I don’t know about you….but this has been a LONG week.  Meetings with contractors and appointments with the kids in tow…..two days off of school this week (one of which I actually showed up at carpool….only to be sent home….with a bawling child) and nanny still on vacation has made for a rough week.  Although, I have to say the times I’ve just mentally shut off work and my beckoning “to-do” list, I have enjoyed some quality time with the kiddos.  The 70 degree weather yesterday didn’t hurt!

In any case, we are getting serious this weekend….it is do or die…..must figure out the exterior colors once and for all.  We have an OLD porch swing on our front porch at the moment.  We actually use it a fair bit but are in need of a new one out there…for sure.  How would you like to skip the next 8 or so hours and be swinging on one of these with a beverage of choice in tow right about now?

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Happy Weekend!

I’ll let the pictures do the talking here.

Country Living.  Photo credit, Keith Scott Morton

House to Home 

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Of course, in my own home it isn’t called “pink.”

Gotta get creative!

We still haven’t chosen the paint colors for our home’s exterior but we have spent a good deal of time thinking and talking about them!  I believe we now have it narrowed down to a very light grey with blue/grey shutters.  We have to be careful because our roof shingles have brown in them so we cannot go too “cool” with our selections.  The police in our neighborhood are probably on the lookout for me as I have snapped so many exterior photos…….

This is a duplex that we pass now on our way to school every morning.  While nothing particularly exciting about the curb appeal, I really like the pale grey color of the brick.

Here is another home I pass after dropping Maddie off at school each day.  While the style is nothing like our home (I wish) I love the trim color around the windows and would love something similar on our shutters.

Here is another house I spotted a couple of weeks ago.  The brick color is too yellow for us….but it gives an idea for the overall feel I want.

And here is the color scheme I like on a nearby cottage.

I hope you don’t mind these posts as there are sure to be more as we try to settle on colors.  This is one area where my husband has an opinion….and I think this is a scheme we both agree on.  Is painted brick popular in your area?

I have been working on Maddie’s room as I want it to be ready to go when we move back in after the renovation.  I thought I would share the elements we have decided on thus far.  You may recall that we had wainscoting installed 5 ft. up the wall (trim work still needed around window), same as in Harry’s room.  Here is the room in its current state….

Above the wainscoting Hinson’s Fireworks wallpaper will be installed.  There will be inverted (French) pleat panels on either side of the window in the turquoise fabric, trimmed with the yellow pom-pom trim.

I am doing a queen sized bed in her room with an upholstered headboard which will be similar in shape to the image below.  The headboard will be pretty tall as I want it to be taller than the wainscoting, in front of which it will sit.  It will be done in the same turquoise as the drapes, with a contrasting welt and button tufting in the yellow fabric shown above.  A bed-skirt will likely be done out of the turquoise with the coordinating pom-pom tape.

image via House of Turquoise

You may recall that I purchased these end tables from an antiques mall in NC last year.  They are currently off being spruced up and painted.  They will be similar in colors to how they look in the “before” below, just cleaned up a bit!

I am going to add a chandelier to her room and it will be one of these (below)….still on the fence…..thoughts?  The turquoise faux bamboo option would have natural grass shades added…..but right now I am leaning toward the beaded chandy….

I still need to find a rug for the room.  I am thinking of a natural fiber or wool/synthetic to look like a natural fiber.  It has to be comfortable enough for her to get down on the floor and play with her toys, read, etc.  I also want some sortof top-down bottom up shades in the room for privacy without having to completely close her draperies.  Her room faces the front of the house so privacy is a concern.  We also need a desk chair–I am thinking of a ghost chair.  I haven’t decided if we’ll put a separate reading chair in the room yet….I need to lay it all out to see what will fit.

So, there you have it….still lots of details to nail down but the key elements are well underway.  After months of sharing a small apartment room with her 1 year old brother, Maddie is going to be ecstatic having a special room of her own!

I mentioned yesterday that I’ve settled on “Bianco Macabus” as our kitchen countertop material.  Another quartzite I considered was called “White Fantasy.”  Of course, different stone yards may call it something else….I’ve also heard “White Princess” used.

Maddie G Designs

This one seems to be more common and/or popular because I was able to find more images of it in actual kitchens.  Again, an alternative to granite that appears to have similar characteristics in terms of durability.

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What do you think?

I fell in love with this Lilly Pulitzer by Lee Jofa fabric and knew I wanted to see it used in Maddie’s room.

The initial plan was to do drapes….but I need 25 yards and really this is just too much to spend in a three year old’s bedroom.  So, I’ve decided to go to plan B and use it on an upholstered headboard where I need more like 5 yards.  I went to my upholsterer last week armed with sketches and dimensions.  He’s going to do a mock up for me and assuming all goes well she will finally have a big girl bed ready when we move back in after the remodel.

Need some upholstered headboard inspiration?

Amanda Nisbet

Elizabeth Dinkel Designs

Decorpad

Michelle Adams / Lonny

Tracery Interiors

Mary McDonald

Anne Selke

Do you have an upholstered headboard?  Like the look?