Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Privacy Issues
Check out this completely transparent glass house in Tokyo, Japan...must be pretty interesting to get dressed each morning. On second thought, I'll bet the neighbors like it.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
I've got 99 problems and a Porch is one
If you have been to our home, you have probably noticed that we tend to shy away from showing off the back of the house, most specifically, our three season porch. The reason is that well, we dump a lot of shit back there that is garbage and it currently resembles the set of Dexter, as shown below:
It's an eyesore, and a big one at that. The wood is rotted, the windows are broken and its completely unusable. So now that it looks like we will be staying here a while, we are deciding to FINALLY do something about it, and remodel that bitch into a usable and organized four season porch/sun room. We are currently getting estimates from builders and hoping it doesn't break the bank too much. After one left today, I thought to myself "self, you should probably get your ass in gear and figure out what you want this space to look like when finished." So, I started looking online for photos. And then I got sucked into the black hole that is the internet, and 4 hours went by and I was sitting in the dark, in my dining room, like a total creep. There are just so many questions that we need to answer!
Do we want to use it as a dining area?
Do we want to put a tv out there (husband screams yes from the other room, and add speakers too)?
Do we want windows all the way around?
Would a window seat look stupid?
Can we do built ins? Is there a point?
Do we have any mac and cheese? Sorry, got side tracked
You get the gist of it. So below are some photos that will hopefully inspire me to do something and kick my brain into gear:
Anyone have any advice? We need some serious help over here and I dont think a bottle of wine is going to do the trick.
It's an eyesore, and a big one at that. The wood is rotted, the windows are broken and its completely unusable. So now that it looks like we will be staying here a while, we are deciding to FINALLY do something about it, and remodel that bitch into a usable and organized four season porch/sun room. We are currently getting estimates from builders and hoping it doesn't break the bank too much. After one left today, I thought to myself "self, you should probably get your ass in gear and figure out what you want this space to look like when finished." So, I started looking online for photos. And then I got sucked into the black hole that is the internet, and 4 hours went by and I was sitting in the dark, in my dining room, like a total creep. There are just so many questions that we need to answer!
Do we want to use it as a dining area?
Do we want to put a tv out there (husband screams yes from the other room, and add speakers too)?
Do we want windows all the way around?
Would a window seat look stupid?
Can we do built ins? Is there a point?
Do we have any mac and cheese? Sorry, got side tracked
You get the gist of it. So below are some photos that will hopefully inspire me to do something and kick my brain into gear:
Anyone have any advice? We need some serious help over here and I dont think a bottle of wine is going to do the trick.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Oh SH*T!!
After quite a bit of a hiatus, I'm back. Refreshed, reloaded and ready to get this little bloggity blog back up and on track. First up, have a look at the terrifying photo below. Creative- 100%. Enough to scare you every time you are using the ah..facilities, abso-fucking-lutely.
A Mexican penthouse, with a bathroom directly above a non-working, 15 story elevator shaft. I don't know how anyone could get used to that, ever. Imagine the sheer horror one would feel waking up after a night of binge-drinking and hugging the throne? It would also be pretty funny sending your house guests in there for the first time, installing a hidden video camera would definitely be necessary.
And if that isn't crazy enough, check out The Aquaria Grande in Mumbai India. A 37 story residential tower with swimming pools on each balcony. Yes, you read that correctly. I wouldn't want to be the guy who insures the glass surround, and I can bet there is absolutely no "cannon balling" allowed here.
Lastly, check out the Vertical Forest, which is currently being built in Milan, Italy. When completed, it will not only look incredibly stupid, but will also use so much steel and cement to support the weight of the trees that it will counter-balance the whole idea of "going green".
And if that isn't crazy enough, check out The Aquaria Grande in Mumbai India. A 37 story residential tower with swimming pools on each balcony. Yes, you read that correctly. I wouldn't want to be the guy who insures the glass surround, and I can bet there is absolutely no "cannon balling" allowed here.
Lastly, check out the Vertical Forest, which is currently being built in Milan, Italy. When completed, it will not only look incredibly stupid, but will also use so much steel and cement to support the weight of the trees that it will counter-balance the whole idea of "going green".
