design dump

"exploding death star" chandelier

2012-01-31T07:55:00.001-07:00

even though we are living in a rental house, one thing i really wanted to change about grady's room
was the existing ceiling fan. it was SO unattractive, and not fitting for a kids space.
i wanted something with a little more personality. i know--MORE personality than a ceiling fan? not hard to do, right?
since most of the items in his room have a traditional feel to them, i wanted
a light fixture that was a little more modern and whimsical.
my little man LOVES legos, and in particular, star wars legos. so, when i spotted the
orbit chandelier from z gallerie, i knew i had found the perfect light for his room.

this past weekend, i picked it up at the store, brought it home and begged my husband to install it:

grady's eyes lit up when the last bulb was in place, and when we flicked on the switch,
he grinned from ear to ear, and said "it looks like like an exploding death star!"

what a BOY.
:)
and, on a side note--i finally hung one thing on the wall...the cork board map!
yay!

before + after: e-design library/music room

2012-01-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

as promised- a few better images of a recently completed e-design plan

for a formal living room turned into a library/music room...
but first, some before pictures.

as you can see, the room is large, has high ceilings, and is open to the foyer.

the walls were already a dark red, so i knew the homeowners would be open to painting them an equally dark (but much less vivid) charcoal grey.

and, the AFTER pictures:

as you can see, we painted the walls a dark charcoal color, which the room can handle because of the high ceilings, and the fact that one wall is entirely open to the entry and hall. all of the bookcases, the piano, and the love seat already belonged to the homeowner...we added the chairs, the ottoman, a new rug, a new side table, and some lamps to spruce the room up and add some character.
there are still a few minor pieces missing--a side table for one of the blue chairs and a floor lamp next to the love seat, but overall, i am SUPER impressed with what my client has been able to accomplish. i finished this plan in late november, and even with the holidays, she managed to accomplish SO much.

interested in working together to create a more functional and beautiful space?
email me for rates at autumnclemons@yahoo.com

judging a book

2012-01-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

admit it.
you do it too-
judge the interior of a house based on the way it looks from the outside...

i do it all the time. i love driving through historic and high-end neighborhoods, taking in all of the beautiful architecture. sadly, i am usually disappointed when i catch a glimpse of the interiors, as most homes are not as glorious on the inside as they are on the outside.

i am fairly certain the interiors of these houses are just as amazing as the exteriors.

happy daydreaming friends!

(source)

( source)

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and just for kicks...what may be the perfect entry:

i liked this image so much, i pinned it THREE times!
(pinning past midnight is sometimes a bad idea)

happy weekend!

design plan: library/music room

2012-01-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

here is a look at a design plan that i recently completed for a formal living room
that will be turned into a library/music room.

the homeowner already had a piano that she wanted to keep in the room, and 4 bookcases (2 sets of 2 matching bookcases) scattered throughout the house.

here is the way the room originally looked:

and here is a peek at the room now....

once everything is in place, i will get some additional pictures to show you!

where am i?

2012-01-23T08:00:00.001-07:00

can you figure out where i am?

look carefully at the pictures, and let me know when you figure it out:

a close up of the above wall covering.

hand scraped wood floors.

textured plexiglass panel separation.

wall tile.

closeup of one of the three different countertops.

detail of regular height chair.

still having trouble?

let go inside the restrooms. maybe that will help...

hmmmm.

fireplace. complete with a cozy ottoman.

ceiling details....

bar stool.

chandelier.

still trying to figure it out?

how about a bigger hint....

du-------wha?

are you are shocked as i was?

(and yes, behind the etched golden arches on that glass is a water feature!)

can you believe the finishes in this joint??

i just HAD to post this!

hey, i know all the hoopla surrounding mcdonalds....i agree that most of their food is not very healthy, and that we, as amercians eat way too much it, BUT, as a designer, i was totally impressed with this new mcdonlads that opened near my home. honestly, when my family and i first walked in, i felt like i was in an upscale cafe. i really appreciate all of those little and not so little details and layers that go into making a space feel cozy and interesting...and the design team behind these new restaurants did a great job accomplishing that!

what did you think?

did you figure it out? and if so, when?

have you been in similar mcdonalds?

do you like that the interiors of some fast food restaurants have been "super sized"?

does if effect how many times you will or will not eat there?

let me know...i am so interested in this!

plan b: table lamp for grady's room

2012-01-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

so, i ordered this lamp for grady's nightstand from the foundary right before christmas:

i loved the industrial look, the large metal shade, and the articulating arm.
it was just what i was looking for!
well, imagine my surprise when this lamp showed up at my doorstep:

hmm. yeah, it took me about 10 seconds to realize that this was NOT the lamp i ordered.
plus, the arm of the lamp was totally bent.
can you see how bent it is on the picture?!
(i was beginning to feel like a chump. did they not think i would notice? gheesh.)

i called the foundary to see if i could swap the bent/wrong lamp for the lamp i ordered, but they didn't have any more left. (insert a very sad face from me and some begging to see if they knew who made it and where i could find it. they didn't. and then i proceeded to spend the next hour on the internet looking for an alternative that wasn't $400 with no luck.)
customer service was really nice, and refunded my money, but i still don't have a lamp for his night stand.
i recently won a $50 gift card from west elm from jean's great blog (flower hill designs), so i think i might use it to cover part of the cost of a new lamp.

here are some that i am considering:

morten table lamp.
the matte finish is nice, the shape is great, and i like that this lamp would add another dose
of black to the room.

i also really like these lamps:

industrial task lamp

stephen antonson table lamp

cast metal horse lamp

i have had a crush on the barometer lamp from ikea forever, and it is very affordable.

i am leaning toward the morten table lamp, but will probably wait for a few more weeks before i commit.
there is a home goods about 3 miles form my house, and i am going to make a few trips there to see if
anything that catches my eye. i will keep you posted!

my dream foyer

2012-01-18T07:46:00.001-07:00

layla grace is having a "pin it to win it" challenge, and i thought i would give it a try!
the challenge is to create a pinterest board of your dream foyer, using items from layla grace's
store. they have a pretty amazing selection, so it was pretty easy for me to come up with
my "dream foyer". apparently, my "dreams" are very expensive (i think this foyer would cost more
than the combined value of the last four cars i have driven!)....but, this is just for fun,
so i wasn't counting pennies...
you can click here to see my pinterest board, but just for fun, i threw them on a board for y'all:
(oh, and you have to picture this space with herringbone hardwood floors, a 10' coffered ceiling, and
wainscoting. cuz if yer gonna dream, dream BIG!)

entries are due this evening.
go here to read the rules, and start pinning your own dream foyer!

schumacher look-alike fabrics

2012-01-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

when it comes to decorating a home, i am solidly in the camp of "save some, splurge some".

i love finding a great looking affordable find that is similar to a higher end piece. however, there are also times when paying a little bit more can get you an item that can really elevate and transform a room....and often, that item is a fabric.

it's no secret that a lot of designers (including myself) are big fans of high-end fabrics like the ones from schumacher. here are some less expensive dupes for some of my favorite schumacher fabrics:

schumachers camberwell vase in citrine is a fabulous, large scale print with various shades of greys and yellows on an ivory background. it retails for over $130 a yard.

isham indienne in lemongrass by waverly is very similar, and less than $20 a yard.

schumachers zanzibar in space retails for over $200 a yard, although you can buy it here

for around $155 a yard. this is the fabric i just used for pillows in my living room.

giverny spice by rich loom is a dead ringer for zanzibar, but only 12.98 a yard.

chinois fret is an expensive, textural geometric print that would look great on a large upholstered piece.

this geometric print is similar, and much less pricey.

i really love the energy and color that chiang mai dragon print in lacquer brings to a space, but at

over $150 a yard, it is not cheap.

formosa compari has a similar look at a fraction of the price.

ellis floral vine in indigo is another great schumacher fabric that sells for over $115 per yard.

although a little bit brighter, gadabout blueberry by stout is a great look-a-like, for substantially less.

soleil l.a. print would look great on some outdoor pillows.

asha pewter is more subdued, but has a similar look to the schumacher print.

coconut grove in aqua and tan is a fabric that i would love to use in my own home someday.
the soft blues and browns are so pretty.

aviary toile in robin has a very similar look. maybe i will just use it instead!

happy shopping!

messin' with mother nature

2012-01-13T07:32:00.001-07:00

yesterday i ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things, when i spotted these babies:

i let out an audible "eeewwwww" as i walked over to investigate. they are actually white orchids,
"magically" created by dying them with blue water.
i don't know why, but something about seeing a blue orchid really chapped my hide.
i mean, what wrong with NORMALLY colored orchids?

