There are so many delicious ingredients I use on a regular basis in my salads but the one that has captured the most of my attention is this salad of baby greens with organic black beans, lots of strawberries, avocado, red bell pepper, creamy Feta cheese, cilantro and a honey lime juice dressing made with extra virgin olive oil. The honey and the lime juice make it completely irresistible. Guest what's for dinner tonight? I don't know about you, but spring fills me with energy. Can you believe it's only four weeks away? I've put together a little gallery of my favorite climbing vines to inspire us both. Bougainvillea, roses, wisteria, clematis, trumpet vine, honeysuckle, jasmine... Clipped and controlled, or overgrown and blowsy... I'm dreaming of adding flowering vines to my garden, but it's so full already I wouldn't know where to start. Divine smells and color. Purple clematis flowing over a garden wall. Bougainvillea covered arbor over a dining area.

You might have petals in your soup before lunch is through, but wouldn't it be worth it? Trained wisteria on an iron arbor. Crushed granite patio cover. Iris along a garden path. Rustic arbor covered in grape vines. Warm, limestone walls surrounded by vines and flowers. A cherub statue barely detectable through the maze of climbing roses. Boxwood around a fountain, a perennial favorite among gardeners.  Bay standards and Banks roses too. Clematis surrounding a garden gate. Image above by French photographer Clive Nichols. Woodwardia, ivy and climbing fuchsia surrounding a path at Hidcote Manor near Chipping Camden in Gloucester, England. Gloucester is in one of the most picturesque areas of England, the Cotswold's.I might take up fishing if I had a pond like this. The sweetest shed in the world. Doorway blocked by hydrangeas and wisteria. Does the idea of a clean, efficient, attractive and spacious work room with a drawer, cabinet or container for everything get you excited?

I derive a great deal of energy from my own office space but there's still more to be done. Maybe I need a built in closet unit like the one above. kriska curtainsThose orange containers are quite compelling aren't they? merete curtains beigeImage from Better Homes and Gardens.blue curtain falls çevirisi Following images attributed where available.alpha rod pocket room darkening window curtain panel There's a pared down appeal in the sharp looking office above. vardo ring top curtains

Can you work efficiently without supplies at your fingertips? I dislike bobbing up and down for the stapler and paper clips. Am I seeing lacquer in this beautiful space? vegas ready made eyelet curtains black/silverWhile I truly love the cool, gray Swedish inspired color scheme, I think it's going to be a bit dated at some point. double curtain rod brackets homebaseBut for now it's "vacker". Steven Gambrel, one of my favorite designers. Click on his name to visit his website. He's an amazing talent. There are two work stations in this light filled room with a sliver of shared desk space. Hmm, that could cause a tiff or two. Who says you can't be stylish and comfy while being productive? I do hope this charming tufted wing back is on wheels. Pulling out an over sized chair from my desk would truly kill my back.

I'm off to work. Enjoy your day, My Dear. Browsing through book stores is probably my most favorite down time activity. There's something so hopeful about a pile of books pertaining to business practices, time management and of course, interior design. Consequently I have a huge library, broken up into different categories and displayed in different places throughout the house. Fiction, biographies and design books in the living room; cook books and design books in the kitchen and guest rooms; design and garden books in the dining room; and health and beauty books in the master bedroom. Call me old fashioned but I believe every home needs at least two built in units of books cases. If a client's home doesn't possess them I almost always suggest they're added to the overall scheme. Book cases are not the exclusive domain of books. Stacks on the coffee table, dining room table, dressers and more are equally good homes for hardbound editions. Francisco Costa gets it: books are meant to be displayed vertically and horizontally.

In fact, I'd go out on a limb and say any unused space in the home is fair game for the addition of a book case or two. This hallway library is a perfect example. My hope is that the popularity of Kindle doesn't completely do away with the printed form. Library, home office, Emily A. Clark. A restful library in clear, cool greens.Don't you love the wonderful rattan chairs and woven shades. How do you like your reading nook? I've recently been collecting sources and images for a mid-century modern, residential project I'm working on. The challenge in this one (and there's always a challenge isn't there?) is to add warmth to the characteristically cool decor scheme. Jonathan Adler designed lamp. I'm using the image board to "inform" my eye of the style and all it's modern day variations. The room above with the russet velvet barrel chairs is a stunning example of  mid-century used alongside furnishings from other eras. This tufted chair has a distinctly retro influence and would be perfect for a small living room.