Cover Me

"Remember to cover me that I might go in peace..." Cover Me by 21:03

I am thinking about two types of covering today. The first is wallcoverings. I am in the process of putting hand to hammer on creating a teen bedroom for my babygirl. But in the meantime, my mind is still spinning with ideas. I am really thinking a lot about my boutique walk-in closet. I decided that will be the next project after her room is complete.

I love the idea of having a boutique closet, Carrie Bradshaw style... or even better. Better is GOOD! As I was browsing Pinterest the other day, I came across a few photos of closets with wallcovering and I knew immediately that this is how I wanted my closet to be. Just look at these cool ideas:

Pretty right? Now these colorful and frilly coverings are not my jam but I am digging the way it changes the closet and makes it look much more like a boutique! So I am on the hunt for some bombtastic removable wallpaper for my fancy schmancy new boutique closet. Stay tuned on more this subject at a later date.

Next up is covering in prayer. To cover in prayer is to pray protection over yourself, your loved ones, for your life's journey, your business, your world and your current and future endeavors. I have been thinking about being covered in prayer more than usual because there have been so many disasters in the world as of late, both locally and globally. One minute a person is healthy, walking around, going to work, hugging their loved ones, singing their favorite songs, cooking dinner, watching their favorite TV shows, laughing at funny jokes....living the life they were given. And the next minute life is gone. 

What if you didn't make it home from work, or wake up in the morning? What if the kiss you gave your loved one was the last one you gave? Life is soooo fleeting. And I know we all know this. But more importantly, we should diligently cover the lives and things we hold dear in prayer by the blood of Jesus. His protection is there for you, if you only just ask. 

If God asks us to pray for our enemies, how much more should we pray for our loved ones.We must cover ourselves and our loved ones and our communities and our world and world leaders in prayer. If we do not stand united, surely we will fall. 

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."  - Matthew 12:25

Today, ask God to teach you how to pray a covering over your life and the lives of those you love. My prayer is that each of you who read this will grow stronger in your walk everyday.

xoxo, tami

I'm Not a Girl

"I'm not a girl, not yet a woman. All I need is time, a moment that is mine. While I'm in between..." I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman by Brittany Spears

My baby is turning 13 tomorrow! GAH! She is elated.. I am crying. This means the years I have left with her are limited and will be so precious to me. We are moving into our new home at the end of the month and for all of my dreams of designing my own room, my gift to her is to begin designing her teenage room.

She is at that age where she no longer wants a little girl room filled with dolls and toys and pink ballerinas. So I decided to trust her taste and task her with the job of sourcing Pinterest for the type of room she would love. My daughter loves to skateboard and play hard core video games and wear Vans and beanies. This is a girl who loathes the clothes at Justice and refuses to wear pink or lace or ruffles. Therefore, I was quite surprised at the color palette she presented me.  It was SOOOO girly! And I was super happy! FINALLY a daughter who wants a girly room. She informed me that her favorite color these days is mint green. She created an electronic vision board and from there we began shopping around for her dream bedroom design.

Once we paint her walls mint green, we decided we will add a white stencil design on the wall behind her bed. We are placing a textured peach comforter on the bed and adorning it with white and mint green pillows in varying textures. Feathers are important to her. She said they remind her of a delicate bird who has the ability to soar to heights. So we will be adding feather prints and recreating the feather mobile you see above. I plan to smock a set of peach curtains for her window and create a little stool for her to sit on when she is putting on her shoes made out of a utility bucket. Being the florist that I am, her room won't be complete without a weekly flower arrangement on her dresser and nightstands.

She is so excited to get started and I am too!

Have any of you had to turn your little girl's room into a teen room! I would love to hear all about it the joys, the pains, the fails and the successes you had along the way!

xoxo, tami

This is Heaven to Me

"I won't ever stray 'cause this is heaven to me." - This is Heaven to Me by Madeleine Peyroux

You might recall my post a couple of weeks back where I mulled over the idea of putting together a master bedroom design inspired by both speakeasies and Old Hollywood Glam with a nod to African-American bombshell actresses of a by-gone era. If not, you can totally catch up on the buzz right HERE.

