Crate and Barrel Idea Shopping

While we were in Indy, I spent an afternoon wandering around Crate and Barrel idea shopping. I think this white table will be perfect for the eat-in kitchen in the new house. I like the clean lines and think that it would would look good on the dark hardwood/bamboo floors that I have in mind.

This collection caught my eye. I like the colors and the patterns. I think they could be reproduced with some of the square album frames that my husband has but isn't really doing anything with and some antique wallpaper. Too bad I don't know where to find antique wallpaper...


This orange chair doesn't really fit into the furniture collection we have, but would be perfect for my friends Richard and Ginny, who have just bought an older home that has total retro potential. The upstairs is a denim blue color that would be perfect with this orange.

Inspiration Board

I keep seeing people who have inspiration boards online and would love to make some myself for the rooms in next house. I have at least a year to plan, so I want to be ready when it really comes time to start making decisions. I've been saving pictures that I see online to my computer forever. I will give proper credit for where I found them when I remember/have it saved. I promise I'm not trying to pass any of these off as my own or trying to profit from them in any way. No one I know even knows I have a blog, so I'm pretty sure no one reads this regularly...

This picture is saved on my computer as "Best Room Ever." It's from Meg Duerkson's blog "Whatever." I love the letters and the book jackets. It makes me want to curl up on this bed and read stories to some little kids. I will just die if my kids don't love to read. What do you think---is a love for books nature or nurture?




This next picture is on Design Mom's blog but originally came from the Real Simple website. DH has promised that I will have a room to do with as I please. It will be an office/sewing/crafting/ reading/gift-wrapping room and I may never come out of it. I love everything about this. The color, the furniture, the light. The next one is a kitchen from what I believe is the High End Design blog on blogspot, sorry if I didn't get the name exactly right. I have looked at hundreds of pictures on Google Images for "white kitchen" and keep getting glimpses of kitchens that are kinda like the magic black and white kitchen I have in my mind. This one gets most of it right. The cabinets and countertops are perfect. I'm leaning toward white subway tile for the backsplash, but want some color. This one offers color (yellow wouldn't be my choice) in the form of dishes in open shelving/cabinets. I like the idea but wouldn't want so much of my storage to be exposed. My accent color of choice is granny smith apple green. Love the table and chairs.

This is the kitchen of fashion designers Bagdley Mischka. I own 1% of the cookbooks it would take to pull this off. I'm a sucker for books, organization by color and white kitchens. What's not to love? I also like their subway tile, but not the grey grout.

Ohdeedoh has a article about reading artwork and this was my favorite. It's from the Keep Calm Shop. I kinda want this for my own now. Maybe I could put it in my office at work...

This is from Elle Decor and is from a spread about the interior of the house that was used as the outside shoot for the tv show Full House. The style is much more traditional than anything I could pull off, but I love the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

More storage. Sucker for storage. And baskets. And white. I think these are Expedit shelves by Ikea. No idea where the picture came from.

Build a House!

My husband and I bought a lot today. I'm rather excited, as it means we are now fully committed to the idea of building a house. We love the house we live in now, but it's getting a bit snug. Two bedrooms and two bathrooms just don't offer quite as much room as the two people and one dog in my family need, especially as we consider adding on to the family.

The lot is exactly across the fairway from where we live now, a short move. The plan is to finish paying for the lot and then start construction. So, to celebrate our new plan to lively more simply and pay more quickly, a list of the things DH and I agree on to date.

1. We need more space.

2. Lots adjoining a golf course need a golf cart garage, even if said family does not own a golf cart.

3. DH needs a room/office/place far away from me from which he can listen to his (loud) music without fear of bodily harm.

4. Pink-ish/Coral-ish brick is awful and is to be avoided.

5. People get jealous when you start talking about building a house. Haters, all of them.

6. We need to aim for spending an amount comfortably below what we can afford to leave room for budget-busting.

7. All rooms will not be the same color.

8. Bedrooms will have carpet.

9. We will never again attempt to share one measly bookcase.

10. Rugs are best without bold geometric shapes.

my favorite things

I love fresh starts, lists, and making resolutions. This comes to a head in January of each year when I try valiantly to remake myself into something new. Not because I dislike my former self, I just like the effort. This year's amended-once-already resolution is to be 'classier.' I haven't decided just yet what that really means, but I like the ring of it. I'm not un-classy, I just think the world would be a better place if we were all a little more so. In an effort to define for myself what I mean, I'm going to compile a list of my favorite "classy things."


1. Painted Nails--I've already started by buffing and clear-coating my fingernails. My toes are a delightful OPI shade called "My Private Jet," which sounds classy. It's the exact same shade of gray as my puppy's feet plus a little sparkle.






2. White Kitchens--This probably isn't going to happen for me in 2010 unless we win the lottery or one of us gets an unexpected raise/promotion. However, it still makes the list of classy things because I can picture guests gathered around creative meals prepared for a spur of the moment party in this kitchen.


3. Dogeared Jewelry--They make lovely necklaces and other jewelry items for special occasions, gifts, or just because. I wear this infinite love one, a gift from DH for my last birthday. Check them out.









4. Thoughtfully Designed Rooms--This picture from Spearmint Baby makes me want to have a baby just so I can start collecting letters for a display just like this one. There are a few other reasons I'd like to have a baby, but decorating a nursery sounds like nine months worth of fun.


There are more favorite things, but getting the pictures and text to cooperate has hijacked too much of my Last Day of Christmas Break, so I'll pick back up later. One of these days, I'll be a master blogger. Until then, no one's reading anyway.