Saturday, July 20, 2013

Brizo Reunion & Visting Memphis


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I had an amazing past week at the Brizo Blogger 19 reunion that took place in Memphis, TN. Along with over seventy (!) other bloggers, fellow Material Girl and Chicago blogger Julia and I spent the past few days catching up with new and old friends, touring St. Judes Children's Hospital, the Target House, the Delta / Brizo Factory, and numerous cocktail parties and dinners! Here's a recap of my visit to Memphis and some highlights from the past week!
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Having arrived a day early, myself along with a few other bloggers got the chance to explore Memphis, TN. Above is a view of the Mississippi River from Riverside Lane and Downtown Memphis.
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And the Riverboats.

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We stayed at The Peabody hotel, a historic hotel known for the "Peabody Ducks" - the twice daily marching of ducks from the elevator to the fountain. The picture above was the view from my room looking out past buildings to the river at sunset.
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Of course, we couldn't be in Memphis and not have BBQ. Our first night, upon recommendation, we had dinner at the very casual and tasty Central BBQ in downtown Memphis.
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After dinner, we walked the neon lit signs and blues clubs of Beale Street.

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One of the highlights of our trip was visiting Graceland. Here's Christian of Maison21, Raina of A Stylist's Life, me, and Tyler of Tyler Wiser Home standing in front of Elvis' pad, Graceland Mansion.
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We loved the chic, vintage vibe of Elvis' house. The living room fireplace features a sunburst mirror and mirrored tiles.

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How great is this console? Also in his living room. Love!

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The pretty yard and rear of house at Graceland (beyond this is a pool area).

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Christian checking out the golds (a seperate musuem adjacent to the house).

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Along with the Graceland tour, we checked out Elvis' private jet. Here's Christian, me, and Tyler in front of the "Lisa Marie."

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Then came the cars: Elvis had lots of them. (Raina, Christian, and I pictured above.)

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The next day, came the important part of our trip, we toured the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital where we learned about the history of the center, walked the wings of the actual hospital, and engaged in a bit of volunteer work. Here in the atrium are international flags, as the center welcomes anyone, from anywhere.
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We also toured the Target House, a center for patients and their families to stay in while receiving treatment. The facility features public living areas such as living/sitting rooms, a dining room, a play/craft room, a gym, and media room (above).
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Corridors of the Target House are lined with a collection of artwork contributed by celebrities. The colorful drawing above is by John Travolta.
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After a long day of tours, we cultimated our day with a dinner and entertainment in one of the historic ballroom's at The Peabody hotel.
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The next day, we toured the Delta Factory headquarters in Jackson, TN. (Picture above via Instagram)

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On our last night in Memphis, we had a farewell dinner at the infamous BB Kings Blues Club (where there just happens to be a private club on the second floor called Itta Bena, formerly a speakeasy!).
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The dinner menu for the evening.

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Our farewell dinner party at Itta Bena restaurant overlooking Beale Street.

Many thanks to Brizo for hosting all of us bloggers for the Blogger 19 reunion in Memphis, TN!


Living Walls


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A living wall is a garden that grows vertically, as opposed to horizontally, and can work for both interiors and exteriors. They are advantageous as space savers, in addition to health benefits, they can also improve the condition of your home and environment, and save you energy. Living, or green walls have the capability to clear up toxins. They can help remove formaldehyde, VOCs, Carbon Monoxide and many other harmful pollutants.

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Plants can also offer instant stress relief by softening the environment, they reduce noise and have a calming effect. In the workplace they are known to increase productivity, while in the home they can increase tranquility, as well as offer energy rick oxygen.

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For a list of the best type of living wall plants, click here.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Brizo Bound!


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Looking forward to attending the upcoming Brizo Reunion for Blogger 19 taking place this week in Memphis, TN! Can't wait to join my fellow 19 bloggers, meet up with many other design bloggers I know, as well as meet some new faces! During our few days in Memphis we will be touring the Brizo Manufacturing Facility as well as St. Jude Hospital, of which Brizo has generously donated to. Additional evening events are taking place, including a dinner at a private Memphis Jazz Club!
#Blogger19 is the hashtag to follow along on Twitter, Facebook, and newly on Instagram: @BrizoFaucet

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Breakfast Room Banquettes


Ever wondered how to tackle a compact or small breakfast room space? Often times, a built-in banquette is the greatest space saver. Resulting in a cozy, usable space - perfect for  busy families. Take a look at some of these great ideas to achieve a space-saving trick that is both functional and beautiful!
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A bright sunny alcove in a kitchen with lots of room for a built-in window seat doubling as a banquette for dining.
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A corner banquette with pull up chairs make this a great, versatile dining spot.
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A tiny nook in a kitchen is just enough space to create a little corner banquette. Pull up a cafe table and you have the perfect spot for morning coffee.
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A super fun colorful and sunny spot to hang out at.
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If prefer not to have a built-in banquette, a free standing banquette or settee works just as well!
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A more casual, yet versatile area works just as well - turn any window seat into a dining spot with a pull up table.

All images via Pinterest.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Las Vegas Market This Month!


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I am very excited to be attending and covering Las Vegas Market later this month! I have never been and am looking forward to seeing and exploring all there is to offer in the realm of furniture, home decor, and gifts. Las Vegas Market takes place July 29th - August 2nd. If you plan to attend, registration is now open and you can sign up online here.

In checking out some of the "First Look" previews on Pinterest - looks like there are some amazing decor accessories and furnshings to be seen, both the classics and the trends:
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Loving the Spike wall mirror from Palacek.

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The Tang Etagere is a great modern yet timeless piece from Thomasville Furniture.

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The sleek clear crystal Genie Lamp from Robert Abbey.95f5eb0faff6b7c06c1f8f4205a88fee

Pretty floral rug with rasberry tones and light grays, by Feizy Rugs.

Stay tuned for more highlights of Summer 2013 Las Vegas Market! Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter with the hashtag #LVMkt