From My iphone

1/31/2016

I feel like Kia should use me in a commercial.

 Downsizing over the last few years from a Suburban to a Kia Soul

 has not affected my ability to haul "good stuff" home. 

I can creatively pack it in!!

Above: a 5 foot tall Bamboo shelf. 

And below: All the "finds" we brought home from Charleston after Thanksgiving Break!

Our snow (last weekend) did not amount to much. It was pretty while it snowed.

It was incredibly cold so I snuggled up and reread this awesome book: 

We painted some more in Mollie's room.

Sorry for the grainy nighttime iphone pic but we had a stand off!!

 Someone was in someone else's "spot."

#chloedogisspoiled

And I think everything in this Etsy shop is adorable but these pink and red monogram and chinoiserie cards take the cake!!

The picture is on Dana Mahnke's feed but they are from LB Originals.

And, boom! January is over.
 I can't believe it's February already but I hope Mr. groundhog predicts an early Spring!!

Lookin' Up.

We have needed a bit of a ceiling fan refresh round here.
This was not just a design decision...

(Although I knew I wanted a bamboo one!!)

A while back I was snoozing on the couch in the family room and a weird crashing sound woke me up, the dogs barked like crazy, it was dark in the room and I went back to sleep. 
Turns out that one of the blades on our ceiling fan broke off- the brass part not the wood- went flying through the air and  crashed into the wall... 
 barely missing my favorite painting in the whole house -whew!

So to be sure that none of us is decapitated by a ceiling fan blade in the near future, we have been checking them out and replacing any that, in addition to circulating air on a warm day, might act as a guillotine.

( I want this one in my entry way. In my beach house. On an island!! #keepdreamin' )

 We live in the Deep South and they are necessary almost year 'round!

For instance, it was 72 degrees on Christmas day here.

Warmer than usual but we still needed a little breeze.

The are an actual survival item when it's 90 degrees plus for days on end 
during the Summer.

Ceiling fans often get a bad rap on shelter blogs and Pinterest. 


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And they are not as beautiful as many light fixtures, but again, it's the South. 




Not bamboo but I love the old fashioned vibe!! 
It reminds me of the fans in old beach dives!!

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 And how about this beauty of a beachy fan???
It reminds me of the amazing fans at the beachfront bars and restaurants in Hawaii!!
( Think Dukes Waikiki or Hula Grill Kaanapali - two of our faves!!)

The top 3 images are from Lowes, we bought one very similar to the first fan pictured at Lowe's*, and bonus - ceiling fans were on major sale every where I looked.
So check your fans (seriously!!) and maybe you can find a great sale 
before it gets hot and sunny!!

* I am not compensated by Lowe's in any way. Just wanted to share our scary fan blade story so you can check yours and buy one on sale if needed!!

There's A New Shelf In Town...

I find bamboo furniture irresistible.

I need an intervention.

#nobambooleftbehind

This bathroom was basically finished. I loved it.

I have seven zillion other things that need attention in my house.

Instead I found a shelf for next to nothing on one of  the "thrifting apps" on my iphone.

In my defense, we were "snowed in" and I had some time on my hands.

So instead of staying focused on the many rooms that look like a scene from "Hoarders,"

 I succumbed to the low, low price, the fact that it wasn't far, the guy would hold it until the snow melted here in Atlanta ('bout 15 minutes)

 and it is tortoiseshell bamboo. 

And it folds.

 I was all  in!

So there's a new sheriff  shelf  in town in the downstairs powder room.

I got in late last night but I had to start "styling" it up.
I'm sure it will change but I wanted to play!

And, once again, I'm lovin' it!

I've Got Color on a Snowy Day

Looking for something entertaining to do while you watch it snow??

(If you are anywhere on my side of things,  the East Coast above Florida, then apparently you've got a Winter white world!!)

 

 

So go to this website  Lamps Plus and shop the rainbow

Seriously so fun!!

 

You just click on the color samples

 and the lamps appear in the color with a plethora of shade options.

Need some sunshine on a snowy day? Not loving that shade???

 

Or maybe you are feeling blue??

 

 

 

Or I was reading about Design tension which is used to give a room that" little something extra", the unexpected zing, so maybe this color lamp

 

or maybe

 

this could brighten your day and room??

It's called "Lime Rickey"??

Just saying that makes you smile!

 

So go to Lamps Plus  and entertain yourself!! *

  

 

*I am I in no way affiliated with Lamps Plus or have been compensated for this post.

 I just think this is fun and I love any site or store where you can shop by color.

Those ROY G BIV lessons really stuck!

Gray Day 1/21/2016

(This was supposed to post yesterday but THE INTERNET decided differently!!)

It has been a gray day in Atlanta.

All day.

I mean the color of the sky has been exactly the same all day.

You can't tell if it's 11 a.m., noon, or 4 p.m.

(This is the view from Mollie's Midtown office window. She's waaaay up high!)

DREARY.

And our forecast for tomorrow is that "we may or may not have snow."

How's that for succinct?

But, just in case, people here  are buying bread and milk like there's no tomorrow.

We bought our favorite ginger beer (this stuff is the bomb!) for Moscow Mules and salmon and veggies, the stuff to make 3 different kinds of GF muffins and the newly released movie, "The Intern."

That's how we roll. 

The thought of being snowed in WITH bread and milk depresses me. 