Well, after much pondering and internet scouring, this is what I have settled on. And I am SO THRILLED! I decided to begin saving for the ultra sexy tufted Devyn daybed by Restoration Hardware in a queen size. Because queen-sized daybeds have never looked so good. And because I want my room to have a speakeasy look about it. A big couch to cuddle up on that just so happens to be a daybed and that will take up a lot less floorspace because it will fit in the room against the wall lengthwise, leaving me a little more room to do yoga in the morning time!

Unfortunately, that luscious wine colored Rivulets duvet cover is no longer available at Anthropologie so I have to figure something out, even if I have to break out the sewing machine and make my own. I found a great DIY tutorial HERE. Ambitious? Gosh, yes. But I am always up for the challenge so I may just give it a go.

Complete with a little whiskey bar, a chinchilla throw, gold and crystal elements and fresh Black Bacarra roses, this design makes me super happy and will provide me with a room that makes me feel all grown and sexy. My room is my retreat. A place where I go to relax, to work on my laptop late at night, to dance in my underwear, to recover when I am sick and to dream a little dream. I want to be surrounded with luxe items and texture.

So now that I have my room all figured out, it's time to help Babygirl with her room inspiration and color story.

{inspiration board item sources: RH Baby & Child | Z Gallerie | Art.com | Amazon.com | PB Teen | Touch of Class}

xoxo, tami

Thinking of a Master Plan

I just love that opening line to "Paid in Full" by Eric B. and Rakim. Actually, the whole song is pretty dope but the rest of the lyrics make absolutely no sense for this blog post so let's move along...

Master Bedrooms! That's what my mind is on today.

"Sidenote: So since it's called Master Bedroom, and I will be the occupier of such a room, does that make me the MASTER? Why yes... YES IT DOES!"

So now that we have established heirarchy, let's chop it up.

I was thinking about what I want my new room to look like. I have always had beautiful homes. My ex and I had similar taste and we both were very particular about how we wanted our home to look, but there was one thing missing. The rooms were well appointed but none of them were really a reflection of our deeper selves. Sure, they looked great, and we liked them just fine. But after a while, the design would get old and stale. This time around, I want to be sure that "TAMI" is in the house! WOOT!

My bedroom has to be a place where I can retreat. I want to walk in and feel like this is MY space. I am single. I don't have to share my design ideas with anyone when it comes to my bedroom. I want this to be a place I will enjoy lazing around in on a Sunday morning. I want to curl up in my bed and read a good book. I want to close the door after a hard day and unwind. Light some candles, play a little jazz and close my eyes.

How do I pull this off? Well, I can share that I have an affinity towards sexy speakeasys and a love of Old Hollywood. And I have been thinking of ways to merge these two amazing eras into one FABULOUS look for my boudoir. 

There are a few places in Los Angeles that I really love because they have that dark and sexy vibe that the old speakeasys had. For example:

The Varnish in DTLA

Seriously, this is the coolest of the cool hidden spots, my loves. Imagine you have entered a time warp. When you come out of the other side you are dead center in a 1920's roaring speakeasy. At The Varnish, 
a black-vested gent leads you to a shiny wood banquette, where, to your left, perch two gals with pinned-up hair-dos and, to your right, sits a mustachioed man in a bow tie. At the bar, you can enjoy Prohibition libations. An old piano is parked in the corner where the good ole Jazz Age comes to life. I just love that old ragtime music!

Bar Marmont in Hollywood

This spot is next door to Chateau Marmont. Not as ultra-trendy as it used to be, but it still lures a A-list crowd for cozy cocktails. Resplendent with rich brown tufted leather banquettes and a tantalizing courtyard, this night spot is a modern day take on the speakeasys of yesteryear. And I don't know about you, but these dark red fringed lanterns just do it for me.

Del Monte Speakeasy in Venice

This is the one true bona fide speakeasy that has the right to call itself so in all of Los Angeles County. The Prohibition Era is alive and well in this Venice basement bar. Dating back to 1915, this bar used to only be accessible via secret tunnels during Prohibition. In addition to historical libations you can also find a bevy of micro-brews and craft beers smuggled in by the Del Monte staff, proving that mystery and secrecy are still a huge part of this iconic landmark. 

The Sayers Club in Hollywood

This speakeasy has an exclusive door policy, so it's best to visit this place if you know someone who knows someone. But once you are inside, you are met with a dark and sleek environment complete with leather couches, a stage where live music is performed, and some of the priciest drinks in town (like $18 per cocktail!). But just look at this place. Can you say HOTNESS!

Now, let's talk Old Hollywood, for a moment. I love the opulence and femininity that was celebrated during this era. Still sexy but with lots of glamour. I have a particular love of the under-celebrated African-American starlets of this bygone era. Josephine Baker, Lena Horne, and Dorothy Dandridge. All gorgeous women. But none of the fame and glory of their Caucasian counterparts. I would like to step back into nightlife to take a peek at how Los Angeles infuses Old Hollywood in the current bar scene.

The Parlour Room in Hollywood

Nestled right in Old Hollywood on Yucca Street, The Parlour Room is gorgeously appointed with green tufted leather seats, a marble bar, plenty of sparkly chandeliers and vintage gold mirrors, giving it a swanky basement hideaway vibe. Want to slip away? Maybe you can grab a seat next to the fireplace on the enclosed brick patio out back. 

The Tower Bar in West Hollywood

Previously Bugsy Siegel's old apartment, The Tower Bar is one of the chicest and coziest bars in town. With both a fireplace and discreet niche seating for privacy, the walnut paneled walls give way to sweeping views of the city. Here you can bask in rose colored lights while listening to a live jazz pianist. I just love how welcoming this bar is.

The Bar at Hotel Bel Air

Combining the glamour of the past with contemporary style, The Bar is a chic and sexy location. Recently renovated in 2011 and with the addition of Wolfgang Puck, The Bar exudes a very wealthy and glamorous atmosphere. You can enjoy a warm fireplace while a pianist entertains you on the baby grand. I love the mixture of black and white photos, with brass and marble and dark charcoal walls. It's sexy and modern with a touch of vintage Old Hollywood. The perfect mix. Here are a few photos of this amazing space.

So there you have it, my loves. My crazy design filled mind is jumping for joy with the challenge of creating a bedroom design that blends these two looks together in a sophisticated way. I know you are wondering how I can pull together a bedroom design when I am looking at bars... but just you wait and see.

Well... what do ya think? 

xoxo

When I Think of Home

"When I think of home, I think of a place where there's love overflowing." - Diana Ross, The Wiz

Babygirl (aka my soon to be 13 year old daughter) and I are moving... again. OK, we don't technically have to move again but I need something that these places we have been in are not giving. Yep, I will not settle down until I feel that homey-at-home feeling. And thus far, I haven't found the perfect spot. I have only found the "for right now" spots. But I am on a mission to find the perfect rental.

Whether we rent a house or an apartment matters very little to me. There are pros and cons to both. I have lived in both and for everything that I love, it comes with something I do not.

For example, apartments tend to come with fast maintenance, free water (and sometimes free trash), sometimes a pool and fitness center with free access, laundry on site, lower utlility bills... but I don't get the same level of privacy, the number of unique apartments available is well... you know, and there is no backyard or quiet place to retreat to.

A house on the other hand allows us to have our own washer and dryer (no more quarters and no weirdo neighbors placing your undies on top of the dryer when they want to use the washing machine... GOSH I HATE THAT!). Houses also have driveways, backyards and front lawns where you can bask in the sunshine and sit on the porch, drinking lemonade while spitting in a cup and watching the neighborhood kids play. Houses sometimes have garages (aka extra storage space. WOOT!). Houses have unique features, especially some of the older ones. And houses make you feel like a bona fide grown up. BUT... houses have higher utility bills. Not only do you have to pay for water and trash, but also lawn maintenance. Oh and if there is a pool... well you have to pay for that too, and trust me, that bill is a doozy. And when repairs need to be made, you don't always get the response time you had hoped for.

I am on a mission friends. After all a house is just a house until someone makes it a home. I am looking for just such the place. One that speaks to my soul. One that makes me want to curl up on a couch and drink tea while watching Steel Magnolias and The Color Purple for the umpteenth time. One that has an awesome kitchen where I can whip up some delicious noms for my friends and family members. And a great spot for a Christmas tree. You know the kind of place I am talking about? A home. That place that people come to and feel so cozy that they fall asleep on your couch. (I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS! That means they are major comfy and at home in my place).

So this is my mission. And I will not give up until I find it. Wish me luck friends!

xoxo, tami