Why Everyone is Talking About Goop

Remember Gwyneth Paltrow’s “conscious uncoupling” from Cold Play front man Chris Martin!?  Late night comedians had a hell of a time cracking jokes about that one.  But for many folks, it was also the first time hearing about Paltrow’s lifestyle website, Goop, on which she announced the split.  It probably was not the type of … Continue reading →

Your Best Mother’s Day Gift Guide!

If you haven’t thought about mom yet, you’d better get on it.  Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 11th!  There are plenty of boring old standbys like beautiful flowers and massages.  Trust me, any mom will love either one of those!  However, if you’re feeling a bit more creative this year, here are some more … Continue reading →

Shabby Chic Kitchen Renovation, BEFORE and AFTER

  It’s amazing to think that our kitchen renovation is finally done!  We’ve been enjoying the finished product for about 6 months now, but with baby Beau hogging my free time, I just now got around to taking some AFTER pictures.  The kitchen renovation was a much longer process than I ever anticipated.  I started … Continue reading →

It’s a Jungle Out There: Safari-Inspired Nursery

Lil’ Teapot is on his way!  And you know what that means…. the home renovations are in overdrive. The first thing I did after learning I’m expecting is find a doctor… and THEN… start designing the nursery.  Of course, it wasn’t until I discovered we’re having a boy that I could really go to town!  … Continue reading →

Antique Heart Pine Found Upstairs

Owning a 130 year old historic home is ALWAYS an adventure full of twists, turns and surprises along the way.  Usually, the surprises involve dry rot, termites or cracks in the walls, but occasionally, you get one that doesn’t make you cringe.  That’s exactly what happened this weekend! Joe began ripping off the baseboards and … Continue reading →

Easy Tool Organization

Joey’s home!  Yay! Since Joey got back from Afghanistan, I haven’t asked him to do much around the house.  After 7 months in a war zone, I think he deserves to relax a little.  A little. So, it came much to my surprise when Joey told me he wanted to start a new project and … Continue reading →

It’s Brass-Tastic!

Hands down, my favorite antique store in the New Orleans area is Dop Antiques.  I’m not sure why I’m telling you think because inevitably it’s going to get popular and then it’s going to get expensive and then it just won’t be my favorite anymore… But alas, I love the place.  It’s got all of … Continue reading →

Awkward Cleaning

No one particularly enjoys cleaning, but according to advertisers, it can be exhilarating  glamorous, infuriating and even lead to suicidal breakdowns!  Just take a look at the awkward stock photos posted recently on Huffington Post… and a few more I found across the inter-webs.  Next time you’re bummed out about cleaning, just think… at least you’re … Continue reading →

Cork: Beyond the Bottle

You may think of bordeaux and bulletin boards, but more and more often these days, cork is also being used in interior design.  It’s easy to see why.  The sustainable material naturally reduces noise, is resistant to water and heat and even has anti-bacterial properties!  Not to mention, it looks great.  From decor to flooring … Continue reading →

Saving Storm Damaged Furniture

When Hurricane Isaac made landfall over the city of New Orleans in late August, the storm took its sweet time moving on.  The hurricane sat atop the Crescent City for days flooding streets, swelling rivers and in the hardest-hit areas, forcing water over our levees and inundating entire neighborhoods.  The devastation was greater than anyone- … Continue reading →