House Beautiful

Tag Archive for 'gus gus for president'

Sunday Morning Musings | 4.2.17

Saturday Flowers Farmers Market | Covet Living

Good MMMMMMORNING!  Ready for me to yack this month’s rainbow of my favorite things all over you??

First & foremost: hit play on this jam – which reminds me of still chilly but bright & sunny early mornings in So Cal… and then peace out to your mental happy place while you look at all the pretty things for the next 5 minutes.

PERFECT FOR MY FUTURE OFFICE.

I’m certain I’ve posted about these before, because I’ve had them saved for years.  They’re divine, and perfect in every possible way.

1st dibs chairs

WHAT SO CAL FEELS LIKE (ALL THE TIME).

Barefoot, breezy, and in pastel cotton candy technicolor colors.

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WHAT I WANT MY FRIDAY NIGHT OUTFIT TO FEEL LIKE.

Black on Black | Covet Living

THIS WEEK’S REAL-LIFE FRIDAY NIGHT OUTFIT.

Whoops.

Sexiest Sweatpants | covet living

BUT FOR REAL.

I had plans but they fell through… plus, ya can’t beat a hot date with Gus for Prez, Totinos pizza rolls & Scandal.

GusGus for President

STILL OBSESSED.

And may snap this off eBay for a wedding in the South in May.

Self-Portrait Azalea Dress

Karrie and I are both now the proud owners of 3 of the CUTEST MUGS EVER.  I posted about these awhile back and had to email the Etsy shop owner aka Santa Claus and have her make more. I don’t mean to be a total weirdo, but they legit encapsulate how life feels. PS I swear I didn’t smoke a doobie for breakfast.

A LESSON ON NOOKS.

This pic makes a strong case for a striped bench seat (vs. solid) and a shallow ledge for mismatched frames (vs. a hanging gallery wall).

via Julia Hengel Insta | Covet Living

WAVERLY FOR THE WIN.

Always. I was trolling the streets of Manhattan Beach a few weeks back and popped into Waverly. So much great stuff, as per the usge.

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NEVER HAVE I EVER.

Look how pretty.

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TWO TONES DON’T USUALLY TICKLE MY PICKLE…

But this contrasting upholstery situation I could get on board with.

Contrasting Fabric Back of Settee | Covet Living

WHY DOES TRADER JOES NEVER HAVE ANEMONES?

anemone | covet living

TWO OF THESE AT THE FOOT OF A BED WOULD BE AMAZING.

Babette Chair, OKL | Covet Living

LONG HAIR AND LONG DRESSES = SO PURDY.

b*tches in long dresses | covet living

KILLER COLOR COMBO.

This picture makes me so happy.

Blue Door sfgirlbybay | Covet Living

A LITTLE EDGY FOR ME BUT SUPER COOL.

Black Tips | Covet Living

THOSE DINING CHAIRS ARE SINGING TO ME.

Probably b/c they have a sheepskin blankie on them. #allthecozythings

Chairs, Greige Design | Covet Living

PRETTY IN PINK RUG.

Jenny Keenan always has pretty things in her insta. She’s a designer I’ve loved / followed for a long time.

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ALL HAIL THE 90’s.

They’re back. I would’ve worn that skirt in middle school, and I’d wear it again today.

Denim Skirt | Covet Living

THE CARIBBEAN VERSION OF THE PINEAPPLE BATHROOM AT CASA COVET LIVING.

This is via Julia Hengel’s Insta, and it’s of the bathroom at the Bahama House Inn. I need the source of that pink pineapple wallpaper stat.

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ALL I EVER NEEDED.

I design and lust after a lot of big a$$, spendy kitchens… but truthfully, this is all I really ever wanted or needed. There’s something luxurious about a small, simple space; it means you can only really put it in your most favorite, carefully chosen things.

Design Sponge Kitchen | Covet Living

THE WEAVE OF DREAMS.

Color is also perfect.  Couch also is not ugly.

Hair Pipe Dream | Covet Living

HEAVEN ON EARTH.

Otherwise known as Malibu.

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I LOVE THIS DINING ROOM FOR 3 REASONS.

The mismatched seating, the bubble chandelier, and the grasscloth. I lied – 4 reasons. Those kelly green curtains are icing on the cake.

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HAAAHAHAHDHJKSHDAKHDAHAHHAHA.

Totally me + Karrie during awards season.

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THE SWEETEST LITTLE HOUSE.

