HOME TOUR: ANTHOLOGY EDITOR'S COLORFUL ABODE

Since moving to San Francisco six months ago, I've been in total awe of the talent and kindness I've encountered within the creative community. One gal I especially admire is Anh-Minh Le, cofounder of the much loved new glossy Anthology Magazine.

So when I saw her cute abode featured on the digital pages of Refinery 29, I knew it'd be just as adorable as she is!

How gorgeous is that chair? I wouldn't have thought to pair it with so much whimsy, but the sophistication of the silhouette keeps this little reading nook feeling playful not childish. And can we talk about that gnome? Now that could have gone terribly wrong, but somehow Anh-Minh makes it work!

Shoes for days. Are we jealous yet? ;) Her colorful collection makes me want to ditch my black staples and reach for yellows, blues, and purples next time I'm at the store!

There's much more gorgeousness where this came from, so click here to check out the rest of her space!

*images by SFGirlByBay for Refinery 29

RUE ISSUE TWO SNEAK PEEK!

Yesterday we leaked our second Rue Issue Two sneak peek to blogging sensation Holly of decor8! We were thrilled when we saw the fabulous little collage she put together with the images we shared with her. Hop over to see more!

This particular home is definitely one of my favorites from the upcoming issue. Though the homeowner has fantastic style already, I was fortunate enough to be able to help out by styling the shoot. The photographer was the one and only Emily Anderson and the location will remain a surprise :)

RUE ISSUE TWO SNEAK PEEK + A TWITTER PARTY!

Rue Issue Two is just around the corner and the girls and I are working around the clock to perfect every last page for you! In the meantime, we thought we'd whet your appetite with a little sneak peek over on sfgirlbybay, - head over to Victoria's blog if you'd like to check it out!

We're also throwing a Twitter party this Sunday @ 8pm EST. We hope you'll join the conversation!

Have a lovely weekend everyone! Thanks for visiting this week! See you Monday.

xo,

Crystal

*image: Emily Anderson for Rue Magazine

Layering and Mixing

Welcome to textile designer Lisa Fine's delightful Parisian flat and this wonderful little quote of hers, "Learn to love research. The more you see, the more your eye and taste evolves." So true!

Such a beautiful example of layering and mixing patterns for a fresh and sophisticated look!

*images via Lonny

Sneak Peek: Jessica's Workspace

Last Wednesday I posted about needing a little inspiration for my workspace. I asked if you'd send in pictures of your inspiring spaces to help me with some ideas. I was delighted when Jessica did just that and sent over images of her studio! You may know her from the blog, The Love List or her graphic design business Front Porch Studio (she's also the lady behind some of the best blog face lifts around), but for sure now you'll also know her for her stylish studio. Enjoy the inspiration!

You can check out the rest of her studio here. Thanks Jess!

Sneak Peek: Franki of Life in a Venti Cup!

Franki of Life in a Venti Cup is a girl who definitely knows how to live life large! As she puts it so well, "life is too short to think small." So, it's no surprise that she's turned the most unexpected of spaces into a completely glamorous and relaxing oasis! Read on to find out how she did it and enjoy our 5th and final day of blogger home sneak peeks!

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It surprises me more than anyone that my favorite room is my daughter's nursery. I've never been a "baby" person. The idea of nurseries and kids was once enough to send me packing, and yet here I am posting photos of a room that has become a luxurious retreat. 

The space itself was once my home office. Despite my best efforts, it never really functioned well as a workspace. Regardless of how often I rearranged, I could never find just the right space for the desk or the right overhead lighting. Yet somehow as a nursery it is absolute perfection. 

How did I achieve nursery Zen? By letting go of preconceived notions of interior design and little ones. Once I freed myself of the idea of "typical nursery decor" (tacky themed rooms in Pepto-Bismol pink) and relied upon my inner sense of glamour, the design began to unfold. I replaced the overhead light with a stunning chandelier. The room also boasts framed watercolor paintings from our trips to Rome, fabulous shoes on display (what can I say, I'm hoping to start her off right!) and just enough stuffed animal action to make it my zen retreat. All of this in yummy blend of soft pinks, ivory and subdued chocolate brown.  