(via style me pretty)

(via beck design blog)

(via google)

i walked out of the store muttering to myself like a crazy lady.
what do you think about blue orchids?
are you as bothered as me?
or do you think the blue is a refreshing change?
do you like smurfs?
would you buy one?
use one in your home?
tell me.....please.

ikea rug into a window seat cushion

2012-01-12T07:52:00.002-07:00

about a year and a half ago, i bought an orange, tan and black throw rug at ikea (the no longer available jyllinge rug).
it was on sale for $3.99, and at the time i had NO idea what i was going to do with it...i just knew i LOVED the colors and i HAD to have it.

as i was pulling together gradys room, i used the rug as color inspiration, but i still wasn't sure exactly what to do with it. when i decided to use an expedit bookcase as a window
seat, i decided that i would use the rug to have some new cushions made for the top of the window seat.

here is the result!
as you can see, i rehung his old curtains, and added a few pillows.
(the one on the right is made from thom filicia's lawrence fabric in taupe)
the wood stool is from home goods.
the wall color is benjamin moore's blue springs 1592.

the fabric for the curtains was purchased on clearance for $1 a yard at walmart. (yes, walmart!)
the brown herringbone fabric on the larger pillow is by ralph lauren, which i purchased on ebay.
the banded leather and cowhide pillow was purchased at joss and main.

the rug wasn't quite big enough to have all two 36" cushions made, so i opted to cover the bottom of the cushions with a faux leather, purchased at my local joanns.

i really love the way the cushions turned out!

there are still quite a few projects left to do in his room, and i have yet to hang anything on the wall, but i am hoping to have his room totally finished in the next two weeks.
notice that i said "hoping"....
:)

a touch of houndstooth

2012-01-10T07:42:00.001-07:00

it was loud at my house last night.

very loud.

my husband is a huge alabama crimson tide fan, and they were playing lsu in the

bcs championship game last night. there was a lot of cheering and clapping, and yelling at the referees, and....

celebrating! yep-in the first shut-out in a bcs championship game since ever, alabama beat lsu 21-0.

which is s BIG deal if you're into football. (which i am not, but i AM into my husband!)

one of the past coaches, bear bryant, used to wear a houndstooth hat, and it has become a

signature print for the team.

SO, in honor of the win (and for my very excited husband), here are a few pretty rooms with a touch of houndstooth.

a gorgeous room with just the right amount of print from the very talented caitlin creer.

i adore this room, designed by jonathan adler via house + home. kinda wishing the image was bigger so i could bask in it's loveliness without my eyes going buggy...

this is a preppy chic room by marshall watson, featured in house beautiful.

that striped rug and two acrylic tables are perfect!

houndstooth double-duty.

love the trim on the drapes too.

via bhg.

i really like how this green geometric pillow perks up the brown houndstooth on this chair.

via design stiles

it's hard to look at this room without being happy. there is a lot going on here, but it all works so well.
apartment therapy

thèse matching chairs are a nice pop of pattern in this pretty neutral room.

maison petite

i really like these black built-ins, and the touches of houndstooth on the back of the chairs and in the throw.

traditional home, scanned by me

i love my husband, but i know i am NOT alone in saying that i am GLAD that there are 8 more months until college football starts up again!
:)

my living room: an update

2012-01-09T07:48:00.001-07:00

a few updates in my living room:

the pictures aren't great...but when this room is all finished, i will get some better images.

on each side of the large mirror, i hung two matching vintage gauche paintings. (gauche is an opaque watercolor)

since i knew i had to keep all of my existing furniture and my existing rug, i chose to stick with a color scheme of camel, gray, black and orange.

i also got the cushions back for this chair. i chose a large scale ticking fabric in ivory and white with a contrast welting in black velveteen. all three pieces (the back and seat cushions on the chair, and the ottoman cushion) took about 3.5 yards of fabric and cost about $120 at my upholstery shop. not a bad deal to totally transform this chair. you can see how it used to look here.

one thing that used to bother me about the ottoman cushion was that it didn't have any way to secure it to the ottoman itself...it was just a loose cushion. when i took it to the upholsterers, i had them add two ties near each corner so i could wrap them around the legs to secure the cushion. it has worked like a charm! the cushion stays put, and i actually like the way the ties look!

i was really excited to put the new cushions on the chair, but it wasn't until i got the zanzibar pillows back from my seamstress that i fell in love with the chair! i really love how the stripes and the zany floral work with each other. the pillows were a splurge, but well worth it!

the black lamp was purchased at a thrift store. it started out brass, but i spray painted it black a few years back.

the peace sign hand was also purchased at the foundary.

the mercury glass bowl was also a thrift store find. it is filled with rocks from a beach on whidbey island, where my husband and i went for our anniversary two years ago.

my old, badly-needing-to-be-recovered-chair got a pick me up with a faux fur pillow in a hexagonal cutout pattern, found at tj maxi for around $8. i got the little metal stool at the foundary.

here is a look at the other side of the room. right behind the sofa is the dining room table.

i haven't hung anything on the wall there yet....i am still trying to decide what to do. i have a few pieces that are leaning on the floor there that my or may not get hung there.

i think i am going to paint the metal bases of my ottomans an off-white. i want an additional pop of cream somewhere in the room...and right now, the stools blend in with the tones of the sofa too much.

i don't like the dining room fixture at all, but i will most likely leave it alone, since this is a rental house.

the large embroidered pillow and the zanzibar pillow were both made by my seamstress. she bought extra of both fabrics, and will have both pillows available soon in her etsy shop. she is in the middle of an out of state move right now, but when she gets settled, i will give you a heads up.

here is a close up look at the embroidered pillow. it is really beautiful in person! the subtle texture and sheen are really gorgeous.

a better look at the zanzibar fabric...it's so pretty in person! the blue-gray tones, the deep orange, and the camels and blacks are so sophisticated, and the linen is a nice heavy weight. you really get what you pay for when you order a schumacher fabric!

all of the holiday garland is gone, but i still have all of my mercury glass displayed.

in a few weeks, i will replace the twigs with a fern or other plant to add some green,

and will most likely take down the mercury glass and add some other accessories.

thanks for taking a look at the updates in my living room!
there are still a few more items i want to address:

1. probably paint the ottomans, and possibly change the fabric.

2. iron and hem the curtain panels.

3. add some green to the room with live plants.

4. possibly change out with light fixture...sorry i didn't show you pictures of it..it is an ugly ceiling fan with four horrible lights. the lighting in the room is really harsh, which i know can be improved with a new light...i am just not sure i want to go through the hassle.

5. eventually replace the tan chair.

6.paint of refinish the table in between the chairs. you can't tell form the pictures, but the top is really in bad shape.

oly inspired mirror makeover

2012-01-06T14:49:00.001-07:00

i have looong been a fan of oly studios lily mirror which retails at $2400.

i have had this large, ornate mirror for the last 8 years and have used it in several different rooms in our previous homes.
i bought it at american signature home, and i believe i paid around $120. i have since seen this exact same mirror on random online retailers, and it is always near $500, so i know i got a steal!

even though my tastes have changed over the last 8 years, i still really love this mirror...it just needed a quick update. (don't you love how filthy the mirror is? that's what happens when you leave a large mirror at "kid level" for a solid week...i don't even want to know that that huge drip in the middle is....)

to paint it, i covered the surface of the mirror with paper, being sure to tuck it in between the frame and the mirror.
i used krylon's paint + primer in high gloss white.

after i spray painted it white, i hung it on the wall, and it felt a little too....stark. the white was SO crisp and bright that it almost looked blue.

so i decied to paint over it with this ivory colored spray paint.
this really warmed it up. it still appears white... a nice, soft white.

you can see the difference between the two paint colors here. it's subtle, but just the shift in tone i was looking for.

here is the mirror, hanging in my living room!
i will share some additional pictures of this space in the next few days...

i think the mirror would look a lot better agasint a darker wall, like in the above photo. the contrast would help the mirror to stand out a bit more and look a little it more modern. ni house #6, i will for sure hang the mirror in a room with some dark walls for maximum contrast and drama.

patchwork cowhide rugs

2012-01-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

something i have been seeing and loving lately?

patchwork cowhide rugs.

i love the texture and organic pattern that a cowhide rug adds to a room,

and i adore the way the patchwork rugs add an additional layer of graphic appeal to an already classic look.

the graphic pattern on this rug is gorge-eous.

i would love to have a rug like this in my office!

its hard to believe that this is cowhide! it is such a fresh and modern look.

i don't know which one i like more...the view or the rug.

what a statement room, eh? even though it has a lot of competition, that rug is definitely pulling it's design weight in the room.

i don't know the original source of the above 4 images, but i found them here.

love the pattern on this one....

(via)

zara home

this room is so calm and yet so fabulous!

architectural digest

here is where you can find similar rugs:

serena and lily's brazilian rug

evanston rug-noir, z gallerie

maverik rug-sand, z gallerie

i love the organic shapes and stitching in this one....

(cowhide flower rug in white, the rug company.)

this one is pretty amazing as well.

