J'Amour!

While browsing online I came across a link to a luxurious website, The Paris Apartment. I fell in love with all of the pieces, especially the vanity chairs and mirrored furniture. The site is very expensive, but provides great inspiration for re-upholstering and consignment store shopping. I have seen many French-inspired pieces at consignment shops. Paint, new hardware, or new fabric can update any style of furniture. Search online for consignment or antique shops in your area. Happy shopping! 

Modern Art for your Photos

If you like to take lots of pictures, like I do, you'll probably like this new photo art. I came across this website, Modern Bird Studios, in which a picture is transformed into a piece of art. I love taking pictures and I love displaying frames around my house of family and friends.

Modern Bird Studios will create one of your favorite photos into a unique work of art. It's something different and unexpected. It would also make a great gift- birthday, wedding, new baby, etc. Prices start at $165. You are also able to choose the background color that fits your style and decor. A very personal and intimate piece of art.

Sample pieces from the gallery:

"All About Blue"

As I previously mentioned, I love the magazine, House Beautiful. I was reading their March issue, "All About Blue," and was reminded why blue is so luscious and beautiful. My favorite blue is aqua because it has always reminded me of a tropical island and the color of the crystal clear water. Think aqua paired with light pink, hot pink, coral, red, or chocolate brown.

When we 1st moved into our house we had our house painted. The 1st floor colors stayed the same, but the walls got a fresh coat. Upstairs, I chose the color for my dressing room and our bedroom & bathroom. My husband decided he would choose the color for the spare bedroom. He chose a light blue. At first I was hesitant because I've never loved light blue, but the color is so refreshing and reminds me of a perfect summer day.

My mother-in-law has also used many shades of blue in her house and it looks amazing- a shade of blue in the office, blue curtains in the dining room, a blue couch in the living room. I will try to get some pictures and post!

I fell in love with these photos from the March 2010 Issue, and I'm sure you will, as well. I hope they inspire you to add a few shades of blue in your home!

Love the pop of the blue lamps against this gorgeous gold wallpaper:

LOVE this luxurious bedroom!!

Fantastic Furniture Finds

I am always browsing Craigslist to search for inexpensive furniture. In one search, I put "wide dresser" thinking that there were a few places I could make a home for it, plus it would be extra storage. Of course, I wasn't expecting to find exactly what I was looking for at the price I wanted, but I was willing to do a DIY (do-it-yourself) project. I found a wide dresser in a bedroom collection on the site and emailed the seller for the cost of just the dresser. When she emailed back telling me the set was $300 and the dresser was $150 I quickly passed. I didn't need a DIY dresser project for $150 plus the cost of supplies. A couple weeks passed and I received an email from the seller asking if I was still interested and what would I pay for it since she needed it out of the house in 2 days. I low-balled it and said $30, and she said "it's yours." Not only did she give me the wide dresser for $30, but she gave me the entire bedroom collection, which also included another small dresser, 2 bookshelves, and a mirror. Although these pieces were originally used in a bedroom, I like finding other uses for them, as well. For example, the dressers could hold clothes, or they could be a buffet table and hold extra linens, an entryway table, or extra storage in our basement.

I love the style and structure of the dressers- straight lines and sturdy drawers. However, I don't like the color wood. I plan to paint it when I figure out the room placement of these items. I will replace the drawer pulls, as well. I am still not sure what or where the 2 bookshelves will go- they might need a complete DIY makeover. I will also paint the mirror frame (if I decide to keep it).

My friends & family think I always find a good deal, but it doesn't always come easy. Patience is key. I also take the time to shop for what I want and have a purpose in mind!

Doors open to pull-out drawers inside:

2 Bookshelves:

The following day I was driving past one of my favorite consignment shops and spotted this yellow chair outside. I stopped and asked the owner the price. Let me tell you- the most I was thinking I'd pay was $30. Shockingly, it was only $8!! I had also spotted a stool, but at $7 I decided I didn't need it. As I was paying, I was told the limit was $10 for my debit card. So, the owner sold me the stool for $2!
The chair caught my eye not only because of the yellow fabric, but I also love the style. I will paint the chair frame a different color, which leads me to ask YOU:

**Suggestions? What colors would you think would look best against the mustard yellow? I would love to read your comments and hear your opinions. **

Colors that came to my mind were turquoise, navy, cream, or chocolate brown. The room I will be putting it in has beige walls, a stone fireplace, hardwood floors, and shades of brown furniture. The yellow will compliment the other colors in the room, but also add a pop of unexpected color.

