New Curtain Rods

Boy, what a catchy title… not! Anyway, they are pretty stellar, I must say. And, of course, they are for Pearson’s room. So the hunt for curtain rods was a long one because we covered two entire walls with drapery and we needed some pretty long rods. I immediately fell in love with these rods and finials from Restoration Hardware:

Restoration Hardware Estate Crystal Finials

The problem was that the rods weren’t long enough… total bummer! In order to get the curtains up and give me some time to hunt, we purchased long rods at Home Depot. You can see how they really stand out and kind of break up the illusion of height I was trying to create…

So one day as I was stalking my favorite acrylic website, Plexi-Craft, and found the perfect curtain rods AND finials! The beauty of it is that they make them custom so you can get any length you need! Not only are the finials gorgeous and mimic the Restoration Hardware finials, the brackets to hang the rods are stunning as well. Who would think a curtain rod bracket could be beautiful??

Acrylic Curtain Rods and Finials

Acrylic Curtain Rods

Plexi-Craft Acrylic Rod, Finial, & Bracket

And here’s the final result!

I love how they no longer create a horizontal line to stop the eye, but allow the drapes to stand alone and soften the space. They blend so much better with the chandelier! And so continues my obsession with acrylic… kind of an unexpected little hit of it, don’t you think?

P.S. As I was putting this post together, look what they now have at Home Depot by Martha Stewart! Talk about a stunning look on a budget! How pretty!!

xoxo

Amy

Ronda Carman & Amanda Nisbet in bed with SFERRA

So I have been following Ronda Carman‘s All The Best Blog for quite some time. A few years ago, I finally had the pleasure of meeting Ronda. She is so lovely and inspiring! Ultimately, she was one of the reasons I sat down at the computer and began my blog: House of Wentworth.

Not only does Ronda have an incredibly successful blog, she has become a social media maven for the design community. Along with her tastemaker/superstar status comes the title “Brand Ambassador” for the Italian luxury linen line SFERRA.

Recently SFERRA and Ronda have launched their new “In Bed With…” campaign where Ronda interviews a designer to gain “insight into their linen preferences, inspirations and cherished memories”. As you might guess from the series title, these interviews take place upon a bed swathed in the gorgeous Italian threads. Without further ado, here is a new release of Ronda interviewing the talented Amanda Nisbet for the “Pillow Talk” series:

Love these interviews and how Ronda has a way of taking “All The Best” people and brands in design and bringing them together in new ways! You can follow Ronda’s amazing journey through social media on her Blog, Facebook and Twitter.

A Glass of Pinot & some Baby Lifestyles…

So tonight my smarty pants husband and I are sharing a bottle of Calera Pinot Noir, 2006, Mt. Harlan Cuvée, to celebrate the end of his first year of grad school… Did I mention the smarty pants busted an A, as usual??

Calera 2006, Pinot Noir, Mt. Harlan Cuvée

Anyway, we are also toasting that Pearson’s Room was featured in the 2nd edition of Baby Lifestyles e-magazine. Check out pages 46-50! I was pretty excited! Also toasting Adam Japko for being such an amazing person and for introducing me to the many amazing folks I have met in my short blogging career…

All in all, life is good, and hopefully sacrificing now for dessert in the end will pair nicely with another glass of Calera… 🙂

Salute!

Amy

For the Love of Lucite!

Lucite, acrylic, plexiglass… no matter what you call it, decorating with a great piece of it is sure to add a touch of chic. One of my design obsessions is the combination of unexpected textures. By placing an acrylic piece in your space, you add a dash of modern sparkle. Not only does it reflect light beautifully but it does not take up any visual space… great for small houses like mine! Now on to some eye candy!
Just look how Jan Showers’ Mercer Bench finishes off this lovely room like a sparkly piece of jewelry…

Jan Showers' Mercer Bench

My super stylish friend, Kori, has an acrylic waterfall console in her entryway that is perfect. What a smart piece to use in a typically tight space. Here is an example of the same use by designer Colleen McGill. She really maximized the visual aspect of the acrylic by placing it directly in front of a floor to ceiling mirror. Brilliant!

