1-800- FAKE MUNTINS

I live in a neighborhood in the suburbs that is known for McMansions, large imposing houses that lack architectural integrity. I have a small peeve about the majority of these houses that I formerly blamed the uneducated Joe Blow builder for; however, I have come to realize that that blame lies in that of the buyer because they are obviously willing to plop down several hundred thousand to a couple of million for FAKE ALUMINUM TRIMMED WINDOWS. Why aren't consumers savvy enough to know that the builder just put trailer house windows in a million dollar home? Oh my GOD!! Not only are their windows fake and super cheap looking, but the are inoperable and during Hurricane IKE the owners of many of these ugly window bearing McMansions roasted inside their houses during the day and night. Rather than shelling out twenty thousand dollars on plantation shutters after the fact, put the money in the windows to begin with.

When aluminum windows are in a juxtaposition with wood French Doors... WOW!

This builder not only used fake windows, but didn't even trim out the interior. This would be acceptable for a lower budget home I suppose, but his one is almost a million.

Notice the windows specified for the turrett, the main architectural focus of this home.




I am at a loss for words.

Sunshiney Day at Crave

I recently discovered CRAVE CUPCAKES in Uptown Park. Not only are the cupcakes super Marsha Brady dreamy, but the interior design makes you happy to be alive. The aqua vintage aesthetic is very 1950's main street. It is clean and fresh and they sell vintage sodas in a a bottle. I find myself popping in several times a week just to be in the presence of Sunshine! If you are in Houston, stop by and perhaps I will see you there!

Back in Black... it is good to be back!!!

black walls contrast so beautifully with Chicago Brick

before.. blah builder colors

I actually have a quiet house and a sleeping baby, so I wanted to share with you some photos of a design job I did. My client built a beautiful custom home, but was "bored" and wanted her home to be les cliche`. The last photo is the "before". It is amazing what creating contrast will do for interiors. I had to do some coaxing when I first presented black, as it is a bit unconventional. In the end the client was so super pleased.

Namaste

I am on the road to enlightenment. I put my computer aside and have spent several weeks on an intense spiritual quest. I almost feel like my old self; however, much less ambitious and much more Zen. I am thoroughly engrossed in yoga, meditation, religion, deep study, nutrition, and chiropractic healing, with a little Reiki on top. I have come to a crossroads and I decided "to take the road less traveled" again...

By the way, if any of you find yourself smothered in light blue and brown, substitute the brown with bit of kelly green and happy orange. It make your space smile again. "Nothing brown can stay."

Have your cake and eat it too!

Attention: buyers, designers, architects, and artists.. .2008 -2012 will be a Rococo Revival. Here is something you can take to market! Occasionally, I get a call from a certain magazine editor asking me to give her a heads up on the next "big" trend. I may be a "has-been", but I still have a idiot sevantish-ability to predict trends 1 - 2 years in advice. Several times I have thought I no longer possessed this ability, and somehow it always hits me when I least expect it. This time; however, I am going to publish this so all of my designer friends can profit off of it since I no longer have the energy to so.

From late 2008 stretching all the way to 2012 the main trend in design, fashion, and living is DECADENCE. Very Baroque, Rococo, Louis XIV furniture upholstered in lots of red, pink, and gold large-scaled damask. Just for the heck of it, indulge in fine chocolates and pastries that your have ordered from France even though they look way too beautiful to eat. You know that gold flat wear that you ostentatious aunt may have owned? It will be way hot! It is going to be perfectly acceptable to indulge a little and enjoy the finer things in life. How about forgoing a video rental and splurging on tickets to the opera? We may only have until 2012, right?

Ahoy, It's Yachting Season!

Its time to drag out my black and white nautical shirts and accessories and attempt to squeeze into my white linen pants. This is a great 60's fad, that will forever be en vogue. I have not found a source to buy these in the US lately other than Restoration Hardware's sale catalog; however you can peruse http://www.brittanyboutique.com/ or http://www.bretonshirts.co.uk.

KISS MY..... BLACK SATIN NAILS!

I recently made a business trip to Pennsylvania to meet with the Dutch and they sucked the life out of me; hence no recent posts. The only thing that has gotten me through is the subliminal message that my black satin nails send. They give me power; similar to that that a certain finger gesture, but in a non offensive manor. Bob would be proud. This great fad is sooooo 60's and soooooo reminiscent of UTOPIA. I just need to find some some pink frosted lip stick.

Oscar Town

Marfa took center stage this year at the Oscars for No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. In this little corner of the earth where nothing ever really happens except for a earthquake in 1993, a secession from the United States in 199o something, or maybe a train derailment yesterday, this is BIG NEWS!

Super Bowl Soiree?

First of all, I must begin by saying this was this was the second Super Bowl that I have attended since 1989. I swore them off after my gay-cowboy boyfriend drove me several hours to a desolate ranch in the flat, ugly party of New Mexico for his family's annual "party of the year". Keep in mind, it was the 80's...I sat on a wagon-wheel sofa and chatted with a fifty or so big hair wearin women... one in particular was a lady with a bird on her cowboy hat that introduced herself as PECKERHEAD.

