Subject: Nursery Accessories

Melissa -

So happy to hear from you! I like how you are a perfectionist and I am a procrastinator...I knew if I told myself I was going to wait until the beginning of the month, I would never write anything again! Also, if your bathroom looks anything like the inspiration pictures you posted, I will be so jealous! (and totally happy for you too, of course) Actually, it could really work out because one day when I move out of this house I will need a new master bathroom myself, and then I can just copy yours :) Everybody wins!

Okay, now to my current mental obsession: this nursery. Like I said, I have all the furniture already so we'll mostly need to concentrate on accessories and fabric. Today I am going to show you some of the accessories I have found around the interwebs that I love and would like to incorporate in some way. So, without further ado...

These globes from Jordan's apartment seem perfect to incorporate into the Mad Men/'60s Jet Set vibe. I don't necessary need nine, but maybe one small vintage-looking one? I think I have seen then before at World Market.


Above the dresser I want to do either one shelf or two for displaying purposes. I've already promised Mr. Lass we can have cigar boxes in this room, so that seems like a good place to display a few. Plus some other knickknacks...Zippo lighters, perhaps? (Just kidding and I laughed at your comment about the bubble cigarettes. I have, however, thought of trying to find a chunky brass ash tray - clean, of course - to hold pacifiers. I had a pretty bone dish in Suz's room that served the same purpose it was a nice way to display them plus they were always handy.)

These shadow boxes might be a nice alternative to plain shelves, or I could maybe even do both, depending on what I want to display. Of course, the more shelves and small items means more tedious dusting...something to keep in mind.


I am terrible at deciding on artwork, but I fell in love with the idea of vintage travel prints, especially to go with the aforementioned '60s Jet Set vibe. These are a great price and I may only get two. Or three. I'll need to add those frames to my Ikea shopping list.


This faux deer head seems perfect for that old man/den vibe. I don't know if I would choose fabric so busy, but I love the idea of some kind of kid-friendly taxidermy in the room.

O-kay. Got an idea of what I'm working towards? More to come!
Kara

Subject: Rehoboth Houses

Melissa -

Hello and happy Friday! So today I am going to show you the pictures I took of my favorite houses in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Some of them reminded me of houses from a movie and I absolutely drooled at the thought of spending a weekend living in one. Or just a night - I'm not greedy. The details on the houses were great too - lots of stone mixed with wood siding and cedar shingles. And the yards were immaculate. I was very jealous of the climate up there. It was hot, yes, but not the kind of hot that just zaps flowers in the middle of the afternoon if you are not out there holding a garden hose to everything. Basically - not like here.

I don't even know if these pictures will do the houses justice, especially since I took these on the last day we were there when the sky was gray and cloudy (the best kind of weather to be leaving a beach vacation, in my opinion). But I hope you get the idea. Oh, and I saved the best for last!

I included a close-up of the yard on this next one because I thought it was so charming:

The house that went with this next yard wasn't all that memorable to me, but I loved this little stone wall and garden behind it:

This house seemed a little out-of-place among all the others, but I loved the red geraniums in the pot and the manicured box woods. Plus the American flag against the gray (with the red geraniums) is really nice, so I decided to include it:

And this one is called The Grey Goose and it was my favorite house of all. Can't you see why?

Don't you just die for that pink door? I don't know how well you can tell from the pictures, but the house was this amazing gray with white trim and a pale pink door. And the house is on Queen Street - how perfect is that? I also loved the little walkway on the roof - I can only imagine what the view is like from up there. Seriously, if they were selling tickets on the driveway, I would have bought one just to see what the interior was like!!

I hope you have a fabulous weekend and I will see you back here next week!

Subject: TJ Maxx Drooling

Melissa -

Living in a small town definitely has its drawbacks (only two Targets, one Michael's, no Home Goods!), but for some reason the furniture at the TJ Maxx is surprisingly good. I don't know if you have decided on dining room chairs to go with your new table (when you get it), but I fell in love with these:



I especially love the nail head trim as well as the fabric - it was almost like a linen. It just seemed really sophisticated, but the nail head made it feel more rustic and less formal. Plus it looks comfortable, which is so important if you want your guests to be comfortable and sit awhile. The price was great too - $149.99 each.

Of course, there were only two available, but I'm sure with the entire metropolis of Atlanta at your disposal, you could track down enough!

So have you noticed a trend with my posts this week? While I'm gone, I'm emptying out my phone of pictures I meant to send you!

Xoxo,

Kara

Subject: Beach Trip!

