Black and White Monday

So I missed black & white Friday last week, so you get it today! My mom is visiting from Iowa this week so I'll try to check in here a few times but for the most part I'll be spending some quality time with her and staying off of the computer. In honor of her visit, I'll leave you a few images from one of mom's favorite designers, Kelly Hoppen. Now you know where I got my love of black and white from:)

*via Metropolitan Home

Mirrors in Low Places

I always love the touch of sparkle and light that a mirror adds to a room, but I especially like when they are used as a backdrop, or a layering piece to add more depth to a space as in the photos below:

This headboard mirror is brilliant:

This vertical mirror almost looks like another window (love the mirrored table too!):

I love how this mirror blends in with the rest of the art on this gallery wall:

I really like when mirrors are used like this above the nightstands:

I love the bold simplicity of this last photo, the mirrors add a great sense of drama. Do you use a lot of mirrors in your decor? Do you use them in any unusual places?

*via lonny, ruthie sommers, cote de texas, & unknowns

Craft for Hope

I'm having a hard time coming up with blog posts this week that don't seem completely trivial in lieu of what's happening right now in Haiti. My heart breaks for people of Haiti, and even the rescuers and doctors that are there because they are seeing things that no one should ever have to see and that will stay with them the rest of their lives. It's overwhelming to think about, but there are things we can do to help, no matter how small they seem.

I'm excited about participating in Craft Hope for Haiti and donating something to their etsy shop. They are accepting handmade goods (whether you have an etsy shop or not) and ALL proceeds will benefit Doctors Without Borders in Haiti. I think this is a great way to get involved, either by donating or shopping from their site.

Sorry for the heavy post today, I promise I'll be back to my usual pretty things soon. I read a comment over on Darby's blog about the situation that read "we are not to blame for what happened in Haiti, but we are to be held accountable for what happens AFTER." Well said.

Pretty Butterflies

I discovered a few little treasures over the weekend, one of them being this brilliant blue butterfly specimen:

I plan to re-mount it on plain white mat board and place it in a larger shadow box frame. I've always liked how the grouping below is displayed, the blue & white contrast of this room is divine:

This single display is simple & pretty:

I must say that I wrestled with this purchase because I'm not big on using living creatures as home decor, but I rationalized by thinking that maybe this little butterfly had a long happy life and died of natural causes. It's possible, right?

* via desire to inspire, decor8

Black and White Friday

Chandeliers & mirrors in the kitchen? I'm liking it...

We're getting our new West Elm pendant installed tomorrow over our kitchen table and I cannot wait...adios, hideous fluorescent lighting! I'll be sure to share some pics on Monday, have a great weekend!

*via Canadian House & Home

Stripes!

I'm loving the subtle metallic & ivory stripes on these walls...

The smoky blue-gray accents are the perfect addition to this rich neutral palette. I'd love to hang out on that chaise all day with a good book and a cup of tea!

*via decorpad

For the Birds

I'm on the hunt for some new black & white art to update my gallery wall to a more sophisticated look. My current arrangement is nice, but it's starting to feel a little cutesy, so it's time for a makeover. I'm liking the modern vintage feel of these bird prints from Kari Herer Photography...

Her illustration/floral photos are interesting too:

Estate Tales

I hit a few estate sales over the weekend without much luck but I did manage to score this bar cart for a SMOKIN' deal:

Let's just say that it cost less than a trip to Starbucks so I simply could not pass it by, even though I have no place to put it at the moment. For now, it's going in my walk-in closet and I'm going to style it up with jewelry, purses, picture frames, etc, but I can always pull it out if I need to for entertaining. Bar carts seem to be quite the hot ticket these days....

I forgot to mention that I actually already have a bar cart that I use in my living room as an end table (in a silver finish) otherwise I would try to use it in there in some way.

I also found this bell jar at Goodwill, I may look for some sort cake stand to use as a base:

(my post-Christmas entry vignette)

btw- does anyone know what the best way is to shine up brass?

*via domino

Black and White Friday

Lee Kleinhelter's new condo...I think the photos speak for themselves. The woman has an amazing eye and her home is perfection.

Love, love, love.

*you can view rest of photos here

Life in the fun lane

I wanted to share a new-to-me blog I discovered yesterday over at Cote de Texas called Life in the Fun Lane. First of all, how cool is that for a name, love it! Holly, the author, runs a business called Whiteberry Reinvented where she spruces up vintage furniture pieces with a fresh coat of paint (usually white) to give them new life with a funky, shabby chic sort of vibe. She also documents her progress as she decorates her home (which she changes quite frequently, I'm sure we all can relate). I knew when I saw these two versions (of many) of her dining room that I would enjoy her blog, and I was right:

I had to post both photos because I couldn't decide which one I liked better...the above one is most current although I think I read that she just sold the large buffet piece in the background.

And I adore the nursery she did for her darling little girl:

LOVE the hand painted armoire, and she got a screaming deal on it. So jealous!

The pom poms over the crib are such a great alternative to a mobile and they add a perfect punch of happy color! (I'm totally stealing this idea someday)

I love the idea of fixing up vintage furniture pieces to make something new and unique. They just don't make furniture like they used to and as much as I love stores like ikea, most pieces have a 3 year life expectancy, if that. I refinish a lot of smaller items like chairs & lamps but I get nervous when I think about tackling large furniture pieces such as dressers & armoires. I'm definitely feeling more inspired to try something more substantial after seeing the great results of Holly's work (plus my ikea dressers are falling apart and I'd really like something new). If you haven't seen it already, cruise on over to Life in the Fun Lane. (cheesy pun intended)

A few things...

I wanted to mention that my friend Jethany Lee (who I went to design school with) got one of her kitchen designs published on the front cover of a little publication you may have heard of called Better Homes & Gardens. It's a spacious and bright kitchen located on Burt Lake, MI with lots of room for cooking & entertaining. If you get a chance, check out this issue, she did a great job!

I also wanted to give a big thank you to Desire to Inspire for featuring me as part of their holiday reading guide for 2010. I'm beyond flattered to have been included with such an amazing group of bloggers, thanks for the blog love!

And lastly, I'm not big on reality tv shows, but I cannot resist watching The Bachelor. I'm so excited the new season started last night, and this could be why:

Gotta love a man in uniform! It looks like there will be a lot of drama this season and I can't wait!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010 everyone! I'm back to blogging after a nice little holiday break and now I'm easing back into my normal daily routine. Like many of you, I've been on a major cleaning/organizing kick lately, going through closets, cupboards, drawers, and my sewing/craft studio, which is the biggest project of them all. I still have a lot to do (like putting my Christmas decorations away), so for today I'll just leave you with a few photos of my favorite house from this month's House Beautiful. It's a lovely converted ranch that mixes industrial and provincial styles with a little bit of girly flair thrown in the mix.

Doesn't the master bedroom look dreamy?

I love the overall light & airy feel of the house. It looks clean, cozy, and inviting...a perfect way to start out the new year!