Serendipitous Gardening

This was supposed to be a post on my love for conservatories. How I love the architecture of these stunning spaces because they allow you to see the bare bones of the building... just glass and metal rising all around you.

The Bronx Botanical Gardens Enid A. Haupt Conservatory (via Flickr.)

Belle Isle Conservatory, Detroit MI. (via Flickr.)

How they are full of contrasts. That feeling of being, at once, indoors and out. The wildness of plants growing all around you, knowing, of course, that they are actually perfectly kept in this magical space...

The Conservatory at Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania (via Flickr.)

And, how no matter where you are in the world, these spaces can make even the gaudiest, most bare, or dirtiest city spaces, absolutely beautiful...

The Conservatory at The Bellagio, Las Vegas (via Flickr.)

But, as I began my digging through hundreds of photos, I started seeing more and more orangeries as well as conservatories. Why had I not thought to include them in my search!?


Typically reserved for a section of large estates, orangeries could built as a part of the home, creating beautiful light filled spaces to capture sunshine in the winter.


I love the idea of having a small orangerie attached to the house! I would definitely use it as my escape during the coldest months. The classic architecture and floor-to-ceiling windows might be second only to my love of churches... which is why stumbling upon this amazing site during my search made me swoon...


This site is completely dedicated to abandoned buildings and has some absolutely haunting images.


See? Churches. I love them.

I poked around the site a bit more, then continued my digging for more inspiring gardens and orangeries, which is how I found myself at my final destination...


I think I could settle in here for a while, don't you? La Madone is a beautiful home in Luberon, in Provence. Won't you come inside?

The kitchen.

The salon in one of the apartments available to rent.

The pool for sweet summer lounging.

A bedroom for long afternoon naps.

And, of course, the orangerie that let me to it in the first place. *sigh* Sweet serendipity! I can't wait to see where you'll take me next.

I Love...

I know, I know. The Nautical thing is so blogged out. But I love it. I love the ocean, I love the preppy nautical style. I love boys who wear boat shoes and super tan girls in white bikinis lounging on yachts. So when I saw this piece, I kinda fell in love...



The Cape Lodge Chest from Ralph Lauren Home totally appealed to my nautical senses a couple months ago. The combination of brass and polished wood reminds me of the gorgeous sailboats harbored in the Marina that I lust after as I make my way to the pool on the weekend.

And, as a total tangent... this reminds me of a blog I stumbled upon today:







This adorable little houseboat is the property of an amazing blogger and stylist, Pia Jane Bijkerk, who recently revealed some gorgeous before and after shots of her previous home in Paris right here on Design Sponge. Don't you love seeing real spaces and learning about the people who live in them?

If you've never read Pia's blog - check it out. It's absolutely full of inspiration!

Tangents in Blogland

Have you ever had a moment driving somewhere - your course completely mapped out - and then you get to a detour sign, or hit some awful traffic, and you think, "Hmmm... I think if I go down this other road and through some obscure neighborhood, I'm pretty sure it'll set me out right where I want to be..." And off you go on a little adventure.

Sometimes, you end up driving through a part of town that makes you want to roll up your windows, lock your doors, and say a little prayer. And sometimes, you end up in the most adorable neighborhood ever. So much so that you want to park your car, knock on a door, and ask if you could just maybe possibly move in to the carriage house in the back please? (Welcome to LA, by the way).

Well, this blog post has nothing to do with neighborhoods. But it does have to do with tangents. Many times, maneuvering the streets of blogland, you end up clicking through to some hideous blogs featuring crazy HGTV crafty explosions, and you indeed want to roll up your window and avoid eye contact.

Other days, you click... and you find inspiration. Then you click again... and again... and before you know it you've stumbled upon some of the most beautiful decor, photography, fashion, (insert obsession here) you've ever seen.

Welcome to Tangents in Blogland. From now on, whenever this wonderful moment happens upon me, I will post it... because, really, it's too good NOT to share.

So here we go - Tangents in Blogland - the inaugural post...

Last week, I was browsing through some of the new blogs I've recently added to my blogroll, and came upon this post at Nibs featuring gorgeous photos of greenhouses... which happen to be a bit of a random obsession of mine...



I've always wanted to have one. Get married in one. Host garden parties in one. Something. And, I then, I sat there thinking... where did this obsession start? And, I'm pretty sure it was here...



The Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle.



When we still lived in LA growing up, my family used to go visit my grandmother in Seattle, and I'm fairly certain we made a trip here because I have a very fuzzy memory of it that obviously stuck with me. It's a beautiful park, featuring the Asian Art Museum, little wandering paths, and surrounded by the eclectic Capitol Hill neighborhood, so if you're in Seattle, go check it out.

Anyways... here I am searching around for photos of the gorgeous conservatory, and I stumble upon these...





A-MAZING wedding photography from John & Joseph Photography, and their blog which featured those shots in the conservatory above and much much more...





... like these very cool, Vanity Fair spread worthy bridal party shots. (My bride-to-be friends... take note!)




Crafty compositions like this reflection-in-the-rear-view-mirror moment.






And, of course, pure wedded bliss.



Which reminds me...

My friend Ashley from high school now owns a successful photography business of her own - One Thousand Words Photography.



And she's got the beginnings of her own website right here at Ashley Delatour. AND, I want those pink poppies for my wedding (we'll just tuck that away in the 'someday' file...).

Tangent complete - for now. Not a bad neighborhood to stumble upon, right? And when Ashley sends me some of her travel photos I'm sure I'll be posting them... and then who knows where that adventure will take us!