Melissa -

Today we leave for a 10-day excursion up the Eastern Seaboard. We are going to visit some of Hubby's family up in Maryland, go to his cousin's wedding and then head on over to an aunt's house on Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. As an ode to my week at the beach - and summer in general - here is a sampling of coastal decorating, all courtesy of Southern Living:

I like it when beach houses don't scream "This is a beach house!!!" with seashells glued onto the frames of mirrors, port holes on the wall (who wants their house to look like a seafood restaurant?) and the color palette nothing but boring pastels. It feel so 1990s, you know?

Instead I love punches of red and blue, washed out fabrics like seersucker and chambray, and white slip-covered furniture. Faded wood is also a nice touch. I think my "beach-y" inspiration tends more toward "coastal" instead, which is a subtle difference, but oh-so-important.

And this post wouldn't be complete without a nod toward Sarah Richardson's personal cottage that she renovated and decorated to perfectly illustrate what I am trying to describe:

Re: Bathroom Inspiration

Melissa -

It looks like you had so much fun with your friends! And your clam bake looked delicious! I love the idea of a big bunch of friends gathered around a table loaded with food (this should be on 'garden proud' too!!). You can just sit for awhile and eat and talk and drink. It sounds divine...and yes, last week I was MIA :) It was my birthday week! I did not get anything off my wish list, but still - it was great. And next year is a BIG one (it rhymes with 'flirty'), so we'll have to plan something amazing.

So, I love talking about bathrooms, so I was so glad when you asked for additional bathroom inspiration (so then I don't have to do the embarssing thing and give you unsolicited suggestions!). I looked through my inspiration notebook and noticed something - not many bathrooms are featured in my fav magazines. Mostly it's living rooms, kitches and bedrooms. Do none of these people have to pee?? Anyway, have no fear - I turned to my Decorating Idol to send some inspiration your way.

First and foremost - I loved everything you sent me. I love all the white cabinets and trim work - it just looks so crisp, which I think is perfect for a bathroom. I think lots of wainscoting is ideal in a bathroom as well. Keeping all the fixed elements (tile, cabinets, etc.) neutral will allow you more flexibility with changing out the looks when you get bored just by switching up paint color, rugs (loved your suggestions!) and towels - but you already knew all that!

So, without further ado, here are some pictures from my #1 lady - Sarah Richardson of Sarah's House:



Okay, so in these two pictures I love how she used non-bathroom furniture and converted them into vanities. The wood might be a little too rustic for the look you are going for, but you get what I am saying. I think they even make vanities now that look like pieces of furniture, just to save you the trouble of retro-fitting some antique to accomodate pipes and a sink.

I also love when she incorporates fabric into bathrooms by way of curtain panels:


It's so unexpected and looks so fun and vibrant, I think. And finally:

In this picture and the one above you can see how amazing she is with creating showers. She uses expensive/interesting tile on just one wall to save on money AND to make a bigger impact, which I think is genius. I love how she used tiles of different tones to make the stripes, which is such an interesting idea. She is a pro at mixing expensive and cheap(er) materials to create a custom look that is actually affordable.

For lighting I think you should stay away from the traditional bathroom lighting and instead go with a statement piece in the middle of the room - like a gorgeous chandelier to reflect all the white. Or this could even be an interesting place to use the Edison Chandelier, which I know you are a fan of:


And then over the vanity, maybe do a pendant over each mirror (I love your idea of doing two mirrors). Pottery Barn has some great inspiration, but this is my favorite:

I feel like this summer I too have been taking a break from home projects. Maybe it's our version of 'summer vacation'? What will talk about in the mean time? All our inspiration of course - duh!

Subject: Birthday Wish List

Hi-eee!

No worries on being MIA...I'm just grateful that we're never MIA in the same week :) Which I think makes us a great pair - we don't even have to coordinate when one of us goes MIA...it just kind of happens and the other person blogs away until the other one of us reappears again!

So, my birthday is Monday so I've decided to post some of my favorite lovelies these days. I honestly haven't thought much about what I want for my birthday or what I even want to do for my birthday, but here are a few things that I have been admiring for awhile.

This bag would be perfect for carrying all the odds and ends moms seem to end up with! I'm kind of over the traditional diaper bag and have decided I want a bag that I like (err, love) and will stand the test of wear & tear, trendiness, etc., and will just last me into eternity. Plus, on a practical level, it just seems really roomy and has a really big opening for shoving towels, stuffed animals, diapers and sippy cups into.

I have loved this wallet for a long time. It holds a ton of stuff and is just a really simple design. This is one of the fancier ones color-wise, but I do think it's beautiful. Maybe there' s a trend here, but I love things that are timeless and that I will love as much today as I will years from now, that aren't overly-trendy but are just really classic in their design. Plus I am craving things that are super-functional and this totally fits the bill.

