Perks of Susan G. Komen Walk Training

As some of you may know, I doing the Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure. I haven't started following one of the prescribed training programs yet but I have been walking. Today my team mates did a 10 mile walk~ too long for me as I haven't walked more than four until today. Today I walked a little over five miles. I feel pretty good. My feet held out, which is a bit surprising. It's my lower back and hips that are a bit sore. Perhaps some of you out there have advice for me. I saunter a bit when I walk so perhaps I haven't learned the fine art of the 'marathon walk with purpose.' If you'd like to check out my walk page, here it is. Feel free to sponsor me with any amount. I will truly appreciate every penny.

I've been wondering if training alone or in a group would be better for me. I have to say that walking alone today was quite enjoyable. First of all it is a lovely day. Temperature is ~65, sunny, no humidity. I walked in my neighborhood , which is quite lovely itself. The grass is a vivid green and all the manicured homes looked splendid. The other thing is that we are in the market to move within our community to a larger home. Walking today led me to find a new house on the market in the style that I adore. I am calling our realtor to set up a tour. Here's the thing... when I was looking intently at this house and I continued to walk, the next house over offered an exquisite site ~ a rippled, shirtless 'V' landscaper with a butt as high as just done saline breasts. Oh my!!


I admit, I gawked. I may have even strained my neck as I continued walking AND my gawking. Wow! I did not get to see his face but I can fill in that blank a dozen times over sustaining my fantasies for at least a couple of months. Please don't place me in the Trump category for sexualizing. I just enjoy beauty in any form if it presents itself to me and man, what a present that was. I pictured that site several times along my walk and thought that if I walked behind him for the 3 day, I'd be wanting a fourth.

So you see the training has benefited me in more ways than one. It benefits me, it benefits others.. a win-win situation.

Tomorrow, I walk again ~ same route of course. I wonder if there was a sign in front of that house with the landscape companies name on it. I didn't see one but my eyes were occupied so maybe I just didn't notice it. Do landscape companies work on Sunday? Hmmm??!!.....

Top Considerations for Custom Order Chairs

Today I am featuring a guest post from the great ones at Design Shuffle! I hope you enjoy their Top Considerations for Custom Order Chairs!

Sometimes the ready-made furniture market just doesn't have that "just perfect” chair we must have for a room or interior design idea. Custom order chairs can provide the solution to these design dilemmas. Whether you need a custom chair to fit a color palette, match a favorite table lamp, a copy of an antique chair or a chair with specifications related to an injury or physical requirement, custom ordering opens up many possibilities. However, lots of choices can also be overwhelming. If you’re considering custom ordered chairs, there are some key points to incorporate into your decision.

Budget
A custom made chair will more than likely cost more money than a chair bought right off the showroom floor. Decide ahead of time how much you can spend and don't forget to factor in delivery charges and taxes.

Research
Before you take the step into custom ordering, do your research. Visit local furniture showrooms and research national chains to rule out current readymade options. Online research is an easy way to see many of the off the shelf options. Research the interior designers in your area to find out who designs custom furniture and if they might be able to design something to your liking. Pay attention to prices, upholstery, finishes and measurements. You may find that the designer or retailer offers custom order options for both upholstery and finishes.

Create a Notebook
Pull pictures from magazines, catalogs and online stores for inspiration and home décor ideas. This is a great idea for any time you are buying new furniture or home décor. Consider how you will use the new chair.

Kellex (via)

Ready Made with Custom Options
Many interior designers, showrooms and manufacturers offer custom options for premade pieces. These may vary from a selection of fabrics to wood finishes, leg shapes to cushion fillings. Some will include several fabric options in the base price while offering others for additional fees. This is a great choice if you can find a form that works for your needs.

How to Reupholster a Chair (via)

Materials
Materials are the main factor in the cost of custom order chairs. Decide what is most important to you. Is it fabric? Wood? Construction? Design? Do you have a special den design in mind or a living room design perhaps? You may have to compromise on some of the design elements to keep within your budget.

Be Sure!

Apartment Therapy (via)

Custom order pieces usually cannot be returned so you want to be certain about your purchase.
If you think you've decided on a custom order chair, there are a few final considerations before you buy. First, will the chair fit into your space? Measure, measure, measure. You can use painter's tape to map out the chair in your room. Don't forget to measure height as well as width and depth. Take home fabric samples to see how the new fabric will work with your existing pieces and wall color.

Delivery Time
Because you are doing a custom order, delivery time will be much longer than for readymade chairs. Ask about delivery times before you buy. Custom pieces can take six weeks plus in many cases.

Taking these points into consideration should make buying a custom order chair an easier process. Ask questions and do your homework and you'll have a piece you'll love for years to come.

This content is provided by Design Shuffle, where you can find top tier interior designs from around the world – from New York interior designers, Los Angeles interior designers, Washington DC interior designers, and more, check out the latest at Design Shuffle.

Happy Easter!

