The Modern Decor Connoisseur

George Nelson Bubble Lamp Illuminates

2009-02-01T16:32:00.001-08:00

George Nelson created the "Bubble Lamp" line for Howard Miller in 1947. Howard Miller continued to sell the line throughout the late 1970's after which they were discontinued. George Nelson never named the different lamp designs and they were simply given numbers by Howard Miller. A large Saucer lamp was simply sold under "Bubble Lamp H-727". Austin artist Elizabeth Decker's self portrait hangs in the stairwell.

Unveiling New Art

2009-01-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

The new artistic statement in the living room is by Elizabeth Decker from her Paper Bag Series. This fabulous piece is titled Consumption.

Benvenuti, Bienvenidos, Willkommen and ברוכים הבאים

2008-12-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Well we were finally able to hang those recycled aluminum letters on the angled ceiling of the front door entry. Why have a welcome mat when you can display a welcome sign?

Curtain Call

2008-11-28T13:14:00.001-08:00

Hey all... the custom curtains are finally installed; the guest room is nearly complete. And no the circle pattern on the fabric does not glow in the dark (but it would be cool if it did).

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn...and Austin, TX

2008-10-27T17:37:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since a photo of La Casa Verde has been posted on Ye Ole Blog. The last photograph certainly did not include grass nor foliage. The landscaping is still somewhat minimalistic who knew huge Agave plants cost an Orin Scrivello, DDS and a Mr. Mushnick! Feed me Seymour!

Left, Las Casa Verde. Below Gardens Austin Texas Nursery

Thumbnail Views

2008-08-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

The scratch-n-sniff yummy Mandarin Orange guest room (guests wanted y'all). My succulent green thumb on the 2nd floor terrace (okay lemme stop frontin', not my green thumb, my fabby neighbor's). Guard doggy at the front door and chalkboard paint accent wall in the TV room. It is all in the details folks!

Dinner is Served (a.k.a. the Chairs Have FINALLY Arrived)

2008-07-13T17:39:00.001-07:00

Well it has been precisely seven months since I have moved into La Casa Verde and I finally (yes finally!) have dining room chairs. It was well worth the wait (but seriously, who really wants to wait?) As an added bonus, my walls lost their virginity as well...I finally hammered a nail and hung some art! Next item of obsession a RUG (that is the rubber rug pad you see in the background). Oh and these chairs...the Eames Molded Plastic Armchair

Life Imitates Art at Agatha Circle

2008-06-10T18:16:00.000-07:00

Long time no posts... well I had to wait until I had something spectacular to share with my faithful readers (all 3 of them and that number includes myself). I am pleased to unveil my latest progress in the realm of decorating my house, a.k.a. the money hemorrhaging blank canvas. This progress is in my powder room on the second floor where life has now imitated art. Art in the form of one of my favorite artists and his signature masterpiece. I speak of Piet Mondiran and his interpretation of New York City, a.k.a. the center of the universe, in Broadway Boogie Woogie.

Amazing interpretation isn't it? I certainly did not do this on my own; I have the very talented Josie Miller of Women of Paint to thank for translating this work of art into living art. Josie you are the greatest! That name again is Josie Miller of Women of Paint; tell her I sent you!

Dinner is Almost Ready!

2008-04-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

The dining room table arrived this week; now all I need is some chairs!

A Well Stocked Pantry.

2008-04-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well, my first home improvement project went off without a hitch. Why? Because I did it the American way and OUTSOURCED the job! Have-a-look-see at my new custom of pantry by Ken Welling of Closet Tailors.

BEFORE

AFTER

When Can We Eat?

2008-03-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

I am going to bypass any color commentary on Christian's "fierce" win on the Project Runway finale last week. Okay sorry can't help myself; all I will say is boy did he get lucky having Victoria Beckham as a guest celebrity judge! I wasn't at all surprised how she gushed over his collection as if it was designed specifically for her. My inner conspiracy theorist is wondering if the producers tapped her to judge the finale knowing Christian's aesthetic. It was all too coincidental if you ask me. But you didn't, so I'll focus on my own design aesthetic...

