GRAY


This past weekend we had a small tease of spring like weather. I got to wear my spring dresses and opened toe shoes. It was rather lovely. Well, the tides have turned once again and we are back to the dreary cold. I must say it has me in a bit of a funk that I am having a hard time shaking, so gray is the color of the day. Which also happens to be one of my favorites. Matthew 6:27 will be my scripture of the week. God is greater than my funk.

J.Crew / Message / Mary Ruffle / Anthropologie / Rock Paper Scissors / Martha / Penguin Classics / J.Crew

Domino





After seeing the top image on High Street Market I was quickly reminded how much this home inspires me. It one of those that I never tire of. It is from the June/July '08 Domino issue, one of my fave issues of all time. I even used the second image as inspiration for my style test that Kirsten of Simply Grove did of me way back in '08. I must say all the images I used then would make my list today. Oh, and what did my style test come out to be... Traditionally modern with a love for sporadic rustic and natural elements. She was spot on I believe.

COLOR






This home is the perfect mix of being swoon worthy and child friendly. I look at images like this and just fall head over heels for all the color, so why can I not personally live with it baffles me. One of my favorite pieces in the article is when the owner and designer Jenny Keenan states, "I love things to be beautiful and be perfect, but that's just not realistic. Baskets are a pretty and practical way to sort of have it both ways." I must agree, baskets have become my best friends too.

{via Better Homes & Gardens}

And always I love to see my sweet babies up on Party Perfect. So fun!

SHOE LOVE




I am quite smitten with the line by Maria Sharapova for Cole Hann. Wouldn't mind having a pair or two. I also would not mind having her legs, just saying.

{brilliant photography by The Shelby}

Around the House

I feel like I am continually tweaking our home. I have some new additions and changes that I thought I would share. Nothing big, but I enjoy them just the same.



In the dining room I added a mirror that we had and a few plates. The mirror I painted mega griege by Sherwin Williams. This room gets lots of light so I added a natural touch with plants. The candle sticks were all thrift store finds.


This is the main living room. The wall behind the chair is huge and I could never find the "perfect" addition to fill it up a bit. Three years later we came up with a solution. The picture was taken by my husband at our favorite beach spot. We had it blown up and my husband cut it to fit six Ikea ribba frames.



In my entry I simply added a couple of reader's digests and a Penguin Classic, but after seeing this from A Little Sussy I am thinking I want to add more. A lot more.


Our master has the addition of the two front pillows. A friend bought them at market for her home, but they did not work. I traded two lamps for them. And yes, I should have made my bed better for the picture, but I was just grateful the kiddos did not jump on it while I was taking it.


The bath I painted Benjamin Moore stratton blue when we moved in. It's the main bath and sits between the kiddos rooms. I wanted to tone it down a bit, but was not willing to paint. I am somewhat over painting for awhile, so I took out all the red accents and added black and white. The towels are from Ikea, the antlers were an ebay score, and the shower curtain which set the whole tone is from Target.


Finally here is the new gallery wall. We had all black frames prior to this and we wanted to mix it up a bit. Of course you can tell it's not completed, but its on its way. I was going to slipcover the bench in a fabulous pink, but I think it's too much for my neutral love so the fabric will become a couple of pillows for Ellie's room and I will do something neutral. The garden stool I found at T.J Maxx for $30.

Currently I have my dining chairs and a bench that goes at the end of my bed at the reupholsters. I will share those as soon as they come back. Again, nothing too jazzy, but more practical for the kiddos. It's how I roll these days.

GLAMOROUS

This weekend a very dear friend of ours is getting married. With this spring like weather I am feeling quite glamorous. I think I will done a fabulous dress, kick up my heels, lay the pretty little clutch in my lap while sitting ever so elegantly in a gorgeous chair while I savor every bite of a yummy cupcake. Let's not forget that my pretty little earrings would sway as I walked to admire the beautiful flowers. Of course, this all would be ever so lovely if my funds were unlimited, ha! I hope you all have such a wonderful weekend. Any big plans?

