While in Steamboat Springs a few weeks ago, I went to check out David Chase Rugs & Furniture. Situated right off of main street as soon as you drive into town, their highly visible location makes the store hard to miss. Having never been into the store before, I expected to only find rugs and large pieces of furniture. While a majority of the store houses beautiful couches, coffee tables and rugs, I also found myself lost in their “nook,” which features smaller items that make great gifts. What captured my attention throughout the store most (apart from my wishing I could add a whole new set of furniture for my house to my wedding registry) were the funky animals throughout the space.

Their rugs, hand-woven in places like Romania, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Nepal, India and China, are, of course, the true show-stoppers in the store (go here to check out the full collection). I also found myself drawn to this coffee table, which features a base that comes up through the entire table. Visiting the store is a must the next time you are in Steamboat!

It’s not every day that you walk into a store filled with such uncommon, unexpected and beautiful antiques and accessories that it brings back wonderful memories of simpler days filled with the warmth of home, family and friends. Old Glory Antiques at the Streets at SouthgGlenn did just that for me yesterday. Everywhere I looked, I found special pieces both big and small that would bring comfort and beauty into my home.

They’ve filled their store with a beautiful collection of both old and new furnishings, from across the country and abroad, that will help you create harmony and serenity in your home. You’ll find older items that have been salvaged and made into chic tables of reclaimed lumber and steel, and metal gear parts that now compose fabulous chandeliers. And within their cupboards and cubbies you will find old favorites: Gracewords flatware, Root candles, Local Wisdom cards, Waxing Poetic jewelry, gorgeous lighting from Cake and galvanized tin home décor pieces from Abode. As Holly, the owner, says, “Decorating is about creating a comfortable, nurturing environment that is a reflection of who you are and what you value most.” I couldn’t agree more.

I just got word that Red Varden Studios in L.A. is looking for a dynamic female landscape designer for an upcoming national TV show. Prior television experience is not required, but you need to be comfortable in front of the camera. They want someone who can talk about landscape design, gazebos, pools, decking, barbecues, etc.

Wouldn’t it be great if that someone came from Colorado?

Go to Red Varden’s website for more details. And let us know if you’re chosen!

As I was digging out of my email this morning (those East Coast PR firms get an early start), I found this squeal-worthy bit of news: The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust is offering Architecture Fantasy Camp at Wright’s home and studio in Oak Park, IL from Oct. 3 to 6. Each participants gets to plan and design a structure of their own creation with help from real-life architects. (Camp is only for non-architects.) Maybe you want to build an addition onto your home, or redesign your kitchen. Can you imagine how fabulously inspiring it would be to create the plans for those spaces in Wright’s original drafting room?

I really want to go.

If you want to go, too, check out GoWright.org for more information and to make your reservation.

P.S. I lived in Chicago for six years, and nearby Oak Park is a charming locale. I spent many a happy afternoon leading friends and family members along the walking tour of Wright’s homes, which fill the neighborhood.

The dining room in Wright’s home. How fabulous are those chairs?

One of Wright’s designs, now a private home in Oak Park.

It’s been a hot, hot summer and when those of us that live in Denver want to escape the heat, we think of a getaway to the mountains…Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen…lots of music festivals and cooler temps! But less than an hour’s drive from Denver, you can experience both cool breezes and world-class music at the Central City Opera’s summer music festival. The second oldest annual professional opera festival in the country, Central City Opera continues to make history with three productions each year: one opera favorite, one American work, and one lesser-known piece.

Last Thursday night, a group of real estate brokers from Coldwell Banker Devonshire joined me for dinner at Kevin Taylor’s Rouge Restaurant in the historic Teller House, where the Central City Opera performs. No casino food for us; instead we dined on lightly smoked Berkshire pork chops, artichoke and haystack goat cheese ravioli, and for dessert, morello cherry crisp with toasted almond gelato…Absolutely exquisite food and service!

On to the opera house to enjoy Three Decembers–a powerful drama about a Broadway diva and her children that reveals the dangers of keeping family secrets. If you prefer comedy, fun and the can-can dance that evokes the days of Moulin Rouge, there’s still time to see Orpheus in the Underworld. And what opera-lover can resist one of the great classics…Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini. Don’t wait to buy your tickets; the last performance is August 7th. Click here for more info.

So the next time you want to “get out of Dodge,” head to Central City and enjoy the opera. And who knows, after the performance, if you’re game enough, you might even strike it rich!

Even though we write about home design (and related topics) almost all of the time, I always say that I love ALL design–from really cool industrial work to beautiful packaging. (Speaking of which, these new green Bon Ami cleaning products have the best labels, don’t you think?)

Here are a few things I’m admiring today…

These pretty custom silhouette necklaces from Le Papier Studio. I know silhouettes are everywhere, but I just love the idea of preserving my 15-month-old’s sweet profile in this way!

I could pretend to be sipping my coffee at a bistro table in Provence if I had these tea towels from Bochard.

(Ok, I admit that I’m crazy about tea towels these days. If you’re looking for a great–and inexpensive–way to add a bit of artistic flair to your kitchen, buy three tea towels with different but complementary styles and have them framed. Viola!)

So here’s another great source of French tea towels, particularly for wine-lovers among us. This company reproduces famous wine labels on tea towels. Tres chic.

These cards are the perfect gift for the font geek in your life. (Guilty as charged.)

And finally, how about this pretty vintage vase? Just makes me smile.

A new design group is in town that we want to introduce you to–the 15th Street Design District. Composed of a mix of architects, interior and kitchen designers, construction engineers, and web and graphic designers, this group has one thing in common: a knack for creative design. Located in one of the newer areas of Boulder (between Canyon & Arapahoe on 15th), this row of designers is community focused; rather than working apart in these competitive times, they’re uniting to create awareness of good design in Boulder. Last week, the team hosted their first (and certainly not last) “Design Walk” for the public (photos below). They described the event as a “beacon for artistic souls and creative minds,” and it was an opportunity for anyone and everyone to congregate, explore the various studios, discuss design and market trends, and explain the process of their work from start to completion. The event was such a success, the group is hoping to hold another open house this fall. Click here to visit their website, and get to know the members of the group:

sparn.com, studio3design.info, workshop8.us, candyshopboulder.com, sustainablybuilt.com, hmhai.com, samuelaustin.com, urbanweststudio.com, origingraphicdesign.com, treelineboulder.com, krdesignco.com, surroundarchitecture.com, mondorobot.com, bitshift.in, rpcarch.com, whiterockbldg.com