The Adventure Begins!

Crazy days.  That's all I can say about life right now!  In the course of 8 days we sold two houses and bought one.  The packing, the paperwork, the coordinating of schedules, the physical moving of stuff (how do we have so much stuff???), changing our address, paying off bills, saying good-bye and meeting new neighbors... yeah, nuts.  But it's nothing compared to what the next few months will bring.  When people ask "what are you doing to your new house?" the easiest answer is "what AREN'T we doing?"   Well, we aren't tearing it down.  You can follow along here to see our progress.  I'll start by posting the before pictures.

Future Family Room (currently a porch)

Future Kitchen (currently a den with LOTS of brickwork)

Future Dining Room 

Future Mater Bath (full gut reno)

Future Master Bath 

Future Craft Room (currently weird basement room)

Future Playroom (currently scary basement)

Future guest room (currently another scary basement room)

Another view of the scary basement

Future site of awesome deck (with water views!)

Future site of outdoor shower

We finally have a garage!!!!!!

Master Bedroom

Living Room (lots of changes to come)

Taking down this wall....

Don't be frightened by the state of things (and if you are, don't tell me.. it's even worse in real life!)

Moving

So after a few years of false starts and a ton of hemming and hawing we are actually, finally, incredibly, joyously making the move to a simpler, more laid back lifestyle.  Yes, we're leaving behind our beloved home that we poured our heart and soul into renovating over the past five years, but with it we are leaving a hectic, non stop, where-did-the-day-go type of living.  We are leaving behind too long work days, and too frequent travel weeks. We are leaving behind material expectations and wants. We are leaving behind all the trappings that come with a big salary.  But, we are trading it for a chance to spend more time together in a place we all love- a small seaside town that stole our hearts the first time we visited many years ago.  It's all finally falling into place.  My husband secured a job that he is thrilled about starting at a non profit dedicated to saving the environment and I will plan to refocus my floral design business in that area. The kids are all signed up to be beach bums. And we are set to start turning a new house into our home- with a top to bottom renovation.  It's a house that we hope we will come to love as much as this one...

 

Late Fall Decorating

I always feel like this is an in-between time for decorating.  Halloween is over and it's definitely time to trash the jack-o-lanterns that are slowly rotting on the stoop, but it's waaaayyy too early to start putting up those Christmas lights and decking the halls with holly (or whatever your green of choice may be). 

What to do? I don't want my front door to go naked, and the mantle is screaming to be dressed up pretty.  Well, how about white pumpkins?  They say "Fall" but feel like "Winter"  (you know- kinda like that shoe that looked like a pump but felt like a sneaker?).  Yes! Like that.  Sooo pretty alone, or paired with other rustic elements like berries, wheat, burlap.   And the arrangement can take you right through Thanksgiving and beyond (if you're feeling lazy about decorating). 

from findinghome.com

if you're saying I Do this Fall...

from fivestarpainting.com

from findinghome.com

Just add thumbtacks and voila!

from whisperingcreekhouse.com

by Susie Harris



by Sophias Decor

Summer Whites

I love designer Jen Cranston's Ontario vacation house (originally featured in Canadian Home magazine). Even though I know white is pretty much off limits for me until my kids are old enough that they stop leaving a messy trail of toys, crumbs, smudges and prints all over the house (which I imagine will probably be never) I am still drawn to rooms that feature a lot of white. It's so crisp and clean and refreshing. On a day like today (95 degrees with 90% humidity), white is what I need. White would be cool. I could imagine myself sitting on that lovely front porch with a tall glass of iced tea propped on my knees. Or maybe I'd be lounging under the canopy in the backyard, finally finishing that book I keep lugging to the beach but don't ever have an opportunity to read. Or perhaps I'd just stretch out on that white couch and daydream the afternoon away while my kids played calmly, quietly and neatly at my feet.

 

 

 

 

 

Next Up: Watermelon


 



Oh yeah, I've already consumed about 10 tons of watermelon this summer; my kids probably have me by a ton or two. There is just something so perfect about it on a hot day. Whether you use it in a salad, main course or dessert it's equally appetizing. But of course there's more to it than the sweet, sticky taste... it's the georgous, appealing color of it. Wonderful as a fruit, but even better as a pillow, on a wall or as a furniture color. It really is pretty versatile as a focal color or an accent. For example, a watermelon rug would really brighten and warm up a room (see Curbly's "after photo" below- and check out curbly.com for the before), some pillows add punch to a neutral room, a soft pink wall livens things up in a comfortable lounging space. Or you could just buy a watermelon hued bouquet of flowers (try hot lady roses, supernova spray roses or fushia peonies). Or what about a watermelon bed? Luxe and Lilies

shows you how to make your own! And, if that's not enough inspiration, here are the pics that caught my eye and got me thinking about how I can use watermelon:





 

Snap 7

 







Domino Mag

   

 

Jenna Lyons



Martha Stewart

 

check out curbly.com for how to make this rug!

Seafoam Green Summer!

Everywhere I turn this summer I'm seeing green... seafoam green to be exact. I even saw a woman on the street yesterday wearing the bold combination of seafoam green pants and a red top. Not so very sure that it worked, but hey, I did like the pants. And I LOVE the color. Love that it seems to be the new go to neutral..at least for certain spaces. But there is definitely a right way to use it. I love it as an accent color against navy blue, tan or white. Paired with a deep orange it could be lovely as well. And anything that looks like it comes for the 60s could most definitely pull off seafoam. I'm itching to paint something- anything- in my house seafoam green, but so far I haven't found the right thing. So, per usual, I've been searching the good ole web for inspiration. Here are some images I found while looking around. Right on!



Apartment Therapy



homeanddecor.net



Jesi Haack Design (seen on MarthaStewart.com)



Mediterranian House & Home

Outdoor Living

Maybe it's because it seems like warm weather will never again grace our little corner of the world, or maybe because it is officially Spring (despite what the thermometer says) but I've been thinking a lot about how nice it would be to have an outdoor room. I love the idea of lounging on a sunsoaked patio, sunk deep down in comfortable cushions of an all weather sofa. Oh what I'd give to be lingering over drinks with friends gathered around a gently weathered teak table as the sun fades and the crickets start to sing. Sigh- all that would be really nice, but you know, right about now I'd be perfectly happy just to be able to go outside without a scarf and jacket at this point! I'd be more than content with my standard patio furniture and faded umbrella, kids toys scattered at my feet. But on the other hand, it really would be nice to jazz up my backyard. Well.. maybe Restoration Hardware will have another fab 60% off sale at the end of the season and we'll be sipping cocktails in style NEXT summer!

from House Beautiful

from Coastal Living

from Coastal Living

Garden House

from Domino Magazine

from GardenRooms

from Domino Magazine

ok, this isn't outside, but I still would

LOVE to have a room like this from Country Living