Sunday showhouse.....and you're invited plus a major giveaway!

I am super excited to announce my very first giveaway and what a giveaway it is!
Safavieh Home Furnishings

has generously donated this brand new fabulous french occasional chair!(Retails for $395)

Gorgeous painted Provence chair, ideal for a living room or a dressing area.

 (The picture is a little blurry, working on getting a clearer one but here is the link to get a great picture and be able to zoom in and get the details... http://www.safaviehhome.com/product_info.php?cPath=6_44&&noborder=noborder&newPath=44&products_id=2695

Be sure to follow me or subscribe to this blog to be eligible. The way it works is you are automatically eligible by being a follower or subscriber. For additional entries to win:

• Join Safavieh on facebook or follow Safavieh on Twitter (1 entry)
• Leave a comment on THEIR facebook page on what your favorite item is from their site (www.safaviehhome.com) 1 entry
• Leave me a comment anytime between now and the 17 th telling me what your favorite post is since I have been blogging about a month ago.....good luck! (1 entry)

I will use random.org to pick the lucky winner..... this wonderful giveaway will take place on Friday, Feb.18th . Item will be shipped that week directly from Safavieh's warehouse


Happy Sunday (am a wee bit early but won't be able to post in the morning)..Sunday is fast becoming my favorite day of the week.. no pressure. Well, not totally because tonight we are going to a good friends for a small Superbowl party and I am bringing a dish or two so will be cooking but for me that is generally a pleasurable thing to do so am not complaining. Sunday to me, is all about doing exactly as you please and not having to make any compromises. We all deserve one day like that, right?  As I have been doing ever since I started blogging (way back a month ago...lol)- I decided to feature an "open house" every Sunday. And this is the best kind, because you can stayed perched in your bed, in your pjs, with your cup of coffee, not having to move a muscle (except the fingers on the keyboard)...so sit back, enjoy and take in the beauty of these fabulous homes. 


This fabulous Georgian home, designed by architect Allan Greenberg had the interiors done by Kullman and Kravis. It is the picture of elegance and understated refinement.

Stunning architecture 

Fabulous front to back entry.....magnificent!

Pretty seating area in the living room

Love this dining room, splendid with Gracie chinoiserie paper

Love the colors here, the soft greens, golds against the russet walls.....

Elegant and luxurious master gilded to perfection

Something about the backs of houses....this one is no exception, fabulous!

I can almost feel the breeze, feel the burning rays of the hot summer sun and hear the morning birds chirping to announce a new day, can't you? Here we are in glorious picturesque Southampton of the fabled Hamptons on Long Island, this shingled beauty is designed by the fabulous firm of Shope, Reno and Wharton with interiors by Joseph Creme. I would say that this is about as dreamy as a beach house can get!

Stunning Hamptons shingle styled home is resplendent with a wood shingle roof

Beautiful and gracious light airy foyer

Loooove this living room, the colors, scale, symmetry, to me this is perfection!

Gorgeous dining room in a neutral palette lets the light in

Elegant creamy toned family room/media room....the kind of room you don't want to leave, put on some jazz, pour a glass of wine and relax

Elegant master bedroom is cozy and refined

Beautiful rear of the home

Great space, covered porch......very inviting

Sorry...these aren't for sale but wasn't it fun getting a peek inside? Happy Sunday and happy Superbowl!

The power of pillows and Lisa Porter...thank you for the gold star!

My power of pillow post is right under this but want to acknowledge a gold star I received first...

