Architectural Sconces

As of late I have been noticing the use of architectural sconces in interiors and I have to say I really like the look.  I would love to find a unique pair at an antique store and use them in my own home.

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As you can see they really work anywhere.  I could even see them above a fireplace mantel (perhaps out of the way of bumping into them in the hallway).  When I asked my husband if he liked this look, the first thing he said, "You're going to bump into those every time you walk by them."   

That thought never crossed my mind.  Mars/Venus, anyone? :)

Anywhooo, I love the look and I found a couple of sources online.

Restoration Hardware on sale for $269

Circa Lighting for $315

The Designer Insider for $429

Lovely aren't they?  They would definitely make a statement!  I would love to find some more photos of these beauties.  If you have any on pinterest, please share!

Cafe Shutters

I don't think I ever shared with you that every single window in our home has cafe shutters.  I've never owned a home that had interior shutters and I must admit I really like them.  They are so convenient and practical.  And, my favorite thing is in the mornings to open them all up - the shutters seem to disappear and the sun just comes pouring in.

{living room window}

If you're stuck with what to do with window treatments (especially in the bathroom) cafe shutters is a great alternative.  Southern Living even recommended them as a 'tried and true' decorating tip.  Would you ever consider them?  

Sunday in Boston

I was in Boston this weekend to visit one of my closest friend.  We both resolved that this year (2013) we would try our hardest to see more of each other. 
We met at Hudson.  I've had a life long crush on Hudson and the designer behind it - Jill Goldberg.  I love her ability to infuse a traditional style with a bit of casualness, making her interiors seem so approachable, fresh and comfortable.  She has a knack for mixing styles.

Gosh, this space makes me so happy.  I love the hicks pendants against the backdrop of what I believe to be de Gournay wallpaper.  I also love how it is paired with the casual paneled counter.  See...such a great mix....classic design with a twist.

This was their storefront window.  Again, is it modern? is it vintage?  The answer?  All of the above and it just works!! (I spy Oly's Pipa lamp which she sells at her store.)

Here are some other pretty snapshots for you this lovely Monday....

And, just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, we wrapped up our day at The Butcher Shop, a great place to have lunch!

It was a great day!  Happy MLK Day and hope you all are enjoying the long weekend!

Should a Master Work Double Time?

I'm slowly getting a better feel how each room will function for us as family with two small children in our new home.  I'm currently considering creating an office space in our master bedroom.  Our master certainly has the space to adequately accommodate it.  Now, is it ideal when the master should be considered the place of refuge?  Probably not, but the ideal space is our small den (on the main level) which is currently being transformed into a small TV and toy storage room.  There is no room to add a desk.  The only other option is the guest bedroom on the 3rd floor which seems too far removed from the rest of the house.

I read some where that the bedroom should be one of the most welcoming rooms: focused on comfort and pleasure in every detail.  It is the room more than any other that allows us to take refuge.  Therefore, forcing your bedroom to work double time (and serve as an office space) diminishes its ability to offer you a sense of peace.

I agree with this in theory, but I do believe you can create an office area that is peaceful, tranquil and chic without letting it take over the rest of the room.  The fortunate thing is both my husband and I don't work from home and we both have offices at our place of employment.  So, this office space would be more of a place to answer emails, research stuff, surf the internet, blog, shop online, pay bills, and store some frequently accessed files, etc.

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What are your thoughts on this?  I think all of the above images could easily fit into the decor of a master bedroom without compromising the peace and tranquility that a bedroom should serve.  

New Roof: Before & After

Right after we moved into our new house, we replaced the roof.  Over the holidays, I finally got around to taking a picture of our house with the new roof.  If you remember, there were two sticking points that made this a very difficult decision.  First, we were told that roof vents needed to be installed on the front side of our roof.  To read more about our roof vent quandary, go here.  We decided not to install roof vents on the front side of the roof and restrict them to the backside only.  The second sticking point was the shingle color.  I went back and forth on this one and if you remember, I even did a mock up of the potential colors. I finally picked pewter gray - a dark gray that works well with our exterior house colors.

