New Obsession: Waterstone Succulents
I love succulents. For someone like me, with a very checkered past when it comes to keeping houseplants alive, succulents are the only way to go. They’re super easy to maintain and seem to do best when you completely neglect them.
The only thing more low maintenance than an actual living succulent are these incredible succulent sculptures by Etsy seller Waterstone Succulents.
I stumbled upon this shop a few weeks ago when shopping for a client and I instantly knew these sculptures were something special. They have such a great texture and come in an array of shapes and colors. I chose this one for my client:
The leaves are so so delicate. It really looks like each one is individually cast and then they’re attached together. I can’t imagine how time consuming and painstaking a task it must be to create each plant. Since each succulent sculpture is made to order, I had to wait a couple of weeks to receive it but with such beautiful care and attention to detail, you’ll get no complaints outta me about the wait. Totally worth it.
Succulent sculptures come in a nice range of shapes and colors from metallics to neon.
I want them all!
Oh and I haven’t even mentioned the very best part, each one is only $25.00 (except for the large version, which is $40.00). Where else can you get such a beautiful, made-to-order, custom colored sculpture for only 25 bucks? That’s right, pretty much nowhere.
This is not a sponsored post and I haven’t been asked by anyone to write about Waterstone Succulents, I’m just sharing something I love.
xo
Sarah
Tuscan Style Gets a Modern Update!
I’ve talked a few times about my less than warm feelings about the Tuscan/Old World/Spanish/Mediterranean interiors that remain stubbornly popular here in Arizona. See this post, and this post. Yet, every so often, I’ll talk with a potential client who defines their design style as “Tuscan”. For the customer who is a diehard, “gimme all the gigantic bun-footed, over-sized rolled arm, olive and brown chenille upholstered monster of a sofa” fan of Tuscan, I have to confess that as much as I like them personally and would love to work with them, sadly I just can’t give them what they want.
This may sound extreme to some of you and believe me, turning down work is not easy but I really feel like clients would be better served and in the end, happier, if they find a designer who loves what they love. It’s not fair to the client to take a job just for the income when I’m not passionate about their project.
If however, the potential client is open to a modern interpretation of what they love so much about Tuscan/Old World/Spanish/Mediterranean interiors, we just might be so very happy working together.
I’m betting that we all conjure up a similar image of what a Tuscan style interior looks like but just in case:
Egads.
So I try to get to the root of what people who love this particular design style are so drawn to and figure out how to make it fresh. Tuscan interiors often have a very warm, cozy and inviting vibe. Soft, touchable fabrics on very deep sofas that you want to sink right into. Rich wood tones and earthy colors. All very good things. But I am convinced that these elements can be had without all of the…..gaudy, over-scaled froufrou-ness of the typical Tuscan interior.
I decided to come up with my own take on the style that incorporates all of appeal of a Tuscan interior. All of the warmth, richness and homey comfort with a fresh, modern twist.
{click image to enlarge}
Now this is an old world look that I could wholeheartedly get behind! Just please don’t ask for any venetian plaster or fleur de lis. Haha!
This design has everything the Tuscan lover could want – rich wood tones, old world details, a great mix of textures, a little stone, a little iron, a bit of tufting (I’d do that bench in leather for sure!) but with cleaner lines and a more modern sensibility. This update feels much more like an eclectic, well curated home to me and less like a one-note, Tuscan theme room. Ahhh…so much fresher!
xo
Sarah
If you want help creating a home you absolutely love, email me! sarah@sarahelizabethinteriordesign.com
Recent Finds
Lately I’ve been doing a lot of shopping for clients and while spending other people’s money is great fun (and a great responsibility) it’s also a little bit of torture. I almost always find something, usually many somethings that I really really love but honestly just don’t need to be spending money on at the moment. There are only so many times I can use the old “I’ll save it up for a future client project!” line to justify an impulse purchase. I’ve actually gotten pretty good at forcing myself to walk away from some truly tempting finds. I won’t lie, it’s definitely a struggle sometimes.
A roundup of some recent temptations (please forgive the crappy photos from my phone):
I am still thinking hard about this bamboo settee. It was in such good condition and priced at $200 which is a good price in my book since it wouldn’t need any work done. I’d layer it up with a sheepskin throw and a mass of pillows and place it at the foot of my bed.
