Postmark Morocco

Everyone likes a good "Before and After"...throw in an exciting trip (to an off-the-beaten-path locale), a plane ride or two, high speed ferry, and a Moroccan shop keeper (with a sense of humor that would have even the cast of SNL in stitches), and wah-la...a fun blog post is born!  My last trip abroad (several months ago now) was to Portugal, Morocco, and Spain.  For the past few years I had especially been wanting to travel to Morocco, and it was definitely an experience I wont forget (to say the least); one full of adventure and of course...SHOPPING! 

 I was particularly interested in rugs and textiles on this trip, and one of my favorite purchases was this gorgeous cream and brown centerpiece.  I spent a few hours in this shop, selecting the perfect color, size, and pattern, and had it shipped home only to arrive a few weeks later...

And so the story goes...from Morocco (with love) all the way back to my colorful, living room 

apartment in Charm City, Maryland.

Ironically, I took this photo a few weeks prior to this past weekend where I spent most of the day Sunday rearranging my entire apartment.  The daughter of an Army officer, I come by the need for change honestly, and so I (very often) rearrange the furniture.  The two, blue Ikat chairs are now in a completely different room, and I have relocated my round dining table in front of the window (on right) to take in the gorgeous view of my garden for the spring and summer months ahead.  I edited out the coffee table, added in a soft leather pouf, and love being closer to the sunlight in the mornings and my white lights (strung around the two holly trees outside) that glow when the sun goes down.  I am so happy to come home at night and just.be.here...in my little oasis, with so much beauty around me.  I wish the very same simple happiness for each of you...  

The Friday 5

I can't believe that yet another week has just flown on by.  I have had many highlights and in preparation for the launch of my new website I had a portrait session on Tuesday with Jennifer Hughes (one of the most talented photographer's I know), and I have to say the light in her new the studio was.just.magic. 

From Jen's studio (with only a quick change of pants and shoes!), I packed up the car and headed straight to the Four Seasons Baltimore for an afternoon committee meeting...followed by lots of laughs with our newest intern, Lauren (from Towson Univeristy).  This was her second day on the job and she is a welcome addition to our design team!

We also met with on of our favorite brides of the year this week, and the design is really coming together.  We are loving the linen selection especially, and the color palette of champage and plum, mixed with metallics, is going to be the perfect canvas for overflowing floral arrangements of azelea colored garden roses, lavendar, dusty miller and flirty ferns.  So pretty.!

This is the storyboard (our intern Katie has taken the lead on this project!) was created for next week's photo shoot in the office.  We are celebrating our one year anniversary in the design studio and are having a little internal soiree...yes, balloons and cupcakes are involved.   

More details to follow next week...

And, last night I arrived safely in San Francisco, checked in here, and was up bright an early for a full day in the city.  Have a great weekend and mark your calendar for this event hosted by the Baltimore Fashion Alliance on Monday evening.  I will be back in town and the event MC!

xSB

San Francisco Bound

Believe it or not, I have travelled (and lived) all over the world from Germany to South Korea, but I have never been to the city of San Francisco.  I have always wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge in person, Pier 39, Union Station (and the list goes on and on).  So, just a few weeks ago, I decided to just.do.it.  I finally booked the trip and today I am getting on a plane and heading to sunny California!  That being said, I had to give a little thought to my travel essentials...

...comfy jeans paired with a striped tee; the perfect base layer under my leather jacket and scarf (in case it gets chilly on the plane, I always pack this cozy accessory).  One bag (with nothing to check) and I am all set! Anything you think I MUST see while I am in town?  I'll be there this afternoon through the weekend...

Excited! 

xSB

Spring Showers

When I woke up this morning the pansies in my garden were standing straight up...

...delighted by the light rain that had been sprinkled on them overnight.  With showers in the forecast all day today, I know I needed to prepare for slightly cooler temperatures ahead.  The trench and patterned scarf (both wardrobe staples) kept me dry on the way into the studio, and the cardigan (which reminds me of the ones my father used to wear and I would "borrow") will keep me cozy here at my desk.  Lots of client appointments on tap today (and all three interns in the office at once!) so the statement jewelry and shoes...a must.

