Why hello homies, I’m back from Hawaii and still rubbing the sand out of my eyes — both literally and figuratively. It’s Monday, I have a major case of jet lag, Ike started his first day of school today (sniff), and this week is already trying to crush my soul, but I won’t let it win. I plan to bust a cap in Monday’s ass by treating you to some pics of a fabulous estate where my mom may or may not be getting married…. well, she’s getting married fo sho, she’s just not sure if this is the place. I think she needs a nudge, so let’s help her decide, ok?

Yeah, I know — super shitty location. But we’ll try to make do.

Is it wrong of me to be so easily persuaded by fire?

I don’t need an arrow to point the way to the ocean, do I?

Did you know that none of the beaches on Hawaii are private, and therefore a homeless bum could at any time waltz up the beach to wreck your wedding? Somehow I don’t think that would be a problem here.

Plus there is a super fancy pool, so who cares about the stinky beach anyway?

After five years of living in Hawaii, I might be a bit jaded. But I’m pretty sure this place is still good enough to host my mom’s fancy wedding.

What do you think?

Also, in your face, Monday!

It is a sweltering 106 degrees here in Austin with zero zip zilch signs that summer will end any time soon (I have my sights set on you, November) but the interwebs tell me that the rest of the world is taking that last jump off the rope swing into the lake ‘cuza schools starting soon and, for the lucky majority of you, leaves will be (gasp) changing color.

Well, I want in.  I am ready for a seasonal change.  One so imminent that I hold tight to the last days of summer, sadly watching them zoom by.  Squeezing in one last summer vacation before I snuggle into my boots and jacket.  Yep, I’m shutting my eyes tight and pretending that summer is about to end.  I’m spending the last days here:

Oh, did I forget to mention that I own a fantasy summer home in Portugal.  So sorry, let me go on:

Back in the real world I do actually own a giant green lamp much like this one, as well as a handmade woven stool.  Maybe If I ask Erin real kind and nice like she will spend the next several weeks on craigslist finding me all the other goodies I need to bring it all together.  The lamp is, like, a huge start, right?

A quick reminder:  while Erin is shopping craigslist, I will be laying here.  poolside.  at this very real summer  house that i very much own.

I also own a hanging chair almost identical to the one shown, so I’m feeling like recreating this in austin really isn’t much of a stretch.  are you with me?

Look!  I’m not the meany you thought I was.  I’ve laid down a second towel for erin to come join me once she has found everything on my list.  I’m pretty much the image of altruism.

An old saying goes something like this: if you don’t like the weather in Texas, just wait a minute — it’ll change. Well, that pithy little maxim falls apart in summertime, when from May til October you can count on the forecast to read blazing hot with a chance that it will rain fire and brimstone. As evidence may I present the latest weather report?

Fuck!

Sorry to whip out the F-bomb, but I think we can agree it was deserved — unless you enjoy singeing the film on your eyeballs as you walk across concrete, or maybe catching the faint whiff of cooking kidneys if you happen to get caught outside of air conditioning for more than a minute or two, that is.

Aside from sprouting fins and gills and making a new home under the sea, the only remedy for such intolerable cruelty is this:

Doesn’t this sleek white mid mod pad designed by architect Victor Gruen and decorated by Chahan Minassian look positively icy?

And ok, the pool doesn’t hurt anything.

Later, homies! If we don’t run errands before noon, someone will have to scrape us off the ground of a parking lot.

[Chahan Minassian, Roger Davies Photography, Modernica]

Ok dudes, I’m really not one to complain and in general do my best to keep it ‘tril but I have to level with you, this past week has been the hardest week of parenting thus far.  Without going into too much detail I’ll tell you it involved a stomach virus (baby), separation anxiety and a daddy that had to work all weekend.  Today is all about horizontal design.  No high ceilings or soaring beams.  It’s low, quiet, and, preferably, includes water.  Google, take me away

via

If I can dangle my feet out this window great.  If I can jump out and swim at the sound of a baby cry, even greater.  PS the baby is inside, I’m not swimming to him, I’ve hired help to handle that in this scenario.

via

I could also make myself available to relax in this location.

via

Ok, so no water here but I feel like I can curl up in this bed and sleep for at least a week.  I am also ready to gamble hard money that the world’s most insane pool is just outside the window.  The pool boy probably isn’t too rough on the eyes either.

via

I will substitute the fantasy pool in the above scenario for this Croatian lake, which is quite possibly the only lake in the world I would be willing to swim in.  Have you seen most lakes?  Gross.