(cowhide morroco rug, the rug company.)

how fun is this one?

or this one?

i love the graphic look of this one as well!

this is really small picture, and i almost wasn't going to post it, but i really liked the way that

the small panels in this rug mimic the look of a hide in it's natal state...

if you like this look, but are not ready to commit to a rug,

you can find some pillows with similar designs:

southern hides.

z gallerie

so, what do you think about these rugs?

love them? hate them? think they are great but just not for you?

do tell...

latest and greatest affordable finds

2012-01-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

if you follow me on pinterest, then you know i have a board called "affordable finds" that i update whenever i come across a great deal. here are a few of my latest and greatest finds....some which are so fresh, they haven't even been pinned yet!

enjoy!

although i am not crazy about the finish on this 27" mirror, at

$19.99, you can afford to paint it any color your heart desires!

i think a pair of these mirrors would look great on a wall, flanking

a great piece of art.

this petite ottoman is a steal at $69.99! i love the little casters on the legs....

making a slipcover for this in a fun fabric would really perk up this piece and personalize it.

i am kind of in love with this $60 mercury glass lamp, as well as a few others that kirklands is currently carrying. they have 5 or 6 lams right now that are spec affordable and darn right NICE looking.

the lines of this chair are pretty similar to the popular bobbin chair. i think we can all agree that some new fabric on this baby would update it and make it a lot more fun to look at...but overall, the lines of the chair are really nice, and it will only set you back $248, versus several hundred dollars more for a similar version. this would look great painted out in a soft grey or creamy white.

if clean simple lines are your thing, look no further. this wood slat mirror has a very west elm vibe to it,

and will not last long at it's current $48 price tag.

this little platner knock off wire table would look great in amy style of room.

only $119, and the mirrored top is a nice touch.

a kitchen or laundry room would be a great place to add this zig zag rug. it is available in 7 colors! it

could also be used to recover a bench or the seat of a pair of chairs.

i like the texture that driftwood frames and mirrors can add to rooms...especially kids rooms.

this one is a decent size, and a bargain at under $50.

these ceramic garden stools are among the most affordable i have come across. there are also several other styles available at great prices.

*the shipping can add a lot to this particular item depending on where you live....

twenty-twelve

2012-01-02T21:11:00.002-07:00

well. it's here.
the NEW year.
twenty-twelve.
i'm pretty confident it's going to be a good one. are you?

this last year really few by. it seems the older i get, the more quickly the years pass.
it literally seems like the summer and fall just whizzed past without even stopping
long enough for me to catch my breath. i was lucky enough to have a few pretty fantastic things
happen in 2011...

celebrating my 15 year wedding anniversary in hawaii with my family.

having a room that i collaborated on with my friend land on the cover of columbus monthly homes.

hosting a curators event at joss and main.

having projects featured at great sites like designsponge, ohdeedoh, curbly and designmom.

being involved with some fabulous collaborations at 6th street design school and remodelaholic.

continuing old AND adding new relationships with other design bloggers, readers of my blog, and fellow pinners. it's so great to feel like you have friends that really "get" you.

working with amazing clients from not only here in utah, but all over the country to help make their spaces look and function better.
when i first offered e-design/online design on my blog, i wasn't sure if anyone would even contact me or want to work with a designer they had never met in person, and in most cases, lived thousands of miles away. THANK YOU to all of those people that have trusted me with their homes. i have felt so honored to work together with each of you!

thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.
you've made my 2011 one of the best years yet.

happy 2012!

great pillow source

2011-12-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

i hope everyone had a wonderful christmas!

ours was nice and relaxing...so relaxing that i took not just ONE but TWO naps!

who does that?? who can take TWO naps and still go to bed at 10:30?

(besides really old people, babies + cats?)

i guess i needed the sleep...

i promised myself that i would take a break from the computer this week,

but with pinterest beckoning, and the kids being totally entertained with their

new ds and wii games, i just couldn't resist.

as i was clicking around, i found some pretty great pillows at home decorators that

i wanted to share. etsy is usually my source for great looking, affordable pillows,

but i just might be swayed into using home decorators more if they keep a great selection like

this stocked:

hand hooked crown "king" pillow

branches pillow

fairborn pillow

hooked butterfly pillow

dixie pillow in light green

floral frenzy pillow in pink multi

hooked floral pillow

numeric pillow

saratoga pillow

burlap number 85 pillow

garrick pillow

circuit pillow

adelle pillow

allendale pillow

braden pillow

wheeling pillow

geomatriex pillow

button pillow-set of 2

butterflies pillow

bess pillow

i love that most of these pillows have some texture to them...embroidery, hand hooked, buttons.....

and most all come with a polyfil insert. (which can be swapped out for a feather/down insert later)

go here to check out the rest of their pillows! they have a huge selection!

all is calm

2011-12-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

all is bright...

merry christmas friends!
:)

last minute wrapping ideas

2011-12-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

i know, i know.
this post would have been a LOT more helpful last week. or two weeks ago.
unfortunately, i am not one of those people that has everything ready for every holiday weeks and weeks in advance. (and if you are one of those people, and you need something to keep you busy today, come over to my house and i will put you to work!)

as i was wrapping a few gifts yesterday, i thought i would take a few pictures to
share some inexpensive and easy last minute ideas for wrapping all of those christmas gifts.

these are the gifts that my kiddos gave to their friends. they are king size candy bars that i wrapped with pages from a coloring book. the twine is from ikea. i used my cricut to cut out the tags and the letters, but if you don't have one, you can just trace an existing tag, and use a marker to write the initial.

this is another really inexpensive way to wrap a gift...
again, if you want a nice, crisp letter and you don't have a cricut (or other cutting machine) you can print the letters you need on your printer and cut them out.

this is a great way to wrap a gift without using a lot of ribbon.

and finally, who doesn't have a bunch of buttons lurking somewhere in their house?
just stack three buttons to make a snowman. alternate the top button to make him look like he has eyes.
this look would be especially fun if the buttons were different colors.

happy wrapping!

jc penny nightstand review

2011-12-23T08:46:00.001-07:00

i finally picked up the nightstands that i gave myself for christmas.

i have to say, that i am really impressed. they arrived pretty quickly at my local jc penny, but it took me a few days to coordinate a good pick up time with husband.
they were packaged very well...all corners, sides and base were surrounded by styrofoam, and the boxes they came in were really heavy-duty.
(as you can see, the wall behind the nightstand is currently painted navy blue...something that i intend to paint over in the near future...)

the size and shape are exactly what i have been searching for! they are well made and i definitely feel like i scored a major deal. the drawers are well constructed and glide easily on their tracks, and the piece is heavy and feels sturdy and durable.
i am a happy camper.

i just checked, and sadly, they are no longer available. however, the matching dresser is available for an incredible $276!
i did receive a few comments and emails from others saying that they ordered the nightstands as all, so i am thrilled that a few of you were able to get this great deal as well.
after all, christmas is about sharing , right?
:)

sounds of the season

2011-12-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

when it comes to holiday music, i think that people's playlists vary as much as their tastebuds.
some people LOVE more contemporary, upbeat christmas songs (which i don't mind at all), while others prefer instrumental versions ( which i also like). i think it also depends a lot on what you grew up listening to. it's hard to think of christmas without those songs and artists that you grew up hearing. my husbands family (love you guys!) think i am weird because i don't LOVE elvis at christmas...it's not that i DON'T like elvis singing christmas tunes, it's just that...ok, i don't like elvis singing christmas tunes. is that so wrong?

here is what makes up the recipe for my perfect holiday playlist:

a big ol', hefty, heaping scoop of:

(oh, how i LOVE me some johnny mathis at christmastime!
if i could only listen to one artist, it would be my johnny!)

a hearty dollop of:

(i am a child of the 70's/80's. what can i say?)

and:

(the best renditions of "tennessee christmas" and "breath of heaven" ever.")

a dash of:

(how can you resist THIS guy?)

and this:

classic. perfection.

a sprinkling of:

(a new fave.)

and a smidgeon of:

trying at all cost to avoid:

(yuck. i would rather listen to will farrell's version of his singing...
everytime i hear his voice, i feel like i am in
the pococnos... about to get into a heart shaped tub... in 1978.)

and:

(blech. who's idea was it for this guy to record a christmas album??
people who hate christmas, that's who.)

and, of course, stuff like this:

(really??)

what artist/songs are MUSTS on your holiday playlists?
any that you loathe?
what can't you live without?

do tell....

weekend visit to the grand america

2011-12-19T06:17:00.010-07:00

this weekend, my family and i enjoyed a great brunch at the little america hotel in downtown salt lake.

after our meal, we walked next door to the grand america hotel and walked through the lobby and it's other public spaces. the grand america is a really beautiful hotel....definitely the most impressive in all of salt lake city, and arguably the most posh.

i really liked the fresh floral arrangements and flocked trees in the lobby.

the mix of roses, evergreens, and flocked greenery was just gorgeous.

the trees had an elegant whimsical appeal to them, and i thought the pinks and teals and silvers

were really pretty.

the life size gingerbread house...made of over 400 pounds of gingerbread, 200 pounds of icing and nearly 20,000 pieces of candy. it was amazing!

a view to the courtyard.

another tree...filled with handblown glass ornaments in an array of FUN colors! these

almost looked like bubbles....so pretty!

by far, our favorite "find" was joujou....one of the most amazing toy stores i have ever seen.

the window displays were all incredible. this one had a whirling wheel made from erector sets.

everywhere you looked in this store, there were interesting things to look at and touch.

in the area behind the cash registers was a metal tree, filled with little "fairy nooks".

and don't even get me started on this candy...tower-THING. it was SO adorable. the ground in front if it lights up and plays music when you stand on it.

i loved the free-form "pages" sculpture in the book corner.

loved this frame too...wouldn't this be and easy diy project??

theses pillows, from ferm living were super cute.

i couldn't help snapping a picture of these cute little critters...made from recycled newspaper!