Happy Wednesday!
xSB

Room of the Week - A Bright Idea

For the past few weeks I have been knee deep picking paint colors for clients, and am always drawn to rooms that take a risk.  This room really caught my eye, and I think I fell in love with its simplicity...tall ceilings with gorgeous molding, all white walls, and just a touch of well placed paint.

I am also huge fan of all white bedding (with the option to switch around the accent pillows), and the only change I would make would be to add a piece of art (or two!).  The molding above the bed makes an instant frame and gives the illusion of a headboard.  I too am considering a little painting of my own (in the bedroom), and am still searching for the perfect color mint...something that reminds me of a cool sorbet but is still warm and fresh. Like any of these?  Suggestions most welcome...

Happy Monday!

xSB

The Friday 5

The week started off with THIS fun photo shoot styling some of the most lovely 14-year-old young ladies I have ever met.  I also had the pleasure of partnering with some of the very best in the business (thank you Jennifer and Ashley), I and enjoyed helping the girls play dress up all afternoon!  

Projects, projects and more fun design projects!  

We just ordered a few more of these fun lucite trays to help keep us organized in the studio (yes, I really do get excited about anything that is not only chic but functional too!).  They are perfect for holding 

all sorts of samples and seeing everything all at one time makes things so.much.easier.

On Wednesday I was honored to accept the "Alumni of the Year 2012" award from my alma mater Shippensburg University (I graduated in 1996, if you can believe that).  I was delighted that my father (also an SU alum, receiving his masters from SU in 1992) was able to join me for the ceremony. 

The newest addition to my bedroom and "he" makes me so happy.  This fiddle leaf fig (an interior designer favorite; very slow growing and relatively easy to maintain) is the perfect addition to almost any indoor living space.  I now literally wake up feeling like I am in my garden.

And the very best part of my job...attempting to "be amazing EVERY DAY"...

Saturday and Sunday included. 

Have a great weekend!

xSB

Warmer Days Ahead

Recently, I took the time to go back through all of the pictures taken from my last trip to Portugal, Spain and Morocco, and this image is one of my very favorites.  It brings back fond memories of the run I took high above the beachcombers, along the southern coast of Portugal, with a view that simply took my breath away.  Post workout, I found myself poolside, book, sunscreen (and yummy frozen drink) in hand... 

What was in my beach bag you ask?  A simple suit (one-piece suits are my new favorite thing!), lacy shorts and of course a pair of oversized shades.  A fun top knot bun (and a pretty pedicure to boot) and I was set.  With temperatures heading back up into the 80's later this week (I can hardly wait!), and bathing suits lining the racks of department and speciality stores alike, I thought this might inspire a pop of color in your beach bag this season.

Only one more day 'til Friday!

xSB

Interior Inspiration - E is for...

...EQUESTRIAN!

As some of you may already know, I absolutely adore my sweet Morgan mare, Libby (a frequent star of the blog), and she brings so much inspiration to many areas of my life (interiors being no exception!).  Whether used in small or large doses, equestrian elements can bring a chic, high-end feel to any space.  I personally have large custom art pieces featuring horses in the studio and in my living room at home, and they are among my favorite design elements in both spaces.  Here are a few of my (most recent) sources of equine inspiration...

*IMAGES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8&9

Do these beauties inspire you?  I know I can't wait to get to the barn this weekend...
Happy Wednesday!
xSB

Field Trip to Terrain

Each spring, when the peonies peek out from under the new mulch, I literally jump for joy at the beauty around me.  I am always so excited to plant flowers, play in the garden, and find it to be a creative therapy of sorts; I think I simply love the art of it all.  Planning which flowers to pair with others and then watching them grow week after week brings an absolutely wide smile to my face.  With that being said, on Saturday I decided (on a whim) to take a quick day trip to Philadelphia and visit one of my very favorite outdoor spaces...terrain at Styer's.  

Weaving in and out of one creative display after another, I take so much pleasure in discovering the cleverness with which their vignettes are crafted.  The indoors and the outdoors run together here, and the ceilings are dripping with delicious plantings, lanterns aglow, ribbon, and muslin...

Caught in the act...I couldn't help but snap a shot of these lovely place settings under one of their tents (yes, the tent too is for sale!).  I love the sky light especially...perfect for peaking at the stars while dining al fresco with friends.

