Jo posted some garden photos yesterday and it got me desperately wanting to get some gardening done around my house. Since I bought this place in December, this is my first opportunity to have at the yard. When I came across the portfolio of Los Angeles-based Elysian Landscapes, the desire to get my hands dirty grew exponentially. With a modern edge, their landscaping includes some awesome furnishings and colourful plants. These should definitively inspire me to put gardening on the top of my list of things to do this weekend.

The San Francisco-based architecture firm of David Baker + Partners is quite the creative bunch. And caring. They have won a slew of awards for their work on affordable housing, they are urban activists and they are a certified green business. Their spaces are organic, modern and packed with character.

It’s been a busy weekend so far here at casa di Kim. I should be studying for a big test coming up at work, but who wants to study when it’s beautiful outside and there’s tons of thrifting and decorating to be done? I thought I’d share with you all what I managed to get done around here and some of the things I picked up yesterday.

I FINALLY got around to painting my rattan patio set. Luckily I bought 4 cans of spray paint (Key Lime), because that’s how much it took – and it really could use a final coat. But by the end of the fourth can, my fingers were killing me. And next is to stencil the mammoth fence behind it for some added oomph.

About a week ago I went to Zone, one of my favourite home decor shops, in search of some deer heads to put on the wall above my yellow chair in the living room. It was looking a little bare with only my cuckoo clock. I couldn’t find any that would work, so instead I bought a box of magnetic plastic flowers by Umbra. Not sure that I like them, but I stuck them up anyway and I hope they grow on me, because I’ll have 25 holes to fill otherwise.

A parcel arrived from Jo last week that I was SO EXCITED about. She sent me 4 Balinese flags for my backyard, a bunch of pillow covers made from some awesome fabric she found on eBay (I’ll use them in my bedroom if I ever get around to decorating it…the pillow in 2 photos above is one of them), a bust vase and a West German pot. The box showed up totally smashed in on one corner, so I’m amazed everything made it in one piece.

Yesterday I went to pick up a framed Tretchikoff print I won on eBay the other day. Now if I could just find more of these in thrift shops around here. I haven’t figured out where she’ll be hung yet.

I also went to a thrift shop near me and found a few goodies. (I almost ended up with 2 more peacock chairs but luckily they were too big to take home). The magazine rack is in the living room (see second photo above). The glasses are so pretty, with etchings in the glass you can’t really see.

On a walk downtown last night (the rain finally let up), I found a little Asian dress shop that was open and acquired a few more trinkets.

That’s it so far….it’s still early in the day….

Emily of New York City wrote us looking for chandelier inspiration:”I was wondering if you had a collection of chandelier photos, specifically funky, alternative or painted. I may be moving to an apartment with boring, gold chandeliers and fancied painting them, but need some inspiration!”. My first thought is if you don’t like the light fixtures, then replace them (either with cheap ones you don’t mind leaving there when you move out, or save the existing ones in the back of a closet to put back up). But if you’re serious about going the DIY route, then hopefully the following photos will get your creative juices flowing. It’s got me thinking of what to do with the 3 ceiling fans (gross!!) in my house (although 2 of them aren’t wired to a switch in the wall so I need fixtures that turn on and off from the light itself – UGH).

Living Etc.	Jay Jeffers
Gaelle Le Boulicaut	Tsao & McKown
Jeff Andrews	Michael Graydon
Selldorf Architects	Alex Papachristidis
Beau Monde Villas	Living Etc.
Light Locations	Frank Roop
House of Pictures	Rees Roberts
Ghislaine Viñas	Wallpaper
Shamir Shah	Shoot Factory

We received an email yesterday about interior designer John Barman and his home in the Hamptons that will be on the Kips Bay and Architectural Digest House Tour this weekend (the first half of the photos above and below are of his home). His designs are captivating, and he can knock out a contemporary, classic or eclectic space like no one’s business. Talk about versatile…”striking perfect balance between the sumptuous and the seriously hip. Barman is known for his clear-cut, sophisticated style, bold new ideas, and a strong point of view. He favors handsome, crisp lines; the unrestrained use of strong, resonant color; new uses for traditional materials; and the successful marriage of functionality and fine detailing.” Yeah baby!