{ via } Popping in for a few seconds and wanted to share a few pins that I'm totally loving right now. Hope it inspires you in some wa...
{Parker Silk Jumper / Mallorca Pendant / Citrus Grove Pouch / Schutz Celia Sandal / Scout Layered Frill Bikini / Floral Jacquard Mini / Tropical Banana Leaves Watercolor Print}
As I write this (last night), the snow is falling down outside and I am O-V-E-R it. Don't hate me, but after New Year's Day, I don't want to see snow until the holidays roll around again. Snow messes up schedules and changes things up too much. And I'm all for staying in and being all cozy, but when all you do (because of the snow and cold temps) is stay inside and eat NONSTOP, it gets to be too much. I need to get outside and get my cardio on or something, so what I say is please stay away snow and don't come back until the holidays later this year. Thank you.
We recently nailed down a group trip to Florida to visit our good friends who live there and I cannot tell you how excited I am to hang out with my best friends for a good 4 days in warm, sunny Naples. All I can think about is being out in the sun (with spf of course), the clothes I'll get to wear (need to buy some self-tanner asap), and enjoying the company of my best friends. Can you blame me for being super excited about this, especially with this polar vortex happening? Well, with all this looking forward to warmth, I couldn't help myself but to create this board full of things that get me ready for Spring.
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{ Parker Silk Jumper / Mallorca Pendant / Citrus Grove Pouch / Schutz Celia Sandal / Scout Layered Frill Bikini / Floral Jacquard Mini...
Happy Monday! I hope those of you who are in this Polar Vortex are staying warm and don't have cabin fever too badly (I do!) and if you're not in it, then I'm really jealous. Somehow today's high is 38 degrees but then we drop to 18 degrees tomorrow! Please, someone tell me how is that possible??
Anywho, I have been dying to show you the transformation that our dining/kitchen space underwent last week. I seriously cannot tell you how much I love that we painted the one giant wall in our dining area black (really midnight dream by Benjamin Moore). Every morning when I come into the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast, I am beyond happy to see that statement wall and I ask myself why we didn't do it sooner.
There are still a few more things we want to add to the space, such as a new chandelier (I'm still shopping around for one) and some wall decor (hubby's going to work on a painting for one of the walls). I wasn't sure how I felt about keeping our existing mirror since the frame is black, but after seeing it up on the walls, it's definitely staying. It's almost like the black frame blends right in and disappears so that the mirror truly becomes a 'window' on the wall to visually open up the space.
Even though the space isn't exactly 'done' in my mind, it's still far above what it was before and I am so excited to show you the before and after pics. Scroll down to see the Before pics. I couldn't help myself by starting out with the After pics since I am waaay over the former kitchen/dining space.
What do you guys think? Are statement walls, and ones in black, something you would do in your house?
I love that any type of flower I place on the table will really pop against the black wall.
The hubby is finally going to paint something big for that giant white wall. Cannot wait for him to get that started.
We're switching out our current silver colored knobs with these brushed brass modern ones (the left one is the brushed brass, the right one is polished brass). It'll instantly modernize the kitchen side, but now we're starting to think if we want to paint the cabinets… Did I just freak you out with saying that?
Testing out 3 paint colors, but the clear winner was Midnight Dream by Benjamin Moore. It's a black that has blue in it, which really gives some dimension instead of being a flat black.
Excuse the mess in the kitchen. Can't believe I'm showing you the kitchen when it's this messy. I promise to show you the After of the kitchen once we outfit the cabinets with the new hardware.
Happy Monday! I hope those of you who are in this Polar Vortex are staying warm and don't have cabin fever too badly (I do!) and if you...
Hi guys! Sorry for being away for so long, but this weekend was packed and I needed yesterday to recover from it all. We finally got around to repainting our kitchen/dining room and I cannot tell you how happy I am with it! Nor can I wait to show you guys what it looks like now. You guys got a hint of what I was up to (in terms of the color scheme) over on Instagram, and if you haven't already guessed it by now, we painted a giant wall in our dining area black! Or rather Midnight Dream by Benjamin Moore.