Entry by Colleen McGill

And guess what?  You can decorate with acrylic on a budget! Just check out these Peekaboo Nesting Tables from CB2 for $199. CB2 carries several acrylic pieces in their Peekaboo line. You can even score similar tables on Overstock.com if the time is right! ($124.99!!!)

CB2 Peekaboo Nesting Tables

This acrylic and mirror bar cart from 1stdibs.com is sure to turn some heads!

Bar Cart from The Antique & Artisan Center on 1stDibs.com

Okay, just one more… this is like the acrylic custom cadillac of bar carts…

Bar Cart from Susane R Lifestyle Boutique on 1STDIBS.COM

Actually, I love acrylic pieces so much, that I’m going to split this post into several!! Sorry, but it must be done! Too much to share… Let me know what you think!

xoxo

Amy

Happy Memorial Day!

In honor of the good ol’ Red, White and Blue, I wanted to share a room decorated in the color theme. One tends to think of a more country or shabby chic style associated with the scheme, but Miles Redd put his creative spin on it… the result is a super classy and sophisticated take that I adore. So without further adieu, I give you this Miles Redd room from the annals of the beloved shelter magazine, Domino‘s “10 Ideas for High-Impact Decorating”…

Miles Redd via Domino Magazine

I love the high drama of the bed! It is definitely the statement piece! But give these high-gloss doors a look…

Miles Redd via Domino Magazine

I think the simple bedding is brilliant in toning down the bold Cherry calf upholstery. What do you think?

And If you miss Domino magazine as much as I do, you can reminisce and click through several of their great articles here on Brides.com.

Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day!

xoxo

Amy

Little Play Spaces

Well, you’ve just got to love Facebook for all of the awesome connections and friendships that result! A friend of mine sent me a message about Kate Fagelman and her super product, Little Play Spaces. At the time, we were right in the middle of planning {LOVE}LY, a fund-raiser for Dwell With Dignity.  I asked Kate if she would be interested in contributing one of her fabulous Little Play Spaces to the cause. Not only did she donate her product but she came to the event to support us as well! I just love meeting creative souls with big ol’ hearts! Anyway, I wanted to share Kate’s wonderful products with you as well as a little insight into the artist herself…

Meet Kate Fagelman!

HoW: So Kate, when I met you for the first time, I couldn’t help but notice your ultra-sophisticated accent! Tell me how you made your way to the Lone Star State…

KF: I come from an English family of artists and moved to the States for my husband (a Dallas lad) 14 years ago.

Kate Fagelman

HoW: And how did you come up with the Little Play Spaces concept?

KF: I have two elementary aged daughters and it was my oldest daughter, Molly (now 7), who wished for a little café 4 years ago.  At that time, we had just ordered a new oven and the cardboard shipper it was delivered in became the original for the Little Play Spaces Café and ultimately the inspiration for a new business idea.

Little Play Spaces Café

HoW: Tell me, Kate, what makes your art unique?

KF:  The Little Play Spaces Café is unique in the cardboard playhouse market in that it is currently the only design with a colorfully printed illustration on the façade.  Be it a French Café (the first design in production) or a Medieval Castle (the follow-up to the Café), each design is enhanced with a beautifully rendered illustration that sets these playhouses apart from other playhouses on the market.

HoW: Well I know I have never seen anything like it!

Little Play Spaces Café Chalkboard Detail

HoW: I love how you take it a step further and actually incorporate functional parts to the spaces.

KF: With the inspired introduction of functioning components (such as a chalkboard menu, a sliding door sign and interior shelving in the café) these designs are a unique and environmentally friendly alternative to the mass-produced plastic playhouse or the often overpriced wooden playhouse. What’s more? – They are made here in the USA.

Little Play Spaces Castle Dungeon

HoW: I agree, Kate! The amazing price of $49.00 is very impressive. I’m always looking for well-priced, mind-stimulating design that can work in a small space such as my house. And you nailed it! Thank you for sharing your art with us! Where can our readers find your product and support you online?

