Decor Dreams

And so a week goes by...

2012-01-26T23:22:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd be able to post something before now. But as usual, life got in the way. We've had a few bumps in the road. Nothing major. Our window seat window in the breakfast/dining room was put on the window schedule as 6 feet and was framed at 6 feet. But all along, our architect and I have been referencing this window with the 18" hutches on each side. When I went and looked at the house over the weekend, I noticed crazy narrow spaces where the hutches should be. It turns out that on the plans (the drawing that we've been referencing), it was drawn to scale as a 5 foot window. So now that it's been framed and ordered, it became a whole issue of what to do: 1) architect buys a 5' window for the space and eats the cost 2) we work something out to deal with the 6' window.

We chose number 2. We had to reconfigure the whole area and have turned the hutches to the side so they'll work.

Another issue that came up is the range hood. Our ducting above the range hood has to angle slightly into the joists and will have us create a box of sorts that will be about 12-14" wide and about 12" down from our 10' ceilings. If we do a chimney hood this box will fit right over the chimney and be trimmed out kind of like this except I'm thinking (from the way they were talking) that my box will end up larger than this trim out is here...

Haven & Home

So that's pretty much nixed the chimney hood because I've tried to love it but I just can't. So now I've moved on to a cabinetry/mantle type hood which is, of course, more money. But it will completely hide this ducting thing in case it ends up being large:


Pinterest


Muse Interiors

Chic Coles

Pinterest (via Houzz)

I'm headed to a third cabinetry place Tuesday to see what we can do as far as the cost of the cabinetry and where they come in vs. my current frontrunner, especially now that I have this additional item thrown in.

On to better things. It's rained off and on all week. I didn't get to go by the house today because work went long and kids had things in the evening. But this was yesterday:

And yesterday it was back to the lighting place where I stewed over more fixtures.

I've already changed some thoughts on some of my previous selections. But at least now I know what types of fixtures are going where. I can take some time on my specific choices now.

I'm anxious to see if our stairs are up! The boys got to go upstairs shortly after the second story was framed because they arrived a few minutes before we got to the house while the framers were still there with the super long ladders. We missed them! The girls have yet to see the upstairs. It's killing Brooke to not get to see her room!

Lighting the way

2012-01-19T00:12:00.001-06:00

I had my first appointment with the lighting person today. She was really great. I feel like I've been looking online at lights for so long that I have a good sense of what I like and don't like. But sitting there and going through things with someone else brings things to a whole other level. We didn't even get halfway through what we needed to accomplish. I am amazed at how much better her pricing is than what I've seen online. Yay! I do plan to head to Julie Neill to check out some of her things as well. But for now this is what I've got in mind:

FRONT PORCH

Our front porch lights will be recessed along the upper and lower porches aside from the gas lantern over the front door. We're doing a 21" gas lantern with a yoke from Flambeaux Lighting:

ISLAND PENDANTS

With the white kitchen and now that we're pretty set on doing some sort of cabinetry hood to the ceiling instead of a stainless hood, I'm moving away from fixtures with a lot of white in them in order to add more contrast.

I'm considering:


Currey & Company Neville - This is one I haven't noticed online. It looks really nice in real life. But it's in nickel which means I'll have to change my kitchen finishes from chrome/ORB to nickel/ORB, right?


Currey & Company Regatta - Also much prettier in person, though still lovely online.


Visual Comfort Goodman (the small one which is still quite substantial in size)


Landmark Chadwick - If budget doesn't pan out for the others, I'm keeping this one in mind as well as....


Kichler 2665 Classic Single Pendant

BREAKFAST/DINING

The dining/breakfast area falls in between the living and kitchen and all areas are completely open to each other. For that reason I want a fixture over the table that's not too heavy visually but that also makes a nice statement. I've been eyeing up this one for a long time and was happy to find the price at my place was much better than what I've found online:


Currey & Company Crystal Light in Silver Leaf

ENTRY

The Entry Lantern is something I've been struggling with. We have two in a row so they need to be alike. Sadly this ruled out one I'd been eyeing up for a long time, the Z Gallerie Eclipse. Two in a row just won't work. This is what I've got at the moment. It's got just enough detail and interest but not too much going on...

I also looked at this one from Currey & Company but they're $180 more per lantern and since I need two....

STAIRS

I changed from doing a single chandelier/pendant/lantern on our half turned staircase to sconces. I love sconces and it's easier to change the bulbs when they go out. I've been looking at these or the similar Pottery Barn version for some time now. I can get these from my girl for less than the PB version.

Quoizel Millennium

My lighting girl pointed out that the Entry Lanterns echo the lines of the sconces in the staircase. They certainly do. I had liked both and didn't notice that until she pointed it out!

MISC.

Here's where it gets hazy. We have:
1. the pantry
2. the sink
3. the "vestibule" entrance to the office/powder room/laundry rooms and the office (all three need to be the same because they're in a line) that's directly off the living room
4. the laundry room
5. three hall lights upstairs in the open area

I like the following fixtures (listed in order of least to most expensive, though none are outrageous) for various reasons. I'm just not sure how I'm going to mix them up for those different areas:


10" x 11 3/8"/ 5" canopy / 1-100 watt


8" x 9 1/2" 100W

8" x 8" (comes with 1 6" and 2 12" rods) / 8" canopy / 1 - 75W bulb


7" x 17.5" x 11.5" 2 - 100W

MASTER BATH

One of these for the center. All are around the same price. The last one is PB that I can get for a deep discount if I choose that one:

I haven't decided on sconces for next to the mirrors for the master bath as of yet.

BROOKE BATHROOM

She is dying for this light in the center of her bathroom:

I haven't figured out her vanity light yet.

BRADY BATHROOM

He's stated he just wants lights over the mirror. He doesn't care about sconces or anything of the sort. Since we're going for a clean lined look in his bath, I'm thinking something along these lines:

GUEST BATH

Thinking of light, white with maybe hex tiles, etc. in this bath. I found this fixture and think it's adorable. Plus it's a great price which is a bonus. It would be installed downward instead of upward as shown:

POWDER ROOM

For the center fixture I've been thinking of doing something like this Shades of Light pendant:

We have space for a 24" pedestal sink (with a few inches to spare on each side). I know we'll need some light near the mirror as well. I just started looking online today. Maybe something like these?

