Before:

After:

Score:

Exercise ball - 1; Juliska footed pedestal urn - 0.

It's a good thing my twins are cute.

"I only have room for what is meaningful, useful and beautiful."

— Mazen El-Abdallah, Toronto interior designer (Canadian House & Home, September 2010)

Photo from Mazen Studio blog.

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email at traci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

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Starting now through September 4, Brock Moran Home has an additional 20% off their floor sample sale items.  This is one of the best ways in Charlotte to score a super deal!  I absolutely adore everything Brock puts in his store.  Do you think Brock is in the market for a BFF?

Anyway, I'm totally loving this Lee Industries sofa -- at the sweet price of $1,400.  That's an incredible deal for such a high quality piece.  The dressmaker skirt kills me!

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email at traci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

Like this post?  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feeds!  Or, to view this blog through Facebook, click "Follow this Blog" in the NetworkedBlogs box.  You can also find me on Twitter, @tracizeller, and on Facebook, where my fan page is www.facebook.com/TraciZellerDesigns.  Thanks for reading!

Just in case you've got your heart set on some Leontine Linens, Jane Scott will be back in Charlotte August 31 (tomorrow) through September 2.   Email her at janescott@leontinelinens.com if you are interested in setting up an appointment!

I've got cocktail napkins for my hubby's swanky new "wine room" (i.e., converted from our bonus room over the garage) on my wish list.  I suppose that I can give him something in our house with his monogram!

I stopped by Post & Gray earlier this week - and they are TOTALLY stocked up with fabulous things.  I definitely recommend stopping by very soon!  I LOVED these chairs -- and I thought they were a super deal at $350 (?) for the pair.  Don't mind the oh-so-thrilled four year-old who insisted on being in the photo.

Of course, to actually make it into the store, I had to bribe my little buddies by letting them take pictures.  That's why you see Charlie (pictured) with my iPhone.  Henry had my Canon point-and-shoot.   It did a great job of keeping them from touching anything!   Miraculously, my iPhone and camera survived - so I suppose all's well that ends well.  Oh, and I noticed that Bamboo -- the shop owned by a dear friend of MoS Charlotte and featured on Matters of Style when it opened at Sleepy Poet -- has a new outpost at Post & Gray.  You will LOVE her things.  I have an eye on some accessories from Bamboo for a client of mine!  Here's a Henry-eyed view of some fabulous foo dogs -- in an even more fabulous etagere (one of a pair).

Let me know if you visit.  I'd love to hear what you find!

Photos courtesy of the Zeller twins.

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email attraci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

Like this post?  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feeds!  Or, to view this blog through Facebook, click "Follow this Blog" in the NetworkedBlogs box.  You can also find me on Twitter, @tracizeller, and on Facebook, where my fan page iswww.facebook.com/TraciZellerDesigns.  Thanks for reading!

Technically, it's Thursday ... but I finally had a chance to watch the Design Star finale.  Believe it or not, no one spoiled the surprise for me!  Can someone please explain why preschool starts weeks after CMS??  My little buddies are anxious to be with their friends ... and I'm anxious to get back to the structure and routine of the school year.  But on to the topic at hand ... Monday morning quarterbacking the Design Star finale.

I was so happy that Emily won Design Star.  During the early episodes, I thought she would be a goner -- but she really came into her own.  I thought her apartment design was so chic and polished, and I loved how she stretched herself by working with an aesthetic that wasn't necessarily her own (Tom's) AND still gave the space her imprint.  What amazes me most about these shows, however, is that the designers are able to function on as little sleep as they get.  Michael made some comment about getting ten hours of sleep TOTAL in the previous five days???  I'm not sure I could survive that.  It makes me wonder if endurance is the secret to success on these types of reality shows.

Whatever the secret to success, Emily obviously figured it out.  Congrats to Emily!  I'll be tuning in to her new show, Secrets of a Stylist on August 29.  I hope she stays with that concept.  I think there's so much more potential to learn from her as a stylist than the "fashion style to lifestyle" concept that she presented during the last couple of Design Star episodes.

