I am a big fan of decor when it’s a mix of sophistication and a high comfort level. California based C.W. Eisner is that – muted tones, ethnic details here and there, and some really gorgeous timber furniture. Oh, there’s that gorgeous backsplash…

Some time ago Jo blogged about the fresh and vibrant designs created by Patricia Healing and Dan Barsanti of Healing Barsanti. I love the vibe of their spaces and was delighted to find many more photos I could show off to you all. There’s something about a mostly white space with bold hits of colour in small doses that makes my heart skip a beat.

There is always a project going on at my house. The latest project was for the cats. I finally sold my vintage retro sofa I had in the living room that for the past 3 months had been piled up in my office under the window. It had turned into the cats favourite spot to sleep in the sun and watch squirrels. When the sofa was picked up, I knew I had to create something for them to use in it’s place so my boyfriend and I went to Ikea to look for something we could hack and use as a cat perch. We made it through most of the store without finding anything and I was starting to panic, until Jeff spotted a baby change table (the Sniglar).

It was only $49.99, had 2 shelves, and could easily be chopped in half (I wanted it to be pretty narrow, just deep enough to fit a cat comfortably). It turned out perfectly. I painted it white (yellow first but it was way too bright), bought some stryofoam (fabric store was out of the foam I wanted) which I wrapped in batting and then fabric (thanks Jo!), and placed the “cushions” in the shelves. And voila, a perfect under-the-window cat perch.

I have to give Jeff credit for coming up with the idea of using the leftover piece of the change table as a new display unit for my West German pottery collection. The table I had been using was too deep, and this new shelving created a much wider space to walk from the living room into the kitchen. (In a 12 ft wide house, the narrower the furniture the better!) I painted some chalkboard paint roughly along the front edge and wrote what was on display. It’s a perfect use for the rest of the table that I would have otherwise thrown out.

I’d have to say that Los Angeles-based interior designer David Phoenix is a man of many hats. He is a pro at so many styles – traditional, moorish, to contemporary and modern. That takes talent to be able to create such diverse spaces. “Drawing upon both the timeless design traditions of American aristocracy and the laid back luxury of the West Coast, David Phoenix’s projects are inspired by the rich, diverse landscapes of New England and California. As a native Bostonian living in Los Angeles, David Phoenix’s projects meld a dual design perspective resulting in spaces that are both relaxed and elegant for his elite clients.” Those elite client include members of the Kennedy family, and Governor Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. I’m smitten with the first kitchen below…so inviting.