Murray Feiss Bristol


Vaxcel Swing Arm

I'll need to get both priced locally since that's the better price for me. But online they're around the same cost.

I think I'm stopping here for now. I have lots to mull over before next week's second lighting meeting. I still need to look at the budget and where these fit in and the rest of the fixtures I've not included here:

- All fans

- Master sconces

- Sink light

- Bar light

- Brooke's chandelier in her room

- All small closet flush lights

It's a lot to do and think about. Now I know why everyone said the lighting and the paint were two of the most overwhelming things they had to deal with!

More Framing

2012-01-17T23:34:00.000-06:00

Things are going pretty fast. It seems like one day the outside was framed and a day and a half later, we were able to walk through the first floor rooms and take a tour! It's starting to get fun!

Making a break for it!!


Climbing up on the back patio because the front ramp was taken down Friday evening.

Standing where the window seat will be...


The kitchen side. The kitchen window and window seat are the two large windows on the right.

And cut to today. They've started on more of the flooring for the second floor:

The back patio and the garage.


Looking at the dining area (window seat) to the living area french doors/windows. There are small wing walls on each side of the window seat for separation and architectural interest & to bring the ceiling detail into that space.

"Mike's Den" window which he actually complained about tonight because it makes the man cave less "cavey". Puhlease! These plans have been done for months!


Front again...

I can't wait for that second floor to get put on!! It rained pretty hard today. I don't know what that means for tomorrow. But I find myself cursing every day it rains!

Going up!!

2012-01-11T23:50:00.000-06:00

When Brooke and I went by the house Monday, they had put the boards down to start framing the room shapes. So to her, it didn't look like much since she was expecting to see stuff going up already. It rained yesterday and was just a gross day overall. But today...

The front door will be in that spot at some point. The 8 foot height looks giant compared to our little munchkin fresh from school. I don't think she was expecting to see all of that today.

View from the back looking at the back of the living room on the left, the porch slab is what those boards are leaning on. To the right of that is an outdoor bathroom.

And that's the right side of the house, minus the garage in the back. All that was done in about a day. Fascinating.

As far as the beam/cased opening issue, I decided to go with some sort of beam treatment. BUT, when I went to the site Monday afternoon and met with the contractor, we looked at the width of the structural beam that has to go in one spot (the other is just for looks) and both agreed that 16" is wider than what either of us wants for the space. So up in the attic and concealed the structural beam will go. So now, the ceiling will be flat and I can come in once it's done and decide the exact look I want then. That's a lot easier!

Building progress

2012-01-09T09:50:00.000-06:00

Things have been moving along! I haven't had much time to upload photos with all that's been going on in our everyday lives. Not to mention all the great football madness here with LSU and Saints. Woohoo!!

Slab was put down last week and the framing starts today. So you KNOW it's supposed to pour raining tonight and tomorrow! LOL! I got a call this morning from our architect that I must make a decision regarding the cased openings vs. columns/beams by mid-week. Good heavens. I've been putting off this and the front door decision forever and it's finally here. D-day.

Caught part of the process:

Pilings, Contractor, & Meetings...oh my!

2011-12-13T22:31:00.000-06:00

We have pilings! Michael went by the lot today after picking up the munchkin from school. We're coming along already!

We sat with our contractor this evening to go over things that need to be done by us over the next few weeks so they can be done or looked at in January:

- WINDOWS & DOORS: Frankly, I've been putting off the decision on the front door. I kept thinking Fiberglass because of the west facing house and the afternoon sun. I just know how our stained door on our previous house faded and needed restaining so often. We do have a nice front porch on this house though. The ease of fiberglass would be nice. But the aesthetics of this house might lend itself more to a stained door.

I'm really going to have to put some thought into this over the next couple of weeks.

- ROOF: Since our exterior Hardie Plank will more than likely be white or a pale gray, we're definitely going with a deep charcoal or black. So I need to look at the colors my builder has done with both options to see which I prefer.

- ELECTRICAL: Floor outlets and things that will be fixed in the early stages need to be decided on now. So we need to plan this stuff out.

- CABINETRY: We need to go ahead and meet with the kitchen people again to finalize our kitchen layout to get the island where it's going to be and to make sure we have the electrical items where they're going to go.

- PLUMBING: I'm pretty much done with my selections aside from the fact that I haven't found a 24" vanity for the guest bath. I don't want a pedestal since I want storage. Since I haven't found this, I also haven't found a sink or a faucet as both of these are pending the selection of the vanity itself. Also, the bar faucet I selected is discontinued. So I need to reselect one. I also want to compare prices with another local place my builder uses to make sure I'm getting the best price.

MASONRY: I need to drive around and look at masonry I like on houses and give him the addresses. So far, I know I like Old Chicago. But I've not really narrowed it down.

So that's the beginning. I don't have my list in front of me. But that just about covers most everything...I think??

Let the Chaos begin!

2011-12-09T10:49:00.001-06:00

I've taken several months off posting partly due to time constraints and partly due to frustration at not moving forward on the build. It took forever and a day to sell our home. Then we had to select our contractor. Then the bank dragged their feet on processing the paperwork for our loan. That's the super-duper condensed version. It's been very frustrating and an exercise in patience to say the least. So, approximately one year and four months from acquiring the lot, we closed our construction loan yesterday. We broke ground this morning!

And there's already a lovely surprise:

There was a pool under the perfect looking grass. Lovely! I've been joking around that we were already under budget since our permits, survey, flood insurance, etc. have all come in under what they were projected to. The digging up of this old pool pretty much canceled that out. I'm sure it's one of many surprises to come. I'm just excited to finally start!

Living Spaces

2011-05-10T19:41:00.001-05:00

Today, I'd like to focus on living spaces. Since ours will be open to the kitchen and eating area, I want it to feel open and airy, yet also be comfortable to hang out in. I'm also trying to echo some of the current colors in our existing furniture since I know we'll be putting those pieces in our new home. I feel like these fit the bill nicely:

I love the neutral furniture with the pops of color throughout the room. I do believe that's a pale blue ceiling too!

Palmer Weiss

I've always loved the color scheme of this living room. I have less neutrals but it's just lovely. And the layout of the tv and fireplace is nice...

Cote de Texas

This is so nice and beachy looking. I'm thinking I need to get some white slipcovers for my red side chairs. Every room I see has a neutral sofa with white or light blue accent furniture!

