Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Coastal Christmas from Wisteria

Let the record show: it's Halloween and I'm posting about Christmas.

And I have no shame. Big C and I adore Christmas and, frankly, I would post about it all year long if socially appropriate. And I find it only fitting that baby girl will join us during our favorite time of year...but I digress.

I was perusing Wisteria's latest catalog and really, really loved their coastal holiday decor...the spread in the catalog is absolutely gorgeous and though putting all the merch together creates quite a "themed" display, I find it beautiful for a beach setting.








What do you think? Are you a traditional Christmaser through-and-through...or do you like a fresh take on holiday decor like this one? I think I'm really captivated by the soft color scheme...

Check out the entire collection here...






Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Clever Bedroom Detail

This airy bedroom has a clever detail that I really like. Any guesses?

Image via bhg.com

The curtain/side table combination. I love how that jade green stripe continues from one edge of the window to the other with the table in the middle included. Helps unify that area and keep it clean to the eye, allowing the pillow shams to catch your attention first. 

And bonus points for this idea being achievable with a little DIY magic...any plain white curtains will do and just embellish away. You could probably even paint the large stripe onto the fabric which would be super easy.

I also love how high the curtains are hung and, of course, the bamboo blinds. And you'll never go wrong with a statement bed. This bedroom is comprised of simple pieces put together in a thoughtful way...love that.



Monday, October 29, 2012

Vintage Nursery Mirror

Even more vintage for the nursery! I recently scored this awesome vintage palm mirror from my friend Sarah's shop - Matters of Style Marketplace:


Isn't it grand?? I have a spot for a mirror next to our rocking chair and I'll be honest that budget had run out and I was planning to use something we already had. And I likely should have done that because I had some good FREE options to choose from.

But then I saw this mirror from Sarah and I had to have it...I became a woman obsessed. It's just so fun to look at and I think it will be such a great touch in this corner of the room. It's currently in the mail and I can't wait to get it!




Friday, October 26, 2012

Friday Crush

Image via Country Living

LOVE this twin bedroom from Country Living. Such a beautiful impact in a very small, slanty space...and the pieces in the room are just so darn pretty. A touch of wallpaper and some intricate pillow shams transform otherwise simple elements into something very special. I could perhaps do without the dangling sconces, but otherwise, I would adore having this as a guest bedroom in my own home.

Off to celebrate another wedding this weekend! Have a fantastic couple of days off...see you Monday!




Thursday, October 25, 2012

Charleston Snapshots

We are just back from a quick trip to Charleston to celebrate my brother-in-law's wedding. The weather was gorgeous and I snapped a couple of pretty shots while Carter and I were out and about...

Gorgeous cottage tucked in an alley...

 Pretty flower box on Rainbow Row...

Our afternoon on Shem Creek...

I am a Virginian but have come to love Carter's native South Carolina as a second home. Each time I set foot in the Lowcountry, I am completely captivated. It's amazing how places can have such a pull on our heartstrings.



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Catalog Pick: Beckham Library Sconce

I find the Beckham Library Sconce from Ballard Designs to be very clever:



I am forever wanting to tuck sconces in places that are less than ideal for cords or wiring. This lovely little light is a clip-on, but looks so sophisticated don't you think?  I love how they have styled it here on a bookcase shelf. The price is great at $39 and it would look fantastic lacquered a fun color if you don't like the finish!



Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Nursery Closet Inspiration

Some images to give you an idea of what I have up my sleeve for the nursery closet...

Miles Redd

Source? via pink wallpaper

Source? via pinterest

 Photo by Tim Walker for Vogue Italia via this is glamorous


Polka dots of the black and white variety will take center stage! In my head, my plan looks awesome. We'll see once we execute...


p.s. I hate posting images with no source so please fill me in if you know where some of those orphans are from...


Monday, October 22, 2012

31


Today, I'm turning 31 and simultaneously celebrating my brother-in-law's wedding!
A very happy day for our family so I'm taking a little blog break. 

Be back tomorrow!



p.s. Thanks for the cake image, Beth

Friday, October 19, 2012

Friday Crush


Loved seeing this delicious teaser on Grant K. Gibson's Twitter feed...Chinoiserie wallpaper and a gorgeous, sleek sconce in a client's powder room. You know this has to be stunning in person!