Will you watch Emily's new show?  And does anyone know if Top Design will reappear?  I miss Margaret Russell, Kelly Wearstler and Jonathan Adler!

Photos from HGTV - top two from Emily's portfolio pre-Design Star; bottom two from the Design Star finale.

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email at traci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

Like this post?  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feeds!  Or, to view this blog through Facebook, click "Follow this Blog" in the NetworkedBlogs box.  You can also find me on Twitter, @tracizeller, and on Facebook, where my fan page iswww.facebook.com/TraciZellerDesigns.  Thanks for reading!

"Your home is one of the few places where you can exercise complete control over your surroundings.  Explore your tastes, indulge and comfort yourself, make your home a place where you can replenish your energies time and time again, so you can enjoy the leisure, and even the work, of your daily life.  It takes time, care, and thought, but the value of building this second self is lasting."

— Celerie Kemble (as quoted in her book, "To Your Taste")

Photos from Celerie's website, Kemble Interiors.

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email attraci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

Like this post?  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feeds!  Or, to view this blog through Facebook, click "Follow this Blog" in the NetworkedBlogs box.  You can also find me on Twitter, @tracizeller, and on Facebook, where my fan page iswww.facebook.com/TraciZellerDesigns.  Thanks for reading!

Ummmm, I'm not sure that it's OK to tell you this -- because Eddie and Jaithan haven't announced it on Eddie's blog -- but this news is just too good not to share.

Eddie Ross is coming to Metrolina.  Insert excited screams here!!!

Jaithan emailed me that Eddie will meeting folks on Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6 - both at 10 am.  The cost is $50 per day.  Hello, worth it!   Now, I can't promise that everything is set in stone because, as I mentioned, Eddie and Jaithan have not officially published their fall schedule.  If you want to go with Eddie to Metrolina, however, I would go ahead and email NOW.  I cannot even imagine how quickly those spots are going to go!   I would love to experience how Eddie tackles a flea market like Metrolina.  Candidly, I've only been to Metrolina a handful of times.  I just haven't had the time or the patience for it -- but, with an expert like Eddie to guide me, I am more than willing to embrace the adventure ... and I can't imagine I would come home empty-handed.  Did you read the article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Eddie's visit to Scott's Market in Atlanta?

Here's the rub - for me, anyway.  I already have plane tickets to go out of town (Sin City, Nevada) AND my parents to house- and baby-sit.  Seriously.  Would it HAVE to be the same weekend?  I've been begging Eddie to come to Charlotte!  I'm seriously considering skipping Las Vegas.  But it's hard to turn down shopping plus great meals plus no kids.  My other option is to begin praying that Eddie comes back to Atlanta and then I'll just take a little road trip.

What would you do??  Are you going to hit Metrolina with Eddie?

UPDATE:  Eddie just posted this on his blog, so it's official!!  Email Jaithan ASAP - jaithan@eddieross.com - to reserve your spot!

All photos from Eddie Ross.

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email at traci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

Like this post?  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feeds!  Or, to view this blog through Facebook, click "Follow this Blog" in the NetworkedBlogs box.  You can also find me on Twitter, @tracizeller, and on Facebook, where my fan page iswww.facebook.com/TraciZellerDesigns.  Thanks for reading!

In keeping with my crazed obsession love of all things Barbara Barry, I thought this quote was spot on.

"Contemporary design and architecture reflect the way we think and live.  As a country, we are developing a more fluent vocabulary and dialogue within the modern vernacular, making design more mature and grounded."

—  Barbara Barry (quoted in Veranda, July/August 2010)

Paintings by Kimberly Applegate.  Visit her blog here.  Top painting is inspired by a Barbara Barry chair and Richard Serra etchings.  Bottom painting is inspired by a Barbara Barry chair and Edward Hoppen painting.

