hardworking weekend

via pinterest

I wish I could say I spent a leisurely weekend hanging out with my feet up, book in hand and drink nearby. But it was a hardworking weekend.

First of all the stairs are done (but for touchups!) and they look amazing. Can't wait to show you all the full story with befores and afters tomorrow. Then between yardwork in my garden {I mulched, moved things around, weeded like crazy, and got my veggie seedlings in} and doing some major landscaping at Michaels' house {yes, I know I haven't told you about the new man in my life but since he is a carpenter and incredibly hardworking and helpful, and we like each other a whole lot and have been spending lots of time together, you will be hearing a lot about him I'm sure}, we were busy and exhausted each and every day.

favorite garden tool of the moment

By the way, for his shade garden we bought beautiful mountain laurel, hostas, and bleeding hearts for a front bed along the stone wall and some juniper and euonymus for foundation plantings.

mountain laurel in bloom

Anyway, now that the major hard work is done, I'm really looking forwad to enjoying the fruits of our labor. That means lots of relaxing, dining al fresco, and general laziness of summer.

welcome summer! i want to spend it here!

How was your long weekend? Tiring but productive, or perfectly kicked back?

outdoor formal

Maybe it's because my backyard is a little wild and unkempt, but I am drawn to this very civilized outdoor space right now.

ty larkins

The pavers and boxwoods and fountain give it all some structure, and the ivy-covered wall gives it a secret garden kind of feel. Now that the weekend is finally here, I hope to enjoy it, if not exactly in a space like this, then definitely outside on the deck and maybe in front of the firepit. Hope you find a lovely space too to while away the hours with some good food, a good book, or good company. Enjoy!

still not over daybeds

Just in case you were wondering, I still love them.

via ispirato design

A spot in the window is nice. And notice the little tables nearby to hold a book or cold drink?

flor

This one looks nice and deep and cozy. A good spot for a nap. You can try to read here—there's excellent lighting—but good luck!

via the lennoxx

Simple and serene.

coastal living

Great comfort and light.

Now that the weather has been nicer here, I've found my little window seat/daybed has been the perfect spot to lounge with a book or magazine and enjoy the sunshine and a little breeze blowing in. In fact, I wish I was there right now!

tuesday tip: shower curtain drapes

I know it's strange to suggest doing anything other than the typical shower curtain installation—one big swath of fabric that completely covers the tub or shower. Why do we do this? It's simple enough to cut your shower liner right down the middle, hang two curtains, and part them to either side...

via pinterest

In any case, I've been loving this look for a long time. I think it's stylish and interesting and a bit dressy and unexpected to treat your shower or tub just like a window, framed by a set of drapes. So, double up your shower curtains, or split one right down the center, and see what happens. And how great would it be if there was an actual window revealed by those curtains to make the view that much better?!

via anna spiro

phoebe howard

via french essence

thom filicia

via decorpad

liz caan interiors

stair runner preview: it's going to be good!

Here's where we're at, folks, on the stair runner. Isn't it going to be great?!

Got lots of painting done yesterday, and I bought all the materials to make this diy happen. Now I just need some help, and Friday is the day I'm getting it. Stay tuned!

the picture of weekend inspiration

I think this entry is so welcoming and beautiful, and it perfectly rounds up some ideas for weekend projects.

house and home

{1} Frame a piece of wallpaper or fabric with trim molding to create a statement wall.

{2} Go antiques shopping!

{3} Paint your trim or a door, or both, dark for a change.

{4} Paint your brick wall white.

{5} Cut something green from the garden and bring it inside to freshen up your space.

Enjoy the weekend, dears! I'll be finishing painting my stair floors (at least the exposed parts) in preparation for laying the runner. And I'll be stopping at Ikea to pick up the goods. Wish me luck at Ikea on a Saturday!

no matter how you say it...

...these pillows make me happy. I think every room {and life!} could use some.

See more from Esty seller HoneyPieDesign

"i can't even remember what it looked like before"

So says Anna, one of the two lucky sisters who got a new room yesterday. Sarah and Anna, of the competing blue and pink color preferences, share a bedroom, and they're super excited (phew!) about their new digs.

