That’s my dog.

I love love love Foo Dogs and seeing them pop up in fabulous interiors too. Did you know that the Foo Dog is also known as the Celestial Dog, and the Happiness Dog.  Must be why my eyes light up when I see them in a magazine!  The animal is a symbol of energy and value, and is often displayed in a male/female pair.

The Foo Dog pair is usually shown with the male holding one paw on a sphere symbolizing the Earth, while the female holds a cub. They come in many shapes, sizes, different materials, and colors. Their faces have a mischievous and almost devilish look about them; and their eyes are normally wide open with a tiny speck in the middle. This threatening appearance is what gives the idea that they guard against evil spirits.

Today, they have become an accent and a staple in chic, eclectic and modern interiors.  Turquoise, red and yellow are most frequently seen these days.

Foo Dog Bookends

Image Via: Domicile ID

Image Via: Design Cisis

Image Via: Josephine Fisher

Image Via: House Beautiful

Image Via: What’s Up Whimsy

Image Via: Palmer Weiss

Image Via: Elements of Style

Love those lamps? Grab your set HERE!

Two Hundred Dollars

We started  this week by celebrating our 200th blog post and  by sharing our favorite finds under $200 from our Shop.  Today, we end the week with a fabulous $200 giveaway to the Shop! 6th Street Design School is one of my favorite blogs & daily reads and I am so thrilled to be part of her blog.   So pop on over to 6th street, visit the Shop and tell us what you would buy with your store credit!   And, keep and eye out next week for new Vintage Christmas Ornaments, cozy blankets and MORE pillows!!

How did you do that?

Simple Stonington Gray

Home Away From Home – Hollywood Regency

Two Hundred

Today we are celebrating our 200th blog post on Studio Ten 25 & November also marks our two year blogiversary! So today we are going to celebrate with our favorites!

turquoise jungle pillow, gray lumbar pillow, turquoise pillow, mid-century rocker, storage boxes whippet dog statue,  turquoise jungle cat rug

MY TWO FAVORITE BLOG POST:

From March 2010, Scheming. Turquoise is still a staple in most of my client’s projects and I have found myself digging this post up for inspiration!

From May 2009, Moving on up Bachelor Style: I won my first design award with this project AND it was my very first project to be published!

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TO ALL OF YOU WHO STOP BY OUR BLOG EVERYDAY, LOVE OUR PROJECTS SO MUCH THAT YOU FEATURE THEM ON YOUR OWN BLOGS AND FOR ALL OF YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS!

Home Away From Home – Guest Room Update

A Touch of Zig Zag

I have always been a fan of this bold graphic pattern and if you use it in the right application, it can really make a room spectacular!  Here are a few of my favorite rooms using the zig zag / chevron pattern.  From accent walls, rugs and throw pillows are the most popular uses for the zig zag pattern. But if you can’t commit to using the pattern in larger scale, try using it with a table lamp or small bowl on the coffee table.

Image Via: Haus Interiors

 

Images Via: Erinn Valencich

 

Image: Via Atlanta Home

 

 

Image Via: Made by Girl

 

Image Via: Design Sponge

 

dog bowls

Chevron Table Lamp

Needlepoint Pillow

Lumbar Pillow

Chevron Calling Cards

Zig Zig Rug

Rubie Green Ellie Bag

 

 

 

Almost done!

It would be a shame to not share the progress of this kitchen update.  My client’s kitchen was in need up an update and the oak stained cabinets and vinyl floor was not working for them anymore.  Instead of replacing the cabinets or having them sanded and stained (nightmare and quite costly) we decided to go with paint.  New flooring, countertops, and black splash were also on the “to-do” list along with new furniture in the small dining area.

BEFORE

AFTER

The dark hardwoods are my favorite change! They are so rich and really bring home the modern feel my client was going for!

My client recently added the new area rug, dining table and  chairs, from West Elm and they look fabulous! The new paint color will be up soon and the finishing touches will be going too! I can’t wait to see how everything comes together.

Looking back….

I love cleaning out my project folders and finding the “wonderful” before shots of pieces that we have had re-upholstered.  It’s great finding pieces in a client’s home that are in good shape but just need an update. It’s saves money in the long run and when a client is attached to a particular piece, re-upholstering it can bring it new life!  It’s hard to believe how pitiful some of these pieces were.

This HUGE accent chair was not bringing it. I love the shape and size of the chair and it was going to work perfectly in another room.  So from a dull khaki…..

…to fabulous in this red velvet diamond pattern!  I can not wait to see the chair in place.

This Chair had everything on our checklist.  Perfect size, ideal shape and ON SALE! We snagged a pair of these chairs on closeout and immediately took them to be re-upholstered.

We used Windor Smith’s Riad in Jet from Kravet. Now, they are exactly what my client was looking for!

This bench was a perfect fit for this king sized but the fabric was not in great condition. Since we were going to be remodeling this master bedroom, covering the bench was a quick and affordable update.

Now this bench has an updated look with a modern medallion pattern from Duralee. We loved it so much that we had accent pillows made for the bed.