Sarah's Summer House

I have posted about designer Sarah Richardson before. I love the HGTV show Sarah's House, so it logically follows that I would be a big fan of Sarah's Summer House as well.

In this program, Richardson walks us through the renovation/redesign of her own cottage on a Canadian lake. I could imagine this premise could be completely annoying if her design ideas were not so inspiring and the creative process of both Richardson and her team were less entertaining. However, I found myself really interested in how she was going to tackle what was once her husband's all pine-planked bachelor vacation haven into a getaway for her family and guests.....I was definitely not disappointed.

All images courtesy of HGTV

art display

I am fortunate enough to have an artist in the family. My brother is a fantastic painter and we have a few prints (and a couple of amazing originals) we wanted to hang.

The originals, painted with acrylic on wood, are contained in frames and already look pretty amazing on the wall, but the prints were problematic in that they were not "uniform" size for mats or frames, thus required custom fitting....yikes!

The cost of custom framing is very high and though we do have prints framed in our home, I was pretty sure the price of framing the one I wanted to put up right away was not in the summertime budget....so I had to get creative.

I had seen artist sketch boards on display in the art supply store in town and in Michael's. They are usually shown with a piece, either finished or in progress, clipped on and I have always appreciated the look. It feels authentic and different to have art displayed on the working surface. I decided maybe that was the way to go for the painting above of the Powder Point Bridge.

So it is up in my house that way and I really like it. There was something about the subject matter and my brother's style of painting that fit with the sketch board display. I think this could be a great alternative to formal framing for certain pieces of art.

While I nest, I think...

 via the obsessive imagist

entryway inspiration

via Apartment Therapy

I have two random weaknesses - entryways and laundry rooms. I don't have either, but I love admiring how pretty these functional spaces can be. Here is my ode to well-designed entryways...

via Home Sweet Home

via ffffound

via Emma Mitchell Photography

via Apartment Therapy

via Next Home Design

kitchen envy

Image courtesy of elledecor via hookedonhouses.net

I have seen this one shot of actress Ellen Pompeo's home no less than a dozen times in various places online. Every time I think- I love this kitchen. It is not at all what I usually covet, which are the crisp, light, white kitchens with large islands and streamlined cabinets as far as the eye can see. This is actually one of those spaces I can see living in. I mean truly living in...with toddlers... and their often spilled delicacies and tracked in mud and ground in crayons. I think I am usually drawn to light and white interiors because they are total fantasies at this point- any night of spaghetti or afternoon with Crayola would be a looming disaster, but this room is different because it feels "real".

It is laid back and stylish (I think it has to do with the awesome choice of an oversized black and photograph for the wall) and the terra cotta floor makes the space, otherwise filled with the more industrial feeling stainless steel, so warm and welcoming.

Time to start saving my pennies for terra cotta tile :).....

"What the Living Do"

Johnny, the kitchen sink has been clogged for days, some utensil probably fell down 

there.

And the Drano won't work but smells dangerous, and the crusty dishes have piled up

waiting for the plumber I still haven't called. This is the everyday we spoke of.
It's winter again: the sky's a deep, headstrong blue, and the sunlight pours through

the open living-room windows because the heat's on too high in here and I can't turn it 

off.
For weeks now, driving, or dropping a bag of groceries in the street, the bag breaking,

I've been thinking: This is what the living do. And yesterday, hurrying along those
wobbly bricks in the Cambridge sidewalk, spilling my coffee down my wrist and sleeve,

I thought it again, and again later, when buying a hairbrush: This is it.
Parking. Slamming the car door shut in the cold. What you called that yearning.

What you finally gave up. We want the spring to come and the winter to pass. We want
whoever to call or not call, a letter, a kiss--we want more and more and then more of it.