Americana

A Bookcase

Emily posted this image yesterday and I can't get it out of my head so I thought I would let it rest here. Love the mixed frames, love how the TV blends in but is not hidden, love the rug, and I especially love that bookcase. Oh, and the garden stool is pretty fabulous itself. I have been wanting one, but really have no need for it so I was not willing to pay a lot. Well, the other day I was T.J. Maxx and I came across one for $30. I love it. The only change I would make is to reupholster the chair in a fabric like this.

THREE

My little man turns 3 today. It is a very bitter sweet moment for me. He is our last child and 3 no longer feels "baby". That's a hard concept for me to swallow. Anyway, we had a surprise birthday party for him on Sunday and yes that means I did not watch the Oscars. We kept it small, just family. He was so excited and couldn't believe all the presents were for him. Here is my sweet boy...


His favorite movie is Cars, but I couldn't bring myself to go to Party City and load up on the typical so instead I did a movie theme and used all his Car car's as extra decor. Popcorn bags ready to be filled...



We had Car's playing and what's a movie without candy?


The centerpiece was a cake idea, well in this case, cupcake idea I found in this book. The confetti was made using tin foil and an extra large hole punch.



I had a cake plate full of mini cupcakes topped with a single marshmallow. He was so excited he blew out the candles before we finished singing Happy Birthday, ha!


Me and my little man...


I guess he will be my baby forever though... Did I mention how hard this is for me?

Details:

over sized balloon- I Luv Sugar {Jennifer was wonderful to work with. The balloons were a last minute addition and she got them to me fast- Thank You!}

popcorn boxes- Hobby Lobby

movie theater candy- World Market {on sale $6 for 6}

popcorn canisters- Target $1 aisle.

I have a guest blog over on So Chic today... Hostess gifts galore.

Layering Mirrors


Jenny from Little Green Notebook posted this image with the idea of layering mirrors. I was smitten. We currently have the one huge mirror that is in most mass builders homes and I have always been too scared to rip it down. I just adore this option, but I was was not willing to spend very much either. Well, I was in Target the other day and came across two frame less mirrors on clearance for $19.00 a piece. The size and shape are perfect...


Anyone have any brilliant ideas on how to hang them safely now? I would love your thoughts. The mirrors are fairly heavy.

Coastal Living {March}


I am super excited about this months Coastal Living review. The March issue is AMAZING! The kind of amazing that even when March is over it will sit out instead of being filed away with the rest. There were so many beautiful features that it was hard to choose which one I would feature, but I chose the one that featured a home that has 6 little ones.








Absolutely stunning, am I right? They also feature one of the girls rooms in the magazine that is breathtaking. It really is such a dream.

Oh, and did I mention Erika from Urban Grace has a 6 page spread on her kitchen designs. I could not be anymore excited for her!

Also Bobbi Brown shares what's inside her L.L. bean beach bag. Her list makes me think she and I were separated at birth. Except change her havaianas to rainbows and we are in business.

Really this is a must have issue. I can't get enough of it!

*and as always I do not get paid by Coastal Living to write a monthly review, I do it because I love this magazine and they asked if I would be interested in doing so. Nothing more than that.

INSPIRED...


I just adore this image of interior designer Lilly Bunn Weeks. The rug, the table skirt, that chair, the wall covering, even Weeks outfit is perfection. Oh, and if you happen to read the article then you will notice Jenny among a very short list got a shout out for being an inspiration to Weeks, how fabulous is that! She inspires me too.

{via Vogue}

Being Practical

I had a reader ask for some kid friendly breakfast/dining spaces ideas, aka something my child can't ruin within 5 minutes. Here are a few spaces I have saved in my own inspiration folder...


What I love is the gallery wall. It can easily be mixed up with adding your own child's art work. What child and parent wouldn't love that? I also love the easily cleanable chairs in a fun color. The chairs within the otherwise neutral palette makes it all not so overwhelming.

