We spent a lovely day in Charleston, SC last week, admiring its historic churchyards, cobble stoned streets and shuttered row houses. Little did we expect to find such a mod decor idea there. At Kaminsky‘s downtown, the smell of wafting french roast mixed with baking cupcakes, while our eyes soaked in the these clever wall coverings. From across the dining room, they had a undulating texture that cast soft shadows in the morning sun glow. On closer inspection, we realized that this expensive looking treatment was really just rows of wall trim. The moulding that most homes use around the base or in decorative accents was glued onto the walls row after row, in creating a texture that was both organic and organized. Replicating the same effect in your home would not be too difficult; the hard part might be deciding your level of commitment. If you glued them on, it would be impossible to remove without destroying the wall. Another option would be to drill them on, and then spackle over the holes before painting. We’re thinking it’d be fun in a small room (like a half bath) or perhaps on just an accent wall. The white color used in Kaminsky’s allowed the shadows to take center stage, but it also might be interesting in a pale clay or grey. If you’re ever in Charleston, but sure to stop by 78 N. Market Street for a piece of red velvet cake and a look around. – Angela M.

What do you think? If money was no object, you want an “intelligent” toilet in your bathroom?

I was lucky enough to spend a few days at the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco last month, and it was an amazing experience. The property is still family-owned (it belongs to the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group) so it has that boutique hotel feel, but with all of the luxury amenities you’d expect from a large property (and then some!).

One of the things I was particularly struck by was the decor in the rooms. I’m so used to hotel rooms all looking exactly the same: white bed linens, white or cream walls, generic Impressionist art prints on the walls, and wood furniture in a dark cherry finish. But when I stepped into my room at the Huntington, I was shocked – the room was actually decorated. With thought, and attention, and individuality. So impressive!

The centerpiece of the room (aside from the amazing view) was a huge canvas photography print by Thomas Seawell. I was in love with it…and even more so when I realized it had been the color inspiration for the entire room.Using one multicolored piece to pull the color scheme of a room is a classic decorator’s trick, and it worked perfectly in this case. By using the palette in the photo, the designer was able to pull together a group of colors that wouldn’t have worked without the art to anchor the room, and the final result was flawless. The walls were painted a pale chartreuse, the armchairs and lamps were a warm, bright orange, and there were hints of creamy linen, black and gold throughout the room to add a luxe, cohesive touch.

Have you tried using a single piece of art, upholstery fabric, a rug or some other statement piece to define the color scheme of a room? –Becki S.

Among the pile of September catalogs ready to launch us into the fall is Anthropologie’s stunning Issue 9. We’re not entirely sure where it was shot, but a story from Stylist last year hints that creative director Trevor Lunn and his crew were heading towards Mongolia. Judging from the vibrant textiles and textures sprinkled throughout, we’re guessing that’s right. If you’ve ever seen a story about a Mongolian Yurt (like this one on Flickr) or the movie Babies you will recognize the gorgeous patterns and embroidery. We’re keeping our eyes open for more behind-the-scenes info on this catalog (let us know if you find any), but in the meantime, we’re gonna drool over this one till it gets sloppy.

This summer, I am hitting the beach whenever possible — book in hand, husband and sunscreen in tow. How nice would it be, though, to bring along some tunes for us to enjoy while basking on our favorite near-secluded beach? When I spotted the uber-tiny, USB powered I.dear speaker by MOMA at Velocity Art and Design, I knew I had to have it. Standing at less than 2 inches tall, the I.dear can pump out some seriously warm sounds, thanks to its wood construction. And at $36, I can still afford the gas to get to the sandy shore! — Megan B.

I bought my first aluminum soap case on a whim, not knowing what to do with it but liking it all the same. It sat on my desk for a month, maybe more, until I figured out it was the perfect size for my phone earbuds and a flash drive. (Since I take both with me for work, they always ended up floating around in the depths of my purse. Not anymore.) Soap cases are also the perfect size for stashing business cards, corralling coins or any number of small oddities. My latest find? A vintage Girl Scouts soap case. You can find the aluminum dishes for under $10 on Etsy or eBay. Other pressed metal cases start in the $30s, like this one on Ruby Lane. Lastly, there’s silver soap cases. I’ve seen examples starting at $100, but this $500 Gorham case takes the cake. — Sarah L.

I grew up going to the National Lakeshore along Lake Michigan, both on the Indiana side and the Michigan side. If you’ve never been, go. It can get crowded, especially during summer, but the sight of a sand dune as tall as a 20-story building? Unforgettable, especially in the flat Midwest. While the blue water and the powdery sand still hold my interest, it was the architecture that caught my attention the last two trips.