But there are moments, walking, when I catch a glimpse of myself in the window glass,
say, the window of the corner video store, and I'm gripped by a cherishing so deep

for my own blowing hair, chapped face, and unbuttoned coat that I'm speechless:
I am living. I remember you.

by Marie Howe from What the Living Do

{Stevan Dohanos illustration via ondiraiduveau} 

little house shadowbox

via apartment therapy

My mother has one of these house-shaped shadowboxes hanging in her home that my sister and I proceeded to fill, for the entirety of our childhood, with these little animal figurines that we were obsessed with at Hallmark. We gave her the tiny creatures in the name of her birthday or Mother's Day or Christmas, but - of course - we just loved them and loved deciding which animal deserved to "live" in specific rooms of the wooden house. My mother still has this shadowbox, with its carefully selected inhabitants, hanging up in her home and even though it's totally a little too cutesy - I kinda want one. Both for the sake of nostalgia and the fun of decorating one - I'm keeping an eye out the next time I hit the flea market. I just hope the husband can handle all the tiny glass kittens I'll probably end up filling the darn thing with..

{top, left to right: via I heart linen and via DayDream Lily

bottom, left to right: via Ask Alice and danieru_.}

a lovely thought

via savoring the details

House Crush

I first saw this house on the katy elliot blog and then followed her link to the original listing at 1st-Option London. This home is like a breath of fresh air. I love how white, light, and airy it is without feeling cold or stark. It is just so clean and tidy looking.....swoon.

All images courtesy of 1st-option

snoozing in a winter wonderland

I would love to spend the month of December tucking in to this bedroom each night- festive, cozy and bright!

Image courtesy of countryliving

Thursday, a paper town, and Etsy

via 1canoe2

I say why bother getting a pre-made, pre-set, or perfectly matched paper village when you put together your own by filling it with the unique and beautiful paper structures found on that lovely Etsy site.

To begin, as a city girl I would surely need at least one skyscraper in my paper town (via seasprayblue):

And who doesn't want a historic cottage? I like this one, which is based on a design by S.B. Reed, an architect who was popular during the period following the Civil War (via CatalogHouses):

Every town also needs needs an adorable little home that doubles as (why not?) a super cute gift box (via chia83):

And "yes please" do put a very cool Scottish tenement in my village of paper too (via finchandfouracre):

And maybe my town will be on an island so I'll need this sweet harbor island house as well (via seasprayblue):

And I seriously adore this letterhouse paper house so much that I'd have to have a street full of 'em (via 1canoe2):

And because my town would surely be oh so cultured - I would definitely need to add this paper model of the Globe Theatre to my downtown (via Paperlandmarks):

And because every town needs a "haunted" house - why not make that house be a replica of "The Bewitched" house? (via cinderellamoments):

And because this is no paper town without at least one Vintage Putz style Christmas home, let's just narrow it down to three...

Like this yellow and ruby red abode (via myattictreasures):

Or this mini and pink Christmas castle (via 5gardenias):

Or the coziest Christmas home ever (via carolfysher):

Hurricane Season

Image courtesy of hornes.org via google

A holiday table topped off with a decorative glass hurricane, or hurricanes, always looks so polished and festive. They are the perfect way to bring Autumn to the table. The glass capsules filled with seasonal items, candlelit, or wrapped, can fit into any decorative scheme - it just depends on how you use them.

I like the look of hurricanes filled with acorns, gourds, or berries- Fall's harvest right there.

Image courtesy nicegirlnotes.com via google

Although I have not tried this, I bet it would create lovely ambiance for an evening gathering with the light filtered through the warm shades of orange tissue.

Image courtesy of marthastewart.com

Candlelight flickering in these mercury hurricanes would be a beautiful centerpiece for the holiday table- wintry and elegant.

Image courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

This pair is my favorite. Really, it is because they look like New England, like my parents' place during the Fall, and I am always up for a little bit of home, especially when the holidays roll around.

Image courtesy of yourdecoratinghotline.com

simon pearce

According to my mailbox, it is autumn. All of the fall catalogs are rolling in and after this scorcher of a summer- I am ready. Of course I am coveting all of the clothing, but I also love to look through the houseware catalogs and check out their fall spreads. Simon Pearce has some shots that are so simple and feel like New England- I can just smell the hot cider and feel the crisp air.

Ah, September....bring it on!