sometimes everyone needs a vacation...this week, it's officially ours. posts maybe limited b/c the beach is calling my name....

*image courtesy of this is glamorous

5 yrs ago....

my husband turned over this morning and said "what do you think you were doing at this time five yrs ago"....i peeked open my eyes and looked at the clock- it said 5:02...my immediate response was "sleeping" and i closed my eyes shut...he laughed and turned back over...

the truth is, i probably wasn't sleeping at all. i was probably lying in bed, staring at the ceiling w/ a huge grin on my face, thinking about how i was about to walk down the aisle and marry my best friend....

*images courtesy of le love

nature....

what is it about a bunch of stacked wood that adds so much to a room....it's so pretty w/ out even trying to be. i think this house has a simple elegance about it. i love the woods wallpaper....there is just enough pattern on that one wall to bring a slight edge to the space.

*images courtesy of australian home beautiful

take a picture, it will last longer...

i think one of my favorite parts of having this blog is the visual reminder of what i am inspired by...having all of these images saved, gives me a great resource to go to when i am helping a client. when you are building a house or hiring a designer, images are so vital in expressing your individual style. you can learn so much from looking at pictures: obviously i like open kitchens with a combination of light and dark elements, i lean towards no upper cabinetry and i like introducing industrial touches either in lighting or in a piece of furniture.

so if you are just trying to find out what you gravitate too or if you are considering hiring a designer, start storing pictures...this will serve as a great starting point to tweaking your own individual look!

*images courtesy of charleston home (first and second), house and garden, domino, design sponge, newlywed diaries/martha stewart, the city sage, house beautiful

revelations...

my husband is fabulous...he listens very carefully when i drop hints about what i might want for special occasions....now some people might not find that workout clothes and pilates videos are what they exactly strive for as gifts from their husbands- but let me just tell you what i have learned- the outfit is everything...i am here to say that you can 100% run better if your workout attire is good looking. and i can also tell you that drinking wine and doing pilates isn't such a great idea...you might think that it is only stretching and so an occasional sip b/w trees and leg lifts will be fine....ha, i obviously had no idea what i was getting myself into...

*image courtesy of flickr

oldies but goodies....

it's so sad when our favorite magazines go out of business but i have to say, i get a huge smile on my face when i find old images from them....here are some great ones from blueprint. at the time it was out, i felt like it was a little too much like domino (god rest it's soul)...but now that both are gone, i feel like there is a major slump in my taste of design mags.....

*sigh* come on economy, turn around!!

*all images courtesy of blueprint magazine

flavor paper

so let's step it up a notch from classic gracie to funky flavor paper....searching for a way to go all out- well, here is your answer: think metallic floral, glitzy wood grain, and powerful geometric... and best of all, think made in the USA! this company is definitely a perfect pick for anyone wanting to add a little rock and roll into their interior!!

have a great weekend....

*images courtesy of flavor paper, elle decor, in style

gracie.

whether it is one sheet of gracie wallpaper or an entire wall, the beauty it gives off is untouchable (as well as the price tag). it's so classic, so pretty, and one day i hope i can afford to have it framed b/w two fabulous chairs....and if i am ever lucky enough to have it wallpaper a room- well, that's when i know i have made it :)

*images courtesy of harper's bazaar/ aerin lauder, this is glamorous, desire to inspire, ma belle/tory burch

can you bring me my keys....

inspiration can come in all sizes....whether it's big or small, i hope you are inspired by something today ;) happy wednesday....

*images courtesy of janice valise, sarahleeab

upholstery details

since i touched on the 'small things' yesterday, i thought it would be fun to continue sharing tips on how to take a room to the next level; this time through upholstery. suzanne kasler does an amazing job w/ upholstery details...in fact, i think she nails it. one of my favorite things about suzanne, is the fact that she can make a room look fabulous by the smallest touches...for instance, by adding a small tape banding behind the nailhead of a dining room chair, you get a truly custom looking piece. or take an alternate fabric and create a banding at the bottom of a sofa or chair skirt- so easy but it takes the piece to the next level.

or say you fall in love w/ six dining room chairs in a store. they are upholstered in a great neutral linen...well, to get a more custom look w/out having to reupholster a perfectly fine chair, just do the host and hostess chairs- add a pouch of color on those two. or just have an upholsterer add a different fabric to the backs of the chairs-a simple ticking stripe looks awesome....

another tip i think can carry you a long way is adding nailhead trim. polished nickel looks fabulous on an upholstered piece. if you are creating an upholstered headboard, nailhead gives a great custom look...or if you have an upholstered chair, just simply add a small accent detail by the arms to jazz it up...

none of these tips are mind blowing but if you just remember them when you are decorating a space, it will give you such a great custom look. remember 'small things' can go a long way!!

*images courtesy of suzanne kasler/hickory chair, decorology, house beautiful/ballard design

it's the small things...

lately, i have become obsessed w/ looking at details...when i get a magazine, a catalog, or am searching the web, my eyes immediately zero in on the details that go into the space. it's amazing how effortless the stylists make it look...in everyday life, it's often a step that is overlooked but if done properly, boy, it can make a room go from nice to fantastic....

*image courtesy of the domino mag files, design sponge

what's hiding in your garage....

today i thought i would share w/ y'all what is hiding in my garage....this little diddy (along w/ my DR table and several other pieces i have collected from various thrift stores, yard sales, etc....drives my husband crazy b/c that is his one spot in the house). i found her under a lot of "junk" at one of my secret junkin' spots....when i saw the detail on the drawers of the chest, i knew it was special.

now the chest does have one catch, it was taken from a kiawah house where she was used as a vanity....so it has a hole in the top. i can't decide if i want to turn her back into a chest for my entryway; i could have a wooden top made or i could get a piece of marble cut for it. the other option would be to keep her as a vanity and used it in the 'next house' (wherever that maybe)...i would put a marble top on and maybe paint her a french blue....

so now i ask you...what treasures are lurking in your garage??

*images courtesy of newlywed dairies, design sponge/ betsy burnham