love it, live it: neutral glam dining room

This week's Style Board was inspired by the amazing Moroccan Wool Kilim from ABC Carpet & Home.  The dining room is neutral, with Euro glam accents with mod seating.

Product sources and 20.twelve.3 Styling Services available at TCSTYLIST1@GMAIL.COM

the fashionable home: fur

With my recent move, I was excited to change up my decor a bit.  I didn't really purchase anything new (more on this later), except some black lacquer spray, some assorted fabrics and a few yards of faux fur from Jo Ann's.  Faux, and not faux, fur isn't just a winter fashion staple, it is now a home fashion must have as well.  Fur accessories add texture and warmth, as well as a touch of luxe. 

Target $29.99

Pottery Barn $49.50

PB Teen $59.50

My pillow...about $5.00

World Market $79.99

Anthropologie $348.00

My ottoman...about $9.00

I was going to make a rug out of this piece, but I decided to throw it on the bed...

Manco approves.

love it, live it: item inspired dining room, abc carpet & home

Item Inspired Neutral Dining Room coming Wednesday.

cozying up for fall, with PARACHUTE Bedding

Since the beginning of September, I have; packed, moved, cleaned, unpacked, painted, styled, painted, unpacked, styled, unpacked...and we just had our first snow of the season.  Am I ready to get cozy?  Why yes, yes I am.

While I believe in being warm and cozy while viewing a little nighttime t.v., my cozy retreat is my bed.  A bed with soft, comfy linen sheets, a sateen duvet cover for my down comforter, a relaxing lavender candle and a great book.  Since my sleep attire is sleeveless, my arms can get a bit chilly while reading, so there is nothing like wrapping up in a soft, warm, cozy cashmere throw to keep the chill at bay. 

Parachute bedding is all about quality, craftmanship, and comfort; the three essential elements for a cozy fall...and winter.

hello! I am still here, well sort of...

Sorry I have been absent from the blog, but I have been packing up for a move! I will be posting plenty of squeal worthy goodness in the near future as I do a little revamping of my childhood home. 

Stay tuned!

love it, live it: item inspired lounge, williams-sonoma seymour bar cabinet

After seeing the Seymour (faux shagreen) Bar Cabinet on the cover of the Williams-Sonoma lookbook, I knew I had to do a lounge for it!  A little glam, a little retro, and a lot of  "oh yeah!", this is a lounge to sit back and stay awhile in...

Product sources available upon request at TCSTYLIST1@GMAIL.COM

love it, live it: item inspired interior, west elm stella bed

I was cruising my favorite furniture sites for new pieces and I came across the fabulous Stella Metal Bed from West Elm.  The spindle design may be traditional, but the brass finish definitely injects a bit of mod glam.  This bedroom is glammishly serene with its texture, clean lines and a clean color palette.

Product sources available upon request at TCSTYLIST1@GMAIL.COM

online design services, e-styling by 20.twelve.3 Interiors

e-Styling 1.0, Fresh & Fabulous $129

e-Styling 2.0, Small Space Styling $179

2-Styling 3.0, Large Space Styling $229

Contact me at TCSTYLIST1@GMAIL.COM

love it, live it: item inspired dining room, anthropologie grassland stripe dining chair

A quick Style Board to close the week out.  Anthropologie has so many fabulous pieces right now, I jumped back to their site and chose the Grassland Striped Dining Chair for this week's inspiration.  With rich colors, a glossy wall and plenty of other textures, this dining room is glam and sexy.

Product sources available upon request at TCSTYLIST1@GMAIL.COM

yes, hire a stylist/designer before doing home upgrades

My realtor guy asked me to take a quick peak at a home he has listed that isn't moving.  It's been a couple of weeks and in the Denver real estate market that is like a couple of years.  It is a nice home, in a nice area.  The house was built in 1970, so yes, it needed to be upgraded at some point.

Let's start in the kitchen:  at some point, black accent tile was added to a white tile back splash, but there are also some off-white tiles.  The floor I'm guessing may have originally been linoleum, it was replaced with tile; a stone colored tile which doesn't really get along well with the black and white...and off-white?

