The election is only days away!  Americana comes to mind.  Red, white, and blue is a classic color combo that can feel warm and inviting to any room.  Designers Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren grabbed ahold of this idea from the start.  Not only do they make American inspired clothing, but they took it a step further into the home.

Pictured below is a beach house of Anna Spiro from Absolutely Beautiful Things shown on katiedid.  The clean white walls pop the red, white, and blue making for a fresh, cottage feel.

Coastal Living offers decorating tips on red, white, and blue.  Below shows a hanging flag which happens to be a hooked rug.  Thinking outside the box…I like that.

Go Vote!

Fun and festive area rugs that add to the season…..very ghoulish from Flor.  Modular flooring that lets you create a style all of your own.

Martha Stewart has put her stamp on a Flor Collection.  See her basic and classic spin on carpet tiles.  Martha thinks that decorating your floor is a very important part of decorating your home.  I could not agree more.

Above are a few of my favorites.  As an interior designer, mother of two messy boys, and owner of Abby, the family dog…… I love the practicality of floor tiles.  Spills and daily grime can easily be fixed by replacing only the soiled tiles, instead of the whole rug.

Read about Flor’s environmental efforts in keeping our planet clean.  Job well done Flor!

I am dedicating this post to my older sis, Laura Kroth, that just completed the Nike Marathon in San Francisco.  We are so proud of you.  An older sister that serves as my inspiration and no doubt someone to look up to.

I know this has nothing to do with interior design, but the message is worth the time.  The day started with a cool San Francisco morning and 20,000 runners all raising money for  Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ($18M+).  I love the t-shirt that said “I might be slow, but I beat cancer”.  Can you believe they ran 26.2 miles?  Pictures of loved ones that passed away lined either side of the finish line as the runners hobbled their way in.  It was an experience that words can not express…you just had to be there.

I special thank you to Team In Training for their wonderful efforts for families facing cancer. 

Twenty Years of Saving Lives!

I will in San Francisco until the 23rd.  This will be my first visit, so if anyone has any great stops…..please email.  Thank you, Lesley Smith

Need affordable original artwork!  Ugallery.com provides art enthusiasts access to affordable original artwork while offering young trained artists a platform to launch their new careers.  The piece found above was painted by Ashley Barranger from Roane State Community College.  Rose Red is priced at an affordable $200.00.

This oil painting was done by Makana Hansen from Las Lomas High School. Can you believe high school?  Makana has taken seven pre-college classes at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and received numerous awards from his high school and the Academy of Art.  What a talent and his hard work shows!  Priced at $350.00.

Photography is another forum that Ugallery features.  Sarah Gross the photographer above explains,

She is well on her way to also becoming a professional photographer.  Beautiful photo!

Ugallery lets you use a virtual wall to place your artwork of choice into a perfectly simple virtual environment.  Select room size, wall color, and floor color and see the size of artwork in room before a purchase.  Helpful feature!

I am so amazed by the talent of a muralist.  Art on walls!  There’s an array of ideas and subjects that could be painted to add drama and whimsy on your walls.  What is intriguing about this service is, it makes your home unique and reflects the style that no one else has.  Surfaceswithpaint.com shows a variety of Dawn Papandrea-Khan’s talents and murals.  I want to share a few of my favorites!

Nemo is every 2 year old’s dream.  My son would just go crazy.

I love the whimsy feeling of the flowers and tree for a nursery.  Nursery Mural and More gives inspirational ideas and advice for the nursery….very informative.  You can visit and see more murals, resources, and fine talent.

Your imagination brought to life!