My Husband Loves Kelly Wearstler...

And no, not just because she's cute. He loves her (get this) style. Perhaps this isn't headline-worthy news for the rest of the world, but at the Conn residence it's practically earth-shattering. I've spent the past three years trying to get Dave to elaborate on his decorating tastes with little more success than oblique responses like "I know it when I see it" (thank you, Justice Stewart) and "more ornate than yours" (what does that even mean?!). So imagine my surprise when I found him casually flipping through Ms. Wearstler's newest book Hue -- and I was left positively stupefied when he said "I actually like this!".

Perhaps the real irony here is that I really don't. While I'm a fan of Kelly's earlier work, her new '70s and '80s-inspired direction has left me at something of a loss. And a recent post (and the accompanying comments) over at My Little Happy Place suggest I'm not alone in this.

Like many of you who cohabitate with your spouse, partner, boyfriend (whatever), I've tried to involve Dave in many of the decorating decisions both in our new home and in our old townhouse. And, like many of you, I didn't get particularly far. Sure, Dave had veto power, but he exercised it more out of frugality than to advance his own design vision. Despite this, I have been able to glean some of Dave's decor preferences along the way that, in retrospect, synch up rather closely with Wearstler's latest twist on her ever-evolving style.

For example, Kelly's bathrooms (all covered from floor to ceiling with incredible and unique stone) scored the biggest with Dave. And this doesn't particularly surprise me as Dave has also loved polished marble, geodes and other natural stones -- the larger and bolder the pattern, the better. Indeed, he was sorely disappointed when I vetoed a polished green marble surround on the new fireplace.

Dave also has a proclivity for what I term "Florida colors". Think aqua, turquoise, purples, and even hot pink. This is, after all, a man who insisted that his "man cave" be painted teal. Malachite, amethyst, agate: these are three of Dave's favorite things. And obviously Kelly's, too, if this room is any indication. Where she's not actually working with these materials, she's mimicking the look in the floor-to-ceiling draperies.

This particular room strikes me as a bit (dare I say?) tacky. Little Black Sambos aside, it's all just a bit much for me. In fact, about the only elements of this room that I like are Wearstler's Birkin bag and fabulous pumps. Dave's response?: "Fun!"

Dave also prefers a more cluttered style than I do. As an avowed type-A, I tend to display only a few tchotchkes and mementos on any surface. Clutter is the gateway to messy in my book. Left to his own devices, Dave would keep out all of his many, many collections (coins, stamps, rocks, you name it, he's collected it). Kelly's latest "tablescapes" seem to be in keeping with Dave's philosophy as many photos in her new book showcase tables completely packed with curiosities and precious objects. As an amateur Classicist (a few years ago Dave tore through all of Plutarch's Lives), Dave also appreciates Wearstler's new found obsession with oversized Greco-Roman busts.

What's interesting is that all of this is very "of the moment" -- the next big thing in design (thanks in no small part to Kelly, I'm sure). In fact, I'd peg this renewed fondness for '70s and '80s glam as one of the major trends to watch for in 2010 (Belgian style being another). So what's a girl to do? Dave certainly has a right to dictate how our house is decorated -- after all, he lives there, too. And certainly one of the trade offs with sharing your space with another person (or persons) is that, inevitably, you have to compromise some and make your home reflective of everyone who lives there. So how do I incorporate Dave into my decor? Admittedly, I've not been particularly good about running every purchase by Dave and I've certainly ignored him on a few occasions and gone with my gut instinct (typically with good results). In the past I've justified this on the grounds that Dave doesn't really care about interior design and that he's always been pleased with what I've done in the past...now though, I'm starting to think that I need to rethink both of those assumptions.

And so, my solution is to work in Dave (aka "Mr. Wearstler") through the accessories. Bring in more naturally glamorous elements-- and definitely more rocks. Antiques. Gilt. Bold jewel tones. Not only will this inevitably make Dave happier, but it will force me to push the boundaries of my own "style" in a new and interesting direction.

Source list (clockwise, from top left): 1. Faux malachite boxes from High Fashion Home ($200-260). 2. Petrified wood trays from Jayson Home & Garden ($65-$148). 3. Tiny bugs from Mothology ($10 each). 4. Cameron table lamp from Circa Lighting ($3,150). 5. Eglomise coffee table from Beeline Home ($2250). 6. Amethyst napkin rings from Nate Berkus for HSN ($59.95 for a set of 4). 7. Gold leaf urchin bowl with silver spoon from Inglenook Decor ($26). 8. Gilded knot mirror from Horchow ($419.90).

