Friday Crush

May your Memorial Day weekend be like this image. Breezy, casual, relaxed, and beautiful. Don't you love all the details here? The ceiling, the sconce, the slice of the room in the background...We stayed at a ski house back in February and there were wall hooks EVERYWHERE...and let me tell you, they were useful. They left such an impression on me and this image brought back the thought that hooks are our friends. Especially when they look this good.

Happy long weekend!! See you next week!

» Click Here to Leave a Comment «

Cotton Blossoms by Hannah Lane

Sorry to tempt you with these beautiful pieces from Nashville-based artist Hannah Lane. They are sold works but their simple beauty is worth a look for inspiration only.

Great colors paired with the uncomplicated forms of cotton blossoms.

Hannah's work can be found as part of the Nashville Artist Collective - similar to the Charleston and Capital editions. I can't stress enough what great resources these are for sourcing affordable, beautiful art!

» Click Here to Leave a Comment «

AO House Tour: Primary-Colored Playroom

I am thrilled to share these pictures with you today. Because I have been sitting on them for almost TWO YEARS.

If you remember my house tour from 2013 (!), I showed you what we did with one side of our basement - we turned it into a family room/baby playroom.

Well, we had a whole other side of our basement that we could still renovate. As Ana Claire outgrew the baby side (and Mac took it over) we realized Zone 2 of the basement would function very well as a "big kid" playroom.

So back in 2015, we did this to it (excuse the darkness but the space has no windows):

All photography by Crystal Downs

The before photos are absolutely nothing thrilling, but nice for effect:

We did hire a contractor to do some of the drywall work so it would actually get done before Ana Claire turned 16. But Carter Shuffler did put lots of elbow grease into it laying floors, doing baseboard and other general updates.

That little nook-turned-playhouse was my first experience with removable wallpaper - here is the link to the one I bought. It was a snap to install...and I have yet to know if it comes off easily but it has been a great addition to the space!

The signs we hung above each station were a DIY with help from my very talented friend Melissa Brody. I got the wooden signs from eBay, painted them with craft paint in various hues, and then let Melissa go to town on them with some paint pens. They are pretty much my favorite accessory in the space and will be awesome keepsakes in the future.

Let me tell you that this space functions BEAUTIFULLY for us. Perfect for when friends are over and a great place for the kids (both now that Mac is 2.5) to spend time during their day.

And even though we've had the space now for almost two years, it remains pretty much unchanged. We added a small table for art projects and that's about it.

Let me know in the comments if you are interested in any sources and I will try to dig them up!

» Click Here to Leave a Comment «

SaveSave

Friday Crush

Photo by Luke White, Design by Michael Maher, via House Beautiful

My favorite thing here - beside the obvious wallpaper usage - is that mirror hung above the window. It's unexpected and draws your eye up making a tight room feel grand. Love how the headboards neatly tuck into the corners and the overall soothing symmetry of the space. 

Enjoy the weekend toasting the mothers in your life. See you next week!

» Click Here to Leave a Comment «

Yangtze River Dining Room

I've had this dining room plan floating around in my head for a while.

It started with Schumacher's Yangtze River fabric in Aubergine:

I'd use it for the curtains. Then I'd paired it with lime green grasscloth walls:

Then would come the perfect dining chairs to work back to the fabric. Ballard Design's 12th Street Chair in Linen Magenta for side chairs:

And Ballard's Cortina Chair in Linen Peony for the head chairs:

I'd want a very modern dining table. Something like a blonde wood waterfall situation or sleek marble, like this Atlas Dining Table from Zuo Modern:

Then I'd soften it all with a pair of powder blue lamps ...

perched atop a fancy antique sideboard like this one:

All very low-key and budget-friendly 😉

» Click Here to Leave a Comment «

Friday Crush

Design by Summer Thornton, image via Insta

It is the gloomiest of gloomy days here. Which, I will be honest, I completely enjoy. Especially if it means a lazy day lounging around. Unfortunately that will not be my reality today but this bed would be perfect if it was. THAT BED. The wooden edge of the headboard is so delicate and is it embroidered? I also love the delicate, scalloped-edge top sheet. Very pretty.

May has started in the same whirlwind fashion as April, but hopefully this is a downward trend. I could use a little zen time soon. But we're happy, healthy, fed, clothed, loved...I'll take life's tumult - it's a gift. Maybe your weekend will have a little zen? If so, enjoy it. See you next week!

» Click Here to Leave a Comment «

Delicate Orange

Photo by Annie Schlechter for House Beautiful

Oh, hey. I'm back after an unintentional hiatus in April. The month was a blur...

This room is bringing all the delightful spring feels. Designed by Gary McBournie and located in Nantucket this whole home is AWASH in color, though this bedroom keeps things tailored.

Especially with a delicate use of orange. Do you agree that when we see orange spaces, the orange is usually coming at you like a freight train? It's a pretty bold hue, often used boldly. But here, it's sweet and lovely.

And I'm v into the upholstered walls with matching shower curtain with accents of light spring green. So well done.

Happy May!

» Click Here to Leave a Comment «