[ teal we meet again ]

EVERYTHING old is new again and that's true for teal which was so popular in the 80s. About 8 years ago we bought a 1950s bungalow from the original owner who had decorated the entire thing in teal. Deep teal walls, trim, even carpet! Needless to say, tearing out the carpet and repainting was the first thing we did. I wonder if we would have kept some it of if we bought the home today?

Have you ever used teal in your home? And if you have, are you happy to see it making a comeback?

lisa

[1,5 conspicuousstyleblog; 2,3 houseandhome; amerrymishapblog; 

colorspaceinteriors; elledecor; via terra winter on pinterest]

[ kitchen love ]

THIS gorgeous kitchen by Sarah Richardson has me smitten. Usually a fan of white kitchens, this pretty blueish grey is a lovely alternative. The mouldings are a beautiful detail and the glass knobs add some sparkle. The marble flooring and backsplash are classic and adding in a mismatched antique table and chairs adds a hit of warmth.

I could be swayed from my favourite white kitchen for one like this. How about you?

lisa

[house and home]

[ love is in the air ]

I'VE GOT love on my mind today...

Hope your Valentine's Day is filled with love!

lisa

[getty; designinspiration.net; foreverfailure.soup.io; musicphilosophy.co.uk;

getty; scriptical.wordpress; ornamelle.com; weibo.com]

[ sparkly whites]

THERE'S just something about sparkly chandeliers and pretty settees! Isn't this bedroom lovely? Simply white, a bit of sparkle and beautifully shaped furniture ~ what more do you need? I love the idea of hanging the two little chandeliers on either side of the bed when space is tight for end tables.

Wouldn't this be a pretty way to wake up in the morning?

lisa

[VartNyaHem]

[ rethinking our balcony ]

DO YOU ever come up with a plan and you try to make it work even though it really isn't? Well, that's what happened with our fatboy beanbag plan for the balcony {read about it here}. Even though they were comfortable and suitable for outdoors, I soon realized that they just weren't practical for us.

The thing about living in a desert is that every weekend, everything outside is completely covered with a layer of fine sand {similar to drywall dust that never seems to go away!} Which means that everything needs to be cleaned before you can park your butt down.

Not that big of a deal but cleaning the deck around these babies and getting the sand out of the beanbag crevices was just too annoying. We tried covers but then where do you put the dirty cover?

Time for a new plan!

I listed them on Dubizzle {Dubai's Craigslist} and within half an hour they were sold! And the money we got for them paid for these beauties...

Not bad, huh? Much more compact but still comfy with footstools for both of us, all-weather wicker which is easy to clean and outdoor cushions that can be washed {which will live indoors between uses anyway}.

Sitting side by side, now we both get a lovely view of the boats.

The set came with a side table that was a bit of a tight fit between the chairs so I moved it to the other end and bought a pretty new lantern for it {this balcony is dark at night!}

I love the detail of it with its white glass sides and the little tea light will give off just enough glow to provide a bit of light without putting us on display.

I'm happy with our new plan. Let's hope it works a lot better than the last one!

lisa

[ peachy keen ]

REMEMBER the mid 80s when peach was a big thing? {my sister's wedding colours were peach and turquoise}. Well, it kind of fell out of favour after that and I hadn't given peach another thought until...

I think these bedrooms are quite delicious, don't you? I particularly like the unexpected mix of peach with pink in the first one. Could you embrace peach again?

lisa

[housebeautiful; veranda]

[ I'm over here today...]

HEY everyone! I'm guest posting at veranda interiors while Melissa is off tanning her cheeks in Hawaii! If you're not familiar with Melissa's blog, you've been missing out on lots of eye candy!

And so what better time to talk about giving your home beach style even if you live in the 'burbs? Pop on over and say hello!

lisa

[ kate spade spring and today only online sale ]

I'VE ALWAYS loved Kate Spade ~ there's such a fun, youthful vibe to all of the pieces. I've never lived near a Kate Spade shop so I've had to pick up the odd thing here and there when I've travelled {I see there is a shop set to open here in the big Dubai Mall shortly so we'll see if it's a full shop or a limited selection}.

I love the graphic punch of the spring 2012 collection. The bold black and white prints with the bright pops of colour make for some really cheerful pieces.

A few of my faves...

Aren't they fun?

If you're a fan of Kate Spade and want to grab a deal, head over and check out the one day online sale TODAY ONLY until 11:59 PST.

lisa

[ my weekend ]

IT WAS a beautiful weekend here and I decided to venture out to the Dubai Flea Market on Saturday. Remember my attempt last August which ended up in a huge disappointment? {read about it here}. Well, considering that one was held indoors and it was very crowded, I thought the outdoor one held in Safa Park would be a better option. I even managed to convince my guy to join me!

It was already pretty crowded when we arrived at 8:30am {it started at 8} and I'm sure most of the really good household stuff was already gone.

The crowd grew quickly and soon people were pushing and shoving to get through and near the tables. {stop pushing, people!}

Anyone looking for cheap DVDs, books, and especially used clothing and shoes, it was definitely the place to be! Actually, I was surprised at the mobs of people rummaging through all of the used clothing ~ I just didn't even want to attempt it.

What did I find?

Well, it wasn't exactly a huge score...

a couple of pine frames, perfect for a makeover...

and a book, all for a grand total of $4.

Exciting, huh? Not exactly a huge haul. I really miss proper yard sales and antique markets back home!

How was your weekend?

lisa

[ pretty clutter ]

IS THE cabinet under your bathroom sink as scary as mine? I don't know what it is, but it's one spot that just gets out of control! I need to address this problem just for my own sanity and maybe these ideas might help motivate me...

I think making it cute might help keep it tidy. What do you think?

lisa

[better homes and gardens]

[ online mag eye candy ]

HAVE YOU read the new issue of House of Fifty yet? I love that along with great decorating, this issue also includes organizing tips, recipes with gorgeous food photography, book reviews, intros to blogs... everything but the kitchen sink {oh, right, there are a few of those too!}

Janell and her team have delivered another great issue! Check it out here.

lisa

[ 2 year blogiversary! ]

SO, 2 YEARS ago today I started this blog {read my first post here}. I had no idea what I was doing, if anyone would read it, how it would evolve or if I would even keep it up. I was embarking on a new chapter in my life, having shelved my magazine career. I was determined to look forward, pursue other interests and live a happier life.

And so I created my first post. And then another. I soon discovered that blogging would become a bit of a scrapbook for me ~ to share decorating ideas, travel photos, recipes, diy projects, all the things that I was about. And eventually, something happened along the way... I started to love it.

Over the past 2 years, I have made some wonderful blogging friends. Full of encouragement, laughs and generous compliments. So many people still look at me blankly when I say that I have a blog and just don't "get it", but that's ok. Posting that first post was the best thing I could have done. I took a leap and it opened up a whole new world of friends, inspiration, positivity and joy.

Thanks for sticking around and becoming such wonderful friends. Bopping around as an expat isn't easy but all of you have made it a little easier and I've come to depend on you for your support, kind words and just being there. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Here's to another year of fun posts!

lisa

[shakti space designs]