So what about you? Does your S/O have a distinct design style? If so, how do you take it into consideration when you decorate?

Let It Snow!

While talk of "Climategate" continues, Houstonians are enjoying one of heaviest and earliest snowfalls in recorded memory. Despite the fact that snow is only collecting on rooftops and lawns (just enjoy to be festive, but not enough to be treacherous), the majority of area businesses, including both of Dave and my employers, shutdown midday today due to the "winter storm".

I'll readily admit that we're kind of weenies here on the Gulf Coast when it comes to cold weather. After all, our winters average a mild 65 degrees and I could count the number of times I've seen snow in Houston on one hand. But, given the rarity of this event, I'm happy to have the shortened work day to take it all in. While I don't miss New England winters (living through four was enough for this lifetime thankyouverymuch), I do miss the first snowfall of the season, which is far more magical and idyllic than the tenth. Blanketed in white, everything seems so much cleaner and purer -- even towns like New Haven, CT, feel peaceful and look pretty after a fresh snowfall.

Wherever you are though, and whatever kind of weather you may be enjoying today, I hope you have a lovely and magical weekend!

Deal of the Week: Greek Key Tray

18" brass greek key tray from Nate Berkus

My obsession with classical Greek art and architecture -- and particularly greek key -- is well documented at this point (see HERE and HERE). I've got bold greek key lamps in my living room and a smattering of the classical motif elsewhere throughout the house. So of course when I spied this brass and mirror greek key tray from Nate Berkus (on sale for $49.99!) over at HSN.com (which has rapidly become my new online shopping obsession -- HSN is so much more than costume jewelry and weird beauty gimmicks these days!), I couldn't resist.

The tray in its new home...my den

This was my first purchase from Nate's line and I was admittedly nervous about the quality as Nate's previous line at Bed, Bath & Beyond was very hit and miss. But, when the tray arrived just a few days later, I was pleasantly surprised by its quality. The tray is large, weighty and looks significantly more expensive in person than its $50 price tag would suggest.

All in all, I'd say it's just about the perfect gift this holiday season for the design aficionado on your list. But caveat emptor: you may want to keep this one for yourself.

Holiday Round-Up: Gift Wrap

I've always been a bit fanatical about gift wrap; indeed, how my gifts look are almost as important as what they contain. While I don't have a gift wrapping station (or any sort of crafting corner for that matter) dedicated to the pursuit, I do keep a stash of gift wrap on hand for year-round gifting. The holidays, of course, are when I really go crazy and stock up on a number of wrapping papers as I look forward to a marathon gift wrapping session. In my book, a glass of wine, a classic Christmas movie (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Love Actually are two of my favorites), and some serious wrapping is a great way to spend a quiet, chilly evening in. I frequently offer to help family members with any last minute gift wrapping as well and they generally indulge me as none of them find the process remotely entertaining.

That said, I know there must be other gift wrapping freaks out there. After all, why would The Container Store exist if there weren't? And so, I thought I'd indulge myself a bit today and pull together a round up of my favorite wrapping paper for the holiday season. Of course, I won't be using all of this paper -- I generally select three or four papers to get the job done (and typically at least one of those is an inexpensive, jumbo roll from Tarjay for children's presents, which are invariably gigantic). When it comes to trimmings, I usually invest in some cute gift tags, but otherwise tend to leave gifts unadorned, save for maybe a simple ribbon. I know the look is a bit incomplete, but since many of my gifts are shipped to Florida every year, elaborate embellishments aren't particularly practical. Also, while I love the idea of coordinating my gift wrap with my Christmas decorations, my gifts always end up under someone else's tree (we've yet to celebrate the holiday at home) and so the effort of matching would be for naught.

Source List:

1. Holiday Garland gift wrap paper by Elum Designs ($3.50/sheet). Lime and fuchsia is such a fun, poppy twist on the traditional green and red. It's also printed on 100% recycled paper and has a lovely matte finish (so much more modern than a strong, plasticky string).

