Seattle's Next Top Mansion

You Guys! Don't miss this opportunity to weigh in on your favorite manse, brought to you by Seattle Met - now, I think their lack of info on these residences means they want you to buy the issue to see all the groovy pictures, but I decided that myself and all of you are very educated on mansions, and we are frankly overqualified to judge. I did find this little slideshow online...vote for your favorite!

Log Cabin aka Log Recording Studio

Check out this awesome "log cabin" that my good blog tipper, Alicia, sent me! Built by Piet Hein Eek for a musician who needed an inspiring place to play music. It's also a recording studio! Alicia and I agreed though that the interior needs some decorative flair - a little Apartment Therapy love and color perhaps. I think that the monochromatic blue isn't doing much for the tiny space. {via trendir}

Hot Manse Alert!

Well, I couldn't let this one go by without a blog post.

Check out the Most expensive Capitol Hill home to date! $11.2 Million MYSTERY MANSION:

"Magnificent Georgian-style home with beautiful grounds and sweeping western views. Designed by Carl Gould, completed in 1912, meticulously updated. Gated entry with circular drive and porte cochere. Grand scale rooms with exquisite millwork, walnut floors and high ceilings. Elegant formals; paneled library; kitchen with marble counters and top-notch appliances; cozy den; sunroom; 5 bedrooms; 8½ baths; 7 fireplaces; 2 offices; media room; stone terrace; 2-level lawn; spa; elevator; 2 garages."

Seriously, look at this kickass VERANDA - I would die to have a party on this terrace. Amazeballs!

I love this

Ok so all this summer various neighbors have been doing MAJOR home improvement projects, one after the other. Every time one house wraps up their project, the one next door starts building a new deck, putting on an edition, painting, etc. Oh, the painting. So much painting! I kindof love all of that, because who doesn't love some before/after transformation?! They say painting is the easiest and cheapest way to make a huge impact. True Story. So I've watched as several houses have changed their color. Some have been upgrades, but others have been...lateral moves in my opinion. Lots of people around here enjoy the colors "taupe" and "gray". Nothing wrong with those, in fact, I think most people would prefer them over something too loud or garish. And our neighbs did a cute thing with grey, then dark trim accents and a bright yellow door! (oh so beachy).

Clearly, I have opinions. I am cursed. Anyway, Pearl and I were walking this morning and a house in our 'hood that's been renovating for a while had a giant sign out front that said, "What Color Should This House Be?", with a website. Um....youbetcherass I was gonna go check that out.

See? You can vote on GreenCanopyHomes.com:

BRILLIANT! I think everyone should do this. I am really torn between the "Windham Cream" and the "Louisburg Green"...what do you guys think? What color would you vote for?

The Real Downton Abbey

Oh my gah thank you Krystal who just sent me this link about "The Colorful Countess Behind Downton Abbey" - wow. How fabulous would it be to have our wedding at the real-life Highclere Castle?! Also, I totally want to be an awesome cougar mansion-owner who dies at 93 in a manse that I've decided at one time to turn into a "high society nursing home". Sounds like Almina, Countess of Carnarvon,was a total badass. I can't wait to have another viewing party for Season 2! {check out more info on the Highclere Castle site}

Hangin' Around the 'Hood

I haven't been the best blogger lately. It's a bummer because I love chatting with You Guys! But for right now blogging is still just a hobby, and I've got to stay the course for my "career transformation" path - this is mostly what I've been doing lately, Stylin' with CSS, and a cocktail (not usually with a cocktail):

That fancy glass is from Keene's uncle Kim - what an awesome gift, right? They were his graduation from law school present. We are making good use out of them! Classin' up the every day :)

I've also been spending a lot of time with this fool:

She needs lots of walks. Thankfully, we don't mind walking around our neighborhood one bit.

This is along the little "promenade" that some Queen Anne residents made sure was built back in the day. So grateful to those folks!

And then this is what The Pearl does intermittently for the whole walk:

She is just very curious. She also likes the view.

That there's your Magnolia off to the right...

And then there's all the mansions to look at. For example: this person's house. What if THAT was your view from your backyard???

Oh, and I can't believe it took six months for us to discover THE MANSION TO END ALL MANSIONS. This thing takes up the entire block!!! We never noticed it before because it's all surrounded in bushes. CRAZY.

This is what I imagine "Pearl's World" to be like:

Do you think she has any idea she pees in one of the nicest viewpoints in the city every day?

Yeah, probably not. Well, at least I can enjoy it's fabulousness!

Downton Abbey!

Ahhhh, the good ole days! When you had a mansion and keeping it's integrity was #1. Downton Abbey is a miniseries on PBS and it stars none other than a totally hot manse. So I HAD to see it of course.