In the Berkeley neighborhood of Denver, snapped on my morning walk with Gus last week. It’s on the block my girlfriend lives on, and every time I pass it I love it a little more. White brick + a Spanish tile roof + OMG those cherry blossom trees in bloom.

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FAVE NEW CAB.

Thoroughly enjoyed by me + a high school buddy this week – to the tune of a raging headache all day the next day, but worth it.  This vino is also allegedly exclusive to Il Postino in Denver, which really chaps my hide. I even asked if I could buy bottles from them and they said you have to open it then cork it before you leave. I’m determined to find a work around.

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YOU KNOW I LOVE NEUTRAL WITHOUT BEING BORING…

cuz I say it all the time. But this I would do on my backsplash in a heartbeat. Backsplashes are TOUGH because they’re like having to choose one outfit that you wanna wear every day (for at least the next 10 years). You wanna land somewhere between doing a classic subway (which can border on boring depending how you do it), and a fun, loud patterned tile (which you may be very well be sick of in a year). THIS, to me, is perfect… the pattern is small and the color is just subtle enough. That hazy grey/blue looks great with everything, and it’s interesting without being overpowering.

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MY NEW GO-TO PEDI COLOR.

And, this non-gel color is very gel-like, in that it lasts for WEEKS on your tootsies. I also have it on my fingernails right now and it’s still not chipped, one week later.

it's pink PM OPI | covet living

ONE PIECE PERFECTION.

And ever-so-slightly 70’s/80’s.

Mara Hoffman One Piece | Covet Living

THE MUSHROOM TOAST FROM GJELINA.

Recipe here.

Mushroom Toast, Gjelina | Covet Living

MY FAVORITE ACCENT COLOR.

Purple Seashells | Covet Living

TICKING = THE BEST FRIEND OF FLORAL.

Pair a ticking euro / larger pillow (less spendy) with a statement throw pillow or pattern and you’ve got a winning combo, yo.

Oversized Ticking Pillows | Covet Living

THIS GUY.

Whom I try not to really post about cuz I don’t wanna jinx it. But I adore him.

Chris + Steph | Covet Living

LATEST OBSESSION = finding a pair of vintage brass director’s chairs, and recovering them in a non-tawny velvet.  Those these have a certain charm as is.

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HAS THE WOMAN EVER HAD A BAD HAIR DAY?

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YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO MY DINING ROOM TABLE.

Also from Waverly in Manhattan Beach. #bohoheaven

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FAVE NEW WALLPAPER.

About to put this in a kid’s bath. Stay tuned.

Secret Garden, Cole & Sons | Covet Living

OHMYGYAHHHHHHH.

This is me + Karrie’s other bestie’s new nugget, Maddie. I got this text on my birthday, then died.

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ART DECO HARDWARE TO DIE FOR.

From Nest Studio.

Nest Hardware | Covet Living

FJDKL:SFJKDSJFKDSJFKLJDSKLJKLAJDKLAJKLDJA

sleeping muffin golden retriever | covet living

PICS LIKE THIS ALWAYS MAKE ME WANNA CUT MY HAIR.

…and go buy a pair of white jeans at Target than I can intentionally destroy to look like that.

Style | Covet Living

SO CUTE FOR SPRING.

I gasped when I saw this – the color and pattern and cute is perfect.  But then I found it on Revolve and it looks goofy on the model.

Summer Halter | Covet Living

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER.

Another neutral but not boring tile. Perf if you’re scared to do color but want to punch things up a little.

Tiles by Frida Anthin Broberg | Covet Living

PINK MUDCLOTH IS THE NEW JAM.

I’m pretty over black & white mud cloth (that goes for blue & white batik as well, as pretty as it is), but the pink version feels fresh and delightful.

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COZIEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE.

These are from Dovetail and someone had to pry me out of them at Las Vegas Market in January.

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WAIT IS THIS REAL?

Saw this in BHG the other day and thought it might be an urban legend. Love some sweet potato fries but they’re a bee-otch to make. Somebody lmk if you try these.

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MY FAVORITE NEW OUTFIT THAT I HAVEN’T TAKEN OFF IN 2 WEEKS.

Via my other new favorite store in Manhattan Beach – William B.

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SWEET LITTLE COFFEE TABLE.

From a designer’s shop on the same strip.

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ALSO FILE UNDER ALL I EVER WANTED.

