Dreams, Coming True

Friends! I'm here! And I'm going to put Scalamandre's Shanghai wallpaper in my new dining room. Dreams do come true.

I have so many updates. So, so many. But really, few beat this bit of news re: wallpaper. I've had the sample taped up in the dining room for a couple of months now. And Carter Shuffler is on board. I was preparing Power Point presentations to convince him that using this paper would be a solid move that would pay dividends in the future. High ROI. But he was in agreement pretty much immediately. Good man.

I have plans for painted moulding and a lipstick red lantern light fixture. So many good things to come with this house....

But they aren't here yet. We still have moving boxes tucked into every corner. Our new microwave and dishwasher might be sitting in our living room. But we'll get there. I'm actually pretty happy that we are taking our time. Not only because doing work on the house will be so disruptive (hello three kids) so I'm avoiding starting, but also because we are being v thoughtful with each decision.

I've missed y'all! Haven't quite worked out what my regular posting schedule will be like, but I hope to start ramping up and getting back to you with some regularity.

xoxo

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Friday Crush

Photo by Beatriz da Costa, Design by Ashley Whittaker, via House Beautiful's Insta

Before we fully plunge into Fall, let's take a step back to spring...mostly to look at that clever use of chandelier shades on a lantern. This room is lovely but I'm posting it here so we can learn this important lighting lesson. Who loves a lantern light? 🙋 But sometimes the exposed bulbs kind of turn me off, pun intended. But adding chandy shades is just plain smart. Totally warms up the fixture without ruining the look. Do people do this all the time and I just missed it? We are all now in on this secret.

Also, green grasscloth walls. On my mind. But I'm contemplating olive green. 

Happy weekend! We made it! Hope it's a great one...see you next week!

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Friday Crush

Photo by Eric Piasecki

Gil Schafer is reaching idol status in my life - all of his firm's projects are beyond exhilarating to look at - like this one featured in Traditional Home. Designer Libby Cameron collaborated with Schafer's architecture firm to create a STUNNING masterpiece of a home - each room is amazing. But this dining room took my breath away - the wallpaper, moldings, rug, and chairs are unbelievable. A completely and utterly traditional space that no one can say is stuffy or boring. So many risks and such a huge reward!

It's been a crazy busy week here with lots of chores and to-do lists for the weekend. Here's to a productive 48 hours...I hope. See you next week!

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Yangtze River Dining Room

I've had this dining room plan floating around in my head for a while.

It started with Schumacher's Yangtze River fabric in Aubergine:

I'd use it for the curtains. Then I'd paired it with lime green grasscloth walls:

Then would come the perfect dining chairs to work back to the fabric. Ballard Design's 12th Street Chair in Linen Magenta for side chairs:

And Ballard's Cortina Chair in Linen Peony for the head chairs:

I'd want a very modern dining table. Something like a blonde wood waterfall situation or sleek marble, like this Atlas Dining Table from Zuo Modern:

Then I'd soften it all with a pair of powder blue lamps ...

perched atop a fancy antique sideboard like this one:

All very low-key and budget-friendly 😉

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Friday Crush

Photo by Justin Coit via dwell

I can't, and won't, quit the idea of an eventual mountain house for the Shufflers. And when we have said house, I imagine the kitchen to share space with a dining table that looks like this. Love the bleached floors here...and the long, cool, marble-y dining table with warm wood contrasting chairs. All set off with those green lanterns...whose color I might have picked up in those side chairs instead of black/white stripe, but, details. This is pretty. Love the moments of darkness amid all the light.

Speaking of mountains, that's where we are headed for the weekend...except instead of a snowy wonderland, we'll be frolicking in 60 degree temps 😒. I have been robbed of cold weather and snow this winter. Hope your weekend is wintry and delightful...see you next week!

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Dining Room Color Study

This home by Jeffrey Bilhuber is one of my favorites. I have blogged about it before, but I had not seen the dining room.

And it's pretty awesome:

Photos by Chi Chi Ubiña for Cottages & Gardens

Aside from being a great mix of everything - pattern, texture, style - it's also a wonderful color study.

So many colors...and yet they all work. Why???

I think JB succeeds because the center of the space - chairs, bench, rug - are all using color tones that match in saturation. Bold orchid, bright peacock blue, and energetic apple green. The colors are all different, but this jewel range that they all fit under makes them work together. And in solids. No pattern here. Because the dimension is offered by the range of color.

Now lets fade to the back, where the colors are more muted. And patterned. And mainly white with colored backgrounds. Again, the color family is the same in saturation. So that the curtains and walls can create a cohesive unit against which the bold colors can take center stage. And the patterns are very repetitive...so as not to create too much noise behind the bold dining table colors.

Although this is an extreme implementation - not something you will likely try at home unless you are fearless - it offers a great blueprint for how to create a mix in a space.

Carry on.

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Idea House Inspiration

Have your eyes feasted on photography from this year's Southern Living Idea House in Alabama? It had an all-star decorating cast - Mark D. Sikes, Margaret Kirkland, Ashley Gilbreath, Lauren Leiss, Amy Berry - so no wonder the whole house is ridiculously good.

Seriously, have you seen Margaret Kirkland's dining room?

That is Sally King Benedict's art...and boy did Margaret take a slew of color and pattern and pull it together beautifully.

And the jaw-dropping doesn't stop there:

Bucket loads of inspiration. This is one idea house I would definitely want to see in person! Do you have a favorite space from this particular house?