As it happens, the windows face west and the room is bathed in the most fabulous afternoon sunlight. The corner chaise (my guilty pleasure purchase - well worth the expense) is an ideal spot for curling up with a good book (or an adorable little one) for a few hours.

More importantly, aside from the changing table and crib, the room was designed with adult comfort in mind. I suppose the better way to phrase it is this: adult furnishings with textures and a color palette designed for a baby girl. I think that's the secret to design success, since it will be years before she has any concern for interior design. I might as well enjoy the space for myself for a few years! 

For me, Samantha's room is luxurious and relaxing - not words normally associated with nurseries. There is nothing about the space I would change, and iI love how well it integrates with the rest of our home. 

Thank you for touring my favorite space!

Sneak Peek: Camila of High-Heeled Foot in the Door!

With 'Day 4' of our blogger home sneak peeks we get a glimpse into a space with a touch of rock n' roll! Camila of High-Heeled Foot in the Door is letting us into her bathroom for the day! And of course, the rising design star that she is, Camila did it all herself! Enjoy!

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I was very honored when I received an email from Crystal asking me to guest host while she was away on vacation. I always love receiving an email like that. It makes me so happy to know that a follow blogger likes me work whether professionally or on my blog and wants me to post on their blog. Of course honor and happiness always turns into complete fright when I start to worry about what I will post about.

Luckily for me, Crystal had a theme in mind and wanted me to share a favorite room in my home. One room came to mind immediately, but then had me second guessing it. Is it weird to have my bathroom be one of my favorites? I hope not, because here goes.

Every time I hear, “I’m a little bit country, I’m a little bit rock and roll” I get a little chuckle, because I think that it describes my design style a bit.

My bathroom is perfect example of this. I live in a tiny little cottage/cape cod. This means that my master bathroom is teeny tiny. It was in pretty good space when we moved in. I loved the original black and white tile that was in the space and decided to go with it.

For my touch of rock roll I decided to paint it black! I went with a high-gloss paint and painted away. I love it! I got many looks of disapproval when I told friends and family what I had in mind, but once people see it they fall in love. The room doesn’t look small at all! It just adds a touch of glam to cozy space.

For my little touch of country I decided to go with gingham print fabric for the window treatments. I love the element of pattern that it added to the room. It works great in the space and doesn’t fight with the pattern in the mirror. The plates on the wall were also another touch of country and helped give the main wall a touch of wow without overwhelming!

I also tend to add a touch of girly in my rooms and my ruffled curtain fit the bill.

I told you space was teeny tiny, but I love it and enjoy my morning ritual of hair and make-up in their everyday. Ok so it might not be everyday. Sometimes a girl just throws her hair up in a pony tail and calls it a day.

I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek into my home.

Sneak Peek: Jennifer of Made By Girl!

Today is 'Day 3' of my Seattle vacation, which means we are half way through our blogger home sneak peeks! (Are you loving these inside glimpses as much as I am?!) Today's guest, Jennifer of Made By Girl, really needs no introduction - her blog and Etsy shop of designer cards and prints provide daily inspiration to so many people! Right now Jennifer is amidst redesigning her family room and has kindly sent along a few images of the space! Check it out!

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My current favorite spot in my home is my newly designed family room. I find it cozy and I love the fact that there is a fireplace within the space, ideal for winter weather! On weekends, my fiancé and I find ourselves relaxing in our pajamas and watching foreign films on the new sofa. The new sectional I chose is very roomy and comfortable along with the large square coffee table. The reason I decided to go with a square table was because I didn't want to remove the books every time I placed a drink on the table. It's so large, everything fits! Quite convenient.

Sneak Peek: Christina of Down and Out Chic!

'Day 2' of blogger home sneak peeks brings us the lovely Christina of Down and Out Chic! If you already know Christina, then you've probably caught on that this girl seems to do it all without ever missing a beat. Besides working a full-time job and maintaining her uber popular blog, she also runs her own Etsy Shop! And just like the beautiful handmade jewelry she creates, Christina is always stylish and truly one of a kind! I'm so thrilled to be sharing a peek inside her home with you today! Thanks, Christina!