2. Tori gift wrap from Erin Ruth ($3/sheet). Grey and purple is a very sophisticated, on-trend color combination. The wintry motif in the damask print is subtle enough that leftovers could be used for gifting throughout the year. PS - Erin Ruth also sells gorgeous matching gift cards and purple ribbon for one-stop shopping at its best.

3. Nutcrackers gift wrap from Hello!Lucky ($2.50/sheet). I love the vintage feel of this whimsical print. A perfect choice for the men (and boys) in your life who might shy away from more feminine patterns or colors.

4. Red Berry Branch gift wrap from The Container Store ($7.95/sheet). I love the minimal, chinoiserie feel of this pattern; it's just so classy. I'd tie it up with some lovely white and red ribbon.

5. Merry Christmas Black on Kraft gift wrap from Kate's Paperie ($9.99/roll). The combination of bold lettering and common butcher paper feels very homemade and cozy. A bit of white, black or red twine is all the adornment you'll need, but a few sprigs of holly or pine would be a great, organic touch.

6. Merry Berry gift wrap from Whimsy Press ($8/roll). Simple and classic, but in a modern way. This paper comes in a huge roll so you can get a lot of mileage out of it.

7. Chilly Dogs recycled gift wrap from the Container Store ($7.99 for 2 sheets). Dachshunds with reindeer antlers? This paper was made for me (and fellow doxie-lovers everywhere). I wrapped many of my presents up in this paper last year and it was a huge hit with the extended family (there are a half dozen dachshunds between my cousins and I). For the truly obsessed, pair with these charming wiener dog tags.

Source list:

1. Merry Christmas Purple gift wrap from Kate's Paperie ($11.99/roll). My gift wrap of choice for this holiday season, I'll be stocking up on several of these rolls to pair with this lovely gold star paper.

2. Spruced Up gift wrap from Whimsy Press ($8/roll). The unexpected pops of hot pink are a wonderful surprise to the Christmas tree design. Whimsy Press sells particularly high quality paper and I can't recommend their gift wrap enough.

3. Cardinals gift wrap from Snow & Graham ($3/sheet). Love the red and turquoise color combination on this high quality matte paper. I'd save this for someone who can really appreciate the packaging.

4. Pavilion double-sided gift wrap from Smock Paper ($8/2 sheets). I'm always a sucker for double-sided gift wrap (2 patterns for the price of one!), but I particularly like this design from Smock Paper, which features gorgeous pavilions on one side and a red and white geometric print on the other. Sure, it's not strictly "holiday", but it's got red in it, right?

5. Jewel Tone Ornament wrapping paper from Rock Scissors Paper ($5.99/roll). The fun colors and vintage atomic styling just makes me smile. Equally perfect for kids and MCM fans alike.

6. Reindeer gift wrap from The Container Store ($8.99). A sophisticated black and white palette with just the right amount of shimmer. Particularly gorgeous in person.

So what about you? Are you a fan of gift wrapping? If so, what are some of your favorite sources or tips and tricks?

Holiday Round-Up: Christmas & Hanukkah Cards

{Last Year's Christmas Card}

Even in just the past few years, I've seen a noticeable down tick in the number of cards I receive during the holiday season. Perhaps holiday cards have simply become old fashioned (and, let's be honest, way too much effort) in a world of instant connectivity. After all, why waste the money on a card and a stamp when a simple text message will convey the same message instantly? In the corporate world, more and more businesses are switching to e-holiday cards (yuck!) under the guise of environmentalism, but I suspect it's more to do with cost savings than saving trees.

There's a world of difference between a thoughtful card and a text message or e-mail and I think there are some good arguments for keeping the tradition around (even in this digital, eco-conscious world). For one, the effort of sending a card is always noticed and appreciated by the recipient. For another, best wishes are just about the only gifts we exchange with most of our extended network of friends and family -- why not make those wishes a bit more thoughtful and sincere? And besides, who doesn't love getting mail?

The past three years I've had my holiday cards made for me by a friend (who also happens to own her own stationery store here in Houston). This year though, I'm woefully behind and will likely have to resort to pre-made cards. So just in case any of you are as behind as I am, I've rounded up a {Christmas} dozen of my favorite ready-made holiday cards.