Next, the master bath:  the floor is done in cute red and white penny tiles, the wall is white 3x3 glazed tile with a black accent tile.  Great!  A black, white and red bathroom...with faux rock tile in the shower?

On average, homeowners stay in a home 13 years before making a change.  Whether making home improvements while in the home for personal reasons or to upgrade for the inevitable selling of the home, it really makes sense, not to mention it pays off in the end, to hire a stylist/designer for a consult.  We LOVE putting things together to create a harmonious cohesion that looks fabulous!

I'm not talking "staging" here, I'm talking about upgrades, changes to be made well before even the thought of selling.  We can even help before you buy a house that needs upgrades. 

I am located in the Denver Metro area of Colorado, but I can also help out of state, even out of the country, with an e-Styling Consult.

Contact me at TCSTYLIST1@GMAIL.COM for details, or call 303.718.2765 

classic bardot: style without trend

I'm not sure if it was the obvious chill in the air this morning or the same old cookie cutter Instagram style shots (skinny jeans, same top as whats-her-face, scarf, super high heels, big photo op bag, pretty but same hair as the next trendy fashion blogger save for The Man Repeller and Bat Gio, true style pioneers),  but I'm ready for a new season of style.  But Instagram has become boring, so I look to my favorite style icon for real inspiration, Brigitte Bardot.  I'm not sure if "trends" existed back in the 50's-60's-70's, if they did, Brigitte must have been the originator.  

Why do we label things "trendy", especially if it has been around for awhile (cutoffs, trench coats, etc.)?  I am to the point that if I see something labeled trend or trendy I avoid it like the plague.  Maybe it's because my age is not trendy, but I prefer classic with a touch of Bohemian.  Slouchy elegance with an edge.  I also believe a gal should be sexy, but sexy has nothing to do with revealing, some skin of course, but there needs to be some mystery.  Sexy comes from confidence, you can't be it if you don't feel it...bedhead and a lined eye help too.

Of course we look to designers and magazines to get a feel for what's in each season, but if you can only wear something trendy for a season, is it really worth buying?  There are of course exemptions:  shoes and outerwear.  But even then, these items shouldn't be so trendy that they can't be worn again and again, in following seasons.  There is a way to be stylish without being trendy, just take a cue from Brigitte...

kale and white bean salad with lemon truffle vinaigrette

A tasty new favorite to add to the "kale files"...

Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T truffle oil

1.5 T of fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. truffle salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Combine all above ingredients and whisk until blended. 

Salad

4 C kale, thinly sliced or torn into small pieces

1 1/2 C white beans, if using canned; drain and rinse, use the whole can

Combine kale, beans and dressing in a plastic container with lid. Shake container vigorously. Serve with Parmesan. 

Enjoy!

love it, live it: item inspired interior, anthro slub velvet edlyn sectional

HELLO!  I have been lost in Bra-Bra Land (more on that later), and felt the need to see what is happening in my other favorite world of home furnishings.  My first stop was Anthropologie, and I SQUEALED with joy when I laid eyes on Edlyn!  I am very picky about sofas, and men, very, especially when it comes to sectionals, and men as well.  Edlyn has clean, sexy lines and is dressed in velvet.  Not your standard colors of velvet, but gorgeous, sexy, rich hues.  So naturally, Edlyn inspired the first Love It, Live It Style Board in over a month.  Clean lines, a touch of masculinity, plenty of texture and just plain sexy...

Product sources available upon request at TCSTYLIST1@GMAIL.COM

summer grub: grilled salmon tacos with spicy nectarine pico de gallo

I made these tasty taco's this past weekend, and oh were they squealishly good!

SLAW

16 oz. coleslaw mix

1/2 C plain Greek yogurt

1/2 C mayo

1/4 C fresh lime juice

1/2 C chopped cilantro

1 T Emeril Lagasse Southwest Essence

S & P

Combine all ingredients, cover and chill.