Coastal Living

This is really lovely. LOVE the ceiling with the soft blue between the coffers.

Houzz

THIS takes my breath away. This may be my dream living room. I've never been one for big vaulted high ceilings but the beams are what get me. This may have just put me over the edge for wood beams and columns in our new home.

Willow Decor

Fantasy Friday

2011-05-06T08:09:00.001-05:00

While we're in design mode, I thought I'd take Fridays to put together some awesome rooms that would make a fantastic place in which I'd like to live based on my mood that day. So this could vary quite a bit Friday to Friday I think! I'm in a bright and airy place today.

This is one that's in my inspirations. I love the white, the windows, the hood...basically everything. But it fits my bright and airy mood quite well.

My Home Ideas

This living room is so pretty. It's got nice detail yet stays open and light:

Lonny Magazine

This dining area from the Southern Accents Beach House is just perfect.

My Home Ideas

*sigh*

Decor Chick

I don't know where this image is from. It's pinned on my pinterest page with no original source. But it's stunning and probably way out of my price range.

Hey, while I'm at it, I may as well throw in a back yard shot too! How nice does this look?! Except the chairs seem like they were staged to face the wrong way for the photo. I'd surely be facing the yard and not the house.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

A random light and airy image that's just for pure enjoyment!

Louboos and Shoes

Well hello there!

2011-05-02T11:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't been on for what seems like ages. Let's see....I came back from a work trip and the kids caught a bug. Then I caught up on work. Then I got hit with salmonella which led to colon complications and an infection which almost landed me in the hospital. But I'm alive and well now and only 35 years old...though I feel more like 65 as I'm still somewhat recovering from all that mess.

HOUSE UPDATE: We still haven't sold our house. I'm trying really really really hard to be patient but it's a great house so I can't figure this out!! The closer we get to the blueprint phase of our plans for the build, the more impatient I get. We can't start until we sell. Patience, patience, patience....

Oh, I've been spending TONS of time on pinterest. Man, what a black hole that place is! I get sucked in for hours sometimes! I've found and shared some lovely images. Below are some laundry room inspirations I'm saving for the build. In our plans, it turns out the washer and dryer work best under a window which wasn't optimal for me when I first saw it that way. But now, I think, with some organization above the window (shelving or what not) and cabinetry to the side, it could look really neat and be more of a fun space:

My Home Ideas

Southern Living

Maybe adding some cabinetry above the window if necessary? (Just pretend there's a window between the washer/dryer and those cabs).

DecorPad

I just love the color of this room. Soothing yet vibrant and cheery...the perfect place to do laundry!

House of Turquoise

Window Seats

2011-04-09T23:58:00.002-05:00

Aren't these images lovely? I really hope our budget allows us to incorporate one somewhere in the house!

White Kitchens yet again

2011-04-01T14:45:00.001-05:00

I've been out of town on business. Catching up on my decor blogs has taken quite a while! Of course quite a few white kitchens popped up quite immediately:

Brabourne Farm

Cote de Texas

Rabbit Runn Designs Kitchen

2011-03-21T11:56:00.000-05:00

I've been SUPER busy the past month. Mardi Gras and my little one turned six. I can't believe it! I guess I'll be playing catch-up with some posting! I've been bookmarking some photos and blog posts in the meantime.

Last night I came across this stunning kitchen makeover on Rabbit Runn Designs. It's a bit sleeker than some kitchens I've posted in the past but it's stunning! You can see the before photos on their site. I'm just in love with the after photos! Drool worthy!

All of the dark gray steel as well as the hood are painted in BM Wrought Iron.

White Fantasy granite is on the island and Storm Gray Zodiaq Quartz around the perimeter of the kitchen.

I love the open cabinetry and the detailing on the uppers. Very pretty.

The glass they chose for the cabinetry is called "glacier glass". It's nice that you can see the contents a bit but it's not completely clear.

Black is back

2011-02-21T01:16:00.001-06:00

I've been noticing a lot of black interior doors lately. Is this a trend? A classic? Something I've just started to notice because I like it now? I don't know. But I do know I like it. I just wonder if I have the guts to do it in our new house and if it will fit the aesthetic of the house itself. I'd even opt for a deep charcoal. What do you think? Painted interior doors...yay or nay?

Little Green Notebook

Personality is Preferred

2011-02-20T23:18:00.000-06:00

Is this Christopher Peacock's house again? I'm recognizing that rug and the orange accents. But THIS is what I want to ask our architect about doing for the back doors instead of doing a regular door to the side of the living room. I have no idea how expensive it would be to do doors like this. But I'd love to have the option of having double doors that open WIDE to the back porch so that the outside space can become ONE with the inside space in the spring/summer/fall. I think that would be fabulous!

Traditional Home

The more I see this chandelier, the more I like it. How great is this table, light...everything??

Decor Demon

Turning back time

2011-02-19T11:52:00.000-06:00

Do you ever just want to turn back the clock? Today, Low Tide High Style posted some photos of travel clocks:

My mind instantly flashed back to my "Pop" who had a black one that looked almost just like that. Now I'm wondering if my mom still has his little black travel clock. He's been gone since I was in Jr. High (I'm in my mid-thirties now) and I still miss him dearly. It's amazing how every now and then I'll see one thing or smell a certain scent and it will instantly take me back to being in my Grammy and Pop's house.

Now that I'm an adult with real responsibilities, a marriage, two children, a dog, a house to sell and a house to build, sometimes the reality of the present can be a lot to take in. Sometimes just seeing an image every now and then, like the clocks that LTHS posted today, bring a nice pause to the everyday chaos and stress. In my mind I can go back to a simpler time when there were no adult responsibilities to worry over.

flickr

Not that the things in my life today aren't great...because they truly are. I wouldn't give up a single thing...not even the school tuitions! But it's just really nice to take a step back and reflect on the people who were once a part of my life and no longer can be. It's also nice every now and then to just STOP and look at where I came from. That small girl I used to be when I used to look at my grandfather's travel clock turned out pretty OK. That little black timepiece seemed like such an insignificant item way back then. Now I'd give anything in the world to have it in my possession. I think I'll email my mom today to see if she still has it.

Backsplash tile

2011-02-13T12:16:00.001-06:00

This week Centsational Girl posted her fantastic DIY of her replacement of the inset behind her range. Centsational Girl, by the way, has one of the best kitchen planning guides, written in everyday language I've seen online. You should check it out if you ever plan on remodeling or building.

