A Kitchen Re-Vamp. . .2/25/13

Last year I was contracted to help redo this house. Set in the lovely neighborhood of Briargrove in Houston, it had quaint and cozy features, could definitely use a facelift but most of all showed promise. Nothing some carpentry, paint and refinishing couldn't help. So, it was sold to my client like this and for the sake of offering you "before" pictures, this is what I have despite the fact that all furnishings are from the previous owners. 

This is the dining room. We didn't do much except remove the drapery and replace the crown molding above the windows to lie flat against the wall. We also removed some outdated wainscoting. 

 This is the teensy tiny kitchen. It had very old appliances, cabinetry that was as older than my client and absolutely no storage space. The kitchen felt like it was closing in on us and was completely closed off from the rest of the house with only a small doorway for access. 

 This small study off the kitchen didn't require too much work but did need new hardware for the cabinets, paint on all cabinetry and walls and a re-stain of the floor.

 Another shot of the kitchen - old and sad.

 From the small doorway in the kitchen you could access the living room. Had nice lighting but the entire house needed hardwood re-stain and replacing of several planks that had water damage and were warped. Not to mention the sad brown color of the cabinets. Yikes!

 The living room view from the vantage point of the windows.

 One of the bedrooms - would need to be turned into a little girls room. 

 The living room from the vantage point of the fireplace facing the small entrance to the kitchen. It felt claustrophobic. We blew that wall out thank you very much. 

So these are the before shots.  . .

A Bientot! See You Soon!. . .3/18/11

It’s no secret that I have a flair for the extraordinary and unexpected. I like to flirt with the boundaries of style and fashion; maintain my Blair Waldorf classic headband and ballet flats on Sundays and let down my hair a la Carrie Bradshaw with a surprising skirt and remarkable wedges on Saturdays. Every other weekday in between is as eclectic and distinctive as my new favorite Houston shop spot: À Bientôt.

I’ve never experienced a drug high but walking into the River Oaks boutique is as close to it as I think I’ll ever get. It’s my new crack-cocaine ladies and I am officially addicted. Allow me to paint a proper picture of this boutique for you…until you make your way over for some serious retail therapy of your own that is. A Bientot is stocked floor to ceiling (literally) with jewelry, kurtas, shoes, handbags, more jewelry, shawls, headbands, gifts, pillows, more jewelry, stationary, party décor, children’s layette and even monogrammed travel gear. Did I mention there’s LOTS of jewelry? It is a feast for the eyes; a color explosion; it’s the place where women whose accessories you covet shop; it’s the place to go when you want to make a statement with what you wear on your neck, wrists, fingers and ears. Most people have a happy place. Me? À Bientôt is MY euphoric place. I am going to give it the ultimate shopping classification by going as far as actually creating my own word online to describe A Bientot: shopgasmic! You are welcome Urban Dictionary.

After living in tres chic Paris and subsequently spending fifteen years working in the fashion industry in New York City, À Bientôt founder Betty Newton eventually moved back to Houston where she began designing and manufacturing little girl’s dresses. The native Texan opened a small shop near her current location at the corner of River Oaks Boulevard and Westheimer that operated only one day a week for three hours. In fact, a fun bit of trivia for our Loopsters, many of the little girls who shopped Newton’s designs fourteen years ago are currently employed at A Bientot, which means “see you soon” in French. “Kathryn has been with us nine years and we’ve known her forever,” says Newton of one of her store’s chic and youthful managers.

As time passed Newton expanded her business and began buying accessories and other fabulous accoutrements by designers such as Big Buddha, Jeffrey Campbell, Bernardo, Kenneth Jay Lane, Tom Horn, BLVD, Replica, Susan Shaw, Moyna, J. McLaughlin, Sulu, and Gretchen Scott, which are only a few of the 250 lines the boutique carries. Nestled still within all of that is Stacy Perlitz’s shop, Creative Paperworks. “We’ve known each other since college,” says Perlitz of Newton. “I did a trunk show at the other location and Betty just asked me to stay. We’re like family here.” Perlitz, who carries everything from Lily Pulitzer designs to stationary, napkins, customized cups, travel accessories, notepads and the Mecca of personalized items, is only part of the team that comprises this inimitable boutique.

