LCY Decorates: My Mom's Living Room Before/After

I don't even know how long ago I teased you all with a before/after photo of the dining room at my mom's new house. And then I completely forgot to share the rest! So, over the next week or so I'll show you before and after images of the redesign my mom and I worked on at her new place. I apologize for how teensy the original before picture is - I had to pull it off a real estate web site. But you get the gist of what we were originally working with... every room felt uncomfortably reminiscent of retirement home decor. You know - a collection of furniture from decades ago never refinished or discarded. A lot of heavy woods and floral patterns. It wasn't exactly the look my mom wanted.

BEFORE

AFTER

Out went the teal paint, in came the grey. Out went the worn-in carpets, and hardwood floors were installed. Out went the floral couches and in its place came my mom's lovely living room furniture. We also switched out the sconces on the one wall and replaced them with Circa Lighting's Ruhlmann sconce (yes - the very same that has been seen in Serena Van Der Wooden's bedroom). New linen window treatments and voila! A pretty, airy, and refreshed living space! Tres jolie!

Wedding in the Country

  

That's where I'll be this evening! My cousin and his fiancé are getting married on a farm about an hour outside the city. It couldn't be a more beautiful day, and I am so happy for the both of them. I secretly hope she's wearing cowboy boots... that is just too cute.

Happy Weekend!

"Here's to the crazy ones..."

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently - they're not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

"And the thing is, we all know we're going to die in one way or another.
Today could be my last day. Will I be proud of how I spent it? When I leave here, what did I leave behind, what did I contribute, how will I be remembered? It is a humbling thought. I'd like to think that I try to treat my days with respect and not squander them away on bullshit that doesn't really matter, but the truth is, I take too much for granted, even when trying to appreciate the moments that I might regret wasting.
3 years ago I lost my Grandfather rather abruptly and the following year my aunt. I nearly lost my mother before them and this week alone I've found out that two people very close to me have been diagnosed with Cancer. 
Whether it happens tomorrow, next week or a year from now, life is short. Make it count."
-Steve Jobs


I wouldn't be able to do what I do if it weren't for the innovations that came from Steve Jobs' brilliance. So sad the world will no longer have him pushing the boundaries on ideas once thought to be impossible, and inspiring millions of creatives, techies, and businessmen every day around the world.

Look Ma, it took me 26 years, but I'm international!

So... did you all remember to pick up this month's copy of Cosmopolitan Slovenia?

...and flip to page 126 where Yours Truly is featured! No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. That's my office, my bookshelves, my inspiration board...

...and that's me! The one and only Alaini Kaczmarski (I'm hopeful that's my name in Slovenian and not a misspelling. I fear it might be the latter. Oh well. You can't misspell a face!). From what I gather thanks to Google Translate, I am an enchanting, sympathetic American with a must-read website: www.livecreatingyourself.com. Ya know, I've been telling people this for years... finally, it's catching on. The rest of the article states that no matter how small your space or budget, you too can have a chic work space! True dat.

In all seriousness, this was such an honor and I'm so grateful the magazine thought my work space would serve as inspiration for their readers.

Cosmo Slovenia is not available anywhere in the United States, but you can see the article on their website here!

In other news, today is my 26th birthday! Apparently it is the most common birthday in the entire world seeing as it's exactly 40 weeks after New Year's Eve. However, I was two weeks late, clearly holding out just to get in on the fun that is October 5. But there won't be any big celebration this year. Dinner at a new French restaurant downtown with the boy and a low-key night with the girls this coming Saturday is all the celebration I'll be needing! Maybe I'll make some sparkler cupcakes. That would be nice. : )

You know... to match my sparkly dress from fancy girls night last weekend.

Book Launch: Chicago SPACES

I am so excited because tonight Danielle and I will be attending the launch party for Chicago SPACES, the new hardcover book from the editors of Chicago Home and Garden Magazine! It's always nice to see inside the beautiful homes around your city - how people can design similar spaces in such drastically different ways. Page after page of interior design inspiration includes a mix of urban town homes and condos but also features of larger homes from the surrounding suburbs. The first half of the book has full home tours while the latter half is split up into different rooms, with tips on how to incorporate the design techniques in your own home. You can order a copy of the book at Amazon, where it states sellers also bought Decorate, Domino, and Design Sponge at Home. All essentials for any design aficionado's coffee table.

words worth reading

I continued to think about the “Future Me” and what I would think of the present me. And Future Me had a bit of advice. He said that we are living in a home, eating applesauce, wearing diapers and all I have are my memories. Don’t screw them up. Spend time with your friends and family, because those are my favorite memories. Stop spending so much time on the little stuff, you can barely remember that anyway. Travel more, you will love Africa. Take a few chances, but not too many that you look like a moron (and you are approaching that level so be careful). Enjoy your successes and indulgences, you will see that guilt is a waste of time. Do things for others without the need for acknowledgment or reciprocation (you will get both in spades anyway). Be happy for others who are more fortunate than you, help those that aren’t, respect both equally. Do things you normally wouldn’t do every so often, those are some fun memories. It is okay to cook and do the dishes, but make sure you say thank you when someone does for you. When you get here (the future) you don’t want to have settled.

We could all benefit from calling our Future Me’s every once in a while. We need that reality check of how most of this won’t matter even a few months from now, much less years. We need to live a little more for the moment. That doesn’t mean go crazy. It doesn’t mean bounce your last check. It doesn’t mean shun stability and responsibility. It doesn’t mean pack up your shit and move to Nepal. It means to do things you will be happy to look back on. That may mean taking the stable job for some, or going with the start-up for others or even leaving it all behind and going to Nepal for a few. Life isn’t black and white. There is no need for you to be stable or reckless…you can be somewhere in-between. You don’t have to married by 28. You don’t need to have kids before you are 35. You don’t need to have your career all set by the time you are 40. Life is different for everyone and very few of us live up to the expectations we set for ourselves or other set for us (and those that do probably feel unfilled in some way). Take life as it comes, change it as you go, and stop worrying about where you are now…just enjoy that you are here and moving forward. It takes some people a few years, others a life time. We all get there.

by Andrew Gates