A three hour tour....

These busy homeowners dropped off the possessions and never had the time and the vision to really make this place a home. we came in for a three hour consult, and voila.
we moved pieces in from the rest of the house (and took some out), unpacked boxes and made the storage work efficiently. It's now a lovely home.

reprinted from a great blog.. casasugar!

Dying to update your sofa, but can't stomach the idea of buying an entirely new piece or paying big bucks for a reupholstery job?There's no need to spend major money on your sofa when renovating or redecorating your space. Spruce up your seating area with these simple and effective ideas, from least to most expensive.

Least Expensive: New Pillow Cases
While you could always buy new pillows, save space by buying new pillow cases. Go for seasonal colors, new patterns, or something sparkling like the West Elm Sequins Circle Pillow Cover ($39).

Keep reading for another least expensive choice, plus two other ideas for updating your tired old sofa!

Least Expensive: Decorative Throws
Stay warm despite the chilly Fall weather with an easily accessible sofa throw like aRestoration Hardware Chenille Heathered Braided Throw ($59).

Moderate: Sofa Covers
Reupholstering sofas can be expensive, but if you have an Ikea sofa, you're in luck. You can quickly and easily change your decorative mood by covering your couch with a sofa cover like those from Bemz (starting at $250 for a three-seater sofa).

Most Expensive: Slipcover Sofa
Opt to buy a sofa that is intended to be slipcovered, so you can pick several covers to switch out seasonally. This Pottery Barn Carlisle Slipcovered Sofa ($3,000) has over 80 fabric options, so you can never grow bored.

Have you given your sofa a simple facelift? Tell us how you managed to makeover your sofa in the comments.

Autumn Throw Down:All about cashmere

I admit it, I don't like fall. Charlotte is a redhead and likes Autumn but I am a blond and all about summer, and I hate seeing all those yummy summer colors go away and be replaced by "earth tones". But the one thing I like about the fall..CASHMERE! Throws on every sofa and chair. I admit, I'm obsessed, I buy often and I have been burned by cheap cashmere and the dreaded blend. Just don't buy the blend. If it ain't 100% cashmere, it ain't cashmere. The best cashmere comes from the western hemisphere, where the goats are combed, and not shorn, because cashmere is the down(like duck down.. get it?)The cashmere goats produce a double fleece, the best is the undercoat. When the goats are shorn, more hair gets mixed with the down and it isn't as soft.And never buy Shatoosh,purported to be the softest cashmere in the world, even if you can afford it. Its falsely claimed to be naturally collected hair of the Tibetan antelope, but they are hunted and slaughtered for their chin hair. You might as well wear Siberian Tiger skin!It's illegal to import to the States now, but still available in Europe and around the world.

There's a lot of cashmere out there right now, and there are some good bargains to be had. This is what I found this morning.above from Bloomingdale's.$275 in these colors...Blech. Too expensive, boring choices.(There's cardboard in there plumping up the layers!)
below from overstock.com $99 yes! virtually identical to Bloomies.
dreamy!In Tiffany blue from ONE KINGS LANE.$159.A perfect wedding or engagement gift, right?

also from ONE KINGS LANE,this gorgeous crocheted cashmere throw thats good year round,also $159

hurry,they always sell out.

Now cuddle up!

a couple more tricks of the trade.....

a couple more flea market and antique store shopping tips.....(and little Steve Jobs tribute..Thank you Steve for making this world so much easier to navigate.)

you can tell if that figurine is real ivory or bone by looking at the cut edge..real ivory has a crosshatch pattern...composites do not.

And in case you didn't know, If you are unsure if something is real gold or silver, test it with a magnet! Real gold and silver are not magnetic.