Labor Day plus New Purchases!

I hope everyone enjoyed their long holiday weekend! I am still recovering from my long weekend and first day back to school! I celebrated my birthday on September 1st so the hubs and I snuck away for a few nights to Mohegan Sun and saw American Idol in concert. Totally loved it and it made me feel like a 17 year old again screaming "I love you Colton" with the 'tweens around me.

We started school yesterday so to I am finally getting back into a little bit of a routine. While of course I adore my kids, I have to admit by the end of the summer I am ready for the schedule and routine to begin. Yesterday I was a little bit like this guy....



Anyway, since this is a design blog, here is a bit of a design update....my amazing sister got me these two books for my birthday....totally loving.... this one is HUGE and the illustrations are great. Haven't popped in the CD with black and white illustrations to use on projects but I hope to this weekend!

Design Directory of Window Treatments,

If you are a fan of House Beautiful this book is like a condensed version of all my favorite spaces they have featured....great to share with clients for inspirations and style discussions!

House Beautiful Style 101: 400 Designer Secrets to a Beautiful Home

And I treated myself to this nifty gadget which I am going to use at my client appointment today....It is about the size of an iPhone only fatter and it ROCKS! I don't know how I lived without this thing!

 Bosch DLR130K Digital Distance Measurer Kit

And I think I may have selected a new couch....I am not ready to purchase just yet but when I am I think I am going to get this beauty from Pottery Barn. What I love about their couches is that you can remove the cushion covers (or slipcovers if you buy a slipcovered couch) and machine wash or dry clean the cushion covers based on the material you select. I don't think I can commit to a couch that says "spot clean only".

I am thinking about the Pottery Barn Carlisle in the upholstered version (no slipcover for the living room...I want to see those beautiful legs!) I am loving it in the Caramel Twill....and at 90.5" with such a narrow arm....you are talking major seating space....just what I am looking for!

Pottery Barn Carlisle Sofa

Wow...finally made a decision! Now must take the husband to test sit.....hopefully it passes the test!

Monday Morning Book Review: Window Treatment Books

We are back for the Monday Morning Book Review! In today's book review, you are getting a 2 for 1. I am going to share a book with you that I have and a book that I want....mainly because my birthday is coming up and maybe you are looking for something to get me:)

This first book travels with me on all of my client appointments. I whip it out once we start discussing window treatment options. When I throw out the words cornice, valance, inverted pleat or jabot I watch my client's eyes glaze over and realize what we need is a big colorful picture to get their attention back so out comes the Big Book of Window Treatments. While it is called the Big Book of Window Treatments, it isn't really BIG. It is full of content and great illustrations on various window treatment options but it is paperback which makes it easy to tote around and very colorful.

This book covers every window treatment option you could think of: blinds, roman shades, curtain options, shutters, pleat options and even bedding options. It shares good info on fabric requirements, measuring windows and fullness of the treatments. You have everything you need at your fingertips to select the right window treatment for your home or project. If you check it out on Amazon, you can even view some of the pages (I love that feature!)

The next book is also an amazing book of window treatments. It is the Design Directory of Window Treatments.

This book has an amazing glossary of window treatment terms so explaining some of these more intricate treatments becomes a little easier.....(could you define a Festoon off the top of your head? Not me....) There are also over 1300 illustrations of said window treatments (so maybe you don't even have to explain them!) There is also a version that comes with a CD Rom of line drawings to use in projects. Sounds amazing.... me want.  If you head over to Amazon you can sneak-peek the inside of this one, too!

Do you have any books that you must carry around with you to clients appointments or for your own design? Send me an email and I'll review it here!