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email at traci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

Like this post?  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feeds!  Or, to view this blog through Facebook, click "Follow this Blog" in the NetworkedBlogs box.  You can also find me on Twitter, @tracizeller, and on Facebook, where my fan page iswww.facebook.com/TraciZellerDesigns.  Thanks for reading!

Boy was it a busy (and HOT) weekend!  I’ve got so much to share, so let’s get started …

Please tell me you made it to the Hickory Chair sale!!  When I arrived on Friday and entered the warehouse, I practically started hyperventilating at all of the gorgeous pieces at unbelievable prices.  I seriously had to talk myself down.  It was crazy!!   Of course, the amazing Hickory Chair team ran an incredible sale.  The tagging and check-out process was seamless … and the super-nice employees helped me (and everyone else) load up our finds.  I joked with another buyer that we couldn’t get enough.  You know the saying, “my eyes are bigger than my stomach?”  Well, in this case, my eyes were totally bigger than my car!

I scored that fantastic Warner wing chair in espresso mohair velvet – yum!

If you didn’t make it to the Hickory Chair sale, don’t fret.  Lots was sold, but there is still lots more to be had!  The sale takes place again this Friday and Saturday and … I hope you are sitting down … prices will be slashed by 50% off last weekend’s prices.  Seriously, that is practically giving it away.  I’m not even kidding when I say that you can’t buy IKEA furniture for less than that.  Go.  I mean it.

After the Hickory Chair sale, I went straight to Metrolina Expo where I spent the next day and a half at the Charlotte Mothers of Multiples (CMOMs) consignment sale.  It was my last sale as President of the club, and I’m proud to say it was a huge success – thanks to our sale chair, committee and everyone who sold and/or shopped at the sale.  After several long days, I was exhausted …

… but not too exhausted to stop at the Northlake Super Target and score the same top that MoS Charlotte recommended.  Sooooo cute!!   MoS Charlotte is clearly taller and thinner than I am, however, because I could totally not sport the cheetah top with denim leggings and gladiator sandals.  But I’m rocking it with dark Joe’s Jeans, black linen and cork wedge sandals, and my black Tory Burch cuff bracelet.  xoxo to you, Matters of Style girls!

Random digression:  Is it just me or is Target the new status symbol?  I swear that in the “old days” you’d be embarrassed to sport an outfit from everybody’s local discounter.  These days, however, it’s totally brag-worthy to find the latest designer look at a steal of a price … and no one is embarrassed to say that their outfit came from Tar-jay.  I’m totally planning to stalk my local Targets once the Mulberry collection launches in October … unless I score one of the select pieces at Gilt Groupe.  Did you hear about the sneak preview on August 20? Let me know if you need a Gilt invite!

Oh, like everyone else in the blogosphere, I'm thrilled that Jamie has launched her online shop … and it’s fabulous (of course)!  Raleigh’s not that far for me, but now all of you can get your Furbish on.  I love her zig zag settee!

Finally, I am still struggling to find good blogging software for my Mac.  Blogo was a disaster.  I actually really like Mars Edit, but for some reason, the formatting is off once it actually posts.  Unfortunately, I think it’s because my blog is powered by BlogEngine.net instead of Wordpress, Typepad or Blogger.  So now I’m thinking about Qumana.  What say you??

Photos from Hickory Chair, Matters of Style, Charlotte Mothers of Multiples, Guidespot, Mama’s a Rolling Stone and Furbish.

Wondering how to make your home elegant and functional?  Call me at 704.953.6096 or send me an email at traci@tracizeller.com to discuss how I can help!

Like this post?  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feeds!  Or, to view this blog through Facebook, click "Follow this Blog" in the NetworkedBlogs box.  You can also find me on Twitter, @tracizeller, and on Facebook, where my fan page is www.facebook.com/TraciZellerDesigns.  Thanks for reading!