Design Profile: M Design Interiors Inc.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled programming for an important announcement: Living Social has $15 for $30 of fabric today and you can buy two per person. Get yours here! I read all the fine print and it doesn't say anywhere that you have can't use it for phone or online orders!

We will now return to the regular programming schedule.

Last week I saw this room on Gorgeous Shiny Things

It's gorgeous, no?

I clicked the link thinking I might find out more and was pleasantly bombarded with tons of pretty images.

Enter, the amazing work of M. Design Interiors Inc. based out of Los Angeles. You may have seen some of their work before but perhaps you didn't know they were all by the same firm or that there was plenty more where that came from.

Another view of the room above. I really like this curtain fabric.

Very nice styling, kinda drooling over this olive green too.

Yeah, I could get drunk hang out here.

Wow, just wow.

Click here to see more. There's so much eye candy to be had. I think they have a bit of a whimsical style. I hate to use that word but I'm not sure what else to call it. Pattern and color with abandon, great mix of styles, classic elements. They do amazing work.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers in the US!

PS I sent out the swap information last night. If you didn't receive your info please email me!

Should I Put Something Here?

I'm having a quandary so I think it's time for a reader poll.

Here is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. This is my living room as it looks now. It needs a lot of work. It's come pretty far but I still have far to go to make the heart of our home the way I want it.

As I mentioned before, I'm building an art wall across the back. So my question is, should I put a piece of furniture on this wall?

A console, a dresser, a credenza, or just have nothing?

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, the chairs are going to be upholstered very soon. And that will be amazing. The new chair fabric will clash with the rug. I think I'm going to put my sea grass rug in here for now. I'm still waiting to find the perfect rug for in here. I need a new coffee table. Something mid-century but I haven't found "the one" yet.

This is what is on the other side of the room and no, I haven't painted the wall in that little nook yet. This little nook used to be a fancy pants mirrored 80's style wet bar.

So what do you think?

What would you do if this were your home?

Please share your wisdom!

Edit: Forgot to mention in my haste about the suzani fabric I posted yesterday. It is from my favorite store High Fashion Home. It's not listed online but if you'd like to to order just call them and ask to speak to Veronica. She's awesome and very helpful!

Headboard is done, Finally!

Long time readers may know I have been planning on making my own upholstered headboard for forever. As per usual, I had trouble finding the perfect fabric. This is my hangup in everything I do design-wise. The never ending quest for the perfect fabric for each and every project. Does anyone else have this issue?

Upon my first visit to the Wisteria Outlet store I finally found the perfect thing. Kantha cloths! They are so full of character and vibrant color, the perfect bohemian vibe. Of course I had to get a purple one, of course!

I really like it! And don't worry, I just pinned the cloth, no staples. So should I change my mind later and want some different fabric, the kantha cloth will still be perfectly intact and ready for its next home.

I'm soooo ready to get this room together and finished. For some reason the master has been the hardest for me. I don't know why. I feel that I've come a long way but I still have so far to go.

My white bedding stint isn't really working out. One of our dogs sleeps at the foot of the bed every night and the oils on his fur have stained the duvet a dingy yellow that bleaching can't cure.

I think that's why I have so much trouble. I have a really hard time finding bedding that I like. I recently bought a duvet from Anthro and brought it home and immediately decided it had to go back, sigh.

Ideas for bedding would be much appreciated. It can't have too much white and must be easily washable.

In other good news, I got the fabric in for my wing chairs!

I mocked up how it's going to look and I can't freaking wait. My goal is to have them done by Christmas. I just don't have a vehicle to get to the upholsterers, ugh!

**Update** The fabric is from High Fashion Home, it's not available online but you can call to order it!

I think they are going to look amazing!

And I'm all moved into my office! It's not much right now but I'm so happy to have my own space to work. Now my breakfast nook is free and I can put a real table there.

Paint swatches are going on the wall as soon as I'm done typing. We'll see how many I go through this time!

And yes, that is my fat cat in the corner there.

Happy Monday Lovers!

Shunned by Apartment Therapy?

I'm sure most of you have heard that Apartment Therapy is hosting a contest called "Room for Color" right now. Well I entered my dining room in the contest...

You know the one, you've seen it before. It may not be bright color but I have a lot of bold color in this room so I thought I would give it a shot. 

I'm not even going to include the countless hours I spent designing this room. But I did spend a lot of time cleaning it, touching up the trim, buying flowers, photographing it, editing the images, writing the entry, all in order to compete.

Then they decided not to even let my room compete.

