Rando Design Inspiration Friday: Outdoors Edition

In honor of the fact that this weekend is Trade Secrets Weekend (see post below), our design inspiration is going to focus on outdoor spaces. Today is a gorgeous day in NYC; sunny and warm and finally NO RAIN! Since most of us are stuck inside, here are some lovely pictures to speed you along to the weekend!

From Point Click Home, isn't it just lovely how the green grass grows in between each stone creating a geometric pattern. The obsessive side of me isn't even mad.

Who wants a cocktail here at my new home in the French Riviera? This look like the perfect space for a fun garden party. I wish I knew what was going on in the back though. Marie Claire Maison.

J'adore mini potted plants! Probably because that's about all I can handle. From Living Etc.

This picture from House Beautiful just makes me want to go home even more. I love the manicured yard with hedges, and the doorway of flowers with a backdrop of rolling hills. AHHH.

From Desire to Inspire. I don't much care for the furniture where but the way the ivy is creeping up the wall, it's so charming! Also tres charming is the crystal chandelier outside.

I don't want to brag but...I've sipped white wine in this adorable little outdoor garden/terrace by the incredibly glam Charlotte Moss. It's even more amazing in person. And so is she.

I super hope the weather this weekend is sunny and warm. I don't want to be shivering helping Martha Stewart, ya know? Not cool. Not a good thing.

Alicia B.

Trade Secrets Weekend

This weekend I'm so excited to be volunteering at Trade Secrets. Trade Secrets is an annual Garden Tour and gardens/antiques show founded by Bunny Williams with all the benefits going to Women's Support Services. It is held in one of the most beautiful places in Connecticut, Sharon. I'll be helping out on Saturday and then stalking, I mean going on a garden tour at Bunny Williams house! What a treat!

OMG! Moss covered frogs!!?? This might be more than I can handle...

I'm so excited to see all the fun garden accessories: topiary, watering cans, garden furniture from Treillage, you name it! It is also rumored that Martha goes every year--maybe I can help her out! Has anybody been to this before? Planning on going?


Alicia B.

Wanna Play Monopoly?

Lilly Pulitzer Monopoly! My day is finally here. Ahhh.

Alicia B.

Look who I brought home last night...

Meet the newest member of my family, Lucrezia! Yes, like Lucrezia Borgia. She is the snuggliest little three month old kitten there ever was. Check her out!

Luca loves down comforters.

She also loves Dash and Albert rugs!

Look at that little mouth. WHO HAS THE CUTEST MOUTH EVER. Woah the kitty talk is hard to stop.

We are bff already, and she slept curled up in a little ball in my arms last night.

Alicia B.

Basket Case

Manden Basket from the Sundance Catalog for $75.

If you recall a few posts ago, I wrote about foyer spaces and realized that my sister's foyer spaces was seriously lacking. We brainstormed about a lot of different options but my favorite was the addition of a basket underneath her console table! Not only does it add visual interest but it adds storage and depth to a flat space. I love baskets because they can look old and like they have a history.

This is what we're working with.

Eileen Kathryn Boyd is one of my new fave designers these days. This is quite a tall basket but I like its wide weave.

Paula Perlini used lots of baskets here--all different. You can put fresh flowers in them (she gets so many flowers from that husband of hers anyway)!

This is just an example of the different kinds of baskets you can choose from. These are from Pima--they remind me of these gorgeous baskets that my parents have from South America. By Michael Dale.

This is part of the John Peixinho home that I can't stop looking at, but isn't this basket perfect? It peaks out the perfect amount from under the console table.

I think this basket idea would not only add a bit of depth to the foyer/console area but that area needs a bit of texture too. They have that gorgeous lacquered console and crystal candlesticks, so I think they need to let in a little softness or something with a more natural feel. Also, they could put colorful things in there like flowers, throw pillows, etc. What do you think? Any other solutions?

Alicia B.

Kitty's New Home

Sorry, I'm not sorry. This is too cute to resist. This is NOT my cat.

I'm going to attempt to adopt another cat today apres work; except I'll get a kitten this time, not a cat. No previous trauma other than being born in New York. Anyway, I want to make my little kitten as comfortable as possible so I've been looking at pet beds. There are some amazingly strange things out there for pets. I can't imagine spending 6000 dollars on a pet's home but I guess that's where my New England stinginess comes in. HA.Crazy for Hotel Bedding? Your bed can match your pet's bed, too. And this can be monogrammed. From Well Appointed Home.

I featured these cute modern beds on one of my first blogs ever! These beds are so cute--made for dogs and cats. From Hepper Home.

From The Well Appointed Home, this antique iron bed for your dog or cat is $200. I actually kinda like it--am I crazy? Don't answer that.

From The Well Appointed Home, this Colonial Mansion is well priced for your spoiled cat or dog at $6160!

Also from Well Appointed Home for the pet you don't love quite as much, this Swiss Chalet is only $5360.

There are also lots of cute pet beds on Etsy! This one is colorful and looks comfortable. The Peacock Pet Bed by Allingwelsh is $36 and comes in many different fun fabrics.

Knowing me, I'll end up making the bed myself but these were some fun things to contemplate. Great to see the crazy things that people will do for their pets. My cat growing up had her own house that my father made himself and it matched our real house! It was so cute...tear. OH, does anybody want to contribute a name for the new kitten? Something, cute, easy to say...I was thinking Lucrezia.


Alicia B.