I think both the main gatehouses and the pavilion are WPA projects. (Sadly, I can’t find a list of WPA buildings by state online and did not walk around the buildings to find a telltale plaque, thinking it would be easy to confirm once home. Wrong.) If not WPA, they certainly date to the 30s and are in keeping with other WPA projects in the state. All totaled, more than 120,000 WPA buildings were constructed nationwide. Many are at National and State Parks, on college campuses or at other public places like zoos. Firehouses, courthouses, schools and post offices built under the WPA are also plentiful. While they’re not the riskiest of designs, they have a solidity combined with little design details that I find endlessly appealing. What’s your favorite WPA building? — Sarah L.

Photo of sand dunes from Yelp.com

Seattle is known for quite a few things: rain (of course), salmon, and the Space Needle to name a few — but my favorite trait of the city I call home? Its magnificent summers. For reals. I’m talking long days, perfect warm temps, and plenty of gorgeous outdoor spaces in-city to soak it all in. That’s why this summer, we’re not going anywhere we can’t drive to in a few hours. It’s too good to miss. But not everyone lives in such a moderate climate — some folks may have to skip town to beat the sweltering heat of July and August. What’s your plan? Whirlwind European tour? R.V. adventure in a National park? Or, like us, will you be enjoying the scenery in your own backyard? — Megan B.

photo: from one of last summer’s “staycations”, Point Robinson lighthouse on Vashon Island.

It’s not often that I want a recipe for salad dressing after eating out at a restaurant, but after my last trip home to the central coast of California, it happened. I was having lunch at the iconic Big Sur landmark Nepenthe with two of my oldest and dearest friends, enjoying the amazing view and basking in the warm sun (which is reason enough to pay a visit, honestly), and ordered one of their famous Ambrosia burgers with a salad. And for the dressing? Jaime, a seasoned Nepenthe pro, leaned over, and insistently whispered “Get the blue cheese”. This was no normal side salad with bottled fake dressing, no — what I got was the best blue cheese dressing I have ever tasted. The vinaigrette was balanced between tangy and sweet, and FILLED with chunks of greenish-blue veined, sheepy roquefort cheese. Even better, was after seeing the delight I took in said dressing, Jaime leaned over and whispered five of my favorite words: “I’ll send you the recipe”. And she did. And I made it — only thing missing was the view. So, from the pages of the beautiful My Nepenthe cookbook by Chef Romney Steele, I bring you a taste of manna, in salad form! — Megan B.

above: (top) my version of Nepenthe’s Salad, (below) the restaurant version, with burger, beer, and peek-a-boo of the view.
click for the recipe and the rest of the amazing view, after the jump!

Roquefort vinaigrette
serves 6-8 people
2 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried mustard
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
5 to 6 ounces Roquefort cheese (Gorgonzola would be great, too)
2/3 C red wine vinegar (I used 1/3 C red wine, 1/3 C white balsamic)
1/2 C olive oil
1 C canola or safflower oil (I used grapeseed oil)
put all ingredients in jar with tight fitting lid and shake vigorously.

Chopped Salad
2 heads romaine lettuce
1 head green leaf lettuce
4 to 6 cherry tomatoes (per plate)
Freshly ground black pepper
TEAR rather than chop the lettuce, and half the cherry tomatoes. Toss the lettuce with the dressing in a large bowl. Mound onto plates and top with cherry tomatoes and freshly ground pepper. I also added some cooked bacon, chicken breast and red onion to this salad and it was a meal in itself!

Before we made our first family trip (and my first trip) to Disney World, we got a lot of great advice from friends on what to do (Chef Mickey’s), what to take (strollers!) and what to buy when we got there (autograph books). The one thing no one mentioned, however? The gardens. Maybe it was because we left the brown Midwest to a Disney World in full bloom that the gardens seemed as magical as the rest of the place. Maybe it was just the overall vibe and the welcome warmth. Maybe I’m just a flower freak. But I’m guessing it was mostly because no detail in the Magic Kingdom seems to be overlooked, right down to every last green space.

While there were topiaries everywhere, my favorite was in Fantasyland. On the Alice in Wonderland topiary, variegated ivy formed her pinafore, giving a pop of contrast against the rest of greenery.

Even landscape left to it’s own devices, like Spanish moss-covered trees, was transformed at night by lighting.

While I’m not going to go topiary crazy or create a giant Mickey head in the backyard, our trip has definitely inspired me to think on a different scale.

In my shade gardens, I tend to go for height and layers, building up around trees. Yet one of the features of the beds at Disney that struck me the most was the bare tree bases. Whether it was repeating rows of cyclamens, a mass of violas or groupings of tickseed, the trees became sculptural. Of course it helps that there were thousands of dollars worth of plants and a team of horticulturists to keep them perfect, but the idea is definitely something I can try on a smaller scale. What’s your garden inspiration for the spring? — Sarah L.