I love the way her backsplash inset turned out and ties in with her white kitchen. It's similar to what I've looked at with diagonally placed subways but using square tiles instead. It looks great:

In the same post she stated on the way back home from New Orleans (HELLO!!!!) she saw in Renovation Style, a photo of a kitchen that looked very similar:

Great style huh??

The research is starting....

2011-02-09T22:40:00.002-06:00

It seems like there are so many things to look at for this build. I know we want white trim around the doors and for the baseboards. We also need to look at options in the great room for beams (we can hide them but we may want to expose them) and two columns (one is necessary for support, the other is to balance the look).

I was going with white painted wood trim that would be trimmed out with molding. But then I saw photos of beautiful natural rustic wood beams. Now I'm conflicted. Both are beautiful and give a totally different look. However, from what I've read there is quite a cost difference between painted wood and real wood. That might have to determine my choice right there!

Attic Mag

Nest Egg

Country Living

Catos

Chambers Street Builders

All of the below are from Houzz, one of my favorite websites for browsing for home inspirations.

Brick Arches:

Banquettes & a pretty window for your weekend

2011-02-05T20:06:00.002-06:00

I found this image on Trove Interiors. It's just lovely and peaceful.

Also from Trove Interiors, This image is giving me some ideas for seating ideas in case we have to end up putting the table between the kitchen and living room after all (not something we were going to go with but may end up happening after all). I don't really care for the curved seating but love the banquette:

Here's a good example from BHG that has the back exposed. I was thinking of having the back of a banquette toward the living area and maybe putting bookshelves on that side with the other side of the "L" along the window wall This helps a bit visually to see a side exposed and not against a wall:

I found this image via google. It's a nice view of one with the back exposed also (although it looks to be kind of an odd shape)...

The below are from Nest Egg The first shows adjoining the wall banquette to a kitchen counter. Interesting!:

I just plain like these:

Elements of Style has some nice photos of banquettes also:

HOLY COW!

2011-01-31T08:54:00.001-06:00

Will you look at this?? A Life's Design posted, what seems to be, the perfect kitchen inside a perfect house today. The house is called Monkey Cottage and is located in Sun Valley Idaho. This kitchen HAD to have been done by Christopher Peacock. Behold...

See that over there on the right of this photo? See it?? I think I finally found our fireplace inspiration!

This room is great inspiration for our large breakfast room that will be off our kitchen:

Bathroom Alert! Bathroom Alert! Freestanding tub under a window! I'm all over it. But ixnay on the marble floors. Too much etch factor in a bathroom...

Personally, I would've painted the master bedroom's walls a soft blue or soft blue-green instead of what looks to be white. But that's just me.

White Kitchen & Entry

2011-01-29T22:49:00.001-06:00

I'm looking at options for kitchens with the range on the window wall since this will probably be our longer wall. This will give us the option of putting the sink in the island. This is a great kitchen. I love the hood and the windows flanking it. It gives me some great ideas. Still pondering!

Traditional Home

I know I've posted this photo before but I came across it again and re-fell in love with it. The dutch door and the turned stairs with the storage...it draws me in every time.

Blueprint Bliss

More fireplace ponderings

2011-01-22T19:33:00.001-06:00

Maybe it's because it's actually been cold here in Louisiana or because our current home doesn't have a fireplace, but I can't get this out of my mind.

I threw out my "issue" of sorts to my mom. She and my dad built the houses I grew up in so they kind of know what they're doing. The first thing she said was that we have two fully available walls with windows so why not try to get window light from both walls and put that fireplace on the back wall flanked by windows:

Keller Williams Realty

Nest of Grand Traverse

Then the TV could be in builtins on the far wall that faces the kitchen, leaving some of it open for windows and light to filter through. Brilliant!

TV, Fireplace & Built-Ins - Oh My!!

2011-01-19T09:29:00.000-06:00

Well, the hubs and I are already having a disagreement on the built-ins in the upcoming build. He's envisioning the TV over the fireplace like this:

Classically Modern Nest

His reasoning:

1) The TV will be in the middle of the built-in wall so viewing will be optimal for everyone.

2) The TV will be higher so everyone in the room can see it better.

Now, I think the rooms above are lovely. And certainly no offense to anyone that has a TV mounted above the fireplace. For some people I think it works wonderfully. My reasoning for not wanting to do so:

1) Our living room's actual seating area will be roughly the same size it is now (around 17x18). I do not like to crane my neck and look up to see the TV. Our current TV is at eye-level and is the perfect height for viewing.

2) His point 2 is invalid because our great room area will also be roughly the same viewing distance and everyone can see our TV at its current height just fine...even from the sink on the back wall in the kitchen.

3) When you mount a TV over the fireplace, the heat shortens its life and voids the warranty.

4) Our current TV is a 55" LCD and can't be mounted. We will have to buy a new mountable TV just for this purpose. No big deal as we'll have to buy him a new TV for his "man" room anyway. But still...

5) I would like the area above the fireplace to be a place to decorate and to be a focal point. Not a TV.

So the real point of controversy (to me) is whether, the TV being slightly off centered (his #2 point) is a big deal for people. Something to think about.

I haven't been able to find as many photos of built-ins with the TV NOT over the fireplace. But here are some halfway decent examples:

Frank Shirley Architects

Mahoney Architects and Interiors

Sullivan Conard Architects

M. Eric Honeycutt

Fabric covered bulletin board

2011-01-19T09:07:00.002-06:00

I made this bulletin board over a year ago. I had commented over on Chic Coles about it and thought I'd post it here. I'd always wanted a cute bulletin board for our kitchen but never could find one in stores that fit the bill. I looked around on Etsy and found some fabric I liked and found the bulletin board and ribbon at a local craft store. I can't recall how much ribbon it took...not very much. I painted the edges of the board white, cut the fabric to fit and used spray adhesive to glue the fabric down. I then cut strips of ribbon to fit along each edge and hot glued it down so the fabric seams were covered. The whole project was very cheap and came out super cute (I think so anyway!!):

Another kitchen but not totally white!

2011-01-17T22:01:00.001-06:00

My reasons for posting this kitchen from Greige are three-fold: 1) The layout looks like it will work in our upcoming build somewhat. Our windows will be on the shorter run and I'm not sure I want the sink on that wall as it will make my back to everyone else. I like that they put the range there and flanked it with windows. 2) Of course there's marble and white (even though it's not predominantly white 3) It's fabulous!!