And I am always in the market for some personalized stationary, especially when it is designed by Whitney English. This is a really simple design, but something about it is really appealing and beautiful to me.

I have been told before that I am hard to buy for, which makes no sense to me! Does anyone want to be told they are hard to buy for? I am always grateful for anything someone buys me and, in my mind, being 'hard to buy for' implies that someone is overly picky or critical. Granted, I do have strong opinions about what I do and do not like, but I don't think that makes me picky...just discriminating in my tastes, right? Basically I always love something that is a thoughtful gift, but I love receiving books as gifts, especially coffee table books that have beautiful pictures in them. I also love receiving hostess-y type things: a large salad bowl, an adorable cream & sugar set, a big pitcher. I really love anything that is functional and bonus points are added if there is some kind of history to it - like if you found it at some cool flea market or in your great aunt's attic.

All that isn't too much to ask for, right???

Subject: Country Living

Melissa -

Are you familiar with this magazine?

I thought I knew about it, but on Sunday I was waiting to get my stitches removed and found it in the waiting room and quickly became ob-sessed with everything in it. Confession time: sometimes if I find a magazine I cannot live without (like a home design one) in a waiting room, I will take it home with me.

But just look at this inspiration...I had no choice!

The issue was all about decorating with white and how it can be really warm and inviting, not just sterile and cold. This resonated with me because of my goal to be more deliberate with color in my house - not because I am going to an all-white theme.

I might have to consider subscribing to this magazine. Maybe this particular issue was just a fluke, but I was surprised at how refined all the designs were. I guess in my mind "country living" would equal big ceramic roosters in the kitchen and red buffalo check curtains with sunflower appliques, right? I was waaaay off!

In other news, the beach was amazing. It was one of those situations where we accepted an invitation for a free place to stay at the beach but had no idea what our accommodations would be, and then we had to pinch ourselves once we got there: not only was the condo in a beautiful complex that was directly on the beach, we had our own enormous room and private bathroom and the condo itself was bigger than our house! It has awesome.

Anyway, I'm back and refreshed and can't wait to hear about what is going on in your world!
Kara

P.S. What magazines do you subscribe to? I currently get Vanity Fair and Better Homes & Gardens and I'm about to start getting Southern Living. I used to get Martha Stewart Living but it stopped being good to me...the design was too stuffy and the recipes overly-complicated and not that good. I thought I was over Real Simple, but then my MIL gave me a few issues recently and I fell back in love with it again, so maybe I'll add it back into my rotation.

Re: Design + TV

Melissa -

Yes! I have been watching Million Dollar Decorators. Pretty much I fast-forward through all the interpersonal stuff and only watch the design parts...those people are a little nuts! I love Mary McDonald's office, with the double doors and those big rings. Yes, please. And thank you for telling me about the Novogratz Family! I loved watching them last year and was anxious to see if they would have another season. Phew! I cannot wait to watch!

I wanted to show you some pictures that came to me in a round-about way: this girl I'm kind of friends with on Facebook (meaning, we're officially Facebook friends but I only know her socially so we're not 'real' friends) had the link to a house for sale on her profile. I don't know if it's her house for sale, or if she works for a realtor (see, if we were real friends I would know that!), but the house is amazing. I might ask her if it's her house and then she can tell me where she got all of her cool accessories/furniture.

Feast your eyes:

Here is everything that I love (since you asked!):

• The wingback chairs and photos above the couch. The profiles on the chairs are really elegant but still modern. I also love how all the furniture is neutral with some color coming in through the prints on the wall, although some colorful fabric on a pillow somewhere would be nice too.


• The plates on the wall in the dining room - what a fun arrangement! I wonder if all the plates were purchased at once and, if not, if the collection was added to over time or if they were all put up there at once?


• The vintage camp-looking bed frame and the arrangement of pictures above the bed. The light fixture fits in well with the room too, I think.


• I love this nursery! Especially the fur rug (so soft for a baby to play on...but probably challenging to clean when spit-ups inevitably happen!) and the 'poof' in front of the chair.


• The laundry room is probably my favorite of all: the wainscoting, all the seagrass baskets and - of course - that blue door. I now think you should paint the door in your laudry room. And those glass containers...the whole thing is perfect!


• Mostly I love the light fixture just before the stairs. Maybe I want something like that instead of the Moravian light I told you about previously.

I hope you enjoyed this house as much as I did. There is definitely some inspiration to be found in the understated elegance and deliberate use of color.