Say goodbye to the 2010 blues, Pantone says the color of 2011 is a beautiful coral-pink color called “honeysuckle.”

According to Pantone, “Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

“’In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,’ explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. ‘Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.’”

Here’s what Pantone has to say about using Honeysuckle in your home:

Honeysuckle is upbeat and dynamic when used on large areas like the entry area of a house or an apartment. It is an appetite and conversation stimulant when used on the dining room walls. In the kitchen, it adds a fun touch on the table in placemats and other linens (patterned or solid), colored glassware, candles and small appliances. Honeysuckle is a great color to cover up shabby kitchen cabinets, or, if that’s too much of a color statement for you, try repainting knobs and drawer pulls. But be warned – once you try this arresting shade, it can become addictive.

Last year Pantone named turquoise the color of 2010. They said, “turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”

So what do you think of Pantone’s 2011 Color of the Year? Will you be using it in your house this year?

Ia ora na! (Hello – pronounced yo- rah-nah)

We are back from Bora Bora and have recovered from the jetlag.

All I can say about Bora Bora is that it was beyond magnificent! It was worth the 30+ hours we logged in the plane coming and going. In fact, it was so amazing that my home-body husband wants to go back!

I have been to many tropical locations around the world including the South of France, Puerto Rico, Cabo, many islands in the Carribbean, etc. but I can honestly say none of them holds a candle to Bora Bora. I understand why this tiny island has been called the most beautiful place on Earth.

This trip was kind of a delayed honeymoon since we never took one when we got married. The island worked its magic because romance abounded! While we were there, we renewed our vows in celebration of our 5th wedding anniversary (which is coming up in December.)

You can see from our walk-on-the-beach photo (above) that we donned traditional Polynesian “pareos” for the ceremony. I swear, I cried more this time around than the first time!

We had an amazing time at the InterContinental Thalasso Resort & Spa. We stayed in an over water bungalow. I loved the attention to design detail we found throughout the resort - like the rectangular opening cut under the glass coffee table. The top of the table slid from side to side, revealing the water below so we could feed the fish! Too cool.

My photos of the room don’t do it justice since we were “living” in it but you can hop on over to the link above to check it out. You can also check out the video tour of our room that I took if you want to “experience” an over water bungalow. (I will admit that the Bubble Bar did take modern a little too far for me – you can check it out and see for yourself.)

I guess I thought I was ready for the colors of Bora Bora but honestly, I wasn’t. (The photo of the island taken from the air is from the resort website).

 I have been to the Caribbean, Cabo, the South of France, San Diego, and even Tahiti on this trip but NOTHING prepared me for the amazing colors of Bora Bora. They were so bright it sometimes hurt my eyes!

 The photo from our tour of Bora Bora in an outrigger canoe, (which is not enhanced in any way), was as close as I could come to capturing the vibrancy of Bora Bora’s blue lagoon. A. MAAAAA. ZING! We went snorkeling and swam with the stingrays and sharks on this tour!! It was a once in a lifetime experience.

Another thing I was not prepared for was the beautiful scent that perfumed the balmy 78 degree air – the intoxicating fragrance of “tiare Tahiti” – I think it must be the official flower because it was everywhere – from the plane ride to our dining table. It was enchanting and wonderful! The flower is so fragrant that the scent just added to the island’s beauty and mystique! (the flowers I am wearing in the photo above taken at the InterContinental Bora Bora [where we did not stay] are the tiare Tahiti).

Well, that’s the initial report. I’ll write more later. Having been gone the last two weeks I am slammed with lots of design work for clients, such a blessing! ‘Tis the season when we are all preparing for the onslaught of holiday guests.

So much to do . . . so little time! It’s good to be home but this Christmas I think I’ll be dreaming of Bora Bora!

In the category of “you never know where you’re going to find stuff” … one of my favorite places to shop for accessories is (drumroll please) . . . Value City Furniture (aka American Signature Furniture).

Might seem strange, but furniture stores are great places to find accessories. Just last week I stopped in our local VCF and found this great collection called, “Extra Large.”

It includes giant playing cards, dice, pencils and lots of other fun things. Here are some pics of items in the collection. Here’s a giant hander, ruler and paper clips. I think these are SO fun!

Here’s an extra large paper clip. F-U-N! Love the extra large clapboard in the first picture.

All the items were very reasonably priced, another benefit of shopping for accessories at the furniture store – they have good prices on the accessories because they make their money on the big ticket items.

So, next time you’re looking for a new lamp or some not-so-run-of-the-mill accessories, stop in your local furniture store. You might just be surprised!

I don’t know where the term “busy as a bee” originates, but it aptly describes the past month of my life.

Between Dream House activities, going to Atlanta, getting our remodel finished up, having my mom, sister and her four kids come for a visit and working vacation bible school at church, it’s been one b-u-s-y month!