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Traditional Twist in Richmond

It's rare that I post photos from an entire home. But this home 100% deserves it. Because every single space is fantastically fetching.

And, bonus points, it's located in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

Designed by Charlotte Lucas, it's true to Virginia tradition with a striking nod to modernity.

Photos by Laurey Glenn for Southern Living

Every space nails it. The wonderful mix of color, the touches of brass and gold, the wall treatments, the floor coverings...it's all so balanced and so mixed and so everything.

And let's talk about the lighting which is phenomenal - the mustard lamp pair, the acrylic chandelier, the glass foyer pendant, the brass kitchen pendants...literally the lighting alone makes me love these interiors.

Can you tell I completely dig this house? Do you like it as much as I do?

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Buffalo Check for (Christmas) Breakfast

Home of Betty Peachey, Design by Randy Luken, Photo by Daniel Feldcamp for housetrends.com

Oh, to have a breakfast nook surrounded by windows where you can cozy up with a cup of coffee in your pajamas on a cold winter morning. And when I pine for this type of space, the image in my head usually looks something like this one above. 

I am 100% on board with the color blue at Christmas and its role on these chairs is stunning. And hung wreaths are so timeless and beautiful, especially when hung with a pretty ribbon. I love simple spaces that pack a delightful punch.

Y'all, last week was c-r-a-z-y-town. I'm shocked I survived, to be honest. But I did...though I peaced out on the blog last week (sorry if you noticed and/or missed me). I'm committed to fully enjoying the next two weeks of Christmas because I know I'm going to blink and my favorite holiday will be over!

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Friday Crush

image via de Gournay

Let's be clear that the healthy dose of orange seen throughout the month of October is one of the main reasons it's my favorite month. That and it's my birthday month. And this image is a display of my heart's affection for these fall days. I'm so happy they are here.

And this weekend is going to be deliciously crisp and sunny - read: great hair days ahead and I won't sweat in my new suede boots. Hope you have a great autumnal weekend...see you next week!

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Wheatland

Thank you, Garden & Gun, for introducing me to this stunning Virginia home - called Wheatland - on the Rappahannock River. Totally and completely breathtaking:

Photos by Patricia Lyons

That is some jaw-dropping stuff, folks...traditional beauty. I love the colors used throughout and the home's architecture is so beautiful nestled among the trees. 

Completely dreamy, right? Check out all the photos here...

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Krista Ewart's Home

Y'all, THIS. HOUSE.

It's been a while since I've seen a full mag feature where every space has killed it for me. Now, that might be because my magazine reading kind of came to a (temporary?) halt in December of 2012 but I do remember back when I read magazines cover to cover, it was rare for me to love an entire home.

But I just saw this feature (online) of designer Krista Ewart's California home for House Beautiful. And I love it alllllllllllll....

Photography by Douglas Friedman for House Beautiful

The last two little girl bedrooms might be my absolute favorite. And then there is that living room and the Chinoiserie mirror moment. IT'S ALL SO GOOD.

Why has Krista Ewart not been on my radar before this moment? Did we all know about her and no one told me? I think what I love about this house is I see my own style reflected back at me - except done extraordinarily well...and it's what I want my house to be...but isn't quite because I don't have this kind of talent.

But it's an excellent home to file away and come back to over and over again for inspiration. I'll be pinning every single picture. Full home tour (with a couple more pictures) here...

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Friday Crush

Design by Melissa Haynes

Ok, I'm cheating a little bit because this room is from yesterday's post and I held on to it for today because it's SO GOOD. I thought it needed it's own post. THAT RUG. The chair trim. The grasscloth. It's like a mullet room - business on the top, party on the bottom. I'm just so in love...if that rug wasn't there, we can all agree this room would be lovely and vanilla. But that rug just makes it - I'm all for a fantastic juxtaposition.

Go forth and juxtapose. Have a great weekend and see you next week!

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Citrus Delight

Design: Melissa Haynes, Photo: Hector Sanchez, via Southern Living

That orange lantern is outrageously good. And this space makes the case for white walls - they are crisp and fantastic paired with juicy, citrusy colors. But the upholstery on the Klismos chairs keeps everything in check so it doesn't get too colorful. 

Simply stunning...the perfect inspiration for Spring.

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Friday Crush

via Lonny (photog? designer?)

A simple statement of antique chairs with a marble dining table against a white kitchen. I love it. The chairs really sing when there is this much color contrast. And I can't say I see marble dining tables very much, but I love the cool stone next to the warm wood. Really beautiful.

How did we get to October? I'm a little shocked...mainly because I'll be birthing a baby month after next. It's a little too much for my brain to handle so I'll focus on the fact that I might get to break out some new fringe boots this weekend because we're looking at highs in the 60s on Sunday. Woohoo! Have a great one...see you next week!

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Connecticut Cottage

Summer is over. Hallelujah.

My brain is officially in its favorite autumnal mode and all I can think about is cooler temperatures, changing leaves and boots. For instance, at the moment, all I want to do is be here...Joan Osofsky's cottage in Connecticut.

All photos by John Gruen for Country Living

Serene views, white walls, warm wood...simple, gorgeous living. I'll take it!

I might be stalking Zillow these days looking for our dream Virginia mountain house. Because buying a ramshackle house in the country months before having a new baby is a fantastic idea.

But even if we don't have our own mountain house this fall, I'm certain we will spend as much time in the mountains as we possibly can. Are you as excited for this new season as I am??

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