Our friend Josiane got her hands on this highly sought-after DVD from the library and holeee-crap this show is so good! We decided to make it a viewing event and theme-out our eats:

Those would be English Tea Sandwiches of smoked salmon and dill, and the classic "Cucumber Sandwiches". YUM! Also tea cookies (naturally) and some berries for a non-carb :) I'd like to tell you we drank the tea we had but we had Summer Beers instead (thanks Bethany for introducing me to this - you are brilliant. Also note: using cheap beer is crucial).

Check it:

Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.

You Guys: Thank Jeeze there is a 2nd Season coming of Downton! I have to know what happens to hot Matthew!

Arrrrrrrgh! This bedroom is off the Hook.

Um....a dad had this crazy amazing bedroom designed for his 6-year-old son. It's CRAZY cool. I mean, right?! How will this kid ever understand the magnitude of how special this room is compared to all other kids rooms?! {check it out here}

Upcyled...HOMES!

Loving this repurposed grain-silo HOUSE!

Awesome Spaces

Who doesn't want to just stare wistfully at some "Awesome Spaces" all day? Especially if you live in the PNW where we don't get warmer temperatures until June sometimes it seems! (ready for a real Spring around here)...

Recognize? It's our own Mt. Vernon...

Around the Ole Internet...

Just because I'm a blog slacker doesn't mean I stop reading the internet! Nope, not for a second, People.

Check out this San Juan Island for sale, sent to me from Alica, our resident real estate huntress:

Fantastic, right?

And another tip she sent - what a hot mansion! Oh, the entertaining possibilities...

I have scouters all over the internet, y'all! Here's a list of Fabulous American Castles for Sale sent to me from Josiane. I particularly fancy this little number:

The Searles Hopkins Castle: $11 Million.

Phew! Those are some hot properties. In other links...I'm currently obsessed with Snippet & Ink's wedding video by Sandbox Love. Like...obsessed.

Where was this list for me in January? How to Survive When Everything Sucks. {via Gala}

@Humblebrag's twitter feed is hilarious. {via Gala}

Apparently coloring in eyebrows is a whole thing that lots of ladies do? I already take waaay too long to get ready, so I don't know if I could start doing this everyday as well. Do any of you ladies really do this? Here's a how-to tutorial. {via CapHillStyle}

Brace Yourselves...

...It's Casa Batlló time! This was by-far one of my favorite things we went to in Barcelona, and on our entire trip as well. It was truly nothing like anything I'd ever seen before. Casa Batlló is one of Gaudi's most popular designs. It's an apartment building quietly sitting on a beautiful block of buildings near La Rambla.

Y'All get ready for a lot of pictures (couldn't narrow them down)...

Tile, tile, and more tile. The facade looks "skeletal"

THE window to have.

A rainbow of tile...

Looking up.

Stairway - backbone, anyone? Gaudi was not subtle.

Just your average window...

Gaudi employed a bunch of VERY skilled artisans for all the craftsmanship of this apartment.

I got arty-farty again...

Skylights, woodwork, stained glass, oh my!

THE window from inside.

Best craftroom ever, right?

Chandelier | Window.

Old | New | NewOld

Seriously. These doors.

Shell-like ceiling.

Arches like I've never seen...

This is how Gaudi chandeliers.

Looking out.

This tilework is on the patio in the back of the property.

So, after I'd been to NY for the first time, I'd watch tv and be all "I've been there! And there! And there!"...you suddenly recognize all these iconic locations that are on tv all the time....or, you get back from Spain and promptly resume watching cultural garbage like Jersey Shore and what do you notice on the walls of those guido kids' beach house?

If you are me you're all, "omigod, that artwork is of the tile in Casa Batlló!"
True story.

This is looking up at the roof from the back of the property. More tile.

Ok now. The atrium. Can I get a witness? He graduated the blue tones of the tile so that it got darker as it got closer to the top. This gave the illusion of space and light, the lighter tile being at the bottom of the bldg where the least amount of light was, and the darker tile at the top with the most light. You get it...

There was an actual apartment in this bldg that is occupied! Lucky Person.

Again. Picture taken through the glass lining the stairwell...Gaudi is not being subtle about his water reference...

Cool eh?

I died when I saw this door. Custom font numbers too!

Top floor hallway.

I mean, vertebrae, right?

Then...at the end of the tour...holographic Gaudi? Somehow this seemed wrong and weird.

Finally: THE ROOF!

Chimneys. I think.

Dragon's back? Oh and some religion. Gaudi loves to sprinkle some Catholicism everywhere.

Three sisters.

Rooftop looking down into the neighbors yard. Neighborhood mansion watch!

This neighbor's yard is in my opinion awesome. Wonder if they do weddings.

Look at this guy. Awesome fiance. With some light reflections arty fartiness.

Sittin' on a Gaudi sculpture.

Making him pose too.

Couples!!!

Another awesome building on this block.

It's good to know your neighbors. If you live in a Gaudi house.

You Guys, if you go to Barcelona - Casa Batlló is an absolute MUST SEE!!!