There's still plenty to do, and I'll give you all the complete rundown on the design when it's final, but I couldn't resist the sneak peek. And in case you want to know what it looked like before...

a diy stair plan

Have you been following the stair dilemma? If you have you'll be happy to know the answer is yes—I'm going to do it myself, or maybe with a lot of help from my friends. The reason: I just got some bad leaky-roof news and am worried about that big bill to come my way very soon. So, that made my decision to diy or not very very easy. In this case, the cheaper way is the only way to go. Oh, and hey, it makes for better blogging too!

So, this week I'm painting the stairs white, and then I'm going to head to Ikea for a bunch of these:

And I'm going to order a bunch of these:

For a look that's at least a little something like this, if I'm lucky!

jeff albert

exposed

If you've been following this blog for a while, or even just for a little bit, you know I am a huge fan of open shelving the kitchen, of floating ledges, and general open storage everywhere. When I saw this photo it really wowed me, because it reminded me how much I love open storage and vanities in the bath too.

southern exposure

The look brings such modernness, and casualness, and offers places to decorate, with towels, baskets, and accessories. I'm all over it.

house and home

via style files

via stagetecture

remodeling magazine

restoration hardware

living etc

amy morris via traditional home

i'll be outside

Happy weekend, everyone. I cannot wait to get outside and spend time in the garden. Hope you have some lovely, relaxing plans too!

P.S. I wish this was my house.

a girls' room in raspberry and turquoise

One girl likes pink, one likes blue, so what to do? I decided we should just use both and make it work! I'm so excited that this shared girls' room is finally painted and that I'll be able to get in there next week to decorate. Final photos coming soon!

If you'd like your very own idea board to help you achieve a new design in your space, email me today!

rustic chic bedroom

For today, how about just taking a good look at a pretty room? Oh how I love it!

house & home

In my mind, this bedroom is absolutely perfect, down to the last detail. It's sporting so many of my favorite of-the-moment elements (that I don't see getting old anytime soon):

{1} Super-distressed rustic wood
{2} Wall-mounted industrial lighting
{3} Raw linen
{4} Upholstered headboard—with tufting!
{5} Wide-plank wood floors
{6} Transom over door

I would love to incorporate more of these elements into my home. What about you?

stair walls painted

I spent most of yesterday painting my stairway walls. The green is a little bolder than I wanted, but I guess that's what I get for not testing paint colors in my own house. Bad designer! The color in the image below is a little lighter and more sage than how it really looks in person. It's more lime-y and chartruese-y in real life!

But really, I'm so relieved to have started and made lots of progress here. A project in process (about halfway done I think!) is a very good thing.

Next up:
1. Touch up ceiling and handrail.
2. Sand and paint stairs and base molding.
3. Order runner and install!

And by the way, the color is Benjamin Moore Castleton Mist. Here's one room where the color looks right—and looks fabulous!

hal williamson via house beautiful

semi floating shelves part ii

When I wrote about ledge shelving/bookcases the other day, how could I have missed this one?

via my notting hill

And how could I have missed that Amber was leading the way in building these semi floating shelves in her home at this very moment?

Check out her awesome tutorial for her DIY book nook here.

semi floating shelves

james ransom photography

I really like the look of these bookcases with shelves appear to float, or ledge shelving that's built into a nook. The chunky shelves feel nice and substantial, they look is sleek and modern with no excess bracketing or hardware. I'd like to build these into a few niches in my home.

via remodelista

But I have other projects on tap first! (And a huge backlog waiting in the wings too.) Today I have some time so I'm going to finish patching and sanding stairway walls and then pick out and test some paint colors. Still haven't decided how much I'm going to do on my own. Let's see how the painting goes!

what lies beyond

When I first saw it, this image got me thinking of how I love those interior shots that glimpse a room through a doorway. So intriguing! These photos keep me lingering just a little longer, wondering what more in that room there is to see...

amador toril

grace dumalac design

twig hutchison

bunny williams

william hodgins

annette joseph

house & home

e cummings

bhg