I am just now coming up for air – so sorry I have been MIA! Has your summer been crazy busy too? It’s a good thing but I’m glad things are returning to normal.

I am excited to show you the progress we’ve made on our latest remodel. Hopefully I’ll have things put together in the house in the next week or so.

I love updating the house but not the mess it makes! Dust, dust, everywhere!

{photo credit}

How has your summer been? What have YOU been up to?

“And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” Genesis 9:16

In my last post I talked about the wonderful Kohler Purist Bubblemassage tub with chromatherapy that I had experienced at Spa Walden.

When I left the spa, I didn’t know what kind of tub it was other than it was a Kohler brand. Google helped me discover the actual tub and in my research I found out there is a Kohler Village {about a two-hour drive from Chicago) and the ultimate Kohler Design Center in Wisconsin. Who knew? And peeps, guess what? There is a Kohler Water Spa in the village – can you say ROAD TRIP!!

The design center looks amazing. It has three floors and an entire main floor of designer showcase bathrooms!! I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me .  . . maybe you have to be design crazy like I am to get excited about something like this? I’ve heard of the wonderful world of Disney but who knew there was a wonderful world of Kohler? They even give a factory tour!

The Kohler Design Center is three stories of kitchen and bath products, designer rooms, luxury furniture and Kohler history. Best of all – it’s F.R.E.E! Look at this stunning bathroom design you can tour in this design center: ”Fire & Ice” bathroom by Beth Slifer. I love the “fireplace” . . . it’s where all the white candles are! Isn’t that beautiful? And how about those light fixtures? So not your traditional bathroom light fixtures! No matching sinks either – fabulous!  See the video and read more about this fabulous bathroom design.

This is just one of many designer bathrooms at the Kohler Design Center. I’m not sure but maybe, just maybe, designer heaven in in Kohler, Wisconsin!

Last month for my birthday Mr. DH took me on an overnight trip just 40 minutes down the road to the Inn at Walden. We had an amazing evening in our huge suite which had a fireplace and two powder rooms! The next morning I was pampered at their spa and it was incredible. I have been to spas around the country and bar none, Spa Walden is the best I have ever experienced!

I was taken to my own private spa suite. {The spa suite shown here is a couple’s suite. Mine was similar except I did not have a fireplace, only 1 massage table, and my tub was a different style.} This is where I would stay. There was no going to a locker room to get undressed or sharing a whirlpool with other ladies, as I have done in Las Vegas and Scottsdale. No, my spa suite at Walden was my own private Shangri-La. It had a steam shower, massage table, vanity, bathroom, and an amazing day bed built into the window.

I loved every minute of my two-hour experience. It was simply incredible and at the top of my, “What I love about Spa Walden Best” was the indulgent Kohler Purist Bubblemassage tub with chromatherapy! This tub is amazing. In my suite I had a free-standing oval tub, not a drop-in version.

When my attendant brought me into the room they were running me a sea salt bath and I thought the tub was overflowing as the water seemed to be going right over the edge! The attendant didn’t seem worried, she just walked over and turned the water off. She left me to enjoy this wonderful spa room – I would have 30 minutes before my massage and an additional 30 minutes after my massage.

As I took a closer look at the tub, I discovered that it was kind of like a disappearing edge pool. It was ringed by an overflow channel on the outside of the bathing tub/well so water could appear to overflow but not be pouring out on the floor. I had never seen anything like it and I immediately fell head over heels in love!

Sadly, I did not have my camera so I don’t have a photo of my tub, but here is one from the Kohler site. It’s not exactly like mine, but you’ll get the idea. The tub is ”designed to provide a complete and balanced air experience that is truly customizable.”

It has a “variable-speed motor with an integral heater delivers a range of water treatments, from light bubbling to revitalizing massage, while 122 innovative airjets are precisely positioned to completely embrace you with bubbling water. Zones of Control at both ends and the midsection of the bath allow you complete control of the massage location and chromatherapy lighting relaxes mind and body with a full spectrum of color that washes over you.”

I felt like I had snuck into an episode of the show, “Lifestyles of the rich and famous” {except I am middle-class and anonymous!} I’m going back at the end of the month {they had a deal going if I booked  an appointment for April that day} and plan to get a snap of the tub!

The 36-hours we were at Walden were truly a blessing – thank you Mr. DH for such a wonderful experience. Ladies, if any of you want a pampered get away, I highly recommend Spa Walden. It’s a treat to be sure, but worth it!

Over the weekend we had our first snow fall. It’s only a few inches and because it is our first of the season, it’s magical. Enjoy!

Astilbe

Hydrangea mop top heavy with snow.

Snowy rosemary.

Snow draped pine branches.

Rings of snow on our pond.

Snowy swing.