We like to party because it'll be over in no time flat.

I know that from the state line of Virginia up they are bracing for a big storm

 ( my parents are getting snow!) 

So I thought I'd post a few of my favorite "snowy" things!

You may have seen this on my Instagram

The Toms Nepal boots are my favorite for keeping my feet warm. 

They are coz-y and I got mine on big time sale with Christmas $$.

And as always, 

someone in need gets a pair of shoes, too!

If you do get snowed in and are looking for something to keep kiddos busy 

using things you have on hand, try this: 

Snowman in a Baggie

There are a lot more snow and snowman projects on the blog!

Check them out!

I think snow is beautiful.

I just like it in small doses :)

Three of my favorite "snowy" places that I have been are:

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Georgetown Colorado.

 It's full of adorable cottages and John Denver filmed a sweet Christmas movie there years ago. We "taped" it with the VCR and it was one of Mollie's favorites when she was young!

 Chamonix, France 

 I have never seen so much snow!!

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and College Fjord, Alaska.

But most of all, when it snows, I like to be at home, snuggled up with my family and pooches.

 The view from my front door during our last big snow in Atlanta!

Stay safe and warm!!

It's Not Even Valentine's Day Yet...

... But I have fallen in love.

And hard.

With the couch of my dreams.

I didn't know it existed in real life but I have dreamed of it.

I have loved bamboo and wicker and rattan as long as I can remember.

I mean like from childhood.

 ( I was born in Charleston, SC,
 my parents dipped me in the saltwater early in my life
 and a beach girl I have remained.) 

1stDibs 

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 Even if I could find one of those bamboo/rattan/wicker/caning settees,
 they are too fragile and not comfy enough for a day of watching the SEC
 or binge watching Downton Abbey or Parenthood.

And then, somehow through the magic of blogs and Pinterest, I found this dream sofa.

The One!!

How did I not know about you??

You are everything I love in a sofa. 
The  caning and wood combo of my dreams. 
And White slipcovered cushions
 (we are those people with two big dogs who think they are humans)
 and comfy for binge watching Netflix or snoozing. 

Oh how I love thee.

In fact I love everything in the Stuart Membery Collection.

 I want to live in the pictures in the catalog

I want to work for that company.

I want to look at that furniture all day long -
I practically have been because it's cold and I want to be where these pictures were taken.

#obsessed



Yep, All kinds of good right there :)

This couch will remain the couch of my dreams because, you see ,this couch starts it's life in Indonesia. And you can buy it directly from the factory and have it shipped. If you win the lottery. It's a lovely website and they clearly explain how to go about purchasing their goods and  finding a shipping company.

From the Q and A section of the delightful Stuart Membery site:

Q	:	I have not shipped product from Asia before - Can you help?
A	:	If you do not have a shipping company we can recommend our preferred shipping company in Indonesia. We have built a solid relationship with them. We will liaise with our preferred shipping company on your behalf.



I, also, have not shipped from Asia.

How about you?

( But isn't that furniture dream worthy??)

January Makes Me Want To Paint!!

It's all  that New Year/fresh start stuff 
and it makes me want to paint !!

My view every morning! I paint. I shower. I go to work!

Plus every paint company and Pantone are releasing their "Colors of the Year"!
And I am happy about the whites!!

Everything just feels so clean and organized after you paint, purge and move back in to a space.

College Girl graduated in July, had a short term recruiting job at her university for a few months and then landed a job in Midtown Atlanta.

Her lease in the college town ended 12/31, the commute was a bit much even though she loved Carrollton and her years there, so she's moving home to save some $$ so she can move into her own place.

If you want to feel better about any bills you are paying them "google" rents
inside the Perimeter in Atlanta and you will instantly feel better.
You will also see why she has to live at home and save for a bit.

So another move for College Girl.
If you follow on IG then you know that a much used hashtag in our lives is
#isit6movesor7
Not kidding.

To make living at home after having your own 2 bedroom townhouse for 2 years a little more appealing we have cleared out the guest bedroom across from her childhood bedroom and created a little "suite" for her - bedroom and sitting room and the bath next door which we just glammed up in the Fall 2015 ORC. See below!!

I started painting the room that will be her sitting room in December as we were moving our stuff out, her stuff in and all the other craziness that goes on at Christmas time.

It's all fresh and white. 

(This room will become the sitting room.)

And while the 5 gallon bucket of white paint is upstairs...

Goodbye yellow stripe accent wall in the bedroom!!
You were fun but it's time.

Now it's all freshly painted white and ready for the star of the room:

The vintage wicker headboard that I found in perfect condition at Goodwill for -

 I did not make this up!! - $24.96. 

It was an amazing day of thrifting!

Sadly, I actually had to leave great stuff behind. 

Mollie loves it and her bedroom is slowly coming together as well. 

All in the same Chinoiserie meets Boho vibe like in the ORC inspiration rooms!

The faux bamboo dresser and lamp are from previous lucky thrifting days!!
I can be in and out of a Goodwill in 10 minutes!!! It's like I'm on a mission!!

And Mollie and I hit 3 Homegoods in 2 days to scoop up all the great knob possibilities for a dresser update going on on the other side of the room. 
More on that later but look at all this hardware goodness. 

Don't worry. We are going to be returning some of these!!
It'll be hard - but we don't need them all :)


Linking up at Coastal Charm!