A question for you savvy DIY-ers...so I'm putting up pretty similar sconces in the nursery. The only problem is that the shade - similar in shape to this one - is frosted glass. But I need it to be red. Do I paint it? Or do I cover it with fabric? What do you think? Give me your advice in the comments...

Have a wonderful weekend...see you Monday!






Thursday, October 18, 2012

Lamp Shade Impact

What would this room be like without those lamp shades?

Image via Thibaut

Well, it would be gorgeous but certainly not as good. The shades are incredible and create a striking focal point for this soft bedroom. I love their color and dimensional shape and the clear lamp bases they adorn make their impact even more...impactful.

Take home lesson: the most simple touch can create such an impact and totally change a room.




Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Spice Market Ikat Fabric

I recently ordered this fabric for a client's bedroom curtain panels and it's fabulous. It's called Spice Market Ikat from Braemore and it's a nice small-scale pattern which works great as curtains for this particular project because the headboard fabric we chose is an exuberant large-scale pattern.


I love that it has a chic ethnic feel without being over-the-top ikaty. Just a subtle blurring of the motif to keep it interesting. And it comes in some other great colorways...

Great for those pink and orange girly bedrooms we love so much.

Would love this in a neutral-toned family den with lots of khakis, browns and blues.

Oxblood is the hue du jour so this rich red would be oh-so hip in your home. I wouldn't love this in a big dose, though. I'm thinking large pillows on a big velvet couch would be awesome.

I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out in our own project!



Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Double Take: Red Bedroom

I have been completely enamored with this red bedroom designed by Cathy Kincaid since I spotted it on Everything LEB...

(Anyone know original source for this photo?)

Jaw-dropping, right? That bed and the room's buoyant pattern mixed with celadon greens...just wonderful. And then I saw the same space totally zhushed up on Cathy's website:


Tailored and classic goes totally boho chic here, but with the same foundational elements...and I like it too.

Here's another shot of the 2nd arrangment:


I think I have a preference...but which do you prefer??






Monday, October 15, 2012

Dresser Painting and a Nursery Peek

We attacked the nursery dresser painting this weekend and, for the most part, it went well. If you recall, the original dresser was painted black with silver hardware:


First, I discovered that the black was hiding some damage pretty well....damage that became pretty visible when painted yellow. Oh well...I paid $75 and I still like it more than something I would have bought new so I got over it. I guess I'll just never take any up-close pictures!

Second, apparently painting yellow over black is quite the chore. We [Carter] prepped the table by sanding the top just a tad and giving the whole piece a coat of primer. I was hoping this would lead to a fantastic finish but it took 3 coats of yellow paint to hide the black and to be honest, the piece could probably still use a 4th coat to really make it perfect...but we [I] ran out of steam.

Here is its current state:



You can catch a glimpse at the bottom of the 2nd picture of the hardware which we spraypainted brass. Our next step is to give the whole piece a coat of lacquer to give it some shine and protection.

I'm really happy with the color, but this is not the color we started out with. I initially chose Sherwin Williams' Bee (6683) because the paint chip was dead on. But, once we put it on the dresser it was a very lemony fluorescent yellow (cue the crying breakdown when I realized this...as if the world was coming to an end...geez louise). I think that might have had less to do with the color and more to do with the fact that the primer/black was very visible below it and the color would have gotten better with more coats.

Even so, I kinda knew that after 500 coats the color would still be a little off. So we went back and I picked up the color that was next on the paint chip - Brittlebush (6684). This yellow was much better as it had a deeper golden tone to it...not as fluorescent.

Which brings me to a lesson I learned (or better said, confirmed) during this painting adventure:

Go darker than you think. About three times now, I've chosen a paint chip only to realize that it's not as intense as I wanted it to be. ESPECIALLY when it comes to room painting - a color on a 2" square can seem pretty saturated, but once you spread it out across an entire room, it can wash out a good bit. I'm always scared to go too bold, but like I said, about three times now I've gone back for the "darker" color and the results have been great.

I also learned a lesson about the Sherwin Williams quart samples that I love so dearly...they are awesome for the price, but the quality isn't fantastic - especially if you are painting with a tricky color like yellow (ie. we've used them when painting black and they were great). The samples don't cover like their higher grade paints (that are not available in sample quarts, just "regular" quarts). If I was sure of the color I wanted I would have paid the money to get a quart in their Cashmere line and we probably would have been done painting in two coats with a much better finish. Using the sample just took longer and isn't quite as perfect, but we did save some cash.