And finally, what I really, truly want, more than anything else in the world is to stay somewhere like this.  My number one life goal is to spend some serious time at a resort with rooms off a dock over the water.  Tidal wave be damned, it’s really the only thing on my bucket list, which, as previously discussed, doesn’t really exist and if so would be called something different.

Happy Memorial Day!

Wishing you all sunny skies and bottomless margaritas, plus a perfect pool fit for lazy lounging.

[Florence Lopez]

Enough with the sick talk around here. Today I’m going to find five things that make me happy. Ready?

#1. Tornadoes haven’t killed me yet.

The swath of destruction following the most devastating tornado season in decades is just staggering. I grew up in tornado alley and much of my family still lives there, so I’m very grateful no one has awakened to find themselves in Oz… or somewhere much worse.

#2. I’m glad I don’t have to live my life under a microscope.

I’m sure that most of the world is envious of Kate Middleton’s fairy tale romance and marriage to Prince Charming, but not me. That kind of attention makes my skin crawl.

She spent the last evening of her “normal” life at the historic Goring Hotel. Even the sheep looks concerned.

#3. I have a normal, happy kid.

Excepting this past week of plague like sickness, he’s pretty healthy, too. I understand many parents can’t say the same, and my heart goes out to them. I know how lucky I am. Maybe I should buy that kid a sandbox.

#4. Blogging has introduced me to some amazing people.

I ain’t gonna lie — blogging can be a grind sometimes. I’m busy with real life, plus my brain is often working against me, but the people are worth it. Your comments and emails make my day. I think we need to have a supperblogger superconference that pretends to hinge on decor and design, but is actually fueled by martinis and dancing.

That’s some totally sincere Hands Across America shit for you. I think I feel a tear escaping my eye.

#5. It’s Friday.

Here’s a pretty picture from Rees Roberts to take you to the happy place.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

The temperatures have finally dipped below 100 degrees in Austin, so it feels like fall is just around the corner. Since it’s labor day weekend, I plan to take advantage of the (vaguely) dwindling warmth by swanning around, perhaps taking a dip at the inlaws’ swank hotel pool, and sipping on a frosty beverage.

I hope you all have a swell holiday filled good weather, good fun, and good company!

[Darryl Wilson Design]

I’m really not one for long flights but I have decided that I would like to spend the next several days in Singapore at this hotel:

Huh?  What?  Is that a cruise ship on top of a building next to a lake?  Maybe, but the newly-built Marina Bay Sands is home to the largest, and highest, infinity pool, which looks a little something like this:

I am such a sucker for a good swimming hole that pretty much all else falls by the wayside.  I don’t care that the outside of the hotel looks like this:

My concern lies only in that 150 meter infinity pool and it’s view

Not too bad for SD$379 ($277.40 USD).  For more info, check out the Marina Bay Sands Site here

Hidey Ho everyone and welcome back to me!!  Thanks so much to Erin, Chromie, AB, and Pillow Mint for holding down the fort while I was gone.  You guys rock my soul!  It has been a lovely 2 week blog vacay, part of which I spent on actual vacay:  The hubby (and Jeff and Diana) and I cruised down to Mexico for 5 days at a big, Disney-fied all-inclusive resort just south of Playa Del Carmen.  Our hotel was lovely.  And Big.  And filled with yummy food, but it wasn’t really exciting enough design-wise to share with you.  

We did manage to pry ourselves away from the beach and free cocktails long enough to pop our heads into town to check out the 2 dreamy hotels we did not stay at.  (Some of you may remember that I was waxing and waning on all inclusive vs. boutique hotel)  Here are some shots of the pads we declined.

