There are skylights in pretty much every room on the main level of the house. And Jon informed me last week that those windows way up there by the ceiling are called "clerestories."

This photo is taken from the dining area and you can probably tell that there's a faux finish on the walls. I am not a fan of faux finishes. But Jon claims that he likes it. (I think he's just saying he likes it to avoid having the walls repainted.) I'm willing to live with it for a bit and see how it works with our furniture, but I'm skeptical that the finish will grow on me. I think the space would look better with a nice coat of white.

I totally want that tangerine coat.

Included in the little box are: a handwritten note about their fabrics and furniture; cards detailing the various sofas and chairs they offer; the swatches themselves; a small pencil; and a measuring tape. Seriously cute.

Each room has its own tab, which includes: a layout of the space on grid paper, fabric swatches for furniture, and clippings of possible future purchases. I'm also keeping track of paint chips and wallpaper samples that we might incorporate in the house later on.

Yay for cute organizational goodies!

Earlier this week, the de Young announced a 40-year Retrospective of the Work of Yves Saint Laurent. It opens November 1, and the San Francisco museum will be the only venue in the U.S. for the show.

I can't wait!

Sita's Tea

Saigon Cafe

Problem Solving

You can see more of her work at The Beholder. I love the travel photos on Aya's website, too.

Maggie and her husband, Bryan, commissioned the awesome painting by Diane Feissel.

Traverse City, Michigan, might be my favorite of this bunch.

I am totally in love with the exterior. How could you NOT be in a good mood if you came home to this house every day?

However, with the new house will come lots of new decorating projects. So I'm hoping the Internet (i.e., YOU out there) will give me lots of feedback and advice. And if I have to delete a few additional pharmaceutical, online gambling and no-interest home loan spams in my inbox every day? It's worth it.

* My newest regular reads are: In(side) the Loop and Urban Grace Interiors.

Nintendo wall stickers by Blik! (via Apartment Therapy)

So, in the end, I got to spend my birthday weekend with all sorts of great people. Which, of course, makes me one lucky lady. But on top of the awesome company I kept? I picked up some fantastic stuff at the sale. AND I enjoyed meals at Clyde Common and Saucebox. AND I met Lise (from Apartment Therapy) and Sally in person! AND I just had to squeeze in multiple trips to Stumptown Coffee.

Not only was the Stumptown coffee excellent, but they had these beautiful glass light fixtures. Pretty, pretty.

My dream: To line one wall of the laundry room with this pattern. And, on the opposite wall, hang a few of these little guys:

And, um, no. I still haven't really given the washer and dryer much thought. I'm too busy figuring out how to make that room pretty!

I was sad to see them go and am convinced that I need to re-create this corner somewhere in the new house.

P.S. The wallpaper in the entry is staying!