For reading this far, I shall now treat you to a peek of the window treatments that are all done...


BAM! Awesome, right? Y'all, they totally make the room. This is the big focal point window in the center of the room and we also have a much smaller window in an alcove that only has the pelmet box and blinds (no curtains). I couldn't be happier with the arrangement...it's all looking quite fetching. I see the end in sight...the nursery might actually be done before December! Go Team Shuffler!





Friday, October 12, 2012

Friday Crush

Image via One Kings Lane

I have been toying with painting the vintage dresser in the nursery yellow, but I hesitate. I love all colors but yellow is truly one that I don't use in my house. And Le Lac has SO many colors to choose from it's making the decision quite difficult. But something keeps bringing me back to yellow and when I came across the above dresser this week, it seemed to be fate giving me the thumbs up.

I'm hoping we tackle the dresser painting this weekend. [Expletive that starts with an "s"] is getting real around here, so this nursery needs to wrap up so I can move on to other pre-baby tasks in the coming weeks...you hear me nursery?

Happy weekend...see you Monday!






Thursday, October 11, 2012

Walton Mirror

First, I loved your comments on yesterday's post. I need to quiz you on your opinions more often.

Second, have you checked out Zara Home yet? Zara that we all know and love for our clothes is now offering their home loot to U.S. customers. I have only done a quick survey of the merch, but I came across this mirror that I instantly loved and I was trying to remember where I had seen something similar used...


And then I remembered the picture of this bathroom from my Country Farmhouse post:

Photos by Max Kim-Bee via Country Living

BAM! Doesn't that mirror make the room? If you recall, this home is all white and bright accented with deep wood tones and I L-O-V-E it. And I think the mirror use here is perfect (though a little sad that you can't actually use the mirror due to placement...or maybe they moved the planter after the photoshoot).

Anyway, all to say that Zara's version of the mirror would look awesome in a similar all-white space. And I'll point out the obvious that the lines of the mirror are just waiting to be painted a fantastic color if the wood tone isn't right for you. It's a decent size at 21.7" high and 13.8" wide and is a good price point of $79. I'm sure it will become a favorite among us.









Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Yes or No?

What do you think of these vintage Egyptian motif wall hangings?




I love the colors and I love the stripes. And the fact that they are textiles. Could be awesome framed, put behind plexiglass with some brass screws or hung as-is. I love that they are male and female, too, and that they come as two vertical panels (always nice for symmetrical wall space). I think the key with pieces like this is juxtaposition - actually making them stand out against differing items makes them intentional and a focal point.

But what do you think? Cool? Or ugly as sin?




Tuesday, October 9, 2012

China Seas Macao

I have rediscovered this amazing fabric from China Seas...Macao II. The colors are amazing and the floral is spectacular...


 Design by Jeffrey Bilhuber, image via Quadrille


 Image from Traditional Home via Quadrille



Look at the decadence of using this fabric for upholstery! An entire couch in the lilac colorway is just mind-blowing...I love it so much. I think the lilac is definitely my favorite - the color pairing is so exuberant but feels so sophisticated.

Do you have a favorite?




Monday, October 8, 2012

My Baby Shower

Thought I'd share some pictures from my baby shower on Saturday. It was a great day with great friends and family, delicious food and fun presents for Little Miss. Thanks to Julianne for the pictures!

Actually, this pic is from my friend Meg. An adorable Instagram of my adorable napkins!

The favor treat bags...the shower was at my sister's house and she thought of
awesome little details...


The FOOD...yum.

The mimosa bar arranged by Julianne and Katie...pick your juice, add some prosecco and choose your iced fruit as garnish. Brilliant :)

These were amazing...

Katie, Adriana (my sister), moi & Julianne.

My ladies - Katy, Katie, me, Julianne, Tyler, & Katie...yes, we have lots of Katies.

Carter came toward the end to say hello and load up the car :)

Excited smile opening a darling little hippo for baby girl...I wanted to keep all of the stuffed animals for myself.


My sister set up a decoration station with onesies, burp cloths and bibs.

The loot stack!

I am SO thankful to be surrounded by such wonderful people in my life - family, college friends, work friends, family friends...so many groups that make me happy. Thank you to everyone who came and everyone who couldn't make it but were there in spirit. Carter and I are blessed and Little Miss Shuffler was majorly hooked up with so many fantastic gifts. 






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