KF:

• You can order our product online at http://littleplayspaces.com
• And you can support us on Facebook here…

I just want to leave you with a few of my favorite things about Kate’s Little Play Spaces:

1. They are made of corrugated cardboard. Light, recyclable and totally green…
2. They fold up flat for easy storage in a closet or under a bed…
3. They spark creativity and ignite imagination…
4. They are so darn cute, you know you would have loved one as a kid!!! Let’s face it, it’s just great design!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!!

xoxo

Amy

Decorating with Orchids

I’m sure you will agree… in so many beautiful design photographs there are often orchids used in the final detail. When we were decorating Pearson’s room, I wanted to include a plant in her accessories and a white orchid was the perfect choice for me. Now, unlike my Mother, I am lacking in the green thumb department. I am just happy to keep a plant alive so the basic, novice-friendly Phalaenopsis was for me! Okay, I must admit, in full disclosure… the reason I am doing this post is because I have two, yes, TWO, beautiful orchids with full blooms in my house right now! We’re not counting the other three orchids that are happy living without blooms… just the two that are gorgeous! Yes, Mom, I did it! Well, with the help of my husband, of course 🙂

Our 3-year-old orchid with 11 blooms!

We purchased this silver tray at an estate sale and the clay pots from Home Depot. The pots are gradually taking on a patina of their own and I love the juxtaposition with the silver.

I'm still counting... ELEVEN blooms!

This is where the plants “live” in our bedroom. The white blooms pop against  the Benjamin Moore Bittersweet Chocolate walls. So next I bring you Pearson’s Orchid!

Pearson's Orchid - 7 blooms!

The amazing thing about P’s orchid is that it isn’t the first time it has bloomed this year. It has already produced seven blooms! I have read that if you cut a shoot at a certain spot you might get another bloom-producing shoot. Well, it hasn’t worked for me yet but this time the new shoot began to grow before all of the blooms had fallen off. And the old shoot is still green whereas it usually turns yellow and dies quickly once the blooms have dropped.

So two more orchid tidbits I would like to leave you with:

1. Orchid care – I’m not a professional by any means, but Robb picked up some orchid food and another orchid product with a bloom booster in it. We water them once a week and alternate products. It seems to be a magic combination for us. When I have a care question, I usually find myself on About Orchids. This site speaks to the Orchid novice such as myself.

2. Styling your orchids – A single orchid is lovely but if you want to make a statement… group them together. At market I saw an arrangement that I absolutely loved. It was a large silver tray with multiple tall white orchids. I was drawn to the way they used spanghum moss not only to cover the soil but also wrapped it around the stem and spikes to support the weight of the blooms. They didn’t use the common butterfly clips to secure the moss, but used raffia. I thought it was lovely and a more decorative way to secure the stem to the spikes. I copied the use of the moss and the clips seem to blend well so they don’t stand out. (AKA, I haven’t made it to Michael’s to purchase the raffia yet :))

So let me know what you think and if you have any tips, please share them!

xoxo

Amy

Happy Easter!

What a glorious day! We are about to join in our first annual neighborhood Easter egg hunt!

When you have a little one, you are made aware of how many celebration opportunities there are for this wonderful holiday. Last weekend we participated in the neighborhood church’s Easter Parade. With a fire truck in the lead, then comes the High School drum line and finally all of the families follow waving their palms and marching to the beat. The kids decorate their wagons, bikes, scooters… so you know we went to town on Pearson’s wagon! We took off the canopy and used the frame for structure.

Easter Wagon Before

Robb ran to Michael’s and scored some great Easter decor for 40% off!  I needed something to anchor the goodies to so he pulled some garland out of our Christmas stash. It worked like a charm!

Easter Wagon After

Easter Wagon Detail

Easter Wagon Detail

Easter Wagon Detail

Pearson loved her new chariot and we had a lovely time at the parade. So after 3 egg hunts, a parade and a party, I think we have done well celebrating this beautiful day. How did you spend your Sunday?

Happy Easter!!

