My Blog Spot Has Moved!!

Hello to all my lovely readers!

I wanted to let you know that my blog spot has moved! My blog posts will now be on my website www.kaygenuadesigns.com under "BLOG." I hope you continue to read my post and I would love to hear comments or feedback! Cheers!

XOXO
Kay Genua

Why everyone needs to take a vacation...

Editors Note: Today I am wearing tennis shoes, 

leggings, sweatshirt and a workout top all from Target.

This past weekend I took my daughter Riley to the Lake Austin Spa in Austin, Texas and we both enjoyed a relaxing and calming weekend. I sometimes forget that you need a weekend to focus on yourself and your health. I myself usually do not take vacations, but this past weekend trip allowed for some quality bonding time with my daughter and also reminded me how refreshing it is to get away.  If you are busy bee like me, I highly recommend that every once in a while you take a vacation to recharge and refuel yourself! The weather could not have been more amazing and the scenery of being on the lake was very calming and breathtaking! 

Here is a view of the pool deck that overlooked the lake.

How relaxing is it to be near the water? We loved being right on the Lake Austin.

Here is a view of our room for the weekend. 

Riley and I both loved reading outside in these wicker chairs. 

The Chef at Lake Austin prepared a fabulous salad with raspberries, melon, tomatoes, mushrooms and shrimp. It was to die for!

The Good Life! Such a great song by Casey James!

Make sure to stay toned for more post from Lake Austin throughout this week!

The Art of Bookshelves

Editor's Note: Today I am wearing a Vince shirt, a sweater from Anthropologie, black jeans from Ann Taylor and Taryn Rose shoes.

Whenever I am installing a client's house, one of the last steps of the accessorizing process is styling their bookshelves. Styling, especially styling bookshelves, is an art and not everyone can do it. I really have to get in my zone to do it right. I get bare footed---this is the only time my styling zen can come out. I won't allow anyone to help me--I have to keep moving and changing as I go until I am satisfied with the results.

Really well styled bookshelves are full and filled with objects other than books. I like to do a mixture of books, frames, antique accessories and heirlooms of the client's (if they have heirlooms they want to display). The bookshelves in a home should be reflective of the people who live there, and I don't like them to be too "designer-y". I want to mix in lots of interesting artifacts that show where the homeowners have been and what their interests are.

I would love to hear from my wonderful readers! What type of objects do you have in your own bookshelves?

Last night for dinner we had tilapia, broccoli, and mac & cheese.

Love this song from Sunny Side Up--it's on repeat right now!

My Favorite Candles

Editor's Note: Today I am wearing a Theory Silk blouse with an Anthropologie sweater along with Joe's sueded jeans and Banana Republic snakeskin shoes.  

Candles are one of my favorite accessories that can liven up a home! They can completely change the ambiance, brighten up a room, and they have an amazing aroma. I have been a collector of candles for many years and here are some of my favorite candles that I love to burn in my home!

These Aquiesse Pomegranate Sage Candle can make an home smell amazing!

I love these large Volcano Candles! The take hours to burn down and smell amazing and bonus they are sold at one of my favorite stores Anthropologie.

Last night for dinner I had baked chicken with a kale and cabbage salad. Yum!

Can't get enough of this song by Amii Stewart! 

The Success of TCU Education

Editor's Note: Today I am wearing an Ann Taylor Sweater and Flats with a J. Crew silk blouse and AG jeans. 

As some of you know my daughter Riley attends Texas Christian University and she is a senior and has loved every minute of it. Texas Christian University has become one of the hardest schools to get into in Texas. I believe this is not only due to our sports team especially the football team but how TCU has stepped up their academic program. A large part of the increase in academic excellence is due to the TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini. Chancellor Boschini has mentioned that he has wanted TCU to become similar to a Vanderbilt style school. With the increase in academics comes an increase in a creative and entrepreneurial mind set among the students and alumni. 