Takeaways include: a non-stark white, creamy (but not buttercreamy/yellow) cabinet is SO classic.. black & white check marble floors are equally as timeless… and dogs are the stuff of a joyful life – they make everything better.

Kitchen, House Beautiful | Covet Living

THIS JAM IS LIKE CRACK.

Mango Habanero Jam | Covet Living

WHERE I’M BLOGGING FROM CURRENTLY.

The only thing different is that Karrie is snoring next to me with a sleep mask and Chewbacca’s weave.

Steph's Bedroom in the Morning | Covet Living

DAT SCONCE GOT SO MUCH STYLE IN ONE LITTLE PUNCH.

Member what I said up there about simple luxury?

Milan Hotel | Covet Living

SIGH.

Wingback Chair | Covet Living

SAMESIES WITH THAT DENIM SKIRT AGAIN.

jean skirt | covet living

LOOKS LIKE BROWNSTONE UPHOLSTERY (my favorite vendor) or DOVETAIL, BUT –

…wait for it: it’s from Living Spaces. Who knew?

Living Spaces Combs Dining Table | Covet Living

I’D LOVE AN ISLAND THE SIZE OF AN ACTUAL ISLAND…

But I’d love a wee antique butcher’s block just the same.

antique island | covet living

PRETTY WEDDING DAY (or EVERY DAY) HAIR.

Messy Updo | Covet Living

UNICORN STATUS.

I’ve never actually seen a Chinese wedding textile that is in this color.

Peach Pillow, Amber Interiors | Covet Living

CLOSEST LOOKALIKE I COULD FIND.

Still beautiful but not quite the same (at all). Which shows to go ya how perfect the ones above are.

chinese wedding blanket pillow | covet living

DREAM WHIP.

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Pink VW Bus | Covet Living

LOOK AT THIS ANTIQUE ARMOIRE.

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OFFICE I JUST DESIGNED…

..for a power agent in Beverly Hills.

Power Agent's Office | Covet Living

CUTEST ROMPER FOR SUMMER.

Red Jumpsuit | Covet Living

WHICH I TRIED ON RECENTLY…

…and need in a bigger size, cuz I’m 5’9″ and you can almost see my Pachanga here. PS I’m blowing a bubble, not making a weird duck face. Cuz I’m 9.

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I WISH I HAD MADE LIKE A 9-YEAR OLD AND MADE A BIRTHDAY WISHLIST THIS YEAR.

Cuz I would’ve put this horseshoe necklace on it. From the Rolling Hills Flower Market, of all places.

Horseshoe Necklace | Covet Living

SO BEEP-ING CUTE FOR SPRING.

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Steve Madden Carson Ankle Strap Heels | Covet Living

NEED.

I'm a Fucking Professional | Covet Living

CAN WE MAKE THIS INTO WALLPAPER?

I was helping a client style an antique hutch in her breakfast room on Friday, and decided to prop one of her old books up on plate stand… was flipping through some of them and flipped to this page of an old copy of the Velveteen Rabbit. How sweet would this be as wallpaper? Or just blown up into a print.

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SUCH A BEAUTIFUL ENTRY WAY.

It really is true – an entry way is kinda like your home’s first impression… like a little preview or the Cliffsnotes for what people are gonna see in the rest of your house.

Beautiful Farmhouse Entry | Covet Living

LOVE FOR A FLOOR PILLOW.

Or dog bed. From LiveSTYLE in Santa Monica.

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SEE YOU THIS SUMMA.

And mind you – this table is SUPER easy to recreate – it’s called $10 strings of lights from Tar-jay, plain-white-plates and clear glasses you can scoop up from Goodwill, and save your empty clear bottles from now till then & just soak the labels off. Scoop up some old mismatched dining chairs from Goodwill while you’re at it.

Perfect Summer Outdoor Table | Covet Living

ANOTHER WHIP O’ MY DREAMS.

Via a Sunday morning walk through Karrie’s new hood a few weeks ago.

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I WISH THIS WAS WALLPAPER.

But it’s a painted mural. I’m literally dying to put this in one client’s master bath, in the little nook above the wainscoting / above the freestanding tub. OR in someone’s nursery. But that means I gotta call the little Picasso who did it.

Handpainted Wall Mural | Covet Living

LOOKS LIKE EUROPE BUT –

It’s the flower fields in Carlsbad (about 30 min up the road from San Diego).

Flower Fields, Carlsbad

WORN LEVIS + CHUNKY KNITS.

