Suzeday Tuesday: Book Hoarding is Good

"I don't want to buy this."

The Suze is whispering to herself as I turn down the aisle of Tuesday Morning.  She's flipping through a decor book, eyes glazed over, both clutching the book and slightly turning away from it.

"I don't need another book," she says to herself unconvincingly.  She doesn't see me coming.

"What are you looking at Mom?" I ask gently so she doesn't suspect another intervention.

"Oh, just another book I don't need ... but I might have to get it."

I knew when she didn't look up it was over.  She fell off the wagon.  I mean, let's be honest here, she was never really on the wagon.  Instead, she shuffled her feet behind the wagon eyeing it suspiciously while flipping through pages of the very decorating books that are threatening to close in on her personal space.  Literally, she'll set her handbag down and big, hardback decor books spill out as she quickly tries to push them back in so no one will see.

If The Suze is the Lindsay Lohan of decor book addictions, then I am Dina.  I'm an enabler.  I get the leftovers and the duplicates.  The duplicates are usually the ones she loves the most. She often can't remember if she bought them already, so she just buys it again to be safe.

So here's today's book in question:  Victoria Romantic Window Style (Victoria Magazine)

And here's my advice: Go get it.  You can afford it.  It's like $10.  It's nothing fancy on the outside.  I probably would have walked right by it because I judge books by their cover.

But then I would have missed out on that gorgeous, delicate, crisp, scalloped, pleated toile window action.  I might have gone through life never knowing that was even an option.  Never able to share it with y'all.  

Book hoarding is good.  

{images from Victoria Romantic Window Style (Victoria Magazine)}

The Suze Reviews (with booze) ~ Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors

Morning Y'all! Today, I have a book review for you.  Well, actually, I asked The Suze to do a little review after I poured her a couple glasses of wine.*   She happened to be in town when the book Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors arrived on my doorstep and the style of decor I found within the pages was very suited to The Suze's style - elegant interiors with luxurious decor.  That's not to say it's not my style, because it definitely will be when I am of a certain tax bracket, but I just knew she would love it so I had her take a look first.

* Just kidding it was one glass (two glasses) of wine, but it makes it funnier to pretend she was buzzed (to use her lingo)

Let me preface this by saying The Suze is not so much the "talker" that I can be, especially when she is deeply engrossed in the magical world of interior design books.  She's in the zone, muttering observations under her breath and occasionally gasping.  She sits taller when she looks at these books and raises her eyebrows and nods as if she's agreeing with everything on the page.  It's a sight we are accustomed to in our household.

So here we are in my kitchen, The Suze has opened the book even though I've told her to wait until after dinner (she never listens to me).  Her words are in italics. Go.

I really like it (quietly to herself)

I really like this.  Sometimes less is best, but not less quality.  It's the yin and the yang.  They (no one in particular) usually don't get it right like this.  


(The Suze flips through the pages slowly, ignoring her wine - good sign)

I actually like it a lot.  This is getting it.  I really like it.  

I really like this Dick Van Dyke chaise.  It's a nice addition to seating.  But my family would Dick Van Dyke it.  (Then she laughs because she realizes she has no idea what that means)

(upon seeing an adult beverage somewhere on a page) Oh good! She likes to drink! 

Pretty, pretty! This is well-balanced.  I wish I could find another word.  

Love it! I could live there.  I really love that! 

I LOVE this! It makes me feel weak.  It's very, very sophisticated and very, just good. 

I need a thesaurus (pronounced tesaurus)

She's going to give what's her name a run for her money. Who? Oh you know, what is her name?  You know her.  

Then she got distracted trying to remember the name of the person whose work is apparently inferior to that of author Leslie Sinclair and her team at Segreto Finishes.  And thus ends The Suze Reviews (with booze).  Hope you enjoyed it!

