♥♥♥♥♥ All that know me know that I have a slight obsession with lip gloss. I have them stashed everywhere around me so I can gloss up at any time. Here are a few of my favorites. ♥♥♥♥♥
{Lancome Juicy Tube}
{MAC Lipglass}
{Target Lipgloss #7}
{Chanel Glossimer}
{neutrogena moisture shine}
Summer is creeping up on us and now is the time of year everyone wants to be at the beach. Every year when I go to the beach and I’m booking the condo, I’m usually more concerned with the location (beach access) and exterior of the condo. Then I get there, walk in, and spend the next few days redesigning the place in my head. I’m always thinking about how to redesign a space on a tight budget too.
I love the feel of a well designed coastal getaway. I’ve come up with a few finds and tips to get that coastal style without spending a fortune. And you don’t have to live on the beach….anyone can turn their home into a coastal retreat. For the perfect beachy room, I recommend starting with a neutral palate and adding pops of color. White, off-white or light gray walls work great to create a relaxing environment. Adding accessories in shades of turquoise, yellow, and coral will give the space a fun vibe.
Here are some accessories and ideas that won’t break the bank:
Coral pillow covers from Pure Home Accents on Etsy. I love the look of mixing the chevron print with the coral motif for a modern feel.
Turquoise coral motif pillow from Motion52 on Etsy. Only $13!!
A great money saving tip to get that coastal living feel is distressed furniture. This is a great, easy DIY project. This table is from The Old Cypress House.
Target has a “Seaside Oasis” collection in stores right now. These are faux coral from the collection. Another great way to accessorize with coral on a budget is to buy some fake coral from a pet store (the kind used in aquariums) and spray paint them white. Or you could always paint a bunch of them the same color and group them together for a bold accent piece.
Rope lamp base and shade also from the Target Seaside Oasis collection. The lamp shade could easily be a DIY project. All you’ll need is a plain white lamp shade and ribbon for the trim. You could also cover it in a linen or burlap fabric to enhance the look. Tip: These seasonal collections from Target ALWAYS go on sale. If there is something you really want, wait a couple of months and you’ll end up paying 1/2 the price.
For inexpensive artwork, check out sites such as Etsy and Shutterstock for prints to frame. Shown above is a set of adorable postcards from an Etsy seller for only $9! You can find four frames at Michale’s or Hobby Lobby and have a set of art for under $20.
Jars filled with sand and sea shells or rocks are great for accessories. There are tons of websites that sell seashells at great prices.
A mirror such as this one can compliment a coastal theme very well. It’s made of driftwood found on Lake Erie, from Driftin Along on Etsy.
If you have any budget friendly or DIY tips, please share them with us!
Iconic Intensity used in two colorways to add interest
As seen in previous post carpet can often be a major design element in a project . Here at DPStudio we are always searching for carpet. Often in a commercial design projects the carpet remains fairly neutral and color is introduced in fabric, art and accessories. Even when the carpet has a neutral base the pattern can be an added layer to the overall design. Bentley Prince Street Carpet is known for making patterns done in great neutrals. This makes their carpet easy to use in many commercial applications.
Featured product: Bentley Prince Street
Bentley Prince Street quote: “Bentley Prince Street is committed to sustainable commerce and innovations to integrate style and function with environmental practices.”
Bentley Prince Street is known for its beautiful patterns done in an easy to use palate. Bentley Prince Street carries broadloom carpet, carpet tiles and area rugs.
Area rug by Bentley Prince Street
♥♥♥♥♥ Last weekend was a beautiful one here in New Orleans. It was the last weekend of Jazz Fest. Although I do not love a festival as much as my counterpart CMH, (as seen in this post) I did go with my husband one day and had a great time. It was a great way to start the weekend. Last weekend turned out to be a great mix of fun and relaxation. Cheers to another great weekend! ♥♥♥♥♥
{One of the best parts of jazz fest is the food}
{I can not go to jazz fest without getting the crawfish bread}
{So this is the relaxation part of my weekend. I read this book in two days and it was hysterical. Perfect weekend read}
{Sunday was a beautiful day for a walk in the French Quarter}
{Perfect end to Sunday. Cheers to Cinco De Mayo!}
Fabulous custom sofa with fabric from my favorite designer Trina Turk
A bold pattern can make a real statement in a space. I am a fan of mixing patterns in a space to add interest and make a space feel personal. Mixing patterns of different sizes can create great visual interest. A bold pattern added to a space in the form of a throw pillow or rug can be a easy great way to start playing with patterns. But for those of you who have no fear of a bold pattern, choosing a large-scale piece of furniture, such as a sofa, to showcase a great pattern can make a space modern and fresh. Patterned sofas have come a long way since the yellow and orange florals of the seventies. Here are a few bold sofas that could add spunk to any space.
