Charisa Nicole

The Real Barbie Beach House

2009-04-16T22:47:00.011-06:00

I thought the day would never come! In honor of Barbie's 50th anniversary, Mattel and the fabulous designer Jonathan Adler created a real 3,500 square foot Barbie Beach House in Malibu. He will also be creating a Barbie suite at the Palms in Vegas....

Chandelier made of doll hair...

Woud love to see Vintage Barbie Beach House now....

Monsieur Jean-Louis Deniot - My Biggest Design Crush

2009-04-06T15:03:00.019-06:00

Back in 2006 I was working on a project with Tatterdemalion for the amazing Jean-Louis Deniot in Apsen, CO. The whole trip was...crazy... Instead of staying in a hotel in Aspen we stayed at Patricia Gorman's Aspen home: B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. Right in Downtown Aspen, it's a completely restored 1890's bungalow. Although, I had to share a sofa bed with my boss DiAnne- that wasn't the most remarkable part of the trip. I discovered Jean-Louis who I will "design stalk" for the rest of my life.

After a long day of working on the multi home Aspen ranch with Jean-Louis we came back to Patricia's house, where he was staying as well, and had homemade yummy yummy dinner; cracked open the liquor armoire and had drinks by the fire while snow fell outside. I must say that Jean-Louis is one of the most strapping, charming men I've ever seen in person; very cultured and intriguing with his very strong french accent, and he knows it. What is it with Frenchmen?! I felt like I was in a movie as we conversed (I was belle, he was Gaston)... We talked about design, college, and a few other things that prompted me to ask if he worked through design school. He said, "Of course, because I like to drink fine wine."

"Fine wine" is exactly what makes great design possible- not just the juice, but the ambiance of occasions, the appreciation of culture, traveling, working hard, meeting amazing people and getting to know who they are, plus being blessed with impeccable taste and extraordinary clients.

What a design genius:

If I understood French, I would know what he's up to below...
If you're still hungry take a look at his portfolio (especially Aspen)... you will love it!

How life was meant to be-

2009-04-01T15:05:00.007-06:00

This is how I want to sleep: In luxurious fabulousness, with tons of red and drapes and velvet, with plenty of chocolate on my bedside table. Yes!

Hooray for wallpapered bathrooms!

2009-03-26T13:49:00.007-06:00

I've been spending every other Wednesday @ Ruth and Clarence's charming rancher in the Hills; she's 86 and he's 90. Their decor is straight out of 1960- fabulous wallpaper all over the place. So inspiring!

Images courtesy of google, flickr, and my personal "uncredited" collection

A Bathroom for the Birds?

2009-02-24T15:07:00.007-07:00

Check out my plans for our one and only bathroom below! Thoughts? (Besides how awesome Polyvore is.)

The swatches under the swan dish represent the stone we already have in the space, as well as the new wall color. A great monochromatic scheme to maximize the space because it is so small, with gleaming accents such as the Tiffany- esque light fixture. The fabulous bird art is from Anthropologie. I'm going to have a bird in every room- maybe a real one! Like this guy at the Feathered Family (a bird rescue in Erie):

He's a peach faced Love Bird named Sammie, and he needs a home. Maybe my home... but probably not- Todd's favorite word is "No" just like a cute sassy little toddler. Waddya think of the bathroom plans?

Sometimes we hug...

2009-02-10T17:29:00.001-07:00

oh! JUICY

2008-08-30T10:38:00.002-06:00

mmm cupcakes

2008-08-30T10:32:00.004-06:00

Don't you wish you could just take one right off your screen? Well come over and you might get one!

Ra Ra RA!

2008-08-25T22:22:00.002-06:00

***Fun Green Housekeepers Needed***

My small but growing green cleaning company is hiring housekeepers. Need to LOVE cleaning, be very thorough and efficient, and be very presentable. Have fun... listen to music and get a great workout while you work!

All products used are: nontoxic, no harmful fumes, hypoallergenic, no volatile organic cleaning compounds, and are formulated without hazardous chemicals... So you won't keel over after using them all day!

Reliable transportation required... mileage reimbursable. Part-time to start with more hours possible. If you only want to work one or two days per week, that's fine too- Please send me an email including all relevant experience and information, the area you live in, and a photo if possible. Thank you!

Just a little nuts...

2008-08-25T19:16:00.005-06:00

I always think I'm nuts because although I have an super active right brain that I favor, my strong left brain condemns my right brained activity constantly and visa-versa. They work against each other like two separate opposite personalities. I'm not calling myself Einstein, but I'm sure a lot of famous inventors/eccentrics had some problems being a little nuts because of this very reason. Am I alone in this people???

I want a metal tree house Daddy! I want a metal tree house NOW!

2008-08-20T09:55:00.001-06:00

Sean Orlando’s “Steampunk Tree House” evokes a vision of the future and the past. In a world with no trees there may be replicas, Orlando writes in an artist statement. His tree house is made of rusty machinery and gears and gives off steam in a nod to circa-1900s steam technology.

Not So Girly

2008-08-19T09:35:00.017-06:00

Design is not just for girls! Men/Boys/Gents/Lords and Lad's appreciate a down stuffed sofa on occasion as well. So here we go-

I'll add more later :) Wish I knew my sources right now...

Let me erase the month of June-

2008-06-24T21:49:00.006-06:00

What have I been up to? Well since you didn't ask I think I'll share....

The last month has been schmeared with nuts and fruit and other stuff too.

