Christmas Tour 2014

With just under two weeks to go until Christmas day, I wanted to take a minute to share our home in its season's best. I abandoned the traditional red and gold of past Christmases and I am in love with the results. 

In the foyer it is simple and classic: greenery, white lights & cream satin bows. This year's major DIY project was stripping the foyer wallpaper, painting the walls BM Classic Grey along with updating the staircase treads, risers & spindles. It is now the perfect backdrop for our Holiday decor. 

Most nights you will find me in the Living Room soaking in all its goodness. The tree is done in preppy green/blue/grey plaid with pink bulbs & dried hydrangeas. I wish I was a better photographer so I could capture the feel of the room adequately.

The Dining Room flows off the Living Room and is dressed with greenery, white lights, and lime green/blue satin ribbon. 

In Hubby's office two red berry wreathes dress up the bookcase bar. 

This little vignette over my kitchen sink brings me so much joy. A few paperwhite bulbs and a $10 Trader Joe's boxwood wreath was all it took. 

A collection of apocathary jars house all the making for a festive mug of cocoa, while our collection of gingerbread houses add a touch of whimsy.

In the family room robin's egg blue and celadon ribbon accent our family tree and fireplace garland. The nontraditional color scheme is fun and sets off the red accents in our ornaments beautifully.

Throughout the house I have our past Christmas cards and Santa photos on display. I often find the littles roaming the house with a photo or two in hand. 

Finally, each of our sugarplums have been spending the nights falling asleep to the twinkle of lights from their own Christmas trees. 

I'll be back again soon with an outdoor tour. I'm just waiting for some snow to fall...after all nothing is better than a white Christmas!

Want It Wednesday {Drapery Dilemma: Cast Your Vote!}

Monday's post I shared with you all the progress in the Living Room. I was happy to leave well enough alone until I saw this fabric posted on Instagram by Amanda over at Dixie Delights.

Could it be that this fabric is the prefect combination of aqua, green, blue & brown to tie in all the colors in both the living and dining room!?! I quickly ordered a sample and I am pleased to report the answer is an overwhelming YES! As an added bonus, the large scale print adds both softness and personality to the space.

Drapery for this room has always baffled me. Mainly, do I opt for floor to ceiling panels (image 1) or hang the drapes between the palladian and transom windows (image 2)?

When I consulted a designer for our first set of drapes (which I have since relocated to the office) she hung them under the palladian windows (similar to photo 2).  It is mainly an issue of taste and one I keep going back and forth on. So I'm asking you all, which way would you hang these drapes: image 1 or  image 2. I can't wait to hear all your design advice and opinions. Thanks in advance everyone!!!

Manor Monday {Living Room Switch Up}

Out of all the rooms in the house, the living room has been the biggest conundrum. I adore the large floor to ceiling windows and natural sunlight that fills this room sun up to sun down. But other than that, the rest of the room is a practice in learning to "love what you've got".  

That said, I did some furniture rearrangement a while back and I've taken to the new look. First I relocated YiaYia's childhood secretary from between the front windows, to the wall that use to house our piano (which I moved to the family room last fall). Flanking the secretary are our old dining room host and hostess chairs. In the far corner I set up a tiny bar cart/ vignette. 

Across the room the couch remained in the same spot,but I added a brown shade to the brass lamp on the end table to help carry the color across the room.

Finally, I hung the DIY art from the family room on the formerly blank wall behind the tufted reading chair. Using accessories from around the house or in storage I complied a small vignette on the duncan phyfe table to balance out the bar cart across the room.  

The room is far from finished, but the changes feel like a step in the right direction as I decide exactly how I want to transform this space. How about you all, any suggestions for taking what you've got and turning it into something you love? I'll be back Wednesday with my mood board for the room and along with a plea for some design assistance.

Target Score

Happy Monday everyone! Hope your weekend was relaxing. I actually had the opportunity to take a nap on the couch Sunday afternoon…pretty sure I haven't purposefully done that in about 7.5 years (i.e.: pre kiddies).

Today I'm super excited to share with you all my latest Target score. I had the rare opportunity two weekends ago to run an errand there without any little ones in tow. So I took a few minutes (ok quite a a bit more than a few) and checked out the clearance sections in each department. I was immediately smitten with these dishes from the Threshold line clearanced for $2.50 each!

The iridescent glaze immediately reminded me of the Alison Evans oyster plater Hubby gifted me for Valentine's day.

I grabbed a place setting for six, 1 bowl & 1 coffee cup. The "mint" hue works perfectly with the colors scheme I am leaning towards in the living room (more details to come) so I am thinking the plates might make an appearance there in some shape or form. The coffee cup works perfectly as a q-tip holder in the kids' bath & the bowl I'll just use as a serving piece.

Anyone else score a clearance treasure lately? What do you think of Target's threshold line? Oh and incase you're wondering, we are under full roofer attack today. Here's the view out my kitchen window. Have a great one!

Living Room Switches

While working on the Dining Room, I had a little detour and started rearranging window coverings and furniture in the living room. Seeing as how the two rooms are open to one another, I deemed it fully necessary to spruce up both rooms.



I rehung the valances I had custom made for the room when we moved in. I had relocated them to our bedroom, thinking that I would prefer drapery panels in the space. I am so glad that I decided to return the valences to the living room…they just add a level of sophistication that the panels didn't. Not to mention the fact the the blue & white paisley print helps pull the blue & white from the kitchen (and now dining room) around the house.

If you have eagle eyes, you'll also notice that I swapped out the rug & coffee table with the family room's. Both look much better in the living room.

The space isn't nearly complete. It actually isn't even part of my 2013 Home Goals, but I sure am loving the new look. More changes to show you all this week!!! It's like a whole new house over here:-) And fingers crossed for good weather so I can finally photograph the deck project too.