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I'd like to think REI stole my idea and announced their boycotting of Black Friday before I shared my plan to protest the dreaded day & close the shop but really I think many of us are at our wits end with MORE STUFF, MORE SALES, MORE HOURS TO BUY MORE STUFF ON SALE! It seems like hardly anything has any value anymore and it's perpetuated by sale after sale followed by the latest-and-greatest-just-arrived-and-is-on-sale-sale culture of American shopping. I think most everyone agrees that what we all really want and need most in our lives is more time and less stuff. More time with our families and loved ones, more time doing activities we enjoy, more time relaxing and taking care of ourselves, more time unplugged from our laptops/iphones/ipads, etc. So that's what my team and I will be doing this Black Friday. We're going BLACK- turning off the phones, computers and shop lights to be with our families and friends while enjoying a quiet day doing something we love with people we love. I never thought I would say this but....I can't wait for Black Friday! :)

#optoutside #blackonblackfriday

Well I gave it a go, as most people these days have, and I found that between the everyday requirements of running of my business and taking care of and enjoying my family there was never any time for blogging. I may still post once in while but for now you can check out the journal section of my website. Thanks for visiting the blog and hope to see you in other forums~Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram & Houzz are the ones I frequent.

Happy Decorating!

xx

Ps. Click the Ciao image above to visit Creative Market for awesome scripts.

Pretty Little Powder Room

This is my favorite powder room to date and what makes it extra sweet is that we did it for one of my oldest and dearest friends! (Seriously! We have been friends since we were babies!) She and I decided to go for a HUGE, BOLD, gorgeous pattern on the walls by Katie Ridder. A large pattern in such a small space could seem risky to some but it turned out beautifully in the soft lavender gray on cream and made the powder room feel fabulous and extra special. And how much do you love those sconces?! One of my favorite designs of all time.

Happy Decorating!

Love,

S

Art Obsession ~ Hannah Cohen

I met the lovely and talented Hannah Cohen last Spring and haven't been as excited about an emerging artist as I am about her in quite some time. Hannah's work is beautiful, organic and etherial yet incredibly precise and painstakingly created. My husband and I bought a piece for our anniversary and hope to collect more of her treasured work for years to come. Visit her website http://www.hannahcohen.net/ to learn more about her and to find out where she's exhibiting next. Maybe we can lure her to the shop for a private show! (Hint, hint, Hannah!)

Stuart Nordin Home & Design on TV!

Check out our feature on FOX 5 this morning with Holly Morris and Elizabeth Todd of The Shoe Hive! Loved talking about shopping small, shopping local and our favorite things in the boutique this season! Click here to view the segment.

Best Beauty Product EVER!!!

I have a mild addiction to shopping at our new neighbor boutique, Blue Mercury and have pretty much adopted the store manager, Molly as one of my bffs. She knows the best of every beauty product out there and I have loved everything she has recommended to me thus far. The latest gem she shared has changed my life. I know, it sounds dramatic but it's true.

Most mom's out there know that your beauty routine drops down to basically nothing when you have kids and while I used to get facials and do masks on a regular basis that is a thing of the past. I'm lucky if I get to blow dry my hair once a month if I'm being honest! I went to Molly the other day and showed her my sad, tired skin and asked jokingly if she had any miracle products that could fix me overnight. She went straight for M-61's Power Glow Peel and said it was her favorite product of all time. This is high praise coming from her so I snatched it up and couldn't wait to try it. It's a glycolic+ pre soaked, individually packaged towelette that you simply sweep over your face after washing before bed. That is it and that's all and THEY REALLY WORK. I am totally addicted and have never seen results like this from any product let alone OVERNIGHT. It's a miracle and only takes a minute! Go out and get them mommies! You're skin will thank you and you will love the radiant results.

Happy Beautifying!

xx

Pull Passion

Looking for pulls today to liven up a friend/client's powder room I came across this AWESOME "Sly Fox" knob from Anthropologie. I am completely obsessed! Aksel's dresser at home doesn't have knobs but I'm buying 8 and holding onto them for the day when he does. LOVE LOVE LOVE them!

Happy Decorating!

xx

Elizabeth Street Stylish Mom Feature!

Had to share! One of my favorite sites of all time, Elizabeth Street, posted a sweet feature on my "mom style" with me and Aksel! Check it out and thanks to our amazing photographer Bryan ;) The photo is from a fabulous two weeks in Kennebunk, Maine for one of our best friends' little sister's wedding. I'll do a follow up post on our trip and all our favorite spots and finds for the shop but for now have a great weekend and good night!

xx

George Bernard Shaw said, "I think I should have no other mortal wants if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music." Last night I went to The Hamilton with two girlfriends to hear a relatively new favorite musician of mine, Gregory Alan Isakov. It was just a lovely, wonderful, soul soothing, spirit inspiring evening. Click here to find Gregory's website. Download his albums. He's a gem.