Love the colors in these vintage rugs. They were all under $100 each and I considered snapping up the whole pile!
The colors in this watercolor (I think it was a watercolor and not a print) were SO pretty!
Had I not talked myself out of it, I could’ve gotten this 5-piece spun fiberglass set for $199. It was in near perfect condition. A steal!!
I’m still kicking myself for not buying it. You can’t even get a decent patio chair for $199, let alone an entire set of vintage spun fiberglass gorgeousness! I just might have to go back for this. Hopefully it’s still there. This is one of those pieces that I’ll get super-excited about (especially when the price is so low) and when Brendon sees it (usually as we’re loading it into his truck after I’ve bought it) he gives me that “This is some real ugly $#*@ you’ve bought. I hope it was cheap” look.
I’m running around like an excited chipmunk, squealing about how fabulous something is then turn to him and say “Isn’t it AHMAAAAZING??!!”. Only for him to reply, “Oh yeah and it’s going to look great on your lanai Blanche”.
Whatever.
See how completely charming this can look when styled right?
Right?
Such a relaxed, bohemian feel. Love everything about this entire situation above. Except that it’s not in my backyard. Perhaps it will be soon. I think I’m going to go back and visit this set tomorrow.
xo
Sarah
Reveal: Emerald Green Nightstands!
I am so bad about completing a project and then forgetting to share the “Afters” with you guys. It’s kind of rude when you think about it, especially when the “Afters” are oh so good. Like the one I’m sharing with you today!
I actually revealed the gorgeous new color for my vintage nightstands here last month. They got a professional paint job and now they look amazing! Since then they’ve been placed in the guest room and I finally took the time this morning to style them up a little for an impromptu photo shoot. These accessories are probably just temporary, I’m on the hunt for some permanent pieces for this room but it works for now.
Just a reminder of where they started out:
Meh.
And here they are today in all of their emerald-green-and-glossy glory!
I couldn’t be more over the moon with how they came out! My painter did such a fantastic job and took such care to get the most amazing, smooth and ultra-glossy finish. I will never paint another piece of “real” furniture myself. Ever! The difference in having furniture professionally finished versus doing it yourself……there’s really no comparison. I could never in a million years have achieved such beautiful and durable results on my own. There are times to cheap out (spraying a cheap lamp or other thrifted find that isn’t something really special) and there are times to invest a little and hire an expert. These nightstands definitely needed an expert’s touch!
He even removed the old paint over-spray from the drawer pulls so now they’re shiny and brassy – just like I like it!
Not to be too annoying with the self-congratulation but I gotta say…I picked the most perfect emerald green paint! It’s exactly what I envisioned.
A few more gratuitous pics:
I can’t wait to shop for some fab new bits to accessorize them with!
So very happy with these emerald green beauties.
xo
Sarah
I you’re in the Phoenix, Arizona area and would like help creating a home you love, email me! sarah@sarahelizabethinteriordesign.com
Wanderlust
I’m restless guys. I’m suddenly very aware of how routine my routine has become and I am absolutely dyyyyyying to shake things up! I am craving a big change or an adventure of some sort. Each day, after taking care of all the “have-to-do’s”, there’s this drive to just jump in my car and hurry off somewhere and do something fantastic. I just don’t know what that somewhere or that something is.
I think I have what you might call a good old-fashioned case of Spring Fever. You’ve got it too?
Being a responsible adult and all, I can’t cure it by suddenly picking up and moving across the country or selling off all my earthly belongings to travel across Europe for a year. So I suppose I’ll have to find a less dramatic way to scratch this itch.
Meaning something in my house – a room, a wall, a floor, a ceiling, a dog (just kidding!) -is about to get SO painted!
I’m thinking something all kinds of moody and intense.
I’m painting my entire house black!!!!
Not really but those images sure do tempt a girl.
I’m not sure what room I’ll paint (master bedroom and bath? powder room?) or when exactly I’ll whip out the brushes but I have a very strong feeling that a deep, dark color is in order. At the very least, now I have a productive and satisfying way to channel those Spring-induced wanderlust urges of mine.
Tell me, do you have a little Spring fever yourselves? I can’t be the only one!
Image credit: Jack Thompson for Paper City
xo
Sarah
If you’re in the Phoenix, Arizona area and would like to learn more about my interior design services, email me! sarah@sarahelizabethinteriordesign.com