I have no idea if this is from the same kitchen or not. My reason for posting this picture (also from Greige) is because 1) We are planning on having a bar in our home and these cabinets just gave me a whole new direction to go in and 2) WOW!!!

2011-01-17T21:53:00.000-06:00

I'm really liking this bookcase from A Life's Design. I also like the windows in the room. Such a nice, neutral, calming space. But the bookcases are so lovely...

Also from her site, was this photo. The room looks similar in size to what our breakfast/dining area will be in our home. I like the simplicity and the elegance of it...

Jan/Feb Lonny!

2011-01-11T20:07:00.002-06:00

Saving these for the inspiration file...

The home's entry is so nice and bright and cheerful yet neutral and elegant at the same time...

This family room is just lovely.

I love the blue in this bath. It's Benjamin Moore Calypso Blue.

I know I'm all about a white kitchen but this one is STUNNING. The cabinets paired with the wallpaper makes for an amazing combination!

Just a little reminder to myself that I'd like a small reading corner in our master bedroom (though sadly, mine will be without the lovely Hermes throw).

Stairs & New Plans

2011-01-07T23:33:00.001-06:00

We had our second meeting with our architect yesterday. Now the tough decisions have to begin. I'm sitting here with rough sketches trying to figure out how everything we want to fit in this house for only four people is quite a bit bigger than we wanted it to be. Perhaps we should scale down on the front porches? But what about the rest. This is hard already.

I'm also trying to figure out some things about the stairs and the entry way. I know I've posted stair photos here in the past. Those were mostly for aesthetics. Now we have to talk location and functionality. Because the lot is only so wide, one configuration has a straight staircase. I've always had a turned staircase in my head. Turned stairs. Period. But the floorplan completely changes if we turn the stairs. There is the option to move the staircase from the entry toward the living area of the house. But I've always thought of a staircase near the entry...not BAM in your face but somewhere close.

I wonder if this would work as an option instead of the turned stairs that are more u-shaped. At least I could show our architect the bottom of the stairs to see if that's an option. I like that it's not facing the front door...

Oliveaux

Here are some stairs in the living area. It's not bad, just not something I'd ever thought of before...

Traditional Home

I love this entryway from Sarah's House...

Sarah Richardson

These stairs are lovely from Cote de Texas. I don't know how passe by these before!

2011-01-04T20:04:00.001-06:00

What a great wet bar posted by Blueprint Bliss today. Love love love! I've been gaga over white cabinets for a while now but this is something to think about. Maybe a taupe gray shade instead? Hmmmm....

Flourish Design + Style via Hinkley Lighting

Picture that bar with this kitchen only tweaking the bar and island to a taupe/gray shade instead (and tweaking the hardware too). Pretty no?

Things that Inspire (design by Jim Howard)

The next few photos are going to be from Things that Inspire. I came across a post of hers that was contemplating various marbles. It was a fabulous post that contained some great inspirational photos of white kitchens with marble also. Here's another great one with many aspects I love. The marble is apparently Calacatta Gold although it looks like it could be Carrara or even Statuary because of the softness in appearance. But I'm no expert! The counters, hardware (something other than binpulls, which I fear may end up feeling awkward to my DH), backsplash, awesome vent hood and living room facing sink in the island are all right up my alley:

Kitchen design by Mick deGiulio

The backsplash is a bit cool for me in this kitchen (source unknown) but I do like the feel. I like the window over the sink and could even deal with a side-facing sink in this case:

Holy cow, do I love this kitchen! I've never been one for a solid backsplash but it really works here. This kitchen has it all with a bumped out window to boot!!

The below kitchen belongs to Lori Tippin. It's very subtle but beautiful. The marble she used is Crema Delicato:

Another beautiful kitchen that used marble. This particular marble is called Calacatta Oro. There's not one thing I would change in this entire kitchen. I love everything I see. I wish I could see more...

So that's it for today! Hopefully I'll be able to post more tomorrow. Life sometimes gets in the way...it's funny that way, no?

Sink bump out

2011-01-02T13:36:00.001-06:00

I love the way this window is bumped out in one of the GardenWeb poster's kitchens. This kitchen looks fabulous all around actually:

Mirrors

2010-12-20T18:45:00.001-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted! Sorry for the break...my work got really hectic before the holiday break.

I love the mirrors in this all-white bathroom (from Brabourne Farm). So frilly and dainty with the scalloped detail. They'd be perfect for Brooke's bathroom:

More marble thoughts....

2010-11-22T14:36:00.001-06:00

The more I see marble in kitchens the more I just love it. These photos from Kitchen &Residential Design have been very helpful and inspirational to me. Apparently in this first one the backsplash is also made of carrera marble...

Another lovely marble countertop:

Here is a slab of white quartzite. This is an option if I can't quite wrap my head around the etching of marble. Quartzite is less porous and much harder than marble but is more porous than granite:

I spy a Dutch Door!

2010-11-11T08:30:00.000-06:00

Elements of Style has this pretty image and what do I see?

A dutch door!!!

White Kitchen Love!

2010-11-11T08:26:00.001-06:00

LOVE this kitchen posted on A Life's Design The cabinets are perfect, the countertops...look at that great cooking area, the lantern, everything! I also love that the backsplash is a bit different than the regular subway tile that we see so much of these days. I also love the greige paint color and the pop of color in the window treatments. I'm posting all the pics (even the one from the living area) because the rug in the living room is eerily similar to the one in ours:

2010-11-06T23:17:00.002-05:00

This is an interesting combination of colors for a living room with the blue on the ceiling and the neutral color on the walls:

I also like these bookshelves against the blue wall....

These are some nice bathrooms also:

Fireplaces:

Countertops

2010-11-05T23:46:00.001-05:00

I've decided that as much as I love my gorgeous Antique Brown granite counters in our current house, I'm definitely not going to have something as high maintenance in our new house. I spend a lot of time using "elbow grease" to spray on granite cleaner after I wipe them down to polish them with a microfiber cloth in order to keep them looking nice. When they look good, they look really good. But fingerprints, water, everything shows.