I need to measure my space one more time to confirm that this simply stunning dining table will not monopolize too much space and overpower my living room / dining room area (see pix from Sunday, February 17, 2008 post "Starlite Starbrite 1st Star I See Tonite..."). I love the minimalistic design, especially the direction the legs are pointing. I need a dining room table oh so bad and although I was initially drawn to a round shape, I think the rectangular length will better accommodate a dinner party and be a nice focal point for the overall open space. Does using a word like "focal point" mean I've absolutely watched too much HGTV?

Starlite Starbrite 1st Star I See Tonite...

2008-02-17T08:17:00.000-08:00

Starlite starbrite make everything alright... you may be my lucky star, but I'm the luckiest by far... okay enough of the retro Madonna lyrics. Okay, so, like I know I need at kitchen table to go under my beautiful Sputnik light fixture and I have a temporary obsession with buying furniture that illuminates; doncha just luv my Pablo Pardo Light Table Bench! I'll use the new gay buzzword of 2008 a`la Christian from Project Runway, my bench is F-I-E-R-C-E (insert gesture consisting of a circular hand motion followed by a snap)! This new homeowner gig has led me to one inevitable conclusion... I need money! $$$ I need lots and lots of money. I need money to fund all the delicious decorating I'm dying to do. So far I've made my first mortgage payment which wasn't too painful and I've [sadly] suspended all shoe and handbag purchasing-I'm carrying last year's Gucci purse (but nobody knows because, hey this is Austin!).

Week One Comes to an End...

2007-12-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

... and everything is everywhere. Which is okay, right?

Now for my Oscar acceptance speech. First I have to thank all of my Keebler Elves who were uncommonly good in helping me move.I especially would like to thank Ashley who brought lunch and helped move a closet full of designer clothes (only pausing occasionally to eye what would look good on her and later ask to borrow) and stayed late to set up my bathroom so I can actually get ready for work the next day in a reasonable fashion.

I'd also like to thank Chad Lowe because Hillary Swank never did (or did she finally get around to that after Oscar number two and before she divorced him?) Finally, I would like to thank G-d for all of the wonderful blessings in my life and to paraphrase the fabulous Kathy Griffin, "I want you to know that no one had less to do with my house than Jesus. Suck it, Jesus. This house is my G-d now."

CLOSING TIME!

2007-12-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

Well TODAY IS THE DAY! I am minutes from walking out the door to go to the title company, handing over my cashier's check and then signing my life away! I feel like my heart is about to explode right out of my chest. I can't believe this day is finally here. Sure there are still outstanding items on the punch list that need to be fixed inside and outside--weather permitting! What is with this rain! I am finally going to be a homeowner! Wow! After 6 months of torturous waiting, construction mishaps, communication breakdowns, nervous breakdowns and agony and endurance... closing time is here! The pen is in my hand! Now let the decorating begin! Look at my kitchen isn't it just gorgeous!

Another Walkthrough

2007-12-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

Close But No Cigar

2007-11-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

Well today is 17 days from the [alleged] scheduled closing and there still is a lot of work to do. I am going to hold my tongue and demonstrate some restraint. I will not kvetch! Instead I will share these recent photographs taken over this past weekend. The first picture is the first floor bathroom and the second picture is the master bathroom.