I started a small cleaning company called GREEN CLEAN- cleaning with all green non-toxic products. Oh yeah! It's my dream to clean houses, wear rubber gloves and vacuum in pearls... nothing like a bright shiny smile while I scrub until I sweat, and try not to breathe through my nose while I pry things from a dirty toilet. Not really- my vision is to get a good clientele and hire help and then more help... and possibly sell out. Hopefully it will be a good thing to take up some time and make some moolah between design jobs RIGHT?!??! We'll see about that. ANYWAY the website is: http://www.greencleanllc.com/

I wish I would put some work into my REAL career- interior design. If people ask me what I do, of course I say "interior design", and not "I'm a housekeeper"... Because interior design is what I want to do, and what I was meant to do. Figuring out how to make money doing it on my own terms is the hard part. I have no idea how all the other "artistic" interior designers fit into the 9-5 mold: trudge to their cube M-F, and work on some big team where some math teacher esque person asks them why they recommend Mrs. Jabberwalk have Scottish plaid roman shades and alligator skin bar stools with velvety green backs. WHY??? Because I think it's freakin fabulous.

Then next story of the month??? Let me show you:

That's Finchy. He's my favorite thing in the whole world.

Todd and I went out of town and left Finchy with George to doggy sit... George left him at his friends house and told me to go get him when we got back. I went there to SOUTH FEDERAL and the GHETTO to pick him up and he was not there. As in stolen.

For the next two days we spent $150 on fliers alone just posting them everywhere and giving them to everyone. It figures that as soon as we printed a specific large reward on the flier that we got a phone call as to where he was... plus like 50 other phone calls of lovely people saying "eh, man, I got your dog eh". (Curse me for encouraging dog theft) Turns out he was being held up at the local lowrider shop that sells rims and tires, just being turned into a tire junkyard fighting dog. SO dirty, with raw paws hiding inside a row of tires. Of course he still had his collar on with all the contact numbers available- but never called. Maybe they didn't call because they don't SPEAK ENGLISH! *#$%(*)@^

I am SOOOOO happy to have him back, but the experience took the puppy right out of him. He's scared of strangers, dark men, doesn't get very excited by people anymore... and is just kinda different. I'm so saddened by the evil of some people. I would rather scrub 30 toilets with no gloves than be anywhere near that neighborhood for 1 minute ever again.

Ug this is a depressing post- I quit.

Sunset

2008-05-14T15:20:00.005-06:00

Even though I just got back, I'd like to take off again... Colorado is pretty, but a sunset like this is gorgeous... These pictures were taken from the Sunset Bar at Las Brisas. aaaaah

Spring!

2008-05-13T09:52:00.021-06:00

It's the time of year when we people from Colorado start spending more time outside... no more frost bite! We're trying to get our front and back yard in order so that it's not so embarrassing. The sad truth of it is that it will be a while before we get the situation under control. We did plant grass in the front yard!! Observe:

No Grass...

Grass!

Don't you love our blue front door?? Oh I do.

I'm planting in the boxes all around the yard... a really inexpensive way to plant is to sprout the seeds yourself! Go buy: Little plastic greenhouses, pete moss discs, the seeds of your choice, and follow the instructions on the package. Wallah!

It's an amazing process to watch the seeds grow... and it only takes a few days.

After weeks of yard work, I start to loose interest so trying to get inspired I found fabulous landscape designer Megan Van Linda's website- I'm inspired now.

Now go plant some succulents and moss in a clam shell...

Larry Laslo

2008-05-12T09:47:00.006-06:00

...is an interior designer based in New York. If you get a chance check out his really fabulous portfolio- you won't be disappointed. If Todd actually read my blog, he would know that I'm going to turn our dining area PINK.

Ah, the beauty and mystique of black and white! Raaaar

I want to ride my bicycle!!

2008-05-06T14:20:00.007-06:00

Every year around this time when the weather is nice I get SO MAD! About 3 years ago my sister's friend borrowed my super cool bike and it "accidentally" got sold at their garage sale. The anger inside never goes away... especially because I still haven't replaced it and I desperately want to ride my bicycle. This is the one that I want:

Just kidding. Maybe something easier to wash like this:

I hear there's a super cool bike shop in Boulder on Pearl Street that has the best cruisers ever with Louis Vuitton seats! This one time Kanye West touched my arm at LAX and told me my arms were firm, so now I love Louis Vuitton more than ever.

I notoriously have a horrible memory, but for some reason I can remember every last detail of every time I've been stolen from or taken advantage in a similar way. Even three years ago obviously. Maybe I need therapy! Not kidding... I find myself drinking some Pinot Tuesday at 2:53 to calm my nerves regarding theft. Is it just me? Or are you still pretty mad about that time someone stole your car stereo 5.3 years ago too?

Ah Kelly Clarkson!

2008-05-03T10:01:00.008-06:00

Last night.... I was Designated Dave... that's a new scenario for me. Anytime I step foot into The Rio (even just for lunch) I know someone better step up for the noble duty. What the heck is in those margs??!!? Do any of you have the recipe?

Anyway, we ended up at a hole in the wall karaoke bar (Todd's favorite). I didn't wanna be a total stiff person so I danced and stuff but sheesh that place wasn't as much fun as I usually think it is. Todd impressively did some Jay Z, said "I'm just not feeling it tonight", and we left at a late hour. Apparently he was "feeling" Kelly Clarkson because that's what he insisted upon listening to all the way home.

Good news- I feel FABULOUS today. HA HA all you fun havers last night!

ooooh aaaah

2008-04-25T23:37:00.005-06:00

Hot dog! I have a blog.

I meant to do this along time ago, but I was busy getting hitched. Too preoccupied kissing and smiling and taking pictures of myself...

This is so exciting though! There's a whole house at my fingertips that needs to be finished and re-decorated, and re-designed and RE everything... I'll be taking pictures and posting the juicy deets all along the way. Plus I'm learning to cook.

Don't worry, I'll only post really good stuff. xo