I'd like to look at either a lighter honed countertop either in the entire kitchen or a darker honed in part and a lighter in part...maybe dark around the perimeter and light on the island? Here's kitchens with Bianco Romano granite which is a good alternative to marble if one doesn't want the maintenance. I'm still undecided. All of the following photos are from The Granite Gurus:

More Bianco Romano:

But oooohhhh....Carrara Marble is SO gorgeous...

Honed absolute black granite:

Honey We're Home

2010-11-05T21:49:00.002-05:00

We met with our architect for the 2nd time today. Our first meeting was last week where we went over preliminary stuff. Today we went to some houses he's designed. I'm in awe at how it's going to feel to be in a brand new house.

On another note I came across a new-to-me blog called Honey We're Home. She's built a house recently. I love her house and will definitely be using it as one of my sources of inspiration. Some pics:

Here are some inspiration pictures Megan used for herself:

LOVE LOVE LOVE these images!

Kitchen

2010-11-04T17:01:00.002-05:00

This lovely kitchen was just posted by a lovely member, amylucey, of Gardenweb. It's gorgeous and quite different from a lot of the standard white kitchens I've seen lately. I want to note that she used BM Revere Pewter (which I'm growing to love) as her paint color, Ticor sinks, honed carerra marble around the perimeter and honed absolute black granite on the island. I was glad to see that she used the Subway tiles from Lowe's. I don't know if I've seen them in a kitchen before. They look good. I like some of the non-standard elements:

LOVE the coffee station!! The fabulous backsplash is standing pebble tile from Design-4-Less.

Southern Hospitality

2010-11-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

Southern Hospitality is giving away the the Tamron AF 18-270 today. How fabulous is that?? I like my kit lens and my pancake lens and even my basic zoom lens. But this would be a major major upgrade for me. Here's a simple shot she took with this fabulous lens. I entered. Will you??

Lights!!

2010-11-03T14:57:00.000-05:00

These were posted on Cape Cod Designs yesterday. I'll have to lust after them as they're a bit out of our price range. But they're so gorgeous and just different enough from the traditional industrial pendant. LOVE!!

Dutch Door in a White Kitchen

2010-11-03T14:55:00.000-05:00

Here's a Dutch Door in a white kitchen. I saw this same picture on The House that A-M Built AND Simply Seleta this week and realized I stared at it for a solid minute each time. So Dutch Door...in the front or the back of a house? I've seen it in both places.

2010-10-27T22:30:00.002-05:00

I found a new site called Inspiration for Decoration. It's really great. I found this nice picture of a white kitchen that shows a sink in the island with the stove slightly off-centered and wall ovens to the side. It's a little different but I liked it.

Thornton Designs

This bathroom is simply stunning

American Psycho

2010-10-11T08:37:00.000-05:00

This has nothing to do with anything house-related. I saw it on stephmodo this morning. It's hands-down the best thing I've seen today:

Misc

2010-10-09T21:05:00.001-05:00

I've always wanted a Dutch Door in the back of the house. I like this one (picture from Blueprint Bliss) even though it appears that this one could be in the front of the house:

How perfect is this breakfast nook from Perfectly Put Together?

And this entry is just stunning (also from Perfectly Put Together.)

Kitchen sink

2010-10-09T20:10:00.002-05:00

This one photo from Simply Seleta is making me rethink having the sink in our island. I love the airiness and the window treatment. Isn't it just lovely?

More tub love

2010-10-04T20:22:00.001-05:00

*sigh* from Elements of Style:

Meg Ryan's tub...

Another kitchen

2010-10-04T20:20:00.003-05:00

This is a nice kitchen from katiedid:

2010-10-04T20:20:00.002-05:00

I saw this floor on GardenWeb and thought it might be a good idea for a nonwood floor in an area of the house...

Christopher Peacock

2010-09-17T07:47:00.002-05:00

A post about Christopher Peacock has inspired me to post about him myself. What an inspiration!

Images from Willow Decor

This is lovely. Though no kitchen designer, I'd put the main sink in the island so I could face people as I was doing dishes. I also like that the microwave is hidden and inset into the cabinetry to the left of the fridge.

Image from

A Willow Decor Reader and her stunning Christopher Peacock home renovation:

2010-09-16T16:39:00.000-05:00

Look how soothing this is (from House of Turquoise...

and this...

Like this kitchen's setup from FKB on GardenWeb with the micro near the fridge and the counter right there...

I was all set on white subways. Then I saw this on the Finished Kitchens Blog on GardenWeb....

Those Bisazza Damasco Bianco Glass Tiles just give that kitchen a little extra pizazz, don't they?? I'm also going to make a note that the island countertop is Craft-Art Brazilian Cherry because I like it too. Floor is Casa Dolce Casa/Casamood Neutra Silver Porcelain Tiles.

Houzz Kitchens & Eating Areas

2010-09-09T20:56:00.002-05:00

Houzz kitchens:

2010-09-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

I like this vanity from a bathroom posted on Brabourne Farm. It's simple yet nice. I'm not sure if one would need three mirrors across but nix the middle one and do just two over the sinks and it'd be near perfect.

Little sandwiches

2010-09-08T17:48:00.000-05:00

Why is I that when you sit down and eat a sandwich, you eat one? But when these are put in front of you...

....you can eat like a hundred of them and never ever get full? Today my caterer delivered a delicious lunch that consisted of one of her fabulous salads along with a tray of turkey and roast beef po-boys and chicken salad croissants. Her chicken salad is TO DIE FOR. Even her salad is better than normal salad. But I could have eaten fifty of those chicken salad croissants and been happy. But it wouldn't have been proper, now would it??

ceilings & grays

2010-09-07T12:15:00.003-05:00

This is a nice little area with gray cabinets from a new blog I discovered called Greige.

I like this (from House of Turquoise) for maybe Brooke's room? It would be nice to not have all the ceilings white...

2010-09-07T12:14:00.001-05:00

Even though this was used as a funny post on Catalog Living I like the layout of the kitchen. Bump that sink out from that interior cabinet a bit though. I'm thinking double ovens on that right wall (that you can't see), cooktop in the middle of the main wall you can see and fridge opposite of the sink peninsula or on the same wall as the ovens? I don't know....just thinking about an option if the island doesn't work...

Yet another kitchen

2010-09-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

This kitchen from Full House is a little different than the ones I've posted previously. There's something nice and sleek about the island. I like it...