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Jeans and Chunky Knit | Covet Living

THIS KATE SPADE CHAIR %#@&*^!

It’s also a stupid amount of money (like, get serious – Serena & Lily would sell this for $450), but I love it nonetheless.

Kate Spade Halsey Chair | Covet Living

I LOVED GROWING UP IN INDIANA.

But truth be told, while I adore my family, it would be hard to imagine ever moving back. Pics like this, however, make me SUPER nostalgic, and make me yearn for the heartland in the summer – when everything smells green and sounds like cicadas in the trees. Also reminds me of my Grandparents, or mornings eating breakfast at my Dad’s house out in the country, looking out at the back 40 – which looks like this. And just a simpler time.

Farmhouse Porch | Covet Living

ON EITHER SIDE OF YOUR HEADBOARD???!!!

Nomnomnom.

Lightbearer Sconce, Anthro | Covet Living

I’M SURE I’VE POSTED THIS BATIK BEFORE.

But it’s such a good one. From Quadrille.

Barbados-Batik-Brown-Tan-8250-08-2400

DO Y’ALL FOLLOW ERIN GATES FROM ELEMENTS OF STYLE?

This amazing little Kate Spade sofa is in her new office. But more importantly, she is amazing, and hilarious. One of the few I still follow. And in a world where Instagram has more or less taken the place of blogs where people actually used to have the patience to read text, I would still read anything she wrote.

Kate Spade Sofa, Erin Gates | Covet Living

YES.

As seen on my friend Jessie’s Insta. Couldn’t agree more.

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SO MAD MEN.

And so comfy.

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AT THAT WONDERFUL WILLIAM B PLACE AGAIN.

$72. Call ’em for deets.

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OLDIE BUT A GOODIE.

I hadn’t seen this pretty shot from Vincente Wolfe for a few years, and then I saw it again and it felt new to me. Love it all.

Vincent Wolfe Table | Covet Living

BEEEEEEEEEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.

These are so precious. And so Indiana. From Waverly.

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REMINDS ME OF ITALY.

And something you’d see on one side of a simple, all-white bed. Like, in a little boutique hotel by the beach in Positano.

Royal Villa Sconce | Covet Living

I THOUGHT THIS BASTIDEAUX PRINT COULDN’T GET ANY BETTER.

And then they made it in a new colorway: lagoon.

Bastide Napili in Lagoon | Covet Living

LOOK AT THAT PATINA YOU KNOW I LOVE THE WORD PATINA CUZ I NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT IT.

Strathmore Hector Finch | Covet Living

That’s all folks! We’re off to the beach for the day, then yoga. Followed by fish tacos for dinner, Monopoly, then the cloud + more Netflix. OMG I HAVE THE BEST LIFE EVER.

PS: comme toujours, imma post this and then be editing and adding links while y’all are reading… cuz it’ll take me till Monday & then it won’t be Sunday morning musings anymore.

xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo

Steph's Scanned Signature

(and Karrie)

 

DIY Dining Chair Re-Do

DIY Dining Chair Before and After | Covet Living

Kar Bear and I hit the Rose Bowl Flea Market one steamy, swassy Sunday in November on the hunt for some vintage dining chairs to revamp for her sweet little Santa Monica breakfast nook.  We came home with these!

Rose Bowl Flea Market | Covet Living

These started out being priced with an enormous, matchy-matchy dining table that we did not need – I think it was $600 for the entire set.  We were prepared to pay for the whole set ($150 per chair), and just leave the table, but then we stepped up to the plate for a little haggling:  I told Mr. Dealer-man in the kindest and most charming way possible that this wasn’t Rooms-to-Go, and that people didn’t always want to buy matching sets anymore…  they wanted to cherry pick and make things their own.  Find the most elegant chairs covers for any occasion on this website.

