Name: Nando, Linn, little Elsa and Walter the dog
Location: SW Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,300 square feet
Years lived in: 1½

Usually when heading up to Portland's Southwest hills, one might imagine grandiose homes furnished by a decorator and lacking personal style (I admit, driving up to this house without ever seeing what it looked like made me a bit nervous) but once I had a glimpse of the exterior, I knew the inside was going to be special. From the minute I walked through the door, it was easy to see that this couple had impeccable style. Everything displayed in the living and dining area seemed to fit perfectly together. All the colors worked so wonderfully together with splashes of red leading me from one room to the next.

During a recent move, I noticed my ceramic collection to be quite large. I am not sure how or where I've acquired so many bowls and vases but it seems that I am now somewhat of a collector. Here are some all-time favorites and a few I'd like to add to the collection...

We love simple, inexpensive DIY projects that can be completed in one day and look fabulous. This chandelier is a stunning addition to any outdoor dining space but would also work nicely inside. The best part is that you may already have the main structure of this project set up in your kitchen.

We love simple, inexpensive DIY projects that can be completed in one day and look fabulous. This chandelier is a stunning addition to any outdoor dining space but would also work nicely inside. The best part is that you may already have the main structure of this project set up in your kitchen.

We have been noticing a lot of rustic, wooden elements added to bedrooms lately. Some look like they have been dragged in straight from the forest and others are finely constructed to become a unique piece of furniture.

I recently stopped by a friend's new apartment and was delighted to see how she decorated her bedroom. For a small room she knew exactly what to do with color and furnishings to make it work. The playful red duvet paired with the blue walls and mirrored bedside table made me rethink my overly white bedroom. I would never dream of replicating her room as my own but that doesn't mean you and I can't use it as inspiration...

Now that spring is finally making an appearance in the Pacific Northwest, it is time to start dining outside. Last year, we started to build a little nook in the yard where we could entertain but this year it's all about the furnishings and accessories. Here is a collection of items that might inspire you to revamp your al fresco dining space.

Painting a room is something we've all done at some point in our life. Some of us enjoy the constant trips to the paint store where we can compare color swatches until we are sure we've made the right choice. On the other hand, some people want to paint a room but don't know where to start or how to choose.

We recently came across these colorful skins while looking for new fabrics to recover seat cushions. Although we loved how they looked, we were a little skeptical about how these skins were produced and if any smells were attached to the leather. What we found out was pleasantly surprising.

We are always looking for easy, inexpensive ways to revamp an old piece of furniture. Rather than looking for new throw pillows, maybe it's time to try a throw rug? A friend recently brought this simple idea to our attention and we absolutely love it. True, it doesn't take a lot of thought or skill to make it happen but it is fabulous nonetheless. We think these two sheepskin rugs would work perfectly.