Source List: 1. Fa La La La La cards from Kate Spade ($30/set of 10). 2. Hanukkah Candles cards from MOMA Store ($18.95/set of 8). 3. Reindeer Roll Call cards from Ink Spot Workshop ($30.50/ set of 18). 4. Merry Christmas Cards from Annechovie ($18.50/set of 8). 5. Printable Holiday Cards from Up Up Creative ($6/3 downloadable styles). 6. Holiday Welcome Cards from Vera Wang ($31/set of 10).

Source List: 1. Dog Silhouette Personalized Christmas cards from Fire Hydrant Press ($42/set of 25). 2. Scroll Ornament cards from Vera Wang ($37/set of 10). 3. Red Tree holiday cards from Kate's Paperie ($17/set of 10). 4. Cherry Blossom holiday letterpress cards from Snow & Graham ($14/set of 6). 5. Dreidel Dreidel letterpress cards from Albertine Press ($15/set of 6). 6. Merry and Bright holiday cards from Stationery Boutique ($25/set of 16).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone has a wonderful day full of good food and good fellowship. Dave and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in Houston with both our families, but I'll be back later this holiday weekend with a great roundup of holiday cards and gift wrap to kick start the season.

Photograph courtesy of Martha Stewart Living.

Weekend Update: Somewhere to sit (finally!)

This was the state of my living room back in August. After moving from a much smaller townhouse with one main living space into a home with both a living room and upstairs' den, we found ourselves with exactly nothing to put in here. Zip. Zero. Nada. Since then, we've slowly been adding pieces to this space, first the rug, then a chair and floor lamp -- and, as of Friday, a sofa, lamps and console table! And just in time for Thanksgiving, too.

After over two months of waiting, our sofa finally arrived yesterday and I love how it looks in the room (and Dave loves how comfortable it is!). It's hard to tell from this picture, but the fabric isn't actually a solid, it's more of a tweed, with navy, slate blue and tan shot through it. I'm hopefully that the subtle pattern will make animal hair less apparent. I'm also loving how great my greek key table lamps look now that they've been released from their temporary home in my upstairs' closet.

A few more shots of the room (please forgive the bad lighting -- those two-story windows make it nearly impossible to avoid a glare):

While the sofa and the wing chair could certainly use some fun, colorful throw pillows, can you guess what's next on my shopping list? An ottoman or coffee table, naturally. I've decided to veer from my original plan and go for a piece that's a bit less heavy. I've also decided against investing in one of these (which proved to be a very divisive piece as about 50% of you all loved it and another 50% absolutely hated it!). Just as I'm not the kind of person who believes that wine stains on Carrera marble add "character", so too am I not really the type of person who repurposes "found" objects as furniture. In other people's houses, sure; in my own...notsomuch.

So here are three options that are both more "me" and more appropriate for this particular space:

I think there are advantages to all three of these choices, and before you run off and vote for your favorite, let me make a case for each of these:

1). Smart Round Marble Coffee Table ($299; CB2). I think the size and round-shape of the is a great choice for a room that, like mine, is a bit tight on space. I also like how the traditional marble is paired with such a sleek, modern base (a nice counterpoint to what's shaping up to be a fairly traditional room). The open base will also not obscure the fabulous pattern on my rug.

2). Nate Berkus Hexagon Cocktail Ottoman ($399.95; HSN). I'm sure you noticed how both the wingback chair and the sofa are sporting some lovely stems. While I have nothing against flaunting great legs when you have them, I think a nice skirted ottoman would be a nice counter balance to all that leg. I also happen to know that Dave vastly prefers ottomans to coffee tables and once we get a TV in here, an ottoman would certainly be a more comfortable place to put our feet up than a marble or acrylic coffee table. Of course, I'll need to switch out the black grosgrain ribbon with a blue one, but that's nothing that a quick trip to JoAnn's and a sewing machine couldn't fix in an afternoon. [Oh and, while this ottoman is a good bit more than the other two choices, I do have a 15% off coupon that would bring the price closer to the others.]

3). Peekaboo Clear Coffee Table ($249; CB2). While the size of this coffee table is larger than the other two, it's clear acrylic form ensures it will take up absolutely zero visual space and allow full view of my rug. Again, I'm thinking that a more modern piece to this space might really work.

So what do you think? Which would you pick? And as always, if you have a better suggestion, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know all about it.

poll by twiigs.com