Naturally, I had to take a few colorful pansies home and spent Sunday afternoon perfecting nesting them in front of my rose bushes, a few colorful pots on the patio, and in the window box outside my bedroom window.  

If you have never been here before, I promise you it is well worth the trip...I know I'll be back again very soon!  xSB

Pantone Playdate - Pretty Pastels

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the opportunity to design with pretty pastels in mind (after all, wedding season is upon us!).  These two hues pair together perfectly...not to mention they look good enough to eat!

Images Clockwise: 1 2 3 4

Does this palette inspire you?  We hope it is a refreshing start to your week ahead!
xSB

The Friday 5

The weather has been gorgeous in Baltimore this week and the weekend forecast doesn't appear to disappoint.  I made a quick trip over to Sherwood Gardens to peek at the tulips, picnic goers, and photographers alike.  For ten minutes I really felt like I was in some gorgeous European garden.  

This storyboard was put together for one of our current master bedroom projects.  Earlier this week the bedroom was painted (we used Benjamin Moore's Edgecomb Gray coupled with Gray Cashmere in the adjoining bath), the carpet installed, and this stunning (metallic) peacock print wallpaper (on a vaulted accent wall) is drying as we speak.  Their bed is being delivered on Monday,
and we can't wait to see the room finally all come together!

I spent the morning with three teenage girls (they were over-the-moon excited), prepping their wardrobe for Monday's photo shoot (a surprise birthday gift from their mother).  It is going to be so.much.fun! 

Still pondering an order of these for my outdoor patio... 

the perfect palette for today's Opening Day - Go Orioles!. 

And, I think I may make a few more of these beauties as well (idea found here)...
I am just loving the gold!

Happy EASTER and we'll see you again on Monday!

xSB

Charm City Cakes - All Grown Up!

Stephanie and Mary Alice surrounded by a few cakes
from the bakery's "Summer Collection"

Post cameras and a reality TV whirlwind, Baltimore's own Charm City Cakes has a brand new website in the works (so exciting!), a fresh coat of the most gorgeous pale blue paint (covering the walls of their Remington Avenue location), and a decidedly more sophisticated take on cakes for 2012.  We had the pleasure of sitting down with Mary Alice Yeskey (the companies marketing director) last week to discuss the direction of the business, as well as their recently unveiled "Summer Collection."  Check out our one-on-one interview and peek at a few of our favorite cakes from their beautiful new line. Brides especially, you are in for a
delicious treat!

SB:  Who do you think your target market is today?

Mary Alice:  I would say we are targeting brides, but I'm not dismissing anything else.  A lot of people were saying to us, "We didn't realize you guys were still doing cakes in Baltimore..." so Facebook, Twitter, all that stuff happened in the last two years.  During the show (Ace of Cakes) all of that stuff kind of got pushed to the side.

SB:  How does it work when a client calls in?

Mary Alice:  The nice thing is for the first time when you call you get a human being.  I think that's a basic thing that not every company knows is so important.  We then do a meeting here on a Tuesday or Wednesday.  This is because our chef bakes samples on Mondays and Tuesdays, so it helps our natural kitchen flow.  At our staff meetings on Monday mornings, we decide who's appropriate to meet with each person.  There is a $50 tasting fee which will go towards your cake if you choose to work with us.  This mostly helps us weed out no-shows.  The decorators and myself spend a good deal of time prepping and printing out inspiration photos so when we sit down you know we've been thinking of you.  It's so nice when the client can feel you really want to be there.  That way when they come in the client is excited!

SB:  We love the new paint color in the bakery... Tell us about the change.

Mary Alice:  It used to be green and blue, which it actually wound up being again, but it's so much softer now.  The old colors made the show look awesome, but we've been done with that for a year and a half.

SB:  Many of your decorators don't have baking backgrounds.  How does this affect the process?

Mary Alice:  I think the big difference with us is that our decorators aren't trained pastry chefs, they're trained artists.  I think this means they take the skills they already have and just apply them to a different medium.  For example Mary Smith is incredible at line work, so you take that and translate it into the frosting.  Obviously structure is also very important.

SB:  What do you think are some upcoming trends in wedding cakes?