if it wasn't the week before christmas, i am sure that we would have caved and bought each of our kids something fun, but we walked out of the store empty-handed. however, it was SUCH a fun, inviting and stimulating place to be, and i am sure i will be back sometime. it's the prefect place to find a unique gift for a child of any age.

if you are ever in salt lake city be sure and check it out, as well as the weekend brunch at the little america!

affordable find: mercury table lamp

2011-12-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

felicity mercury table lamp

$129.99

and, of course, it is no surpise that overstock has an identical lamp for nearly $40 less.

kinda eerie how similar the pictures are, no? (even down to the remote control)

vesper 1 light mercury table lamp

$92.99

happy shopping!

my holiday decor this year

2011-12-14T19:56:00.004-07:00

welcome to my holiday house!

i was a little late getting my holiday decorations up this year. we always have a real tree, and so we usually wait until the first week in december to buy our tree and put up our decorations...this year, we were still tripping over boxes of books and trying to figure out where everything fits in my office, and so i just barely got up ALL of my decorations.

i really wanted to use more natural elements in my holiday decor this year. throughout my home, i have used fresh greenery, nuts, pinecones, driftwood and branches....mixed in with gold, moss green

and bronze ornaments and lots of mercury glass.

most of my seasonal decorations are put on my vintage-looking buffet, which has been in the dining room of several of our homes, and the living room or entry of others, but is in the great room or our current home.

as you can see, i used a similar configuration for the art as i did in our last home, except i swapped out

the middle piece for my antlers. sorry if the pictures are a little dark....i really need to learn how to use my camera a little better.

the large metal urn is from z gallerie, and the other tall mercury glass vase was purchased at a thrift store for $3. both are filled with branches and pinecones. a fresh garland from costco ties everything together.

a large wooden bowl (found at tj maxxx homes goods) filled is filled with ornaments, pinecones and a few nut and crystal clusters leftover from my front door wreath last year.

the mercury glass finials were purchased on clearance last year at wisteria. the other mercury glass vases and votive have been purchased over the years at pottery barn, tuesday morning, tj maxx, ross and z gallerie.

i bought some chain at the hardware store, and mixed in some crystals from an old chandelier to dress up the antlers.

a few more of the nut clusters, and some pinecones were tucked into the garland.

around the mantle, i used the nut and crystal garland that i made last year for my front door . you can see how to make that by clicking here.

i swagged a faux garland with some pinecones around the mantle, and then added the fresh garland on top...and tucked in some additional greenery and pinecones. the faux garland really helped to give the fresh garland some body, and helped me to adhere the garland to the mantle....i put a tiny nail in each corner of the top of the mantle, and then took a small section of the faux garland and wrapped it around the nail.

the hobnail containers are actually trash cans that i found at a local clearance store for $9 each. they are each holding a miniature evergreen tree....sorry i accidentally didn't capture those in the picture! i just realized that they were "missing" as i was writing this, and i am too lazy to take another picture.

this narrow table sits in my entry. i found the paper mache deer at a thrift store for $1.50.

he had a cheap plaid bow around his neck that i replaced with a moss green silk tie.

the tree is adorned with a mismatch of family ornaments. each year my kids get to pick out a new ornament to add to their collection. there are also about 50 frame ornaments, each holding a family picture. we love to look at the pictures and reminisce as we trim the tree.

the tree topper that i gave a makeover last year. to see that post, click here.

the nativity was purchased at walmart, about 10 years ago. one of the wisemen has a "loose" head, that always seems to fall off no matter what we use to glue it with, and the corner of the creche was damaged in one of our moves, but i love that this nativity is the same one that my kids have seen every christmas since they were little...

thanks for joining me!

now that i finally have my house decorated, it's time to get moving on all that shopping!

i am linking to hooking up with house of hepworths

wrap it up

2011-12-13T08:37:00.002-07:00

one of the things i love most about the holidays is seeing beautifully wrapped presents. it doesn't matter if its in a magazine, on tv, or one that i receive or give away... my heart always skips a beat when i see a thoughtfully and artfully wrapped gift.

here are some of my favorites, which all happen to be insanely cheap to do....

these lettered tags would be so easy to make with a cricut or other craft cutter.

tis gift looks so pretty wrapped in fabric and tied with lace. this is a great way to use up and fabric scraps you may have lying around.

i really like the simplicity of the striped ribbon and grasscloth together....and this is another great way to use up wallpaper samples or pieces left over from a project.

aren't these darling? little pinwheels on colored boxes...would be perfect in christmas colors!

ah....martha would be proud! i love how the colors on the paint chip garland look

against the the kraft paper. this is another really affordable technique.

this wrapping is perfect for a gift that will be mailed. no fancy bows to crush!

the tutorial for these wax paper flowers is online. i love how it looks paired with the leaves.

and, a no-fail/always great look is to adorn your gift with some fresh greenery. not only does this add a touch of color and fragrance to any gift, it's also free!

this is how i wrapped the gifts for my nieces and nephews last year...it was perfect, since they all needed to be shipped.

if you are looking for more ideas, several of my wrapping ideas have been featured in

an HGTV gift wrapping slideshow you can see here.

one of my sponsors, apothica, is doing a 12 days of christmas giveaway on their Facebook page...to check it out, click here.

holiday gift guide

2011-12-12T09:35:00.001-07:00

happy monday everyone!

i am still in shock that christmas is only 13 days away. aren't you??

today i am over at angie helm interiors with a holiday gift guide...

so, head over there and check out my picks!

all the links are over at angies!

holli zollinger custom fabrics

2011-12-09T08:25:00.002-07:00

i was pretty excited to get a package in the mail earlier this week with two custom fabrics by holli zollinger.

holli is an artist and fabric designer who has created hundreds of fabrics, available at spoonflower. i have been a fan of holli's for a while, and when i found out that she offered custom coloring on any of her 370+ fabrics for a $10 fee, i was thrilled.

i had been looking for the prefect fabric to make a pillow for grady's bed for a while...i wanted another hit of orange on his bed, and i wanted the fabric to be geometric but i just couldn't find something that i thought would work. as soon as i realized that i could have holli change the colors on her diamond circles fabric, i knew i had found the prefect solution. i contacted her to have the color changed from blue to orange. the orange is now available in holli's store. you are WELCOME! :)

i also decided to have her customize her pattern called crisscross to be made in a color called "burlap", as it was only available in grey. i plan on using it on the back of the vintage chairs. (yep! i have decided to keep them and redo them!) this customized color is also now available in her store.

she can even change the scale on any of her fabrics, which is another amazing way to customize a fabric. be sure and order a sample of your fabric before you pull the trigger and buy yardage. the backgrounds on many spoonflower fabrics appear to cream, but they are actually white....

the colors on my iPhone picture are a little brighter than the fabrics appear in real life, but the fabrics are a bit "off" from the spoon flower images. i will most likely tea stain my fabrics to tone down the crisp white background.

here is a peek at some of her other fabrics...she has over 370 designs, and they are all really unique and
pretty fabulous! be sure and check out her entire collection here.

i am honored to have holli as my newest sponsor! you can find her button on the sidebar of my blog, which will directly to her spoonflower store. be sure and check out her blog and website as well.

happy shopping!

affordable find: mirrored bench

2011-12-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

oly studio morgan bench

$1375

(buy hey...free shipping!)

denison mirrored bench

$549

(i used this bench for this bedroom design plan)

hayworth upholstered bench

$249

design plan: shared nursery

2011-12-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

i thought i would share the design plan for a shared nursery that i completed. my client recently had a baby boy, and already has a toddler son. she wanted to update his room to accommodate the new baby, and add some color and personality. the walls will be painted a soft blue, and a graphic rug in a dark chocolate brown will ground the space. accents in kelly green, orange, red and blue will add additional color, while fun accents like a map covered lampshade and a driftwood mirror will add texture and whimsy.

interested in working together to create a more beautiful and functional space?

email me at autumnclemons@yahoo.com

i will be taking new clients for full room designs after january 9th, but i can fit in a phone consultation anytime.

ikea bookcase window seat

2011-12-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

this is the easiest project ever, and can make a huge impact in any room. grady's room was the perfect candidate for this "bookcase into window seat" because there was already a jog in the wall directly in front of his window, which happened to be almost the exact size of the ikea expedit bookcase...but you can add this "window seat" to any window...or even to a wall without windows!

here is what you will need for this project:

an expedit bookcase from ikea. i used black/brown.

4 small bun feet, available at lowes (or any large home improvement store).

these come unfinished, and i spray painted mine black.

straight top plate, also available at lowes right next to the the feet.

assemble the expedit bookcase according to the directions.

mount the top plates on the corners of the bookcase. be careful not to drill into the hollow portion of the bookcase.

move it into place!
as you can see, i painted the room. no more purple!
i ended up choosing benjamin moore's "blue springs" 1592.
it is a really great blue. it is soft and has enough cool tones in it to relate to the rug.

you don't have to add feet, but there is a supply vent located on the floor in the middle of the jog in the wall, and i needed to raise it up a bit. i also think this dresses it up.

here is a peek at the textiles that will be going in the room.

