A fashionable bar

Designed by Moises Esquenazi and Associates

Not sure why, but this bar has a certain appeal, especially in an outdoor space. Is it the use of artwork? The low shelf? The light wood? Thoughts?

Stylish outdoor rugs

It's difficult to find an outdoor rug that isn't boring or a bit too "busy" for my taste. Ballard Design provides just the right answer with their Celia indoor/outdoor rug, which just happens to be on sale at the moment (bonus!).


We're hoping (emphasis on hoping) that our outdoor space is going to be completed in early 2010. One of these could be a contender for sure. Have you seen any other good outdoor rugs that are worth a peek?

For family and friends

Okay, okay, I'll stop posting inspiration pics and put a few photos of our place up. I suppose that is what this site was intended for anyway.


This morning we had a lovely 7am walk with Jordan and Mr. Big's dad who is visiting. (Yes, you read that correctly, Mrs. Big was up at 7am on a Saturday...and I wasn't even grumpy. What is this world coming to?) After a few weeks of unusually cold weather (68 degrees!), it was a beautiful morning of clear skies and a slight breeze. Perfect for a few moments to appreciate how the house has taken shape.

But first, Jordan would like to say hello.

Hey mom, could say hi to everyone for me? I'll be extra good if they send their loves.

And show them how I like to find big sticks and run with them these days. Here I come!

So back to the regular broadcasting. The back of the house is taking shape. All of the painting has been completed except for the pavilion. Speaking of the pavilion, the Big Ass Fan has been installed and the ceiling stained dark. Now we're just waiting on the arrival of the doors before the exterior and interior walls will be completed. Mr. Big's barbeque space is taking shape inside and soon the island will be built.

The famous Big Ass Fan. This baby moves A LOT of air.

The walls will be painted white and be textured like stone.
Similar to our front door entrance here.

The barbeque pit with the BigGreen Egg and all.
Same stone used here as our interior stone wall.

In the meantime, our outdoor dining area is getting a lot of use. And surprise, surprise, my favorite Panton chairs have made an appearance outdoors. I'm probably the only one who uses them (or likes them), but hey, it's my house too.

The dock has been stained and is just awaiting the final coat. We've used some of the left over wood from the pavilion ceiling to build storage benches for boating supplies. It will get completed and stained soon.


My grandfather had the best idea for these large walls...allow colorful bouganvilla vines to grow down them. I'm looking forward to starting that and getting a few large pots on the dock. I'm turning into a green fiend!

The rest of the garden is really starting to fill in nicely. It's amazing to see how far the side yard has come in the last seven months since it was planted.

No question that we live in the Caribbean.
The palms are coming in nicely.

The side yard now has more green that brown. A triumph!

Love this full covering used by the landscapers.
Apparently so does Jordan...we regularly find two eyes peaking out at us under this coconut palm.

The back of the garage taking hold.

The landscaping over our unattractive gas tank.

And finally, Mr. Big recently fell in love with this outdoor set. After a fair bit of negotiation, it found it's way home onto our deck. We have been spending lots of time in these chairs lately.


It's nice to end the day enjoying a drink out here. But I must admit, I've had to back off the drinks lately. I don't think Mr. Big's vision of the house included a wife with a beer belly....

Hope you all enjoyed the update!

Cobalt blue and white

We currently have a jack-and-jill bathroom and two rooms decorated in various shades of mediteranean blue and white. Nick Olson at Dominomag's Daily Dose has highlighted a number of accessories that would work well, even in our outdoor space which we are contemplating continuing in the same theme.

Rothko print from Art.com

Garden stool from Pier 1

Tangiers rug from West Elm

Bento Storage Boxes by Pottery Barn

Big Ass Fan

My husband needled me into submission. He wanted a Big Ass Fan in our outdoor cabana. Did we need it? No. Are there other alternatives out there? Yes. And are they cheaper? Probably. At the end of the day, I could not overcome the fact that he wanted to tell his buddies that he had a Big Ass Fan. Makes no sense to me, but he absolutely loves it. And I love him, so I suppose it all has some warped logic. And besides, I eventually got my Panton chairs.

The future site of Mr. Big's baby

On Wednesday, I got an email stating that the newest member of our household had arrived. Yes, it was the fan. He rushed out of work so he could go see it...or the boxes actually. They need to anchor it properly so it may take a few weeks for it to be hung (at the rate we are going these days).

So why am I sharing this with you all? The story took a twist recently when it was realized that Mr. Big charged this fan with the wrong credit card...his corporate card. We work together and my assistant came to see me "about a confidential matter". She elaborated. "I'm not certain how to bring this to your attention, but it seems that your husband has run up quite a tab on a questionable internet site". Huh? "Yes, it's not my place to get involved but accounting felt uncomfortable speaking to you. Apparently he's a fan of rather large backsides...".