Mary Alice:  In terms of color palettes, corals and grays are big and gold is coming way back for the first time in awhile.  In terms of overall design, people are really moving towards cake as a canvas and using it as a way to extend the overall theme of the event.  People also want something much more pared down, clean and simple.  Big for the sake of big is totally out.  Most people don't live that way and they want their cakes to reflect that.

SB:  What's next for Charm City Cakes?

Mary Alice:  Our designs are growing up, our style is growing up, yes we can still do Star Wars cakes, but we want people to know that we can be trendsetting.  I don't want to go looking for cake designs anymore, I want people to be looking to us.  We should be making the fashion.

SB:  You're very loyal to Baltimore, what do you think makes it such a great place to create?

Mary Alice:  I think we're all incredibly loyal to our city because it doesn't take itself too seriously.  For me personally, it's a manageable sized city.  You go out to get groceries and you're pretty much guaranteed to see someone you know.  You can really nurture relationships here over time.  We're all kind of moving and growing together, especially in the events industry...We all have each others back.

This stunner, created by designer Mary Smith, took inspiration from a cake she previously created for the
Baltimore Bride Magazine Spring/Summer 2012 photo shoot earlier this year.
Peek here and here for more on our creative collaboration!

SB:  What is Duff's role now that you have a Charm City Cakes West location in L.A.?

Mary Alice:  His job is sort of to be the face of the company and he's got so many products.  He just kind of runs around like crazy.

SB:  With the success of Charm City Cakes West, do you have any plans for future expansions?

Mary Alice:  With Duff I've learned to just never say never!

And there you have it!  A BIG thank you to Mary Alice for taking the time to chat with me (and our intern Katie from Loyola College), Duff Goldman and the entire team at Charm City Cakes for hosting such an amazing preview party last week.  We love the new line, the refreshed bakery workspace, and are already looking forward to what comes next...

Cheers your continued success here in Baltimore and beyond!

xSB and Team

Pattern, Peeps & Pedicures

Inspiration is everywhere and this week we found it in Essie's latest resort collection.  The line is filled with pretty pinks and purples (and with interiors always on our mind), we coupled these shades with fabrics that pair just perfectly!

Fabrics: Fabricadabra, Madeline Weinrib, Duralee, Madeline Weinrib

Which hue might you like to see in your Easter basket?  I'll take one of each, please!

Nature Inspired Modern Spaces

Happy Monday and a warm welcome to Joanna, a writer for Design Shuffle, a premier online portal for interior designers to share their work and for design enthusiasts to enjoy. Take it away, Joanna...

Luckily, I spend my days writing about and collecting images of the most beautiful interiors to share with blog readers like you. Thanks to Stephanie Bradshaw for letting me share a few of my favorite "nature inspired modern spaces". I hope they inspire some interior design ideas of your own!

With a reputation for being cold and severe, modern decor has gotten a bad rap. The following rooms show how bringing natural elements indoors can make any space welcoming and warm. With earthy colors, layered textures and warm surfaces, these rooms invite you to have a seat and stay awhile.

Talk about bringing the outdoors inside; this living room features an enormous forest mural. The solid mossy green sofa and Flokati rug add to the nature inspired feel.

Love, love, love the tree print on the bedding! The black and white contrast plays nicely off the natural wood tones. The three little birdies are too cute.

The living room design ideas are abundant in this inspiration. The pink tree art creates an unexpected focal point in this natural hued living room. Layers of texture (grass cloth on walls, linen covered sofas, wicker accents, smooth wood floors) add interest to the room's subdued colors.

A beach house opens its windows wide to the beauty of the outdoors. No matter whether it is cold and wintery or warm and summery, the owners are sure to enjoy the view.

Crisp white and chocolate brown create a natural color palette for this room's star attraction; the outdoor view. The room is so open above the work areas that I wouldn't even mind doing the dishes in this space.

I've run across this dining room light fixture before, but really like it in this space.

Looking for nature-inspired bathroom designs? Warm honey wood floors give this spa-like space a nice foundation for all of its natural surfaces from the stone soaking tub to the vessel sink.

This stunning lodge style is an updated modern version of rustic woodsy dÈcor. The dining chairs with their curvy backs are a particular favorite.  Earth tones give this modern living space a relaxed feel. The color palette reminds me of a crisp fall day walking through fallen leaves. Does it give you any nature inspired decorating ideas?

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8