(and also a peek of the freaky halloween mask that my son refuses to let me pack away.)

to see the design plan for this room, click here.
i am going to have a cushion made for the window seat out of the orange, tan and black striped ikea rug!
* i have dropped the rug off at the upholsterers, and can't wait to get the cushions back!

the black and white plaid curtains will be hung in the next day or two. you can also spot the ikea malou bedding and the ikea vadmal blanket. i think my favorite thing so far are the lands end sheets. they are even better in person than they looked online.

oh, and just in case y'all were wondering...we did NOT blow away sunday night. the windstorm was nowhere near as strong as the one that hit thursday night. all is well.
:)

baby, it's windy outside

2011-12-04T21:07:00.002-07:00

well. the last few days have been very interesting around here....
i live just north of salt lake city, and this area occasionally gets wind storms...well, we got hit with a MASSIVE one last thursday. we were without power all day long, and our internet and cable were out until yesterday.

there was a lot of damage from the winds in this area, including semi trucks getting blown over on the freeway, trees falling on houses and cars, lots and lots of fences blown way, and shingles and siding ripped off houses. school was closed on thursday and friday. lots of people have severe damage to their homes, so we feel really grateful that we are safe and (at the moment) have power. more winds are scheduled for this evening, and we lost power again a few hours ago, so i am hoping that tomorrow will bring blue skies and the damage from the new storm will be minimal.

hopefully i will be posting tomorrow. i finally got grady's room painted and put together the bookcases that i made into a window seat. i am excited to show you.

see you tomorrow?

until then, here are a few more pictures of damage that my husband captured on his cel phone:

-autumn

merry christmas to me

2011-12-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

one of the items i have been perpetually on the hunt for over the last two years are some nightstands for my master bedroom. i have had the SAME nightstand since college!

i bought it at downeast outfitters.

in 1992.

for $11.

needless to say, i have gotten my moneys' worth out of the thing. it is a half circle black table with two tiers, and it has been really great for the last NINETEEN years, but as each year passes, i realize that i NEED something with drawers...something a little bigger....and something a little more grown-up.

i have been wanted a set of matching nightstands for while, but have never found anything i really liked in my budget. i found a pair of vintage nightstands on ebay about a year ago, and almost pulled the trigger. they were relatively affordable at just under $450 for the pair. when i finally decided i wanted them, someone else had beat me to them! argh! don't you hate it when that happens?

well, i was doing some scouting for an online design project yesterday, when the heavens opened and i heard angels singing! yeah...ok, not really, but it felt like it. there, in the clearance section at jc penny.com was the perfect nightstand! (yah know, the perfect nightstand in my budget!)

check it out:

it is called the walnut lane nightstand, and it is on sale right now for $115.

i love that the drawers are flush with the face of the nightstand, and that there is just one hole for the hardware. the size is also perfect....almost 28" wide, and just under 18" deep.

they appear simple and classic and sturdy, but if i wanted to change them a little, i could paint them...

add some grass cloth or raffia to the drawers....

add some trim...

paint the drawers only...

gold leaf the drawers...

add a fun zig zag pattern to the front....

or add some wallpaper...

oh, and the best news? i opted to ship them to a store near my house, so the shipping for both of them was $30, AND they are having a promotion right now to save 15% off of any online order, so the total for BOTH nightstands was $240!

suh----weet!
love that "$961.16" savings....
i get myself the BEST gifts.
:)

design plan: the good mood board living room edition

2011-11-30T07:14:00.001-07:00

i am really excited about participating again in the good mood board blog event with remodelaholic.if you have missed the previous 6 boards, click here to get started by viewing the first board. there will be a link at the end of each post to take you to the next board. it's kinda like a train....a train of inspiration and ideas! (and, hopefully you will get to visit a few blogs that are "new to you".)

the last room we focused on was a master bedroom. you can see the plan i designed for that room here. this time, we are focusing on living rooms, and i have chosen to create a plan for my "maybe someday" house. this is pretty close to what i would create for my own living room...one thing i love to do is mix high and low, and in this design plan, i have mixed items from affordable sources like ikea and home decorators with higher end items from jonathan adler and schumacher.

i picture this room with 9 foot ceilings, and the walls painted a soft warm grey color like revere pewter by benjamin moore.

as ALWAYS, i would love to see hardwood floors, and a fabulous trim treatment on the wall like we did in the library of house #5. this would be a room where we sit and talk, entertain guests, get on the laptop, or read. ideally there would be some amazing built-in bookcases somewhere in the room to house a bunch of books.

a clean-lined subtly striped sofa would be the anchor to the seating area, with a grey velvet wingback chairs on one side, and i simple armless chair on the other side. above the sofa, i would love to take an over scaled photo and cut it in half, and mount each piece in a simple gold frame. the chandelier from jonathan adler would provide a sense of whimsy and add some subtle touches of gold...plus, can you imagine the amazing shadows that this chandelier would cast?! i imagine they would be pretty spectacular.
anyway, here is the design plan i pulled together...i tried (i REALLY did) to use olio board, but i am a creator of habit. especially when that habit has NO learning curb! here is the plan:

sources:

griffin sofa from ballard designs

tibetan hand knot starburst rug

hazelton ottoman from home decorators

luxe wingback chair by crate and barrel

bungalow 5 jacqui chest

west elm morten table lamp

crystal poster from etsy seller debbie carlos

zanzibar schumacher pillow by etsy seller woodyliana

round bone mirror from wisteria

benzy land cushion from ikea

jazz pillow cover from west elm

allegra hicks flower pillow from west elm

dexter stone chair with contrasting welt from overstock

jonathan adler sputnik chandelier

alana two tier side table from grandin road

the next blogger in the event lineup is stephanie lynn at under the table and dreaming.

be sure to check out her mood board by clicking here!

and in case you missed the schedule, here it is:

Monday November 28th:
1. Remodelaholic
2. Home Stories A to Z
3. The Handmade Home

Tuesday November 29th:
4. House of Hepworths
5. Simplified Bee
6. Our Humble ABowed

Wednesday November 30th:
7. Design Dump
8. Under the Table and Dreaming
9. DIY Showoff

Thursday December 1:
10. Just A Girl
11. All Things Thrifty
12. Link Party at Remodelaholic the mood board review links.

etsy roundup at 6th street

2011-11-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

if you didn't see my etsy picks yesterday at 6th street design school, be sure and check them out here.

and a big thank you to kirsten for giving me a great excuse to window shop on esty!

the holidays + good mood board event

2011-11-28T07:52:00.003-07:00

i hope everybody had a fantastic loooong weekend. i know i did. i cooked a LOT, we had thanksgiving dinner, watched a few movies as a family, raked uh-LOT of leaves, visited with friends, and relaxed. and no, i never got around to making the table look amazing...it just looked ok. a simple tablecloth, my white dishes, some cute striped napkins, a few mercury glass votives with candles in them, and that was it. maybe next year. *cough, cough.
a BIG thank you to everyone who checked out my curators sale at joss and main! i was really excited to see how many items sold out, and was pleased with the overall selection. i tried to include items that were budget friendly, and had an interesting and eclectic look. this was (obviously) a first for me, and it was a lot of fun and a really great experience. one of the things i realized is that joss and main has a blog! i honestly didn't know that before i was asked to curate the sale. i wrote a post for the blog that you can check out here.

anyway, back to this weekend...i spent a lot of time in my pajamas, and really tried to focus on my family. it was wonderful! thanksgiving really is my favorite holiday...i love that it is centered on eating a wonderful meal with our families. good food, good company, and hopefully some laughs and a nap. how can you top a day like that?? i also love that thanksgiving is the official gateway to christmas.

although i tried to unplug myself from the computer, i did spend a little time on pinterest. it's hard to stay away from that site! it's so addicting. in any case, looking through all of the pictures got me in a holiday mood. there is something so calming about looking at amazing houses all decked out for the holidays.

here are a few of my favorites from the archives of my blog:

all images scanned by me from various sources over the last few years.

it's time to get out the christmas decorating tubs! (if i can find them....grrr.)
***

also, this week, i am participating in a mood board link event with some other AMAZING bloggers!

the first three posts will be up today, and you can start by checking out the first one,

from cassity at remodelaholic by clicking here.

here is the schedule for the week:

Monday November 28th:

1. Remodelaholic

2. Home Stories A to Z

3. The Handmade Home

Tuesday November 29th:

4. House of Hepworths

5. Simplified Bee

6. Our Humble ABowed

Wednesday November 30th:

7. Design Dump

8. Under the Table and Dreaming

9. DIY Showoff

Thursday December 1:

10. Just A Girl

11. All Things Thrifty

12. Link Party for your boards here at Remodelaholic

joss and main shopping event

2011-11-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

shopping for my joss and main collection is now open!
there are some great accessories, lighting and furniture, as well as some pretty holiday decor.

check it out here.

happy shopping!

paint choices for grady's room

2011-11-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

i have narrowed down the paint choices for grady's room. here are the finalists:

boothbay gray

blue springs

feather gray

and a picture of them in the room....with and without the flash:

i am leaning towards blue springs. the booth bay gray has a little too much green in it to tie in with

the rug, and although i really like the feather gray, i worry that it might look a little too feminine.

what are your thoughts? do you have a favorite? have you seen or used these colors before?