Before

During

Here is a good picture of the color difference of the shingles.  They had yet to replace the shingles on the shed (old roof) so I took a picture before they did.

After

Our roof with new architectural shingles in pewter gray and no roof vents on the front side of the roof.  Very happy with our decision!

Thank you again for all your help with this decision.  I received a lot of great input that helped us make very informed decisions.  If you're considering installing a new roof, you should read comments from readers here and here.

Knee deep...

in paper!  This year I am trying to pick one to two home related goals each month and try my absolute hardest to get them done.  It's all about time management and that is why you'll probably see me less and less on pinterest.  Up this month is organization.  As you can see, I'm revamping our filing system...

I been using my trusty label maker the Brother P-touch to make our file folder labels.  Is it normal to love a label machine as much as I do??

I am hoping that by getting the paper clutter under control, I can then start focusing on creating my desk space.  I'm loving this office space lately by Kelly McGuill.  I love her sense of style - she is completely inspiring!

I am also working on organizing our kitchen.  There is small part of the kitchen where you come in from the outdoors that I need get organized....think key hooks, bulletin boards, baskets, indoor/outdoor rug, calendar, clock, etc.  I've downloaded this free printable calendar to use on our bulletin board.

Love it!  And, I've been taking advantage of the new year sales and ordering some things to make all my organization projects look pretty!

Got this awesome indoor/outdoor CountryLiving herringbone rug at KMart for $27!

This Landsend seagrass basket (after using 30% discount) for $34.00

This cute chalkboard (not on sale) online via Tracery Interiors. So, that is what I've been up to!  What organization projects have you been working on?  I hope by February I'll have some updates on these projects and pictures to show you!

Sprucing it up

Hello dear readers, I hope you all had a nice weekend!  You may recall that I've been helping my friend with some design decisions for her dining room and living room.  This past weekend, we got together to make the final decisions on her custom sofa for her living room;  in addition to the final decisions for the fabrics for her living room (will save this for another post).  It's all just very exciting especially when so much time and consideration goes into these decisions and you slowly see it coming together.  She finally decided on the angelica sofa from Bernhardt Interiors.

A traditional roll arm with nailhead and tufting - what is not to love!  It is a beauty and she got an amazing deal for it.  It just so turns out that since November I have been working a couple of hours a week at a design store here in West Hartford.  It is called Spruce Home and Garden.

They have 7 locations in CT, NY and now in FLA.  They carry Bernhardt Interiors and their own private line.  Spruce offers 30% off of the retail price for any of their Bernhardt pieces which is a great deal especially if you're looking to invest in some quality furniture pieces that will last you a lifetime.  If you're in West Hartford, please stop by, say 'Hi!'   Say that you heard about Spruce from Fran via Green Street Blog!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  2012 will always be dubbed the year of major change for our family.  So many wonderful changes and never a dull moment.  I hope 2013 will continue to bring us happiness, but I wouldn't mind slowing things down a bit.  Meanwhile, I really want to focus on tackling the many projects that come with buying a new house.  I'm not talking about big renovation type projects, but smaller organization type projects to get this house feeling comfy and homey.

To keep me motivated, here are some inspiring photos I would like to see influence my home decor in 2013.

A small but impactful entry:

A white living room:

Lots of lighting with cone shaped shades:

And, while we're on the subject of lighting, I would like to add sconces to the mix.  And, lots of them.

Sconces:

Some pretty DIY projects:

I want to paint my sunburst mirror in a matte black color.   

Invest in one or two classic furniture pieces:

I am trying to stay away from trends, but I am still in love with Kartell's ghost chair.  I love the chair paired with the zinc table.  And, I wouldn't mind that pine bookcase, either!

And, have lots of shelf space for family pictures, mementos, family board games and books:

I am looking forward to a 2013 (with less change) and more focus on our home and family.  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and are looking forwards to a new year!