We are starting off 2017 by going through all of our great finds from 2016 and sharing them now before we head out to Design and Construction Week.

We are hearing that outdoor living and entertaining is going to be one of the most important growth areas in 2017, and making sure those outdoor areas have the right lighting is going to be critical. We found these cool Edison-style bulbs at the National Hardware Show that are designed to be used outdoors, and are destined to be the light of any party. These are by Aspen Brands and can be purchased on their website.

Being a Lifestylist can be so much fun! I get to see what's new, and what's coming, and get invited into homes that in the past I could only dream about. The bad part though is that when I see things I love I want to incorporate them into my own home!

The New American Home in Las Vegas this year was one of my favorites that I have toured for ages. It was a lifestyle I could understand and want to be a part of, and the floorplan made sense. I really loved the kitchen and pantry area - I could do some serious entertaining here!

These horse heads that I spotted at the Las Vegas Market were one of my favorite finds along with other intriguing objects form Bobo. Thinking that it might be time to place that order...

I am so fortunate to have a career and clients that allows me to give back. Being able to be there to see Tiffany receive this wonderful gift of a home to raise her children in is the best Christmas gift I could receive.

Tiffany is part of our Shared Housing family and with their help was able to make a new life for herself and her children.

One of the best compliments we can ever receive is when someone walks through a home or clubhouse that we LifeStyled and they say that they feel like they just came home. It's usually not one specific thing or detail, it's the overall experience that makes them want to sit down and stay for awhile.

Time has gone by so quickly this year! I can't believe it's almost time for the Winnetka Heights Holiday Home Tour - something we look forward to every year.

Last year we were fortunate to be able to tag along with photographer Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography and get a sneak peek - every home was different and unique and a delight to see in person. The tour starts on December 5th and information can be found on the Winnetka Heights website.

One of the best decisions I ever made was to go with Thermador refrigeration columns in The Home Idea Factory. I wanted them to go into a curved wall and these columns made that possible.

When we attended the International Builders Show this year one of the things we were on the lookout for is products that could take our parties to the next level, and this Kalamazoo Pizza Oven definitely was at the top of our list. Cooking in the middle of a massive convention center is not an idea environment, but every pizza that came out of this beauty was perfection.

We are predicting that pizza ovens are the new must-have for outdoor kitchens - what do you think?

You can tell that consumers are much more enthusiastic about the economy and are interested in spending more than ever on their homes - especially the kitchen and bath areas.

At the recent Kitchen and Bath Show and the International Builders Show the sky seemed to be the limit for what people were interested in purchasing and how much they were willing to pay.

Rob and Lydia shared that they were starting Mondavi Home and were getting ready to build a show home in the "Low Country" - Beaufort, South Carolina. They were anxious to build a home that reflected their lifestyle and the casual, comfortable way they like to entertain. I asked Rob if he had looked at any of the Thermador appliances, and he had not been made aware of the amazing wine columns Thermador designs as well as their other products that would fit in perfectly with what they wanted to achieve.

There are more lighting choices out there than ever, and we love what companies who only did design work before are offering. This lighting by Low Country Originals was one of our favorite finds at the Las Vegas Market -the only thing we loved more was the day bed porch swings. We can’t wait to see what's new at the Summer Market!

FINALLY! I think I'm going to be able to stay home for awhile. There have been so many great shows, events, and opportunities to learn it feels like it's been ages since I've spent an entire week in my office. Now I've got thousands of images of great products and ideas to go through and share with you.

Las Vegas seems to be my home away from home recently. After going home to install a beautiful new clubhouse for YES! Communities I'm back in Vegas getting ready for a super busy week. This year the International Builders Show and the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show came together so that both shows will be going on at the same time under the same roof. This concept is being embraced by attendees and this is the busiest I've seen Vegas in ages. It's going to be a great show!

There were so many great things to see, new lines to discover, and new friends to make at the recent Furniture and Gift Market at the Las Vegas Market Center I don't know where to even begin!

What a great trip! The Las Vegas Market was full of surprises, curiosities, old and new friends and chances of a lifetime. Interviewing Donny Osmond was a delight, but finding out what a wonderful partner and father he is endeared him to me even more. He made me feel like we were old friends and watching him interact with his wife Debbie was really special.

one of the most important things that I do as a Lifestylist is keeping up with current trends and ideas. To do that I do quite a bit of traveling, and for the next two weeks I'll be in Las Vegas attending the furniture market, Kitchen and Bath Show, and the International Builders Show.

Factory built housing is one if the best kept secrets in housing these days. This is a great example of what affordable housing can look like -our latest Lifestylist Designed model home for SEHomes of TX. SE Homes is part of the Clayton Homes family, and their ability to source great products with lots of style sets their homes apart from the rest.

Babette is the artist behind Babette Holland Design and made all of the really cool copper and aluminum pcs that we have in our home. Her company is a woman-owned company and all of her work is made in the US - even though she was offered huge amounts of money to sell her company and take production overseas she believed in supporting the local economy and doing the right thing. We hadn't heard as much from her lately and I just found out why.

Thank heavens we bought our tickets for this event as soon as they went on sale - not only was it sold out but attending made you one of the luckiest foodies in town.

Chef For Farmers: Mixin it up On The Blvd was a perfect size - not so big that it was a mob scene, and not so small that you felt like there weren't enough choices. We spread our quilt out under the magnolia tree and took our time grazing through all of the offerings. Live music was provided by Chef Dean Fearing and The Lost Coyote - they rocked it! The chefs, winemakers, and spirits artists seemed to be really enjoying themselves as well - it was a laid-back, lazy day.