pajamas, pancakes + pedicures party

2011-11-20T16:15:00.002-07:00

a look at my daughter charlotte's birthday party, which was held a little while ago at my house:

the theme was "pajamas, pancakes and pedicures".
the girls showed up in their pajamas, and we had breakfast and then all the girls got pedicures. it was perfect for 10 year old girls!

the inspiration for the party color scheme was the floral fabric, which i found in the clearance section at joann's for $2 a yard! i loved the different shades of pink and raspberry and purple. i thought it seemed girly and sophisticated. i decided to use muted shades of pinks and purples, and tossed in a little gold and black and cream.

i tied bunches of coordinating balloons to the chandelier with coordinating ribbon.

the "10" was made from pictures of charlotte throughout the years...it was so fun to look at, we kept it up for almost a week after the party.

the flowers really make the table special. i was lucky to find them at my local grocery store!

the colored candy was purchased at a party supply store.

i brought a fabric sample to the bakery, and they matched the colors. the cake only cost $16.

charlotte wanted sparklers instead of candles.

as a party favor, each girl got a pedicure set (from the dollar store) and a gift bag.

i hired a gal to come and give pedicures to the girls. they LOVED it! i bought some large cheap bowls from the dollar store, and filled them with warm, soapy water. each girl soaked her feet while she waited for her pedicure.

my husband was a little reluctant to let us use sparklers on the birthday cake, so we stood next to an open door while we sang happy birthday...it was totally fun and cute, and the sparklers didn't leave any ashes or residue on the cake at all (which i feared)! it turned out great. we let the kids light the leftover sparklers outside.

the finished toes....

and, the birthday girl, charlotte.

the invitations...

i just printed out the invite on a plain ivory card and added the colored strips of paper at the bottom, which i sort of "weaved" to give a 3d effect. i lined the envelopes with gold wrapping paper.

the party favors:

i bought 1/2 yard of fabric and sewed the bags myself. the purple flower is actually a hair band, and was purchased at the dollar store.

inside the gift bag was a little tin filled with candy, some bubbles, and two mini bottles of nail polish.

happy birthday charlotte!

thanksgiving table inspiration

2011-11-18T09:12:00.001-07:00

how is is possible that thanksgiving is next week?!

where (for REAL) did the time go? thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. not only is the food amazing (count me IN on ANY meal in which mashed potatoes is a must!), but i love that it is a time

to kick back, relax, be with family, and focus on our blessings. since we moved from the south, our little family has had thanksgiving by ourselves. it's a lot of work to cook an entire thanksgiving meal all by myself, but it's a chore i have come to love.

however, after spending 2 days straight in the kitchen, i have found that i have no energy to make the table look pretty. i love looking at pictures of pretty tables, and fantasizing that maybe THIS year is the year i will not only cook thanksgiving dinner all by myself, but i ALSO manage to decorate a fiercely beautiful table....

here are some of my inspirations:

i really like the simple look and textures on this table. did you notice the subtle stripes on top of the burlap runner? SO pretty.

found here

the herringbone napkins, bark chargers, faux bois textured plate, and gold silverware on this table setting are seriously making me weak in the knees. LOVE.

via martha stewart

a few of these homemade votives would look great...

i have a ton of branches in my yard, and vases like these are super easy to find.

this table scape is sophisticated and simple. i like the mix of metallics.
(via project wedding)

the combination of blush pink and white roses with the soft orange mums is SO pretty. and those

little white pumpkins are perfect!

( via heavenly blooms blog)

i have always loved the way these white tulips look against the aspen bark. so simple and monochromatic, with so much texture.

(scanned by me from country living a few years back)

i really like the orange roses and very traditional feel here.

via country living.

aren't the colors in this arrangement GORGEOUS? *sigh.

the orange and peach roses (my faves) look amazing with the bright green and deep purples.
(via style me pretty.)

using a bright color like this turquoise would look wonderful with browns and other neutral colors.

that pear would be a fun and easy diy project.

vía real simple.

another diy pear place card holder...this table is so pretty and just screams "thanksgiving!".

via cottage living.

the soft green pumpkins are so pretty paired with the yellow gourds, orange pumpkins and other natural elements.
(via williams sonoma blog)

and i LOVE the mix of succulents and greenery with the pinecones.

(via therese jacinto)

SO many pretty choices, so little time and motivation.

hmmm. if i start RIGHT now, i just might be able to pull something off.

maybe...

joss and main curators collection by....ME

2011-11-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

joss and main recently invited me to curate a sales event, which will begin next tuesday, november 22.

the theme will be "home for the holidays" and will include a "little bit of everything" you need to update or completely transform your home in time for the upcoming holidays.

save the date!

and just in case you forget, i PROMISE i will remind you!

if you aren't a member of joss and main, click here to get started.

affordable gourd lamp

2011-11-16T10:54:00.001-07:00

i love a good lamp. the right lamp can really transform a room.

here is an affordable little beauty i just had to share:

jc penney double gourd lamp

$39.99
(hello! what a great price!)

also available in....

happy shopping!

high art

2011-11-15T07:45:00.001-07:00

yesterday, while looking for something on the ikea website, i came across this image...
that literally made me stop and stare.
i love the art, placed super high on the walls:

what do you think about this look?
would you hang art this high?
do you have any pieces this high in your own home?
do tell...

design plan: grady's room

2011-11-14T07:59:00.001-07:00

let the design a.d.d continue...

another room that i am working on in my house is my son's room. it is currently LAVENDER, and already a few of his friends have asked him why his room is purple. poor little guy!

here is the plan i have pulled together for grady's room:

i want to create a room that is masculine but isn't too bright. i love the idea of layering lots of patterns like plaids, herringbones, houndstooths, and a geometric or two. most of the fabrics will be neutral, with accents in oranges and blues. i CANNOT help myself, and have to add a few vintage inspired touches like the lamp, pillowcases and vintage travel posters. i may also add in the vintage licence plates that he had in his last room.

items from his "old" room that i am keeping:

bed

dresser

bed skirt

black + white plaid curtains

light up globe

items coming from other areas of the house:

overstock rug

usa corkboard map

ikea malm 2 drawer dresser (i think)

bedding:
ikea malou duvet cover
lands end tile gate print sheets in khaki
brooklyn bridge pillowcases
ikea ps vadmal wool blanket

other items:
metal lamp-the foundary
cardboard safari rhino head
vintage travel calendar, purchased here
thoma filicia's lawrence in taupe
orange holli zollinger fabric (i am working on getting this custom colored. it is currently only available in blue.)

in the alcove, i am planning on using an expedit shelving unit as a window seat, an idea i spotted on pinterest via here.

this will provide storage for grady's books and some toys.

i will have to raise it off the ground a bit because there is a vent in the middle of the window alcove.

initially, i wanted to paint the walls a dark blue, but now i am considering a lighter blue to keep the room from feeling too dark. it has one large window but because of the trees outside, the room doesn't get a lot of light. i had to restrain my self from planning stripes for the wall! i just don't want to repaint the room whenever we move out. yeah...i know that's totally lazy. but really, anything is better than the color it is now...the lavender is NOT a hit with my little man. i am getting paint samples up this week.

and, just for fun, a NEVER before seen glimpse of his "old" room as
i originally designed his bedding, the drapes, and, well, EVERYTHING....5 years ago for house #4.

(sorry, i took the pictures, and obviously had no clue how to hold the camera...or how to turn the flash off....or how to get the camera strap out of the lens...phew. i am still a major rookie with the camera, but these pictures are just plain embarrassing. sorry!)

all of the trim and bead board was painted black. schumacher burlap wallpaper is above the bead board, and a black and white ticking wallpaper is on the ceiling. the ikea cowhide rug was originally purchased for this room....

the grey roman shade has a blackout lining and is trimmed in red. this was grady's first "big boy" room. we took him out of his crib when we was almost 3...seeing these pictures conjures memories of him jumping on his bed with his sisters, wearing only a diaper.

man, they grow up fast...

my recent purchases

2011-11-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

i did it.

i decided to splurge and buy some pillows made from schumacher's zanzibar in sandalwood for my family room. it does a fabulous job of bringing in a bit more color, and works really well with what i currently have. the fabric is over scaled and a bit *zany (not a word i use often, but fitting in this case), and that is what i love about it.

i also bought this pillow to bring in a bit more gray.
it is made from david hicks punch linen in pewter.

my son grady has been needing a lamp for his room. i knew i wanted a metal lamp, and was considering this one, but then i spotted this at the foundary, and into my cart it went.

i am looking forward to getting a few fun packages in the mail!

affordable find: squared nickel chandelier

2011-11-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

sandy chapman square tube hanging shade

$735

charles nickel chandelier

$399

dark chocolate

2011-11-09T08:10:00.001-07:00

something i have been noticing lately and liking:

dark chocolate brown walls:

kirsten blogged about this house last week...when i opened up my country living magazine and saw this house, i immediately fell in love with the bright and happy rooms. i really like how the walls and floors are dark and neutral, but selected fabrics, doors, and furniture are bright. it's a perfect balance.