Last week, we were invited to our neighbors home, La fourche, to watch the Super Bowl and I gave it another shot. La Fourche is a reproduction of one of the Louisiana plantations on River Road. The owners, one of which is one of Houston's great architects, even commissioned a reproduction of Napolean Crossing the Alps by David. Why Napolean you ask? Well, he was French and apparently if he was alive, he would have gifted them with a French bathtub or something like that. Once they give me the go-ahead, I will feature their home in a post; however until then, enjoy the photos of their party. We had a wonderful time. By the way, I no longer have Super Bowl party anxiety,and I am filled with anticipation about next year.

one of the 2 kitchen islands .... one is for cooking (soapstone) and the other is for baking (marble)

Garett preparing dinner

Derek & Baby Henry

p.s. Before you email me, I have nothing against big hair, wagon wheel sofas, or Gay Cowboys; however, If you introduce yourself as Peckerhead...

Little Girl With Tap Shoes

Yesterday evening I received proofs of an oil painting that my dear friend Marion Wood has been working on for three years. This masterpiece is so special to me because my daughters posed for this in our first home in front of our piano with Princes Inga, my late father in law's kitty cat.

If you have ever taken an art history class, there are four crucial things you must know: artist, period, title, and date. If you are a true historian of art; however, you know who, what, when, where, and why. I imagine this painting in an art history book a hundred years from now or more realistically hanging above the fireplace in my great-grandaughter or grandson's home. What story about this moment in 2005 will my descendants tell to their friends, children, and hopefully grand-children? Will it be referred to as Jillian & Elise, or will the names be lost and will they call it, Little Girl Playing Piano for Sister in Tap Shoes?

On the late summer day in 2005 when this moment was captured, I was in the height of being a d-list celebrity. Hours before I had attended a fund raiser for Clothes off our Back with W Magazine. Like an absolute fool I hugged the editor of W out of nervousness and made a boob out of myself...I will blog about that later. I had even shared a cocktail with Tommy Lee. (That is for you groovy girl) I flew in to Houston and went straight to the floral market to pick up day lilies per the request of Marion, because they represent rebirth. I don't quite remember dinner, but I do know Marion stayed the night with us and she studied the angle of our great room for hours. At about 7am she popped out of bed and said something like, "by golly, I got it", and she started sketching like a mad woman. Jillian and Elise posed for a couple of hours. At first it was exciting for them, and after about 10 minutes they had had enough... much like our 2005 Christmas Card... Iwill post later.

The tap shoes on Elise; however, will always be a mystery. Did I brain-lapse, did I intentionally put the tap shoe on Elise because that is all we could find, or did Elise put them on herself? At any rate or as I quote Kurt Vonnegut, "so it goes", the tap shoe makes history and this moment in time was immortalized.

Bean's Room

I was visiting a popular blog today and I ran in to one of my close friends from college. She entered her gender neutral nursery in a design competition. I think you can still vote for her. I hope she wins, and her prize is something really great like a house in Tuscany for a month and she invites us. She and I, along with her husband, were art majors. He is now a highly coveted graphic designer. Back in the day, he did all of my graphics and website. I will blog about that later. Until then, enjoy. It reminds me of the large-scale floral interpretation that Painted Groove blogged about recently.

If I Had a Coke Machine, I Would Stock It With IZZE

Bob has a coke machine and for the last 25 years you can buy a wide variety of soda pops for $.35. My favorite has always been his "Orange Coke" selection.

Yesterday I stopped by the market to get some refreshments for an afternoon presentation, and picked up some IZZE Clementine Sodas because they look great with my architectural finishes. I purchased some IZZE's several months ago, and they were the darling of my presentation. They were so super yummy that for the next few months I overindulged in any brand of fizzy orange drinks; not realizing that there was a BIG DIFFERENCE.

This morning as I was working on my computer, I realized I had a left-over-IZZE from yesterday; so,I decided to break my healthy life-style diet or did I? READ THIS.... as I look at my nicely designed IZZE bottle thinking, "I should blog something like.... looks great, and tastes great too"; I realized that IZZE is not just fizzy corn syrup like other orange sodas. IZZE is naturally sweet; 70% fruit juice and 30% sparkling water, no refined sugar, no caffeine, no artificial anything. I feel like I have won the lottery! If I had only known this last summer, I am sure I would be back in my jeans by now. There are a plethora of flavors available: LIMON, BLACK RASBERRY, and even POMEGRANATE. IZZE SODA POPS are available in cans too.

Saving Pool Sluts...one at a time

I live in Suburbia. Have I mentioned that? For the last decade I have seen the same tropical oasis swimming pool in hundreds of yards. You know what I am talking about... a Lima bean shaped swimming pool flanked by large authentic or fake rocks; accompanied with tropical trees and waterfalls.

There are big ones, medium-ones, and itsy bitsy teenie ones. While they can be architecturally stimulating if your house is designed with a Caribbean aesthetic, they can also create disconnect with traditional or more modern architecture; hence, an all- together different type of design block.

My mission today is to offer some alternative design ideas for those of you that will embark on a pool design in future. Before your pool designer / contractor comes over with his bag of tricks to entice you, be mindful of the style of your home. It is easy it is to get seduced by these themeparkish pools; but remember, we have to be able to look ourselves in the mirror the next morning.

ideas:

hasta luego