If you missed it, please head over to Alkemie's blog to see her terrific post on the Rug Company's wide variety of impeccable floor coverings. Sadly, I can't think of a single room that needs a rug right now... but I'd love to have the one above. Gorgeous.

I love how she puts it:

"I'll never look at rugs quite the same way after The Rug Company!"

I'm looking for something that I cannot seem to find. I need to locate three white corner shelves. These would be floating shelves that would be installed in the corner of a room. The style I am seeking is triangular in shape and fits snugly in the corner. Ideally, they'll have crown molding front edges to match (or at least coordinate with) these Pottery Barn shelves. I've looked in the usual locations online. Any ideas?

Leave a comment or email me. Thank you!!!!

It's hard to go wrong with the color white. But often, designers and decorators strive to cover barren walls with color. It is true that white, in the wrong hands, screams unfinished, unrefined, unsophisticated. And in most cases, white walls do indeed indicate a lack of creativity or confidence. Who doesn't remember white walls from the half dozen apartments they've rented, or the dorm walls you weren't allowed to paint.

But as you'll clearly see, white can often be the dramatic color a refined space needs. And the key word in that sentence is color. Yes, white is indeed a color that can help you evoke a mood. It can elevate, it can downplay. Yes, the great shade of white is quite chameleon like. It goes without saying that white can also be formal and modern. So the images below (all harvested from Desire to Inspire) will show you some of the other faces of magical, versatile white. Enjoy...

It's not surprising that white can be romantic. We expect that. A painted brick wall, a white duvet, an off-white chair paired with white shutters. This space screams romance. I want to imagine the window overlooks a small garden or patio in a chic little neighborhood, and if you lean out you can just catch the scent of the corner cafe. Such a mood. All thanks to the power of white.

Here, white is both classic and modern. The Saarinen table somehow blends perfectly with the Byzantine columns and rustic arched doorway. The items themselves are so varied in origin, but the mellow palette is the unifying glue that holds it all together. Behold, the power of white.

Here, white is rustic and weathered. It is soft and moody. It begs the viewer to ask about the history of the space and the objects contained within. Is this a seldom used corner of a weekend cottage? Are we in Nantucket or Savannah? White is mysterious and full of stories here.

And finally, in this image white is downright inviting. This space is relaxed and welcoming. And lets be fair, white sofas do not often beg you to put your feet up. But this one wants you to bring your dog and your coffee and settle in for a long, lazy afternoon.

I'm having a field day getting the nursery ready, although I;ll readily admit it is designed to my style, not that of a newborn. And (no surprise) eBay is turning out to be a wonderful resource for all things stylish.

For example, I found this lovely chandelier from an amazing eBay seller, Trendy Vintage Collection. The chandelier care packaged with such care and attention to detail. I could not have been more pleased with the quality of the item. It looks marvelous in the new room. If you have any need for lighting of this sort, I cannot say enough great things about her product and her service.

Next, I came across these chic little letters for the wall. For me, this solved a 'what in the world do I place over the crib?' issue. Yes, these are available in many locations, but I found an amazing vendor on eBay who can do the letters in virtually any font at all (a major bonus, as I'd fallen in love with a new typeface recently). If you (or a hip friend) are pimping out a room for a little one, Creative Woodcrafts is the way to go.

If you're interested, I might post pictures of the space once it's finished.

Confession: we love bank robbery movies. If it involves a heist, grappling hooks, cracking a big safe or getting away with a sensational caper you can bet we've seen it or would love to add it to our Netflix list. So when Shannon at Pink Wallpaper featured Laura Bohn's New York loft - located in a former bank, no less - I knew it deserved to be mentioned again.

Here's how New York Social Diary describes the loft:

We were swept away by Laura Bohn’s loft in a Beaux-Arts former bank building in the Village. Instead of decorating, she almost seems to sculpt interiors. She is in love with texture, strange contrasts and the play of light. She sees potential in all kinds of modern materials, including the most lowly or unyielding –concrete, plastic, finished metals – and turns them to her advantage. There is a luminous, organic quality to the colors with which she works, resulting in a space that is somehow simultaneously dramatic and serene. She is totally unafraid of a bare space, adores gut renovation and, by her own admission, is a workaholic.

The cavernous space is obviously no match for Laura's aesthetic. She manages to make it feel intimate and grand at once. It is colorful without being loud. Neutral without being boring. And as the observation above attests, texture is the name of the game with this rediscovered loft space. Again, my acid test for any environment is "would I want to live there?" The answer here (even without that delicious safe door) is a resounding yes.

Laura is a former model turned designer interior designer. And I should have guessed by looking at her work, but she actually worked for one of my all time favorites: John Saladino. Now that she has an established practice of her own, she describes her relationship with her clients:

I used to fill in with traditional work but now I really don’t bother. Actually nobody comes to me anymore for it. I’ve been around so long and either you like what I do or you don’t. I get people who want to start from scratch, to start over.

Her tips for fellow designers?

I constantly look for new materials. Plastics, different and strange metal finishes…there’s always something new. At the moment I love these hatbox toilets. Have you seen them? It literally looks like a hatbox shape but the tank and everything goes in it and then you have a mechanical seat…I mean it’s a $2000 john…but it’s gorgeous. Gorgeous!

Thanks for spotting this masterpiece and brilliant designer, Shannon! I'm hooked.

It's true. I've become ensconced in a new relationship. Before you write me off as a scandalous woman prone to infidelity, know that the relationship in question is with another blog. Yes, Designer Pages (my guilty pleasure for sourcing the web's most fabulous finds) has invited me to be a member of their blogger team.

What's in it for you? You get to hear the tale of our office redesign as it unfolds over a series of posts. You'll see me wax poetic over delightful slipper chairs. And witness my fascination with the staying power of those ubiquitous ceramic stools.

But fear not. You can't get rid of me that easily. Venti Cup is my first love. I just wanted to let you know where I spend the occasional sunny afternoon indulging my designer desires.