SO pretty! i actually have that same table, and i love it.

the orange table really becomes the star of this room...

i can't tell what i like more...the clock, the chair, or the dog.
all images are from the november issue of country living.

then, i opened up the november issue of atlanta homes magazine, and saw this amazing room by phoebe howard. the walls are lacquered and have this amazing reflective quality.

this room has lots of neutrals and textures in it, which is a look i love. check out the rug!

it is cowhide that has been sewn together in little squares to create a pattern...that just might be the

most awesome rug i have ever seen. (sorry vegetarians.)

everything in this room is so elegant. it definitely has a traditional feel to it, but also has an "edge" to it.

here are a few other rooms with dark chocolate walls:

todd romano

via the well appointed house.

davis hicks

all this talk about chocolate is making me hungry....

faking bigger windows

2011-11-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

one of the things that bothered me when i first walked into the great room of my new rental house

was how small the windows were on either side of the fireplace. not only that, but the switch for

the fireplace was located right next to the window on the left....talk about an eye sore!

i knew that i would easily be able to fix the problem (at least visually) by hanging the curtain rod a little

bit higher and off center from the window:

so when the curtain panels were hung, the window appears much wider...and i don't have to look

at the switch on the wall!

i still have to iron, hem and add some trim to the curtains, but overall, i am pretty happy with the way

they look. it really is amazing what warmth window treatments can being to a room...it wasn't until these panels were hung that this great room finally started to feel a little more like home to me!

mixing hardware in the kitchen

2011-11-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

one of the questions i get asked a lot is about mixing things.

is it ok to have a bronze light fixture in one room, and chrome in another?

can i have a tan rug in this space and a blue one over here?
will a striped chair look right with a geometric pillow in it?

can i mix pulls and knobs?

i believe that a home gets character, personality and warmth from layers of textures, colors and shapes. if you love something, buy it. your home should be a collection of useful and beautiful items that serve a function and reflect who you are. who cares if they don't match?

a new home was recently constructed in the neighborhood where i used to live, and the homeowner invited me over for a tour. the home is really beautiful and well-constructed, but the one room that really caught my attentions was the kitchen!
first of all, it has one of my DREAM elements in it...something that i have been trying to talk my husband into since house #2--a COFFERED CEILING on an ANGLE! *gush*
i am in love!

thinking about the math involved in pulling this off is making my brain hurt...

the homeowners own a commercial kitchen supply company, so the appliances in this kitchen would make any chef envious.

another element that really caught my eye was the fearless mix of hardware.

there are round knobs mixed with cup pulls and oblong pulls.

check out the mix here:
huge almost appliance-size pulls mixed with cup pulls and above that, the oblong pulls again.

mixing pulls is something that can easily be done to dress up your kitchen. if the prospect of this scares you, consider starting small...if you have all knobs, drill another hole in your cabinets and change them out for pulls.

what do you think about mixing hardware?

is it something you have done?

would you do anything different if you HAVE done it?

or, do you prefer all hardware to match?

fantasizing about...

2011-11-04T10:00:00.002-06:00

this:

and a little of this:

and also a dash of this:

yes, we just signed a one year lease, but that means that hopefully next year at this time we will be

in our OWN house. i have always been intrigued by "pretty houses". i remember being about 7, and my dad took me to a coworkers house to drop something off. they lived in a historic neighborhood, nestled in a small area near downtown columbus. i was in awe of the enormous trees, the brick walkways and the quaint and charming brick houses. it wasn't just the way each house looked, it was about the entire neighborhood. it had a certain FEELING about it. it felt warm. homey. and perfect.

i was just in a neighborhood like that here in salt lake. as soon as i pulled my car into one of the tree-lined streets, with the lamp post lights and the cozy houses, i let out an audible *sigh. one day i would love to buy and remodel a small house in a neighborhood like that. one day. right now, it's just a fantasy. and i am ok with that. for now.

happy weekend!

the not so great room

2011-11-03T07:33:00.001-06:00

i have major design a.d.d on my house right now.

there are SO many projects to do, and things to organize/paint/refinish/hang it seems overwhelming.

at first, i was going to put my time and budget towards the library and my office, but i have realized after living in the house for the last 2 months, that i really want to great room to feel more polished and pulled together before i tackle those rooms.

* i would LOVE the paint the walls, but this room is open to a large majority of the main floor, and if i changed the color, i would have to do a LOT of painting. not gonna happen.

* the rug, sofa, and chairs all need to stay. they are all old and i am frankly a little sick of them, but i can't afford to replace them right now.

* i am not a big fan of the vaulted ceilings, and the floor plan of the room, but the wood floors are great.

* there is a ceiling fan with fluorescent bulbs in it that is centered in the "space" but not centered in the "living area". i really want to take it down and replace it with something prettier., and when i do, i will most likely swag it over and center it in the seating area. i am also not a huge fan of the dining room light, and will swap that out for a light that i purchased for our last rental house and never got to hang.

here is my plan for the next few weeks:

i have already purchased some drapes from ikea. there are 4 windows to cover, and i knew getting something custom would totally blow my budget. i plan on dressing them up a bit by adding some trim to the edges. i plan on using grays, oranges, as well as camels and blacks.
i have my eye on some pretty fabrics, many of which are costly, so i am still trying to decide if i should go for it or not. i would love to replace the rug, the sofa and the tan chair (or get it recovered) but that is not going to happen anytime soon.
i am getting the cushions for the chair on the right recovered. they should be done by the end of the week. we have a larger tv that will be moved above the mantle...it's football season right now, and as soon as my husband gets his projector hooked up in the basement, it will make it's way here.
i have had a large mirror in storage for the last few years, and i plan on painting it and placing it in between the chairs.
wish me luck! i am excited to pull this room together...i am also working on grady's room, and have a plan pulled together for it, which i will share soon!

highs + lows of halloween week

2011-11-01T09:20:00.003-06:00

i know i am not alone in being thrilled that halloween is over. halloween always seems like such a minor holiday...but when you have kids, it becomes the second busiest holiday of the year! fall festivals, halloween parties and parades, costume preparation, and decorating the house all factor into the insanity. throw in a birthday party or two, a science project, a sick child, work, and every day chores, and i was ready to hibernate until spring!

here is a look at the last 7 days of my life...well, actually, just a few highs + lows.

high:

i dropped off the cushions for this chair to get recovered. i have had this chair for about 9 years, and

it has been sad and grundgy looking for the last 5! i chose an off white and black stripe fabric and the welting will be in a black velvet. i am super excited to see them all finished!

low:

found the first gray hair on my husbands head... evidence that we are getting older. i haven't spotted any on my head...yet, but i know it's coming around the bend...and FAST! he is insisting this hair is blonde. i love ya sweetie, but i am PRETTY sure that this is NOT a blonde hair.

high:

got to go fabric shopping with a dear friend, and ran into caitlin creer. it was fun chatting with her about design, motherhood and fabrics!

low:

it might be mean to say this was a low, but it was....my oldest daughter did a science project where she had to poll 230 people on their birthdays. not only did we spend a lot of time at the mall, the theater, and the grocery store, (and a few other places) but we also stayed up until 1:45am the night before it was due, trying to compile the data into a power point presentation. why is middle school so hard??

high:

getting to dress up my two youngest kids, and attend a halloween parade at their elementary school.

low:

ran to the grocery store, only to look down, and realize i was wearing slippers!

this moment was a new all-time low for me. at least i didn't wear my flesh colored leggings,

light-up halloween sweatshirt and my top hat. that would have landed me here for sure!

also, i spotted this...at first i thought it was ridiculous, and then i found myself fantasizing about snuggling on the couch and being all warm and cozy and "forever lazy". just the fact that i

considered buying one of these things EVEN for a SECOND makes this a definite LOW.

low:

going to the bakery, armed with fabric swatch and a sketch for my daughters birthday cake, only to be told is was going to be "at least $150". what?? i settled on a smaller version, and it ended up costing a LOT less. so, i guess this is a HIGH and a LOW.

high:

found the perfect colors of flowers for the birthday party at the grocery store! i was fully prepared to pay through the nose at the florist to get the colors i needed, but i spotted these, and saved a ton of money! not only were the bunches $3.99 each, but there was a coupon for buy one, get one 1/2 off. SO, i got 8 bunches of flowers for $24! i will share pictures of the party this week sometime.

high:

sending my kiddos (the ghoul, the mummy bride, and medusa) off the trick or treat with their dad. they are getting so BIG!

client house update

2011-10-31T07:44:00.001-06:00

here are just a few pictures of the house i have been working on for the last several months with some amazing clients. we still have several items to put in place, but they have moved in, and things are looking great! as soon as i can get some nicer photos taken, i will share all the paint colors and sources for other items.
until then, take a peek:

i have showed you glimpses of the mudroom before, but not with the light fixtures in and
the floors uncovered. we still need to hang the wallpaper in the adjoining mudroom, and have
a window seat cover made for the window seat....

the amazing staircase! (and can you see a peek of the overstock rug in the distance?)
i haven't showed you this area before, because until recently, it looked like a construction site.
it's really a generous and impressive space in person.

a look at the great room...
we kept the owners leather sofa and ottoman, but mixed in some new chairs and a love seat....we still have a few pieces that haven't arrived yet, and the drapes still need to be hung.

i really like how the master vanity turned out. the soft green glass tile on the backsplash adds a hint of color, and those mirrors?...are from ikea!!
here's to mixing high and low!

trick or treat at my house + 3 halloween printables

2011-10-27T07:01:00.000-06:00

i like halloween. a lot.
i think that's because i like candy. a lot.

one of the things that i have always loved to do is to give away treat bags to trick-or-treaters. sure, it takes more time and a bit more cash than just handing out a single piece of candy, but it is something that i really enjoy doing! two years ago i made these, but this year, i decided to hand out something a little easier to throw together...full size candy bars with my customized printable wrappers.

these wrappers are made for the full size candy bars.

the "from" area on the back is helpful if you plan to give out the candy bars at a party or a school or church function.

i bought my candy from costco in a variety pack, which contains hersheys bars, hershey almond bars, reeses peanut butter cups and kit kat. i got 30 bars for just about $17. i bought two packs.

each printable can be printed out, cut and then you can use tape or a glue stick to attach the back together.

click below to download:

hersheys bar candy wrapper

kit kat candy wrapper

reeses candy wrapper

happy halloween!

guesting...