More Inspiration

2010-08-14T00:17:00.001-05:00

I found a new blog called design*dump . She has renovated five houses and has great style. I really like this sink she chose for the powder room off the foyer of one of the houses. It's by American Standard. The wall color is called Sea Pine. It's a very striking look. I believe all paints she used are by Benjamin Moore.

Look at how stunning this study is. They painted it Onyx Black and used Brandon Beige (one shade lighter than the shade in the foyer and halls. I love the ceiling and floor detail as well as the Onyx Black door.

Foyer (paint is Raccoon Hollow):

Exterior...

2010-07-24T19:14:00.001-05:00

I'm starting to realize that my husband and I have different visions for the exterior of our house. I found this online rendering that may work for both of us...

Pics from Houzz

2010-07-24T13:30:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite newly discovered sites is called Houzz. I've been saving photos for us to reference for our home build. Here are a few:

FLOORING:

mediterranean kitchen design by new york kitchen and bath Susan Serra, CKD

home design

KITCHENS:

contemporary kitchen design by boston architect LDa Architecture & Interiors

traditional kitchen design by san francisco architect Mahoney Architects and Interiors

traditional kitchen design

traditional kitchen design by boston interior designer Marie

traditional kitchen design by san francisco architect Wm. F. Holland/Architect

EXTERIOR:

traditional exterior design by new york architect Richard Bubnowski Design LLC

traditional exterior design by new york architect Austin Patterson Disston Architects

2010-07-20T16:09:00.001-05:00

These are lovely stairs. Found them on The House that A-M Built....

This kitchen is really nice. From Colour Me Happy.

These floors are nice. I like the aged look. From stephmodo.
Her home is for sale. It's really cute too!

2010-07-18T20:54:00.001-05:00

I like these stairs...a lovely poster over on the Gardenweb forums posted them. I think I'll save them to reference for inspiration...

YAY!!!

2010-07-18T17:07:00.002-05:00

WE'RE BUILDING A HOUSE!! This is crazy! We won one of the lots we bid on through the N.O.R.A. program. This is so exciting and yet scary! So I guess I need to keep looking at inspiration photos huh?

This is from Habitually Chic . I like the way it uses white cabinetry then the deep dark island. Plus, now that this is a reality, I'm not sure my husband is quite sold on white cabinetry. Hopefully I can make him see the light...

2010-07-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

Another room from Brabourne Farm:

I've been trying to find an example of a bar in a living area. Here's one from Beach Bungalow 8 that's decent in a nice light-filled room:

Nice bathroom also...

Nice gray kitchen

2010-07-11T20:18:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite blogs, The House that A-M Built, has posted the kitchen of the HGTV 2010 Green Home on their site. I've been meaning to post some pics of this kitchen so I don't forget about it. I'm glad she reminded me. It's a great one!

Just spotted this lovely, subtle kitchen on one of my newly found favorite blogs, Brabourne Farm.
I usually fall for white cabinets but the gray is really nice with the countertops and the dark floors.

LOVELY!

2010-06-14T20:01:00.000-05:00

I think I've posted this room before. I KNOW I've seen it before. But I haven't seen the rest of the house. It's just lovely...near perfection. From House of Turquoise (which is turning into my faborite blog!!)...

2010-06-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

Sigh

2010-06-08T14:29:00.003-05:00

I like these floors (from House of Turquoise). Nice idea for a tile/stone...

Awesome porch. I'd love to have a bed swing!! (also from House of Turquoise):

I like the way the living and breakfast rooms are both together and opened to the backyard. This is something I'd like to duplicate:

2010-05-30T19:17:00.000-05:00

Some Exteriors

2010-05-14T18:14:00.000-05:00

More kitchens...ro

2010-05-11T08:14:00.001-05:00

From Lowtidehighstyle....

Here is the link to the details of their kitchen. I plan to hold onto this for when/if we build. This kitchen is fantastic! The details

The House That A-M Built

2010-05-11T08:03:00.001-05:00

They're moving. I love their house. It's just great. I hate that they're moving. Some lucky family is going to get this place!

Awesome kitchen!!

2010-04-29T09:09:00.001-05:00

Look at this one posted by one of my favorite blogs, House of Turquoise.

Kitchens & Door

2010-04-29T09:08:00.002-05:00

Love the blue door above....

2010-04-25T15:49:00.001-05:00

2010-04-25T15:29:00.001-05:00

2010-04-24T00:44:00.002-05:00

Wow!

2010-04-24T00:07:00.002-05:00

I just learned that building a house might be a possibility for us. It may or may not turn into a reality but after two years of house hunting, it's now a definite possibility that we're seriously considering. Holy moly!

So I guess I need to get back to posting inspiration pics huh? I mean, even if we find a house, I may need to make some changes, right? Inspiration is always a good thing!

Check out this heavenly bathroom from Candace Olsen:

Here's a two story house w/ huge high ceilings that I actually don't mind. I normally don't like two-story rooms but this one is really nice...

Every once in a while a kitchen makes me gasp when I see it. This one did...

This one's cute too. I obviously have a thing for white kitchens...

Yet another...

We have a black desk in our office. It's nice but I've always regretted not buying a white one. This pic helps me with some ideas:

Long time!

2010-03-13T11:17:00.003-06:00

It's been December since I last blogged! Wow! I didn't realize I've been that busy!

I opened up one of my favorite home blogs today, House of Turquoise and my jaw dropped. LOOK AT THIS ROOM!

Isn't it lovely?? The aqua walls are Makaha by Pratt & Lambert. I've been wanting a chaise but wasn't quite sure about solid white. The chair/ottoman and other pieces in Windsor Smith's Seafoam Riad fabric. I just love this room and may have to use it as inspiration for our next house....

Here's a link to more pics of the Albans house from the original post from Cote de Texas:
The Albans House

Part two! This shows the entrance and the kitchen...just what I was hoping to see!!
Albans II

House decor

2009-12-19T20:12:00.001-06:00

I was inspired to do a smaller "sweets tree" in the dining room this year (in addition to our regular tree of course). I'm always drawn to sweets ornaments (candy, etc.) and went in a local store and saw a great one and thought if I found a smaller tree for the right price, I'd start one of my own. Here it is....

I just love it! It makes me so happy to walk in there and see it. I'm really glad I finally did it.

This kitchen is so pretty...

2009-12-19T19:11:00.002-06:00

This kitchen from Making it Lovely is just, well...lovely:

They did a great job and did the work themselves. Color me impressed!

