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!

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!

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?

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!

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?

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?

Beckwith Interiors

They are available in a myriad of finishes….but one the the standard options is any Benjamin Moore paint color.  Two of these are a strong front runner for over our island in the new kitchen.

What do you think, do you like them?

Photo by Ellen McDermott

Yep, I am in love!

What would you use in your kitchen if you could start over?

image of our kitchen from the real estate listing

The window over the sink currently has a roman shade.  Apparently the previous owners never closed the shade, but we do.  We share a driveway with our lovely neighbors and as much as I like them….I don’t need them to see me in my PJs early in the AM fixing a bottle or getting the coffee going!  At 5’2′ though, opening and closing the shade is a bit of a hassle.  I practically need a stool…..

Yesterday, I was looking at local neighborhood real estate listings (sometimes I dream that a fantastic house requiring zero remodeling will magically appear and that we can just move, hahah…) and saw this kitchen.  What surprised me was that I actually kindof liked the little curtains.  And I also love that I could have the curtains made as they do here, so I’ll always have natural light coming in, even when the curtains are closed for privacy.  (Keep in mind that these cabinets will be white after the remodel and there will be no natural wood trim.)

So, of course, with this “new” idea in my mind I headed out to the internet to find some inspiration from others.

Urban Grace Interiors

photo by Kate Sears for Women’s Day

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What do you think.  Are you a fan of this style of window treatment in a kitchen, or not?

Anyways, sitting here waiting to hear back from the AC person as our upstairs unit has gone out.  It is slightly laughable to even think  we have a prayer of getting someone out today….given Dallas has had like over forty 100+ degree days this summer.  It rained the other night and I got so excited I had to wake my husband up…..it was like how I used to act when I was a kid and it snowed.  Wish us luck in the heat…thank goodness for the downstairs unit still humming along and the backhouse (my office) which is working just fine!  Anyways, I digress.

I had my chairs all figured out for our new eat in kitchen.  And then I saw these in Architectural Digest over the weekend……

Photo by  Roger Davies

I think they would go great with my new kitchen.  Below is the table I am getting close to buying.  Took husband to take a look over the weekend and got his vote of approval.  I love that it has 5 leaves—just so perfect for impromptu entertaining in the kitchen.

We are doing white cabinetry on the perimeter of the kitchen (with a possible VERY faint striae effect) and grey on the island.  I was planning to do all of the counter tops in marble.  Until I found the limestone seen below.  I am thinking of using it along the perimeter to contrast with the white cabinetry.  I just love it (and yes, I know all of the cautionary tales about limestone counter tops).

Don’t you love it when your vision starts to come together? Of course, I haven’t priced these guys out yet….I may be back to my bamboo chairs by tomorrow!  Hope you are doing well and enjoying these last precious days of summer.