The entry to the Hotel Basico.  Just off of the tourist trap that is 5th street, the Basico is a sight for sore eyes after declining offers to have my hair braided for $10.  I’ve drooled over the Basico website several times and was anxious to see the hotel in person.  

The pictures from Basico site promise a shmorgusboard of fresh fruit and make-your-own cocktails.

The roof-top space has since culled the wheat from the chaff and simplified the offerings to the bare essentials:  booze.  The addition of a mirror delights me, as does the adorable bartender and his yummy, yummy, expensive cucumber martinis.

What the website has not shown me is this lovely lounge area, fitted with hand-made wood and rope seats and mirrored pots. Sorry for the craptastic photos, I was filled with sugary booze and veggies and high on:

the handmade seat you can see in the left side of this picture.  Welded steal frame powder coated white and topped with wooden slats and a cushion.  It was handmade without being crafty.  Matt and I made mental blue prints and hope to duplicate the beauty for our back porch.  That is, once we finally do the back porch.   

I’m glad we didn’t stay in this hotel.  Why?  See those 2 tubs at the top of the picture?  That’s the only pool offered at the Basico.  Here’s the shot the pros offer:

When I saw this online, lovely as it was, it was a deal-breaker.  I need to swim around like a fish, and then swim to a swim-up bar.  As you can see, that is not happening here.  (The pools at our hotel rivaled the ocean in size, btw)

The best part about the Basico (aside from the cucumber martini) was the way the designers repurposed used materials.  This rocker was wrapped in, what used to be, intertube rubber.  Awesome, yes?

But look closesly, the bestest bestest thing was the floor.  Oh, I curse myself for not getting a better picture!  The entryway flooring was made from used tire tread.  The tires were cut and laid side-by-side just as you would hardwood.  The result (not really shown here at all) was spectacular.  All 4 of us swooned.

After a couple of drinks at the Basico, we walked 2 blocks over to the Deseo, the other hotel on my radar.  The website promised me this:

And here’s what I saw:

Ok, actually, it looked a lot like the first photo, I just didn’t get one from that angle.  Or one that wasn’t blurry.  That’s the back of Diana’s head in the red.  Hi Diana!  Drinks here were good, but not as good as the Basico, btw.

The pool at the Deseo is much bigger than the Basico, but there is no ocean view when sitting poolside, instead you are left to consider “away from you” over and over and over again.

My traveling buddies all preferred this space, while I strongly disagreed:  Basico was better, hands down.  Of course, they may have been swayed by this:

Vintage Mexian Wrestling Vampire movies projected on the hotel after dark.  It certainly does help to tip the scales.

So, there you go, my tour of Playa del Carmen.  Sorry the pictures were junk, but, well, you see, for a few short days I didn’t obsess about design, instead, I did this:

Spaces I wouldn’t say no to.

In no particular order.

Are you guys starting to get that I really love to lounge around water?

This one just makes me giggle.  There is no way I would swim in that green lake, but that pool has my name written all over it

Ok, let me start by saying:  I totally understand that Hats Off to the G Hotel is the lamest post title ever.  But would you still love me if I promise promise, cross my heart, hope to die that there is a reason for the broadway style titling madness?  Yes?  Oh!  You’re the best, I’ll fill you in momentarily.  Ok, on with the show.

You dudes should know by now that my number one design weakness is a bangin hotel, so when I stumbled upon the G Hotel in Ireland (online, not in person, unfortunately) my heart skipped a beat or twelve.

Hello insane parlor, do you mind if mommy sips a few cocktails in here?  I forgot to bring my 3D glasses but I trust that the hallucinations will be fantastic nonetheless. 

The G Hotel (here’s where the stupid post title comes in) was designed by, up until now, hat designer Philip Treacy:

Ok, everyone, we’re going to vote by round of applause, which do you prefer:

-the floral arrangement next to our designer 

OR

- the hats that made him famous:

If your answer was none of the above (for shame, did you SEE that hand hat?) what about his newest hotel design offering:

Some of you (RAINA!) may need to overt your eyes from the star-burst mirrors, might I suggest that you gaze upon the INCREDIBLE LIGHT FIXTURE instead?  I’ve been doing some math trying to figure out how to get one of those suckers into my bedroom, in gold of course, but unfortunately, I just can’t make it work so this picture is all I have to warm my heart at night.

