Celebrate Father's Day

Here's to celebrating the fathers in our lives, all the amazing Dads, past and present.  To remember, honor and treasure the times spent together and  look forward to special times yet to come.

Happy Father's Day!

Out And About: Reside's Reader Giveaway

With our departure from New England on the horizon, I'm making every effort to visit all my favorite spots one last time.  That includes stores I love both on personal and professional levels, i.e., places where I shop for my clients and for myself.  Last week, while in the South End, I stopped by Reside.  With two locations, one in Cambridge and another in Boston, Reside is the place to find 20th century modern furniture, lighting and accessories.  Meticulously curated mid-century items make up most of their ever changing inventory, but they also carry many other period pieces, all stemming from a time when furniture building was a craft and quality mattered more than quantity.  Buying any Reside piece is a worthwhile investment.   Inventory of original modern furnishings is on the rise due to so many baby boomers downsizing and moving on with their lives.  Whether you're a collector or just looking for a unique find, now is the time to shop.  Take a look at some of my favorite store's offerings and  enter to win a mid-century design oil and vinegar set from Reside (featured below):

Enter to win a oil and vinegar set designed by Kenji Fujita by visiting Reside's online collection and sharing what items you like most below.  Contest ends at midnight on 6/18/2012.  Good Luck!!!

Many thanks to Pamela of Reside for contributing our latest reader giveaway and for providing Cambridge and Boston with such great places to shop for mid-century modern!

Moving Mode: Our Patio Set Gets A New Home

One of the hottest, most coveted items at last weekend's yard sale was our patio set.  The new owners strategically packed all three pieces into their small car and quickly proceeded to set them up for future lounging and entertaining at their place. Take a look at it now:  I just love it with the large back cushions and the mixed pillow patterns!

Thanks C.S. for sharing these photos with us.

If you bought something at our yard sale that looks like it always belonged in your home, please send pictures and I'll happily blog about it..

West Elm's New Collection: Cultured Sophistication

 South African designer John Vogel utilizes colors, textures and shapes to blend natural and traditional techniques [like weaving] in West Elm's new collection, giving it a sophisticated worldly flair.  In addition to John Vogel's contribution to the new season's lineup, there are coordinating vases, pillows, linens and benches that can easily enhance any space as interesting ethnic accents.

I for one can't wait to see these pieces in person and I'm seriously thinking about a set of these in black for our new dinning room.

Click here see an interview with the designer.

1.  Sculptured Canisters

2. Kuba Crescent Bench

3. Potter's Workbench Napkin

4. Chevron Crewel Pillow

5. Mantis Lounger

Sweet Obsession: LIDDABIT SWEETS

My latest obsession is LIDDABIT SWEETS' chocolate-dipped sea salt caramels.  Handmade in Brooklyn, these yummy caramel bits are both chewy and crunchy, striking a perfect balance between sweet and salty treats.  Our son Benjamin's sophisticated taste buds share my love for  LIDDABITS, so we often find a quiet moment to savor them together.  You can find these beautifully package treats locally here.

Do you have a sweet obsession?