Choosing furniture that can work well in more than one room of the home is what good bones, great pieces is all about. And the console table is one of the most ambidextrous pieces. Where would you be without a long narrow console table to drop off your keys, blackberry and purse as you enter and exit your home? This same piece of furniture works equally well when placed behind the sofa in the living room, where it’s the perfect length to hold a pair of decorative lamps, one at either end. A console table also makes an excellent side board in a dining room. Ours often ends up storing the ingredients for upcoming craft or decorating projects, or as a dessert display area during the holidays.
Images clockwise from top left: House Beautiful magazine, Country Living magazine, Apartment Therapy. Here are five of our favorite console tables right now:

1. CB2  Peekaboo Clear Console: Made of .7 inch thick molded acrylic, this transparent console floats in the room.  It would even make a terrific bar, $349.
2. Williams Sonoma Home Colonial Console: Inspired by plantation antiques, this table has traditional turnings and a warm, aged finish (48:w x 18″d x 32″h). It’s got a hardwood frame with cherry veneer, $1,450.
3. Room and Board Kitaro: We’re loving the 3-Drawer Console Asian walnut espresso console to tuck away all kinds of stuff (60w x 14d x 30h), $799.
4.Design Within Reach Rubik Console Table: The Rubik Collection (2008) is made with a spare stainless steel base and wood veneer or solid marble tabletop (32″h x 42″ w x 14″d), $750 with the marble top.
5. Jonathan Adler Preston Console Table: Probably the chicest piece made of stamped leather, also available in white (66″w x 15″d x 30″h), $1,950.

Mom and I have recently been sifting through boxes and boxes of old photos for an exciting upcoming project. We spent an entire day at the dining room table sipping tea and reminiscing. Some of my mom’s outfits from the 80′s really made me laugh. Her style has really evolved over the years (for the better, I think), even though she insists she was always on the up and up. Full length denim dresses….really, mom? Anyway, I hope you enjoy seeing some of these old photos of us! Below, in matching Laura Ashley dresses. It doesn’t get much better than this. – L 
We dressed alike in the 80′s too. Matching denim skirts and bomber jackets!
Getting a ride with mom.
Nice Legs!
More recently in Venice, Italy…

Every year around this time, I start compiling my must-haves for the upcoming spring season. These days, the list is not very long–at this point I have accrued enough of a foundational wardrobe that I don’t “need” that much. But as we all know (me a little too well), “need” and “want” are two very different things. So, without further ado, here’s what I’m saving for right now. What’s on your short list?

1. If you saw The New York Times style section this weekend, then you know that military is one of the biggest trends for spring. Honestly, the whole military/utility thing has been in for awhile now, but it feels especially fresh this year with designers like Chloe and Phi putting out some really great pieces. Rag & Bone is always a go-to for military-inspired pieces–they can do no wrong in this arena. I think a little jacket like this is a fantastic layering piece that can be worn in the early months of spring with a long t-shirt underneath or over an airy dress on a chilly summer night. And if you don’t want to shell out the big bucks for Rag & Bone, I know for a fact that you can get a VERY similar jacket at your local Army Navy surplus store (you might just have to take it in a little!).
2. These Alexander Wang wedges were a favorite for most fashion editors when they stomped down the runway last summer. They are amazing and no one can deny it.  Animal print is rarely ever “out.” Still waiting for these to hit stores!
3. Fresh lip glossin sugar shag looks like you just ate a cherry red popsicle. So summery!
4. 3.1 Phillip Limrecently launched his own collection of lingerie. I’m in love with his sweet bralettes and boy shorts. His beautiful bras look great under a subtly shear tee. Nice undergarments are such an indulgence, but so worth it.
5. My mom and I are suckers for a great cross-body bag. On weekends when we’re at antique shows or flea markets they are essential. Enough of that heavy, burdensome bag–give your shoulders a break! This little Alexander Wang “camera” bag is especially great because it forces you to travel light. – L

A client of mine and her neighbor asked me to take on the redecoration of their shared hallway in an apartment building in New York City. While this may seem like a small task, I’m absolutely loving this project. There’s not a lot of room for great furniture pieces or new lighting in this long hallway, but what this space is screaming for is a wallpaper update. Below, a view of an elegant dining room transformed by designer Stephen Shubel using Pierre Frey’s Sintra in Tournesol wall covering as seen in House Beautiful magazine.
There have never been more stylish choices of wall coverings in the market, and they range in price anywhere from $25 to $300 per roll. Also available today are “green” wallpapers for healthy environments. Many of the larger manufacturers now have websites where you can look at the collections and price lists online. Check out fschumacher.com and osborneandlittle.com to see what we mean. You don’t have to go your local Design and Decorating building or your town’s paint store to bring home wallpaper books anymore. Hooray! Wallpaper can be the predominant feature in a room if you want it to be. Many, but not all wall coverings are washable, but like paint, they will get scuffed-up and even sometimes fade, depending upon the light. If you make sure to prepare your walls well for wallpaper, you can change the wallpaper out if you chose to over time. It can be expensive, but, so can a good paint job, and if the walls are really in horrific condition, sometimes wallpaper can be a smart choice over paint. Below, look through the glass paneled doors to see the original hand painted wallpaper in the foyer of my client’s apartment–I’lldefinately be taking its boldness into consideration when making a selection for the outside hallway.I think I’m just a sucker for painted wallpaper. It’s like putting art all over the walls. I wish more homes would still use papers like this one. The brown background juxtapositioned with the floor pattern is super chic. This photo also came from a House Beautiful issue (July 2009) showing off this exquisite Miles Redd designed entryway.
I’ll keep you in the loop as we make our recommendations for the hallway next week. It’ll be fun to hang up a few samples on the wall and see what feels right. – S & L

