cakegirl's Profile

I am giving a few people a charitable donation in their name-fostering an orphan baby elephant at Sheldrick in Nairobi. I get to pick a specific baby elephant for them and they are emailed monthly with updates, for one year. It is a great organization and they handle gift donations very well.

I think we need to separate buying too much stuff, from getting rid of basics, like a dining table. People may mostly eat at the sofa in front of the tv, but sitting at the table and turning off the tv is rewarding and worth the effort. It doesn't have to be fancy.

Wow, I've seen almost all of these. I didn't realize what a documentary fan I am. I saw Bill Cunningham photographing last time I was in NY and it was the best celebrity siting i''ve ever had.

I vividly remember seeing Brother's Keeper in the theater when i was in college-but I could never remember the name! Very moving.

My mom didn't use a lot of processed food but she did make snack bars with Jiffy cake mix that i sometimes crave-they were similar to blondies I guess. I also sometimes miss cinnamon toast, grilled cheese sandwiches-well toasted with sharp cheddar on wheat, grits, homemade soup with saltines or wheat thins and Cokes with crushed ice. She also used to make an amazing pastichio (?) which is sort of like a Greek lagagna with cinnamon and bechamel. No one in my family is Greek, but her pastichio is the best I've ever tried.

I have an extremely strong sense of smell, so the smell in a room affects me greatly and before I even look at it. I often smell something "bad" when no one else does. The biggest offenders are food smells and mildew.
I can tolerate almost anything else. There is nothing design related that I can't stand for a short period of time, although I think some homes just have a sad, depressing feel that makes me want to get out quickly.

Finding a great carpenter is one of the best things you can do for your house. After buying bookcases and tv stands that never really worked, I had a wall of floor to 12 ft ceiling shelves put in. I designed them myself and had them built. The price wasn't bad at all and they add so much to my home-both its appearance and value.

I just received my long awaited Saarinen dining table with a black base (rosewood top.) Several people tried to talk me into getting the more common white base, but I'm so glad I went with black. I just love it. I will be getting new dining chairs eventually and am leaning toward more black for those.

Generally my best purchases have been unique or antique pieces- a painted Tibetan chest and an amazing metal Art Deco sideboard. But, I spent two years trying to find a better dining table for my space than the Saarinen. I looked at every option, but could never top it. I looked for vintage but couldn't find exactly what I wanted, or they were incredibly expensive. I just ordered my dream table during the Knoll sale- a 54" round Saarinen with a black base and a rosewood top. I can't wait for it to arrive!

I have 2 West Elm parsons desk too. I like that they mix well into any room without looking too office or desk-like. My husband has one in his office and I have one in our bedroom that I use as both a desk and a vanity.

I like to warm up black with creams, tans, and browns, texture, and natural or rustic elements.

For example add a seagrass or jute rug, Cream colored wool or cashmere pillows or throws, a farmhouse table or rustic African stool. A light colored marble or a metal piece could add another texture and some shine.
If you want to add more color, something like a kilim rug would incorporate into the room without being too stark.

I use it in place of bookmarks or emailing myself links. It is a much easier way to organzie my interior design images. I don't ever search through pinterest and I unlinked it to facebook and don't even have my real name on it. The only other person who looks at my pins is my husband. If we are selecting something for the house it is an easy way to share our ideas.