You're probably saying, "what?!", so let me backtrack and explain the whole thought process behind this decision. Our dining room and kitchen area are located in one space, instead of the usual two separate spaces. I'll show you photos when I reveal the statement wall so you know what I'm talking about here. But for now, just trust me on this. Because it's one giant space, we felt (when we first were thinking about paint colors) that we needed to pick a color that would work with the cabinets, countertops, and our dining table. So we went with Behr's Sesame, a light yellow/green that changed colors throughout the day depending on the light coming in. We loved it and didn't think much of it, until maybe a year ago when we started to think that maybe it's time to change the color out. The green kind of gave it the rustic, border-line shabby chic feel and honestly, we were ready for something new.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great color, but we're starting to lean more towards the modern, edgy/glam vibe for this space. Sooo, that's when we were thinking about wallpapering (ha, I say 'we' but I really mean me) and that's when the Martinique captured us. The price tag, however, did not capture us. I think if we were planning on living in this house for a long time, we wouldn't hesitate in investing in the Martinique. But because we're hoping to have another child in a few years and would love more space, we just cannot justify spending so much on wallpaper that we won't necessarily be enjoying for many years to come.
Skip to just a few weeks ago, and I started toying with the idea of just painting the wall we had in mind for the Martinique a different color. However, it wasn't until I saw the Imperial Trellis in Onyx Gloss that the idea of painting it black hit me. And I knew right then that it was a perfect compromise to myself. I really, truly wanted some kind of fantastical wallpaper to go up in the dining room, but the two wallpapers that I fell in love with were just too pricey. But having the wall painted black would really make a statement (who paints their walls black, right?? unless you're me, hehe) and anything against the wall would really pop which would allow me to have some fun with the wall art/decor. And the best part of this compromise is that Steve was totally on board with it. Yes, I realize that usually he goes along with whatever crazy idea I have, but I really love it when he agrees with me. Makes me feel less crazy for having crazy ideas.
Let's talk about the above board. When I was initially thinking about painting a black statement wall, I wanted to see examples before diving in head first and these were some of my absolute favorites that I found that gave me such great inspiration. I also wanted to show you some of our existing pieces that we are keeping that we think go really well with the new statement wall. The Ikea Tobias chairs really do the wall justice. They are statement pieces in and of themselves, yet because they are transparent, they don't take away from the wall or the table. And when we do get a new chandelier, they won't take away from that either. I also included the brushed brass hardware because as I said before our kitchen and dining room are one giant space and we think switching out the current hardware with these new brass ones will really modernize the entire room. Our cabinets are very close to a cherry wood color and have somewhat of a traditional shape (promise to show you photos soon!), not our first choices so we are making a small but impactful attempt at giving the kitchen side of the space a facelift too.
Once we get some sun coming through the windows (anyone else get hit by the snowstorm yesterday?), I'll be sure to snap some pics of the dining room to show you the progress. Stay warm if you're in this #polarvortex and if not, then I'm absolutely jealous of you. Anyone else ready for the snow to stop and for some warmer weather instead?
Photo Source: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Source: Benjamin Moore Midnight Dream / Ikea Tobias Chair / Kipling Grey Wash Dining Table / Bar Knob in Brushed Brass
Hi guys! Sorry for being away for so long, but this weekend was packed and I needed yesterday to recover from it all. We finally got aroun...
{Imperial Trellis / Orchid Turquoi / Feline Paper / Channels Paper}
I went to get some paint samples yesterday (finally repainting the kitchen/dining room, woohoo!) and while I definitely did leave with paint samples, I also left with a newfound love for the Imperial Trellis in Onyx Gloss. I'd seen it online dozens of times, but it's so different when you see it in person. First of all, you don't realize the scale of the trellis pattern until you see a sample of it. It's quite larger than what I had imagined so that was a pleasant surprise. Pleasant surprise because I'm really into large-scale patterns since I've been looking for one for our dining room...
Well, I really shouldn't call it a dining room, it's more like a dining area. And not to wallpaper the entire area, but just the giant wall in that space to make a statement because our kitchen/dining area leaves much to be desired. Originally, I thought the Martinique would be perfect (and it absolutely is), but the price tag on it removes it from being a contender. At $280 a roll (gasp!) and we would need 7 rolls (gaaah!), it just ain't happening so I've been trying to find a comparable option and so far I hadn't had any luck…until today. I had kind of crossed off the Imperial Trellis pattern as a contender because we already have the same pattern but in a different color way in our bedroom, but this onyx gloss is just so glam and sexy, and edgy that it's hard not to want it.
