Bittersweet

I have a personal post for you all today. It is mostly all good news, but there is a little bit of sad too.  After talking about moving up to New England for years now, my parents have finally listed their house for sale in New York.  

Very exciting, but at the same time there is something sad about the house you grew up in selling and not ever being able to go back.  I should be fully over this with how many moves I have made personally, but this house has always been there for me to return to throughout them all. Its literally been a home base. 

So in an effort to help them get it sold I am posting it here.

Located in the Hudson Valley, about 50 minutes north of the city in Highland Mills, NY.

(If you have ever shopped the Woodbury Commons Outlet Mall, it is minutes away from that.)

 They have been here since they got married in 1972, raised three kids, put on numerous additions and landscaped the heck out of the place...

 Open floor plan, pumpkin pine floors, and built-ins/ storage galore via my Dad's amazing skills...

 There are tons of patios, gazebos, even a pool to lounge by...

$319,900

See the complete listing if you are interested or know someone that might be here.

Buy it so I can get their butts up this way faster!

xo

Danika

When I say "a" you say "ha"...

The "Aha!" Moment.  We all have them.  It could be a flash of inspiration, a coincidence or a simple connecting of the dots.  Its a defining moment where the light bulb goes off and you gain clarity, and maybe even a bit of knowledge that changes or strengthens the path you are on. 

While attending Blogfest, House Beautiful did a presentation pertaining to this, and they asked us bloggers to give them our own personal "Aha Moment".  

 I only had to think for a second of the image that has changed the direction of my path in design, and my career for the most part.  These wardrobes:

I know you have all seen them about 100 times on the blog here, but let me tell you the rest of the story. 

 It was Summer 2010 and I was working the above guest room for a client.  My good friend Cheryle Rhuda had a workroom and was helping me with all the soft treatments.  We got along great and often toyed with the idea of starting a joint business together.  We would frequently sit on a rock in my yard after a tough install and toss around ideas, but nothing ever took root.   Every idea seemed to have been done already or felt too forced.

 Back to the picture.  I had just painted and dressed up a pair of old IKEA Pax wardrobes with a piece of mirror, some crown molding and some vintage fretwork panels found at a flea market for a client's guest room.  When Cheryle came over to deliver the pillows and draperies and I showed them to her.  Neither one of us couldn't get over how these fretwork panels transformed the once drab inexpensive cabinets into something so high end and custom looking.  We had other clients that we wanted to do this for too, but we couldn't find anymore panels.

And just like that the lightbulb went off, our unexpected "Aha" moment.  We had found our niche. We would make fretwork panels that would fit standard flat furniture.

It took about a year of designing and scouring for resources, endless road trips to IKEA measuring drawers and doors and a whole lot of wine until O'verlays were born.  We realized that we could still be sitting on that rock searching for inspiration, but it was those two cabinets and some flea market panels that accidentally led to our big "aha!" moment and forever changed our paths.  

So, what is your moment? I want to know.

Blogfest- In small doses

Its been a crazy fast exhausting week folks. I have lots to share with you, and I am still in processing mode for the most part.  

SO... Monday, I landed in NYC with my partner in crime Cheryle for Blogfest 2012.  It kicked off at Kips Bay Show House where the bird in me was immediately drawn to the shiny stuff.  The Lumiblade in Charles Pavarini's room was by far probably my favorite thing.  

Sorry folks, my brain is a disco tech and this made me very happy.  This massive wall of little mirror like lights equipped with cameras that reflected the color and shapes in front of it.  I sadly could have stayed here all night, and I hadn't even had a sip to drink yet. 

I want one.

(p.s. I finally took the plunge and chopped my hair short)

Other shiny stuff that warmed my heart:

this ginormous giraffe...

lots of lacquered walls...

this mirror...

and this wall sculpture...

The house was packed with 160+ bloggers.  It got super hot and crowded quick!  

The first person I met was Daniela from Aesthetic Oiseau.  Let me tell you, she is just as cute and sweet in real life. 

(Cheryle, me and Daniela)

I was also so excited to finally meet Kathy fom My Interior Life and Barbara Franceski. 

These ladies are so nice and I had such a great time with them! 

OK, back to Kips Bay. I knew this was going to be hard to stay focused! Here is a quick montage.

Insane kitchen...

 Alexa Hampton's room... got to hear her speak the following day, 

she is hilarious & I love her even more now.

 Scott Sanders in his Cabana Room...

 Bits of Alexander Doherty's room...

 Found this fabric paneled hall intriguing. Might have to paint something like this.

(Coffinier Ku Design/ fabric Missoni through Stark)

fabric on the doors

Also loved the similar feel of this wall paper in the public bathroom...

seriously, next room I paint is going to be all horizontal fabulousness.

 Speaking of fab painting...

got to meet the super talented Chuck Fischer.

After Kips Bay we were shuttled off to a great party at Savant's Experience Center.  Amazing space loaded with high tech everything.  I was just waiting for my technology-curse aura to fry something as I walked through.  I didn't take any pictures because I was too busy stuffing my face, drinking and mingling.  

Need to take a break now, this is starting to sound like a book report

 and I haven't even left Monday.

Be back with more people/stuff I found inspiring soon.

Hope you are having a relaxing weekend!