The stool will also be painted (surprise, surprise). Instead of using the stool for its intended purpose, I am thinking of using it to stack books and/or magazines. A bright color (fuschia, turquoise) would add character to any room.

Please let me know your suggestions on paint colors for the chair. I will post more pictures once these do-it-yourself projects are completed!

Buying Wallpaper Just Got Cheaper (Think 20% Coupons)

My friend just posted on my Facebook wall that she was on Bed, Bath, & Beyond's website and they have a new wallpaper section. I'm so excited because, as you may know, Bed, Bath, & Beyond = 20% off coupons. Those coupons are so precious (they are even sold on Ebay) and lately they seem scarce. Maybe I just used my stash and now I need to build it back up again! 

They have an awesome selection of classic & contemporary patterns, and I love the designer, Graham & Brown. I love his textured paper that can also be painted. It could be used for wainscoting, too.
Let me know if you have decided to use wallpaper in your home, and which design you choose. Also, please read below for another post on my wallpaper "obsession."

My Favorite Room!

Our "formal" living room has always been my favorite room since we bought our house 1 year ago. I loved the light from the windows and the wood-burning fireplace. I use quotations because we have another TV room. Initially, I was going to use this room to read and relax with friends, but that rarely happens. My husband & I starting "calling" the TV (him- sports, me- my shows). I came home 1 night to a huge box on my zebra rug- a new flat screen! Now, I know I will use this room more often and my husband & I can both watch what we want. 

For those that know me I love zebra print. I only wanted a zebra rug for this room and added purple & blues as accent colors.

Couch: American Signature $550
Bird Pillow: American Signature $5 (clearance)
Blue Pillows: TJ Maxx $10 (clearance)
Aqua blanket: TJ Maxx $20
Zebra Rug: Homegoods $149
Purple Rug: Pier 1 $21 (sale)

Side Table: my husband's grandmother's house

Lamp: Homegoods $11 (clearance)

Coral: Pier 1 $14

Silver Floral Pitcher (used as vase): Ross $2.99

Bookcase with glass doors (used as china cabinet): Ikea $249

I love the modern look and the glass doors. Inside there are removable glass shelves for convenience. This piece fit perfectly on this wall next to the staircase and the white blends perfectly with the other pieces in the room. 

 Next Project: replace the out-dated blinds with curtains!

 Fireplace tools & log basket: Home Depot; Screen: Target $35 (clearance)

Flower picture (left): antique store $12; Mirror flower picture (right): local home boutique $40; Vase: wedding gift

(I will have to find a new home for these as this will be the new spot for our TV)

 New TV!! (Best Buy)

Luscious Finds at Z Gallerie

I love visiting Z Gallerie to find inspiration for home decorating. Many of these items I have seen at Homegoods (or items similar). I love white cermanics and mirrored furniture. I've seen mirrored furniture at Pier 1, such as this one I love. I also love the mirrored vanity.  So glamourous and luscious!!

Below are some of my current favorites at Z Gallerie:

White mirror: would make a statement on any wall $169

3-drawer dresser: $799

I love white bedding and this pattern adds texture $39.95-$189.95

This candle plate would add drama to any pillar candle. Would look great in multiples or on your night table. $7.95

Love these frames! So luxurious! $12.95-$14.95

Clear candle holders: use in multipes and with different color candlesticks

Flower candles: a summer must-have! Also, a perfect hostess gift! $9.95

My favorite white ceramic vases: use in all sizes $49.95-$69.5

Turquoise flower tealight holders: $9.95

Love this aqua coral- great accessory: $19.95-44.95

Flower wall decor- unexpected and dramatic art (also, in white & green) $29.95

Just a reminder that these items are just for inspiration. Prices are listed for your convenience. I have found most of these items at other stores. For example, I have multiple flower tealight holders in my house: light pink in my living room, bronze in the TV room, silver in our bedroom. I bought them at approximately $3.99 each at Marshalls. I bought a similar piece of coral at Pier 1 for $14.

Hope you enjoy!

Inspiring Spaces

House Beautiful is one of my favorite magazines. I love their modern and contemporary spaces. Color is a theme throughout these bedrooms, whether it's a splash of color in the paint, headboard, or in the fabric. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do. Happy browsing!