Hahahaha! We're going to get years of enjoyment out of this one...

Can we outlast the mosquitos? How about our own decisions?

As our outdoor boys room came up, we were so excited. A outdoor living space that gets amazing breezes, great afternoon shade, and more than it's fair share of mosquitoes. (Which of those doesn't sound like the others?) Moquitos you ask. Are they that bad? Do we really mind? Will it impact our grand entertaining plans? Unfortunately, after posing these questions for six months, the answer to all of the above was a resounding yes.

Once we decided that the mosquitoes were getting the best of us, it was time to figure out how to address them. Screens? Shutters? Doors? We ultimately decided on the later. And true to our construction experience to date, it is going to take quite a while to get them manufactured to match the rest of the house. Surprise, surprise.

Alas, the project is not entirely on hold. Last week we were fortunate enough to get the stained cedar ceiling in place. Wow, they really did a great job on it. Now that the floor is down, the ceiling in place, it is starting to look like a livable area.


And don't worry, the walls are not going to stay in the faux brick pattern as currently outlined. Eventually, they will mimic the textured finish on the interior of our front door entry. (Difficult to see but it is on the far wall in this photo)


The dark roof and light walls should keep the space very fresh and light, while tying in our dark doors. The team doing our finishing is m-e-t-i-c-u-l-o-u-s. They have even painted our outdoor speakers to blend into the stained cedar. Unbelievable. And not at our request!


So while it feels like we've completed the majority of the construction, that's really not the case. The doors will take a few more months, after which the cabana walls can be painted and the island installed.

So while we've effectively figured out how to deal with the mosquitoes, the question still remains as to whether we'll ever get out of our own way and let this house be completed. We're getting close (as we've been saying for over a year now...)

What have we here?

This was a last minute addition to our project. No, not the Great Expectations-like vines taking over the property, but the outdoor entertainment room, commonly referred to by our architect as the pavilion. I commonly refer to it as Mr. Big's outdoor sports bar. This is where we hope to barbeque, entertain, relax and all the other good things that you do outside on weekends.


It's positioned just off to the side of the house so that the run from the barbeque to the house isn't too challenging. :) Originally we were going to have French doors in each of the openings, but due to budget constraints, we will try and leave it open for the the first few years. Yes, there may be a time in the future when those doors get ordered. Until now, we will be mosquito terminators!


Our architect did a great job with the roof design. (There was a threat that it was going to have to be torn off last week, but I'm letting the memory become a bit more distant before I revisit here for your entertainment. Ugh). It will be great to see the underside once it's all been stained dark.


So there you have it...the very early images of Mr. Big's poolside party room. :)

Our new friend

My lovely husband came home with a new friend tonight...a companion that will be with us for a while and is sure to stir things up a bit.

Island cocktail blender station by Cal Flame

Island Cocktail Blender Station

This Island Cocktail Blender, made of commercial-grade 304 stainless steel, is the perfect accessory to your Outdoor Kitchen Island. Nothing beats the convenience of being able to blend your cocktails or ice cream shakes outside. While you are entertaining guests you can blend their favorite drink, and it’s conveniently located so you don’t have to walk too far from the grill. This Outdoor Kitchen Island Cocktail Blender from Cal Flame is one of the most innovative ideas yet. Now, you can have the essential items outdoor and maintain effortless catering to you friends and family.

Phew, it's good to know that we won't have to hoof it all the way into the house to plug in the blender to get you a drink. How yesterday. Boys and their toys.... :)

Outdoor wallpaper?

This concept by Brit Susan Bradley is really unique...a modern twist on the outdoor trellis. While it may not be practical, it is fun to dream...

...and seeing how outdoor entertaining is becoming increasingly popular, I wouldn't be surprised to see this catch on.

For some reason, these outdoor pieces put a smile on my face just thinking about them. And yes, I absolutely love the orange!


She also has these fanciful shelves that give the impression that they are growing on the wall, almost in the same manner as a vine or plant. Paired with a thin, minimalist ledge, they are a bit edgy at the same time.


Isn't it great to see a creative person come up with fun twists like she has?

To chimney or not to chimney

About a month before our construction started, my lovely husband threw all caution to the wind and decided that it was the right time to build his dream cabana. Scary? Yes. We were planning to do this in a few years but he reckoned that it would be more hassle to landscape and then tear it up shortly thereafter. While it does make things tight, tight, tight $-wise, I am really happy for him...he is more excited about this than any other aspect of the house.

Our architect drew up the plans as follows, but we just can't come to a conclusion on whether to keep the tall chimney or not. It's a bit of a Mediterranean feature that also encompasses the exhaust from the indoor grill. That being said, the grill could be vented straight through the roof. So what do you think...chimney or no chimney?


So let us know what you think. We're a bit all over the map on this one...unusual I know. :)