Just one year before coming aboard, Newton welcomed partner Cristiana Anderson in 2000. Since then the style mavens have traveled all over the world shopping for unique pieces to add to their collection. “You have never seen two people who like to shop more than Cristiana and me. And eating is second!” says Newton. “We go everywhere and find inspiration everywhere.” Indeed, the mother of two recently returned from a trip to Morocco with arms full of bags donning multicolored tassels which are presently causing a frenzy in the front windows and drawing in customers like mad. “We discovered these fun bags in Marrakesh but jewelry is still our first love,” says Newton. “Then shawls, then handbags, then shoes.”

Newton, who says one of her favorite parts of owning À Bientôt is that she gets to dress up every day, has an innate ability to create and combine accessories in a way that few people really can. She is dripping in magnificent jewelry from her boutique that doesn’t make a “statement” so much as an earsplitting declaration, and when I interrupt to tell her that I simply adore the chunky necklace she is wearing, which is actually a necklace AND a bracelet hooked together, she tells me that it is an estate piece she found years ago. I continue our conversation though privately I am terribly disappointed that I can’t own the necklace when I suddenly perk up to learn that Newton loved the jewelry pairing so much she had it replicated for her boutique. Fortunately for me in this case, À Bientôt manufactures about 30 percent of its own products, which includes the piece I am coveting. Already envisioning how I would make the robust necklace my own, I purchased it before leaving and even wore it out that evening to dinner. And the next night out for cocktails too.

Indeed, Newton has a talent in her industry and she is quick to tell you that she views jewelry and accessories as one would view art. Treating them like collector’s items, Newton even has handbags strewn about the house on shelves, coffee tables, and in her dressing room. “Santi is a Thai handbag designer we carry. We love his creations so much and they are so unique, I just have to display them like art.”

Seems À Bientôt’s customers love the store’s unique designs too. I am marveling at the variety of patrons eagerly snatching up items ranging from $28 to $600. “We have all types of customers here,” says Newton. “From strollers to wheelchairs. We just like to let people shop without pressure or a salesperson over your shoulder.” And she is right. This is my second time to visit the boutique in one day. I arrived when the store opened and scooped up a gold chainmail handbag ($42) and layette ($16) for my baby fashionista, then claiming I needed “more information” made my way back in the afternoon for some more personal shopping. It’s like I said, addiction ladies; a devilishly irresistible addiction.

Olivine: Luxe Living. . .3/11/11

“Là, tout n’est qu’ordre et beauté, Luxe, calme et volupté”

- Charles Baudelaire, nineteenth century French poet

“There, all is just order and beauty, luxury, peace, and sensual delight.”

There are some retail boutiques that are so inviting; so fetching and intoxicatingly beautiful that husbands everywhere absolutely shudder to know that their wives are even aware of the shop’s existence. Like a Siren’s song these rare boutiques carry a consumer appeal that is so enticing, purchasing is nearly impossible to resist, and I should know. Nestled in the heart of Rice Village is one such place; a place where romantic glamour and elegance meets relaxed comfort and impeccable style; a place where anyone who has ever savored the essence of French living can bring a touch of Provence into their own home.

After spending five years in Uptown Park, Olivine has found a more suitable home at 2405 Rice Boulevard. For those of us who like to have all of our favorite places at arm’s length and thus suffer from what I affectionately refer to as “inner loop syndrome,” this new locale will give you yet another reason to make your way over to the eclectic shopping district also known as the Village Arcade. Conveniently situated next door to Salento - where one can grab a delicious cup of Joe before entering the French-inspired living boutique – Olivine offers everything from one-of-a-kind oil paintings to unique industrial lighting; linens to flatware; a cashmere bathrobe to fragrance, furniture, antiques and even children’s layette.

“The great thing about this store is that it’s practical. We carry high-end stuff too but the price points are all so different,” says store manager Cathy Stevens. Indeed, some of the more luxe brands Olivine carries include bedding from Bella Notte and Pom Pom at Home. But if thread count isn’t something you are in the market for, perhaps brands such as Le Cadeaux, Baby Cie, Kai Perfume, Lollia, Kiss that Frog, Vagabond Vintage, Pixie Lily, Les Indiennes, Cotton White, Dash and Albert, and even Aidan Gray might pique your interest. “We really try to make this a cozy, comfortable, homelike environment. Everything we sell is washable and lends itself to easy carefree living. Life’s too short to live in a home where you have to worry about what your pets and children will break or ruin,” says Stevens. “Absolutely,” echoes boutique owner, Helen Stroud. “We are very opinionated and vocal about our products and we care about the environment too. We sell practical things that people can use forever and none of our fabrics are made with toxins or require dry cleaning.” The word “olivine” even means a greenish mineral.