I shared with the hubby today, and while he does like it (shocking!), he doesn't love it like he does the Martinique and doesn't want to wallpaper anything unless he and I both really love it. And for once I am in agreeance with him. So, it looks like we're back to the drawing board. Unless I win the lottery or Designer Wallcoverings and Fabrics wants to help a girl out and get one wall in her dining area wallpapered with that fabulous Martinique, hint hint.
While waiting for my paint samples to be ready, I checked out the wallpaper offerings and came across these other three besides the Imperial Trellis. Aren't they all just such statement makers, but in a somewhat quiet way? Oxymoronic there, but there's just no other way to describe it if you know what I mean. Would you use any of these in your own home? If money was no object, I know I would.
{ Imperial Trellis / Orchid Turquoi / Feline Paper / Channels Paper } I went to get some paint samples yesterday (finally repainting th...
{Audrey Sunglasses / Chartreuse Leather Duffle Bag / Black & White Woven Top / Luca Statement Necklace / Pave Stud Hinged Bangle / Lock Clutch / Suede Sandalettes / Bouclé Coat}
It's that awkward time when it's still cold out, but you long for warmer days and don't know whether to continue to buy clothes that will keep you warm, or buy clothes for those warmer days ahead. It's kind of tricky which is why my wish list is a tad bit of a hodge podge mix. I'm dying for Spring to get here (which is why most of the items above evoke warm weather with the pops of color & raffia), but at the same time I'd like to stay warm yet look chic. I think these are pieces you can get now and wear, and easily transition them into your Spring wardrobe.
No doubt Spring has it's cool temp days, so that pink bouclé coat will be perfect for keeping you warm yet looking fresh. And I won't lie, that Raffia Lock Clutch would be the clutch to have on a beach vacation right now. I love me a good pair of tortoise sunglasses and at $24 (yes you heard right), this was such a no-brainer for me to pick up. And if there ever was a necklace to brighten up any outfit during this Winter-to-Spring time, it would be that Luca Statement Necklace, right?
Any favorites of yours here? Or any specific pieces you're buying now in the hopes of wearing them in Spring?
{ Audrey Sunglasses / Chartreuse Leather Duffle Bag / Black & White Woven Top / Luca Statement Necklace / Pave Stud Hinged Bangle ...
{Photos: Huffington Post}
Did you all watch the Golden Globes? I totally forgot about it until a couple of hours before it started (thank you Lindsey!), but made a night of it in true traditional fashion. Some of you may know what I'm talking about (you probably saw it on Instagram last night), but when all of my bffs lived in the MD/DC area, we'd all get together to watch all of the awards shows. We'd make it a girls night by ordering Thai takeout (our fave whenever we'd get together), drink some bubbly, and gab about the fashions we'd see along with guessing what actor/movie would win the awards. Since we've all moved to different states, it's a little harder to get together to do that, but I decided to keep with tradition and order Thai takeout, pop some bubbly (the cheap but good stuff, Charles de Fere) and text each other the fashion loves/hates.
These were some of my absolute favorites of the night. It was actually hard to pick favorites, because there was a lot of good fashion choices going on last night. In the years passed, I've been somewhat underwhelmed with the gowns, but I was really impressed with the majority of what I saw. That's not to say that I'm an expert or anything, but I like what I like and I liked a lot of what was going on this year.
Just by looking at my faves, clearly I'm into clean lines, black, white, bold color, cutouts, and lace/embellishments. I thought these ladies killed it and kept it classy. It was just the right amount. And I don't tend to gravitate towards lace immediately, but I have to say that Cate Blanchett looked phenomenal (when does she not, right?) so I had to choose this Armani dress. Helen Mirren always, and I mean always, kills it with whatever she wears and this time was no exception. And seeing Elisabeth Moss looking so chic and glam puts a giant smile on my face. It's so refreshing to see her looking so darn hot! Lupita in that Ralph Lauren cape gown is so modern and elegant! It was the perfect dress for her to wear (IMO) to start the awards season.
