Trends we LOVE

Speaking of things we love, we just had the best girls night out last night.  We headed downtown and sat at the bar at Urban Wine Company.  The exposed brick and urban feel had our creative juices flowing!


                                             Trend #3 on our List...  Nature Infusion


                                      

 

This trend has been around for awhile but we are always finding new ways to include a little nature in our decorating.  Birds, nests, eggs, moss, bark, tree branches, a deer head, the list goes on.  Take a look in your back yard and see what you can bring inside.

Trends we LOVE

We are not the type to jump on the latest craze, we like to think of ourselves as timeless, but we don't live in a cave and we are loving the hottest trends for 2012!
                                                                            
                                                                              SHINE
We love a little sparkle in our decor!  We have already shared how much we adore vintage silver but really anything shiny brings a twinkle to our eye.  Mirrors, crystal, silver, gold, mercury glass, just to name a few.  Here are a few examples of how we are adding a little shine to our displays.

(Seriously...  Everything looks better on a silver tray!)

                                                                   MONOGRAMS
You can make almost anything more special by personalizing it with your monogram!  There is something about those three little letters shoved together that screams style.  We do not live in the south but are loving finding ways to incorporate this southern tradition in as many places as we can!

                                    Check back tomorrow for more on the trends we LOVE!

A word about my kitchen

April here again!  I just wanted to a share a few of the self imposed rules in my kitchen.  I hate clutter.  (I think I got this from my Mom)  If there is something on my counter it has to serve a purpose!!  That does not mean I have not found a way to make my utilitarian way pretty.  Check out some of my kitchen spaces.

Yes I have a dresser and mirror in my kitchen.  I picked up this duo at a tag sale for $20.  I imagine it spent many years in a little girls room but after a quick paint job and a little roughing up it sits in my kitchen.  I usually serve a signature drink on this dresser out of my grandmothers punch bowl.  It also holds appetizers and plates nicely when I'm entertaining.

When the new year hits so do new resolutions!  We are trying to eat more fruit so I filled up this wire basket on my countertop to encourage us all to grab a piece more frequently.

Stephanie and I both have incorporated this idea!  This cute silver tray has seasonings for dinner.  I have a pepper mill, silver salt and pepper shakers, a container for sea salt and one for sugar.  Stephanie and I are crazy for vintage silver!!  You can pick it up anywhere for no money at all, and we think it adds a touch of sparkle to any space while giving a nod to the past. 

So that is it for counter clutter!  All my appliances are neatly tucked in the drawers below my cooktop.  If I had to have my appliances out on my counter I would edit what I have even more.

As for my island...  The only thing I like to see are my kids faces.  I have my hand soap, lotion, and dishsoap organized in a silver canaster by my sink, and once in a while I pick up some fresh flowers at the grocery store.  I do love fresh flowers but none today!

Stephanie is hard at work over at her house.  Our kids go back to school tomorrow after what we have called the cruel joke of a Christmas break.(We thought it might never end)  We can't wait to show you the new fabric and paint she is introducing to her dinette area.

Refresh and Renew

I'm always a little sad to see the glow of Christmas be packed away but that feeling is immediately erased by the excitement of a fresh new look!  Check out a few of April's rooms that are undergoing there late winter renewal!  

My favorite new thrift sore find!  This small table is the perfect place to set your drink and the top is solid marble.  LOVE!

1 week ago this room was a traditional green and red christmas expolsion.  Today fresh grey and yellow have taken over.  It feels like a breath of fresh air!

I just had to throw in a pic of my deer.  My brother in law gave me this beauty.  My friends laugh because I have a dead animal on my wall and I don't eat meat. Sorry the picture is blurry I will post another one when I get my camera out again.

The seasonal wreaths and greenery bave been replaced with lemons and simple mirrors with burlap ribbon and antique broaches.  

My new purchace is this great clock.  I love the metal grey finish and the stark white face.  It is amazing what 1 new thing can do for a space and your attitude.  More to come.  I'm in the middle of covering my cornice boards and sewing new drapes in my dinette.  Can't wait to show you!

Bits and Snips

Headed out to meet Stephanie for our Saturday morning run.  There is something about getting out in the crisp January air that feeds my soul and clears my mind.  I have many decorating projects in the works that I can't wait to share with everyone.  I will be busting into my new camera and give everyone a tour of my refreshed kitchen and harthroom very soon!  I better get my gloves on Stephanie is knocking at my door.