{via Elle Decor}

I love the magic of paint. Find any craigs list, yard sale, or flea market table and chairs and just add paint. I love how they used all different chair styles, but easily made them unite with a coat of black paint.

{via Decor Pad}

Hello chalkboard! This is either a love it or hate it thing, but I personally love it. I also love the oversize lighting and the simple seating. This space is great example of modern mixed with traditional.


This space definitely packs the punch, but again it does not feel overwhelming. I could definitely see getting a lot of use out of the dining area.

Well, I hope this helps a bit. Being kid friendly doesn't have to sacrifice on style. And for those who like a bit of a padded seat, using outdoor fabric is always an option. I plan on doing this in my own dining room, now just to make an appointment with the upholsterer. Hope our weekly small group/dinner group won't mind be seat less for a couple of weeks, yikes.

PINK

It seems I have become quite smitten with pink lately. Not to say I haven't always loved it. My wedding colors were pink, black, and white. I just never embraced it as a decor staple. Oh, not counting my daughters room, we fully embraced it there.

{via Domino}

I have become especially smitten with this chair since posting it over a week ago...

{via The Vintage Laundress}

I then came across this fabric at a fabulous local fabric shop...


I love how it is more raspberry pink then hot pink. I think it would look nice on a bench we have that I plan to put in the hall that leads to the kiddos rooms. It will sit under our (in progress) mixed frame gallery wall. For those who know I don't do too much color that is another story when it comes to my kiddos part of the house. And yes, when I go fabric shopping and don't want to check out samples I take a pic with my blackberry and it helps me remember pricing. I am practical like that.

Outfit to Room...

It seems I seem to favor Ellie, here and here, for my outfit to room series so I thought it was about time to do brother. He has style too... Well, actually he just dresses a lot like dad.


Outfit to little man's room...

{via Ikea}

A simple bed for a good night slumber.
{via Serena & Lily}

A two toned quilt.


{via CB2}

An industrial stool used as a night stand.

{via target}

I would hang this swing arm lamp directly over the center of the headboard.

{via World Market}

A kilim rug for extra interest.

{via Moomah}

A Moomah inspired gallery wall. Oh, and this is something I am currently doing in KJ's room.

NYC Apartment







I know, I know this home has been featured over on Design*Sponge, but I really have become smitten with it. I try hard to be somewhat blog original, but sometimes I find things to be so inspiring I can't help myself. This is one of those times. That kitchen full of subway tile is such a dream. The inky black doors have me drooling. Oh, and don't even get me started on all the art work. You must check out Design*Sponge for more images and full write up of this home formerly owned by interior designer Ellen Hanson.

MAAN



I first came across MAAN while browsing Black Eiffel. The kids line was too cute not to share again. Too bad it's a Belgium line so I will have to admire from afar. I am sure Ellie would love to sport any one of these looks.

A Kitchen Reno






I am so excited to be able to post this kitchen and dining renovation. This is the home of Eden Lang a fabulous photographer from Canada. She and her mother came up with the kitchen concept and her husband made it happen. What I love is that it's a kitchen made for cooking, but at the same time is extremely family friendly. I adore the clean lines, chalk board door, farm house sink, gorgeous lighting, the floors are delicious, and that huge map, wow! Did you also notice the clipboard leaning up on the counters with the calendar. Well, I did and I am so borrowing this idea to hold Ellie's school calendar. This looks much better than I just leaving ours laying out on the counter. Oh, and to see the complete transformation including before pictures you must go here. Trust me you will be in awe. I want to move in, really.

Thank you Eden for letting me share your gorgeous renovation.

Eden Lang Blog
Eden Lang Photography

Dining in Style


I came across this image while browsing on this fabulous new to me blog. I adore the way the windows push out, the fireplace, the iron based round table, and the chairs. Oh, and don't even get me started on the mirror, chandelier, and floors. I would love to dine here minus the kiddos, I could only imagine what the lovely seats would look like after.

{via Holding Court, via Met Home}