Enjoy!

xx

Once again it has been far too long since I have written and I always wonder why it's so hard for me to find the time to blog. One reason is because we have been busy busy bees in the studio and so for this blog post I wanted to share a glimpse of what we have been up to. We recently wrapped a photo shoot at one of my favorite client's homes in Georgetown and I could not be more delighted with how everything turned out. This shot is my favorite of the shoot and is now our main website's home photo. I just love it so much! What you can't tell from the photo is that the bench actually has a lift top lid and houses the most amazing cavern of storage for two little boys' toys! And the fabric, by Kravet, is stain-treated to repel stains and sticky fingers. Kudos to Doug Stroud Photography for capturing such a great image!

Fornasetti Atelier

Piero Fornasetti was a Milanese painter whose work I have always been in love with because of the whimsical & other worldly qualities that also somehow manage to feel familiar. They're like a dream on paper (or canvas, or porcelain, or wood...). Piero Fornasetti's work is exceedingly beautiful and precise- full of detail, sharp lines and often humor.

My favorite of the new collection (pictured above) is called CHIAVI SEGRETE. It combines mysterious gold and silver keys hanging within a dense privet hedge. I know the perfect client's vestibule in which to use the gray colorway :) To view the entire collection of Fornasetti for Cole & Sons click here.

Enjoy & Happy Decorating!

Tuesday's Tip #4: Fabric Calc App~GET IT!

Hanging out with a girlfriend the other day I realized how awesome the Fabric Calc App is that my lovely and invaluable assistant, MK introduced me to a few weeks ago. This handy app, which was made for interior designers, is a must have for DIY decorators such as my BFF. Fabric Calc is FREE and calculates the amount of fabric required for recovering a multitude of furniture pieces. It's easy to use, accurate and even accounts for individual fabric widths and repeats! Now my bestie has a tool at her tips to figure out how much fabric she needs to give new life to her old upholstery. Check it out here and enjoy!

(If you aren't a DIY decorator and need help selecting fabric and/or anything else for your home contact us for information on how we can help create a look you'll love!)

Happy Decorating!

xx

#trust

It's been a long, long time...

...and we're finally back online! We had an unbelievable month in more ways than one but I am happy to report that all is well and couldn't be much better! We'll start posting again regularly and keep you updated on all the exciting things that are happening at Stuart Nordin Home & Design. Stay tuned for Tuesday's Tip!

xx

#trust

Tuesday Tip #3

Once again I'm getting this in under the wire! And speaking of under, I am actually under the covers typing this entry on my phone (...in the dark...with my sleeping/snoring husband next to me...) so let's get straight to the point. Tuesday Tip #3: Stop it with the "gallery" walls and "accent" walls. They are the sponge painting of our generation, a trend that must be put to an end! A bunch of frames crammed together, filling a wall does not look good. It really really really doesn't so don't do it. Please. And then there is the old "accent" wall. If I never see another accent wall it will be too soon. There are other ways to get creative and add color to your room. Trust me. Try a great piece of art. My favorite sites for accessible art are: 20x200.com thetappancollective.com exhibitiona.com More to come tomorrow but those are my tips for today! Happy decorating and good night! xx

Tuesday Tip #2

Well, it hasn't been a regular thing, but I'm really trying to commit to the Tuesday's Tips segment (starting now). I have exactly one hour and forty eight minutes (and counting) until it's officially Wednesday so I'll make this quick...HARD WATER STAINS: USE A LEMON TO REMOVE! That's it and that's all. Cut a lemon in half and use the pulpy side of one half to scrub away the stains tainting your gorgeous chrome fixtures. Please enjoy the pic above featuring my new all time fave thermostatic control valve by Waterworks. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?! Raid your grocery's citrus aisle and don't let hard water stains anywhere near this baby!

Night Night!

xx

Love note to Apple...

Dear Genius People at Apple,

You have changed my life in many wonderful ways over the years. The most recent of which is your truly brillant Find My iPhone App complete with homing sound. This app from heaven enables me to save hours and days and weeks and months of my life looking for my phone which I lose on a daily basis. I love you people.

Love,

Stuart

* If you don't have this app, GET IT! All you have to do is download it from iTunes or the App Store on your phone (for free!) and follow the prompts to register your phone. If you ever lose your phone all you have to do to find it it sign into your iCloud from a computer or other device, click on Find My iPhone, watch the compass spin until your phone is located, marvel at the blinking green pin point on the map that indicates your phone's location, and then if you're like me and lost it in your house or car...click the green dot, your phone's details will appear, click "play sound" and a homing beep will sound until you find your phone and turn it off. BEYOND BRILLIANT!

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