Persian Rug Fever

Ok everyone, I have something to admit:  over the last few months my house, which once was pulled together with some semblance of design direction, has become the land of lost coffee tables:  a castaway island where craigslist comes to die.  Tired of living amongst the winnings of the thrift store lottery, I bribed Erin with booze to pretty please come over and help me refocus.  No more random tables!!! I cried while swiftly pouring double vodka tonics.  My living room needed a new direction and that direction, we both agreed was a Persian rug.

While just one persian rug will do for now, I plan to relocate here within the coming years.

Yes,  a warm red rug against my white floors, couch and table will get me back on track

These lights may not hurt either.  But the rug, the rug is my beacon shining in the night.

Of course, my whole inspiration was 2-year old Ike's room, which seems both totally ridiculous and absolutely appropriate.

Shiny Kitchen Bling, Plus Some Other Stuff

I had ambitious plans to write an epic post regaling you with tales of golden glory longer than Rapunzel's hair. But since I was up late helping the in laws move into their fancy new pad and didn't even get to scarf down my pizza dinner until after 10 pm, I think I'm just going to keep it summer short (with some awesome good pictures at the end). Ok and maybe I was too busy swimming in their fancy new pool to put anything major major together...

Julie has already christened this "margaritaville" and I am quite sure she is right. Guess I'll break that to the inlaws, uh... now. They read this little old blog sometimes.

Anyway, expect A LOT of paint, furniture and kitchen posts to come in the next weeks as the inlaws have a ton of decorating to do. Woo hoo! We already kicked things off with an inaugural trip to Ikea, where I spied the most amazing mirrored oven:

Sorry -- pictures of this stupid oven are rarer than a one legged unicorn, but I think you get the idea. It's insane. And I think it belongs in one of these kitchens:

I haven't the faintest idea what this gorgeous kitchen bar is made of... Karly would say angel tears.

Jesus, this kitchen even has a gold dishwasher, wtf do they need with a mirrored oven?

Uh.... yeah. Those cabinets + that oven = fingerprint hell. But also one heavenly kitchen.

Later, taters. I have important proxy shopping to do.

[Dimore Studio, Philippe Stuebi, Pia Ulin via Head Over Heels]

Spending Binge!

After all the hemming and hawing and threatening and waffling I've been doing recently, I finally bought something that cost more than $2 at the thrift store -- a new rug. Well, a really-old-but-new-to-me-rug. Mostly this happened because Karly is buying a new rug. In my infinite kindness and generosity, I started "helping" her look at rugs, which actually entailed very little other than selfishly hoarding rugs in my Ebay bid basket. After enduring a day of no sleep cranky toddler, I became fed up with whining in general (mine included) and I pulled the trigger. This all occurred while riding home with an overly full stomach after a very delicious gumbo dinner, so it is possible my brain was destroyed by an overabundance of impatience, salt and sassafrass, but I don't think so. Let's check out the goods.

Oh, I really really hope I like it! You never know with these crazy Ebay rugs, and this one is antique with some funky abrash issues:

Plus I really hope the color is ok. The listing says it's rust, which should jibe with this painting:

But if that rug is actually salmon, I am skrewed. I also hope the fancy new-old rug will be ok with our couch, because if it's not then I will just have to buy another couch.

I'm also also thinking about switching our marble coffee table out for this Pace table that I bought 8 million years ago (you can read all about that crazy saga here), but I'm worried the chrome will make all the brass look weird... I guess I'll just have to buy new lamps, too.

And this, my friends, is how I will end up living a life of poverty. Damn, you decorating domino effect.