Enjoy your day with family and friends ~

Soft and Lovely

Windsor Smith

I love the soft green seen through the window at the top, the gentle pink against the bold yet muted motif, and the dripping periwinkle from the sky. All add a touch (or more) of easy, breezy color that lures you in and keeps your eye gazing. Simply lovely.

Castles

You may have read in a previous post or in my newsletter that I have a client who would like 'castle' style and architecture in their home. This is such an interesting concept to me. I spent much time at Market looking for suitable furnishings, searched antique websites and local dealers, all for a select few that will end up in the design. I decided to also search for castles and their current decor. I found quite a bit on Architectural Digest's website ~ everything from a castle in Kenya to Pierre Cardin's home to England and Scotland... all quite stunning with some similarities and some differences.

Opulence appears to be in abundance in many.

But for others, simplicity reigns.

Gorgeous woodwork and architecture are a common thread, inside...

and out.

Ceilings are never ignored whether they are finished with molding...

or beams ~ they all present their grandeur and elegance.

Furniture can be quite elaborate...

but these castles also show a casual side.

Large is the norm, in scale and motif...

and in scenery.

A lot to take in and digest. I am having fun interpreting and scaling it for a home who's square footage is a bit less than your average castle. Although, THIS home is the most important castle in the world to its occupants and so it shall be to me too.

Here is my April Newsletter!!!

Please enjoy my April Newsletter and get caught up on what's happening at Paula Grace Designs, Inc.

High Point Spring 2011 Palette

It is always fun to go Market and see what palettes get the most attention. I thought for sure that pink was going to have a large following given that it is the pantone of the year. Not so. It did have its day particularly at Pearson... However, the colors that dominated this Market was turquoise and teal. Where is the best place to see the Market palette?? Global Views ~ of course! Their award winning showroom is always done to perfection. Take a look...

The reps working in the showroom all wore this palette as well. They were walking billboards ~ you knew exactly where they worked even when not in the showroom. They also mixed in lime green... Below is a striking palette with lime green, black and white...

The picture does not do it justice. The green just popped. I really loved it. Arteriors was getting in on the turquoise game as well... They also featured red, which I haven't seen in a while. It actually was refreshing to see red in action. I love these little tables. They have a red wash on them that is very well done. I feature red myself for my Beautifulx2 Curio Tables. I little pop of red goes a long way.

Literally the turquoise and teal were everywhere. I wonder when the pink will come into play? We'll have to see what the Fall Market has in store for us.

Lauren's Room Transformation Continues

This is where we started. The day the painters were scheduled to come, Lauren kissed each one of the fairies and the unicorn in her mural good-bye and hugged the castle. She was a little sad. I gave her a hug and asked, "Do you want to continue with the transformation?" "Yes Mommy, I do, I just wanted to let them know (the fairies, unicorn, and castle) that I loved having them in my room."

After the painters thoroughly discussed it, they came up with their plan of action and got started...

What a process this was! The owner asked if he could please have pictures of the room when it is complete. Of course! Did I happen to mention my daughter loves PINK??...

We added crown molding to form a distinct break between the pink walls and ceiling. Three shades of pink was used along with pin stripes in black gloss and metallic silver. Where did I get this palette from?...

Her rock star border of course!

Placed at chair rail height. I'm not much into borders but when she saw this one, Lauren said "I have to have it!" Ok my love :)

This is her drape fabric. Simple panels with black and white bobble tassel fringe on the lead edge.

When my Miss Lauren walked into the room after it was painted, her face was priceless. She looked at me and said with a big smile, eyes wide open, "I LOVE IT! Mommy, you're so awesome!" I feel the same way about you my love... every single day.

Onward...

I haven't joined the party for a while but I think this qualifies for the great start to a metamorphosis ~ BNOTP Metamorphosis Monday!

Bunny Williams at Market

I really like Bunny Williams' comfortable style so naturally when I read that she was showing her BeeLine Home line at Market, I had to stop in. She was a gracious host and humored me with a picture. Below are a few of her furnishings that I enjoyed. This mirror is so versatile. It can be seen as traditional or contemporary dependent upon the other furnishing in the room. Take a look at the wallpaper. It surrounded you in the showroom and made everything feel so fresh. Love the orderly scroll. Beautiful table. Again, can be placed in just about any style room. One of the things are really loved was her use of linen as the main upholstery fabric. Everything was crisp, simple, and elegant. I really like this chest. See what's on top?? Bunny WAS a wonderful host. She kept a well stocked bar for her customers. I would have partaken accept that I was there at 9:30 in the morning! Love the profile of this chair. Love the wood on this piece. Elegant and refined. VERY comfortable! The regal legs are a nice touch.

I thought this was the sweetest thing ~ love the dog in the wallpaper, love the bowl waiting for him to come alive. Made me smile each time I passed it.

Bunny also did a seminar on Monday. I wanted to go but I did not. Let's just say that closing the club the night before had me a bit under the weather that day... but it sure was fun ;-)