Plus it was right before Thanksgiving, so we knew he’d have no trouble selling the table since people are always scrambling for them right around that time. We finally got him to split up the set and give us the chairs for $300 or $400 bucks (which, when you consider that flimsy plastic dining chairs from big box stores can run $100 each, that was a BIG score).  We loaded up these tragic-but-had-great-bones guys into my hooptie and headed back to the homestead.   Check ’em out, in all their butterscotch glory.  (“Buzz yer GIRL-friend…  WUF!“)

Dining Chairs, Before | Covet Living

We discussed painting them, but decided to leave the finish as is…  it’s in great shape.  That Werther’s Original fabric, on the other hand, had to go.  We knew we wanted to recover them in something colorful and fun, and while our styles are much different, the one thing we do agree on is the entire beachy, casual, cheerful vibe of the California Dreamin’ Pinterest board.  In the end, we decided that a vintage Bolivian blanket would be a perfect upholstery fabric.  Comme ça:

Bolivian Blankets, Solo | Covet Living

There happens to be a sweet joint in San Diego – er, on Cedros in the design district – called Solo… the same joint I purchased my vintage kantha that I made Euro shams for my bed out of…  Solo is also across from the Mothership, aka Bixby & Ball… never a bad street to ping-pong around if you’re down there.  So, I strolled into Solo post-dog beach one day to scout rugs/fabrics for Karrie’s chairs…  Gus helped.  That’s Ruby, the sweet lady who handpicks all the blankets & kanthas they carry in the shop.

Gus

Then we had to Face Time Karrie, so she could weigh-in on which rug she wanted. This is how she answered the phone… from the shower.  Sweet Jesus.

Face time shower time decisions

We figured this one was a keeper.

That one! | Covet Living #bolivianblanket

Yep.  Not ugly.

Bolivian Blanket | Covet Living

Fast forward 2 months, and I rolled up to Santa Monica this past weekend with my tool kit and that rug/blanket in hand.  Ready to take on these suckers.

Before Chairs | Covet Living

Here’s why just about anyone can do this DIY… because with these types of chairs, fabric is just wrapped around and stapled or nailed into the back of the seat cushions, which then screw into the chair frames.  So you just need a Phillips head screwdriver to remove them…  once they’re off, it’s just a matter of stripping that old nasty a$$ Werther’s Original bouclé (probably embedded with some kid’s boogers and old peoples’ toenail clippings) then recovering and stapling the new fabric in place, and screwing the seat cushions back to the frame to secure them.  BANG. (Keep this in mind next time you’re at an Estate Sale, or Goodwill, or a Consignment Shop.  Flip ’em over and see how they’re made, so you know if they’ll be easy to recover or not.)

Steph's DIY Dining Chairs | Covet Living

Before Chairs | Covet Living

So first…  while my favorite helper Karrie went shopping and my other favorite helper Teem cozily read a book with Dateline on in the background, I laid the seat cushions out on the blanket/rug/thing to make sure they’d fit.  Yep – plenty of room.

DIY Dining Chair Redo | Covet Living

Then I took a pair of scissors to that glorious blanket… and this is honestly how Gus looked at me.  I know…  it hurt me to cut it up, too.

Bolivian Blanket | Covet Living

Gussie | Covet Living

And now.  We wrap, we pull taut, and we STAPLE in place with a staple gun.  This part looks easy but it’s a smidge tricky…. cuz that “fabric” is actually a thin rug, so oragami-folding and wrestling the corners so they’ll lay down flattish – flat enough that you can still screw the seat cushion back into the chair frame – is a feat.

Steph's DIY Dining Chair Redo | Covet Living

And if you can’t get the corners to lay flat enough, then the seat cushion is going to sit up too tall on the frame and you won’t be able to screw it in without a go-go-gadget, daddy long leg screw.

wrap the bolivian | covet living

Bang bang bang!!  My work here is done complete.

diy redone dining chairs | covet living

Karrie’s little nook is still in progress – we still have to: refinish the little pedestal table in that room, which is currently the color of Tang… give the walls a fresh coat of paint… and pick out a fabric for the valances.  We’re leaning towards something in this vain – it’s another vintage textile, but we need something like this with a smaller, neutral print, because the chairs are so loud that they need to be the superstars in that space.  This bad boy is a great supporting cast – it complements the chairs but doesn’t compete with them.

Textile | Covet Living

We also recently hung THIS Jamie Young Lotus pendant that Karrie’s been coveting since this 2012 Nursery post, which looks amazing:

Glorious Nursery | Covet Living

We’ll let you know how it turns out!  Also, if someone could bring Karrie a Mai Tai and maybe give her a foot rub while she supervises me refinishing the table in a few weeks, that’d be great.  (Just kidding y’old skank!  Love you.)

PS: Etsy & eBay are great sources for vintage textiles like these.  If you like that same global/ethnic feel, try using search terms like: vintage hmong, batik, bolivian, kantha, suzani.  A few of my favorite Etsy shops are here and here.

xoxo,

Steph's Scanned Signature