I continue to love being officially in "blog world" and all that I have discovered with it, wonderfully entertaining blogs, beautiful and creative blogs, whimsical and silly blogs, intellectual and thought provoking blogs but more than anything, what I love most is that I have  met so many amazing people! The kindness and warmth of those I have met so far has been so welcoming. Lisa Porter, of The Lisa Porter Collection, whose blog I absolutely love was kind enough to bestow upon me a gold star, which is a very kind way to recognize me. Lisa, thank you...So, part of accepting this gold star is answering 10 questions to help readers get to know me a little better. So here I go- the 10 questions asked of me are:

1. Why do you blog? Because I thought it would be a fun and creative outlet (it has been and  still is) a place to talk about the building of our dream home and share my passion for great decor, design and life's other pleasures! I needed to get my creative juices flowing again, as they have been locked up for far too long, so this was a great and gentle step to get "back in the game" of doing something productive and creative. Plus I can do this at night, when my nocturnal musings are a little more interesting:)

2. Name your three best memories. Honestly, the day each of  my three beautiful sons were born (glad I didn't have that fourth after all, how would I have answered this question!)

3. Name four of the best fiction books you have read. The Help, DaVinci Code, The Kite Runner and Apologize Apologize.

4. What are the five best movies ever made? Love Story, Horse Whisperer, Great Expectations, Somethings gotta give,  and Gone with the wind

5) Name five things I cannot live without. My family, my dog, coffee, good food, my special friends.......5 key ingredients to a great life

6) If you could change your name what would it be?  This could change depending on my mood and day, but today I am feeling like a  Isabelle or Caroline. (though I do like my real name, Christina)

7. Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself. That if I was 20 I would plant myself in law school or would become a writer/producer making movies  and that  I have had a long ongoing fascination with all things Everest, yes as in that  big, looming, scary, ominous mountain that people dare to ascend. Have seen almost every movie, documentary and read countless books on the subject..all this coming from me, the one who can't stand outside in the snow for more than 5 minutes because "its too cold" :) IRONIC!

8) What do you love best about yourself? That I think I am eternally young:) and don't feel "too  old" to do anything, that I am still figuring out what I want to do "when I grow up" (I get it honestly and you know who you are) and still plan to do many things on my list! The fun has just begun....

9) If you had a freaky Friday experience, who would you change places with? Humm.....good question. I am going to go with Nancy Meyers, only because I have loved every movie she has produced and I have so many great ideas (at least I think they are great) and would love to be in her shoes with her resources to be able to "make it happen" plus she is just uber talented. (Also just say Its complicated, again.....so am in a  Nancy Meyer state of mind)

10) What is the best thing about being a woman? Knowing everything, (just kidding-) having all the feminine qualities that I love and cherish but finally being able to be every bit an equal in what was once solely a "mans world". There is virtually nothing we cannot strive to be and do.Then you throw in having the ability to multi task, not being bashful about asking for directions (I know you are all in agreement here) and being able to talk our way out of a speeding ticket (wink).......... Thank you Lisa Porter!

Now onto the power of pillows.......

Who doesn't love pillows? Show me a room that doesn't look better with a few fabulous pillows. Lets face it..pillows are here to stay and whether you live in a cozy rustic farmhouse, a sleek city apartment or a suburban home..chances are likely that you have pillows in one or many of your rooms. One of the best things about pillows is their relatively inexpensive ability to totally transform a space. I have seen many a tired looking sofa get rejuvenated with adding a few fresh colorful pillows. At both trade shows I attended recently I saw a trend of fresh natural colors and materials as reflected below. Many were trim free or void of any heavy ornamentation...its a lighter airier feel with pillows. Definitely a reflection of a more clutter free, streamlined way of living. There are so many different styles, materials, trims and looks with pillows...so today I pay homage to a few of my new favorites that I recently discovered ....do you have a favorite?

These are from Callisto...a new find and a love!

And from Ecoaccents (everything is printed on linen and hemp)

Pillows from Jolie Marche's (all cotton and burlap pillows- French inspired)

Then you have the clean fresh pillows from Cococozy

From Dransfield and Ross, a group of everything from nautical to formal silk florals

A more traditional look from Linni Sisters Inc.

And from the Elizabeth Lucas Company (Printed on canvas with a gauze overlay...interesting)

Would love to know if you have a favorite and where/how you would use it. Have a wonderful day!