Virtual Walkthrough

2007-11-04T06:38:00.000-08:00

Well I am no Steven Spielberg, or even a Russ Meyers but here is a virtual tour of my unfinished home. I had quite a scare this week. Thursday I went to visit Mi Casa Verde to see the progress (or lack thereof) based on the high-level time line provided by the construction foreman. The travertine tile was indeed being installed as scheduled, however the tiles were being placed in a horizontal lay. I thought to myself; this does not look right. I could have sworn that I had specified and I signed off on the tiles being placed in a vertical lay. I raced home in a panic and reviewed my paperwork. Yes! Of course! I was right; I specified a vertical lay. This is why it is so important to visit the site on a weekly basis and oversee the construction process, because these people are incompetent! I understand when working with new construction miscommunication happens and things can and will go wrong, but this is absurd! Obviously the lights are on but nobody is home! Fortunately, the grout had not been done so all of this could easily be corrected. However, I strongly resent the fact that I continue to encounter these mistakes which will no doubt further delay my closing date and that it is necessary that I throw temper tantrums to have these people pay attention to details and do their jobs correctly. Well I was warned by the other residents and buyers to watch these people like a hawk. Maybe circle like a vulture is a more accurate metaphor.

Closing Time?

2007-10-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

I received the most interesting email today from my real estate agent. She had been informed by the sales consultant at Agave that my pre-closing walkthrough is scheduled for November 22nd. Hm. November 22nd. Something about that date is so familiar. Oh yes! That is THANKSGIVING DAY! Do these people even look at a calendar when determining and scheduling timelines? I don't think so. I can not say that I am at all confident that I will close as scheduled on November 30th. Maybe that has to do with the comment my mortgage broker made, "... Agave has not had an on time delivery and closing to date..." So while I clock the countdown at 36 days from the day of this posting, I estimate the actual closing date will be... oh maybe next year! After all folks January is less than 90 days away. Meanwhile, I spend my time manically surfing the Internet for decorating ideas and have seen every episode of Color Splash with David Bromstad on HGTV, twice!

Interesting Then and Now Pictures.

2007-10-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

Then. In July.

Now. In October.

I Have a Driveway.

2007-10-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

Here is an updated picture of the exterior of the house. I have a driveway poured right up to my carport.

Calling All Couch Potatos! Or is it Potatoes?

2007-10-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well I bought a couch. Finally. A real couch. Although I will probably never sit on this couch my guests should enjoy lounging on this wonderful piece of retro-modern furniture. This will be in the living room area on the second floor; whereas I will be on the first floor lounging on the yet to be purchased couch for the TV room.

The Drywall has Arrived and POOF it is Installed!

2007-09-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Me!

2007-09-04T04:37:00.000-07:00

The Cage is Coming ...

2007-08-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

On this week's trip out to the house I found the construction crew hard at work building the Cage. Many people have asked me exactly what is the purpose of this galvanized metal structural design; well, aside from surrounding the house in an aesthetically modern detail the Cage serves as the protective railing for the terraces. The galvanized metal will be reinforced with Polygal sheeting. The construction crew started this project on Friday, I would think this phase of the construction would be finished by the end of this week. This is the last project before the construction crew moves into the inside! Once they are on the inside, all of this unexpected Summer rain can no longer slow them down! I could be seeing insullation and dry wall by my birthday on September 4th. What a great present that would be!

Baby Steps

2007-08-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Young Green has arrived...

Is it Stucco? Is it Cement?

2007-08-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Who cares? The interior-exterior walls for the carport and the terraces are one step closer to being painted. Maybe just maybe that will happen this week. There is still no sign of the terrace railing, a.k.a "the cage" being installed. However, there are electrical signs of life from a colorful web of wires. I have to remind myself daily that I am not the only house on the block and that this builder is going to use every day, every hour, every minute, every second of that November 30th deadline. If I don't see dry wall soon I am going to just erupt like a volcano with impatience. Ah the metaphors!

Second Coat of Paint

2007-08-04T11:16:00.001-07:00

Ah! That second coat of paint makes all the difference. It also looks like the construction crew is preparing to finish the exterior garage and terrace walls. Not much activity is happening on the interior of the house, perhaps some electrical work, but no signs of dry wall yet. I don't know how I am going to make it for three more months, I am already crawling out of my skin in anticipation of the house being finished; then there is the closing and then the moving! I am slowly going mad with the continuous stream of HGTV programming I have on the television. So many fabulous decorating ideas being stored in my brain and I have to wait and wait and wait to execute them! What is it that Tom Petty sang, "the waiting is the hardest part ..."