For me, the first time I walked into Olivine, it was like coming home. I smiled, closed my eyes and sighed oh-so deeply. I had found my happy place. This reaction is exactly what Stroud hoped to achieve when she opened her exquisite store nine years ago. “I wanted a place that was a little old fashioned; a place where we recognized customers. Music; scents. Come in, talk and enjoy. People even come in for free therapy sessions with Cathy,” says Stroud, with a roar. “We’re like a local bar but without the alcohol. We wanted this to be a place where people could walk through the door and even if they didn’t make a purchase, they could have an experience.”

A moment within the store is all it takes to recognize that Olivine is indeed a unique shopping experience. Customers walking in are typically greeted by Stroud’s enormous red dog, Pippi. The part Chow Chow, part Golden Retriever has become a store staple as has Olivine’s reputation for personal attention and service. When not tended to by Stroud herself, who charms with her Louisiana Steel Magnolias-esque southern drawl, you can be sure to catch manager Cathy Stevens delighting people with her lovely Australian accent. The women at Olivine are as diverse and eclectic as the store itself. Spend ten minutes gawking at Stevens’ amazing aptitude for store display or admire original artwork byStroud’s daughter Catherine. “She spent three years living in France,” she says proudly. “She’s incredibly talented.”

And don’t expect to hear the stereotypical sounds of Edith Piaf or Charles Trenet playing at Olivine either. Even the store’s atmosphere music breaks the cookie cutter mold of most French-inspired boutiques. “We do play French music but it’s funky French; unheard of bands,” says Stroud, whose artistic children help inspire her vast musical selection. “We like a broad mix that includes Carla Bruni and lots of alternative music. My kids are always telling me about new music and people love it. They always ask whose playing.” She’s right. The Decemberists are playing at the moment and it’s a total jam.

As our conversation moved past the interview and into spouses, health, potty training, the benefits of organic eating, and even European lifestyle, it became more and more evident that Stroud and Stevens are real women who put their money where their mouth is. Stroud for one is not only mother to five children but also raises eight dogs, though two recently passed of old age, two cats and three cockatiels. “I actually started this business because I needed a way to make my own money just to cover my pets’ vet bills,” she says with a laugh; an infectious laugh that makes you instantly feel like you’ve been friends with her your entire life. Indeed, after more than two hours of laughing and conversing with Stroud and Stevens, I allowed them to continue unpacking their newest shipment of inventory and made the inevitable purchase (twelve melamine glasses from Le Cadeaux) on my way out the door. I waved and assured them I’d be back soon. Very soon.

Muse: A Fashion Xanadu. . .3/2/11

As a seasoned shopper, I like to pride myself on the fact that I can take a passing glance at any store front, or even take a quick peek in the door, and within three seconds determine if it is worth my coming inside. With Muse, however, I merely had to park six feet from the door to know that I should definitely come in and I should definitely leave my credit cards in the glove compartment of my car. With its signature lamp-shade-head mannequins donning the latest fashion trends in the front windows, Muse is a store begging to be walked into for browsing AND buying. It’s the kind of store in which a gal could do A LOT of damage.

It’s been nearly four years since co-owners Margaret Morris and Lindsay Mousoudakis opened their stylish boutique in River Oaks and as I walk in with my six-week-old fashionista-in-training in tow, I begin to salivate at the rich colors and variety present in every square foot of the boutique. I might even go as far as to say it is sensory overload, but in a good way. Everything is so tempting in fact that I almost don’t know where to start shopping – I mean browsing – first.

Should I start at a wall cleverly displaying a collection of multi-hued ruffled vests in a way reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s color-block? Or should I eyeball a tiered round table near the front door that parades Boho style summer kurtas in every shade and pattern imaginable? If neither suits me, shoes, jewelry, handbags and playful trinkets to complement every outfit are strewn about the store in inviting arrangements as well.

I’m still barely taking it all in and already feeling a bit like Veruca Salt in the Wonka Factory; the only thought running through my mind at this point is, “I want it daddy! I want it!” Good thing I left my wallet in the car. I finally make my way over to the counter where I introduce myself to Morris. Though elegantly understated, she is as in vogue and up-to-the-minute as her tasteful boutique and as she speaks I begin to wonder if she is wearing-slash-advertising the store’s merchandise.

Morris is one half of the mother-daughter team that dreamed up Muse and she is quick to tell you that her daughter Lindsay is the actual mastermind behind the store. “I always wanted to open a tea room and one day Lindsay asked if I wanted to open a boutique together instead and we just went for it. She did all the work and got everything together."