I love the crisp white in this picture combined with the light pink. Very romantic!

This is definitely a glamourous bedroom. I love the rich, red headboard and black accessories!

Love the coziness the purple wall color gives this room:

This bedroom reminds me of a little girl's room. I love the pink shade and the oversized gray velvet chair.

Dinner Parties = an Occasion for Pretty China!

A recent posting by Elle Decor of the beautiful green china setting (shown below) reminded me of the china pattern I chose for our wedding registry. I fell in love with the pastel green and gold color combination of Martha Stewart's Collection with Wedgewood China at Macy's called "Garland Moss."

I love the shade of green combined with the gold trim. The pattern is luxurious. I love entertaining and dinner parties. I use my china often for dinners with family and friends. I recommend using your china for dinner parties and not only for holidays. I love my china too much to have it get dusty in my china cabinet; however, I did buy a cabinet with glass doors so that it was visible. ;)

Elle Decor's Spring Trend Alert: Pretty Pastels

My china, "Garland Moss:" Martha Stewart Collection with Wedgewood

Using the dinner plates for one of our dinner parties:

If you do not have china and don't want to spend the money I would recommend browsing discount Home stores, such as Marshall's, Homegoods, etc for pretty place settings at a much lower cost. As I was shopping in Marshall's one afternoon I found china (Royal Scotland) and immediately was drawn to the pink and gold pattern. I fell in love with it even more as I looked at the prices- $3.99/dinner plate and $2.99/salad plate. I bought 12 of each. I also found a creamer for $2.99 and a serving bowl for $4.99.

12 Dinner Plates at $3.99 = $47.88, 12 Salad Plates at $2.99 = $35.88, Creamer = $2.99, Bowl = $4.99

Total = $91.74 = LESS than 1 place setting at Macy's!!

I chose not to get the bowls because I have white soup bowls that would match perfectly. I was afraid the pattern would be too overwhelming with matching bowls and coffee cups. The creamer and serving bowl will match my "Garland Moss" pattern, too, since it has a gold pattern. I love to mix and match dinnerware and glassware.

I love the gold accent color on both of these china settings. If you are not a fan of gold, look for a setting with silver or white as an accent color. I hope you are motivated to look for a setting that you will fall in love with without compromising cost.

Knob Snob

I've always loved browsing Anthropologie's home section online. I love their knobs in the hardware section, but have always hesitated to spend $8 on one knob. However, I was thrilled when I found similar knobs at Homegoods. A package of 4 was $7.99!! And, they were exactly what I was looking for- glass and clear. They look expensive and luxurious. The ones I were interested in are these for $10 each. I bought 2 packages at Homegoods knowing that I would definitely have use for them somewhere. I don't often find Anthropologie look-alikes for less, but am excited when I do! HG is always full of luscious finds!

Other places to try for knobs are hardware stores, Wal-mart, and Target. The knobs might just be white or silver, but remember with just a little paint and creativity you can transform them into something different. Think: stripes, polka dots, bright colors, etc. You can use them on a dresser or a side table or kitchen cabinets. Check out these for knob inspiration from Anthropologie:
So fun!

Wallpaper Obsession

Recently I've been obsessing about wallpaper. I am thinking of making a feature wall in our bedroom (using the headboard wall) and this design is what comes to mind. However, I'm a little apprehensive about the gold hint and wish it was a silver tint. I also love this print- it's definitely more subtle, but still luxurious. This website, wallpaper from the 70s, has many styles to choose from. You will need to convert the prices to US dollars since it is a German company.
My brother-in-law covered his hallway in this wallpaper, which I love!! Bold, but gorgeous! My sister-in-law recently wallpapered one wall in her dressing room this design. Her walls are painted a light aqua so the turquoise in this design works well together. The pattern is dramatic and unexpected. I love it. She ordered the wallpaper from Lowe's. Both Lowe's and Home Depot may be more accessible and convenient. The sample books in store may be a bit overwhelming, which is why I suggest browsing their selection online.

The wallpaper obsession is contagious. I hope you can find a wall in your living space to cover with a gorgeous print! Below are some pictures for inspiration.

More Purple Lovin':

        This floral print is perfect for an entryway or powder room:

             Love these 2 patterns! They are so light and refreshing: