Recap of a week.

It's here. It's finally here. October, that is...my very favorite month. This one's sure to be a whirlwind, with our calendar being jam-packed and all, but cooler temps are breezing through, simmering down this balmy Charleston summer we've (somehow) endured. I'm terrified that I'll blink and October will be over, so I'm really doing everything I can to slow down and enjoy these days, which kick-started with a week at the beach...a much-needed, somewhat of a stay-cation with my family in a little house on a secluded seaside. It was perfection. Here's a glimpse:

 The boardwalk. Our own little trail to the quiet sand and sea, where hours upon 

end were spent reading, writing, and just being.

 The red kite. 

My dad would take us to the park to fly kites on a sunny, windy hill as kiddos.

I love watching it dip and dive, teasing the sand and the waves.

The very best caramel cake on the face of the planet. No lie. Garden & Gun even says so.

Enjoyed on the salty, breezy porch with what else but a steamy latte.

Everyday should be that good.

Work. And play.

The quiet shoreline. On my favorite beach.

A canopy of Loquats.  Aren't they stunning? 

Maple and I are starting on our patio. We'll be planting this gem of a tree, 

found amongst a seaside nursery in Pawley's Island. 

Our last night of vaca: spent back in the city. 

We happened upon a food truck rally in downtown Charleston.

What's this, my friends? An unbelievably  scrumptious Roti Roll:

braised pork atop curried mac n' cheese (omg) and hot-off-the-grill naan. 

 Utter concentration--ain't he cute?--required to conquer that massive BBQ sandwich.

The best I've ever had, from Hello BBQ's food truck, parked maybe too conveniently 

(on a daily basis) just down the road from my house.

  

The perfect end to a perfect week: a garden brimming with ripe, plush mini tomatoes

and purple-hued jalapenos. Somehow, someway our 'maters are still flourishing!

So there you have it, friends--a recap of my treasured week.

Now back to the grind. Have I told you about the dental office I've been designing?

The project's been progressing over the past few months, and construction is beginning to seize (I hope, I hope). Flooring and tile starts this Thursday. Equipment goes in next week. Install's gearing up to happen the week of October 20th, as the grand opening soiree goes down October 28th....which means...I'm about to get super busy (and, I'll have photos to debut soon!)

Until tomorrow... 

Happy Wednesday!

An end to my hiatus.

Eeek--you're probably wondering what happened to me.  Well, me too.  I got sort of busy, and in the mix of it all, lost a bit of my blogging motivation. But, that's two-fold, as with that lack of posting comes some exciting change and some exciting news.  I'm working on developing the direction and branding of my business, and with that will come the direction and branding of my blog. In the meantime I promise to keep Maple and Shade afloat with eye-candy and inspiration, but my hope is to put my dreams in action and reorient my blog around my design obsession (and business).  Direction is a good thing, I've learned--so here's to the in-between-stage of figuring out my new course.

Thanks for being patient, dear friends and readers. I know how frustrating a blog hiatus can be, especially when the author keeps you in the dark. So here marks the beginning of the end to my unpredictable blogging whereabouts and whatabouts.

Speaking of whereabouts, my week's been relegated to Pawley's Island--an eclectic, laid-back Atlantic beach community an hour and a half north of Charleston. I'm on vacation (although you never really feel that way working for yourself), and finding myself completely enamored by the emerald blues and greens that make this coast such a tranquil escape. Juxtapose these rich, refined hues with an edge of black and white and you've got a pretty stellar color palette.

 {all photos via my pinterest}

Inspiration is everywhere.

Here's to being inspired. 

HAPPY MONDAY.

Can't wait to show you what I've really been up to.

I'll give you a hint: it's gray, and orange, and it's all in new a dental office... :)

The details.

It's all in them.

Be brave. Go bold. Soak up the details.

And long live your weekend.

I hope it's at least three days.
Mine is four.
That means I'll see you on Wednesday :)

Vintage peacock chairs.

Most of you assuredly know that I'm a bit of a bargain hunter. Good design absolutely does not have to come with a high price tag--you just have to be willing to put lots of effort into scouting deals. Eventually, you're sure to get lucky.

And, by now you've happened upon the fact that I have a pretty eclectic (bold...crazy...whatever) sense of style. We'll just say I have a 'well-versed appreciation for one-of-a-kind things.' Now, that sounds better :)

So, here's a little story. Maple and I are building a patio because, well, we have a giant, giant, giant yard (for the 'burbs, that is) and it's pretty much like taming the outback. Snakes, spiders, lizards, crocodiles (okay, kidding...maybe), you name it. So, like I said, we're building a patio and treating our yard so I, once again, will want to venture outside and maybe, just maybe, spend some good QT time out there. As depicted from our outback-ish yard, we live in the tropics (ok, the Carolinas), but we're totally running with the tropics theme for our patio. I, of course, have been dreaming up furniture and aesthetics, and decided peacock chairs would be royally awesome.

Never heard of peacock chairs? Well, that's because they are rare (and no, not because they are hideous, as Maple insinuated). They're handmade, and AWESOME, and you have to have pretty bold taste to weather their regal presence. Therefore, they're hard to come by, AND, when you do find them, they're priceeeeyyyy.

Take a look:

 (Not nearly as cool as...)

 (Okay, maybe this photo isn't exactly helping my case. But look at that chair. Who wouldn't want to sit in it? Throw in a tropical cocktail and well, I'm not leaving. )

 (This bookshelf would be outright boring without Mrs. Peacock. Throw her in the mix and you've instantly contrived a feature wall. )

 (Via Lonny...of course, of course.)

(This photo might be as vintage as the chair. And awesome.)

So, are you ready for this?

I was perusing craigslist in search of a "set of chairs" for a client of mine.

I clicked on a random posting. 

And I found:

PEACOCK CHAIRS.

Two of them. 

The most amazing I'd ever seen. 

 At a crazy, ridiculous steal of a price.
FIFTY DOLLARS. For the pair.
Let me introduce you:

Guess what Maple came home to yesterday? They're giant. And crazy. They took over our front porch. And I love them (they've grown on the Mr.). They now sit in our living room, awaiting the day our patio is built. I can't wait to have friends over...plop them down in these babies (in front of the fire pit, under the canopy of lights, amidst the tropical plants) and serve them fruity cocktails.  Won't you join us?

And, lesson learned. Keep treasure (and deal) hunting. It will pay off. Especially if you live in a community where A. people truly don't know the worth of what they have   and/or   B. they have too much money to even care (as in this case--the owner was moving her estate to NY and simply didn't want to deal with them).

Formulating fall.

And wishing for the crisp, cozy weather that arrives with it.

{photos via pinterest}

---------------------------------------------------

Therefore, formulating fall-inspired interiors:  

 Clean lines and dark, complex hues, with a hint of mid century mod revival. 

Yes, please.

What's on YOUR mind for fall?

Hello again, Monday.

Our weekend was full of:

homemade coffee cake and heart-filled lattes

this funny little lassoed mutt (yes, she did this on her own).

and house projects galore.

(that, my friends, is never-ending...)

Maple hung the master bedroom curtains (as seen above)--I love waking up to that view! Anyhow, I'd planned on having all of our treatments made, until I realized it would pretty much break the bank (because I of course wanted double widths and pinch pleats. I can't just have ordinary anything, you see).  So instead I resorted to Pottery Barn (despite my aversion to their overpriced, generic products) and bought some simple (gasp) ivory panels. Never fear, though...I have a little trick up my sleeve to make them look a bit more custom and give them some masculine character, upon which I'll show you some photos :) The next project will be painting that dresser a semi-gloss black and outfitting it with some simple, sleek hardware to contrast with it's feminine lines. And, when we find the right piece, we'll adorn that left-hand corner with a stunning little side chair (preferably chrome and cognac leather). And that marble lamp? She'll be getting a new shade--a faux-gator skin, to be exact :) 

Hope your weekend was just as refreshing. 

HAPPY MONDAY.

Heirloom Tomato + Arugula Tart

 Step one.

 Step two.

 Step three.

 Step four.

And, mini blackberry, apple tarts whipped up with the leftover dough.

The perfect summer fare.

xoxo.

IT'S FRIDAYYY

and guess what?

THIS gem of a package arrived to my office today:

Gorgie, hot-hued fabric that will be hanging on the racks just waiting for the perfect new home (aka...a client that wants her).
My ideas for her use go on and on...and on...

So, HAPPY WEEKEND.
I'm off to Trader Joe's, and I really can't describe my excitement.
They've taunted me long enough. They're OPEN.

I LIKE THESE:

How fun would that planter be topping off a stack of books on your desk or bedside table?

I love the idea of the faceted candle stick holders on a contrasting hued coffee or side table. And, though falling second in favor, I must to say those lightbulbs are entirely brilliant.

EBAY = AWESOME.

As you most certainly know by now, my interior style is pretty eclectic, which means I'm obsessively searching for statement making rarities. I love me some one-of-a-kind finds that no one else is likely to think of incorporating into their homes--much less have stashed in the attic (unless your the offspring of a nostalgic architect, like myself, who's dad harbors gems like eames side tables and Bertoi chairs in his warehouse); anyway...it's those pieces that easily inspire and lend an air of refinery to any design plan.

Por ejemple:

 Checkout that vintage flamestitch, velvet upholstery--it's a shame the fabric is in need of recovery. Still--how rad are the contemporary lines and the sleek, chrome barrel frames? These would be stunning juxtaposed with a long, rectangular frame--like a bar/dining table/conference table. I'd want to have lengthy meetings everyday if I could sit my butt in these.

So, I tried pretty dang hard to convince Maple this paper needed to dress the walls of his man bathroom. He wasn't having it, which made me wonder--my office? Hmm...I see it with simple millwork 3/4 the way up the wall, with this dark filling in to the ceiling. It would be ahh-mazing.

 If only I (or a potential client) had $800 big ones laying around--I'd hang this over a rocking round table, and voila--you'd have a stunning dining area.

 I mean, really--could it get any cooler? I see this paper decking out a walk-in closet--totally sophisticated and glam. I would probably move my desk in there...and maybe my bed. So maybe not a good thing.

 If I were Peggy I'd totally buy this and make Don Draper rock it on his man-glam desk.

 The lucite alone makes this an awesome investment. Throw in the hot pink upholstery, black and gold 

casters, and sleek barrel shape, and I'm sold. 

 Going in my bathroom. Enough said.

 Crazy cool antique Tole sconce. If only there were two...I totally see them flanking a large window dressed with a simple roman shade
(ahem...my kitchen?). 

 Tell me you wouldn't want to lounge all day in these babies on a patio, under a black and white cabana striped awning, surrounded by potted orange trees. Yes, please, I do need another mimosa. 

Bringing an entirely new meaning to "doublewide." I mean, do I even need to explain, her. No...no...absolutely not. If only shipping were an option, here. Perfect for a waiting area, a patio...or even a dining space. I'd push it against the wall and place a sleek, white rectangular table in front. Dramatic...amazing. 

So there you have it. My awesome ebay roundup. I feel like a bit of a warning needs to be issued though...it's addicting. And your husband/roommate/dog might begin to question large, mysteriously-shaped packages arriving on your doorstep. Because you can't really disguise that double-wide peacock chair.

HAPPY TUESDAY.