But really y'all,  Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors is a beautiful book.  I never thought I was one for decorative painting, but this book changed my mind.  It's a great compilation of the different ways one can use decorative finishes in the home. I found so much inspiration for my own new home in the images selected for the book as well as on the Segreto Finishes web site.  Plus there's an extensive list of resources at the end of the book.  That in itself is worth it's weight in gold.  So, yes, The Suze and I totes approve and recommend Segreto: Secrets to Finishing Beautiful Interiors. 

You can purchase the Segreto book directly from the web site here or on Amazon here.

Also, check out Leslie Sinclair's blog Segreto: The Secret to Beautiful Living

If you want moi and The Suze to review your book (with booze), call me, maybe. 

Speaking of Color ... A Book You Need Now

Do any of y'all have this book?

Big, Easy Style: Creating Rooms You Love to Live In

The Suze gave it to me for my birthday in October and it's so fun! It's a collection of fun, gorgeous New Orleans interiors put together by actor/author/interior designer Bryan Batt (replace actor with pop star and you have my dream occupation).

Yes, that's Sal from Mad Men and my new future BFF

Edward keeps calling him "Dad," perhaps due to his great hair? Anyway, the book features tons of fun and elegant interiors and touches on the color vs. neutral conundrum that I was discussing in yesterday's post.  This book is definitely inspiring me to go for more color! 

The book has so many great tips, from his favorite paint colors to how to create a subtle mix of styles in your home. 

While most of the rooms are done by other interior designers, he does a fantastic job of describing why it works and what elements make it so fabulous. 

I love the fabric on those chairs and the pagoda tipped cornices on the windows. 

He shares his favorite haunts in New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans.  I bookmarked that page, duh.  He and his partner own a store in New Orleans called Hazlenut that I will definitely have to visit next time I'm there. 

In the book he talks about his first big, boy purchase - a gorgeous armoire and there's a picture of him hugging it.  I totally get hugging a piece of furniture, especially a beautiful armoire. 

As I read Big, Easy Style, the Bachelor Ben Flajnik's voice invaded my inner monologue as I said to myself, "I like where this is going.  I like the vibe here. I like it. I like it. I like it."

Not only are there so many gorgeous and fun interiors, but I'm actually inspired to read the words.  I never usually read design books, but the images in this one have me wanting to learn more, especially with sections titled, Absinthe Makes My Bar Grow Fonder.

Basically, I'm inspired by this book to have more fun.  I mean, I'm fun.  I want my house to reflect that.  This book is a great guide for how to do that.  Now I'm off to find some hot pink velvet, clearly something I need.

* All images from Big, Easy Style: Creating Rooms You Love to Live In

The French Blue Bedroom found its way back to me

Remember this gorgeous french blue bedroom I posted last week?

As fate would have it, I stumbled upon this room the very next day in a beautiful book given to me by The Suze for Christmas called Stealing Magnolias: Tales from a New Orleans Courtyard.

I will get to the room in a moment, but I must talk about this book first.  It is beautiful. As author Debra Shriver explains, it is a collection of "musings on the spell that New Orleans has cast upon me." It is as she says,"part-love letter and part-scrapbook."  She captures the magic and intrigue of New Orleans through pictures, quotes, history, traditions, recipes as well as her own impressions.  It is really an all-encompassing guide to the The Crescent City through the eyes of someone who not only loves her city but is in awe of its magic.

In Chapter 3 of Stealing Magnolias, titled The House Finds Us, the bedroom that I left to fate in a previous post found me. I should have known my dream bedroom would be in New Orleans. If you hadn't gathered by the monogrammed valances, the bedroom belongs to the book's author.  I will go ahead and commit to this being my dream bedroom. The blue, the silk, the fact that the windows look out to the streets of New Orleans, yes, I could wake up here every day.

From House Beautiful

A close-up of the beautiful silk embroidered silk fabric that inspired much of  interior's color palette

the author's parlor

custom toile dining chairs illustrating scenes from New Orlean's history 

I can't wait until I can actually sit by the fire in a cozy chair with a cafe au lait and read it from cover to cover.  If you don't have any plans this weekend, I suggest you do the same.