A couple of rooms & on to Christmas...

2009-12-06T15:45:00.000-06:00

This is an awesome workspace. How serene and nice it must be to have this space to do your work or hobby here:

Another great bathroom:

Isn't this entrance just lovely??

Such a simple yet pretty mantle...

and tablescape...

I saved this last year and still like it. I need to do this either in a doorway or a window somewhere in the house...

Mornings

2009-11-11T07:37:00.001-06:00

Almost every morning I have my coffee in these mugs (except when they're dirty):

I hate it when they're dirty. I found two of them at TJ Maxx months ago for a steal. If I'd have known how happy they'd make me in the mornings, I'd have gotten four. I love using them.

I found this cute snack dispenser in the most recent Plow & Hearth catalog. The website isn't displaying the regular finial but it comes with just a regular one. The ones on the site are the optional ones. I could see this on someone's bar. It's cute! I think I may have someone in mind for this for Christmas:

New Directions

2009-11-09T17:19:00.003-06:00

I may want to take this blog in a new direction. I'm always posting pictures of inspirations for the house. It's nice to think about these lovely things. But sometimes I have other things I feel like letting out or "discussing". So this is as good of an outlet as any, right?

Today was a "weather day" for me and my kids due to Tropical Storm Ida. You'd think I'd get all sorts of things accomplished, right? I ended up doing administrative work things until after noon, going to Target (my mecca) and revising the layout on this blog.

Look what I got from Target!

The green ones are really glimmery in person. The mosaic one is mirrored and just lovely! I plan to group all three together on my entry table. That was my one and only impulse purchase this trip...a personal record.

Aren't these bowls, lovely?

Yedi Retro Flower Bowls

I've been eyeing this thing up for two weeks. It's SUPER functional. I feel like the kids NEED it. But for $49? I just can't bit the bullet just yet. I don't know. But I keep going back to look at it. They still have it in all four colors, blue, red, light pink and sage. What's a mom to do?

PB Kids Lazy Susan with Mini Buckets

More turquoise love

2009-11-08T11:15:00.000-06:00

Good heavens, this kitchen is lovely....from House of Turquoise:

I also love this dreamy bath. I wonder how many tiles cover these walls?

Bathroom from BHG

2009-10-27T21:29:00.000-05:00

I love this bathroom too!

2009-10-26T22:13:00.000-05:00

This bathroom is lovely and serene....

The mix of modern and traditional in this kitchen is nice. I like the backsplash...

I want to take a flying leap into this bed...and sleep for days:

I LOVE this interior. Some day maybe I'll have built-ins and a lovely reading chair that I can curl up in. LOVE it! I love the crisp whites and creams and blues. It's so dreamy!

2009-07-24T21:35:00.003-05:00

Inspirations

2009-07-24T21:01:00.003-05:00

I found this adorable bedroom on Daisy Pink Cupcake and thought it would make a cute guest room:

Also from Daisy Pink Cupcake...

I love this door~

If I ever have a sunporch or reading room, this would be nice:
I pretty much love everything House of Turquoise posts and these are no exception:

Beaded Board!!!

Pretty Rooms to peruse....

2009-06-12T15:24:00.006-05:00

Misc.

2009-04-10T21:45:00.004-05:00

More misc.

2009-02-25T19:32:00.006-06:00

Love this airy home!

2009-02-24T10:24:00.004-06:00

I love the simplicity of this stairwell:

This kitchen (from The Inspired Room) is just to die for:

More inspirations

2009-02-24T09:30:00.006-06:00

This was posted on Just Beachy as being Richard Gere's home or former home. I love it. If we ever build this would be a huge inspiration home for me...the inside and the outside...
This is a bit different than my usual inspiration but this is Michelle Branch's home. It's lovely also...

Office!!

2009-01-22T14:18:00.004-06:00

I finally found office pics I can use for inspiration! I'm still pondering doing a buttery yellow with blue accents and black and white curtains/rug but I really really like this one. I found it on houseofturquoise.com. The wall color is BM Waterfall. It's nice!!

Christmas and more

2009-01-03T12:31:00.007-06:00

I love this staircase. From decorology.

A beautiful corner of Simply Seleta's room. Her home is near perfection to me so I tend to post a lot from it. I swear I'm not stalking her! She's just very inspirational to me!

More Rooms I Love

2008-12-02T18:24:00.004-06:00

I've been away for a while...just a bit too busy to keep up with all the things I've wanted to. I finally have some time to catch up. I found some rooms online that stuck my fancy and wanted to post them:

From Daisy Pink Cupcake:

From Just Beachy:

From Small Space Style:

From Camilla at Home:

From Simply Grove....if I had a galley kitchen, this would be the ideal way to do it:

Lovely!

2008-10-30T08:51:00.004-05:00

I love this idea from Simply Seleta. She added simple corner shelves in her dining room. What a great idea to maximize space! FWIW, her trim color is BM Soft Chamois and the wall color is BM Niveous.

We gathered a bunch of pinecones from our front yard the other day. I've been looking for some ideas. Maybe I'll make a wreath for our front door. This one (from Country Home) is simple yet pretty:

I like how simple this garland is (no pinecones but I could add a few) yet how much of an impact it makes in the room. I wonder if I can pull off a similar look around our french doors and possibly the playroom and hallway/dining doors. I like the pinecones on the mantle and on the table. Simple.

Some nice ideas for jars/canisters and decorating (from The Inspired Room)....

Hobnail

2008-10-13T09:36:00.004-05:00

My grandmother left me some of her white hobnail vases and candlesticks so I'm a sucker for hobnail anything. I love these pictures I found....

From desire to inspire:

Dream Home

2008-10-12T13:18:00.004-05:00

I found this lovely coastal home on Architectural Digest's website. It's in Buzzards Bay, MA. If it was a bit smaller, it would be my dream home. It has such a peaceful and serene feeling to it yet still has so many nice details...

The entry:
The family room:

The living room:

The circular library:

Master bedroom (I'd prefer all white fluffy bedding and different window treatments and a less symmetrical rug or maybe a rug with a more subtle pattern):
But overall, this house is fabulous!!!

Coastal home again...

2008-10-12T13:13:00.003-05:00

I found this lovely coastal home online at Architectural Digest. This would be my dream home if it was a bit smaller. The rooms are just so lovely and serene.