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Hi, this is Christina from Down and Out Chic and I'm thrilled to be guest posting today on such an inspirational design blog. If we haven't met before- it's good to meet you!  If we have met, then you might have realized that a sneak peek into the home B and I inhabit is a pretty rare thing.  I've decided that rather than taking you through a typical house tour, I'd show you little pieces of some of my very favorite "moments" in the house.  B and I rent a very old home in Athens so we've had to be both restrained and creative in making our space OURS.

Many of the object in our home are vintage pieces, hand me downs, upcycled thrift finds, or something we've actually created.  I love that when I look around our space, our home tells a quite story of creativity and resourcefulness. This ceramic bullhead was found in an antique shop and we both immediately agreed it had to be ours. It was one of the first items we bought together for the house.  It currently hangs over our bed.

I came home this past weekend to find a origami crane mobile that B has just finished.  It's his first mobile and I think it's wonderful.  The painting you see behind it belong to our talented friend, Nash Hogan.  We've offered to "store" his painting in our home for free, which means FREE art for us! 

If there's one thing that B and I have TOO much of, it's books.  They're everywhere!  This is a shot of a portion of the mantle in our bedroom.  There's an old self portrait of myself and sitting around the gifaffe's neck is a sign that simply states, "happiness."  It's a good reminder that, to me, that happiness is something I choose, everyday.

B has recently been working on a series of watercolor fish.  These two are some of the newest pieces.  I can't wait to eventually have a whole school of fish gracing a wall!

I kind of have a thing for fake animal heads (in case you can't tell from the previous photo).  This antique door knocker is the prettiest shade of blush pink and it's currently sitting on our kitchen door.

I'm a firm believer that every woman needs some sort of  designated spot or vanity to get ready in the morning.  Some place that's just yours. Mine consists of a vintage sewing table and a vintage folding chair.

Finally, since I'm talking about some of my favorite things, I can't neglect my little collection of necklaces.  Some of these pieces were once my mom's, some of them are vintage and some are handmade.  Either way, I only wear jewlery that tells a story...

I hope you enjoyed a mini peek into my home!  Thank you Crystal for having me! 

Sneak Peek: Paloma of La Dolce Vita!

Today marks 'day 1' of my vacation which means it's times for our weeklong sneak peeks into my favorite bloggers' homes! I'm beyond thrilled to have Paloma of La Dolce Vita as our first guest of the week! Just as the name would imply, La Dolce Vita is oozing with sweetness - from inspiring interiors, to fantastic fashion, and more. But the real icing on the cake is that Paloma couldn't be a sweeter person herself! Today she's kindly welcoming us into her beautiful home. Enjoy!

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I was both excited and a little nervous when Crystal asked me to do a guest post on Plush Palate. I thought about all of the projects that I would like to undertake at my house and how I wouldn’t have enough time to finish them by the time she needed my post. Then I got to thinking about the task at hand. Crystal wanted me to share a room in my home that is special to me or that I spend a lot of time in. I work from home, so I pretty much live in my office most of the day, but my favorite part of the day is when my husband, puppy, and I hang out in the family room in the evenings after work. Like any design-minded person, there are several things that I’d like to change in this room, but all in all, I really do like it. 

My coffee table is stacked with interior design books and magazines. Although I love my bowl of starfish, I usually have to put it up on a bookshelf because my puppy, Tate seems to think that it is a bowl full of treats.

Earlier this year, my husband and I took the chairs in the background and completely breathed new life into them. We think they were from the 1950s. We removed the dingy powder blue velvet they were covered in, painted them, and had them reupholstered in a more modern, graphic fabric.

My Suzanne Kasler Quatrefoil Lamp is one of my favorite pieces in the room.

I also adore my Penguin Classics Collection and get a lot of compliments on them. I like that they add color to the room without being too obvious.

My design style is more masculine in a sense, but I always add a touch of glamour. In our family room, a pair of mercury glass candlesticks and a starburst mirror do the trick!

I am all about the balance of masculine and feminine aesthetics, so I think this vintage seltzer bottle from the 50s and strong “C” typeset letter from Anthropologie round out the fireplace vignette perfectly.

My favorite "accessory" in the room would have to be Tate, who spends most of his day in our family room.