Affordable Alternative: Yoke Pendants

Did y’all have a great Halloween weekend??  Mine was lots of fun, and filled with bratwurst, beer and polka music because we went to Wurstfest in New Braunfels with some friends – we loved it!  We also had some traditional Halloween fun last night, and watched the Rangers lose Game 4 of the World Series.  Hmm, wonder if they can get it together?

Anyhoo, back to the topic at hand – I seem to have a wee obsession with yoke pendants.  To me, two or three of these statement pieces instantly transform a ho-hum kitchen into a chic yet timeless space.

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And apparently I’m not the only one – if you search for kitchens, yoke pendants” on DecorPad, you can immediately see that these gorgeous pendants are pretty darn hot in design right now.  Here are just a few of my faves:

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Gorgeous, right?  And the beefier the better in my book.  They’ve been called “yoke pendants” because of the hardware that connects the ceiling rod to the pendant shade.

The only problem is that these beauties can be serious budget busters.  Like almost a grand for this pendant from Circa Lighting, and even the more budget-friendly version from Restoration Hardware would probably make me cry a little as I pulled out my credit card.  Not that I would be pulling out my credit card – I knew there had to be cheaper versions out there!

And luckily I found some.  Here they are:

Quoizel’s Large Emery Pendant – 13.5″ diameter – $198

Quorum’s Chrome Pendant – 16.5″ diameter – special order from Lights Fantastic in Dallas for about $160

Home Depot’s World Imports Pendant – 20″ diameter – $76.96

Have you fallen in love with yoke pendants, too?  Or maybe there’s some other design trend that’s buttering your bread these days?  Do tell!!

P.S. The giveaway is ending tomorrow night, so be sure to enter for a chance to win a great prize!  Just click here to enter.

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Decorating For Normal People

While there’s no shortage of inspired design out there in the blogosphere, I’m always thrilled when I run across a designer who creates interiors that look like they could belong in a friend’s home (albeit a very design-savvy friend).  That’s why my latest design crush is on yet another Canadian designer, Michael Penney of Canadian House & Home.

He first caught my attention a few weeks ago when I ran across an online tour of his kitchen, but once I dug a little deeper I realized that I’ve seen his work all over the place!  Seriously, you’ve probably seen and loved at least 10 of his interiors without even knowing it. Do these bedrooms look familiar?

{ The bottom two images are from Penney’s own home.  You can tour his entire apartment here. }

I think my very favorite space of Penney’s is this fun and fresh apartment that he created on a serious budget:

Couldn’t you just move right in?

Armed with a little paint, wallpaper and ingenuity, Penney transformed a blank apartment into a swanky space with serious personality.  He included great finds from thrift stores, Craigslist, Ikea and even H&M and the result is so unique – quirky, colorful and full of fun.  I think my favorite feature of his design is the wallpapered plywood that makes a bold impact in both the living room and dining room.

Here are just a few tips to achieve Penney’s cheap but chic style:

Are you feeling as inspired as I am?  Am I the last person on the planet to discover Michael Penney?  Got any budget-friendly design tips that you’re dying to share with us?  Go ahead and spill the design beans in the Comments!

Image courtesy of Canadian House and Home.

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Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

Today I wanted to give you guys a glimpse inside a house that I toured and fell in love with over the weekend.  Take a gander at this charming little house dubbed the “Smurf House” (I’m sure you can guess where it got its name).

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

In addition to being cute, this house is also famous – it won the 2007 Renovation of the Year Award for its conservation district.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

I love this porch directly off the master bedroom – it feels so Southern, don’t you think?  And the pale blue siding accented with periwinkle is just awesome – I wish fun colors like that would look as perfect on every house!  Although the exterior is picture-perfect, to be honest I wasn’t really expecting to be wowed by the inside of the home.

But I was wrong!

Just inside the front door you are greeted with this unexpected open floorplan – as well as some decor that had me totally swooning.