Would you live in places like this? My blood pressure is through the roof just thinking about swimming in those pools and trusting that the glass wouldn't crack while I was gracefully back-stroking my way around.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Giving Thanks
I honestly cant believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Where has the year gone? This time of year is always my favorite and my least favorite at the same time. So many exciting things happen, with turkey day, and then my birthday a week later, and then family parties and ultimately Christmas and New Years. Although I am a grown up, I cant help but admit that Christmas and my birthday are still my favorite holidays (yes, my birthday IS a holiday). I love getting gifts and celebrating with my family and friends. Yes, giving gifts is fun too, but I am not one of those people who would rather give than receive.
Anyways, here is my list of what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:
1.) That my parents are driving 6 hours to come celebrate the holiday with us in New Jersey
2.) that the tree department finally picked up all our branches from the Halloween snow storm
3.) That I have a home where I can host Thanksgiving dinner with our family and actually enjoy it
4.) My new DV shoes that I havent stopped wearing for a week
5.) Our fireplace
6.) For the husband, who makes more messes than a toddler
7.) For the husband, who cleaned the upstairs yesterday
8.) For my family, be it my brother in Texas or my in-laws. Not many people can say they have a family that gets along as well as mine does and i truly appreciate them all
9.) The pup
10.) football tomorrow, Friday, Saturday AND Sunday
11.) frozen hot chocolate
12.) pies, stuffing and gravy
13.) For my king size bed, where my perfect little family sleeps each night
14.) For health and happiness, sarcasm and humor.
Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving with their families and friends!
Anyways, here is my list of what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:
1.) That my parents are driving 6 hours to come celebrate the holiday with us in New Jersey
2.) that the tree department finally picked up all our branches from the Halloween snow storm
3.) That I have a home where I can host Thanksgiving dinner with our family and actually enjoy it
4.) My new DV shoes that I havent stopped wearing for a week
5.) Our fireplace
6.) For the husband, who makes more messes than a toddler
7.) For the husband, who cleaned the upstairs yesterday
8.) For my family, be it my brother in Texas or my in-laws. Not many people can say they have a family that gets along as well as mine does and i truly appreciate them all
9.) The pup
10.) football tomorrow, Friday, Saturday AND Sunday
11.) frozen hot chocolate
12.) pies, stuffing and gravy
13.) For my king size bed, where my perfect little family sleeps each night
14.) For health and happiness, sarcasm and humor.
Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving with their families and friends!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Favorite Home Ever
As a blogger and self proclaimed stalker of all things interior design, I tend to find alot of things that inspire me on a daily basis. My ultimate goal is to one day have a job where I can simply take tours of people's homes and then write about how amazing they are, a la Apartment Therapy. I see pictures and drive by gorgeous homes every day and there are many different things that attract me to the ones i love. Bright colored front doors, hand-crafted shutters, large and inviting porticos with the perfect lamp hanging above, lattice work and hard wooded porches, the list goes on and on. But every time I see these homes I love, there is always something that is out of place. Maybe the colors are all wrong, or the area sucks. Or maybe the house is a cookie-cutter type, for which I have never been fond of.
When we started searching for our first home over 2 years ago, my biggest "want" was for it to feel like a home, and not a carbon copy of the house next door. I wanted an open space and new fixtures, but i didnt want boring basics. I didnt want to miss out on all the perfect imperfections that make a house a home. So when we found our colonial home, it really packages up everything I wanted. It needed some love but had good bones, and by changing some colors and putting our own design spin on it, it became ours. It is still changing (I literally move things from room to room on a weekly basis), but we love it.
So what is the point of all my babbling? Its that I have found my dream house. No, its not a mansion on the water, or an old, renovated victorian in some overpriced neighborhood. Its simple and plain, lived in and imperfect. It doesnt have shiny sparkly appliances and a chef's kitchen. It is quaint and cozy and is filled with amazing, one of a kind pieces that I would happily accept from the owner, say, if they wanted to give them all to me.
I want to live here. I dont care that its in Sweden, or that it is easily 100 years old, if not more. It has land, a view to die for, and I want to wake up every day in this attic-bedroom with exposed beam ceiling, go downstairs and light a fire in my kitchen stove while I yell at the husband to go outside and get more wood. Yeah, thats what my perfect house wish is. Whats yours?
When we started searching for our first home over 2 years ago, my biggest "want" was for it to feel like a home, and not a carbon copy of the house next door. I wanted an open space and new fixtures, but i didnt want boring basics. I didnt want to miss out on all the perfect imperfections that make a house a home. So when we found our colonial home, it really packages up everything I wanted. It needed some love but had good bones, and by changing some colors and putting our own design spin on it, it became ours. It is still changing (I literally move things from room to room on a weekly basis), but we love it.