This weekend, we visited Milwaukee (my husband’s hometown). Don’t underestimate this mid-western city. To begin with, The Milwaukee Art Museum, expanded in 2001 by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, is one of the most beautiful and impressive structures in the country with two enormous metal wings soaring out over Lake Michigan. And then there is the food, and I’m not just talking about Kopps Frozen Custard, which is delicious all year round. Milwaukee has many excellent restaurants, like Sanford, which made Gourmet magazines list of the top 50 Restaurants in America. Thanks in part to the new Milwaukee Public Market, fresh ingredients from local farmers are brought into the city every day. We treated ourselves to steak and truffle frites at Carnevor restaurant on Saturday night-(a great rib-eye topped with melted butter, and great service). For me, starting the morning sipping a latte and munching on fresh baked scones at Milwaukee’s own Alterra Coffee at the Lake is my idea of heaven. Of course, no trip to Milwaukee would be complete without stopping by our favorite local consignment shop, Chattel Changers, on Capitol Drive in Shorewood. The knowledgeable owners of Chattel Changers sell furniture, antiques, decorative accessories, fine jewelry, china, silver, crystal, glassware, pictures, and collectibles.
Here are some of the treasures I found. I love to imagine the interiors of the homes where many of these items once lived. The next time there is a house tour in this area, please count me and Lauren in!
These elegant German dinner cups, saucers, and dessert plates from the 1930′s were part of a collection of a dozen or so. They were all different from each other and many of them had different markings including the one below, from Bavaria:Vintage jewelry (below) is one of Lauren’s passions. Many of these small accessories, pins, and bracelets were very inexpensively priced at under $15. Maybe it was a good thing that Lauren wasn’t with me on this trip. It would have been hard to get her to leave!Many complete china dinnerware collections were for sale. I’ve always like the way the Chattel Changer experts tuck their coffee cups into each other in a circle.It could be that I had Valentine’s day on my brain, but these bright red sherbet glasses caught my eye. They’d also look wonderful during the holiday entertaining season. I’d much rather purchase these than buy a knock-off at a retail store.Speaking of entertaining, how elegant is this lusterware cream and sugar set (below), complete with its own matching tray? For those of you who love blue and white kitchens, these antique English blue and white canisters (below) are a great find. We’ve noticed many pieces of English Beswick pottery on our trips to Milwaukee. This one was a great example. Look at that face!
Here’s what the stamp looks like:This pair of tall ceramic lamps caught my eye. They have raised snowflake patterns around the perimeter. They’d be really pretty in a bedroom with the right lampshades.And, last but not least, the best find of the day? This amazing Japanese silver platter and service including coffee pot, sugar, creamer and waste pot with lid. All in mint condition. The owner said she was clearing out an estate and found the entire set hidden in a closet covered in black. It had been there for decades.The platter was absolutely exquisite, extra large in size, with a really unique and beautiful pattern engraved in the surface. I could not walk away from this piece–it spoke to me. I think it will be perfect as the basis of Lauren’s first bar. Cocktails anyone? -S & L

This past Saturday we partnered up with clothing line Per Se to showcase some of our favorite trends for spring 2010. Our goal was really to show how a mother and daughter can make the same (or very similar) pieces work, and that those pieces should be ones you will have in your closet for a lifetime. Using a lot of our own accessories and shoes, we personalized the Per Se pieces to make them feel like us. We had so much fun working with designer Susan Klope and the rest of the Per Se/Carlisle team. Hope these pictures inspire you to start thinking about what you’ll be wearing this spring…if it ever gets here, that is! Below, me and mom workin’ the same tweed dress…very ladies who lunch
This was one of my favorite looks for both of us. I loved how they both mixed bohemian, yet urban elements.
Mom in the black mirrored jacket and ruffle skirt accessorized with a fab Lanvin necklace. She looked so HOT in this combo!
If I could live in these cropped black pants, I would (and maybe I just will…). I have accumulated so many pairs of them over the years, so when I tell you that Per Se’s are really great you should believe me–I have tried them all! Worn with their adorable shrunken neon jacket and a St. James tee. Accessorized with the requisite MKS bracelets.
When we first went in to style the looks for the event, we both gravitated immediately towards these sequin dresses. How perfect would they have been for New Year’s Eve?! Mom wore hers with her favorite Prada heels (consigned) and a great leather coat. I went a little wild with this one and had it shortened about nine inches! You have to go all out with a dress like this! Accessorized with a Lanvin necklace and Fendi heels. Thanks to all who came out for the event! We loved seeing/meeting you all. – L