Fabulous Friday Find

This Fabulous Friday Find will speak for itself.  It's a little different in what I would normally post...actually-it's WAY OUT THERE-literally! It is definitely design worthy I guarantee and will have all you mid century modern lovers out there drooling!  I'm talking about a getaway-an INCREDIBLE getaway in fact-that I promise will have you thinking of booking a vacation faster than you can say the word!  

I was perusing the itinerary of a cruise my mother has just returned from mid February and I found this particular site for the Hotel LA BANANE, quite accidentally.  I had heard of St. Barts (St. Barthelemy), but had never been there in all the many years spent working on cruise ships (wishing I did now!).  I had been to it's French sisters' island of Martinique a few times with delight, but never visited St. Bart's.  It is one of the most expensive islands in the Caribbean, and one can usually spot a celebrity or two.  The hotel itself has a very cool, vintage caribbean feel to it and is more like a villa than a hotel.  The moment you step into the airy lobby, you are greeted by a collection of furniture designed by Pierre Jeanneret which was in fact, designed for his cousin, Le Corbusier-architect of the city of Chandigarh, capital of Punjab.  You can find out more about St. Barthelemy and the hotel LA BANANE here. You can either choose French or English settings to view it as well, even though the photo's speak for themselves:)

Let's face it.  I think we could all use a little pick me up with all this dreary winter weather-today is no exception-so I hope you can enjoy this wonderful, beautiful, exquisite, luxurious & very colourful getaway and feel invigorated...even if just for a moment.  I promise-it will indeed lift you up. 

Hey we can all dream right?!

Signature photo for the hotel

Lobby with classic mid century collection of furniture 

Library with incredible open area to pool 

Vintage vibe in the lobby with Pierre Jeanneret collection  

Beautiful tile flooring, white walls and vintage furniture make this deluxe FERNAND bungalow a relaxing place to be

More of the same bungalow with gorgeous pops of colour on white walls...SWOON!

There are plenty more pictures on the website, so if you want to be taken away...go now!!  

Happy Friday!

Shelley. xo

Fabulous Friday Find

What a beautiful day it is today and what a perfect day to showcase some beautiful tile!  Today's find, started with this image...

...that I had found here, and was immediately in love with the tile floor!  The search began.  

On that same day, it was like the universe was answering my quest, & The Spanish Yard from the U.K., appeared on good ol' trusty Twitter! Are you kidding me?  The tile in the image above and the one on their home page was almost IDENTICAL.  Blown away, I loved what this reclaimed flooring company was about.  Importing salvaged tiles and bricks from Mainland Spain and specializing in reclaimed decorative & antique terra cotta makes this another favorite find of mine.  The idea of combining something so unique and genuinely old with todays' modern homes seems to be on the rise in a big way.  All the colour, the textures, ah...here are a few of my favourite tiles from their collection...

Be sure to check out the website...you'll be glad you did! 

Happy Friday! 

Shelley. xo.

Pamper Your Pooch!

The dog days really are over!  You love your space to be a welcoming place to come home to, so why not show more love and appreciation by dedicating a space for your furry four legged pal/s to cozy up to on these colder nights ahead?  When I came across the article in the premiere issue of HGTV magazine, on designer Vern Yip's (one of my favourite designers since "Trading Spaces"), "room" for his four, yes FOUR canine family members, I had to share.  He has some great tips and advice on how you can keep the peace (and furniture clean!) in a house filled with pooches.  You can pick up the premiere issue on newsstands now.  Trust me...it's drool-worthy!

• Make sure each dog has his own bed and even better, get ones that are machine washable.
• The right flooring is essential.  Nonporous, close-fitting tiles for easy mop ups.  
• Hang metal hooks for keeping leashes and collars from lying around. You can even hang them above each dog bed and make it personalized!
• Frame photographs (the playful posing kind...), right above their bed.  You can even get fun toys like aquarium clocks that have real fish in them.  (Might want to place those higher up!).  
• Keep their chew toys, bones etc., in clear jars that are the same, and line them up on a nearby shelf for easy to reach snacks and fun!
• Paint the room in a darker neutral in an easy to wipe finish like eggshell or semi-gloss.  

Some Supplies Vern Swears By To Keep The Canines & Owners Content!

Mighty Toy Farm Grady Goat, vipproducts.com (Extra stitching and it squeaks too!)

Alpine lead from timberwolfpetproducts.com (Strong as a climbing rope!)

deshedding tool from furminator.com (Top-of-the-line comb)

Pea-Mutt Butter doughnuts from tajmahound.com (Looks good enough for people to eat!)

Phuket raised feeder with removable dish from unleashedlife.com 

Waves collar from souldier.us (Made from recycled seat belts...awesome!)

Tide Free & Gentle laundry detergent.  Grocery stores nationwide. 

(Wash the little ones clothes with it too!)

Green Tea leaf grooming wipes from earthbath.com (Paws get wiped between baths)

Photo courtesy of jessiefreidin.com.

The Value Of Staging

Staging works.  Delivering a big punch and tangible results.  Staging has changed the real estate market and when that market is good, Staging brings in top dollar, which often means an amount over the asking price;  when the market is slow, Staging keeps it moving.  

Increasing numbers of sellers are beginning to understand that Staging can increase the sale price of their home.  A carefully staged home can sell for 6 to 20 percent more than the list price in a modest neighbourhood.  In a high-end neighbourhood, this can be as much as 20 to 25 percent more. Staging does in fact create a ripple effect:  It impacts homeowners, the real estate agent, the neighbourhood, and the mortgage company, which in turn affects the economy in general.  

Your Return On Home Improvement Investments

Investing as little as $80 or as much as $3,000 will bring you closer to the sale of your home.  Below are some home improvements that are sure to increase your home's value.

Lighten and brighten.  Cost, $86-$110, increasing the sale of your home by $768-$935, bringing you an average return of 769%.  84 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Clean and de-clutter.  Cost, $305-$339, increasing the sale of your home by $2,093-$2,378, bringing you an average return of 594%.  91 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Fix plumbing and electrical.  Cost, $338-$381, increasing the sale of your home by $922-$1,208, bringing you an average return of 196%.  63 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Staging.  Cost, $212-$1,089, increasing the sale of your home by $2,275-$2,841, bringing you an average return of 169%.  76 percent of agents recommend staging.  

Kitchen and bath upgrades.  Cost, $1,546-$2,120, increasing the sale of your home by $3,823-$4,885, bringing you an average return of 138%.  83 percent of agents recommend this improvement.

Repair flooring.  Cost, $1,531-$1,714, increasing the sale of your home by $1,714-$2,267, bringing you an average return of 50%.  62 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Paint exterior walls.  Cost, $2,188-$2,381, increasing the sale of your home by $2,907-$3,233, bringing you an average return of 34%.  57 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Replace carpeting.  Cost, $2,602-$2,765, increasing the sale of your home by $3,585-$3,900, bringing you an average return of 39%.  65 percent of agents recommend this improvement.  

(Proven strategies from the creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz and costs are typical and based on geographics only.)