I thought it would be fun to mention some of the real super stars that have come out of TCU. The three that stand out in my mind are Bob Schieffer who TCU's Communications & Journalism School is named after, Andy Dalton one of TCU's top quarterbacks in history and now a starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, and Sue Monk Kidd a writer famed by her best seller The Secret Life of Bees. 

Bob Schieffer is a well respected television journalist who was with CBS for over 45 years. He has a long list of accomplishments including but not limited to his stint as the CBS Nightly News Anchor for a number of years. 

Andy Dalton was the starting quarterback for the TCU football team and lead the team to a record of all-time wins and into the Rose Bowl Championship in 2011. He is now the starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Sue Monk Kidd received her degree from TCU in Nursing in the 1970s and later went on to write her critically acclaimed novel The Secret Life of Bees which was later adapted into a movie. 

If you are considering sending your child to TCU, I can say from experience that it is a wonderful and worthwhile school with amazing opportunities. 

Loved having breakfast this morning with my new egg cup that was a gift from a friend!

Dinner last night was a chopped salad with grilled chicken. 

Love this song by Keith Urban!

Turning Objects Into Lamps

Editor's Note: Today I am wearing a blouse and velvet jeans from Ann Taylor with a vintage ribbon and silver belt and shoes by Louis et Cie.

In the interior design world lamps are a dime a dozen, but it is almost always my preference to use antique lamps. Depending on the interior, it can sometimes be difficult to find an antique lamp that is the right size or scale, especially if I need something really small to illuminate a powder room counter or a book shelf. That is when I turn to making objects into lamps.

I will also periodically find a cool antique object that I know would make a fun lamp.

I will take it to my lamp vendor here in Fort Worth and have it mounted on a base---sometimes wooden, sometimes brass or nickel and sometimes acrylic, wired through a metal rod and with a shade and harp added on top. This gives you a unique lamp that no one else will have and it is something of a conversation piece.

Here are some objects turned into lamps in my own house that I just adore.

Often, the lamps that I had made from objects become my most favorite accessories and I know that my clients feel the same way.

Love this little bronze dog on a wooden base.

Antique porcelain vases are great objects to be turned into lamps. This one looks right at home with my collection of Herend.

I would love to hear from all my readers! Do you have any objects turned lamps in your home? If not, are there any vases or accessories that you have considered having made into a lamp?

Last night for dinner I made turkey burgers with brussel sprouts.

Love this song by Sunny Side Up.

The Importance of Frames

Editor's Note: Today I am wearing a Rag N Bone skirt, a Banana Republic white shirt, a sweater from Anthropologie and Louise et Cie shoes.

One of the most important elements of wall decor in a home, and one that I believe to be most often over looked is frames. Now, this can be a frame that holds a piece of artwork or it could be a framed mirror. Generally I have things custom framed for clients and I choose said frame on a case by case basis depending on the style of the home and art. I try to see the frame as another element of the overall decor and choose accordingly. For instance, if the interior is more traditional with lots of European antiques and gilded fixtures, I may lean toward a more ornate gold frame, whereas if the interior is more clean and contemporary I might choose a simple black frame or an acrylic frame.

Last year we completed a large project at Escondido Golf Resort and as all of the homes we designed had bedrooms that were to be used as hotel rooms, we needed a framed mirror in each.

I chose a different frame for each room, looking to the colors in the room and the finish on the furniture when making my selections.

Here are some pictures from when I was choosing the frames.

Loved a weathered grey frame with this distressed painted chest and green and neutral fabric.

I always make sure that whatever frames I am selecting have lots of style and attitude. I don't want them to be boring so I make sure they pop out.

If the piece of art they are framing is really loud or a big statement piece, that is when I will choose a more subdued option.

Last night for dinner I made crab cakes with remoulade sauce and salad with nuts and spicy dressing.

Love India Carney's voice and this is one of my favorites of her songs.