Design Trend: Crocodile Print

I am in love with the crocodile print that is finding its way from the runways into decor! My new obsession started with a visit to see my good friend, Julie Hagen, at the gorgeous Renaissance Tile showroom in the Dallas Design District.  Julie is helping me with our kitchen back-splash but I couldn’t help but notice these beauties she has displayed right behind her desk! These crocodile print tiles are absolutely beautiful and my photography does not do them justice! Paired with the gorgeous striated stone, it is a match made in Heaven!  They are crafted by Quemere International and Julie can give you all of the details on these lovelies…

Crocodile print tile at Renaissance Tile

Crocodile print tile at Renaissance Tile

If you happened to catch my last post, you know I just returned from the Design Bloggers Conference in Los Angeles. One of the sponsors of the conference was Duralee. Duralee has some stunning textiles and we were so fortunate to get a sneak peek of their Spring lines. And what do you think was my fave?? You guessed it!

Beautiful turquoise crocodile print by Duralee

Stunning neutral crocodile print by Duralee

And another Design Bloggers Conference sponsor, Merida Meridian, had samples of THE coolest new flooring I have seen lately… leather! And you know what pattern they have included? In recycled leather! I am in LOVE!

Merida Meridian Leather flooring in Croco pattern

Moving right along, I was preparing for a trip home this past weekend and had to pop into Neiman Marcus for a couple of items… Neimans is on top of the trends as usual! Check out their new sacks!

Neiman Marcus silver crocodile print sacks

And when my parents picked us up from the airport, Mom was wearing a crocodile print jacket… I’m telling you, it is everywhere!

Crocodile prints I raided from my Mom's closet!

Are you having crocodile deja’ vu? Have a great week and let me know what you think about the croc!

xoxo

Amy

Design Bloggers Conference 2011

I was so fortunate to attend the first annual Design Bloggers Conference in Los Angeles last week.  And let me just say… WOW, WOW, WOW! I really didn’t know what to expect, but I feel sure it was the most well thought out and executed conference ever.

Ronda Carman, Andrew Joseph, Kelley Copeland, Clinton Smith and me

Sunday evening we arrived for pre-conference cocktails. As luck would have it,  the meet and greet fell right in sync with the Academy Awards! Champagne, Academy Awards on the big screens, hobnobbing with our soon-to-be friends from near and far… it was magical to say the least!  And I would just like to say a few words…

First, I would like to thank Design Sherpa for this amazing experience of  passion, education, camaraderie… All of which, in the words of the great Adam Japko, created a design blogging “community”, of which I feel blessed to be a part. Second I would like to thank my parents for being faithful readers of House of Wentworth. And last but not least, I would like to thank my wonderful husband for keeping our daughter and allowing me to run off to LA for this amazing conference…

Now, back to the recap… There was so much information from this conference, I’ll just summarize with photos for now.  More from Sunday night:

Claudia Juestel, Tobi Fairley and Scot Meacham Wood

Jackie Von Tobel, Joseph Aldrich

Day 1…

Kicking off the Conference with Champagne!

Kerstin Czarra, Lisa Robison and Kim Turner

Kelley Copeland, Kerstin Czarra, Kim Turner, Lisa Robison, Stacy Kunstel

Me, Tracy Porter and Kelley Copeland

Kelley Copeland and Clinton Smith

Day 2…

Kelley Copeland, Ronda Carman and me

Leslie Carothers, Ronda Carman, Leslie Fine and Carrie von Hemert

Last party… Traditional Home and Lonny join forces to launch TRADhome! The online collaboration is coming soon!

Almont Yard in LA

Kelley Copeland and Angela Petit-Burns

TRADhome party at Almont Yard

Well, that’s my brief summary of the Design Bloggers Conference 2011 in photographs. I’m sure you notice my usual partner-in-crime, Kelley Copeland of The Hidden List, in many of my photos. We also managed to get Kim Turner and Lisa Robison of our favorite cause, Dwell with Dignity, to join us! These girls were the perfect companions to enjoy this amazing experience with and we can’t wait until Design Bloggers Conference 2012!