I understand that there may be bad entries or spam entries so everything has to be approved for the contest. They also said they only select the strongest entries for the competition.

I thought no problem. My entry is certainly strong enough. Plus at the time I submitted, there wasn't near as many entries in the southern category.

I submitted my entry more than 10 days before the deadline.

and waited...

and waited...

then the deadline to submit passed and still no word.

I double checked the rules and requirements to be sure I'd done everything right and sure enough I had.

Then I logged in to see this message...

Thanks for your entry, but due to the large number of entries received yours was not included in Room for Color 2010. We hope to hear from you again in the future. Enjoy the rest of the contest!

WTF?

I can't imagine why I wasn't even given the chance for my entry to be seen.

And I hate to sound shallow but there are entries that I definitely do not feel are as strong as mine or photographed as well...

BTW, these images you see here are the exact ones I submitted. My photographer friend took them, another person's time wasted.

So that's how I got shunned by apartment therapy. Obviously I am quite bitter about it. To me it makes no sense. 

My friends said to email them but I guess I just don't see the point.

Sorry to bring down your Wednesday but I'm just upset about this.

PS. There's still time to sign up for my gift swap! I'm extending the deadline because I would like to get as many people signed up as possible. So tell your friends and email me at myflightsofwhimsy(at)gmail(dot)com to sign up!

Currently Obsessed With: Cafe Chairs

Happy Friday! Happy 11.11.11! Happy Veteran's Day! So much going on, sheesh!

I've been stalking craigslist extra hard lately trying to source things for my new office space and breakfast nook. I've found cabinets to act as the base for my built in banquet. Hooray! I had previously planned to use these chairs from Ikea for the other side of the table but my brain has decided to go another, harder direction of course.

 I just feel I'd rather have something with personality, possibly something vintage. Enter: cafe chairs!

As you can tell, I think the blue ones are especially gorgeous! This ice blue is the bee knees!

Paired with this marble topped Iron table, perfection.

I found a bunch from this website but I think they are for the trade only, boo. Anyone have a good resource for these for the public?

PS Don't forget to sign up for my gift swap! Only a few days left! Email me at myflightsofwhimsy(at)gmail(dot)com 

It's Time! Third Annual Handmade Holiday Gift Swap!

Can you believe how fast the holidays are approaching? I also can't believe this is the third year I'll be hosting my super fun handmade holiday gift swap!

Here are the details!

1. Your gift must be handmade. Meaning, it must be an item your two hands have touched, manipulated or altered in some way. Vintage items are ok but you must have done something to it. Crafts and items made from scratch are also good.

2. The item plus any materials needed must not total more than $20 USD.

3.You must ship your item to its recipient by December 15th.

4. And lastly previous years have necessitated some etiquette in the rules. If you know you're going to be busy and  might not be able to send out a gift please don't sign up. Nothing is more disappointing than spending time on your own gift and then waiting for one that never comes. Also, please send a thank you email, mention in a post or find a way to say a simple thanks to the person who sent you a gift!

You have until November 15th to sign up by sending an email to myflightsofwhimsy(at)gmail(dot)com.

Please include:

your full name

your address

your website or blog

your email

On November 16th I will send you an email about who you will be sending your gift to. But they won't necessarily be the person sending a gift to you! Tricky tricky, it's a surprise!

Now the 2nd gift swap was twice as big as the first so lets get the word out and see if we can double the size again! I want everyone to join the fun! Please let friends and readers of your own blogs know so they can sign up.

Let's make this the best year yet! Send me an email and sign up forthwith!

Backyard Tour! Get ready to Drool!

I recently came across this amazing home and couldn't wait to share it with you. Lynne's dream is to have her home published and I think the world needs to see the amazing job she's done. I want to see more!

I could sit here all day. The trees are so big and beautiful!

Are you kidding me? Lynne, pool party at your place? I'll bring the cupcakes and adult beverages.

From Lynne's blog about the outdoor shower:

"This mosaic has a bit of a story.  I didn’t know how to draw a mermaid.  I stood in the shower stall and had my Mom trace me.  I did advice her to draw me skinnier with bigger breasts.  It is a mermaid with a sense of humour.  I also DEFACED Canadian pennies.  Confession time again.  It is ‘kinda’ against the law to glue pennies to a wall, isn’t it ? Ooops.  I did it in the name of design."

We feel ya Lynne, we feel ya.

This is my favorite thing!

All images courtesy of Lynne's blog, Design the Life you Want. Go here to see more pics of her home and read all about it!

Have Friday lovers!