2011-10-26T08:36:00.002-06:00

hi friends!

today i am over at heather peterson's blog "love your space" with some advice on "design by the numbers".

check it out here.

front entry before + after

2011-10-25T07:42:00.003-06:00

early in the spring, some clients contacted me, needing some advice on the exterior of their home. they were planning on repainting, and needed some help selecting colors, but also wanted to add some curb appeal to their entry. they had just put a new roof on, and didn't want to change the pitch of the roof, so we worked to come up with a solution.

we took some pictures of homes that appealed to my clients, and then i sketched up a detail and worked with the trim carpenter to make our vision a reality.

before:

sorry about the before picture. i thought i had taken one on my phone, but i must have deleted it! thank goodness for google street view...not the best picture, but you can get the idea of what it looked like before.

after:

new stone based columns, timber framing, and a king truss break up the empty entry and add structure. before, the roof projection over the porch seemed to be floating, but it is now grounded by the visual mass of the columns and the timber framing. the stone on the base of the columns and surrounding the window add some additional texture and color.

the slight arch helps to soften the rather severe angle of the roof. the dark trim of the entry door was swapped out for a lighter paint, and new doors and light fixtures were added.
my clients needed paint colors that would blend with the existing soffit and windows, since they were staying, so i chose paint colors that were slightly darker than the soffit and trim for the brick and new shakes.

these columns are properly scaled to the surrounding structure, and the stone bases help to keep them from looking too tall. columns that are too small or too slender can look "spindly" and out of scale.

the house now looks updated and has a more appealing, traditional feel to it. isn't it amazing what some

properly scaled columns, some paint and a little bit of stone can do?

affordable find: metal and leather bench

2011-10-21T08:05:00.000-06:00

hines cocktail ottoman

retail aprx. $1200

healy bonded leather and metal bench

$166.99

remember this $40 thrift store find of mine?

it is currently sitting at the foot of my bed.
getting it reupholstered is on my very, very long list of things to get done!
i think i need a clone...

ikea favorites

2011-10-19T11:11:00.000-06:00

i spent a good portion of my day yesterday strolling around ikea. usually when i go to ikea, i am in and out in less than 30 minutes. impressive, i know. i usually only have a few things i need to get, and i walk in with a list and my game face on as i zip through the aisles.

yesterday, i took my time. went and walked around the showroom for the first time in two years. ikea does a brilliant job of staging their showroom.i found myself wanting to linger and touch everything!

here are a few of my favorite things from ikea:

ektorp upholstery.
the classic, traditional shape of this line is clean and simple, and the slipcovers are available in a lot of colors. you can get a couch, a chair, a love seat and a sectional in this line.

merete panels.

at $29.99 for a pack of two, these grommet topped panels are a budget shoppers dream. the texture is great, and the fabric hangs nicely. these are available in bleached, beige, brown and purple.

eivor throw.
i fell head over heels in love when i spotted this! it is already gracing the sofa in a local clients home.
sometimes throws may look great online, but then they feel cheap and scratchy in person...this throw is soft, has a nice weight to it and doesn't feel cheap...and it's only $19.99.

sanela cushion cover.
the oblong shape and velveteen fabric make this a very versatile, affordable ($7) addition to any pillow arsenal. to dress them up, consider adding greek key trim. it is available in 5 colors.

besta burs desk.

i love the long, lean shape of this desk. it's great for those tight spaces, and fits a laptop or an imac perfectly. available in high gloss red, black, grey and white.

barometer lamp.

i use this classy little task light pretty often in my design plans. it looks much more expensive than it's $49.99 price tag, and the shape is reminiscent of a vintage architects lamp.

foto pendant.

$19.99.

simple. affordable. packs a visual punch. what's not to love?

koldby cow hide rug.

you won't find a more affordable cow hide rug anywhere. trust me, i've looked.

(if you do find one, let me know! please??)

ribba frames.
for real...who doesn't love these things? the price and selection alone are what often bring me to ikea. i know i can count on sturdy, good looking frames in a variety of great shapes and sizes. i picked up 3 yesterday!

plastis dishwashing brush.
i know...weird pick.

but i really love these! they are soft, work well, and wash up nicely in the dishwasher. and at only .99, i don't feel bad when it's time to "retire" one.

the true (potential) cost of my vintage chairs

2011-10-18T08:27:00.000-06:00

i am having some second thoughts on reupholstering my vintage chairs.

even though the chairs themselves were only $30 a piece, one of the chairs has some damage in the caning on the arm:

in order to get this fixed, i got an estimate of $150. (i was pretty surprised at this! i thought it would be half this cost..)

the upholstery estimate per chair is $225, and they each need about 2.5 yards of fabric. i already have enough of a simple nubby neutral fabric that i really love. i paid $15 per yard. however, because i plan to paint the chairs, i would need to deliver the chairs to the upholstery shop, let them strip the chairs, pick them up, take them to the restorations specialist to get the caning fixed, bring them home to paint them, and them bring them back to be reupholstered...and then, pick them up once they are finished. that's a lot of gas and time...

my bargain chairs are slowly becoming a potential money pit:

chairs: 2 at $30e ach=$60

caning restoration: $150

upholstery: 2 at $225 each=$450

fabric: 5 at $15=$75

paint: $30

gas, taxes, etc: $100?

total for both chairs: $865

i could save a little bit of money, and some driving by stripping the old upholstery off myself...i'm just trying to figure out if the hassle and time is worth it.

i have had my eye on these chairs for a while...i could get two new chairs for about the same cost that rehabbing the vintage chairs would be...i would probably get these in the grey or the beige, but the orange velvet is really pretty too!

some other budget friendly options:

sutton armchair

tafton chair

uptown chair

i love the unique look of the vintage chairs, and the frames are nice and sturdy...just starting to reconsider the money and effort that will go into fixing them.

what do you think? are the costs and hassle worth it, or would you just order new?

touches of navy

2011-10-17T12:26:00.000-06:00

most of us associate navy blue with summer or spring, probably because it pairs so nicely with crisp white, sunny yellow, and pastels like pink and lavender. but navy happens to be one of my favorite colors for fall. something amazing happens when navy blue is mixed with the warmer "fall" colors of deep oranges, camel and soft ivories...the result always makes me *sigh.

here are some beautiful rooms with touches of navy by one of my favorite design firms, marcuso warner miller:

i would LOVE to have this sofa in my house. that white trim on the navy velvet is just scrumptious.

this entry is the epitome if elegance! love.

loving the look of navy?

here are some great ways to add a touch of navy to your home:

this embroidered circles pillow has great texture and a great pattern.

this fun navy tray table would add a dose of blue in a preppy, classic way.

adding original art to your home is always a great idea: bottle of blue on etsy is a great choice...

i really like how the two shades of navy give a subtle pop of color in this geo dot rug.

love this medallion shower curtain.

i recently completed a design plan for a master bedroom, using some navy blue silk curtains, and this fabric (katsugi by schumacher) on some throw pillows on the bed. i adore this fabric!

marfil collection ivory/blue rug...bold and fun!

i am a sucker for houndstooth, and this navy houndstooth rug is so elegant and chic.

**by the way, rugs usa is having a 50% sale on a huge selection of rugs, including the above ones, and the homespun chevron rug i blogged about on friday! if you are needing a rug, now would be a terrific time to take the plunge...the deal expires today.

happy shopping!

let me know if you find something great! i SO want to buy myself a new rug for my family room or entry, but after evaluating my budget and list of projects, i have decided that i will get more bang for my buck by spending the money in other places.

affordable find: homespun chevron rug

2011-10-13T18:03:00.001-06:00

here's great one for you:

homespun chevron rug-7'6" 9'6"

$454.25

(available in brown, green, light blue and grey)

alexa chevron rug-7'6" 9'6"

$285.59

(available in navy, light blue, green, brown, and grey)

**i recently started a board on pinterest called "affordable finds". you can find all of my previous affordable finds here, as well as some new ones i have rounded up. click here to take a look.

*and thank you for all the sweet birthday wishes! i had a lovely day...out shopping and to lunch with an old friend, and then spent the evening with my family.
and it's nice to know that i am not the only one that gets called the WRONG name all the time!