Glam Dining Room

What I love most about this open living space are the bold choices and unexpected combinations made by the homeowner – the pops of orange in an otherwise muted color palette, a mirrored side table, luxurious silk curtains and statement lighting all work together flawlessly.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

I like that the homeowner chose to add modern chandeliers to both the living room and breakfast area – they are in a straight line across the ceiling so instead of competing with one another they simply serve to define the two spaces in an otherwise open floorplan.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

I like the kitchen a great deal, but I’m not bowled over in comparison to the rest of the home.  I think it’s the cabinetry that isn’t doing it for me – maybe something in a richer wood tone would have felt a bit more historic and flowed a little better with the furnishings throughout the home.  Or maybe it’s just me!

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

This little dining room is just past the kitchen, and is in its own little world.  I actually really like that – I feel as though the focus would be solely on you and your guests, without the distractions of television or anything going on in the rest of the house.  And it overlooks a great backyard, as an added bonus.  I love the combination of the sleek West Elm circle chairs with the more luxurious upholstered chairs – and they all work well together with their lovely curves.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

Just off the main living space is a small half bath (under the stairs), and then the master suite.  And not to hype it up too much, but this is probably the best master suite I’ve ever seen in person – it’s awesome!

You walk directly into the master bedroom, which is serene yet bold at the same time with deep chocolate browns and pale blue paired with faux fur and two statement lamps.  The rich curtains act as a focal point behind the bed in place of a headboard, and the door to the right of the bed leads out onto that gorgeous patio you saw above.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

On the left-hand side of the master suite is this spa-like bath.  The luxurious and spacious feeling is enhanced by the sliding panels (from Ikea!) which allows the two spaces to either become one or remain totally separate.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

This bathroom has all the basics you would hope for in a master bath – double sinks, soaker tub, walk-in shower, and storage.  But beyond that, it has all the little details that you can only dream of – a crystal chandelier, floating vanity, the shower has frameless glass panels, and the soaker tub overlooks a beautiful side yard.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

My only complaint has to do with the vanity – have you noticed it yet?  The mirror is about 10 feet away on the opposite side of the soaker tub!  I’m guessing that the homeowner typically uses a small mirror on a stand that remains on the ledge behind the vanity.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House Sneak Peek: The Smurf House Sneak Peek: The Smurf House Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

On the opposite side of the master bedroom is this totally drool-worthy closet.  I don’t know any woman (or man, for that matter) that wouldn’t give her right arm for a closet like this.  Tons of built-in storage, windows, a chandelier, and an island?  I’m sold!

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

If you head back to the front door and head upstairs, you are greeted by this lovely capiz chandelier:

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

At the top of the stairs and on the left is this sunny and funky guest room – I would never have been so bold as to paint the walls orange, but now I’m feeling completely inspired.

Smurf House

I love the combination of orange, white and chocolate – the shock value of the orange is tempered beautifully by the chocolate and white, and keeps what could be a very loud color from screaming at you.  Instead, it just feels rich and eclectic.

Funky Bedroom

This bedroom adjoins a hidden study through the sogi screen:

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

My favorite part about this study is the antique desk that has been painted a stark white – while some would shudder at painting such a piece (sometimes I feel that way, too), you can’t deny that it both looks fabulous and acts as a neutral yet interesting piece in this space.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

The homeowner has clearly learned the lesson of pairing bold colors with only one or two other shades – in this case, the mustard yellow is calmed by white and black for a totally chic look.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

At the top of the stairs, between the two bedrooms, is this bath remodeled with a walk-in shower and oodles of glass tile – we all know I’m a sucker for glass tile!!

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

The last room in this surprising home is the third bedroom, which is glamorous and refined with a bit of an edge.  The element of painted woodwork is repeated with the antique bed, and the mirrored side table and chandelier add a touch of sparkle to the space.  As the homeowner demonstrated in the master bedroom, the combination of chocolate brown and blue (in this case a steel blue) is instantly luxurious.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

The sophisticated flair of this room is accentuated with a pair of vintage Barbie illustrations.

Sneak Peek: The Smurf House

And although I didn’t get any pictures of it, this property also had a full guest quarters in the backyard – how cool is that?  Curious about the stats of this house?  Check out the detail sheet below:

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So what do you guys think of this house?  Are you as bowled over as I am, or do you think it’s a little over the top?  While I love it, I’m wondering how I would feel living in a home like this 24/7 – I mean, how would it go with my sweatpants and tank top?

Some images courtesy of GoliadAve.

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