Did you all have any favorites of the night? Please do share!
{Photos: Huffington Post } Did you all watch the Golden Globes? I totally forgot about it until a couple of hours before it started (thank...
Here it is! Finally sharing some photos of our bedroom with you guys. In the years that I've had this blog, I've never shared photos of our bedroom (crazy!) and thought it was time I did just that. Our bedroom has hands-down become my sanctuary, my place of rest ever since Cora came into the world (obviously). Sleep has never been more important to me and having the bedroom be a stress-free space has become my number one priority. I've always wanted to look at our bedroom and say, "wow, what a chic space", and I've never ever said or thought that until now.
There are lots of items that I am still procuring for the room (a rug, a new nightstand for Steve's side, a chandelier, and of course a headboard), but so far I think the room is looking exactly like that chic space that I've always wanted it to look like. It's serene & clean, but with those pops of color that I just need to have. And it's tidy! Especially my vanity/desk area. I love seeing other people's desks with lots of fun trinkets and books and such, but I've tried having those types of things on there and it just creates visual clutter in my eyes. I just can't seem to work with it and honestly, Cora loves to make a mess of anything I have on there, so I'm keeping it as clean and clutter-free as possible.
The room was in serious need of some new bedding so what's a girl to do when that happens? Get help from Crane & Canopy for gorgeous, affordable bedding! I absolutely love their collections and they generously offered to gift a bedding set of my choosing. I picked the Linden Monaco Blue Border duvet and shams and I can honestly say that the bedding makes the room. No doubt about it. Without it, it just wouldn't have that crisp, clean feeling that I so love in a bedroom. They also offer three other gorgeous color-ways in the Linden Monaco Border duvets along with a huge array of other duvet styles & colors. So the lesson here is that if you need/want new bedding, Crane & Canopy is where it's at. If you don't believe me, check out these photos.
As a labor of love, Steve's mom spent countless hours making this gorgeous star-patterned quilt for us a few years ago. It's composed of numerous blue and white fabrics and fits in perfectly with the room, whether it's providing us warmth at night or perched on the vintage brass bamboo quilt stand.
There is a Bungalow 5 console/desk, the Jacqui, that I am in love with, but because of the price tag, it was never going to happen. So I did the next best thing. Find a comparable and just switch out the hardware to something similar to the Jacqui console/desk. Resource for the hardware below.
Crane & Canopy Linden Monaco Blue Border Duvet & Shams gifted / Target Hamilton Office Desk / Reupholstered Vintage Barrel Back Chair from Craigslist / Jules Large Accent Table / Anthropologie lamps (few years ago) / Anthropologie Ikat bowl (few years ago) / Leopard Velvet Pillow Cover / Kelly Wearstler Trellis Pillow Covers / Solid Brass Ring Pulls / He and I print (similar to the one I have up) / Sophie & Lili print / Chanel Shoes print
Here it is! Finally sharing some photos of our bedroom with you guys. In the years that I've had this blog, I've never shared photo...
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Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend? All I want to do is just crawl back into bed. That's what this freezing cold is making me want to do. What happened to the 70 degrees that we had just a few weeks ago? Steve always jokes around saying that this is the time of year when I incessantly talk about moving to California or somewhere warm. And he's absolutely right! Because I just can't stand this cold! I wasn't built for it! I was born in Hawaii so I am all about the warmer temps. But if it's going to be cold, then let me stay in bed and get all cozied up. Right??
I wouldn't mind staying in one of these bedrooms. Nope, not one bit. I like all sorts of interiors, but when it comes to our bedroom, I've found that I really gravitate towards clean lines, a lot of white space but with some pops of color. These images of bedrooms are some of my faves out there and they really inspire me to create a similar feel in our bedroom. Tomorrow, I'll be sharing some photos of our bedroom so make sure to come back!
Let me just hit the snooze button a few more times…
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{Tish Key Interior Design}
{Lily Bunn Interiors}
{Sarah Richardson}
{Melissa Warner Rothblum}
{Kara Mann}
{ via } Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend? All I want to do is just crawl back into bed. That's what this freezing cold is ...