Indeed, Mousoudakis, who started out in public relations before moving to Los Angeles and helping open the Tory Burch boutique in Beverly Hills, has definitely done her homework and pulled together an enviable assortment of designers that even Neiman’s and Saks don’t carry. “We are the sole carrier of the Calypso brand in the entire city of Houston,” says Mousoudakis. “I just love that brand so much. It’s so different. Any age can wear it and when you do you look dressed but feel comfortable.” “Even women my age can wear it,” echoes Morris, to which I have to roll my eyes and laugh because despite knowing she has a daughter my age, Morris has the ageless beauty of Lynda Carter and even eerily resembles the icon.

The vibrant boutique offers a blend of fragrance, clothing, accessories and even splashes of home accents by designers including the Dori Collection, Roberta Freymann, Avenue Montaigne, Fifteen Twenty, 49 Square Miles, Calypso, Jarbo, Linea Pelle Handbags, Tracy Reese, Nanette Lepore, Hila and much, much more. And with luxe brands like those ranging anywhere from $25 to $600 plus, what type of woman shops at Muse I wonder? Mousoudakis, who counts Roberta Freymann among her favorite designers, tells us the store typically caters to women between the ages of 30 and 45. “Our customers are fresh, modern, funky, colorful, youthful women; lots of young hip moms too,” she says.

With such an eclectic array of styles and colors, the question begging to be answered is who are Mousoudakis’ and Morris’ muses? “I’m very inspired by my customers. They are always so stylish, darling, fun and they let me play; they give me ideas,” says Mousoudakis who describes her personal style as that of “funky, classic, not quite bohemian but eclectic. I like to mix it up.”

Mix it up she does indeed. The newlywed is wearing black shorts, a tee and a loose silk tank over it – the kind of effortlessly chic outfit that would take the average women several outfit changes to pull together. Seeing her style, I get the sensation that she is actually the one that inspires most of her customers. “We just want people to be able to come in here and know that it’s comfortable. It’s like your best friend’s closet; come in, try on and hang out,” she says.

Muse is located at 2411 W Alabama, Houston, TX 77098. Visit them also at http://www.musehouston.com.

MAI. . .2/21/11

Today was tough. Having pink eye in BOTH of my eyes and being unable to handle my kids a lot, I sent my son away to his grandparents' house and took my daughter hunting for a Louis Philippe mirror for my first interior decorating client. Where to on our first stop? My old stomping grounds of course. . .Memorial Antiques & Interiors.

When my son was a baby, I had a space there at MAI as one of their antique dealers. Sometimes I miss it but then I open my eyes and remember how expensive it would be to pay for everyone else's broken antiques when I am forced to take my kids with me?! ;)

Anyway, I think I may have found a winning mirror (not pictured) but I DID find several vignettes worth photographing and sharing with you all. . .and yes, having been an MAI dealer I am a little partial but take a peek for yourself. . .

Take this dealer's space for example. I am coveting nearly EVERYTHING in it!! Starting with the chairs and the table in the forefront. . .but how lovely would the top of the armoire hanging above the back art work look hung above a bed??

These tiered shelves are great but the painting of the girl in the back is wonderful and somber. I stared at it for a few minutes. . .debating where I could put it in my own home ;)

Okay, yes, the wine tasting table is beautiful (they always are) but the tiger bamboo easel is AWESOME!! I love it!! Even more so than the easel from Anthropologie I showed you in my last post. . .

I have a true love for industrial pieces like this one. If I ever have the opportunity (and space) for a large hobby room (in our next home of course), pieces like this one might have to utilized. It's eclectic and I just love the way they mix with more traditional French country pieces. . .I mean, take this photo for example, the lavender, oil paintings and old books look right at home with it.

Do you love this picture for all it's mixture? The metal and wire baskets, the stone cherubs and the pine table. . .c'est magnifique!!

There's nothing that makes a statement in a perfect room like an unperfect piece of art. . .this focal one really caught my eye.

I would set it up EXACTLY as they have here. In an entry way.

Now THIS! THIS made me soooo happy!! It was the first photograph I took today. . .I can literally already picture loads of white stoneware stacked inside these lovely chicken wire-covered shelves. . .and how beautiful is the scalloped edging of the cabinet doors??

I know a lot of women dislike antlers or deer heads in their home. . .I am not one of them. I LOVE decorating with deer heads and antlers!!! There's simply too many places I could put these great ones.

This is one of those random and unique pieces that require a little bit of thought but make a great addition - especially in a man's private home office I'd say.

Ahhhhhh. . .need I say anything at all???