I wonder how bad it is for a plasma screen to have a logo showing at all times.  Matt and I have a logo, I think it would be a nice touch to have it burning bright in our living room when the TV is off, which is pretty much always.  

Also, to the G Hotel employees who are reading this post (I’m totally famous, right?) please steal those chairs one by one and send them to me.  Once they are all missing, the hotel owners won’t have a use for the table, so you can send it, too.

I have to admit, I am not really so crazy about this room.  Maybe I would like it better if I were there and the drinks were flowing?  Mmmm, probably not.

I think this is the day spa, but I’m not feeling very relaxed.

Let’s look at more pictures I like because I really do like this hotel.

This front desk looks an awful lot like Mr. Treacy’s hat designs, which is just fine, but it’s really the puppy dog that’s stealing my heart.

Oh Look!  There he is again!  With a friend.  Where do you suppose I could get some of these for my house?  And, more importantly, do you think my real-life dog would be intimidated?

I wasn’t originally going to show you this because I think it’s snooz-er-iffic BUT there is a hot zebra, so it’s all good.

Speaking of snoozing, I wouldn’t be too mad if I had to sleep in this room for a night or two.  That painting over the bed reminds me of Nagel, which makes me giggle.  For fun during my waking hours, I’d burn that hideously printed chair.

If all the smoke fumes get me down, I’ll take a dip in this pool.  Michael Phelps will join me.

Hello blogsters!

*not Designers’ Brew*

I am beyond honored to be hosting guest blogging Design Crisis while Karly is surfing the slopes and getting spanked on spiked hot cider out in Vail; I’ve got a great post lined up for you this morning, complete with a very special musical guest:

They’re maniacs on the kazoo.

But before we get to that, let me give you the obligatory self-promotion plug: I’m a recovering English major, shoe addict, and NYC interior designer, and I blog over at Designers’ Brew, where I thrash out all the good, bad and hilarious that the design world has to offer. Hope to see you there!

There’s only one thing left to say: LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT’S SPRINGTIME AT DESIGN CRISIS!!!

I know it’s only March 12, but don’t care what the calendar says; we’ve had our first two warm days here in New York, thus officially kicking off an awkward month and a half of denial wherein I dress way too lightly for the weather and clatter around the city in bare legs and heels, shivering uncontrollably and acting offended by the cold.

Yep, I’m done with winter, and am already dreaming about warm summer days, long weekends away, and visits to friends with pools and rivers to splash in, so I’ve pulled together a sampling of all of those things to get your engines revving.

First up, one of the most breathtaking houses I’ve seen in a long time: Vancouver-based Patkau Architects‘ Shaw House.

That is a pool. Floating over the entrance to the house, casting dancing, flickering, transparent shadows over the walkway below.

The interior’s not half-bad, either:

Full of restless, shifting shapes that are subtly evocative of the shadowy water play outside:

And lest you think that this spectacular piece of architecture is shuffled away in some sightless suburb, never fear–here is the view.

Should you get a yearning to stretch your fins beyond the confines of the glass-bottomed pool, you have an entire bay to conquer–so get swimming!

Here are some other houses where the transition between water and structure is almost erased, creating a sophisticated play of transparency and reflection:

Jacob Termansen photography

Jacob Termansen photography

Inside Out

Mads Mogensen photography

Marmol Radziner

Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen

Roger Davies photography

Inside Out

Or, if turn-of-the-century Belle Epoque grandeur is more your vibe, you can’t do better than the indoor pool at Hearst Castle:

The walls are covered with a king’s ransom in mosaic tiles, many of them containing actual gold:

Here it is at night; can’t you just imagine languidly splashing back and forth in the semi-darkness, the lamplight glinting off the brilliant, faceted tile, turning the pool into a magical Aladdin’s cave for you and the companion of your choice (I don’t know, do the words “pool” and “gold” bring anyone to mind for you?).

Sigh. Oh, sigh. Only two more months till the weather turns warm for real. I will be counting the days…