Great patterned fabric gives this sofa a modern feel
This casserole makes a great side dish!
As seen in previous post like this one or this one, both CMH and myself love to cook. I’m always looking for new recipes and try to make something new every week or so. Some things are a hit and some are a miss. Luckily for me my husband will eat anything. So lately I have been trying new quinoa recipes to see which ones he really likes. While looking through food blogs for recipes I came across this recipe on The Best Remedy for mushroom quinoa casserole. I am a sucker for a good casserole or anything that you can make, stick in a dish and bake in the oven. I have to say this recipe was very good. I added a bit of chopped kale to mine. My husband loved it and I think this will now be a go to recipe when I need a hearty side dish. This dish would also be great as a main dish with a side salad. Hope you enjoy!
Mushroom quinoa casserole
1/2 pound (8 ounces) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked quinoa, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup kale, sliced into ribbons, optional
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
1. Rub a medium-large baking dish, around 9×13, with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and kale, if using, and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the quinoa to the skillet and stir until combined.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, red pepper flakes and salt.
4. Combine the quinoa mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish.
5. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and enjoy.
♥♥♥♥ Kitchen Gadget Love ♥♥♥♥
I’m a sucker for a good kitchen gadget. Especially one that saves me time in the kitchen. These are my top 5 favorite gadgets that I use on a regular basis.
{ Garlic twist. This puts those garlic press thingys to shame. I got it at Williams-Sonoma years ago }
{ Ulu kife and cutting board. My brother Frankie sent me this as a gift when he was stationed in Alaska. I use it for chopping nuts, chocolate, herbs, and anything I need finely chopped. I used it this week to finely chop spinach to hide in meatloaf. Shhh….don’t tell anyone. }
{ Mini food processor. This one is about 2 cups I think. I’ve had it for about 15 years and I’m pretty sure it was less than $10 at Big Lots. I mainly use it for chopping onions. I think this is my one “can’t live without” kitchen item. }
{ Mango slicer. Mine is from Pampered Chef. I got it last summer and it has changed my relationship with mangoes. If you’re a mango lover, you must get one. }
{ Cuisineart Prep Express Hand Held Food Processor. I use this to shred and slice vegetables and shred cheese. Freshly shredded cheese is just so much better than the stuff in a bag. This bad boy shreds a whole block of cheese is less than 60 seconds! }
A few weeks ago SPB and I had a little business trip in Plano, TX right outside of Dallas. We just had to spend one night there and we stayed at the NYLO hotel. It’s a business-class boutique hotel. We weren’t looking for anything fancy but it was in our price range and looked pretty cool. The hotel was very modern, with contemporary furniture in the lobby and the guest rooms. The guest rooms reminded me of a loft apartment in the New Orleans Warehouse District.
You enter into the hotel lobby which is bright and fresh with uncommon built in seating. We love the tufted orange “bench.”
Very cool seating arrangement in the Lobby
One of my favorite features in the hotel is the art featured on the elevator doors:
Great way to feature art and add some life to boring elevator doors
Corridor to guest rooms. A little industrial feeling. In my opinion, it could use a little color.
Now on to the guest rooms. The rooms are cool, very “lofty” and definitely have an urban feel. However, it was not exactly the best layout when sharing a room. The bathroom walls didn’t go up to the ceiling creating an extreme lack of privacy. The shower wall is visible from the room. While it’s pretty opaque and we really couldn’t see through it, I could image if you were extremely modest or traveling with someone you didn’t know very well it would be a bit uncomfortable. Overall we liked the hotel, but we wouldn’t recommend sharing a room unless you’re pretty comfortable with your roommate. Imagine if you just stared dating someone and this was your first trip together. Not cool!
A few shots of the guest room. It was a good design ascetically, but not so much functionally. If only the bathroom walls would go up to the ceiling that would create a world of difference!
Lighting in the guest rooms added a touch of softness to the urban feel of the space.
♥♥♥♥♥ We have been talking a lot about spring lately here at DPStudio. Here are a few more fun spring finds that are inspiring me this season. Happy Friday! ♥♥♥♥♥
{ Spring color pallet to inspire fun DIY projects }
{ Outdoor pillows are and easy way to spruce up your outdoor space }
{ My favorite vase for spring tulips }
{ Fun colored outdoor chairs }
{ crocheted apple green outdoor pouf }
In the design world we see the latest and greatest design trends as soon as they hit the market. It often takes a season or two before they hit the main stream. It is always great to find the perfect new product for a project. But classic pieces that have been around a while can also be the perfect complement to a new design. The Knoll Studio Saarinen Womb chair (shown Above) designed in 1946 is a perfect example of this. Often these products both new and old come with a pretty high price tag. Designers often specify these great products for a project but can not afford them for themselves. I love to look for knock off pieces that can give the same look and feel to a space at a fraction of the cost. Here are a few high & low products that I found.
