inspired by Aspen

The view of Ajax mountain from our living room and balcony is simply stunning and one of the reasons I initially loved this apartment.  Waking up to see the mountain is so peaceful and the perfect way to start to the day!

I have rustic, cozy interiors on my mind.  I love how these rooms feel fresh, but still reflect the ski lodge spirit.

new year

I hope you all enjoyed the holidays!  I had a wonderful time catching up with family and friends, while enjoying a little blogging break.  I spent a busy eight days in New York enjoying the city, seeing our great friends for New Years Eve, and working on the Soho Studio I designed... just a few last decorating details and it will be complete!  Andrew and I also soaked up lots of time with his amazing nephew and the sweet new twins.

I am so thrilled that after a very long lead time our new sofa arrived yesterday!  Talk about creating a positive change in our living space to start the new year off right.  I wish some of the proportions were a bit different but it's always hard when shopping for an existing item rather than designing a custom upholstered piece of furniture.  I still smile every time I walk in the room now (though please excuse the grainy iphone photo) and can't wait to get some colorful decorative pillows in the works!

how to frame a scarf

I'm trying to get a few last minute things done before I head off to Ohio & New York for the holidays.  I had this lovely silk scarf I knew, unfortunately, I'd never actually wear.  The more I looked at it the more I knew it would make the perfect piece of art for my office, and I loved that it would bring in a good dose of color.

I didn't realize how much I missed my wonderful art framer until I began plotting my own framing!  I knew I wanted a thin silver leaf frame with just a little detail, so I was happy when I came across this profile.

After measuring the length and width of the scarf, and subtracting a half inch from each side to be sure the edges of the scarf wouldn't show, I placed an order.  The frame arrived within a week, but unfortunately it arrived without assembly directions.  Not that this is rocket science but still, it's new to me.  After searching around a bit online I found some good tips and got to work.

The frame was easy to put together with a bit of wood glue and the included fasteners.  I do wish the corner seams were a bit tighter, but it's not bad. 

I laid the freshly pressed scarf over the acid free foam core backing I ordered and used straight dressmaker pins to secure the scarf to the edges of the foam core.  This part was incredibly easy and even a little fun.

Once the scarf was perfectly pinned in place I moved it over to the frame and carefully laid it on top of the glass. Several Glazier points hold the backing in place.  After adding the included hanging hardware I was set!

Now I love walking by the room and peaking in to see my new artwork!

Color of the year for 2013!

Pantone just announced the color of 2013.... Emerald Green!  I could not be more excited since Emerald is one of my favorite colors for both the home and fashion.  It's fresh, fun and can be mixed with a wide range of other colors or left on it's own as the main pop.

gifts that give back

Looking for that perfect gift?  Why not choose one that gives back.  All of these lovely items are either from companies who donate a percentage of their sales to charity, or online shops which directly benefit the artisans in impoverished areas who make them.

Handwoven scarf

Nest birch candle

Leather passport cover

Two surfers at Rockaway photograph

Brass Rupee earrings

Printed foldover clutch

One Hope Merlot

cozy up

One of the easiest ways to add warmth to any space is through the use of sheepskin throws. Either casually tossed over a chair or placed on the floor these little throws do wonders for a room.  I threw one over a chair in my living room and haven't thought about the hideous cushion hiding underneath once since then. How easy!

The best part?  They are extremely easy to find.  Ikea sells a version (though you generally have to dig around a bit in person to find a good looking one) and Design Within Reach has some really lovely ones as well.

holiday decor

It's that time again!  The holidays are officially here and my mind is quickly turning to festive decor.  I love the simplicity and pop of unexpected color this wreath brings, made by the ever creative folks from Real Simple.

This sweet little "kissing ball" was created by Martha Stewart, of course.

I'm thinking of keeping things simple this year and a little tree like this seems doable.

Some other lovely images that have me inspired...

This gorgeous home is so perfectly decorated it's making me miss New England in the winter!