MOMENTS

Sometimes the parts are more powerful than the whole...

Or as I like to call them, the moments of a home. Leaving fully revealed rooms behind, honing in on the details unveils so much.

Dries Van Noten was right: "It's more interesting to have just a picture of a small detail - then you can dream all the rest around it. Because when you see the whole thing, what is there to imagine?"

*for more moments head to The Coveteur

HOODIE KIND OF DAY

Some days, especially Mondays, you just want to be left alone. To bask in a bit of anonymity and not be bothered.

Can you think of a chicer way to hide? Neither can I.

*images via Vanessa Jackman and We Are the Rhoads for Rue Magazine

WINDING DOWN

After a busy week of dinners and drinks, get-togethers and soirees, I'm more than ready to wind down for the weekend.

A leisurely few days to catch my breath and steal moments of quiet along the way.

See you back here on Monday. In the meantime, I'll be the girl twirling in the sun if you need me.

xo,

Crystal

P.S. Let's chat.

*images via Simply Seductive & Pinterest

COMING TO TERMS WITH BLACK

I never thought I'd have to say those words. Black is normally a favorite color of mine (a quick peek at my wardrobe makes that perfectly clear), but I've had such a hard time coming to terms with the black countertops in my new kitchen.

Until I was stuck with them, I never even considered black as option. I mean, who wants black when you can have beautiful, white carrera marble? Or so I thought...

My initial reaction was to change it. But with everything else I'm doing for my home make-over, I had to get realistic with myself. I don't have the time or resources to make this a priority, so instead, I'm learning how to embrace them.

The secret to working around this for me is contrasting the black countertops with lots of white to really make it pop (yes, I hate the overly used word pop, but it works to0 perfectly here...). So I'm going with white cabinetry, white ceramic dishes and vases, and will be bringing in a blueish gray for the walls.

In the meantime, if you have any kitchen inspiration pics with black countertops, I'd love to see them: plushpalate@gmail.com.

*images via Elle Decor and unknown

PROJECT SF HOME: WEEK 4, THE SHADE STORE

Now that the paint colors for my new place have all been chosen (I'll be using 6 total), last week I spent some time selecting fabrics for draperies and shades. When it comes to large tasks like that, convenience is paramount for me, so heading to The Shade Store was a no brainer. It's like a one-stop-shop for all your window treatment needs.

I worked directly with the showroom manager who was incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Before starting, we decided to grab coffee next door so I could explain to her my vision: we talked about my design aesthetic, what colors I'll be using, what kind of window treatments I envisioned in each room, and much more! By the end of our little consultation, we were ready to start selecting potential fabrics and styles.

What I love about The Shade Store is that they have every style of shades and drapery they offer displayed in the showroom to see. This made it incredibly easy to spot the exact look I wanted and even play around with them to test function.

The part that was most fun for me though was checking out all the fabric swatches and going through drawers and drawers of colors and textures to choose from! We decided on a dupioni silk for the dining room draperies in pewter. A heavy cotton in the living room in a bluish gray (that looks amazing against my down pipe walls, by the way), and a white linen for the bathroom. I'm still making my selections for the bedroom and kitchen.

My experience at The Shade Store could not have gone better. If you're in the market for new window treatments, I would highly recommend them. Just days after my visit to the store, they sent someone to my home to measure all the windows and are coordinating the installation with a local contractor. I cannot wait to get them up! Believe it or not, I've been living with zero window blinds since arriving. Yes, that means I feel all creeped out at night when I sleep, hoping no peeping toms are watching me...

WHY I LOVE BAILEY

Judging from buzz on twitter, Bailey's home is a clear favorite in the new issue of Rue...and rightfully so! Each time I go back and look at the images, I find a new detail to smile over. I just adore Bailey's sense of humor and creativity. Here are a few quirky things I love most:

Hilarious monkey portrait in the dining room. Who does that?

More funny art in the bedroom. Delightfully unexpected.

A painting over a window in the bathroom. Why not?

Handguns. Enough said.

Stuffed sheep in the living room? Totally normal.

Dog wallpaper in the bathroom. Brilliant.

Proudly sporting a Britney Spears poster in the closet. That's my girl!

Us girls having way too much fun in Bailey's house last summer. Yes, please!

*images: Emily Anderson Photography for Rue Magazine

TWO SIMPLE THINGS

I just got back from a quick jaunt to LA followed by some R&R in Palm Springs, and am ready to tackle a week full of work, appointments, and home makeover tasks. But first, two simple things that make my heart sing.

Of course I love the open shelves, white ceramic dishes, and rustic farmhouse table (with marble table top to boot), but what really gets me is that upholstered bench. Bench seating is a trend I have yet to tire of. Pair it with the perfect, velvety gray and white piping, and I'm done for. It brings the perfect touch of warmth and and I couldn't love it more.

Again, so much to love here: wide plank floors, cut out mirrors, free standing tub, gorgeous marble countertop... But the show stopper for me is that diminutive little light pendant that more than holds its own in this space. Have you ever seen something so irresistibly sweet?

Aww, interiors, always making my heart happy over the simplest of things!

*images via Delight by Design and Met Home