "I'm-so-over-Imperial-Trellis-and-now-do-strange-stuff" Kelly Wearstler treatment.

I feel like the glamazon who designed this room...

...Was replaced by the design duo of Abby Cadaby/Olivia-Newton-John.

I feel Wearstler must have been so weary of being typecast as the Queen of Hollywood Regency, that she drifted into this realm of renewed 70s with the sort of flagrant devil-may-care attitude that only someone supremely confident in their marketability has (not that that's a bad thing.)
A year ago, Apartment Therapy stated that Wearstler's "new" design aesthetic had yet to take off....

Hmmm...can't imagine why it hadn't???

The latest issue of Metropolitan Home featured her Malibu beach house, and it appears she's still pushing this 70's redux "moment."

With all due respect to the design chops she's earned...I'll take a pass.

But Wearstler's attempt to "move on" from the peak of 30's glamour leads me to a larger issue: That some designers, who have become well-known for a particular "look" chose one of two paths.
They may, in an effort to stay fresh (among the design glitterati), resort to bizarre aberrations of their seminal style. Alternately, they chose to look to that huge goddess in the sky known as "branding," and become parodies of their own work.

I feel Jonathan Adler is a prime example of the latter choice. I really like his work, so this is not coming from a crabby place, but must we be inundated by "Adler-isms" in all his designs? Chinoiserie - check. His own pottery - check. Graphic patterns - check. It all seems rather predictable.

I suspect there is method (and money) in the madness. Clients don't hire Jonathan Adler to not have a "signature" Adler space, and those who hire Wearstler likely deem themselves on the cutting edge of the next-best-thing in design, and want their spaces to reflect that.

So I ask, if we were to hire a famous designer, would we want everyone (or, at least our design-junkie friends) to be able to walk into a room and declare, "Oh, so-and-so did this room?"
Is a designer in fact chosen on the basis of his or her tried-and-true aesthetic, and expected to carry it out without straying from his particular formula - even if it turns out being the interior design equivalent of an overused logo?