"Life As We Know It" Interiors

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was good, but over way too fast. I did manage to start my Christmas shopping, which is at once depressing (how is it that time of year already?!) and kind of triumphant (I'm Queen of the Procrastinators, I never start this early!) Yesterday I also watched Life As We Know It with Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl. I'll admit that I've had a crush on Josh Duhamel for ages and would watch pretty much anything he's in. This movie was predictable, but I think the charm and chemistry of the stars elevated it to entertaining--for me at least. What's telling about where I am in my life right now is that I spent almost as much time inspecting the movie's decor and interiors as I did gazing at Josh Duhamel.

The home in the movie was a charming Colonial-style in Georgia, although the interiors seem to be sets built with inspiration from the original. While searching for screencaps of the decor I came across Hooked on House's post about the real house (above) going on sale and you can see pictures of the real interior there. The movie's interiors are clearly meant to convey the stereotypical affluent suburban home, and incorporate a lot of trends seen everywhere these days, but I thought the overall look was warm and chic, classic and inviting.

I loved the wood floors. You can't see it here but they were also laid at interesting angles in some parts. For our new house we chose a darker greyish stain, which I was initially hesitant about, but M loved so we went with it. This movie had me seriously rethinking the choice in favour of a more classic chocolate brown.

Loved the red front door.

I wouldn't have gone with the taupe-beige

paint, but the mouldings are lovely.

Some of the accessories seem right out of

a catalogue, maybe not in a good way.

Kind of hard to see here, but that's a quatrefoil

lamp behind Josh. Loved the built-ins, too.

Suzanne Kasler Quatrefoil Floor Lamp

I liked the dining room set--dark wood table,

neutral nailhead chairs and a pretty chandelier.

There are tons of these dining chairs around, too,

that can be found at places like Restoration Hardware.

A similar light fixture to the one in the movie. This one
by Thomas O'Brien and available at Circa Lighting.

The very on-trend white kitchen complete with black

countertops and the requisite Wolf range. If you'd like to

replicate the look of the rattan stools (I have no idea

how comfortable those would really be),

you can try something like this:

Padma's Plantation Monte Cristo Rattan Stool

There are also a ton of industrial pendant lights to be
 found these days. The Edwardian style above from
Circa Lighting is only one example (another). 

The back of the real house. A great place to kick back with a bottle of red.

What do you think?

Liking this style? Have you seen the movie?

Photos via The Movie Insider and Hooked on Houses

Book of the Week: This Charming Man

So, Monday morning again.  A good day if you're from New Orleans.  This week I read This Charming Man by Marian Keyes, the first time I've read anything by this author.  I have no idea how I've gone this long without discovering Keyes considering she's sold about a kajillion books and has apparently been translated in over 20 languages.

The charming man of the title is rougish and handsome politician Paddy de Courcy and the book explores the impact of one event (bachelor Paddy suddenly getting engaged) on four very different women.  There is stylist Lola who goes into a tailspin, retreating to the requisite quirky small town to lick her wounds and recover her sanity, understandable as she is Paddy's girlfriend but not his fiance.  Then there is Marnie, a troubled wife and mother, who has never really recovered from her first love (Paddy) and her twin sister, Grace, a journalist who wants the inside story on the engagement.  And finally, Alicia, the actual fiance who happens to be a blast from the sisters' past and just may be getting in over her head. 

I liked this book a lot, but it wasn't at all what I expected.  Keyes' crafts a story that is both poignant and literally laugh-out-loud funny, with the right mix of mystery, suspense and romance.  Keyes deals with issues that range from alcholism to abuse to adultery and manages to produce female characters that are more than just stereotypes.

The book begins with the following...

What!  You too?  I thought I was the only one. - C.S. Lewis

Everyone remembers where they were the day they head that Paddy de Courcy was getting married...I was extra surprised and that was even before I knew who the lucky woman was...Anyway, Jacinta Kinsella (boss) needed a quick piece on the engagement so I had to put my personal feelings to one side and be a professional. -Grace Gildee

It would have been nice if you asked me first. - Alicia Thornton

I was on the net, checking e-bid for owl handbag (by Stella McCartney, not just any 'oul' handbag) for a client to wear to a wildlife charity thing when I saw the headline...I went into shock.  Actually thought I was having heart attack.  Would have called an ambulance but couldn't remember 999.  Kept thinking 666.  Number of the beast. - Finnola "Lola" Day

Don't you dare be happy, you bastard.  That's what I thought when I heard.  Don't you dare be happy.  - Marnie Hunter

The structure of the book, with past and present events rolled out from the point of views of all four of the women, is interesting and its a testament to Keyes that all four voices are unique and even the side stories are engrossing. Personally, I enjoyed Lola the most.  Even unbalanced and sadly stuck on a man who never deserved her in the first place I found her sweet, funny and relatable.

4/5

I saw When In Rome this weekend (worth it just for Josh Duhamel who I have crushed on since he was Leo on All My Children) and I couldn't get over how cute Kristen Bell looked.  I also loved the Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery she wore, like the Alhambra sautoir necklace below.

Alla Prossima