Posts by Barbara Bussey
Chelsea, a Great NYC Neighborhood for Designers
Thanks to my daughter, graduating from boot camp (“Beast”) at West Point, Mr. Wonderful and I were able to spend a couple of days in Manhattan. While there, we explored a neighborhood filled with a plethora of eye candy for folks like me. We spent the day walking through kitchen and bath showrooms, like the…
Read MoreAntique Shops and Designer Magazine Is A Must Read!
Jane at Empress of the Eye who is a scavenger of major acclaim, on the Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, Florida, had a wonderful expose’ this week, on “Antique Shops & Designers”. Available in print or on line, you’ll find that the pictures are glorious! Many think “old, dark, stodgy” when it comes to decorating…
Read MoreIt’s a Dog’s Life
When this picture crossed my path this morning, I thought about how important it is to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Our animal friends sure know how to enjoy the good life! When you consider the time and “treasure” we invest in our gardens, doesn’t it make sense to enjoy them? But in all…
Read MoreOur Potted Garden
The outside “look” of our home is just as important to me as the interior. In fact, I think it’s important that the areas transition easily; that what you see on the outside, gives you a hint of what to expect inside. Pottery, properly scaled and placed, adds sculptural interest to our landscape. An element…
Read MoreHow to Recover Fido’s Bed
Truth be told, dog beds don’t enhance your home’s decor…I hate them. Especially since our dog considers them to be a favorite chew toy! It doesn’t take long before they start looking pretty “ratty”. See what I mean? So, I decided to recover the cedar bed insert, with some leftover fabric I had on hand.…
Read MoreRisks Have Their Rewards
A few weeks ago, I was looking at fabric options, after staining an oak chair a dark walnut. I considered a traditional fabric… …but thought it was too “safe”. So I looked beyond my own fabric stash and found a leopard print, in an ultra-suede. This was not a slam-dunk fabric decision because recovering a…
Read MoreFrugalicious Friday
Just because you’re on a limited budget, doesn’t mean you have to forsake a new perk-me-up for the home, now and then…especially if it comes from Target. A few years ago, when I was staging homes for sale, Target was my home-away-from-home. I could find just about everything under the sun, to give a home…
Read More10 Things I Love About This Room
1. First of all, I love how balanced the room is, starting with the fireplace, flanked on both sides with beautiful “twin” bookcases. Even the miniature pictures on the shelves are similarly placed on the shelves on both sides.2. Feng Shui Experts place mirrors in a room, to reflect both positive and negative energy. I…
Read MoreThe greatest dad ever!
Hello there! My cat is sitting beside me, in my family room, as I write this short tribute to my dad. I’m a lucky woman who at 56 years old, loves her dad, respects him, admires and wants to protect him, at all costs. My dear dad sits in the hospital, oblivious to all that’s…
Read MoreFrugal Friday
As a self-described “smart shopper”, I’d like to highlight two of my many favorite spots for savvy shopping. I stopped in at Restoration Hardware’s outlet store, in Vacaville this week. It’s tucked far back into a corner of the center and would be easy to miss, if you didn’t know it was there. But if…
Read MoreCustom Lamp Shade #2
You may recall that I recently attempted to make a lampshade for my newly acquired vintage lamp. The only problem was that the I ended up with a lovely “shabby chic” lamp, and no offense, but that’s just not my style. So, I thought about painting the shade. Free hand? Not talented enough. Plus, it…
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