LINTELS + LALLIES BLOG

I'm currently working on a baby shower! Here are three design boards that were presented to the mother-to-be. Check back in the upcoming weeks to see what she chose, and how everything looked!

So, we all have our little lame "claims to fame."  Right? I'm still gloating over the fact that I got to ask HGTV's new 'Design Star,' Meg, a question on 'Windy City Live' this morning! It's almost as if they stopped the interview briefly just to acknowlege how great of a question I asked! ;)  (snort!)  Congrats, Meg, and thanks for taking my question!  To check out my geeky thrill, click the video clip below:

Sometimes, when TV shows become hits, they can influence fashion and even interiors. That has me wondering if the ratings will be good for the new show 'Pan Am'. So, I've put together how I think this new, swanky, vintage show would translate into a furniture form.  Check it out! >

Check out my signage on wheels!  It's amazing how representing my own business makes me keep a clean car.  Also, suddenly, I'm much more aware of my behavior behind the wheel.  No, not my driving.  If anything I'm likely to be the annoying person doing the speed limit.  No, rather, I tend to be a singing fool behind the wheel...and now folks have the power to see who the goofball passionately singing at a stop light is! If ya see me around, give me a honk... :)

So, I entered this 'little' NATIONAL furniture contest...call me crazy...  Hickory Chair , out of North Carolina, is hosting the contest to celebrate 100 years of fine furniture making.  You can win $10,000 worth of furniture...doesn't that just make the clouds part & angels sing in your ears? The Furniture Piece? Well, I'm a fan of finding inspiration & running with it.  I've searched online for the perfect sofa for my kitchen.  Yes, you read that right, my kitchen.  Well, technically it's a sunroom, but it is open concept with my kitchen.  Many folks are putting sofas in their kitchens & breakfast nooks these days, and I'm wanting the same thing.  Sitting by my giant windows reading, having coffee, or simply offering a comfortable place for guests to sit while in the kitchen is right up my alley. I mean, everyone gathers in the kitchen as the 'heart of the home,' so why shouldn't it be more comfortable? The Glitch?  ...

When my new color supplies arrived, I was just so excited I had to take a picture! I have the full collection of 'Sherwin Williams' & 'Benjamin Moore' Paint swatches, with large chips samples my clients get to keep after we've selected their perfect color scheme!  I also had short-term excitement over my first piece of junk mail...but I'll spare you the pictures of the envelope. :) Have an inspiring day!

The short answer: A 'Lintel' is a horizontal header beam supported by two vertical posts on either end.  It supports openings such as a window or door. A 'Lally' is a concrete filled column that supports long spans of beams. The long answer: I've been toying with the idea of starting a design business & even went back to school for interior design, but the day the third random person knocked on my door asking me, "Who 'picked the colors for this house?", I felt that the time is NOW...let's dive in & do this! So, what started as a hobby grew into a business, which meant we needed a name, and fast!  We tried the typical 'list of favorite words'.  We spent hours on the thesaurus trying to find different ways to say, 'inspiring, creative, inviting, interior design, etc'.  All the obvious names had all ready been taken.   We couldn't just settle for something predicatable .  Sure, Barbara’s last name would be per...