Almost a Front Door

2007-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

Roll out the welcome mat I almost have a front door.

I think the House Needs a Second Coat of Paint

2007-07-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

Let this be a lesson to all who are in the residential construction business to never attempt to paint a house while it is raining or about to rain or the weather forecast calls for rain for the next seven days. What is with all of this rain anyway! This is Texas in July! Shouldn't the ground be cracked and dry as a bone and shouldn't I be suffering from heat exhaustion? Since when is the weather in the Southwest similar to Seattle and London? Mother Nature is messing with my progress!

Last Minute Finishes

2007-07-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

I was hoping to post a picture of the house painted, but the constant rain every day has made it impossible for the construction crew to paint. However, after surfing the Internet and a few Google searches I do have more pictures of the finishes to post.

This is the decking for the two terraces.

Ikea Adel Birch cabinets.

Ikea Lansa cabinet hardware.

Green slate tile for the floors in the powder room and Master Bathroom.

Travertine tile in the Master Bathroom shower.

Paint it Green!

2007-07-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

The new colors for the house have been chosen. Cedar Edge for the exterior and Young Green for the accent trim and terrace walls. The house will appear like a Picasso Cubist masterpiece ... a vertical rectangular cactus set against an Austin clear blue sky; just like in this Georgia O'Keeffe painting. Ah! Serenity is infinite!

I've Got the Blues!

2007-07-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

Sadly my house is the unpainted structure on the left! The blue house on the right is 5517 Agatha Circle and I am 5525. This was the exact color blue I wanted for my Kevin Stewart 1520! The developers chose and ordered the colors for 5517; which is a spec house and is not under contract. When I met with the designer only last Thursday, she said that she would see if she could switch the blue paint out and use it on my house, but when she went to work the very next day the house was already painted! Can you believe that the house was completely painted blue between 6:00 PM on Thursday and when the designer arrived on Friday! Well, what a difference a day makes! While I am disappointed, I am impressed with the progress the construction crew made. Now I will have to choose a new color as soon as possible!

A Slab of Concrete

2007-07-15T09:03:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of the finished concrete throughout the first floor; courtesy of a posting on one of my fabulous soon-to-be neighbor's Blogs.

Beautiful Bamboo by Bassi (Say That Three Times Fast)

2007-07-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

The floors are made of Mao (Maozhou) bamboo from South China, the Lin’an region. The climatic and topographic characteristics make Mao bamboo more dense and harder than most bamboo’s species. Bamboo is an extremely fast growing grass. It can be harvested every 3 to 5 years. Choosing bamboo flooring is to choose to preserve the forest which takes decades to replace.

The First Design Meeting

2007-07-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

Some selections are not pictured; such as the finished cement floors on the first floor, the bamboo flooring on the second and third floors (yes, the house is three stories), Ikea Adel birch cabinets with Lansa hardware, travertine tile for the master bathroom (shower) and slate tile for the powder room and master bathroom floors. It is all coming together! The biggest challenge so far has been deciding where to place the telephone and cable outlets in each room! I don't even own a television yet, how do I know where I want the cable outlet?

Porcelain mosaic tile in Pearl for over the bathtub in the first floor bathroom.

Sile Stone in White North for all of the bathrooms; and there is 2.5 of them!

Sile Stone in Diana Pearl for the kitchen counter!

The Not So Early Stages of Construction

2007-07-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

This is the back of the house.

The First Floor Stairs (a.k.a. Stairway to Heaven)

The kitchen of the [near] future.

The perfect combination, 5525 Agatha Circle and 2008 Scion XB. I really do need to replace this photograph sans port-a-potty!

Under Contract! Let the Blogging Begin!

2007-07-12T08:10:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be a part of the Agave community. I first learned about the development from an advertisement in Austin Monthly magazine and drove out to see the community in March of 2007. Well, I should rewind the story and mention that I relocated to Austin from New York City the first week of February (Adiós Winter!). Just look how much further my real estate dollar will go here in Austin versus Manhattan!