Menagerie

I must admit, I love animals. The living ones and the statuary versions. I'm not really talking taxidermy here as I don't love the formerly living stuffed versions of animals. I've been thinking about animal statues a lot lately especially the larger versions (not really the smaller ones like Foo dogs, Staffordshire dogs or the ubiquitous elephant garden seat), ever since I saw a pair of stone greyhounds in my local garden shop recently that resembled this one:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693967205/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="540" src="http://media-cache5.pinterest.com/upload/24488391693967205_suSmTtWV_c.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Finneman_the_Dog_Statue/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">homedecorators.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">Then, I immediately thought of all the dog statues I had seen scattered throughout my Pinterest boards. Not sure I love this stark white one, he may be too mod for me. </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693962017/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="651" src="http://media-cache8.pinterest.com/upload/171559067024890929_tzukfLCZ_c.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://www.paloma81.blogspot.com/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">paloma81.blogspot.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I kind of like this guy hanging out in the stairwell rather unexpectedly on his leopard carpet next to his Louis Phillipe mirror - how dignified!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693925674/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="600" src="http://media-cache4.pinterest.com/upload/202380576974712594_Bhta2mIZ_c.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://cwbarchitects.com/project/brooklyn-heights-greek-revival/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">cwbarchitects.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Barrie Benson injects some playfulness into this modern decor with a pair of cuties flanking the fireplace.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693962020/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="395" src="http://media-cache6.pinterest.com/upload/24488391693515050_3W7wcoXv_c.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://www.barriebenson.com/projects/residential/fashionplates" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">barriebenson.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I love the whimsical nature of these hand-painted porcelain pooches, not to mention the amazing orange lacquered walls, decorative molding and ceiling! My friend <a href="http://completelytotallymadly.blogspot.com/">Nelya</a> noticed a theme in my latest pins and actually suggested this photo to me. Aren't blog friends the best?</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693963488/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="569" src="http://media-cache1.pinterest.com/upload/186617978279277604_E23GYL2r_c.jpg" width="385" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://theaestate.tumblr.com/post/19240009532/in-your-face-foyer-via" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">theaestate.tumblr.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Next up, there are elephant garden seats in this room designed by Ruthie Sommers but also a dog statue that is rather unobtrusive.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx61pHa6cgHnfl40XA9aflyaPwHXSaLl29o8gZuj-l77c_W0n0VhMpNvSlliEemJEz8S-AwhAk1wxIUvf-QqrAASDlK7gif9NFDqXzVPdPlVpTzuEr2qqUXcvxjMNx97jX4vgknSYHYJh/s1600/Ruthie+Chapman+Sommers+Interior+Design-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx61pHa6cgHnfl40XA9aflyaPwHXSaLl29o8gZuj-l77c_W0n0VhMpNvSlliEemJEz8S-AwhAk1wxIUvf-QqrAASDlK7gif9NFDqXzVPdPlVpTzuEr2qqUXcvxjMNx97jX4vgknSYHYJh/s400/Ruthie+Chapman+Sommers+Interior+Design-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you see it? It's like a design game of Where's Waldo. I'll show a different angle so it's easier to find.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBezF9Ptr86_Ii0r_mEsIaFwGRmU2LcAFyE6W37THGr0rlGoQz28uf0j5Z4SEwU1La33xREIRaeoKl7urXTAGWShvUoBsnfTByW2rcdUpkU88f4HIVWKeaR3kn_owIP4LIWQIdkJmWXPb/s1600/Ruthie+Chapman+Sommers+Interior+Design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBezF9Ptr86_Ii0r_mEsIaFwGRmU2LcAFyE6W37THGr0rlGoQz28uf0j5Z4SEwU1La33xREIRaeoKl7urXTAGWShvUoBsnfTByW2rcdUpkU88f4HIVWKeaR3kn_owIP4LIWQIdkJmWXPb/s640/Ruthie+Chapman+Sommers+Interior+Design.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">He's just hanging out on the hearth, cozying up to the fire.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And in another one of Ruthie's rooms . . . a poodle stands sentinel. Isn't this the sofa she used in Drew Barrymore's office that was featured in Domino? I'm thinking it is, or one very similar. Maybe this was from her showroom. Anyway, moving on . . . </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693961971/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://media-cache9.pinterest.com/upload/24488391693961971_8Gr53U8g_c.jpg" width="475" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2007/12/the-alchemist-ruthie-sommers.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">designsponge.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Of course, if dogs aren't your thing, there are always other large animal statues with which you can decorate your domicile. Here are some large brass deer that would make quite a statement. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693961952/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="397" src="http://media-cache3.pinterest.com/upload/24488391693961952_fJ8cc559_c.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://www.atlantishome.com/page/2/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">atlantishome.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693961850/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache3.pinterest.com/upload/150307706282978595_QtM99ILn_c.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://shelterinteriordesign.blogspot.com/2008/11/oh-deer-holdiay-cheer.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">shelterinteriordesign.blogspot.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Or how about a monkey?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/24488391693961837/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="779" src="http://media-cache9.pinterest.com/upload/24488391693961837_cpGR49Tp_c.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div style="float: left; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source: <a href="http://www.moderndeclaration.com/residentialprojects/stanhope/one" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">moderndeclaration.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/myinteriorlife/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">My Interior Life</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, where am I going with this? I really have no idea. I just wanted to show you what's going through my brain and that I might break down and get a big dog statue at some point. Or I may not. What are your thoughts on my animalia obsession (as Nelya diagnosed it)? Do you think they're cute or should I stick with my living, breathing animals (of which I have three)?</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