SPICY NECTARINE PICO de GALLO

1 C diced nectarine

1/4 C diced red or white onion

1 canned chipotle (store remaining can of peppers in a jar and refrigerate) 

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 T fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients, cover and chill.

SALMON

1 lb. salmon

2 T grape seed oil

2 T fresh lime juice

2 T E.L. Southwest Essence

Marinade salmon for at least 1 hour.  

Heat grill to 400°.  Rub essence on both sides of salmon.  Depending on thickness of fillet, grill 4-5 minutes on the first side.  Turn over and grill until done, 3-4 minutes.

Enjoy!

simple pesto

My basil is not as beautiful as it could be, the creepy earwigs have been doing a number on it.  I hate earwigs.  So to enjoy my basil more than those nasty bugs, I make pesto quite often.  If you have searched for a pesto recipe, you have discovered there are a bunch.  My go-to is super simple, but then again, what pesto recipe isn't?

PESTO

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 C grated Parm, divided

1/8 C pine nuts

1/8 C roasted pumpkin seeds

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 C fresh basil leaves

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil, divided

S & P

Combine garlic, 1/4 C of Parm, through pepper flakes, in food processor and pulse.  Add basil and pulse.  Add 1/4 C of olive oil, pulse until well blended.  Transfer pesto to another bowl, and stir in S & P, remaining Parm and olive oil.

Enjoy!

pork shoulder, two ways: carnitas and pulled pork with honey chipotle bbq sauce

So Mom came to town a couple of weeks ago and I took care of two of our dinners with one 3 lb. pork shoulder.  I cooked it in the slow cooker and we had Carnitas Tacos on Friday night and then a squealishly good Pulled Pork Sandwich on Sunday.  I also fed the neighbor who was bachen'it that weekend, Carnitas Tacos as well!

SLOW COOKER PORK SHOULDER

 

RUB

1 T chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. Mexican oregano

1 tsp. chili flakes

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

 

3-4 lb. pork shoulder

4 cloves of garlic, smashed with knife

1 onion cut in quarters

Juice of 1 orange

1 can of mango juice

Juice of 2 limes

1 can/bottle of beer (pilsner or ale)

 

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl then rub all over pork shoulder.  Add liquid ingredients, garlic, onion and pork to slow cooker.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8.

 

Once done, shred and leave in cooker on warm until ready to eat.  When ready to eat, broil in the oven for 2-3 minutes until edges are just crispy.

 

POBLANO SLAW

3 C packaged slaw mix

3/4 sliced poblano pepper

1/4 C grapeseed oil

1/4 C chopped cilantro

1 T rice vinegar

1 tsp. lime juice

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

 

Combine all ingredients together.

We used this slaw on the tacos as well as the pulled pork sandwiches.  For the sandwiches, I left out the cumin.

 

HONEY CHIPOTLE BBQ SAUCE (from food. com)

1/2 C ketchup

1/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C honey

2 chipotle chiles, chopped

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

S & P

 

Blend all ingredients in a food processor.  Heat meat and sauce together for a squealishly good pulled pork sandwich.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

love it, live it: inspired interior; if Sinatra had a loft

I was inspired this week by two things; industrial loft's and Mr. Sinatra.  Frank's favorite color was orange and he wasn't just the Chairman of the Board, but of the Mid-Century...

 

Product sources available upon request tcstylist1@gmail.com

industrial living spaces

I love pretty things, but I am in no way a frou frou girly girl.  I prefer cool with a side of pretty, which is why I love a mix of old/rustic with chic/glam, texture, texture, texture.  True lofts, meaning spaces that have not been redone too much; spaces that still show the history and character of the original building are fabulous!  The brick, the concrete, the steel, the wood, the ginormous windows.  There is one particular building in Denver that I have frequented a couple of times that I would love, love, love to occupy.  

Below are images I found on Google for Industrial Living Spaces that are oh so livable without sacrificing the original beauty of the industrial architecture.