So what is the point of all my babbling? Its that I have found my dream house. No, its not a mansion on the water, or an old, renovated victorian in some overpriced neighborhood. Its simple and plain, lived in and imperfect. It doesnt have shiny sparkly appliances and a chef's kitchen. It is quaint and cozy and is filled with amazing, one of a kind pieces that I would happily accept from the owner, say, if they wanted to give them all to me.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Nailed It
With the holidays coming up, I am always looking for some sweet new way to make my nails really pop. Out are the days of boring old manicures with one shiny color, and in are technicolored nails that are sure to get attention. Check some out below:
Peacock inspired
nice and light, with minimal artwork
inverted and matte, probably my favorite and something i can definitely not DIY
A bit southwestern/Aztec-ish
Now this is amazing. Supposedly if you add water to a bowl, add in some of the desired colors (they will float), swirl with a toothpick and then put your nails in, you get this result!
This one might be the most manageable of them all, easy and straight lined, with great color.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Ive been a bad bad blogger
I have been MIA lately, and its totally lame, I know. Last week was truly a week from hell, and so far this week aint gettin any better. Let's review:
It all started last Monday, when the proverbial shit hit the proverbial fan at work. Nothing to do with me, but I of course had to clean up the aftermath and everything that was in it's wake. Tuesday wasnt so bad, and then Wednesday hit me in the face like Chuck Lidell with brass knuckles. My blackberry broke. As in the screen went black, the buttons stopped working, and I couldnt do any work. I happen to be in CT when this all happens, so I high tail it to the nearest Verizon store to get a new phone, because (yay!) Im due for a new one anyway. They are so nice, and after 3 hours of waiting, I get me a new phone, and bam, its on like donkey kong. I return to work/home with my new blackberry, and the world is good. The weekend came, TG, and off we went to PSU (more on that later). Then yesterday rolls around. I happen to be at lunch with my boss when my brand spanking new blackberry stops working. Completely. 100%. Im thinking it must just be a system upgrade. I drive back home, I head to Verizon, where Im told "we cant do anything for you mam because you bought this phone in CT". I fight the urge to jump across the counter and slap Olga, my friendly sales rep, with every ounce of me. I leave and decide that although sitting in my car crying will make me feel bad, it aint gonna fix the phone. I go to another store, and 3 more hours later, I walk out with a brand new iphone. I didnt want an iphone to begin with, but it was cheaper (woot woot) and i guess sooner or later i was going to have to make the switch. So now im the proud owner of a white iphone. with instagram (see photo below). and a new app that translates my dogs barks into English. and the husband believes every word of it. and its only wednesday. Isnt it depressing to think that I have at least 1500 more Wednesdays to work before i retire at the ripe old age of 60?
I do love me some instagram though. how you like them bangs? and yes, I know, my shirt looks like it has animal crackers on it. back off me yo.
It all started last Monday, when the proverbial shit hit the proverbial fan at work. Nothing to do with me, but I of course had to clean up the aftermath and everything that was in it's wake. Tuesday wasnt so bad, and then Wednesday hit me in the face like Chuck Lidell with brass knuckles. My blackberry broke. As in the screen went black, the buttons stopped working, and I couldnt do any work. I happen to be in CT when this all happens, so I high tail it to the nearest Verizon store to get a new phone, because (yay!) Im due for a new one anyway. They are so nice, and after 3 hours of waiting, I get me a new phone, and bam, its on like donkey kong. I return to work/home with my new blackberry, and the world is good. The weekend came, TG, and off we went to PSU (more on that later). Then yesterday rolls around. I happen to be at lunch with my boss when my brand spanking new blackberry stops working. Completely. 100%. Im thinking it must just be a system upgrade. I drive back home, I head to Verizon, where Im told "we cant do anything for you mam because you bought this phone in CT". I fight the urge to jump across the counter and slap Olga, my friendly sales rep, with every ounce of me. I leave and decide that although sitting in my car crying will make me feel bad, it aint gonna fix the phone. I go to another store, and 3 more hours later, I walk out with a brand new iphone. I didnt want an iphone to begin with, but it was cheaper (woot woot) and i guess sooner or later i was going to have to make the switch. So now im the proud owner of a white iphone. with instagram (see photo below). and a new app that translates my dogs barks into English. and the husband believes every word of it. and its only wednesday. Isnt it depressing to think that I have at least 1500 more Wednesdays to work before i retire at the ripe old age of 60?
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