Menagerie

I must admit, I love animals. The living ones and the statuary versions. I'm not really talking taxidermy here as I don't love the f...

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Around Here

I recently found some Persian rugs on clearance at Homegoods for $25!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6jpm1wl4P39yHu7rdIifHfvGYsba0600XYWFbwQb3QTdEapZsHPCQoSa_ofnL9hkJuZSGXt6GjzVo2kvaqqT2GBGMTlT-bcfEwDN2HSUKeVTs5LhP9pDwSVy3sK24pyuIl1inqnKEV8s/s1600/IMG_1329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6jpm1wl4P39yHu7rdIifHfvGYsba0600XYWFbwQb3QTdEapZsHPCQoSa_ofnL9hkJuZSGXt6GjzVo2kvaqqT2GBGMTlT-bcfEwDN2HSUKeVTs5LhP9pDwSVy3sK24pyuIl1inqnKEV8s/s400/IMG_1329.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y-vGZYId92Kt6V0zrkUEfMcwfR_d26d1PwEmHNVd_lxKisCUlzwr5uB2rRlVRV9WwTIaLwp1cF0sDQbrxbyFKumNtp4YpX86ogFHQQOI0bEJInwVkme4A2R8zZrF-N5Nem-9UQOg1URA/s1600/IMG_1330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y-vGZYId92Kt6V0zrkUEfMcwfR_d26d1PwEmHNVd_lxKisCUlzwr5uB2rRlVRV9WwTIaLwp1cF0sDQbrxbyFKumNtp4YpX86ogFHQQOI0bEJInwVkme4A2R8zZrF-N5Nem-9UQOg1URA/s400/IMG_1330.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, my hardwood floors are orange. Trust me, it's on the list.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmBvLf2sB1c_SKYk-VhCqzFIupnUarQnESP5VNA1rXM40r8VoacrtJqF0BfjUwdabIDCfuqxrNSM5iXjDTwPAaxT7nFGcyDFlSZWE6EDbP1RKTOiK1lAIA7KLllJC0Fe1SB0BJ6sSaGS4/s1600/IMG_1331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmBvLf2sB1c_SKYk-VhCqzFIupnUarQnESP5VNA1rXM40r8VoacrtJqF0BfjUwdabIDCfuqxrNSM5iXjDTwPAaxT7nFGcyDFlSZWE6EDbP1RKTOiK1lAIA7KLllJC0Fe1SB0BJ6sSaGS4/s400/IMG_1331.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course, I had to get one, and actually bought one for my friend Becky too (she paid me back). It now sits in my entry replacing this one that I bought for $20 at an estate sale . . .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbMVkQt2useXLUnmoqnV6oj84nZUnK43CIKlivb7ihPcCYWRsb20jm0rAR_X5QDdk0GCPdSegGeMRuVRnDbbfIqKlU5UT_vmGrAFMx82lanTnkXfPNIfUOwxSBrcxFSN5UL-rcuK6TBT2/s1600/IMG_0788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbMVkQt2useXLUnmoqnV6oj84nZUnK43CIKlivb7ihPcCYWRsb20jm0rAR_X5QDdk0GCPdSegGeMRuVRnDbbfIqKlU5UT_vmGrAFMx82lanTnkXfPNIfUOwxSBrcxFSN5UL-rcuK6TBT2/s400/IMG_0788.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">While I still love this rug, unfortunately, my puppy has had a couple of "accidents" on it, and it has a couple of large bleached out stains on it. Ugggh. I'm going to check into having it professionally cleaned (my amateur cleaning didn't do much good), but for now the new one is taking its place. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Speaking of my puppies, when I left the room for a moment to get something, I came back to my seat on the sofa to start my blog post to find this . . . </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFA_Uo_OfubXK5mVvmimDPcPO692XaV3_BK4Lj48isWnKqrBNNpuiFjXi9SK63XCipFU2LRdBFKljyfjVuVndIagu-E8iA8FG2OxZL-cQpw9aXWNJ12HKzmOUfqIroj8FLXQmV_-gbEzQ/s1600/IMG_1333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFA_Uo_OfubXK5mVvmimDPcPO692XaV3_BK4Lj48isWnKqrBNNpuiFjXi9SK63XCipFU2LRdBFKljyfjVuVndIagu-E8iA8FG2OxZL-cQpw9aXWNJ12HKzmOUfqIroj8FLXQmV_-gbEzQ/s400/IMG_1333.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Seat stealers! And I think Zoe is trying to take over my blog as well. She's basically sitting on poor Piper. Aren't they the cutest?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And some of you (namely Nelya) have admonished me for teasing the painting of my basement room Hague Blue and not showing you at least a sneak peek. So, I ran downstairs and snapped a shot to give you an idea of what it looks like. So, without further ado, ta da . . .</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoNFISHdr5i9SAMRMpyqb1CuT6aOb3wvFVKInW9zK6vD6QyjbnzmPcH1AKgMtUyusQBKb_9Vo20k1XZu2EmHHtL76Nn0IGJkeXXEPkvr9xaURJ7pZkz8AqO6JlyBzdVX0xnb3-CJD5UYa/s1600/IMG_1339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoNFISHdr5i9SAMRMpyqb1CuT6aOb3wvFVKInW9zK6vD6QyjbnzmPcH1AKgMtUyusQBKb_9Vo20k1XZu2EmHHtL76Nn0IGJkeXXEPkvr9xaURJ7pZkz8AqO6JlyBzdVX0xnb3-CJD5UYa/s640/IMG_1339.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hung one of Matt's photos on the wall just to show you the contrast. </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">This is about all you're gonna get for now for several reasons. A. There's a bunch of furniture in the middle of the room. B. We need new carpet down there and C. It will be a while before the room comes together because we need to get a new sofa upstairs so we can move the old one (the one the dogs were lying on) downstairs. This will take time. But, I love the color. I may have mentioned this before, but this room has NO windows, no natural light, so rather than fight that, I decided to embrace it and paint the room a dark blue (Sherwin Williams color-matched Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue in semi gloss). It's very cozy and enveloping. I can't wait to share the final product, but it may be a little while so please bear with me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So is there anything new going on around your house?</div>

Around Here

I recently found some Persian rugs on clearance at Homegoods for $25! Yes, my hardwood floors are orange. Trust me, it's on the list.   ...

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